December 9, 2015 Philippine troops kill 8 Muslim rebels in city battles Philippine security forces killed eight Muslim rebels Thursday as they hunted the remnants of a guerrilla force hiding in homes of a major city and believed to be holding hostages.
December 8, 2015 Australia expands harsh PNG refugee deal to Nauru Australia expanded its plan banishing asylum-seekers arriving by boat to Papua New Guinea Saturday to include the far-flung Pacific island of Nauru as national elections loom.
December 8, 2015 Singapore court dismisses challenge to anti-gay law Singapore's High Court on Wednesday dismissed a constitutional challenge against an archaic law criminalising sex between men, the second such petition turned down this year.
December 8, 2015 Japan PM Abe visits island near disputed chain Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday visited coastguards who patrol waters around islands at the centre of a dispute with China, as election campaigning stepped up a gear.
December 8, 2015 Singapore Catholic Church to probe sex-abuse charges The Roman Catholic church in Singapore has vowed to investigate any charges of sexual misconduct by its clergy after an Australian woman claimed she was abused by priests as a teenager in the city-state.
December 8, 2015 China naval fleet seen off northern Japan A Chinese naval fleet was Sunday spotted sailing for the first time through an international strait between northern Japan and Russia's far east, the Japanese defence ministry said.
December 8, 2015 All Blacks bid to scale greater heights in dead rubber The All Blacks have the series in the bag but they still want more from their new "integrated" style with the return of ace pivot Dan Carter for the third Test against France on Saturday.
December 8, 2015 Fukushima nuclear clean-up to cost $58 bn The clean-up after the Fukushima nuclear disaster could cost five times more than estimated, figures have revealed, as Tokyo Electric Power said on Wednesday that steam had been seen again in a reactor building.
December 8, 2015 Scattered fighting in southern Philippine city Philippine troops hunted the remnants of a Muslim rebel group in the key southern city of Zamboanga Sunday, with residents hearing gunfire a day after the military declared an end to its three-week campaign.
December 8, 2015 Political deadlock leaves Cambodia at a crossroads Despite mass protests, accusations of rigged elections, a brief hunger strike by a prince and a threatened boycott of parliament by his rivals, Cambodia's long-ruling strongman Hun Sen remains firmly in control.