UAE relaxes Islamic laws, allows live-in relationships, loosens alcohol restrictions

The Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah says it targeted Israel's Glilot military base and Mossad headquarters in the outskirts of Tel Aviv with salvos of Fadi-4 rockets.

Israeli reports said several settlers were injured in the rocket barrage from Lebanon on Tel Aviv.

The reports said the rocket attack from Lebanon was “the largest” since the beginning of the war.

Hezbollah earlier said it struck gatherings of Israeli troopers in artillery and rocket attacks on the northern part of the occupied Palestinian territories in retaliation for Israel’s deadly strikes on Lebanon.

In separate statements released on Tuesday, the resistance movement said the gatherings of the enemy troops were hit at the Shtula, Metulla, Avivim and Rosh Pina settlements.

The resistance also targeted the Doviv barracks with a Falaq-2 rockets as well as the gathering of Israeli forces near the settlement of Rosh Pina with a rocket barrage.

The resistance group added that it had conducted the operations in support of “steadfast Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip and … their valiant and honorable resistance, and in defense of Lebanon and its people.”

The attacks came amid a major escalation in Israel’s acts of terror and aggression in Lebanon that saw the regime assassinating Hezbollah Secretary General Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah in an airstrike on southern Beirut.

The death toll from Israeli aerial assaults across Lebanon since early October 2023 has reached 1,745 with some 8,767 injured, according to Lebanese government data. In response, Hezbollah has fired barrages of rockets and drones towards Israeli targets.

The deadly exchange of fire was sparked by Israel’s genocidal war on the Gaza Strip, which has killed 41,615 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and wounded 96,359 others over the past year.

Mangaluru, Oct 8: The city of Mangaluru mourns the loss of M Ahmed, a pioneering businessman, philanthropist, and the Founder Chairman of the AK Group. He passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 76, leaving behind a legacy that spans decades of service, innovation, and community building.

M Ahmed, also fondly known as A K Ahmed, was a man of humble beginnings who grew into one of the most respected entrepreneurs in South India. He founded the AK Group in 1984, which has since flourished into a multi-faceted business empire. The company, which began as a small frame manufacturing unit, now encompasses a wide range of industries, including plywood, formaldehyde, particle boards, fire-rated products, and more. AK Group's growth extended beyond India, with manufacturing units established in Myanmar and Vietnam.

What began with 18 employees in 1984 has today expanded to provide employment to approximately 3,000 people in India and 400 abroad. M Ahmed’s dedication and vision were instrumental in transforming the company into a market leader, recognized for its high-quality products and innovation. AK Plywood is now one of India’s top plywood manufacturers, and the largest in South India. The company was Karnataka’s first plywood manufacturer to receive ISO certification and has garnered prestigious awards, including the Rising Stars Power Brands Award in London (2017) and the Best Manufacturer Award from MSME Karnataka (2018).

Ahmed’s business success was deeply rooted in values instilled in him during his early years. He worked alongside his father, the late Abdul Khader Moopa, loading sawn timber, and it was from these humble beginnings that he developed his work ethic, pioneering spirit, and respect for time—values that remained the cornerstone of his remarkable career.

His foresight was evident when he recognized the potential of timber from Perumbavoor, Kerala, for plywood and blockboards at a time when it was merely being used as firewood. This strategic move led to the establishment of one of the first frame manufacturing and peeling units there, and soon after, Ahmed launched his own company in Mangaluru, swiftly earning national and international recognition.

Beyond plywood, the AK Group has diversified into multiple industries, including marine food, pharmaceuticals, construction materials, hypermarkets in India and the UAE, and food industries in Indonesia. Under Ahmed’s leadership, the company’s reach expanded, ensuring its position as a formidable player in various sectors.

Ahmed was not only an extraordinary businessman but also a deeply compassionate individual, dedicated to social and religious causes. He served as the founding president of the managing committee of Ihsan Masjid in Mangaluru and established the Highland Educational and Cultural Centre. His philanthropic efforts were as vast as his business ventures, benefiting countless communities both in India and abroad.

His kindness, simplicity, and punctuality were hallmarks of his character. Those who knew him admired his unyielding commitment to excellence, as well as his warmth and generosity. M Ahmed is survived by his wife, three daughters, and four sons, who continue his legacy of philanthropy and social service.

As news of his passing spread, tributes poured in from all sectors of society. Social, religious, and political leaders in Mangaluru expressed their deep sorrow over the loss of a man who dedicated his life to improving the lives of others.

M Ahmed’s journey from humble beginnings to massive success will continue to inspire generations. His life serves as a testament to the power of vision, perseverance, and, above all, integrity.

Powerful blasts rocked Beirut overnight in some of the heaviest Israeli strikes on the capital of Lebanon so far as the Lebanese Health Ministry reports dozens killed and over 150 wounded in bombing attacks across the country in the past 24 hours.

Israel launched several waves of airstrikes on Beirut’s southern neighborhood of Dahiyeh on Thursday.

The regime used powerful bunker-buster bombs in its latest attacks, whose number was more than a dozen.

Several civilian buildings were the main goals of the regime’s latest strikes.

Reports indicate that more bombs were used in the latest attacks compared to the strike that killed the leader of the Hezbollah resistance movement, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, last Friday.

The attacks also hit the vicinity of Beirut International Airport.

Israel’s strikes also targeted several other locations, including Hezbollah’s media relations office and a warehouse near the Beirut airport.

A source close to Hezbollah said Israel had conducted 11 consecutive strikes in south Beirut on Thursday night.

AFP correspondents in the Lebanese capital heard loud bangs that made car alarms go off and buildings shake.

"Israel struck the southern suburbs 11 consecutive times," the source said on the condition of anonymity.

Giant balls of flame rose from the targeted site with thick smoke billowing and flares shooting out.

Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said that "more than 10 consecutive strikes have been recorded so far, in one of the strongest raids on the southern suburbs of Beirut since the start of the Israeli war on Lebanon."

The strikes echoed to mountain regions outside Beirut, the NNA said.

Earlier Thursday, the Israeli army issued an “urgent warning” to the residents of the south Beirut area of Burj al-Barajneh to evacuate along with maps of the area.

“You are located near Hezbollah facilities and interests, against which the [Israeli army] will operate in the near future,” its official Arabic language spokesperson posted on X.

The death toll from Israeli aerial assaults across Lebanon since early October 2023 has passed the 1,700 mark with nearly 8,770 injured, according to Lebanese government data.

In response, Hezbollah has fired barrages of rockets and drones towards Israeli targets.

Hezbollah has been responding to the aggression with numerous retaliatory operations, including with hypersonic ballistic missiles, targeting the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Lebanese resistance movement has vowed to keep up its operations against Israel as long as the Israeli regime continues its Gaza war, which has so far killed more than 41,780 Palestinians, mostly women and children.

The qualitative strikes of Hezbollah have so far thwarted any hostile "Israeli" advance into Lebanese territory.

Hezbollah said in a statement that at least 17 Israeli troops have been killed since the regime launched its incursion into southern Lebanon.

Since dawn on Thursday, the Lebanese resistance fighters have been repelling every attempt by the Israeli elite forces to advance on multiple fronts in southern Lebanon, inflicting heavy losses in equipment and personnel.

A Lebanese political analyst recently praised Hezbollah’s operational capabilities, warning that Israeli forces will become "sitting ducks" for the Lebanese resistance group should they attempt a ground invasion of southern Lebanon.