Aid deliveries have begun moving into the besieged Gaza Strip, two weeks after the militant group Hamas rampaged through southern Israel and Israel responded with airstrikes. Israel says Hamas has freed two American hostages who had been held in Gaza since the war began Oct. 7. Israeli airstrikes continued to hit southern Gaza, an area swollen by civilians who fled there from the north on Israeli instructions. Israel’s military spokesman said the country is stepping up its attacks, coming amid growing expectations of a ground offensive. The war, in its 16th day Sunday, is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Saturday that the death toll has reached 4,385, while 13,561 people have been wounded. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly in the initial attack on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants stormed into Israel. In addition, 203 people were believed captured by Hamas during the incursion and taken into Gaza, the Israeli military has said. Currently: 1. The father of freed American teenage hostage Natalie Raanan, who spoke with President Joe Biden on Saturday, says she’s doing well after her release by Hamas. 2. Tens of thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators are marching in London, Barcelona, Los Angeles and other cities. 3. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin is ordering further defenses for U.S. troops as tensions in the Middle East continue to grow. 4. A tent camp for displaced Palestinians in southern Gaza reawakens old traumas. Here’s what’s happening in the latest Israel-Hamas war: U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY ORDERS MORE DEFENSE SYSTEMS IN MIDDLE EAST U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced late Saturday he was sending additional air defense systems to the Middle East as well as putting more troops on prepare-to-deploy orders. Austin said the U.S. would be delivering a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, battery along with additional Patriot missile defense system batteries “to locations throughout the region to increase force protection for U.S. troops.” Bases in Iraq and Syria have been repeatedly targeted by drones in the days since hundreds were killed in a hospital blast in Gaza, and the destroyer USS Carney intercepted land attack cruise missiles in the Red Sea shot from Yemen on Thursday. Austin said he had also placed additional forces on prepare-to-deploy orders, “part of prudent contingency planning” as the U.S. and others brace for the potential of a wider regional conflict and as Israel prepares to launch a ground assault into Gaza. He said he gave the orders after detailed discussions with President Joe Biden on the recent escalations by Iran and its proxy forces across the region. ISRAEL STRIKES UNDERGROUND COMPOUND AT WEST BANK MOSQUE, MILITARY SAYS Israeli Defense Forces said a military aircraft launched a strike early Sunday on the Al-Ansar mosque at the Jenin refugee camp in the occupied West Bank. The IDF said via X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, that Hamas and Islamic Jihad militants had been using an “underground terror route” beneath the mosque. One Palestinian was killed in the shelling, Palestinian Red Crescent said. Tensions have risen in the West Bank, where dozens of Palestinians have been killed in clashes with Israeli troops, arrest raids and attacks by Jewish settlers. ITALIAN PREMIER GOES TO ISRAEL ROME — Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni has made a trip to Israel to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, her office said. The meeting Saturday came after Meloni participated in a summit in Cairo focused on ways to de-escalate the raging Israel-Hamas war. Meloni's office said that in her meeting she reiterated “the right of Israel to defend itself under international law and to live in peace” while also underlining "the importance of guaranteeing humanitarian access to Gaza and a prospect of peace for the region.’’ Her office said she brought “a message of solidary and Italy's closeness” following Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Oct. 7. PRESIDENT BIDEN SPEAKS WITH 2 FREED HOSTAGES WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden has spoken on the phone with two freed Americans who had been held hostage by Hamas in Gaza. Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter, Natalie, were released Friday. It was the first such hostage release from among the roughly 200 people the militant group abducted from Israel during its Oct. 7 rampage. Video of Biden speaking with them by phone was posted Saturday on the X platform, formerly known as Twitter. He told the mother and daughter that he was glad they had been released. “We’re going to get them all out, God willing,” he said. Natalie thanked Biden for his “services” to Israel. Judith said they are in good health. Hamas said it released the mother and daughter for humanitarian reasons in an agreement with the Qatari government. Family members have said Judith and Natalie had been on a trip from their home in the Chicago suburb of Evanston to Israel to celebrate Judith’s mother’s birthday and the Jewish holidays. ___ This