Israel’s military says it has encircled Jabalya, northern Gaza and launched a new ground operation, after seeing signs of Hamas rebuilding, despite nearly a year of fighting and strikes in the territory.

Despite attention shifting to Lebanon after Israeli forces escalated their attacks on the Hezbollah militant group, Israel continues to operate across Gaza and is again focusing on an area it previously said was rid of Hamas.

Elsewhere in Gaza, at least 25 people are confirmed dead after Israeli airstrikes hit a mosque and a school in the center of the territory, hospital officials say. Israel said Hamas was embedded in both buildings.

Israel carried out airstrikes overnight Saturday into Sunday in northern Gaza including against what the military said were “weapons storage facilities, underground infrastructure sites, terrorist cells, and additional military infrastructure sites.”

In a statement, the military said it had detected the presence of Hamas members there, as well as efforts by them “to rebuild its operational capabilities in the area,” and was moving forward with the operation to “dismantle.”

Hamas’s military wing, Al-Qassam Brigades, said it was engaged in “fierce fights” with Israeli forces in northern Gaza.

Dozens of families in the area have packed up their belongings and fled once again after warnings from the Israeli military of the fresh ground operation in Jabalya, which is home to Gaza’s biggest refugee camp.

The Israeli military issued a fresh evacuation order for residents in northern Gaza, adding it had expanded the scope of the “humanitarian area” in Al-Mawasi.

“We heard the sounds of explosions all night long as if the war started today,” Asaf said

Some residents of northern Gaza are refusing to move, saying there is no safe place left in the enclave.

Jabalya is home to Palestinians who have been displaced multiple times during the Israel-Gaza conflict. The camp has already been targeted by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) several times during the war.

In the separate incident in southern Gaza, a mosque was targeted by Israeli forces early Sunday, killing at least 21 people, while another strike on a school killed four people, hospital officials said,

“The mosque was a shelter for displaced people, there are no militants or anything inside,” said Nabil Nadda, who was nearby when the strike happened. “Just people who have no shelter, tents, or homes so they sheltered in the mosque.”

The Israeli military confirmed it carrying out strikes on both sites, calling them “precise” and said were targeting Hamas “command and control” centers.

The renewed fighting comes on the eve of the anniversary of the October 7 attacks, which saw Hamas kill around 1,200 people in Israel and seize more than 250 hostages.

The Israeli offensive that followed in Gaza – which Israel says is aimed at destroying Hamas – has killed more than 41,000 people and triggered a humanitarian crisis.

Pope Francis has chosen 21 new cardinals in a move that once again shows his determination to reshape the group of churchmen who will elect his successor.

Francis, 87, made the surprise announcement after commenting on the spiraling conflict in the Middle East and recalling the anniversary of the October 7 attacks on Israel.

Among the new list is the Archbishop of Tehran Dominique Mathieu, a Belgian missionary, with the pope’s decision to choose a cardinal in Iran likely part of Francis’ desire to push for dialogue with Islam and peace in the Middle East.

“I appeal to the international community to end the spiral of revenge and not to repeat attacks, like the one carried out by Iran a few days ago, which can plunge that region into an even bigger war,” the pope said before his announcement of new cardinals.

“All nations have the right to exist in peace and security, and their territories must not be attacked or invaded, sovereignty must be respected and guaranteed by dialogue and peace, not hatred and war.”

Francis also chose a Ukrainian bishop, Mykola Bychok, who at 44 will become the youngest cardinal: he is based in Australia where he ministers to members of the Ukrainian Greek Catholic community across Oceania.

During his pontificate, Francis has overhauled the composition of the body that will elect his successor, making it more representative of the worldwide church. He has thrown out the old, unwritten rulebook that bishops of certain dioceses (several of them in Italy) would automatically be made cardinals, and instead has given out “red hats” to the peripheries.

