Philippines marks Haiyan anniversary

8 November 2014 Last updated at 07:45

Thousands of people have taken part in a memorial walk on the anniversary of Typhoon Haiyan which ravaged central parts of the Philippines a year ago.

Crowds marched through the city of Tacloban as sirens sounded and bells rang at the exact time the storm hit.

There were also anti-government protests at what some see as the slow pace of rebuilding.

President Benigno Aquino has denied moving too slowly. More than 7,000 people were killed in the disaster.

Haiyan, known as Yolanda in the Philippines, hit on 8 November last year sending huge storm swells into inland areas and destroying wide swathes of central Philippines.

More than four million people were displaced, many of whom are still living in temporary shelters.

'Vicious abandonment'

Ceremonies were held on Saturday at mass graves in Tacloban where several thousand victims of the storm are buried.

Thousands marched by candlelight through the city at dawn, passing through areas devastated by the typhoon.

Gathering at the graves, mourners wrote names of loved ones on white crosses planted symbolically to represent unidentified victims.

"It's important that we make it meaningful, so for the next generation's people will remember this," city mayor Alfred Romualdez said, quoted by Reuters news agency.

Hundreds also staged protests in the city and in the capital Manila at what they regard as a lack of progress in reconstruction.

"We have felt a year's worth of the government's vicious abandonment, corruption, deceit and repression, and have seen a year's worth of news and studies that confirm this situation," Reuters quoted Efleda Bautista, a leader of survivors' group People Surge, as saying.

The protesters burned an effigy of the president in the middle of Tacloban.

President Aquino has been accused of showing a lack of urgency in the reconstruction, with plans to find safe land away from the coast and build new homes falling behind schedule.

Mr Aquino says the plan will take time.

"I would hope we can move even faster and I will push everybody to move even faster, but the sad reality is the scope of work you need to do can really not be done overnight," said the president.

There is little faith in such promises, reports the BBC's Rupert Wingfield-Hayes in Tacloban.

It is notable that he has decided not to come here to mark the anniversary, our correspondent adds, although he visited the typhoon-hit Eastern Samar province on Friday.

Tacloban is a stronghold of the president's political enemies - it is the birthplace of former First Lady, Imelda Marcos.

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Obama to double US forces in Iraq

8 November 2014 Last updated at 09:26

The US is to send 1,500 more non-combat troops to Iraq to boost Iraqi forces fighting Islamic State (IS) militants, nearly doubling the US presence.

The Pentagon said the troops would train and assist Iraqi forces.

President Barack Obama authorised the deployment following a request from Iraq's government, the Pentagon added.

IS militants control large areas of Iraq and Syria but have been targeted by hundreds of air strikes by a US-led coalition since August.

The 1,500 additional US troops will join the 1,600 military advisers that are already in Iraq to assist the country's army.

A statement from the Pentagon said the troops would be establishing several sites to train nine Iraqi army and three Kurdish Peshmerga brigades.

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Rear Admiral John Kirby says the troops will be in a "non-combat role"

The US military would also be setting up two "advise and assist operations centres" outside Baghdad and the northern city of Irbil, the statement added.

"US troops will not be in combat, but they will be better positioned to support Iraqi security forces as they take the fight" to IS, White House spokesman Josh Earnest told reporters.

He said President Obama would also be asking Congress for $5.6bn (£3.5bn) to support the ongoing operations against IS fighters in both Iraq and Syria.

The announcement came hours after Mr Obama met congressional leaders in Washington for the first time after the Republicans won control of the Senate in Tuesday's elections.

Analysis: Tom Esslemont, Washington Correspondent

In the eyes of the Pentagon, the Iraqi armed forces are responding well to the training they have already been given.

Its spokesman Rear Admiral John Kirby said they had "stiffened their spine". So the expansion of the training programme to the north, south and west of Iraq is designed to build on what is being labelled as progress.

But others may see this deployment differently. There are those who recall how, earlier this year, the US-trained and equipped Iraqi armed forces simply crumbled in the face of Islamic State militants.

Rear Adm Kirby blamed the previous Iraqi government for that, and said that the Iraqis were now making gains and that the situation was completely different this time.

The Obama administration has said its aim was to "degrade and ultimately destroy" Islamic State militants, who control large parts of the country after launching an offensive in the north in June.

A US-led coalition has launched more than 400 air strikes on the group in Iraq since August, and more than 300 across the border in Syria.

The strikes have destroyed hundreds of the group's armed vehicles and several of its bases, but Islamic State has continued its campaign to establish a caliphate.

Last week, officials in Iraq's western Anbar province said IS militants had killed at least 322 members of a Sunni tribe who had tried to resist the jihadists.

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Mexico gang 'admits student deaths'

8 November 2014 Last updated at 09:44

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Mexican Attorney General Jesus Murillo: ''I know that the information we have obtained causes great pain in the families''

Suspected gang members have confessed to killing more than 40 students missing for six weeks, Mexican Attorney General Jesus Murillo has said.

He said three alleged gang members claimed the students were handed over to them by police.

They said some were already asphyxiated and they shot the others dead, before setting fire to all the bodies.

A total of 43 students went missing after clashing with police on 26 September in the town of Iguala.

A spokesman for their families said they would not accept they were dead until it had been officially confirmed by Argentine forensic scientists working on the case.

Bags found near river

The suspects from the Guerreros Unidos drug gang were recently arrested in connection with the disappearances.

Relatives of the missing said they had been told that six bags of unidentified human remains had been found along a river near where the students vanished.

Mr Murillo warned that it would be difficult to identify the charred remains and that authorities would continue to consider the students as missing until DNA tests confirmed the identities.

Previous searches have uncovered mass graves in the area, but initial tests suggested they did not contain the remains of the students.

Mr Murillo showed videotaped confessions by the suspects who said they had loaded the students into dumper trucks and taken them to a landfill site in Cocula, a city near Iguala.

About 15 of the students were already dead when they arrived and the rest were shot, according to the suspects.

Mr Murillo said the bodies were then burned with petrol, tyres, firewood and plastic in an inferno that lasted for 14 hours.

"The fire lasted from midnight to 2pm the next day. The criminals could not handle the bodies (for three hours) due to the heat," he said.

He said that the suspects then crushed the remains, stuffed them into bags and tossed them in a river.

Mr Murillo showed videos of investigators combing through small pieces of burned remains that were found in black plastic bags.

The suspects said they were not sure how many students they had taken but one said there were more than 40, Mr Murillo added.

"The high level of degradation caused by the fire in the remains we found make it very difficult to extract the DNA that will allow an identification,'' he added.

At the scene: Will Grant, BBC News Mexico correspondent

In what was at times a very graphic press conference, Attorney General Jesus Murillo laid out his office's findings into the disappearance of the students.

When they were handed over to the gang, around 15 of the students had already died from asphyxiation, he said. The remaining students were shot dead near a rubbish dump.

