Anger over weapons sales as UK government figures show more than 100 licenses issued for exports to Israel since Oct. 7 Hamas attack

A UNRWA personnel checks a burnt area at a school housing displaced Palestinians that was hit during the ongoing conflict between Israel and the militant group Hamas, in Nuseirat in the central Gaza Strip on May 17, 2024. (AFP)
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Updated 11 June 2024
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Anger over weapons sales as UK government figures show more than 100 licenses issued for exports to Israel since Oct. 7 Hamas attack

  • Data release follows calls by campaigners for greater transparency on arms exports
  • Critics accuse UK of ignoring its international legal obligations over military shipments

LONDON: The UK has approved more than 100 export licenses for the sale of weapons, military equipment, and other items to Israel since the Oct. 7 attack by Hamas militants that killed around 1,200 people, government figures show.

Just over a third of the licenses, 37 of the 108 issued, were described as military, while 63 were declared as non-military, but included telecommunication and software items for use by the Israel Defense Forces.

A further eight open licenses were granted, statistics released by the Department for Business and Trade show.

The data has been released after calls by politicians and campaigners for the British government to be transparent about arms exports to Israel amid what the department called “exceptional parliamentary interest.”

Almost 37,000 Palestinians have been killed and at least 83,530 injured in the Israeli military offensive in Gaza launched in retaliation for the Oct. 7 attack.

Emily Apple, of the Campaign against Arms Trade, slammed the figures for only showing the number of licenses, not the value or the detailed categories of what was exported — data that is normally contained in quarterly arms export licenses statistics, the Guardian reported.

“This data release was supposed to address the political and public interest in arms sales to Israel; the figures released do not do this as they do not give any details of the equipment exported or its value,” she said.

“If and when we have a new Labour government (after a July 4 general election), it is vital that they not only impose an arms embargo but also address the lack of transparency in our export licensing system,” she added.

Approved UK arms exports licenses to Israel were valued at £42 million ($53.4 million) in 2022, with the 2023 figure due to be released later this week.

Campaigners have pressed the British government to end its arms sales to Israel, claiming the exports break international humanitarian law.

Yasmine Ahmed, director at UK Human Rights Watch, said: “The right way to approach Israel’s commitment to comply with international humanitarian law is not by reference to Israel’s subjective interpretation of its compliance with IHL, but by an objective interpretation of what IHL actually requires.”

Her concerns were echoed by Sacha Deshmukh, CEO of Amnesty International UK, who said: “We’re supporting this important case because of the UK’s refusal to abide by its international legal obligations and suspend arms transfers to Israel.”

Earlier this month it was announced that British government ministers found no reason to end weapons exports to Israel after reviewing the latest three-month period of the Gaza war up to April.

“As required by the UK’s robust arms export control regime, the foreign secretary has now reviewed the most recent advice about the situation in Gaza and Israel’s conduct of their military campaign,” a statement from the UK Foreign Office said.

“The business secretary has therefore decided our position on export licenses remains unchanged. This is consistent with the advice ministers have received. As ever, we will keep the position under review.

“The UK operates a robust and thorough assessment of arms export license applications against the Strategic Export Licensing Criteria. These criteria include that we will not grant an export license if there is a clear risk that the items might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of international humanitarian law.”


Russia destroys 55 Ukrainian drones overnight, one person injured

Updated 2 sec ago
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Russia destroys 55 Ukrainian drones overnight, one person injured

  • The full damage of the attack on Russia were not immediately known
  • Ukraine has launched multiple air strikes on Lipetsk
One person was injured as a result of Ukraine’s overnight drone attack on the city of Yelets in Russia’s southwestern region of Lipetsk, regional governor Igor Artamonov said early on Tuesday.
“A UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle) crashed in an industrial zone. One person was injured and is receiving all necessary medical assistance,” Artamonov said on the Telegram messaging app.
The Russian defense ministry said on Telegram that its units destroyed 55 Ukrainian drones overnight over five Russian regions and the Black Sea, including three over the Lipetsk region.
The full damage of the attack on Russia were not immediately known. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine about the attack.
Both sides deny targeting civilians in their strikes during the war that Russia launched against Ukraine more than three years ago. But thousands of civilians have died in the conflict, the vast majority of them Ukrainian.
Ukraine has launched multiple air strikes on Lipetsk, a strategically important region with an air base that is the chief training center for the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Heavy rains and flash flooding sweep across US’s Northeast

Updated 29 min 44 sec ago
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Heavy rains and flash flooding sweep across US’s Northeast

  • Flash flood watches and warnings were in place in parts of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas
  • In New York City, some subway service was suspended while other lines were running with severe delays due to flooding

NEW YORK: Heavy rain swept across parts of the US Northeast on Monday night, inundating sections of New York and New Jersey with flash flooding that stranded vehicles in roadways, closed subway lines and led to the declaration of a state of emergency.

Flash flood watches and warnings were in place in parts of New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and surrounding areas as downpours moved through the region.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency due to flash flooding and heavy rainfall, advising people to stay indoors and avoid unnecessary travel. A video posted to social media by CBS showed flood waters bring a major roadway in Scotch Plains, New Jersey, to a standstill, stranding buses.

