12 October 2023; MEMO: Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi yesterday discussed with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman the latest developments in Gaza.

This came in the first phone call between them since they restored ties in March, according to a post by the Deputy Head of the Iranian President’s Office for Political Affairs, Mohammad Jamshidi, on X.

Jamshidi said that “Raisi and Mohammed Bin Salman’s call lasted for 45 minutes.”

12 October 2023; MEMO: Israel has shelled the Ahl Al-Qur’an Mosque in the town of Al-Dhahira in the Tyre district of southern Lebanon, Anadolu news agency reported.

Anadolu’s correspondent in southern Lebanon reported that the mosque and dozens of nearby homes were directly hit by the Israeli artillery shelling.

The Lebanese army patrols and inspects damage caused by the Israeli bombings.

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump obtained hundreds of millions of dollars in loans using financial statements that a court has since deemed fraudulent, a retired bank official testified Wednesday at the former president’s New York civil fraud trial.

Trump’s “statements of financial condition” were key to his approval for a $125 million loan in 2011 for his golf resort in Doral, Florida, and a $107 million loan in 2012 for his Chicago hotel and condo skyscraper, former Deutsche Bank risk management officer Nicholas Haigh testified.

JERUSALEM, Oct. 12 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Israel on Thursday, pledging support and more weapon deliveries for Israel.

In a live broadcast statement alongside Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Blinken said that more shipments of U.S. arms were "on the way." A cargo plane carrying the first shipment of advanced weaponry landed in Israel on Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Wednesday condemned the weekend attack by Hamas militants on Israel as the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust as the number of U.S. citizens killed in the fighting ticked up to at least 22.

“This attack was a campaign of pure cruelty — not just hate, but pure cruelty — against the Jewish people,” Biden told Jewish leaders gathered at the White House.

WASHINGTON (AP) — With his walker positioned on the mound, Rep. Steve Scalise threw out the ceremonial first pitch at Washington Nationals ballpark, a breathtaking comeback for the Republican congressman who just months earlier was fighting for his life after a gunman had opened fire on lawmakers at their own charity baseball game practice.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Within hours of the horrific attack by Hamas, the U.S. began moving warships and aircraft to the region to be ready to provide Israel with whatever it needs to respond.

A second U.S. carrier strike group departs from Norfolk, Virginia, on Friday. Scores of aircraft are heading to U.S. military bases around the Middle East. And special operations forces are now assisting Israel’s military in planning and intelligence.

12 October 2023; MEMO: Israeli occupation forces are intentionally targeting Palestinian journalists in the besieged Gaza Strip, media outlets warned after three reporters were killed yesterday bringing the total number of journalists killed since Saturday to seven.

12 October 2023; MEMO: Russian President Vladimir Putin has reiterated his country’s support for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state and the implementation of the relevant United Nations resolutions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Wednesday seemed likely to preserve the Republican hold on a South Carolina congressional district against a claim that it treats Black voters unfairly. The outcome could shape the fight for partisan control of the House of Representatives.

The court’s six conservative justices signaled skepticism with a lower court ruling that ordered South Carolina to redraw a coastal district that is held by Republican Rep. Nancy Mace.

11 October 2023; MEMO: Germany and Canada this morning announced that they had sent planes to evacuate their nationals from Israel, according to Israeli media reports.

Yedioth Ahronoth quoted Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly saying that military aircraft are expected to evacuate Canadian citizens from Israel in the coming days.

12 October 2023; MEMO: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Israel today to show solidarity with the occupation state, help prevent the war from spreading and push for the release of hostages, including American citizens, Reuters has reported.