At that point, members of the gang - according to their own testimony, video clips of which were shown by the attorney general - burnt the students' bodies in a pyre.

Human remains from the river are now to be identified by experts in Austria, but Mr Murillo said it wasn't clear how long the process would take.

However, relatives of the missing remained sceptical. The families have been highly critical of the investigation into the students' disappearance.

"As long as there are no results, our sons are alive," Felipe de la Cruz, the father of one of the disappeared, said in a statement.

"Today they're trying to close the case this way... a blatant way to further our torture by the federal government."

The case has shocked Mexico. Thousands have staged protests over what they say is collusion between officials and organised crime, along with government inaction.

President Enrique Pena Nieto has faced widespread criticism and on Friday he vowed to hunt down all those responsible for the "horrible crime".

The students from a teacher training college in Ayotzinapa, in Guerrero state, had travelled to nearby Iguala to protest against what they said were discriminatory hiring practices, and to collect funds for their college.

But they went missing after clashes with the police.

Six people were also killed after police opened fire and witnesses described seeing the students being bundled into police cars.

More than 70 people have been arrested in connection with the disappearances, including the Mayor of Iguala, Jose Luis Abarca, and his wife, Maria de los Angeles Pineda, who were detained in Mexico City on Tuesday.

Mexican officials accused Mr Abarca of ordering police to confront the students to prevent them from disrupting a public speech given by his wife.

Timeline: Iguala disappearance

26 Sept: Students from a teacher training college in Ayotzinapa travel to Iguala to protest and raise funds

Night of 26 Sept: Police stop the students, 6 people are shot dead, 43 students disappear

30 Sept: Iguala mayor Jose Luis Abarca asks for leave from his post, which is granted

4 Oct: Mass graves are found near Iguala containing 28 bodies

19 Oct: Federal police are deployed to Iguala and replace the municipal force

22 Oct: Mexico's prosecutor general says an arrest warrant has been issued for Mr Abarca, his wife and the town's police chief

23 Oct: Guerrero state governor Angel Aguirre resigns

29 Oct: President Enrique Pena Nieto meets the relatives of the missing students and promises a "renewed search plan"

4 Nov: Mr Abarca and his wife are arrested in Mexico City

7 Nov: Three gang members confess to killing students and burning their bodies, according to Mexico's attorney general

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Apec agrees anti-corruption network

8 November 2014 Last updated at 10:24

Countries of Asia and the Pacific region have agreed to set up a network to share information on corruption.

Apec members said in a statement that the purpose of the agreement, proposed by China, was to deny safe haven to anyone engaged in corruption.

It comes amid efforts by Chinese President Xi Jinping to clamp down on corrupt officials, including those who try to escape abroad.

Apec leaders are expected to back the deal at a summit in Beijing next week.

US Secretary of State John Kerry hailed the move as a "major step forward".

"Corruption not only creates an unfair playing field, it not only distorts economic relationships, but corruption also steals from the people of every country the belief that the system can work for everybody," he told journalists.

Extradition concerns

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) group statement said it had set up the Network of Anti-Corruption Authorities and Law Enforcement Agencies (ACT-NET).

The network commits its 21 member states to "deny safe haven to those engaged in corruption, including through extradition, mutual legal assistance and the recovery and return of proceeds of corruption".

It will also "establish measures and systems to protect whistleblowers".

Officials say that the proposal was initiated by China and backed by the US.

But correspondents say it is not clear how the agreement will work between countries that do not have bilateral extradition treaties.

The US, Canada and Australia - all seen as friendly to Chinese emigrants - have no extradition treaties with China because of concerns about capital punishment and the alleged use of torture in the Chinese judicial system.

China is currently involved in a huge campaign to root out corruption at all levels of society.

More than 13,000 Chinese officials were found guilty of corruption and bribery in the first nine months of 2014 alone.

This year saw the launch of Operation Fox Hunt, widening the scope of the campaign to include officials who have fled abroad.

President Xi has warned that the campaign would target both "tigers" and "flies", indicating that no-one, even senior party members, was exempt from the crackdown.

Since he came to power, some of China's biggest political heavyweights, including the vice-chairman of China's parliament and the former security chief have been targeted.

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US row over who shot Osama Bin Laden

7 November 2014 Last updated at 06:05

A public row has arisen over which US commando fired the shot that killed Osama Bin Laden, more than three years after the al-Qaeda leader's death.

Ex-Navy Seal Robert O'Neill, 38, has told the Washington Post in an interview that he fired the fatal shot.

This contradicts the account of Matt Bissonnette, another former Seal involved in the raid, in a 2012 book.

The al-Qaeda leader was killed in a 2011 Navy Seal raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan.

Navy Seals usually abide by a code of silence that forbids them from publicly taking credit for their actions.

Mr O'Neill, who retired in 2012, had previously told his story anonymously to Esquire magazine.

He was scheduled to reveal his identity in a television interview later this month, but news of the interview angered other former Seals.

A website run by ex-special forces personnel published his name pre-emptively, apparently in protest at his decision to claim credit for the shooting.

Mr O'Neill said he and another member of the team - whose identity remains secret - climbed the stairs to the third floor of the compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan, and saw Bin Laden poke his head outside the door of one of the rooms.

The unnamed commando, at the "point position" leading the column, fired at him but missed, according to Mr O'Neill.

An instant later, Mr O'Neill went into the room and killed the al-Qaeda leader with shots to the head, he says.

Seal Team 6 (ST6)

• Elite group of US Navy's Sea, Air, Land (Seal) Teams trained to carry out top secret operations
• Part of the Naval Special Warfare Development Group (DevGru) based in Virginia
• Led the 2009 rescue of US Captain Richard Phillips, kidnapped by Somali pirates in the Indian Ocean
• In 2012, several ST6 members were disciplined for working as paid consultants on a video game

Profile: Seal Team 6

However, in the book No Easy Day, Mr Bissonnette claimed it was the point man who killed Bin Laden.

On Thursday, Mr Bissonnette did not directly dispute Mr O'Neill's claim, in an interview with NBC News.

"Two different people telling two different stories for two different reasons," Mr Bissonnette told the broadcaster.

"Whatever he says, he says. I don't want to touch that."

Mr Bissonnette is scheduled to appear on the CBS news magazine programme 60 Minutes ahead of the publication of his second book, No Hero, about his service with the Seals.

Meanwhile, he is under investigation for potentially disclosing classified information in his first book, which is about the Bin Laden raid.

The official account of what happened is unlikely to be disclosed by the US government for many years.

Pentagon officials have neither confirmed nor denied Mr O'Neill's account, but senior special operations leaders sent a letter last week to all Navy Seals urging them to comply with their code of silence about operational details, including avoiding taking "public credit".

"We do not abide wilful or selfish disregard for our core values in return for public notoriety and financial gain," they wrote.

Bin Laden was confirmed killed in the raid and his body was buried at sea.

Darkness and close quarters inside the compound have made some Navy Seals question whether it is possible to determine whose bullets killed the al-Qaeda leader.