item has been corrected to reflect that the video was posted Saturday, not that Biden spoke to them on Saturday. ISRAEL SAYS IT WILL INCREASE ATTACKS ON GAZA Israel plans to step up its attacks on the Gaza Strip starting Saturday as preparation for the next stage of its war on Hamas, Israel's military spokesman says. Asked about a possible ground invasion into Gaza, Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari told reporters Saturday night that the military was trying to create optimal conditions beforehand. “We will deepen our attacks to minimize the dangers to our forces in the next stages of the war. We are going to increase the attacks, from today,” Hagari said. He repeated his call for residents of Gaza City to head south for their safety. UN AGENCIES SAY MORE AID IS NEEDED CAIRO — United Nations aid agencies said a first 20-truck convoy of assistance that reached Gaza Saturday was “only a small beginning and far from enough.” The agencies, including the World Health Organization, the World Food Program and others, said in a joint statement that more than 1.6 million people are in critical need of humanitarian aid. “Vulnerable people are at greatest risk and children are dying at an alarming rate and being denied their right to protection, food, water and health care,” they said. The agencies, which also include the U.N. population fund and UNICEF, called for a humanitarian cease-fire, along with immediate, unrestricted humanitarian access throughout Gaza. “Gaza was a desperate humanitarian situation before the most recent hostilities. It is now catastrophic. The world must do more,” they said. DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS SAYS GAZA HOSPITALS ARE OVERWHELMED CAIRO — Doctors Without Borders says Gaza’s health care system is “facing collapse.” The global medical group said Saturday that hospitals in Gaza are “overwhelmed and lacking resources” amid continued Israeli airstrikes and siege following Hamas’ unprecedented attack on Oct. 7. The group’s warning come after Medhat Abbas, an official with the Gaza health ministry, said early Saturday that five hospitals has stopped functioning and two others were partly out of service. “We recently made a large donation of medical stock, including medicines, narcotics and medical equipment to Al Shifa hospital, the main surgical facility in the strip,” the group, known by its French acronym MSF, wrote on X platform. An nurse with the aid group in Gaza, Loay Harb, said that when the supplies were delivered to the hospital, she and others “saw hundreds of people taking shelter and it was difficult to walk inside.” PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT CALLS FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE SUMMIT CAIRO — Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is calling for an international peace summit to bring about the end of the Israel-Hamas war. Speaking at a conference in Cairo on Saturday, Abbas reiterated his “complete rejection of the killing of civilians on both sides.” He also urged the “release of all civilians, prisoners, and detainees,” likely alluding to some 210 hostages held by Hamas in Gaza and the Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. Abbas leads the Palestinian Authority, a government exercising semi-autonomous control in the West Bank. The government is deeply loathed among Palestinians, who view it as corrupt and collaborationist with Israel. Hamas seized control of the Palestinian Authority in the Gaza Strip in 2007 and enjoys a strong base of support in the West Bank. ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES HIT SEVERAL RESIDENTIAL BUILDINGS KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip — A barrage of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza’s southern city of Khan Younis near a U.N. school struck several residential buildings, prompting a frantic rescue effort as medics rushed several dead bodies and dozens of wounded Palestinians to the hospital. At the Hamouda family home seven people were killed and 40 others were wounded, survivors told The Associated Press at the scene of the attack. CAIRO SUMMIT CAIRO — At a summit of world leaders in Cairo focused on ways to de-escalate the raging Israel-Hamas war, representatives from Arab and European nations called for more humanitarian aid to flow into Gaza and appealed for protection of civilians in the strip. Several Arab leaders, including Egypt and Jordan, took the opportunity to castigate the international community over its inaction and a double standard they said that the world displayed on the devastating Israeli bombing campaign on Gaza. The response of the world, the office of President Abdel Fatah el-Sissi said, displayed a “shortcoming in the values of the international community in addressing crises.” “While we see one place officials rushing and competing to promptly condemn the killing of innocent people, we find incomprehensible hesitation in denouncing the same act in another place,” it said in reference to fierce Western condemnation of Hamas’ attack on Israel and a weaker reaction to Palestinian suffering. The summit did not immediately produce any statements about the prospects of