BBC News with Sue Montgomery.

Amid growing optimism in negotiations over Iran's nuclear program, the American Secretary of State John Kerry and the Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif are in talks in Geneva. Kim Ghattas reports.

John Kerry and his Iranian counterpart Mohammad Javad Zarif have only met face to face once before at the United Nations in September. The talks had gone well beyond pleasantries even than in what is described as positive. This time they are already discussing details of an agreement that would see Iran halt progress in its nuclear program. In return, it would get some sanctions relief, mostly in the form of access to much-needed cash from its frozen assets. Hopes are high for a breakthrough as foreign ministers converge in Geneva. But Mr. Kerry has cautioned that there is no deal yet. The talks will continue on Saturday.

The Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel utterly rejects the proposed nuclear agreement with Iran. He said the Iranians appeared to have got the deal, giving nothing in return for having sanctions eased.

Iran got the deal of the century and the international community got a bad deal. This is a very bad deal.

One of the strongest storms on record has killed at least 4 people in the central Philippines. Typhoon Haiyan created a storm surge which flooded coastal areas with sustained winds of almost 300 kilometers an hour. Here is Mike Wooldridge.

The roaring destructive winds of Typhoon Haiyan created a storm surge that flooded coastal areas. And officials said landslides blocked roads, treed were uprooted and roofs ripped off houses. Power and communications were knocked out, making it all the more difficult to gauge the scale of the devastation and casualties. But it was reported that around 0.75 million people left their homes and relief officials say shelter will be one of the greatest needs now.

The human rights group Amnesty International says new satellite imagery from the Central African Republic shows what it describes as the shocking aftermath of recent human rights abuses. The images show nearly 400 burnt houses in the northern town of Buka. They also show people who fled the town living out in the open. The United Nation says a third of the population outside the capital Bangi are unable to meet their daily food needs.

A 12-year-old boy has been killed during clashes in the Egyptian capital Cairo between supporters and opponents of the deposed Islamist president Mohamed Morsi. The boy was one of at least 6 people injured during the violence in the district of Giza. He died of gunshot wounds. Our correspondent in the city says the numbers taking part in the daily protests since the removal of President Morsi in July are dwindling. Former president's party the Muslim Brotherhood is now banned.

World News from the BBC.

The Association of Mexican Local Authorities has said a mayor who'd been speaking out about a leading drugs cartel was killed after receiving threats and didn't die in a car accident as first reported. The association said, Ygnacio Lopez Mendoza the mayor of the town of Santa Ana Maya in the State of Michoacan was presumably killed on Thursday for criticizing the cartels over their widespread use of extortion and violence.

Public sector workers in Portugal have staged their biggest strike in recent years to protest against the government's planned cuts in next year's budget. Local media said up to 2/3 of nurses in several major hospitals walked out. Hundreds of schools were closed, although other services operated almost normally.

Spain's high court has ordered the release of 9 members of the Basque militant group ETA. The decision comes after a ruling by the European Court of Human Rights last month that Spain had acted illegally when it retroactively applied legislation that stopped them being eligible for early release.

The metro system in Moscow is offering free travel to passengers but only if they can prove their physical fitness. Steve Rosenberg went underground to try it out.

Here we go. Arms out. Legs bend. And... squat and up and squat. I am trying to do squats. In the state of the odd, and very unusually Russian bending machine here in the metro. Just another 3 to go. I've done it. I've done it. The machine says I've got my ticket. I can now take it out and here we go. But after, I wonder whether it was worth it because after all that exertion I really don't have the energy to get on the train.

The one month's offer is an attempt to promote physical fitness as Russia prepares to host the Winter Olympic Games. The effort may be worth it as the metro journey costs 30 rubles nearly a dollar.

BBC News.