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Obama sent 'secret letter' to Iran

7 November 2014 Last updated at 09:59

US President Barack Obama is said to have written a secret letter to Iran's supreme leader describing a shared interest in fighting Islamic State.

The letter, reported by the Wall Street Journal, also urges Ayatollah Ali Khamenei toward a nuclear agreement.

The US president stresses any co-operation on fighting IS is contingent on Iran reaching such an agreement by a 24 November diplomatic deadline.

The White House has declined to comment on Mr Obama's "private correspondence".

But Republican senators John McCain and Lindsey Graham said it was "outrageous" that the president would approach Iran, given its support for the Syrian government and Shia groups such as Lebanon's Hezbollah.

"The administration needs to understand that this Iranian regime cares more about trying to weaken America and push us out of the Middle East than cooperating with us," they said in a joint statement.

"The consequences of this ill-conceived bargain would destroy the Syrians' last, best chance to live in freedom from the brutal Assad regime."

Fourth letter

The US has ruled out inviting Iran to join an international coalition it has assembled against IS, but has said Iran has a role to play in the fight against IS.

Islamic State, a Sunni jihadist group, poses a threat to Shia-majority Iran and has taken over large parts of Iran's Shia-dominated ally Iraq.

The group's militants currently control large areas of Iraq and Syria and have carried out mass killings across the region.

But Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has ruled out co-operating with the US against IS, accusing Washington of having created the jihadist group as a tool against Iran.

The letter, sent last month, is at least the fourth time Mr Obama has written to the Iranian leader since taking office in 2009 and underscores his view that Iran is important in an emerging campaign against IS.

Analysis, Kim Ghattas, BBC News

America's Arab allies are bound to be dismayed by news of the letter. Foreign diplomats said US administration officials they spoke to did not deny its existence.

And key Gulf countries who are part of the current military coalition against IS were not informed about the letter in advance, which diplomats said could undermine trust between US and its partners at a crucial moment.

When the US started secret negotiations with Iran in 2012, it did not inform countries like Saudi Arabia or Israel. They were outraged when news surfaced of the secret channel. This letter will be seen as another example of Mr Obama acting with little regard for his allies as he doggedly pursues a deal with Iran.

American officials will argue they are doing what's best in America's national security interest.

Deal or no deal?

Officials with the Obama administration have recently talked down the chances of a deal on Iran's nuclear programme, rating it at only 50-50, according to the Wall Street Journal.

US Secretary of State John Kerry is scheduled to begin negotiations on the issue with Iranian counterpart Javad Zarif this weekend in Oman.

World powers suspect Iran of trying to make a nuclear bomb, a claim it denies.

An interim deal agreed late last year gave Iran some relief from sanctions in return for curbs on nuclear activity.

But talks later stalled on the extent of uranium enrichment Iran would be allowed and on the timetable for sanctions to be lifted.

On Thursday, White House spokesman Josh Earnest declined to comment directly on the secret letter.

"I can tell you that the policy that the president and his administration have articulated about Iran remains unchanged," he said in response to questions.

Also on Thursday, Republican speaker of the House John Boehner said he did not trust Iran's leaders and said they should not be brought into the fight against IS.

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AC/DC murder plot charge dropped

7 November 2014 Last updated at 10:31

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Jon Donnison says Phil Rudd is understood to be considering legal action against the police

The Australian drummer of hard rock group AC/DC, Phil Rudd, has had a charge of attempting to arrange a murder dropped in New Zealand.

He will still face charges of drugs possession and making threats to kill.

The U-turn by authorities, announced less than 24 hours after Mr Rudd appeared in court, was because of a lack of evidence, his lawyer said.

Paul Mabey said the charge should never have been laid, and that his client was considering "any possible remedies".

He added that Mr Rudd had suffered "incalculable" damage from the publicity surrounding the allegation and its sensational reporting.

Mr Mabey described the drug charges as "minor" offences and said the musician would defend the charge of making threats to kill, which carries a maximum sentence of seven years in jail.

AC/DC had earlier issued a statement saying its planned tour would not be affected by news of the charges.

The band is one of the highest grossing music acts of all time.

'Family man, not hit man'

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In an interview to be broadcast in December, Johnson and Young said AC/DC was planning a tour

On Thursday, the 60-year-old musician appeared in court after a police raid on his waterfront house in Tauranga, on New Zealand's North Island. He was released on bail and told he must not contact anyone involved in the alleged murder plot.

But on Friday, prosecuting lawyer Greg Hollister-Jones said his office had reviewed the case and found there was "insufficient evidence to proceed with the charge of attempting to procure murder".

The initial charge of attempting to procure murder was made by police, but after Mr Rudd's court appearance, Crown prosecutors took on the case.

Local media reports said at the time that the alleged plot targeted two men. The judge ruled that their names as well as that of the alleged hit-man could not be revealed.

The man allegedly named in court papers as the "intended hitman" told The New Zealand Herald newspaper he believed the matter had been blown out of proportion.

Describing himself as a "family man", not a hitman, he said the charges against Mr Rudd - whom he considered a friend - were simply "hot air". However, the man refused to blame police, who he said were just doing their job.

The BBC's Jon Donnison in Sydney says the episode will prove embarrassing for the New Zealand police.

Mr Rudd, who has lived in New Zealand for over two decades, is next due in court on 27 November. AC/DC launches its new album on 2 December.

The drummer was kicked out of the band in 1983 and rejoined in 1994.

But his absence from a recent photo of band members prompted online speculation about whether he was still in the band.

Profile: AC/DC

• One of Australia's biggest music exports and among the highest grossing music acts of all time.
• Known for top hits such as Highway to Hell, You Shook Me All Night Long, Back in Black, Hell's Bells and Dirty Deeds Done Cheap.
• The band was founded by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young in 1973, who named it after the abbreviation for "alternating current direct current" - hence the lightning bolt on their logo.
• Angus, the lead guitarist, is known for his schoolboy outfits which he still wears for performances.
• The Young brothers were the only original members in the band for decades until Malcolm's departure in 2014 after he was diagnosed with dementia.
• More than a dozen people have been part of the band over the years, including late singer Bon Scott who died of alcohol poisoning in 1980.
• The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

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China and Japan smooth islands row

7 November 2014 Last updated at 11:10

China and Japan have agreed to try to reduce tensions over a disputed chain of islands in the East China Sea.

Beijing officials said a crisis management mechanism had been set up to prevent the situation from worsening.

The strategically important islands, known as Diaoyu by China and Senkaku by Japan, are controlled by Japan.

It is a diplomatic breakthrough which media reports say could lead to a meeting between Japanese PM Shinzo Abe and Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The reports suggest they may meet on the sidelines of the Apec summit in Beijing next week.

If it happens the meeting will be the first proper exchange between the two leaders since they came to power, in 2012 and 2013 respectively.