a cease-fire UN MONITOR SAYS MORE AID IS NEEDED JERUSALEM —- A United Nations monitor says the 20 trucks of aid delivered to Gaza are just a “tiny fraction” of what is needed by some 1.4 Palestinians who have been displaced since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Normally, 500 trucks pass through crossings into Gaza every day. The 20 trucks that arrived Saturday were the first to arrive there in two weeks. Andrea De Domenico is the head of the U.N. office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs in the occupied Palestinian Territories. He says UNWRA, the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, is working the World Food Program, UNICEF, and the World Health Organization to direct the aid to those most in need. But he said it will be challenging to get aid into the hands of people who are not staying at U.N. facilities. The aid consists of canned food such as tuna, basic medical supplies, medicines, and water. He said the U.N. is pushing for an “unimpeded” flow of aid into the strip through the Rafah crossing, but that discussions of further aid are mired in deliberations “between parties.” “If we don’t stabilize the supply pipeline,” Domenico said, “we head toward catastrophe. DUAL CITIZENS CAN'T GET OUT OF GAZA RAFAH, Gaza Strip — Palestinian Americans and other dual citizens rushed to southern Gaza’s Rafah crossing with Egypt on Saturday as 20 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid entered the besieged strip that has staggered under shortages of medicine and food. Even as embassies asked their citizens in Gaza to stand ready at the border, crowds of disappointed Palestinians holding American, Canadian, German and British passports waited hours in vain for at least fifth time this week. “There is no opening of the crossing, and the suffering is the same,” said U.S. citizen Dina al- Khatib. “They communicate with us, but there is no change.” With a humanitarian disaster brewing in Gaza, al-Khatib said she and her family were desperate to get out. “It’s is not like previous wars,” she said. “There is no electricity, no water, no internet, nothing.” IDF OFFICIAL: PRIVATE HOMES CAN BE LEGITIMATE TARGETS IF HAMAS MILITANTS ARE IN THEM JERUSALEM — A senior Israel Defense Forces official says the military will try not to strike zones in Gaza where humanitarian aid is being distributed, unless rockets are fired from the area. “It’s a safe zone. We have a system which every time we decide that an area … is a safe zone, we declare no attack in this area. We won’t attack them,” he told a group of foreign journalists. He added that the definition of what constitutes a “legitimate target” has changed, because the use of civilian infrastructure by Hamas “turns a private home into a legitimate target. And anyone who supports that home is a legitimate target.” He acknowledged that the IDF has attacked houses where there are civilians living among militants. — Julia Frankel in Jerusalem. Read More Rishi Sunak: Leaders need to stop ‘contagion of conflict’ in Middle East Little light, no beds, not enough anesthesia: A view from the 'nightmare' of Gaza's hospitals Hezbollah official says his group already 'is in the heart' of Israel-Hamas war Tens of thousands take part in pro-Palestinian protests in UK cities Thousands march in Dublin in support of Palestinians What the papers say – October 21

By Matt Spetalnick, Jeff Mason, Steve Holland and Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON When Joe Biden met with Prime Minister

Ukrainian forces damaged and destroyed almost 50 Russian tanks in just 24 hours as Vladimir Putin’s troops launched a fresh offensive in the Donetsk region, according to a US war think tank. The Insitute for the Study of War (ISW) said Russian forces launched a renewed attack near Adviika on Friday and “marginally advanced”, indicating Moscow’s commitment to offensive operations in the area “despite heavy materiel and personnel losses”. This includes the damage and destruction of almost 50 Russian tanks and over 100 armored vehicles by Ukrainian forces during the past day of fighting, reported the Ukrainian General Staff on Friday, according to the ISW. It comes as the think tank said a prominent Russian milblogger ‘Rybar’, aka Mikhail Zvinchuk, claimed Ukrainian forces pushed through Russian defences and advanced on the Dnipro River onto the opposite eastern bank, crossing into Russian-occupied territory. According to the ISW, the milblogger alleged they temporarily occupied the village of Poyma and positions on the northern outskirts of Pishchanivka on the afternoon of 17 October. He later claimed that Russian forces pushed Ukrainian forces back from these positions towards the Dnipro River. Read More Russian fighters ‘scrambled over Black Sea to prevent British warplanes approaching Russian airspace’ Biden calls to maintain ‘American leadership’ with aid package for Ukraine and Israel Ukraine's parliament advances bill seen as targeting Orthodox church with historic ties to Moscow Putin says Russia ‘will be able to repel’ Ukraine’s new weapons used to damage Kremlin’s air assets

A new report calls on the Irish government to investigate a digital surveillance firm.

