16 October 2023; AA: An Israeli army officer has been killed by anti-tank fire on Lebanon's border, the Israeli army said early Monday.

The officer was killed late Sunday near the Nurit military post, Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported, citing an army statement.

On Sunday, the Lebanese Hezbollah group said it targeted an Israeli barrack and five military sites near the border.

16 October 2023; MEMO: Iran sent a message to Israel via the UN yesterday, that it doesn’t want to see further escalation in the conflict with Gaza.

More than 200,000 marched through the streets of London on Saturday to condemn the horrifying Israeli crimes committed in Gaza.

Th protest was organised by Palestinian Forum in Britain (PFB), Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC), Friends of Al-Aqsa (FOA), Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), and Stop the War Coalition, and Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC).

16 October 2023; MEMO: Israel yesterday announced that it would stop its security exports to Colombia in response to statements by Colombian President Gustavo Petro, in which he likened Israel’s targeting of Gaza to the Nazi persecution of the Jews.

Israeli Foreign Ministry spokesman Lior Haiat said that Colombian Ambassador to Israel Margarita Manjarrez had been summoned over “hostile and anti-Semitic statements” against the state of Israel made by Petro.

15 October 2023; MEMO: Israel’s action sin Gaza are “beyond the scope of self-defence”, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Saturday.

He added that the Israeli government must “cease its collective punishment of the people of Gaza.”

In a call to his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal Bin Farhan, Wang said: “All parties should not take any action to escalate the situation and should return to the negotiating table as soon as possible.”

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia man was left reeling after receiving a $1.4 million speeding ticket, but city officials say the figure was just a placeholder, not the actual fine.

Connor Cato tells WSAV-TV in Savannah that he received the citation after getting pulled over in September for driving 90 mph (145 kph) in a 55 mph (89 kph) zone.

He called the court thinking the figure was a typo but says he was told he either had to pay it or appear in court in December.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is considering a trip to Israel in the coming days but no travel has been finalized, a senior administration official said Sunday. It would be a powerful symbol of sympathy and support following the brutal attack by Hamas.

A trip would be a chance for Biden to personally affirm to the Israeli people the U.S. is standing firm behind them. But it would come amid growing fears that a looming Israeli move into Gaza could spark a wider war with devastating humanitarian consequences.

16 October 2023; MEMO: The Israeli Army’s Home Front Command yesterday announced that it will hand over 20,000 rifles to so-called “alert teams” – civilian militias, according to directives issued by Defence Minister Yoav Galant.

So far, 1,000 members of these militias have been armed.

16 October 2023; AA: The Israeli army on Monday announced the activation of a plan to "evacuate 28 Israeli villages on the Lebanese border" following an exchange of fire with Hezbollah.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden postponed a trip to Colorado on Monday to stay in Washington and focus on the growing conflict in the Middle East, setting aside an opportunity to pitch his economic accomplishments as he runs for reelection.

Biden had been heading to the district of Rep. Lauren Boebert, where he was to visit CS Wind, the world’s largest facility for wind tower manufacturing. But the White House said just a few hours before Biden was set to take off for the trip that it would be rescheduled.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — By the time Donald Trump returns to Iowa on Monday, the Republican former president will have drawn more than 10,000 people to his events in the state in less than a month.

There’s no guarantee his crowds will translate to support in the state’s Jan. 15 caucuses, which will launch the 2024 nominating cycle. But unlike his seat-of-the-pants campaign in 2016, he has a more sophisticated organization to capitalize on his high-wattage events and often emphasizes in his remarks how to participate in the caucuses.

WASHINGTON, Oct 16 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Any move by Israel to occupy the Gaza Strip again would be a “big mistake”, US President Joe Biden said in an interview released on Sunday, as Israeli troops prepared for a ground invasion.

Israel, seeking vengeance for an attack by Hamas on Oct 7, has declared war on the militant group, launching a relentless bombing campaign and warning more than a million people in northern Gaza to move south ahead of the operation.