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More than 20,000 attend pro-Palestinian rally in Brussels

More than 20,000 people marched through Brussels on Saturday in a show of support for Palestinians, with many calling for a ceasefire in Gaza, which Israel is heavily bombarding.

Many of the protesters yelled "free Palestine" and "stop the genocide" as they participated in the peaceful demonstration that took place on Armistice Day, a public holiday in Belgium and other countries to mark the signing of the armistice that ended World War I.

Some also cried out "EU, shame on you" for perceived bias towards Israel at the expense of Palestinian lives and rights.

Many protesters accused Israel of conducting a 'genocide' against Palestinians in Gaza, with some calling for a boycott on Israeli products

Israel turns to archaeologists to find victims of Hamas attack

Moshe Ajami is no stranger to human remains. But until October, the bits of bone and teeth he handled were centuries, if not millennia, old.

Now, he and a team of archaeologists from the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) have turned their skills to finding and identifying the victims of Hamas's bloody October 7 attack.

Despite using the same techniques, this is grim work compared to their usual digs.

Archaeological techniques have proved effective in identifying burnt victims of Hamas's attack on Israel

Two Brazilians allegedly tied to Hezbollah deny all charges

Two people arrested in Brazil for allegedly planning terrorist attacks in the country on behalf of Lebanon-based Hezbollah have denied any such involvement, according to images seen Saturday on the G1 news site.

During an audience with a judge conducted Friday by videoconference, the suspects -- both Brazilian nationals in their 30s arrested earlier this week by federal police -- categorically denied all charges, calling them "absurd."

Former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro "have opted to exercise their right to remain silent" in relation to a jewelry scandal, according to documents reported on by the Brazilian media

Paris protesters call for Gaza ceasefire

Several thousand people demonstrated in Paris on Saturday under the rallying cry "Stop the massacre in Gaza".

The left-wing organisers called for France to "demand an immediate ceasefire" between Israel and Hamas militants.

"I came to support the Palestinian cause, for a ceasefire in Gaza," said engineer Ahlem Triki, a Palestinian flag over her shoulders.

Hamas's shock October 7 attack killed about 1,200 people, mostly civilians, in Israel and 239 people taken hostage, according to Israeli officials.

The left-wing organisers of the protest called for France to 'demand an immediate ceasfire' between Israel and Hamas militants

What does Hezbollah's arsenal look like?

Lebanon's Hezbollah has been trading daily cross-border fire with its sworn enemy Israel as war rages in Gaza, with the Iran-backed group deploying a large weapons arsenal amassed over decades.

AFP looks at the Shiite Muslim group's firepower and how it has expanded since it fought a war with Israel in 2006.

- Armed and dangerous -

Hezbollah is the only Lebanese faction to have retained its weapons after the end of Lebanon's 1975-1990 civil war, and is now considered to have a more powerful stockpile than the national army.

Lebanese Hezbollah fighters took part in cross-border raids, part of large-scale military exercise, in Aaramta bordering Israel in May

Heavy fighting spurs 'catastrophic' scene at Gaza hospital

Palestinians seeking refuge at Gaza's largest hospital and staff said they were trapped in increasingly horrific conditions Saturday, with two premature infants dying due to lack of electricity as heavy fighting raged nearby.

The gun battles and intense bombardment around the Al-Shifa hospital came as Israel pressed deep into Gaza City in its offensive aimed at destroying the militant group Hamas in the territory it rules.

Patients and internally displaced line the halls at Al-Shifa hospital in Gaza City

Gaza's post-war governance uncertain as war rages

Who will govern Gaza when Israel's military offensive against Hamas ends? After five weeks of fighting, the answer remains shrouded in confusion.

Hamas, a Palestinian Islamist group with an armed wing, has governed the coastal territory of about 2.4 million people since 2007 after which Israel placed Gaza under a strict blockade governing the movement of people and goods in and out.

Hamas had seized power that year following street battles with the Palestinian Authority (PA).

This aerial photo show heavily damaged buildings following Israeli airstrikes in Gaza City

Hundreds of thousands stage Armistice Day pro-Palestinian rally in London

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Saturday condemned far-right protesters and Hamas sympathisers, as hundreds of thousands of pro-Palestinian supporters marched through London calling for a ceasefire in Israel's war in Gaza.

Nearly 2,000 police were out in force to keep rival groups apart, with the march organised on Armistice Day, the annual event when Britain remembers its war dead with solemn ceremonies at war memorials.

The march went ahead after a week of tensions, which saw the government call for it to be scrapped, and police said they made scores of arrests.

Hundreds of thousands of people were expected to march through London

Security increased in Kosovo before football game with Israel

As Israel's footballers prepare to play Kosovo in a Euro 2024 qualifier on Sunday -- their first international fixture since the war broke out in the country in October -- Pristina police are on alert after a series of social media posts calling for the game to be cancelled.

Although a vast majority of Kosovo citizens are Muslim, it considers itself the most pro-US state in the world and firmly adheres to its most important ally's foreign policy.

Police stand guard near the Fadil Vokrri stadium in Pristina ahead of Kosovo's rearranged Euro 2024 qualifier against Israel

Microsoft chief says Russia is spreading Middle East disinformation

Russia has been spreading "disinformation" about the situation in the Middle East, the president of Microsoft said Saturday, as tensions soar in the region due to the Israel-Hamas war.

Brad Smith, Microsoft vice chair and president, was asked about the role of the US tech giant in promoting peace at an international peace forum in Paris.

He said that Microsoft and its competitors were fighting against disinformation, in particular by using Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Smith said Microsoft and its rivals were fighting against disinformation