Israel says Hamas has freed two American hostages who had been held in Gaza since militants rampaged through southern Israel Oct. 7. The hostage release Friday came even as Israeli airstrikes continued to hit southern Gaza, an area swelled by civilians who fled there from the north on Israeli instructions. Israel was also evacuating a sizable town near the Lebanese border in the latest sign of a potential ground invasion of Gaza that could trigger regional turmoil. Palestinians in Gaza reported heavy airstrikes in the southern city of Khan Younis, where civilians had been told to seek safety amid Israel's bombardment of areas closer to the Israeli border. The U.N. secretary general is at the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza trying to find a way to get badly needed aid into the enclave. The war, which is in its 14th day on Friday, is the deadliest of five Gaza wars for both sides. The Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry said Friday that 4,137 Palestinians have been killed and more than 13,000 others wounded. More than 1,400 people in Israel have been killed, mostly in the initial attack on Oct. 7 when Hamas militants stormed into Israel. In addition, 203 people were believed captured by Hamas during the incursion and taken into Gaza, the Israeli military has said. Currently: 1. Israel says Hamas has released two U.S. hostages who had been held in Gaza for two weeks. 2. U.S. President Joe Biden meets with European leaders to assure them the U.S. can deliver wartime aid to Ukraine and Israel. 3. Israel says it wants to eradicate Hamas and other resistance fighters in Gaza Strip but doesn't plan to take responsibility for the besieged region after the war. 4. Thousands have been displaced from Lebanese border towns. 5. Demonstrations have erupted in cities worldwide to protest the war. Here's what's happening in the latest Israel-Hamas war: EGYPT HOSTS SUMMIT WITH REGIONAL LEADERS, WESTERN OFFICIALS CAIRO — Egypt is hosting dozens of regional leaders and senior Western officials for a summit on the war between Israel and Palestinian militant groups in Gaza. The meeting on Saturday in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital, just east of Cairo, will discuss ways to de-escalate the fighting and seek a cease-fire amid mounting concerns about a regional conflict, Egypt's state-run media reported. Among those attending the summit are the leaders of Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority. Also attending are the prime ministers of Italy, Spain, Greece and Canada and the president of the European Council, according to the state-run Al-Ahram daily newspaper. Foreign ministers from Germany, France, the U.K. and Japan are also attending, the paper reported. PAKISTAN LEADER SPEAKS WITH PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT ISLAMABAD — Pakistan's caretaker Prime Minister Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar spoke with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas by phone to discuss the “latest situation resulting from the ongoing brutalities of Israeli occupation forces against innocent Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank,” a Pakistani government statement said Saturday. Kakar expressed Pakistan’s strong condemnation of the Israeli strikes on Gaza, the statement added. Kakar described the Israeli strikes on Gaza “as deplorable and willful acts of Israeli aggression against innocent Palestinians." Both leaders emphasized the need for the international community “to urge Israel to immediately halt the bloodshed," it added. The two sides agreed on the necessity of lifting the blockade on Gaza to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian aid and medical assistance to affected people. Pakistan dispatched its first batch of assistance to Palestinian people on a plane that landed in Egypt on Friday. BIDEN THINKS HAMAS ATTACK LINKED TO EFFORTS ON ISRAEL-SAUDI RELATIONS WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden said he thinks Hamas’ initial attack on Israel was tied in part to efforts to normalize relations between Israel and Saudi Arabia, an initiative that Biden was trying to bring to fruition. “They knew that I was about to sit down with the Saudis,” the U.S. president said Friday, speaking at a fundraiser. IRAN-BACKED MILITIAS IN IRAQ WARN U.S. FORCES TO LEAVE OR FACE MORE ATTACKS BAGHDAD — A group of Iranian-backed militias in Iraq said U.S. forces “must leave immediately” or their bases in Iraq and elsewhere in the region will continue