**Hamas had command tunnel under U.N. Gaza headquarters, Israeli military says

Israeli** forces have discovered a tunnel network hundreds of metres (yards) long and running partly under UNRWA's Gaza headquarters, the military says, calling it new evidence of Hamas exploitation of the main relief agency for Palestinians.

Army engineers took reporters for foreign news outlets through the passages at a time of crisis for UNRWA, which has launched an internal probe and seen a string of donor countries freeze funding over allegations last month by Israel that some of its staff doubled as Hamas operatives. read more

**Pakistan election: Imran Khan's party wants to form government, threatens protests

Candidates** backed by the party of jailed Pakistani opposition leader Imran Khan plan to form a government, a senior aide to the former prime minister said on Saturday, urging supporters to peacefully protest if final election results are not released.

The South Asian nation of 241 million people voted on Thursday in a general election, as the country struggles to recover from an economic crisis and battles militant violence in a deeply polarised political environment.

Both Khan and his main rival, three-time former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, declared victory on Friday, increasing uncertainty over who will form the next government at a time when swift policy action is needed to address multiple challenges. read more

**Palestinians brace for Rafah evacuation, Israeli assault plan

Trapped** in and around Rafah, more than 1 million Palestinians braced for Israel to complete a plan to evacuate them and launch a ground assault against Hamas fighters in the southern Gaza city.

Aid agencies warned that large numbers of civilians could die in the Israeli offensive and the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency said it did not know how long it could work "in such a high risk operation."

"There is a sense of growing anxiety, growing panic in Rafah," said Philippe Lazzarini, the head of the UNRWA agency. "People have no idea where to go." read more

**With over half the seats counted, Imran Khan's supporters lead in Pakistan polls

Independents** backed by jailed former Prime Minister Imran Khan won the most seats in Pakistan's election on Friday after results from over half the constituencies were announced, leaving political parties trailing.

Almost 24 hours have passed since the close of polls and the results have been unusually delayed, which the government ascribed to the suspension of mobile phone services - a security measure ahead of Thursday's election. read more

**Ex-Indonesia leader Megawati advises cabinet not to quit amid criticism of Jokowi

A** former Indonesian president and chief of its biggest party has advised ministers not to quit outgoing President Joko Widodo's cabinet, amid media reports of possible resignations over his perceived meddling in next week's presidential election.

In a rare interview, Megawati Sukarnoputri, said she had advised the influential finance minister and her own party PDI-P's five ministers to stay put or risk destabilising the country.

"If I told ministers to resign, who would be at a loss?" she told Kompas TV. "It would be the country, especially if we're talking about the finance minister." read more

**Spain's paella rice could 'disappear', say farmers angry at EU rules

A** Spanish rice variety traditionally used to make paella is under threat from a fungus after the European Union banned a pesticide farmers said they relied upon, in another example of how the bloc's environmental rules are angering growers.

Three rice producers in the Valencia region said their harvest of arroz bomba, or bomb rice, a variety grown almost exclusively in Spain, was half the 10-year average in 2023 as a result of the Pyricularia fungus which causes rice blast disease.

Bomba rice "is very likely to disappear," said Miguel Minguet, a rice farmer in the Albufera Natural Park in Valencia. "Our crop is going to be lost to regulations."

Meanwhile, major exporters such as Brazil, India and Cambodia are widely using the pesticide to protect their own crops. read more

**UK PM Sunak makes transgender jibe during visit of murdered girl's mother

British** Prime Minister Rishi Sunak joked that the leader of the opposition Labour Party could not define what a woman was, during a parliamentary exchange on Wednesday that the mother of a murdered transgender girl had been invited to watch.

Last week, two teenagers were jailed, opens new tab for the murder of Brianna Ghey, who was stabbed 28 times with a hunting knife, and a Labour lawmaker had invited Ghey's mother to watch Sunak's weekly question-and-answer session in parliament. read more

**King Charles' cancer diagnosis comes just 18 months into his reign

After** spending more than seven decades waiting to become sovereign, Britain's King Charles has been diagnosed with a form of cancer less than 18 months since he ascended to the throne.
Buckingham Palace on Monday announced that Charles, 75, would postpone public-facing duties while he undergoes treatment but was looking forward to returning to full public duty as soon as possible.
Charles became monarch on the death of his mother Queen Elizabeth on Sept. 8, 2022, having been the longest-serving heir apparent in British history. He was crowned on May 6, 2023. read more

**El Salvador's Bukele re-elected as president in landslide win

President** Nayib Bukele on Sunday secured a thumping victory in El Salvador's elections after voters cast aside concerns about erosion of democracy to reward him for a fierce gang crackdown that transformed security in the Central American country.
Thousands of Bukele's supporters clad in cyan blue and waving flags thronged San Salvador's central square to celebrate his re-election, which the 42-year-old leader termed a "referendum" on his government. read more

**U.S. launches strikes in Iraq, Syria, nearly 40 reported killed

The** United States launched airstrikes in Iraq and Syria against more than 85 targets linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) and militias it backs, reportedly killing nearly 40 people, in retaliation for a deadly attack on U.S. troops.
The strikes, which included the use of long-range B-1 bombers flown from the United States, were the first in response to the attack last weekend in Jordan by Iran-backed militants, and more U.S. military operations are expected in the coming days. read more