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Netanyahu, Smotrich to meet on Israeli 2026 budget that faces battle for approval

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and senior ministry officials will present Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later on Sunday with the state budget and planned structural reforms for 2026, Smotrich's office said.

"The Finance Minister will present to the Prime Minister the necessary measures to ensure continued economic growth and to combat the high cost of living," it said.

It added that cabinet ministers would vote on the budget on Dec. 4 but it is unlikely the budget would be approved by year end.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks with Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich  during  the weekly cabinet meeting at the Defence Ministry in Tel Aviv, Israel, January 7, 2024. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/Pool

Hamas delegation in Cairo to discuss Gaza ceasefire, sources say

CAIRO/JERUSALEM (Reuters) -A Hamas delegation was in Cairo on Sunday to meet with Gaza war mediators, an Egyptian security source and a Hamas source said, as both Israel and the Palestinian militant group continue to trade accusations of ceasefire violations.

The Hamas official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the delegation would be discussing Israel's "continued violation of the ceasefire agreement".

Egypt, Qatar and the U.S. have been mediating between Hamas and Israel, securing the ceasefire that came into effect last month.

Palestinian women look out of a window near the site of Saturday's Israeli strike in the Central Gaza Strip, November 23, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa/File Photo

Turkey's Erdogan praises 'meaningful' deal with Australia on hosting COP31 summit

ANKARA (Reuters) -Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan praised a deal reached with Australia on Saturday to host next year's U.N. climate summit, calling the compromise a meaningful achievement for multilateralism.

Resolving a lengthy standoff, the two countries agreed that Turkey will host the COP31 summit in 2026 while Australia leads the negotiation process. Ankara and Canberra both bid in 2022 to host the conference and had since refused to stand down.

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan attends a plenary session on the opening day of the G20 Leaders' Summit at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, November 22, 2025. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/Pool

Canada PM and German Chancellor Merz discuss Ukraine, Gaza on G20 sidelines

(Reuters) -Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz discussed the war in Ukraine and situation in Gaza on the sidelines of the G20 summit in South Africa, the two countries said in a joint statement on Sunday.

The two leaders reaffirmed support for Ukraine and emphasized that any agreement must involve Kyiv directly, protect its fundamental interests and include concrete security assurances.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz walk on the day they held a press conference  at the Chancellery in Berlin, Germany August 26, 2025. REUTERS/Annegret Hilse

Analysis-Tejas crash dampens export hopes for Indian fighter jet

By Shivam Patel and Tim Hepher

NEW DELHI/DUBAI (Reuters) -The crash of India's Tejas fighter in front of global arms buyers at the Dubai Airshow is the latest blow to a key national trophy, leaving the jet reliant on Indian military orders to sustain its role as a showcase of home-built defence technology.

The cause of Friday's crash was not immediately known but it capped a week of jockeying for influence at the event, attended by India's arch-rival Pakistan six months after the neighbouring foes faced off in the world's largest air battle in decades.

Firefighters work at the site of a crash involving an Indian-made HAL Tejas fighter jet at the Dubai Air Show, United Arab Emirates, November 21, 2025, in this handout picture obtained from social media.  Government of Dubai Media Office/Handout via REUTERS

Tunisians escalate protests against Saied, demanding return of democracy

By Tarek Amara

TUNIS (Reuters) -Thousands of Tunisians marched in the capital on Saturday in a protest against “injustice and repression”, accusing President Kais Saied of cementing one-man rule by using the judiciary and police.

The protest was the latest in a wave that has swept Tunisia involving journalists, doctors, banks and public transport systems. Thousands have also demanded the closure of a chemical plant on environmental grounds.

Tunisians march in the capital to protest against Tunisia's President Kais Saied accusing him of entrenching one-man rule through the use of the judiciary and police, in Tunis, Tunisia November 22, 2025. REUTERS/Jihed Abidellaou

Australia PM says formal deal reached for Turkey to host COP31 climate summit

SYDNEY (Reuters) -Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Sunday a formal agreement had been reached for Turkey to host the COP31 climate summit in 2026, confirming a document released at the COP30 summit in Brazil.

A statement issued by Germany this week at the COP30 summit, after a meeting of the Western European and Others Group tasked with selecting the 2026 host, said Turkey would take the role with Australia leading the negotiation process. It followed an earlier announcement that a compromise arrangement was expected.

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese attends a plenary session on the opening day of the G20 Leaders' Summit at the Nasrec Expo Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, November 22, 2025. REUTERS/Thomas Mukoya/Pool

Gaza civil defence says 21 killed in Israeli strikes

Gaza's civil defence agency said 21 people were killed and dozens more wounded in multiple Israeli air strikes on Saturday, as Hamas and Israel again traded allegations of violating the fragile ceasefire.

Saturday was one of the deadliest days since the US-brokered truce between Israel and Hamas came into effect on October 10, after two years of war.

The Israeli military said an "armed terrorist" had crossed the so-called Yellow Line within the Gaza Strip, behind which Israeli forces have withdrawn, and fired at Israeli soldiers.

Palestinians carry an injured man at Al-Awda Hospital

Israeli airstrikes kill 14 people in Gaza, medics say

By Nidal al-Mughrabi

CAIRO (Reuters) -Israeli airstrikes in Gaza killed at least 14 people and wounded several others, local health authorities said on Saturday, in a further test of a fragile ceasefire between the Palestinian militant group Hamas and Israel.

Witnesses and medics said the first attack hit a car in the densely populated Rimal neighbourhood, setting it ablaze. It was not immediately clear whether the five dead were passengers of the car or included passersby. Dozens of people rushed to extinguish the fire and rescue the victims.

Palestinians inspect the site of an Israeli strike, in Gaza City, November 22, 2025. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

Gaza civil defence says 21 killed in Israeli strikes

Gaza's civil defence agency said 21 people were killed and dozens more wounded in multiple Israeli air strikes on the Palestinian territory on Saturday, further straining the fragile truce between Israel and Hamas.

Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, which came into effect on October 10.

The Israeli military said an "armed terrorist" had crossed the so-called Yellow Line boundary within the Gaza Strip, behind which Israeli troops have withdrawn, and fired at soldiers, in a "blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement".

Palestinian children look at a destroyed vehicle in Gaza City