to come under attack. Militant groups have launched rocket and drone attacks in recent days against U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria, most of which were claimed by the Islamic Resistance in Iraq. The group has said the attacks are retaliation for Washington’s support of Israel and a warning not to intervene in the Israel-Hamas war. “These are only warning messages to them, and serious work has not yet begun,” the militias said in a statement. The statement concluded by saying that if Israel launches a ground invasion into Gaza, “watch the border with Jordan carefully.” It did not elaborate. EGYPT OFFICIAL SAYS AID TRUCKS ENTERED RAFAH CROSSING BUT HAVEN'T PASSED INTO GAZA STRIP CAIRO — An Egypt official said two aid-packed trucks entered the Egyptian side of the border crossing early Saturday, but that they have not passed through into the Gaza Strip. The official spoke on condition of anonymity as he was not briefed to speak with the media. Israel announced Wednesday that aid would be allowed into Gaza from Egypt, via the Rafah crossing, but the border into the besieged territory has remained closed. Egypt says the crossing has been damaged by Israeli air strikes. ___ Associated Press reporter Ashraf Sweilam in el-Arish, Egypt, contributed. FRENCH PRESIDENT HOPES RELEASE OF U.S. HOSTAGES LEADS TO FREEDOM FOR OTHERS PARIS — French President Emmanuel Macron said the release of two Americans who were held hostage in Gaza is “a very good result” and expressed hope it could help pave the way for others to be freed, including French-Israelis. So far, France has one confirmed hostage, 21-year-old Mia Schem, who was shown dazed and injured in a video that Hamas’ military wing released Monday. Six other French citizens also are missing and Macron said Friday that they’re presumed to be hostages “but without certainty.” French contacts with Israeli authorities and other contacts via Qatar “keep up our hope that we will be able to find solutions to get the maximum number of hostages out,” he said. “We are confident: the channels we have are the good ones and are useful,” he said. Macron said he is still weighing the possibility of traveling to the Middle East but that it would be dependent on more talks with leaders in the region. He also announced 10 million euros ($10.6 million) in additional humanitarian aid for Palestinians and said urgent aid, including medicines, will be airfreighted to Egypt. NOBEL LAUREATES' PETITION URGES HAMAS TO FREE CHILD HOSTAGES UNITED NATIONS — A petition signed by 86 Nobel peace laureates demands that Hamas release all children taken hostage, saying holding them in captivity “constitutes a war crime, a grievous offense against humanity itself.” The petition noted that the Geneva Convention on safeguarding civilians in war mentions children 19 times, stressing that the “current plight of the kidnapped children far exceeds any scenario envisioned by the accord.” “Children should never be regarded as pawns in the theater of war,” it said. “It is our sacred duty to protect the innocent and shield the vulnerable.” FRANCE SAYS GAZA HOSPITAL BLAST LIKELY CAUSED BY MISFIRED PALESTINIAN ROCKET PARIS — French military intelligence assesses that the most probable hypothesis for the explosion at Gaza City’s al-Ahli Hospital was that it was caused by a Palestinian rocket that was carrying an explosive charge of about 5 kilograms (11 pounds) that possibly misfired. Several rockets in the arsenal of Palestinian militant group Hamas carry explosive charges of about that weight, include an Iranian-made rocket and another that is Palestinian-made, said a senior French military intelligence official. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the intelligence assessment, cleared to do so by President Emmanuel Macron in what was described as an attempt to be transparent about the French findings. The official said none of their intelligence points to an Israeli strike. ___ Associated Press writer John Leicester contributed from Paris. U.S. MAN HAILS THE RELEASE OF HIS DAUGHTER AND EX-WIFE WHO WERE HELD BY HAMAS CHICAGO — A man whose Chicago-area daughter and former wife were abducted by Hamas in southern Israel says he has spoken to his daughter since her release and he believes she will be home soon. “She’s doing good. She’s doing very good,” Uri Raanan, who is based in the Chicago suburb of Bannockburn, said Friday. “I’m in tears, and I feel very, very good.” The 71-year-old said he saw on the news Friday that Hamas was releasing an American