Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta says security forces have now defeated the attackers four days after fighting began at a Nairobi mall.

In a televised address to the nation, Kenyatta said three days of national mourning would begin Wednesday.

The death toll now stands at 61, although more bodies are believed to be trapped in the mall.

At least 18 foreigners are among the dead, including a Chinese woman.

The attack at the Westgate shopping mall also left 240 injured.

Five of the gunmen have been killed and another 11 suspects taken into custody.

Somali-based Al-Shabaab launched the attack on Saturday in what they say was a response to Kenya's support of the African Union assault on the terrorist group in southern Somalia.

 

UN General Assembly begins annual general debate

 

The 68th session of the UN General Assembly has began its annual general debate at the UN headquaters in New York.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon delivered an opening speech.

He called on the member states to take "bold" steps and work together to tackle a host of concerns, including the situation in the Middle East and North Africa and including a new climate change regime.

More than 130 heads of state, heads of government and deputy prime ministers are scheduled to address the conference. 

The use of chemical weapons in Syria and the nuclear issue in Iran are hot topics among world learders and diplomats.

 

Chinese FM calls for new progress on China-Britain ties

 

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi has met with his British counterpart William Hague in New York.

Wang Yi is calling on the two sides to make fresh progress on bilateral ties.

The top Chinese diplomat says mutual political trust has to serve as a precondition for stronger cooperation between the two sides. 

Hague says the British side wants to see reciprocal ministerial visits take place.

He also says London has decided to significantly expand the number of British diplomats posted in China.

 

Obama signals direct engagement with Iran on its Nuk program

 

Hopes are running high that a breakthrough could be made with Iran over it's talks with world powers on its nuclear program.

At the UNGA, US President Barack Obama signalled a willingness to directly engage Iran's leaders on the issue.

Obama said diplomatic path must be tested , and added that the US does not seek regime change in Iran and respects the right of the Iranian people to access peaceful nuclear energy.

For his part, newly-elected Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said he was ready to restart stalled nuclear talks without preconditions.

However the White House again says there are no meetings between Obama and Rouhani has been scheduled in New York.

Earlier, Iran has agreed to restart talks on its nuclear program with the five Permanent members of the UN Security Council plus Germany.

Before that, Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif will meet US Secretary of State John Kerry on Thursday.

 

93 killed as 7.7 magnitude earthquake hits SW Pakistan

 

At least 93 people have been killed and over 200 others injured following a major 7.7 magnitude earthquake in a remote area in Southwestern Pakistan.

Most people were killed when their houses collapsed.

Local officials in Baluchistan say they are sending in food and tents.

Strong aftershocks are reported in the area. 

The tremors have been felt in neighboring India's capital New Dehli and in many Pakistani cities.

Baluchistan is Pakistan's largest province but also the least populated.

The province is prone to earthquakes.

Earlier this year, a 7.8-magnitude tremor centered in southeastern Iran which killed at least 35 people in the province.

 

China to inaugurate Shanghai FTZ on Sunday

 

This country's first pilot free trade zone will officially be launched in Shanghai on Sunday.

Municipal authorities say the preparation work is going smoothly. 

The zone covers an area of 29 square kilometers. 

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang says a priority will be given to easier investment and greater openness. 

The State Council is suspending administrative approvals covering foreign-funded enterprises, Chinese-foreign equity joint ventures and contractual joint ventures in the FTZ.

In the pilot zone, goods can be imported, processed and re-exported without the intervention of customs authorities.

 

China's overnight money-market rate falls most in a month

 

The central bank here in China has been infusing more cash into the system ahead of the national holiday, sending the overnight money-market rates on their biggest drop in a month. 

The People's Bank of China has added 88 billion yuan into the system.

The injection has been made through six-day reverse repurchase contracts.

This comes as the financial markets prepare to be shutdown between October 1st to October 7th for the National Day Holiday.

 

China moves to curb sexual assaults against children

 

Authorities in China have asked schools to educate their children on self-protection against sexual assaults and tighten the review of their teachers' credentials, as a spate of sexual assault cases shocked the nation.

The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Public Security, the Central Committee of the Communist Youth League of China and the All-China Women's Federation, jointly issued guidelines on the prevention of sexual assaults against children.

The guidelines said campaigns must be launched to educate parents on how to protect their children, to raise awareness among children, and to tell victims how to seek help.