By Stephanie van den Berg

THE HAGUE (Reuters) -The United Nations' top legal body, the International Court of Justice, will issue an advisoryopinion on Wednesday on what Israel's obligations are to U.N. and other aid organisations trying to work in Gaza and the West Bank.

The opinion, which was requested by the U.N. General Assembly in December, will be closely watched as it could haveeffects beyond theGaza conflict. It is expected to address the protections states must provide for U.N. staff worldwide.

ABU DHABI (Reuters) -Anwar Gargash, the diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said in an interview at the Reuters NEXT Gulf Summit in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday that maximalist views on the Palestinian issues are no longer valid, emphasizing the need for security for Israel alongside the establishment of a viable Palestinian state.

Gargash said that any annexation in the Palestinian territories would be considered a "red line", adding that discussions are ongoing regarding sending personnel on the ground in Gaza.

By Ece Toksabay and Jonathan Spicer

ANKARA (Reuters) -Anxious to bolster its air power, Turkey has proposed to European partners and the U.S. ways it could swiftly obtain advanced fighter jets as it seeks to make up ground on regional rivals such as Israel, sources familiar with the talks say.

The top United Nations court will rule Wednesday on Israel's obligations towards agencies providing humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in Gaza, as aid groups scramble to scale up assistance following a ceasefire.

Judges at the International Court of Justice in The Hague have been asked for an "advisory opinion" laying out Israel's duty to facilitate aid in Gaza.

Months after returning from the frontline in Gaza, Israeli army captain Israel Ben Shitrit says he is still haunted by the ghosts of the war he left behind.

"The scream of the soldier asking for rescue... no matter where I am, I will always hear that scream," he told AFP, speaking of a comrade he had been unable to save.

Ben Shitrit was himself seriously wounded in combat in early 2024.

His testimony comes as Israel faces a wave of suicides among troops suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the wake of several conflicts.

BEIJING (Reuters) -Australia's statements about an incident involving Chinese military aircraft over the South China Sea are an attempt to cover up an Australian "intrusion" into Chinese airspace, the Chinese defence ministry said on Wednesday.

The ministry has complained to Canberra about the matter.

The ministry was referring to an incident around the Paracel Islands in which Australia claimed a Chinese fighter jet dropped flares near one of its maritime patrol planes. Australia called the incident "unsafe and unprofessional".

LONDON (Reuters) -A small contingent of British military planning officers has been sent to Israel to join a task force led by the United States to support stabilisation efforts in Gaza, the UK defence ministry said.

Gaza mediators - the United States, Egypt and Qatar - stepped up their efforts this week to stabilise the early stages of the truce between Israel and Hamas and to push forward U.S. President Donald Trump's 20-point ceasefire plan.

By Tarek Amara

TUNIS (Reuters) -A general strike and tens of thousands of protesters brought the southern Tunisian city of Gabes to a standstill on Tuesday to back demands for the closure of a state chemical plant blamed for a pollution crisis.

A recent spate of environmental and anti-government protests prompted by a worsening economic crisis and disruptions in public services has posed the biggest challenge to President Kais Saied since he seized all power in 2021.

(Reuters) -Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to appoint a new national security adviser, replacing Tzachi Hanegbi, Israeli media reported on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Muhammad Al Gebaly and Jaidaa Taha; Editing by Sharon Singleton)

By Parisa Hafezi

DUBAI (Reuters) -Iran's economy risks staggering into simultaneous hyperinflation and deep recession, officials and analysts say, as clerical rulers scramble to preserve stability with limited room to manoeuvre after a snapback of U.N. sanctions.

They followed a breakdown in talks to curb Iran's disputed nuclear activity and its ballistic missile programme. Diplomacy to resolve the deadlock remains possible, both sides say, though Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has rebuffed U.S. President Donald Trump's offer to forge a new deal.