mother and daughter, and he spent the day hoping they meant his ex-wife, Judith Raanan, and his 17-year-old daughter, Natalie, who live in Evanston. He said he believes both are on their way to Tel Aviv to reunite with relatives before returning to the U.S., meaning Natalie will be able to celebrate her 18th birthday next week with family and friends. ___ This story has been corrected to reflect that Judith and Natalie Raanan are Uri Raanan’s former wife and daughter, not his daughter and granddaughter. ISRAELI PM SAYS EFFORT CONTINUES TO BRING ALL HOSTAGES HOME TEL AVIV -- Israel says it continues to push for the release of civilians taken hostage by Hamas during a raid on southern Israel almost two weeks ago. Hamas militants took more than 200 hostages during its Oct. 7 raid. Hamas released two of those hostages, a woman and her teenage daughter from the United States, on Friday. “Two of our abducted are home,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “We are not giving up the effort to bring all of the hostages and missing people home. At the same time, we are continuing to fight until victory.” U.N. CHIEF WORKS TO REOPEN RAFAH CROSSING AND ENSURE SUFFICIENT FUEL FOR AID DELIVERIES UNITED NATIONS — U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is working with Egypt, Israel, the United States and others to ease an impasse that is preventing aid from entering Gaza. The priority is to make sure humanitarian aid deliveries are sustained, “with a meaningful number of trucks approved each day to cross” from Egypt into Gaza at the Rafah crossing, U.N. deputy spokesman Farhan Haq told reporters Friday. And the U.N. agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, must have sufficient fuel to distribute humanitarian aid, Haq said. “It’s no use dropping off aid to the other side and then leaving it there because their trucks simply don’t have enough fuel to give it to the people who need it,” he said. BLINKEN SAYS U.S. PUSHING HARD FOR OTHER HOSTAGES' FREEDOM WASHINGTON — U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has said he welcomes the release of the two hostages and shared in the families’ relief but noted there are many more captives, including children and elderly people. Speaking to reporters Friday, Blinken said he and President Joe Biden had been able to speak with the families of some of the hostages during their trips to the Middle East. “It’s impossible to adequately put into words the agony that they’re feeling,” Blinken said. “No family anywhere should have to experience this torture.” Of the remaining hostages, he added: “The entire United States government will work every minute of every day to secure their release and bring their loved ones home.” Blinken also thanked the Qataris for their work in securing the hostages’ release. U.S. PRESIDENT CELEBRATES RELEASE OF 2 AMERICANS TAKEN HOSTAGE BY HAMAS WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden is celebrating the release of a Chicago-area woman and her teenage daughter who had been visiting Israel when they were taken hostage by Hamas militants Oct. 7. The Israeli military said Judith Raanan and her 17-year-old daughter Natalie, were released to the Israeli military Friday. Hamas said the Qatari government was instrumental in securing their release. “Our fellow citizens have endured a terrible ordeal these past 14 days, and I am overjoyed that they will soon be reunited with their family, who has been wracked with fear,” Biden said in a statement. Thanking the governments of Qatar and Israel for their help, Biden said the White House had been “working around-the-clock” to secure the release of American hostages “and we have not ceased our efforts to secure the release of those who are still being held.” Read More AP visual analysis: Rocket from Gaza appeared to go astray, likely caused deadly hospital explosion Hurricane Norma takes aim at Mexico's Los Cabos resorts, as Tammy threatens islands in the Atlantic Thomas' tying homer, Moreno's decisive hit send D-backs over Phillies 6-5, ties NLCS at 2 games Fantasy Fest kicks off in Key West with 10 days of masquerades, parties and costume competitions Brazil’s Lula vetoes core part of legislation threatening Indigenous rights Altuve hits go-ahead homer in 9th, Astros take 3-2 lead over Rangers in ALCS after benches clear

U.S. and Israeli officials looking to the future of the Gaza Strip after dislodging Hamas have begun discussing

There is anger about the failures that allowed Hamas to kill so many people and take hostages.

