* Officials fear Iran ‘buying time’ as inner cabinet mulls strategy Israeli assessments regarding a nuclear deal under negotiation with Iran is that it benefits mainly the Islamic regime as it allows Teheran to “buy time” and gives the republic legitimacy to enrich uranium.

* Israel ‘met Iran’ at atomic talks Senior Israeli and Iranian officials have met face-to-face and discussed the threat of nuclear arms.

* UN chief calls on Hizbullah to disarm UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned that the presence of armed Hizbullah and Palestinian terrorists in Lebanon is contributing to tensions and insecurity.

* US, Israel launch joint military exercise The Israel Defense Forces and the US Military began a joint three-week exercise Thursday.

* UN: Afghan drug flow wreaks global havoc The smuggling of Afghan opiates is fueling addiction and drug use along trafficking routes from Iran to Central Asia.

* Jordan becoming uranium mining hot spot After nine months of excavations, a joint French-Jordanian mining company has found rich uranium deposits near the surface.

* Ethiopia asks for urgent food aid The Ethiopian government has asked the international community for emergency food aid for 6.2 million people.

* Experts Worry as Population and Hunger Grow Scientists and development experts across the globe are racing to increase food production by 50 percent over the next two decades.

* China economic growth accelerates China has said it is on track to hit its growth target of 8% this year, after the economy grew 8.9% from a year ago in the third quarter.

* Egypt pushing Hamas to sign truce deal Egypt continues to push forward with last ditch efforts to convince Hamas to sign the reconciliation agreement with rival Palestinian faction Fatah.