Also among the new cardinals announced by the pope on Sunday are bishops from Indonesia, Algeria, Japan and the Ivory Coast. The cardinals will be formally installed by Francis on December 8 with the archbishop of Toronto, Frank Leo, and a British theologian, friar Timothy Radcliffe, also among them.

Only cardinals under the age of 80 are allowed to vote in a papal election, although all cardinals, regardless of their age, can take part in the crucial pre-conclave meetings where the profile of a future pope is discussed. With his latest move, Francis has now chosen most of the men who will elect his successor.

At the time of the pope’s announcement, there were 122 cardinals under 80 and able to vote in a future conclave. Church law technically limits the number of such cardinals to 120, but previous popes have also gone over that number.

Cardinals are second only to the pope in the church hierarchy, hold senior positions in the Vatican and act as the pope’s main advisers. Francis has repeatedly told the cardinals that they must see their role as an opportunity to serve, rather than act like “princes.” Cardinals wear the red scarlet robes to symbolize their willingness to shed their blood for the Catholic faith.

In his speech, the pope also recalled the imminent anniversary of the October 7 attacks, calling for the “immediate release” of hostages in Gaza and lamenting that the Middle East has been “plunged into increasing suffering, with destructive military actions that continue to affect the Palestinian population.” He called for a “ceasefire on all fronts, including Lebanon.”

Tunisians voted Sunday in an election expected to grant President Kais Saied a second term, as his most prominent detractors, including one of the candidates challenging him, are in prison.

The 66-year-old president faces few obstacles to winning reelection, five years after riding anti-establishment backlash to a first term, and three after suspending parliament and rewriting the constitution giving the presidency more power.

The North African country’s election is its third since protests led to the 2011 ouster of President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali — the first autocrat toppled in the Arab Spring uprisings that also overthrew leaders in Egypt, Libya and Yemen.

International observers praised the previous two contests as meeting democratic norms. However, a raft of arrests and actions taken by a Saied-appointed election authority have raised questions about whether this year’s race is free and fair. And opposition parties have called for a boycott.

What’s at stake?

Not long ago, Tunisia was hailed as the Arab Spring’s only success story. As coups, counterrevolutions and civil wars convulsed the region, the North African nation enshrined a new democratic constitution and saw its leading civil society groups win the Nobel Peace Prize for brokering political compromise.

But its new leaders were unable to buoy its struggling economy and were plagued by political infighting and episodes of violence and terrorism.

Amid that backdrop, Saied, then 61 and a political outsider, won his first term in 2019. He advanced to a runoff promising to usher in a “New Tunisia” and hand more power to young people and local governments.

This year’s election will offer a window into popular opinion about the trajectory that Tunisia’s fading democracy has taken since Saied took office.

Saied’s supporters appear to have remained loyal to him and his promise to transform Tunisia. But he isn’t affiliated with any political party, and it’s unclear just how deep his support runs among Tunisians.

It’s the first presidential race since Saied upended the country’s politics in July 2021, declaring a state of emergency, sacking his prime minister, suspending the parliament and rewriting Tunisia’s constitution consolidating his own power.

Those actions outraged pro-democracy groups and leading opposition parties, who called them a coup. Yet despite anger from career politicians, voters approved Saied’s new constitution the following year in a low-turnout referendum.

Authorities subsequently began arresting Saied’s critics including journalists, lawyers, politicians and civil society figures, charging them with endangering state security and violating a controversial anti-fake news law that observers argue stifles dissent.

Fewer voters turned out to participate in parliamentary and local elections in 2022 and 2023 amid economic woes and widespread political apathy.

Who’s running?

Many wanted to challenge Saied, but few were able to.

Seventeen potential candidates filed paperwork to run and Tunisia’s election authority approved only three: Saied, Zouhair Maghzaoui and Ayachi Zammel.

Maghzaoui is a veteran politician who has campaigned against Saied’s economic program and recent political arrests. Still, he is loathed by opposition parties for backing Saied’s constitution and earlier moves to consolidate power.