A serial dine and dasher who faked having heart attacks to avoid paying the bill has finally been caught. Aidas J, 50, who is of Lithuanian nationality and lives in Alicante scammed 20 eateries in the area by refusing to pay the bill. He dramatically clutched his chest and fell to the floor as if he was having a heart attack, say several reports. Putting on a stellar performance, Aidas masqueraded as a Russian tourist and mixed together multiple languages. He would order multiple items on the menu before refusing to pay, revealed Spanish newspaper El País. The conman who dressed well in designer clothes always started with a Russian Salad, washed down with multiple glasses of whiskey, followed by a hearty main of entrecote or lobster, followed by more whisky for desert. The twentieth time Aidas tried his luck in a year caught the attention of the police, when the manager of Buen Comer restaurant Moisés Doménech noticed him trying to flee. Mr Doménech told the Sun when he attempted to spree, he fell to the floor. She told the newspaper: “It was very theatrical, he pretended to faint and slumped himself down on the floor.” The offender ordered two whiskeys and seafood paella at El Buen Corner, receiving a bill for 34.85 Euros. He even sought medical attention for his ‘heart problems’ and was even admitted to hospital, report El País. Aidas has only now been arrested after the last time he attempted to swerve the bill as he ignored court summons and fines, say the paper. The spokesperson for Alicante National Police told Insider: "He was arrested multiple times in the city of Alicante. The modus operandi was the same," she said. After a long string of offences, the conman has been jailed for 42 days but his crimes are considered minor as each bill was between £13 and £60. Read More Bedbugs spread to hotels and hostels in Europe after Paris outbreak No-shows at pubs, restaurants and bars double London’s best new restaurants: From Spanish-Welsh fusion at Mountain to British kitsch at 20 Berkeley Italy PM Meloni leaves partner after sexist comments AP Week in Pictures: Europe and Africa Russia-Ukraine war: Kyiv makes ‘breakthrough’ on Dnipro river - live

Charges against Travis King reportedly include desertion and possessing sexual images of a child.

Ukrainian forces have advanced on the Dnipro River onto the opposite bank, crossing into Russian-occupied territory, Russian sources have claimed. A prominent Russian milblogger ‘Rybar’ claimed Ukrainian troops pushed through Russian defences as they landed on the east bank of the Dnipro river. He claimed they temporarily occupied the village of Poyma and positions on the northern outskirts of Pishchanivka on the afternoon of 17 October. According to the Institute for the Study of War (ISW), the milblogger later claimed that Russian forces pushed Ukrainian forces back from these positions towards the Dnipro River. He also claimed that a Ukrainian sabotage group is still operating in Pishchanivka as of the afternoon of October 18, according to ISW. It comes as Ukrainian defence forces made first use of a US supplied long-range weapon by striking two Russian military airfields, successfully destroying nine helicopters and an ammunition base. Russia’s ambassador to the US, Anatoly Antonov, described Washington’s decision to supply the ATACMS as “reckless” and “a grave mistake” that would not alter the war’s outcome. Read More Russian fighters ‘scrambled over Black Sea to prevent British warplanes approaching Russian airspace’ Biden calls to maintain ‘American leadership’ with aid package for Ukraine and Israel Ukraine's parliament advances bill seen as targeting Orthodox church with historic ties to Moscow Putin says Russia ‘will be able to repel’ Ukraine’s new weapons used to damage Kremlin’s air assets

Jim Jordan failed Thursday to sway holdouts who have opposed his bid to be the next US House

The opposition Labour Party overturned huge Conservative majorities to win the parliamentary seats of Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth,