News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Prime Minister-designate Tzipi Livni held a private meeting Sunday noontime with chief of the Labor Party Ehud Barak, toward establishing a next government. The meeting was held at the government secretariat facilities. It had originally been scheduled for Saturday.

There have been reports of substantial progress between Livni's Kadima party and Labor over the weekend. Kadima sources were optimistic that a deal might be signed before the end of the Sukkot holiday, but Livni is permitted to request a 14-day extension from President Peres during which to finish forming a government.