http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39102762
Quote:Islamic militants in the Philippines have posted a video showing the beheading of a German hostage.
Juergen Kantner was abducted from his yacht off Malaysia's Sabah state in November. His companion Sabine Merz's body was later found on the boat.
A deadline for a 30m peso (£483,000; $600,000) ransom expired on Sunday.
Mr Kantner, 70, and Ms Merz had been abducted before. They were held for 52 days in 2008 by Somali pirates and were released after a ransom was paid.
The video, reported by the SITE militancy-monitoring group, shows Mr Kantner being killed by a knife-wielding man.
Government envoy Jesus Dureza confirmed the killing.
"Up to the last moment, many sectors, including the armed forces, exhausted all efforts to save his life. We all tried our best but to no avail," he said.
Abu Sayyaf is one of the smallest and most violent jihadist groups in the southern Philippines, known for its brutality, including beheadings.
It has pledged allegiance to so-called Islamic State and has carried out kidnappings of foreigners and Filipinos.
Some have been released for ransoms but a number are still being held.