*) Protests erupt in Paris over Zionist gala organised by far-right figures Protests erupted in Paris against a far-right gala supporting Israel, aimed at raising funds for the Israeli military and featuring Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. The event, titled "Israel is Forever," instigated outrage amid heightened tensions from Israeli atrocities in Gaza and Lebanon. Demonstrations came ahead of a high-profile football match between France and Israel, prompting the deployment of over 4,000 police officers and 1,600 stadium staff. *) Death toll from Israeli strikes in Gaza 'safe zone' rises to 14 Israeli air strikes on Gaza have killed at least 15 Palestinians, according to witnesses and medical sources. Eight people, including children, were killed when a house was hit in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis. Another person was killed in a strike near a tent encampment that had been marked as a "safe zone" by Israel. Five more civilians were killed in an air strike on the Al-Maghazi refugee camp in central Gaza. *) Erdogan expresses hope for Türkiye-Syria relations amid regional concerns Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan reiterated hopes for reconciliation with Syria’s Bashar al Assad, expressing optimism about improving bilateral relations. Erdogan emphasised that normalising ties with Syria could promote peace and stability in the region. He also highlighted concerns over regional threats, particularly from Israel, and stressed Türkiye's commitment to Syria's territorial integrity. Erdogan reaffirmed that Syrian refugees do not threaten this integrity and underscored the importance of stabilising Syria to prevent regional instability. *) Demolition of private properties 'unconstitutional': India's top court India's top court ruled that demolishing private properties without following legal procedures is "unconstitutional." It condemned the use of bulldozers to raze homes merely because someone is accused or convicted, stating that such actions resemble lawlessness. The court emphasised that authorities must issue a show-cause notice before any demolition and warned that violations could lead to contempt proceedings. The decision reinforces the need for due process in property demolitions and prevents arbitrary actions by the executive. *) Tehran and Moscow link bank card systems to counter sanctions Iranian bank cards can now be used in Russia as both countries have connected their banking systems, state TV reported. This move aims to bypass Western sanctions, especially after Iran was cut off from the SWIFT system in 2018. The sanction came following the US exit from the 2015 nuclear deal. The Iranian TV channel showed footage of an Iranian bank card being used at an ATM in Russia.