US President Barack Obama shook hands with Cuban President Raul Castro at the United Nations on September 29 in a rare one-on-one meeting between the former Cold War foes as they work toward improving relations after decades of animosity.

Taliban fighters clashed with Afghan government forces near Kunduz airport on September 29, a day after the militants seized control of the northern city in arguably the biggest victory of their 14-year insurgency.

Russia and the United States agreed on September 28 to look for a diplomatic end to the Syrian civil war but clashed over the central question of whether Syrian President Bashar al-Assad should retain power.

President Obama met Russian President Vladimir Putin at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 28.

Central African Republic's interim president, Catherine Samba-Panza, left the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 28 to return home due to the worst violence in the capital of her country this year, two Western diplomats said.

US President Barack Obama announced on September 28 more than 50 countries have pledged some 40,000 peacekeepers for possible deployment on United Nations missions, as well as helicopters, medical units and training and equipment to deal with roadside bombs.

Russia appeared to seize the initiative in international efforts to end the conflict in Syria on September 27 as Washington scrambled to devise a new strategy for the war-ravaged country and France sent warplanes to bomb Islamic State targets.

Vietnam's central bank said late on September 27 it was abolishing the interest rate ceiling on dollar deposits offered by banks to organisations and companies, which previously stood at 0.25%, in an attempt to avoid dollar hoarding.

Iran demanded an apology from Saudi Arabia on September 27 over the deaths of 769 people at the haj pilgrimage and accused it of trying to evade blame, while Riyadh in turn accused Tehran of playing politics with the disaster.

Cuba's President Raul Castro, speaking at the United Nations for the first time, on September 26 hailed renewed diplomatic ties with the United States as "major progress" but slammed a US trade embargo as the top obstacle to Cuba's economic development.