The Newsmakers

Chinese President Xi Jinping has become China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong, having enshrined his place in Chinese history. At the end of the Communist Party Congress, the delegates unanimously voted to incorporate what's known as "Xi Jinping Thought" into the constitution. And the Congress concluded with no obvious candidate to take over from Xi in the future. What does this all mean for the world's second largest economy?

Is Daesh on the verge of total defeat? US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson seems to think so. He says it's now time for some of those battling the terror group to go back home. And he's singled out Hashd al Shaabi, a coalition of some 40 militias, mostly funded and backed by Iran. They've been fighting Daesh alongside the US-backed forces of the Iraqi government. But Tillerson's remarks haven't gone down well with Baghdad, which calls the fighters the hope of the region. So what does the future hold for these fighters?

The Los Angeles Police Department will start using drones on a scale never seen before in the United States. As part of a trial, for a one year, SWAT teams can authorise the use of the unmanned machines during standoffs and hostage takings. The chief of the LAPD says it'll keep his officers out of harm's way. But privacy advocates are warning this will begin a new era of surveillance.

The Philippines’ military operation to liberate Marawi came to an abrupt end when Isnilon Hapilon was killed in a firefight along with his fellow militant leaders. President Rodrigo Duterte is calling it a victory. But not all Filipinos are convinced. Other militant groups still operate in the region, and their ranks could now be filled by young fighters with nowhere else to go.

Daesh was dealt a major blow when it was forced out of its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa. But the military operation that defeated the group is now facing criticism. Russian forces accuse the United States of wiping Raqqa off the face of the Earth, following a 19 week campaign led by a US-backed coalition of Kurdish and Arab fighters. Syrian activists also say more than 1,800 non-combatants were killed, despite US assurances civilian causalities would be limited.

After the Harvey Weinstein allegations, the hashtag 'me too' became a rallying cry to protest sexual harassment against women. Now, France is considering a new law that would give men fines for catcalling and following women down the street.

According to a new report from the UK Home Office, terror attacks and Brexit could be contributing to a historic rise in hate crimes. Last year saw the biggest increase since records began, with offenses spiking after the vote to leave the EU and each successive terror attack. But some say there hasn't been a surge at all. Could it just be down to more people now willing to come forward?

The conflict in Kashmir has gone unresolved for 70 years. As one of the world's longest-running territorial disputes, it's killed thousands of people. And renewed violence in the past year has dashed hopes an end could be just around the corner. But with both nations now armed with nuclear weapons, a new full-blown war could be more disastrous than ever. What’s needed to bring an end to the violence?

Almost seven years on from the start of the Arab Spring, Tunisia is held up as a model of success. The country spent almost a quarter of a century under one ruler. Now, they have a government that's brought together secularists and followers of political Islam. But the North African democracy still faces challenges to its stability. We speak with Rached Ghannouchi, co-founder of the Ennahda Party.

Earlier this month, Catalans overwhelmingly voted in favour of breaking away from Spain. Madrid ruled the referendum was illegal and has now jailed Catalan leaders. The divide between both parties seems to be deepening. Can Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy peacefully keep his country united?