Beirut - LBN
Beirut, Lebanon, Oct 10, 2024 (AFP) -State media said two Israeli strikes hit the central area of Lebanon's capital on Thursday, the third such attacks on Beirut since Israel escalated its air campaign last month.
Israel has repeatedly pounded southern Beirut suburbs, the bastion of Lebanon's Hezbollah movement, for more than two weeks but strikes have rarely hit in the city's centre.
"The Israeli enemy launched a strike in Beirut, targeting a building near the Khatam al-Anbiya complex in Nweiri, with another strike targeting the Ras al-Nabaa area near the al-Amiliyah building," the National News Agency said.
It earlier said ambulances had rushed to the targeted sites.
An AFP journalist in Beirut heard three loud explosions.
AFP live footage showed two plumes of smoke billowing in between densely-packed buildings where lights were still on in the windows.
Earlier this month, Israel carried out a deadly air raid in Beirut, hitting an emergency services rescue facility run by Hezbollah, killing seven workers, the service said.
On September 30, an Israeli drone strike on a building in Beirut's busy Cola district killed three members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), the leftist armed group said.
Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement and its foe Israel have been exchanging near-daily cross-border fire for nearly a year in fallout from the Gaza war.
But since September 23, Israel has escalated its air strikes on targets in Lebanon, killing more than 1,200 people and forced more than one million to flee their homes, according to official figures.
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Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit central Beirut
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Lebanon state media says Israeli strikes hit central Beirut
Pakistani prosthetics startup launches AI-powered limb factory in Gaza to aid amputees
- Established in 2016, BIONIKS says its mobile factory is equipped with AI tools to design limbs
- Company says its initiative is part of its belief that technology has the power to transform lives
KARACHI: BIONIKS, a Karachi-based startup specializing in orthotics and prosthetics, has launched a mobile AI-powered limb factory in Gaza to provide customized prosthetic arms and legs to amputees in the conflict-stricken region, the company announced in its newsletter on Wednesday.
The company, established in 2016, announced the initiative as part of its commitment to creating an inclusive world by leveraging cutting-edge technology to transform lives.
The mobile factory is equipped with advanced artificial intelligence tools to design and produce prosthetic limbs, enabling on-site assistance in underserved areas.
“We believe technology has the power to transform lives,” BIONIKS said in a statement. “By taking advanced prosthetic solutions directly to those in need, we aim to restore independence, mobility, and dignity to individuals affected by conflict and hardship.”
The initiative comes as Gaza grapples with a dire humanitarian crisis since the beginning of Israel’s military campaign in October 2023. BIONIKS said it hoped the factory would act as a lifeline for amputees by providing accessible and innovative solutions in regions where resources are limited.
BIONIKS gained international attention in 2021 when it provided a multi-grip bionic arm to four-year-old Mohammed Sideeq, making him the youngest recipient of such a prosthetic limb.
The startup’s co-founder, Anas Niaz, said designing the arm for a child so young was unprecedented.
“No one in the world has ever made a bionic arm for such a young age,” Niaz told Arab News in 2021. “We knew this was nearly impossible, but Mohammed had high hopes to get a bionic arm.”
The lightweight and durable arm allowed Sideeq to resume daily activities, including playing and buttoning his shirt, showcasing BIONIKS’ commitment to blending innovation with functionality.
Al-Ittihad celebrates induction into Club of Pioneers
JEDDAH: Jeddah’s Al-Ittihad Football Club has been inducted into an illustrious network of the oldest football clubs in the world.
It comes as the club celebrates 97 years since its founding with a special ceremony on Jan. 2, held at the Abadi theater in Jeddah.
The event is hosted under the auspices of the National Calendar of Events of Jeddah Governorate, and will include a special tribute to Al-Ittihad’s late honorary president, Prince Talal bin Mansour.
As part of the evening, Al-Ittihad fans will learn more about their club’s proud history in an exhibition. There will also be musical performances by renowned Gulf artists Hussain Al-Jassmi from UAE and Fahad Al-Kubaisi from Qatar.
Al-Ittihad, the first and oldest football club in Saudi Arabia, will receive membership to the Club of Pioneers during the event.
It is the first Saudi, Arab and Gulf club to obtain membership in the network that brings together the oldest football clubs in the world.
The Club of Pioneers was founded in 2013 by Sheffield FC, the first and oldest association football club in the world. It has 32 members from countries including India, Chile, Japan, South Africa and now Saudi Arabia.
Speaking to Arab News, Loay Mashabi, chairman of the Al-Ittihad board, expressed his pride at the induction: “Today, as we celebrate our 97th anniversary, we take immense pride in being the oldest sports club in Saudi Arabia, standing alongside pioneers like Sheffield FC. Our legacy reflects the spirit of Jeddah — vibrant, resilient and deeply rooted in history.”
He added: “This milestone inspires us to honor our past while shaping the future of football in the Kingdom and the region. As we look toward our centennial, we reaffirm our commitment to excellence, aligning with Vision 2030 and showcasing Saudi Arabia as a global leader in sports.”