Zammel is a businessman supported by politicians not boycotting the race. During the campaign, he has been sentenced to prison time in four voter fraud cases related to signatures his team gathered to qualify for the ballot.

Others had hoped to run but were prevented. The election authority, known as ISIE, last month dismissed a court ruling ordering it to reinstate three additional challengers.

With many arrested, detained or convicted on charges related to their political activities, Tunisia’s most well-known opposition figures are also not participating.

That includes the 83-year-old leader of Tunisia’s most well organized political party Ennahda, which rose to power after the Arab Spring. Rached Ghannouchi, the Islamist party’s co-founder and Tunisia’s former house speaker, has been imprisoned since last year after criticizing Saied.

The crackdown also includes one of Ghannouchi’s most vocal detractors: Abir Moussi, a right-wing lawmaker known for railing against Islamists and speaking nostalgically for pre-Arab Spring Tunisia. The 49-year-old president of the Free Destourian Party also was imprisoned last year after criticizing Saied.

Other less known politicians who announced plans to run have also since been jailed or sentenced on similar charges.

Opposition groups have called to boycott the race. The National Salvation Front — a coalition of secular and Islamist parties including Ennahda — has denounced the process as a sham and questioned the election’s legitimacy.

What are the other issues?

The country’s economy continues to face major challenges. Despite Saied’s promises to chart a new course for Tunisia, unemployment has steadily increased to one of the region’s highest at 16%, with young Tunisians hit particularly hard.

Growth has been slow since the COVID-19 pandemic and Tunisia has remained reliant on multilateral lenders such as the World Bank and the European Union. Today, Tunisia owes them more than $9 billion. Apart from agricultural reform, Saied’s overarching economic strategy is unclear.

Negotiations have long been stalled over a $1.9 billion bailout package offered by the International Monetary Fund in 2022. Saied has been unwilling to accept its conditions, which include restructuring indebted state-owned companies and cutting public wages. Some of the IMF’s stipulations — including lifting subsidies for electricity, flour and fuel — would likely be unpopular among Tunisians who rely on their low costs.

Economic analysts say that foreign and local investors are reluctant to invest in Tunisia due to continued political risks and an absence of reassurances.

The dire economic straits have had a two-pronged effect on one of Tunisia’s key political issues: migration. From 2019 to 2023, an increasing number of Tunisians attempted to migrate to Europe without authorization. Meanwhile, Saied’s administration has taken a harsh approach against migrants arriving from sub-Saharan Africa, many who have found themselves stuck in Tunisia while trying to reach Europe.

Saied energized his supporters in early 2023 by accusing migrants of violence and crime and portraying them as part of a plot to change the country’s demography. The anti-migrant rhetoric prompted extreme violence against migrants and a crackdown from authorities. Last year, security forces targeted migrant communities from the coast to the capital with a series of arrests, deportation to the desert and the demolition of tent camps in Tunis and coastal towns.

Bodies continue to wash ashore on Tunisia’s coastline as boats carrying Tunisians and migrants from sub-Saharan Africa manage only to make it a few nautical miles before sinking.

What does it mean overseas?

Tunisia has maintained ties with its traditional Western allies but also forged new partnerships under Saied.

Much like many populist leaders who’ve taken power worldwide, Saied emphasizes sovereignty and freeing Tunisia from what he calls “foreign diktats.” He has insisted that Tunisia won’t become a “border guard” for Europe, which has sought agreements with him to better police the Mediterranean.

Tunisia and Iran lifted visa requirements and in May announced plans to boost trade ties. It has also accepted millions in loans as part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative to build hospitals, stadiums and ports. While election monitoring organizations have not been granted permission to observe the race, Russia sent observers.

Yet European countries remain Tunisia’s top trade partners and their leaders have maintained productive ties with Saied, hailing agreements to manage migration as a “model” for the region.

Saied has spoken ardently in support of Palestinians as war has swept the Middle East and opposes moves made to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel.

A massive blast outside Karachi Airport in Pakistan on Sunday killed two people and injured at least eight, officials said.

