Palestinians to appeal to U.N.

JERUSALEM -- A Palestinian drive to ask the U.N. Security Council to endorse a state unilaterally, put forward by a top negotiator Sunday, appeared more an expression of frustration with U.S. and Israeli policies and stalled peace talks than a real effort to go it alone.

A resolution for a Palestinian state could face a veto from the U.S., Israel's main ally. But if the Security Council approved it, consequences could be even more severe.

U.N., Islamic bank make $1B farm deal

ROME -- Funding from an Islamic bank will help develop agriculture in poor countries, a U.N. food agency said Sunday ahead of a summit to discuss the so-far elusive goal of reducing the number of hungry people in the world.

The U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, which is hosting the three-day summit starting today, said it had reached a deal with the Islamic Development Bank for $1 billion in funding to help develop agriculture in poor countries that belong to both organizations.

Japan GDP grows at 4.8% annual pace

TOKYO -- Japan's economy expanded at an annual pace of 4.8 percent in the third quarter, the government said today.

The result marks the second straight quarter of expansion and the biggest rise in real gross domestic product since 2007.

On a quarterly basis, GDP was up 1.2 percent from the previous three-month period, according to the Cabinet Office's preliminary data.

Iraqi Sunni Arab VP threatens veto

BAGHDAD -- Iraq's Sunni Arab vice president threatened Sunday to veto the country's election law unless changes are made giving Iraqis living abroad more guaranteed seats in parliament, throwing the January vote into question.

The veto threat comes a week after lawmakers passed the long-delayed legislation, paving the way for national polls in January. Any delay in the voting could derail a U.S. plan to withdraw troops.