President Barack Obama will meet with the leaders of Iraq, Nigeria and Colombia on the sidelines of the annual United Nations General Assembly gathering next week, the White House said on September 16.

The proportion of migrants using covert means to enter Europe is expected to rise sharply this year despite European nations pouring at least 17 billions euros (US$19 billion) into reducing migration over the past 18 months, researchers said on September 16.

Russia said the Syrian army had begun to withdraw from a road into Aleppo on September 15, a prerequisite for pressing ahead with international peacemaking efforts as the government and rebels accused each other of violating a truce.

Japan will step up its activity in the contested South China Sea through joint training patrols with the United States and bilateral and multilateral exercises with regional navies, Japanese Defense Minister Tomomi Inada said on September 15.

Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi called on September 14 for the lifting of economic sanctions against her country, and President Barack Obama, in their first White House meeting since she became leader, said the United States was ready to do so.

The United States and Russia agreed that the Syrian cessation of hostilities that began on September 12 had largely held and should be extended for another 48 hours despite sporadic violence, the US State Department said on September 14.

The United States said on September 14 it would give Iraq US$181 million in humanitarian aid, anticipating a wave of displaced people when Iraqi forces launch a drive to recapture the northern city of Mosul from Islamic State.

President Barack Obama said on September 14 that a new US$38 billion aid package will help ensure Israel can defend itself from threats, commenting in a statement on the 10-year memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two nations.

A new ceasefire in Syria brought a full day with no combat deaths in the war between President Bashar al-Assad and his opponents, a monitoring body said on September 13, as efforts to deliver aid to besieged areas got cautiously under way.

The United States and Israel have reached final agreement on a record new package of at least US$38 billion in US military aid and the 10-year pact is expected to be signed this week, sources close to the matter told Reuters on September 13.