BBC news. Hello I am Jerry Smit.

President Obama and Putin are meeting in New York on the sidelines of UN General Assembly after delivering speeches that exposesharp differences over how to tackle the Syrian crisis. From there, James Robbinsreports. “Enormous expectations have been raised about this meeting between thetwo presidents. In the event, the leaders opened with a brief unsmilinghandshake for the cameras. They barely made eye contact hinting that the scaleof gulf between them before disappearing for their first face to face talksafter almost a year of estrangement. Prospect for agreeing any joint strategyto bring peace to Syria had already been dented by the sharp differencesreviewed in their rival speeches to the UN earlier in the day. President Obamaurged a political transition to replace Syria's president Assad. In sharpcontrast, President Putin warned it would be wrong to abandon the currentgovernment. ”

Four British citizens who have gone to Syria to join the Islamic state grouphad to face international sanctions. The UN sanctions committee approved therequest made by the British government. The four, described as notoriousforeign fighters, will be subject to global travel bans and assetfreezes.

NASA has obtained the close evidence yet that water flows on Mars raising thepossibility that the planet could be home to primitive life. The planetwas previous thought to be arid. Michael Manger, professor of earth andplanetary science in Berkley California says scientists still cannot say theyfound life on Mars. “What they have actually detected are salts that have beenincorporated water in the crystal structure, so not a direct detection ofliquid water, but an observation that seems to require liquid water. Given thatliquid water is necessary for life, identifying liquid water at the surface andwhen we can see it at the surface is a great start.”

Christian militia men have attacked main jail in Bangui, the capital of theCentral African Republic, freeing hundreds of prisoners. The breakout cameduring a surge in violence between Christian and Muslims that left at least 30people dead since Saturday. Our West African correspondent Thomas Fessy hasmore details. “Road blocks are paralyzing the city, and fear has returned. UnitedNations peacekeepers and French soldiers are struggling to stamp the violence.The interim president Catherine Samba-Panza, who was attending the UN GeneralAssembly in New York, called for calm. She cuts her visit short amid fears thatelections due next month will have to be postponed again.” Thomas Fessy.

The military in Burkina Faso says members of the presidential guards thatstaged a short live coup earlier this month are refusing to lay down their weapons.Under a peace deal brokered last week, the army agreed to withdraw from thecapital while members of the presidential guards were supposed to be disarmed.

World news from the BBC.

The Taliban in Afghanistan have captured a major city for the first time sincethe US led invasion in 2001. Hundreds of fighters stormed Konduz in a multi-prongedassault. They raised their banner over the city center and have been displayingpictures of captured armored vehicles on the Internet. The Afghan military admittedit was caught by surprise, and says it still holds the airport.

The Cuban leader Raul Castro and president Obama have both called for an end toUS economic sanctions on Havana. Speaking at the United Nationa, presidentCastro said a full normalization of relations with the United States could onlybe achieved before he called the economic blockade against Cuban was lifted.Speaking to the same gathering just hours before, President Obama expressedconfidence that the US congress would lift the embargo. The two leaders areexpected to meet on Tuesday.

Officials in the eastern Indian state of Assam say asmany as 50 people may have drowned after an overcrowded river boat with enginetrouble hit a bridge and capsized. Survivors said more than 20 people weretrapped below deck. The passengers were on their way to a boat frays. Theriver, a tributary of the Brahmaputra, was in spate after monsoon rains.

A search has begun for the lost tomb of the ancient Egyptian queen Nefertiti.The British archaeologist Nicholas Reeves believes he's detected the outline oftwo doors hidden behind the decoration on the wall to the tomb Tutankhamun.Alan Johnston has more details. “Doctor Reeves reckons that Tutankhamunwas buried in what amounts to an entrance way to the tomb of Nefertiti, thewoman who was his stepmother. So this raises a question, did the greatarchaeologist Howard Carter, who discovered Tutankhamun’s grave, actually misswhat would probably have been a much greater prize, the resting place of thefamous queen.”

Alan Johnston, and that’s the BBC News.