Syrian rebels say they have seized control of the strategically important northern town of al-Rai from the group known as Islamic State (IS).

Pope Francis is to make public the conclusions of his two Synods on the family in a document eagerly awaited by 1.3 billion Roman Catholics.

Thirteen North Koreans working at the same restaurant abroad defected to South Korea, Seoul officials say.

A shooting at a US Air Force base in Texas has left at least two people dead in an apparent murder-suicide, police say.

Nato and Russia are to discuss the Ukraine crisis at their first formal talks since Moscow's annexation of Crimea more than two years ago.

Dozens of student activists are freed from prison in Myanmar, a day after Aung San Suu Kyi pledged to work to free all political prisoners.

A US freelance photographer who has been held in Syria for almost four years is released, the State Department says.

Italy recalls its ambassador to Egypt for consultations over the murder of Italian student Giulio Regeni in Cairo.