World News Roundup: Germany's Scholz vows to modernise economy, back Ukraine, despite budget woes; Week after shock Wilders win, Dutch government talks set to begin and more

The United States in October announced a six-month roll back on some oil industry sanctions and lifted a bond trading ban in exchange for a deal on 2024 elections between the government of President Nicolas Maduro and the opposition. Israel seeks recognition of Hamas sexual violence at UN meeting Israel held a meeting at the U.N. in Geneva late on Monday to raise awareness of sexual violence against women perpetrated during Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks amid criticism that the global body has kept quiet about the issue.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Germany's Scholz vows to modernise economy, back Ukraine, despite budget woes

Chancellor Olaf Scholz on Tuesday sought to reassure the German people and businesses that his government would modernise the economy and support vital industries like chip factories, despite a court ruling that tore a hole in the federal budget. Speaking to parliament, Scholz went into Germany's recent history of the COVID pandemic, the war in Ukraine and soaring energy prices to extend a suspension of self-imposed borrowing limits to tackle a crisis that has knocked his coalition.

Week after shock Wilders win, Dutch government talks set to begin

Talks to form a new Dutch government were set to start on Tuesday, almost a week after the upset election victory of anti-Islam populist Geert Wilders, with a former government minister picked to sound out workable coalitions. The appointment of Ronald Plasterk, a former Labour party minister, as "scout" to explore possibilities followed a chaotic week in which outgoing Prime Minister Mark Rutte's conservative VVD party ruled out joining a government led by Wilders - narrowing the options for the election winner.

Venezuela may allow opposition appeals to advance as US deadline approaches

The Venezuelan government may allow appeals from opposition politicians seeking to remove bans barring them from public posts to progress in court, as a way to partially comply with U.S. demands ahead of a deadline tied to loosened sanctions, sources told Reuters. The United States in October announced a six-month roll back on some oil industry sanctions and lifted a bond trading ban in exchange for a deal on 2024 elections between the government of President Nicolas Maduro and the opposition.

Israel seeks recognition of Hamas sexual violence at UN meeting

Israel held a meeting at the U.N. in Geneva late on Monday to raise awareness of sexual violence against women perpetrated during Hamas' Oct. 7 attacks amid criticism that the global body has kept quiet about the issue. Israeli authorities have opened an investigation into sexual violence during the most deadly attack on Israel in its history, including rape, after evidence emerged pointing to sexual crimes, such as victims found disrobed and mutilated.

2023 through the lens of Reuters photographers

This year is one that will go down in history as being marked by two big wars - an ongoing conflict in Ukraine as it fights off a Russian invasion and a fresh outbreak of violence in the Middle East between Israel and Hamas militants. Reuters photographers were on the ground to capture it all as it unfolded - and much more.

Pope to proceed with COP28 trip despite health issues, Vatican says

Pope Francis, who is recovering from a lung inflammation, will attend the COP28 climate meeting in Dubai as planned, the Vatican said on Tuesday. Spokesman Matteo Bruni, briefing reporters on the three-day visit which begins on Friday, said Francis will deliver one of the keynote speeches on Saturday and will have bilateral meetings the same day with about 30 people, including about 20 heads of state.

Indian rescuers break through debris to reach 41 men trapped in tunnel

Indian rescuers broke through rocks and debris on Tuesday to reach 41 construction workers trapped in a collapsed tunnel in the Himalayas for 17 days. The process of pulling out the 41 labourers, one at a time on wheeled stretchers through a narrow pipe 90 cm (3 feet) wide, was due to begin soon, officials said.

Israel, Hamas abide by truce, discuss further extensions

Israeli forces and Hamas fighters abided by a truce for a fifth day on Tuesday, after a four-day ceasefire was extended at the last minute by at least 48 hours to let more hostages go free. A single column of black smoke could be seen rising above the obliterated wasteland of the northern Gaza war zone from across the fence in Israel, but there was no sign of jets in the sky or rumble of explosions.

In row over Parthenon sculptures, Greece says Britain showing 'lack of respect'

Greece's government on Tuesday accused Britain of showing "a lack of respect" by abruptly cancelling a meeting between their leaders at short notice in a dispute over ancient Greek sculptures brought to Britain in the early 19th century. British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled a planned wide-ranging meeting with his Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis after the latter raised the decades-old demand for the return of the Parthenon sculptures from the British Museum.

Disease could be bigger killer than bombs in Gaza - WHO

More people could die from disease than from bombings in the Gaza Strip if its health system is not repaired, a World Health Organization spokesperson said on Tuesday. Gaza health authorities deemed reliable by the United Nations say more than 15,000 people have been confirmed killed in Israel's bombardment of Gaza, around 40% of them children, with many more dead feared to be lost under rubble.