Modi lays out terms for India-Pakistan talks

Indian PM tells the UN that bilateral talks between rivals must be held "without a shadow of terrorism".

Modi's UN speech on Saturday was his first address to the world body since taking power in May [AP]

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has underscored his readiness to restart bilateral talks with nuclear rival Pakistan, but insisted that such negotiations must be held "without a shadow of terrorism".
"I want to hold bilateral talks to improve friendship and cooperation in all seriousness and in an atmosphere of peace, without a shadow of terrorism," Modi told the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday in his first address to the world body since he was elected as India's prime minister in May.

Middle East Iraqi PM removes Maliki’s men from key roles

Abbadi forcibly retired two of his army generals and revoked the office of the armed forces' commander-in-chief.

Iraq's new premier faces more pressures as ISIL fighters claim territorial gains in Anbar [AFP]

Baghdad, Iraq - Repeated failures by Iraq's army commanders in their fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) as well as a high casualty rate among soldiers have increased pressure on Iraq's new Prime Minister Haider al-Abbadi to take action.

On September 23, Abbadi forcibly retired two of his army generals and revoked the office of the armed forces' commander-in-chief in a move widely seen as an attempt to remedy the army's successive losses in

Many killed in Guinea-Bissau landmine blast

At least 20 killed after minibus struck landmine in the north of the country.

At least 20 people have been killed after a minibus struck a landmine in Guinea-Bissau, a doctor who treated several victims said. Augusto Blute said on Saturday that the bus was travelling between the towns of Bissora and Encheia in the north of the country when the explosion occurred on Friday. A police source, who asked not to be named, told the Reuters news agency that 19 people were killed on the spot when the blast tore the vehicle in two and three others died of their injuries overnight.

Hikers feared dead near Japan volcano summit

Thirty hikers found in "cardiopulmonary" arrest near top of erupting Mount Ontake in central Japan.

Hundreds of soldiers and firefighters were deployed to rescue the injured [Reuters]

Japan's national media has reported that 30 hikers have been found in a state of "cardiopulmonary" arrest near the peak of the volcano that erupted on Saturday.
The victims have been described as not breathing and their hearts have stopped, which is the customary way for Japanese authorities to describe a body until police doctors can examine it.
Rescue workers found the individuals near the summit of 3,067-metre Mount Ontake, in Nagano prefecture.
"We have confirmed that more than 30 individuals in cardiac arrest have been found near the summit," a Nagano prefecture police spokesman told the AFP news agency.
About 550 soldiers, police officers and firefighters were involved in a large-scale search-and-rescue operation in a bid to save dozens of hikers who were thought to have been stranded on the volcano since it erupted without warning spewing ash, rocks and steam into a sunny autumn weekend busy with tourists and hikers.

Kanye West grabs his wife's massive butt

Kim K posted the pic on her instagram page yesterday. Lucky man!

Policeman shot in US city of Ferguson

Officer reportedly shot in arm in Missouri state city, the centre of ongoing protests since killing of youth in August.

Ferguson, Missouri, has been the scene of racially charged protests after a teenager was killed in August [Reuters]

A police officer from the strife-hit US city of Ferguson has been shot and the suspect is still at large, law enforcement officials have said.
The officer was chasing two suspects outside the Ferguson Community Center on Saturday night when one turned and shot him in the arm, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar told a news conference.
The officer, who is expected to survive, returned fire but apparently did not hit either suspect, Belmar said.
"I wouldn't have any reason to believe right now that it was linked in any way, shape, manner or form with the protests," he said.

Central & South Asia Loud blast rocks Kabul diplomatic district

Explosion near presidential palace injures one person, a day before inauguration of Afghan President-elect Ashraf Ghani.

A loud explosion has injured at least one person in the diplomatic quarter of the Afghan capital, a day before the inauguration of a new president.
The blast, in a square outside the gate of the presidential palace in Kabul, was caused by a magnetic bomb attached to a military vehicle.
It went off during morning rush hour on Sunday, snarling traffic in the area that also houses several embassies.
"At 9:15 this morning, a sticky bomb attached to an Afghan army vehicle exploded in Zanbaq Square ... only injuring the driver," Najib Danish, Interior Ministry deputy spokesman, told Reuters.
Al Jazeera's Jennifer Glasse, reporting from Kabul, said security was very tight in the capital as dignitaries were set to arrive for Monday's inauguration of Ashraf Ghani.
The former finance minister was declared president after a bitter dispute with his rival, Abdullah Abdullah,