Al-Ittihad’s former captain, Mohammed Noor, said: “Al-Ittihad fans should be proud of their club and our heritage is important for our path forward. Our team has accomplished many achievements and titles, and I am proud to be part of it.”
On X, Sheffield FC, founder of the Club of Pioneers, welcomed Al-Ittihad into the network.
There are more than 172 football clubs in Saudi Arabia, with Al-Ittihad, the first, founded in 1927.
The club has won nine Saudi League titles, nine King’s Cups and eight Crown Prince Cups to date. It holds 48 official championship wins.
As well as domestic success, the club has a storied regional and Asian record, including back-to-back AFC Champions League titles, and Asian Cup Winners’ Cup, GCC Champions League and Arab Champions League titles.
27 migrants die off Tunisia, 83 rescued, in shipwrecks: civil defence
TUNIS: Twenty-seven migrants, including women and children, died after two boats capsized off central Tunisia, with 83 people rescued, a civil defense official told AFP Thursday.
The rescued and dead passengers, who were found off the Kerkennah Islands off central Tunisia, were aiming to reach Europe and were all from sub-Saharan African countries, said Zied Sdiri, head of civil defense in the city of Sfax.
Indonesia court says vote threshold for presidential candidates not legally binding
JAKARTA: Indonesia’s Constitutional Court on Thursday said a law setting a minimum vote level before political parties could nominate a presidential candidate was not legally binding, which could potentially lead to a wider slate of nominees running in 2029.
The current law requires parties to win 20 percent of the vote, whether individually or through a coalition, at a legislative election to put forward a presidential candidate. It was challenged by a group of university students who argued it limited the rights of voters and smaller parties.
Chief Justice Suhartoyo granted the petition, saying the threshold “had no binding legal power,” but the ruling did not specify if the requirement should be abolished or lowered.
All political parties should be allowed to nominate a candidate, judge Saldi Isra said.
Rifqi Nizamy Karsayuda, the head of the parliamentary commission overseeing elections, told local media that lawmakers would take action following the ruling, calling it “final and binding.”
Indonesia’s law minister did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the ruling.
Arya Fernandes, political analyst at Center for Strategic and International Studies, welcomed the ruling as it allowed smaller parties to nominate a candidate and lessened their dependence on bigger parties.
Arya said lawmakers could still make revisions to the law that would limit the ruling’s impact as the court did not abolish the vote threshold.
Indonesia’s presidential elections are held every five years. The most recent was held last year and won convincingly by President Prabowo Subianto, who took office in October.
Thursday’s ruling comes after the same court lowered a similar threshold for regional positions such as governor and mayor to under 10 percent of the vote from 20 percent in August last year.
After parties supporting Prabowo and outgoing president Joko Widodo sought to reverse changes to the ruling, thousands took to the streets to protest against what they said was a government effort to stifle opposition.
In a separate ruling on Thursday, the court limited the use of artificial intelligence to “overly manipulate” images of election candidates, saying manipulated images “can compromise the voter’s ability to make an informed decision.”
Deputy PM Ishaq Dar denies diplomatic isolation claims, highlights Pakistan’s global presence
- Dar says government’s approach was to increase Pakistan’s diplomatic footprint in the region
- A flurry of visits by foreign dignitaries to strengthen business ties marked the last year in Pakistan
ISLAMABAD: Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Thursday dismissed claims that Pakistan was diplomatically isolated, emphasizing that the country remained fully engaged on all international platforms last year.
Dar had promised to prioritize economic diplomacy to bolster Pakistan’s international standing and attract much-needed foreign investment after taking office last year. He highlighted the government’s active external engagements, marked by a flurry of visits from foreign dignitaries as Pakistan sought sustainable growth and investment in key economic sectors.
Efforts have focused on strengthening business and investment ties with regional allies, including Russia, Central Asian states and Gulf nations, as the country navigates economic recovery after a prolonged crisis.
“Faced with the unprecedented challenges at the national, regional and global levels, our consistent and successful approach was to improve our diplomatic footprint, especially in the region,” the deputy prime minister said while addressing a news conference.
“You witnessed that in the past year, the perception or reality [of diplomatic isolation] has vanished by the grace of God,” he added. “Today, Pakistan is fully activated [diplomatically].”
He also mentioned Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan’s visit to Pakistan last year, noting that all global issues were discussed during his meetings with Pakistani officials.
Dar spoke about the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, who visited the country last year to strengthen bilateral ties with Pakistan amid surging tensions in the Middle East.
He recalled that Pakistan had been represented by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif at the World Economic Forum in Saudi Arabia last year, praising him for speaking openly against Israel for its war in Gaza.
Dar said Sharif’s visits to the Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan were aimed at promoting investment, adding that Pakistan expected about $29 billion in business and commerce from these countries.
The deputy prime minister noted that Pakistan was also active on the humanitarian front, pointing out it had sent 14 relief consignments to Gaza, nine to Lebanon and four to Syria in 2024.