The Chinese foreign ministry said in a statement that senior Chinese and Japanese officials had reached a four-point agreement, which included a recognition of their "different positions" over the islands.

They had agreed "to prevent the situation from aggravating through dialogue and consultation and establish crisis management mechanisms to avoid contingencies", the statement added.

The dispute over the islands has become particularly acrimonious over the last two years.

The BBC's Martin Patience in Beijing says it has inflamed nationalistic sentiment in both countries and damaged economic ties.

The islands are close to important shipping lanes, offer rich fishing grounds and lie near potential oil and gas reserves.

In 2012 Japan moved to purchase the islands from their private owners, sparking violent anti-Japanese protests in China.

In November 2013, China announced the creation of a new air defence identification zone, which would require any aircraft in the zone - which covers the islands - to comply with rules laid down by Beijing.

Japan labelled the move a "unilateral escalation" and said it would ignore it.

The two countries also differ over Japan's actions in China during World War II.

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US leaders pledge to work together

6 November 2014 Last updated at 04:51

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President Barack Obama: "It is time for us to take care of business"

The US Senate's new Republican leader and President Barack Obama have both promised to end the political gridlock that has so frustrated American voters.

Republicans made historic gains in the mid-term elections and now control both legislative chambers.

Incoming Senate leader Mitch McConnell said he would make the ineffective Senate function and pass bills.

Mr Obama said he was "eager to work with the new Congress to make the next two years as productive as possible".

The election campaign was characterised by widespread frustration expressed by voters about the inability of Congress to work together.

To the Americans who voted for change, the president said: "I hear you."

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"We're going to go back to work and actually pass legislation"

He told a White House news conference that both parties must address those concerns, but he admitted that as president he had a "unique responsibility to try to make this town work".

On Friday, he will host a meeting at the White House with Democratic and Republican leaders.

"We can surely find ways to work together," Mr Obama said. "It's time for us to take care of business."

But he warned he would act on his own to reduce deportations and improve border security - action he had delayed until after the election, to the fury of some Latino voters.

Earlier on Wednesday, Mr McConnell pledged to make the Senate more productive.

"The Senate in the last few years basically doesn't do anything," he said. "We're going to go back to work and actually pass legislation."

He also vowed to "work together" with Mr Obama on issues where they can agree, such as trade agreements and tax reform.

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Rajesh Mirchandani explains what the results mean for Obama presidency

Working within a two-party political system did not mean "we have to live in perpetual conflict", he added.

Also on Wednesday, the chairman of the Republican National Committee called resounding Republican mid-term victories a "direct rejection of the Obama agenda".

"[Americans] want nothing to do with the policies of Barack Obama," Reince Priebus told reporters.

Analysis, Jon Sopel, BBC North America editor

Barack Obama's unpopularity in the run-up to these mid-term elections is hard to exaggerate. One of the things that is lost in the big picture of the night is some of the sidebar poll findings - the American people are fed up with all their politicians. It's not just the occupant of the White House, though as Harry Truman most famously noted, the buck stops with the president.

Mitch McConnell will be conscious of that, and will know that in two years' time, when it is not just the Senate but the presidency in play, the American people could be venting their spleen on him. Be fearful of the blame game.

That leaves the Kentucky senator with some important tactical decisions to make.

Sopel: Obama's mid-term headache

Mitch McConnell: DC insider with a mission

Throughout the campaign, Republicans focused on voter dissatisfaction with Mr Obama, a Democrat, describing the vote as a referendum on his presidency.

As the first results came in late on Tuesday, it became clear they had made the six gains they needed to win control of the Senate.

The Republicans won in Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Montana, North Carolina, South Dakota and West Virginia. The party now controls 52 seats, and is tipped to win at least one more as votes are counted in other states.

Continue reading the main story

Their victory came on the back of a wave of discontent expressed by voters on the campaign trail - unhappy with an economic recovery they fail to feel the benefits of, and frustrated by political gridlock in Congress, which has already reached historic levels.

But echoing his successor's sentiment of unity, current Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid congratulated Mr McConnell in a short statement.

"The message from voters is clear - they want us to work together," said Mr Reid of Nevada, whose role in the soon-to-be Democratic minority remains uncertain.

"I look forward to working with Senator McConnell to get things done for the middle class."

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Winners and losers: "We are going to make them squeal"

The Republicans are also projected to increase their majority - by at least 10 seats - in the House of Representatives to levels not seen since before World War Two.

They also made gains among the 36 governorships up for re-election.

The Republicans will now have the power to complicate, if not block completely, Mr Obama's agenda in the last two years of his tenure in the White House.

Control of the Senate will also enable the Republicans to stymie his ability to name new federal judges, cabinet members and senior government officials.

Explore interactive results map

In the governor's races, Republican incumbents survived some tough re-election battles and scored some surprising victories, cementing their success across several levels of government.

Voters approved ballot measures legalising cannabis in Oregon and Washington DC.

And three states - South Dakota, Arkansas and Nebraska - approved increases in the minimum wage.

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AC/DC drummer on murder plot charge

6 November 2014 Last updated at 08:33

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The BBC's Jon Donnison says Rudd entered no plea during his brief appearance in court

The drummer of the hard rock group AC/DC, Phil Rudd, has appeared in a New Zealand court on charges of attempting to arrange a murder.

Mr Rudd, who was born in Australia, has also been charged with possessing the drugs methamphetamine and cannabis, and of making threats to kill.

The musician's waterfront house in Tauranga, on New Zealand's North Island, was raided on Thursday morning.

AC/DC are due to release a new album later this year.

Mr Rudd, 60, was released on bail after a brief appearance at Tauranga district court.

As part of his bail conditions, he must not have any contact with anyone involved in the alleged murder plot.

Local media reports say that the alleged plot targeted two men. The judge ruled that their names as well as that of the alleged hit-man cannot be revealed.

Mr Rudd will appear in court again on 27 November. He has yet to enter a plea.

Under New Zealand law, the charge of attempting to "procure" a murder carries a jail sentence of up to 10 years.

A police official quoted by the SunLive news website said the information that led to the raid on the house was provided by a member of the public.

Mr Rudd was kicked out of the band in 1983 and rejoined in 1994.

But he did not appear in a new photo of band members released last month to promote their upcoming album Rock Or Bust, and was reportedly absent from the filming of a new music video, prompting online speculation about whether he was still in the band.

Profile: AC/DC

• One of Australia's biggest music exports and among the highest grossing music acts of all time.
• Known for top hits such as Highway to Hell, You Shook Me All Night Long, Back in Black, Hell's Bells and Dirty Deeds Done Cheap.
• The band was founded by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young in 1973, who named it after the abbreviation for "alternating current direct current" - hence the lightning bolt on their logo.
• Angus, the lead guitarist, is known for his schoolboy outfits which he still wears for performances.
• The Young brothers were the only original members in the band for decades until Malcolm's departure in 2014 after he was diagnosed with dementia.
• More than a dozen people have been part of the band over the years, including late singer Bon Scott who died of alcohol poisoning in 1980.
• The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2003.

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Burkina Faso agrees transition plan

6 November 2014 Last updated at 10:33

Burkina Faso's political parties have agreed that the country's political transition should last a year, followed by elections in November 2015.

But the crisis talks in the capital Ouagadougou ended without a deal on who would head a transitional government.

The military has been in charge since President Blaise Compaore was forced to quit last week amid mass protests.

The African Union (AU) on Monday gave the military two weeks to hand power to a civilian ruler or face sanctions.

Lt Col Isaac Zida - the interim leader backed by the army - later promised to comply with the deadline. He was previously second-in-command of the presidential guard.

Analysis: Thomas Fessy, BBC West Africa correspondent

President John Mahama of Ghana, President Goodluck Jonathan of Nigeria and President Macky Sall of Senegal thought that by the end of the day, the "Country of the Upright Men" - the meaning of the country's name - would have a civilian transitional leader.

That would have been hailed as a great success at Thursday's Ecowas summit in Accra - West African leaders solving a West African problem.

The leaders gave political parties and civic groups two hours on Wednesday to submit names, hoping to speed things up. Late in the evening, they were forced to admit that "there was no use to rushing" the process, in President Sall's words.

The African Union two-week deadline now seems more realistic.

The opposition doesn't want to sit down with the ousted president's party, which has governed the country for nearly three decades. But they will need a consensual decision.

If anything, the opposition resembles a group of divided politicians who appear overwhelmed to finally be able to have a say.

The only thing they have been able to agree on so far is the need to have a civilian interim president who will lead the country to an election in November 2015.

'Chaos'

Wednesday's crisis talks in Ouagadougou were also attended by civil society groups and tribal chiefs, according to a statement issued after the meeting.

The presidents of Ghana, Nigeria and Senegal mediated the talks.

The statement added that all parties in the negotiations wanted an "eminent civilian personality" to head the transition, without providing further details.

At one stage, the meeting descended into chaos as opposition politicians stormed out.

"We do not want to talk with the old governing party. They represent Blaise Compaore," Rose-Marie Compaore, parliamentary leader of the main opposition group, was quoted as saying by the AFP news agency.

But the opposition was later persuaded to return to the negotiating table.

'Welcome to stay'

The AU sanctions could include suspension of Burkina Faso's AU membership and a travel ban on military officials. The AU's Peace and Security Council is expected to meet again later this month to discuss the crisis.

Under Burkina Faso's constitution, the head of the National Assembly should take office if the president resigns.

Mr Compaore first seized power in a coup in 1987, and thereafter won four disputed elections.

The protests were triggered by his plan to amend the constitution so that he could run for office again in elections next year.

Mr Compaore was forced to flee to neighbouring Ivory Coast and is currently staying in the capital Yamoussoukro.

France - the former colonial power - has admitted helping in the evacuation of Mr Compaore.

Ivorian leader Alassane Ouattara has said Mr Compaore is welcome to stay as he helped bring peace to Ivory Coast during unrest following elections in 2010.

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UN 'lacks resources' to fight Ebola

6 November 2014 Last updated at 10:35

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Tony Banbury: "We definitely do not have the response capability on the ground now from the international community...to defeat this disease"

The head of the UN mission charged with fighting Ebola in West Africa has told the BBC he does not yet have the resources necessary to defeat it.

Tony Banbury said more help was urgently needed, despite significant contributions from the UK, China, Cuba and the US.

But he was hopeful of achieving the target of 70% bed space for new cases and 70% safe burials by December.

The confirmed death toll is now 4,818, says the World Health Organization.

The numbers are down since the WHO previously reported figures last Friday, as it says it has changed the way the figures are collated.

But it said in the countries worst affected by the outbreak - Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea - transmission remained "persistent and widespread, particularly in the capital cities".

In other developments:

• West African heads of state are due to meet on Thursday in Ghana for a special meeting to review the regional response to the crisis.
• The International Finance Corporation, part of the World Bank, has announced an initiative to provide at least $450m (£281m) in commercial financing to enable trade, investment, and employment in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone.

'Mixed picture'

Mr Banbury was speaking at the UN headquarters for Ebola response in Ghana, which has not been affected by the epidemic, at the end of a regional tour.

He told the BBC it was difficult to say if the spread of the disease is slowing as it was a "very mixed picture".

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Anne Soy reports on medics in Mali taking part in an Ebola vaccine trial

In Liberia's capital, Monrovia, there was a decline but there was "significant acceleration" elsewhere.

The WHO says that of the planned 4,707 beds in Ebola treatment centres, only 22% are operational - blaming delays on insufficient numbers of foreign medical teams.

"The bed space issue is huge," Mr Banbury admitted, but he said he hoped that by reducing the numbers of people becoming infected, the UN would eventually be able to reach its targets.

He said his organisation did not yet have the capacity to defeat the disease.

"It's not here yet. There are still people, villages, towns [and] areas that [are] not getting any type of help right now and we definitely don't have the response capability on the ground now from the international community," he said.

At the same time he mentioned contributions from the UK, which opened a new Ebola centre in Sierra Leone on Wednesday.

'Ultimate price'

Mr Banbury said the US, China and Cuba which had all sent significant numbers of soldiers or medics.

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Body collectors like Mariatu Kagbo in Sierra Leone face a difficult task

Earlier, US officials said President Barack Obama would ask Congress for $6.2bn (£3.9bn) to fight Ebola in West Africa and to avoid it spreading in the US.

They said he was requesting $4.5bn in immediate response funds and more than $1.5bn for a contingency fund.

In Liberia, a 25-bed Ebola centre set up by the US army to treat health care workers was officially opened in Monrovia on Wednesday by President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf.

According to the WHO, 546 healthcare workers have been infected with Ebola since the outbreak began, of whom 310 have died.

The Liberian president said these frontline staff would now have a "refuge".

"You all know that those have suffered - we say 'most' - because they were trained to preserve life and they gave life," she said.

"The doctors and the nurses and... key healthcare workers who actually went out there not knowing what they were dealing with but demonstrating their professionalism and their service and they paid the ultimate price."

US and international treatment centres

Have you been affected by the issues raised in this article? Share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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Ukraine threat after rebel poll

4 November 2014 Last updated at 09:17

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President Petro Poroshenko: "The election farce of 2 November jeopardises the peace process"

Ukraine's president is to chair a crisis meeting of security chiefs, after a rebel-held vote that he said jeopardised "the entire peace process".

Petro Poroshenko proposed scrapping a law, agreed under the 5 September truce deal, which gives special status to the eastern Donetsk and Luhansk areas.

Two pro-Russian leaders were declared the winners of Sunday's polls.

Under the terms of the truce, Ukraine was meant to hold elections in the two regions in December.

The West says the rebel-held elections are illegal but Russia is backing them.

More than 4,000 people have been killed in fighting in eastern Ukraine since April.

Ukraine accuses Russia of arming the rebels and sending Russian regular troops across the border - a claim denied by Moscow.

Analysis: David Stern, BBC News, Kiev

If Ukraine's security council accepts President Petro Poroshenko's proposal, it may be just a symbolic gesture. After all, the two breakaway eastern regions already have declared their own "special status" by setting up their own governments and holding elections. But Mr Poroshenko may go even further.

He is under enormous pressure right now to show that he is not allowing the two statelets to cement their positions, and create a frozen conflict. Tellingly, in his statement the Ukrainian leader did not say he would scrap the Minsk peace plan altogether, saying instead he would recommend "adjustments" to it.

But the insurgents and their backers in Moscow may say any changes to the agreement that Kiev undertakes are tantamount to revoking it. Given the heavy artillery and fighters seen streaming into the region recently, the future of the shaky truce seems very much under doubt at the moment.

'Sham elections'

Addressing the nation on TV late Monday, President Poroshenko said he would hold a meeting of Ukraine's Security and Defence Council on Tuesday to propose abolishing the law granting special self-government to rebel-held areas.

He described the 2 November "pseudo-elections" in Donetsk and Luhansk as a "farce at gunpoint" which would never be recognised as legitimate.

Sunday's polls, he said, were "a gross violation" of the Minsk agreement - a roadmap to a peaceful settlement agreed by Ukraine, Russia, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and also rebel delegations.

"We demonstrated to residents of the Donetsk and Luhansk regions, as well as to the whole world, that we are sincere in our desire for political settlement," he said. "The militants refused this opportunity."

Ukraine and the West have always insisted the rebel territories must abide by the Minsk deal and hold the local elections under Ukrainian law in December.

The US said it condemned the "illegitimate, so-called 'elections' held on Sunday" and was "concerned by a Russian foreign ministry statement that seeks to legitimise [them]".

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the polls were "a new obstacle on the path towards peace", while Germany said Russia's backing of the vote was "incomprehensible".

German Chancellor Angela Merkel's spokesman, Steffen Seibert, warned Russia could face further sanctions as a result of its position.

Russia earlier said it respected "the will of the people of the south-east". It called for a "sustainable dialogue" between the authorities in Kiev and the rebels.

Fragile truce

Results released on Monday showed Alexander Zakharchenko, the self-declared prime minister in Donetsk, had won the poll to become the head of the region. His party also came first in the parliamentary election.

In Luhansk, the incumbent rebel prime minister, Igor Plotnitsky, was declared the winner.

They are both expected to be officially sworn in later on Tuesday.

Both sides have repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreed in September.

The separatist insurrection erupted in the east after Russia annexed Ukraine's southern Crimea peninsula, weeks after Ukraine's pro-Russian President, Viktor Yanukovych, was forced out of office by mass protests in Kiev.

Are you in the Ukraine? You can share your experience by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. If you are willing to be contacted by a BBC journalist, please leave a contact number.

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Spaceship pilots' actions analysed

4 November 2014 Last updated at 09:45 By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC News

Investigators probing the Virgin SpaceShipTwo accident have established a "human performance" team to help them understand the actions of the pilots.

The new group will look at how the men interacted with the vehicle, and the design and layout of the systems they used to control the craft.

SpaceShipTwo broke apart just seconds after igniting its rocket engine for a test outing above California on Friday.

Pilot Peter Siebold parachuted clear; co-pilot Michael Alsbury was killed.

Their ill-fated flight was to be part of a series of sorties that Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Galactic company hoped would finally lead to a commercial passenger service to sub-orbital space being introduced next year.

US National Transportation Safety Board acting chairman Christopher Hart told reporters in his final on-site briefing in Mojave that investigators were still waiting to interview Mr Siebold, who was seriously injured.

Mr Hart added a few more details to the information he put in the public domain on Sunday, when he revealed the vehicle's descent system was activated prematurely.

This "feathering" technology, which is designed to slow and orientate the craft on its return to Earth, should not have been unlocked so early in the flight, and certainly should not have engaged at the time it did - on an accelerating ascent.

Mr Hart laid out a detailed timeline for SpaceShipTwo's last catastrophic moments.

'Uncommanded' deployment

The vehicle, he said, was dropped from its carrier aircraft, WhiteKnightTwo, at an altitude of almost 50,000ft at 10:07:19 US Pacific time.

The ship's hybrid rocket motor was then ignited just a couple of seconds later, at 10:07:21.

Eight seconds after that (10:07:29), the vehicle was travelling just under the speed of sound (Mach 0.94). Two further seconds into the flight (10:07:31), it was travelling at Mach 1.02.

It is in that period between Mach 0.94 and Mach 1.02 that Michael Alsbury is seen on recovered cockpit video moving a lever to unlock the feathering system - an action that in the pilots' checklist was not called for until the vehicle had reached Mach 1.4.

Investigators have previously described how the feathering system then deployed, apparently "uncommanded" by the pilots. It is probable that aerodynamic forces deployed the mechanism, resulting in the break-up of the ship. This is timed at 10:07:34 - the moment video and telemetry was lost.

Data 'rich'

Mr Hart also revealed that small, lightweight pieces of wreckage have been found up to 30-35 miles (55km) northeast of the crash site in the Mojave desert.

His investigators expect to finish their work at the site in the next few days.

The largest piece of wreckage, a part of the fuselage, will be cut into smaller pieces to be transported away for further analysis.

Mr Hart said the NTSB's full report would take many months to produce.

"It may be helped by the rich data sources that we have; we may be able to move a little more rapidly," he explained.

"But we would anticipate taking as a much as 12 months to complete the analysis that would end up with a probable cause determination, as well as recommendations… in order not to have an incident like this again."

Pressing on

Virgin Galactic issued a statement in which it committed to full and open co-operation with the NTSB over the course of the investigation.

The company also stated its desire to continue with its space venture.

"While this has been a tragic setback, we are moving forward and will do so deliberately and with determination," the statement said.

"We are continuing to build the second SpaceShipTwo (serial number two), which is currently about 65% complete and we will continue to advance our mission over the coming weeks and months.

"With the guidance of the NTSB and the assurance of a safe path forward, we intend to move ahead with our testing program and have not lost sight of our mission to make space accessible for all."

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Second Melbourne Cup horse dies

A second horse has died following the 154th running of the Melbourne Cup, Australia's most famous horse race.

Seventh-placed Araldo was put down after suffering a serious leg injury in a freak accident.

It came after the Japanese-trained favourite Admire Rakti collapsed after finishing last in the race won by German challenger Protectionist.

In the 35 years before the 2014 running, three Melbourne Cup horses suffered fatal injuries.

A spokesman for organisers Racing Victoria said Araldo was spooked by a flag being waved by a member of the crowd while returning to the mounting yard following the race, kicked out and fractured its hind leg on a fence bordering the path.

"It is with sadness that we confirm that Araldo has had to be humanely euthanised as a result of the injury it suffered in a freak accident following the Emirates Melbourne Cup," Racing Victoria head of veterinary and equine welfare, Dr Brian Stewart, said.

"The horse received immediate veterinary care and was transported to the University of Melbourne Veterinary Hospital, however, sadly the fracture in its pastern was not repairable.

"The owners made the decision to humanely euthanise Araldo in the best interests of the horse."

Araldo's jockey for the race was Dwayne Dunn and the horse was trained by Mike Moroney, who won the 2000 Melbourne Cup with Brew.

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Millions vote in US mid-term polls

4 November 2014 Last updated at 11:01

Americans are voting in mid-term elections which will decide who controls the Senate and pave the way for the 2016 race for the White House.

Polling booths started opening at 06:00 Eastern Time (11:00 GMT).

The Republicans, who already control the House of Representatives, need to gain just six seats to take the Senate.

Meanwhile the Democrats are battling to stay ahead as President Barack Obama's approval ratings fall to the lowest they have been since he was elected.

Many analysts predict a Republican victory as Mr Obama's popularity rate fails to climb much above 40%, despite recent improvements in the economy.

"This is a referendum on the president," Republican senator and potential 2016 presidential candidate Rand Paul told NBC's Meet the Press at the weekend.

But Democrats say their proven ability to rally their supporters ahead of elections could still give them the advantage."Grab everybody you know, get them out to vote, don't stay home, don't let somebody else choose your future for you," Mr Obama said during a campaign rally on Sunday.

Without the focus of a presidential campaign, the mid-terms - which are named because they fall in the middle of a presidential term - typically see a low voter turnout.

They also typically favour the party that is not in power.

This year, a little over a third of the 100-seat Senate, all 435 members of the House of Representatives, 36 out of 50 state governors, and countless state and local offices are up for election.

The most closely watched action will be the races that will determine control of the upper chamber of Congress, the Senate.

Analysis: Jon Sopel, North America editor

I have spoken to Democrats and Republicans and they all said the same thing - they were sick of the partisan posturing, the gridlock, the inability to work together, the dysfunctional relationship between Congress and White House, between legislature and executive.

All of which begs the question - what difference will it make if the Republicans do take control of the Senate?

Some are predicting that it will be gridlock on steroids. In other words, just like before - only worse.

Others, who've clearly read Voltaire's Candide and based their philosophy on the ever-optimistic Dr Pangloss, think we will go to the sunny uplands of politics.

Will the US mid-term elections change anything?

The Democrats currently hold a five-seat majority in the Senate, meaning the Republicans need only to win six seats to take control.

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Rajini Vaidyanathan speaks to voters in the key battleground state of West Virginia

As the Republicans already have a convincing hold over the lower House of Representatives, a win in the Senate would give them the power to shut down Mr Obama's policies in the last two years of his term.

Aside from Mr Obama's unpopularity, there is no single issue that dominates this mid-term poll.

Six Senate races to watch

• North Carolina - Kay Hagan v Thom Tillis
• Arkansas - Mark Pryor v Tom Cotton
• Colorado - Mark Udall v Cory Gardner
• Georgia - Michelle Nunn v David Perdue
• Iowa - Joni Ernst v Bruce Braley
• Kansas - Greg Orman v Pat Roberts

Guide to key Senate races

Why vote matters

Instead voters will be swayed by a broad variety of concerns including the economy, the environment, immigration, foreign policy, abortion and healthcare.

The most competitive Senate races are expected to take place in the states of North Carolina, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Iowa and Kansas.

Across the board, voters have expressed their dissatisfaction with both parties' inability to co-operate in Congress and the resulting gridlock this has caused.

If the Republicans do win control of the Senate, the day-to-day running of the chamber will become the responsibility of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, should he win his own tough campaign for re-election.

As the country then shifts its focus to the 2016 presidential election, Mr Obama is likely to find it increasingly hard to operate as his term draws to a close, analysts say.

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China officials 'bought corpses'

3 November 2014 Last updated at 07:49

Two officials in Guangdong province have been arrested after they allegedly bought corpses from grave robbers to have them cremated, Chinese media say.

They said they were trying to ensure government quotas on the number of cremations every month were met.

In Chinese tradition, relatives are buried with tombs built so that loved ones can perform ancestor worship.

However, the Chinese government has encouraged cremations to save land for farming and development.

In June, a resident of Beiliu city in southern China Guangxi region reported that his grandfather's body had been stolen from the graveyard.

In July, police in Beiliu arrested a grave robber, surnamed Zhong based on an investigation, official news agency Xinhua said, citing Chinese media.

Zhong confessed he had stolen more than 20 corpses from graveyards in local villages at night. He said he put then into bags and transported them into neighbouring Guangdong province.

Zhong also alleged that he had sold the bodies to two officials in Guangdong.

The two officials, surnamed He and Dong, who were in charge of implementing funeral management reform, were arrested last week.

They told police they had bought the corpses to meet the government quota on cremations.

Dong is said to have paid 3,000 yuan ($489, £306) each for 10 corpses. The official surnamed He said he paid 1,500 yuan for each corpse but how many he bought is unknown.

The government policy has angered many, especially in rural parts of China, because of the traditional belief that the body must be intact for a peaceful afterlife.

Chinese media have reported cases of people committing suicide before the cremation regulations were put in place so that they may get a burial.

Other reports have alleged some family members are burying their loved ones in secret to get around the restriction.

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Virgin descent tool 'deployed early'

3 November 2014 Last updated at 08:53

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Air safety chief Christopher Hart uses models to show how the "feathering" slowing device activated without a command from the pilots

A safety device on the Virgin Galactic spacecraft that crashed on Friday killing a test pilot had been deployed early, US investigators say.

Air safety chief Christopher Hart said the "feathering" device, designed to slow the craft on re-entry, activated without a command from the pilots.

But he said it was too soon to confirm any possible cause of the crash.

Media reports had focused on the fuel tanks and the engine, but Mr Hart said both were found intact.

Earlier, Virgin Galactic rebuffed criticism of its safety practices.

The company said any suggestion that safety had not been its top priority was "categorically untrue".

Virgin Galactic had aimed to send tourists into space early next year, and has already taken more than 700 flight bookings at $250,000 (£156,000) each.

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The BBC's Richard Scott toured the spacecraft in 2011

Mr Hart, from the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), told reporters that the feathering device was supposed to be activated at Mach 1.4 (1,065mph; 1,715km/h), but had been deployed at Mach 1 during the test flight.

He said one of the pilots had enabled the device, but the second stage of its deployment had happened "without being commanded".

"Shortly after the feathering occurred, the telemetry data terminated and the video data terminated," he said.

The feathering device lifts and rotates the tail to create drag, slowing the craft on its descent.

He said SpaceShipTwo's fuel tanks and engine were found intact, without any sign of being breached.

NTSB investigators have now found almost all of the parts of the crashed spacecraft as part of an inquiry they say could take many months to complete.

