World

Franklin Graham, Mike Huckabee, thousands of others defend Navy chaplain accused of being anti-gay

Prostitution: How Christian businesses in Kolkata are fighting the sex trade â

In Asia's largest red light district, a group of Christian businesses is offering trafficked women another way to earn a living. Their newest venture has the potential to transform the sex trading area.

Vatican supports military action against ISIS

The Vatican's ambassador in Geneva has said the use of force will be necessary to protect minority groups from Islamic State aggression if a political solution cannot be achieved.

Pakistan: 10 dead in church blasts

Bombs outside two churches in the Pakistani city of Lahore killed 10 people and wounded more than 55 during Sunday services, rescue workers said.

Iraqi Kurds accuse Islamic State of using chlorine gas against them

Iraqi Kurdish authorities said on Saturday they had evidence that Islamic State had used chlorine gas as a chemical weapon against their peshmerga fighters in northern Iraq in January.

Iran interim deal could be reached soon, says Kerry

US Secretary of State John Kerry said on Saturday he hoped "in the next days" it would be possible to reach an interim deal with Iran if Tehran can show that its nuclear power programme is for peaceful purposes only.

Vanuatu cyclone wreaks widespread devastation

The first aid teams to reach Vanuatu on Sunday encountered widespread devastation and authorities declared a state of emergency after a "monster" cyclone tore through the vulnerable Pacific island nation.

India: Elderly nun raped in convent school

A nun in her seventies was raped in the early hours of Saturday when a group of six intruders broke into a convent school in eastern India, police said.

'We fear the worst': At least 8 dead as pacific cyclone devastates Vanuatu

One of the Pacific Ocean's most powerful ever storms devastated the island nation of Vanuatu on Saturday, tearing off roofs, uprooting trees and killing at least eight people with the toll set to rise, aid officials said.

Philippine bishops pushing for resignation of President Aquino

Bishops' call for resignation not dampened by Archbishop's lack of support

Islamic State accepts Boko Haram's allegiance

The leader of the Islamic State militant group that controls tracts of Syria and Iraqhas accepted a pledge of allegiance from Nigerian Islamists Boko Haram, his spokesman said, calling on supporters to fight in Africa.

Canada PM accused of 'pandering to Islamophobia'

A Canadian opposition leader on Friday compared Prime Minister Stephen Harper's handling of Islam to Russian President Vladimir Putin's crackdown on gays, ratcheting up political rhetoric over the religion as Harper's ruling Conservatives seek re-election in October.