Police and the provincial government said a tanker exploded outside the airport, which is Pakistan’s biggest.

But the provincial home minister, Zia Ul Hassan, told local TV station Geo that it was an attack targeting foreigners.

A Home Ministry official told The Associated Press that it was an attack on Chinese nationals, one of whom was injured. He spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media.

Thousands of Chinese workers are in Pakistan, most of them involved in Beijing’s multibillion-dollar Belt and Road Initiative that connects south and central Asia with the Chinese capital.

Videos showed flames engulfing cars and a thick column of smoke rising from the scene. There was a heavy military deployment at the site, which was cordoned off.

Deputy Inspector General East Azfar Mahesar told media that it seemed like it was an oil tanker explosion.

“We are determining the nature and reasons for the blast. It takes time.” Police officers were among the injured, he added.

The home minister and inspector general also visited the blast site, but they did not talk to the press.

Rahat Hussain, who works in the civil aviation department, said the blast was so big that it shook the airport’s buildings.

Editor’s Note: Help is available if you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts or mental health matters. In the US, call or text 988, the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. Globally, the International Association for Suicide Prevention and Befrienders Worldwide have contact information for crisis centers around the world.

Advocacy groups behind a so-called suicide capsule said Sunday they have suspended the process of taking applications to use it — which numbered over 370 last month — as a criminal investigation into its first use in Switzerland is completed.

The president of Switzerland-based The Last Resort, Florian Willet, is being held in pretrial detention, said the group and Exit International, an affiliate founded in Australia over a quarter century ago.

Swiss police arrested Willet and several other people following the death of an unidentified 64-year-old woman from the U.S. Midwest who on Sept. 23 became the first person to use the device, known as the “Sarco,” in a forest in the northern Schaffhausen region near the German border.

Others initially detained were released from custody, authorities have said.

Switzerland has some of the most permissive laws in the world when it comes to assisted suicide, though the first use of the Sarco has prompted a debate among lawmakers.

Laws in the rich Alpine country permit assisted suicide so long as the person takes his or her life with no “external assistance” and those who help the person die do not do so for “any self-serving motive.”

The advocacy groups said in a statement Sunday that 371 people were “in the process of applying” to use the Sarco in Switzerland as of Sept. 23 and applications were suspended after its first use.

Exit International, whose founder Dr. Philip Nitschke is based in the Netherlands, is behind the 3D-printed device that cost over $1 million to develop.

The Sarco capsule is designed to allow a person sitting in a reclining seat inside to push a button that injects nitrogen gas from a tank underneath into the sealed chamber, allowing the person to fall asleep and then die by suffocation in a few minutes.

Exit International has said Willet was the only person present at the woman’s death, and described it as “peaceful, fast and dignified.” Those claims could not be independently verified.

On the same day as the woman died, Swiss Health Minister Elisabeth Baume-Schneider told parliament that use of the Sarco would not be legal. The woman was said to be severely immunocompromised.

Exit says its lawyers in Switzerland believe use of the device is legal.

“Only after the Sarco was used was it learned that Ms. Baume-Schneider had addressed the issue,” the advocacy groups said in the statement Sunday. “The timing was a pure coincidence and not our intention.”

It’s been a year since the deadly fighting between Israel and Hamas began, and the dire humanitarian crisis is getting worse. In addition to ongoing bloodshed in Gaza, the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has intensified across swaths of Lebanon.

Israel’s ambassador to the UN said 70,000 Israeli civilians have evacuated the northern part of their country after an onslaught of Hezbollah rockets and drones. The UN reported that 90,000 Lebanese civilians have fled their homes to avoid Israeli airstrikes.

Meanwhile, hospitals in Gaza continue to struggle with overwhelming casualties and a lack of resources amid Israel’s ongoing operations there. Gaza’s Ministry of Health reported more than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed since the fighting began in the aftermath of the Hamas incursion into Israel one year ago. At least 1,200 people were killed in that attack. 250 were taken hostage.

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