The pilots

Michael Alsbury

• Aged 39
• Married with two children
• 15 years of flying experience
• First flew in SpaceShipTwo in 2010
• Flew craft's first rocket-powered run in April 2013

Peter Siebold

• Aged 43
• Married with two children
• Received pilot's licence when just 16
• Started working for Scaled Composites in 1996
• Had spent 2,000 hours in 35 different fixed-wing aircraft

Will crash set back space tourism?

SpaceShipTwo was flying its first test flight for nine months when it crashed near the town of Bakersfield.

Virgin Galactic said the craft experienced "a serious anomaly" after it separated from launch vehicle WhiteKnightTwo.

The spacecraft was using a new type of rocket fuel never before used in flight, although officials said it had undergone extensive ground testing.

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Virgin Galactic founding astronaut Per Wimmer: "Space is difficult"

The project has been subject to numerous delays, and its commercial launch has been pushed back several times.

The Financial Times reported that the venture is facing financial difficulties - with $400m in funding from Abu Dhabi now dried up and Virgin Group covering the day-to-day expenses.

The co-pilot who died when SpaceShipTwo disintegrated shortly after take-off was 39-year-old Michael Alsbury.

Scaled Composites, the company employing both pilots, said surviving pilot Peter Siebold, 43, was "alert and talking with his family and doctors".

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Suicide bomb derails border ceremony

3 November 2014 Last updated at 09:23

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At least three jihadi militant groups have claimed responsibility for the attack, Shahzeb Jillani reports

India and Pakistan have suspended a daily military ceremony at their only land border crossing at Wagah, after dozens were killed in a suicide attack.

It is thought to be the first time the ritual has been called off since the two countries fought a war in 1971.

The bomb exploded near the checkpoint on the Pakistani side, killing at least 55 people and injuring many more.

The Pakistani Taliban said they were behind the bombing. Two other militant groups also said they carried it out.

The Jundullah militant group and the Jamaat-ul-Ahrar faction of the Pakistani Taliban were among those who said they carried it out. Sunday's attack is the deadliest to hit Pakistan in many months.

Scenes of horror

The Wagah crossing is a high-profile target, with large crowds gathering every day to watch an elaborate and colourful flag-lowering ceremony as the border closes.

Indian officials said the Border Security Force agreed to a Pakistani request to suspend the ceremony for three days to allow mourning to take place for the victims of the attack.

"It is the first time we have suspended the ceremony after the war. The ceremony was not suspended even during Kargil," India's home ministry spokesman is quoted as telling Reuters news agency.

Witnesses described scenes of horror in the wake of the blast which struck just after Sunday's ceremony took place.

One intelligence official, who was in his office at the time, told Reuters he saw "scattered bodies, injured men, women and children and smashed cars".

Politicians on both sides of the border have condemned the attack. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi called it a "dastardly act of terrorism".

India has in the past accused Pakistan of sponsoring jihadist groups in the region.

The two countries, which have fought three wars against each other since independence from Britain in 1947, have been engaged in a long-running conflict over the region of Kashmir, which both sides claim.

Dozens of people use the Wagah crossing to enter India and Pakistan every day, says BBC Urdu's Shumaila Jaffrey in Lahore, as it is the only road crossing between the two countries.

It is also a crucial trade facility, where truck-loads of goods coming from and going to India are loaded and unloaded.

Pakistan's government has been engaged in a long-running conflict with the Pakistani Taliban, or TTP, and attempts at peace talks foundered just weeks after they began in March.

Are you at the Wagah land border crossing? Are you an eyewitness? Send us your experiences by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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Turkey migrant boat sinks killing 24

3 November 2014 Last updated at 10:55

At least 24 people have been killed and scores are missing after a boat said to be carrying migrants sank off the north coast of Istanbul, officials say.

The accident took place where the Bosphorus meets the Black Sea.

A large air and sea rescue operation is now under way.

The nationality of the migrants is not clear. Media reports say that it is unusual for a vessel carrying migrants to be in this area.

One theory is that the refugees were trying to get to Romania - a member of the European Union.

Two months ago another group of migrants - mostly Syrians and Afghans - was rescued by the Turkish coastguard off the northern coast of Istanbul reportedly heading for the EU.

"The wind is making our task very difficult. The boat is a very small one... But they were carrying 40 people in it. We are seeing bodies of children floating in the sea," rescuer Ali Saruhan was quoted by Hurriyet Daily News as saying.

Seven coastguard vessels and a helicopter are conducting the search in the Black Sea, some 5km (3 miles) north of the Bosphorus, the coastguard said in a statement.

Hurriyet says that since the beginning of the civil war in Syria, thousands of migrants have been trying to reach the EU by making the treacherous sea journey from the western and southern Turkish coast.

Tens of thousands of migrants have also attempted to cross the Greek and Bulgarian borders by land, the paper says.

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Mass protest urged in Burkina Faso

2 November 2014 Last updated at 00:37

Opposition parties and civic groups in Burkina Faso have called a mass rally for Sunday in protest at the army takeover after the resignation of President Blaise Compaore.

They said the management of the transition belonged to the people and should not be confiscated by the army.

It came hours after the army said Lt-Col Isaac Zida, second-in-command of the presidential guard, had been chosen as the nation's transitional leader.

Mr Compaore has fled to Ivory Coast.

"The victory born from this popular uprising belongs to the people, and the task of managing the transition falls by right to the people," opposition groups said in a statement.

"In no case can it be confiscated by the army."

There were protests earlier this week after Mr Compaore sought to amend the constitution and extend his long hold on the presidency.

On Thursday, protesters set fire to parliament and government buildings in the capital Ouagadougou.

'Opposition weak'

The BBC's Thomas Fessy, following events from Senegal, says there is growing concern among the population that events may now be hijacked by a military coup.

But in a country where the ousted president has dominated the political scene for nearly three decades, the opposition remains weak and the turnout at the rally will be a measure of its credibility, our correspondent says.

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Brigadier General Pingrenoma Zagre, right, announced Colonel Zida (l) as Burkina's Faso's transitional leader

The army's response will show if the new man in charge, Lieutenant Colonel Zida, is ready to respect the wishes of the people, our correspondent adds.

Under the country's constitution, the president of the Senate should take over after the national president resigns, with elections taking place between 60 and 90 days afterwards.

The African Union has called for a "civilian-led transition" culminating as soon as possible in "the holding of free, fair and transparent elections".

In a statement, AU chief Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma urged the military to "refrain from any acts or statements that may lead to further instability".

The US state department urged an immediate transfer of power to civilian authorities in Burkina Faso and a move towards free and fair presidential elections.

The unveiling of Lt-Col Zida as interim leader came after what analysts say was a 24-hour power struggle within the army.

The army statement's was signed by army chief General Honore Traore, who had declared himself head of state in the immediate aftermath of President Compaore's resignation.

Are you in Burkina Faso? Send us your eyewitness accounts and views by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

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