BBC news with Sue Montgomery.
Official sources in Washington say President Obama has ordered American forces to continue some aspects of their commission in Afghanistan in 2015 even though US combat operations were officially due to finish by the end of this year. From Washington, David Willas.
In late this year, President Obama said the American military would have no combat role in Afghanistan next year. But in recent weeks, according to the New York Times, a more expanded mission has been agreed upon. A senior administration official said in a statement that the US military might provide what he called combat enabled support to the Afghan National Security forces in limited circumstances and would take appropriate messures in self-defence if Taliban forces threatened US forces and coalition forces.
The American vice President Joe Biden has praised the enduring alliance between the United States and Turkey despite reports of strains between the two NATO allies over Syria. He was speaking at a joint news conference in Istanbul with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Our countries have been allies for 60 years. I would praise it today that our partnership is as strong as it ever has been. Today we're working closely together once again to meet very pressing challenges of this moment and further strengthen the strategic partnership between Turkey and America. We need Turkey. And I think Turkey believes that they need us as well.
Mr. Biden said they had discussed efforts not only to defeat Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria but also to strengthen the Syrian opposition.
As talks in Vienna on Iran's nuclear programme enter their final stages, there are growing doubts that a deal will be struck by Monday's deadline. The US, Britain, France and other world powers are seeking to curb Iran's nuclear activities in return for easing of international sanctions. Here's Betheny Bell.
The German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier described this weekend's talks as the moment of truth. Progress, he said, was possible if Iran wanted it. The US Secretary of State John Kerry said significant differences remain. The big sticking points are the timing of sanctions release for Iran and the future size and scope of its uranium enrichment work.
A senior advisor to Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta says the slaughter of 28 bus passengers was intended to create a religious war in the country. Speaking to the BBC, Abdul Karder Mohammed called on Kenyans of all faiths to stand together against what he called heinous crimes. Militants from the Somali Islamist group Al-Shabarb shot at point-blank range. Those passengers could not recite verses from the Koran.
BBC news.
The President of Ghana John Mohammed has dissolved the board of the country's drug enforcement agency after conflicting reports over a drug siezure at London Airport. The Ghanaian agency said they had collaborated with British authorities over the arrest of a Ghanaian woman who was found with 12.5kg cocaine. But the British high commission in Ghana has denied this, saying that the UK officials acted alone.
The Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos has said the Farc rebel group will free an army general and several other captives next week. Mr. Santos said arrangements for the release had been agreed upon with the Farc but gave no further details. The Farc seizure a week ago of one of Colombia's most high-ranking generals R.O. led to the suspension of long-running government peace talks with the rebels.
Thousands of Catholic pilgrims are converging in Goa on India's west coast to see the relics of St. Francis Xavier. Julia Griven reports.
It was a solemn occasion. Thousands of people gathered,many of them Catholic pilgrims, as the remains of the 16th century Spanish missionary slowly emerged. His body lies inside a glass and silver casket usually as kept hidden from view. But today it was brought out, an event which only happens once every 10 years. It was carried to the crowd as part of a grand procession to go on public display in Goa's saint Cathedral. Organisers say they expect several million people to come to view the relics of the saint in the coming weeks.
The Barcelona striker Lionel Messi has smashed the all-time goalscoring record in Spain's top football league La Liga. The Argentine scored a hat-trick to bring his total to 253, breaking a record set in 1955 by the Bath's striker T.M. in his 15-year career. Messi performed his feat in a game agaisnt Sevilla.