Some buses and trains in New Jersey were delayed due to flooding.

In New York City, some subway service was suspended while other lines were running with severe delays due to flooding, according to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority. New York’s emergency services agency wrote on the social platform X that parts of the city and mid-Hudson were getting hit with flash floods.

Video posted on social media appears to show water flooding down into a Manhattan subway station, submerging the platform, while passengers inside a train watch. Another photo appears to show passengers standing on a train’s seats to avoid the water beginning to soak the floor.

Parts of major thoroughfares in New York, such as the northbound lanes of the Saw Mill River Parkway and the Cross Bronx Expressway, were temporarily closed due to flooding and at least one downed tree.

Officials in New York’s Westchester County were working to rescue people whose vehicles were submerged in water, according to Carolyn Fortino, a spokesperson for the county executive.

“At this time, residents are still strongly advised to avoid all travel unless fleeing an area that is subject to flooding, or under an evacuation order,” she said in an email.

A flood warning was also issued for Staten Island, which had seen about 10.2 to 15.2 centimeters (4 to 6 inches) of rain, according to NYC’s emergency notification system.

Mount Joy, in southeastern Pennsylvania, declared a disaster emergency as more than 17.8 centimeters (7 inches) of rain fell in less than five hours Monday, according to the Fire Department Mount Joy. Some people reported over 1.5 meters (5 feet) of water in their homes and emergency responders made 16 water rescues, although no injuries were reported.

“The declaration enables us to access additional resources to support residents and accelerate recovery efforts,” Borough Emergency Management Coordinator Philip Colvin said in a statement.

By Monday evening, the rainfall had lessened and water in Mount Joy had started to recede.

In Metuchen, New Jersey, about 54.7 kilometers (34 miles) southwest of New York City, Mayor Jonathan M. Busch, wrote on Facebook that the borough was significantly flooded, but by Monday evening water levels had already receded.

“It looks like the worst of the storm is behind us and thankfully, everyone is safe,” he said.


Australia PM Albanese to discuss trade, security in meeting with China’s Xi

Updated 47 min 56 sec ago
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Australia PM Albanese to discuss trade, security in meeting with China’s Xi

  • Australia has pursued a China policy of ‘cooperate where we can, disagree where we must’ under Albanese
  • Australia’s exports to China, its largest trading partner, span agriculture and energy but are dominated by iron ore

BEIJING: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is expected to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang in Beijing on Tuesday, where he said resources trade, energy transition and security tensions would be key topics for discussion.

Albanese is due to meet Xi ahead of an annual leaders’ dialogue with Li, and later attend a meeting of business leaders from both countries at the Great Hall of the People in the Chinese capital.

Albanese said on Monday he looked forward to a “constructive dialogue” with the Chinese leaders.

Australia, which regards the United States its major security ally, has pursued a China policy of “cooperate where we can, disagree where we must” under Albanese.

China, meanwhile, is trying to capitalize on US President Donald Trump’s sweeping trade tariffs by presenting itself as a stable and reliable partner. Chinese officials have expressed interest in expanding a decade-old free trade deal and cooperating in areas like artificial intelligence.

The state-owned China Daily published a glowing opinion piece about Albanese’s visit in Tuesday’s paper and said it showed countries with different political systems could still cooperate.

However, any cooperation is likely to be constrained by long-standing Australian concerns around China’s military build-up and the jailing of Australian writer Yang Hengjun.

Beijing has also separately criticized Canberra’s increased screening of foreign investment in critical minerals and Albanese’s pledge to return a Chinese-leased port to Australian ownership.

Australia’s exports to China, its largest trading partner, span agriculture and energy but are dominated by iron ore, and Albanese has traveled with executives from mining giants Rio Tinto, BHP, and Fortescue, who met Chinese steel industry officials on Monday, at the start of the six-day visit.

Bran Black, CEO of the Business Council of Australia, said Australia’s Bluescope Steel would also be at Tuesday’s business roundtable, along with China’s electric vehicle giant BYD, Chinese banking executives, Baosteel and state-run food group COFCO.

“First and foremost we use fixtures such as this to send a signal that business-to-business engagement should be welcomed and encouraged,” Black told Reuters on Tuesday.


German court to rule on claim against Berlin over US strikes in Yemen

Updated 15 July 2025
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German court to rule on claim against Berlin over US strikes in Yemen

  • “The German government must put an end to the use of this base — otherwise the government is making itself complicit in the deaths of innocent civilians,” said Andreas Schueller, program director for international crimes at the NGO

BERLIN: Germany’s constitutional court will rule Tuesday in a years-long legal saga over whether Berlin can be held partly responsible for US drone attacks on Yemen due to signals sent through the Ramstein air base.
The case is being brought by two Yemeni men, Ahmed and Khalid bin Ali Jaber, who lost members of their family in a US drone strike on the village of Khashamir in 2012.
The survivors say they were there for a wedding of a male family member and eating dinner when they heard the buzz of a drone and then the boom of missile attacks that claimed multiple lives.
A ruling in favor of the plaintiffs could have groundbreaking implications regarding Germany’s responsibility toward third countries in international conflicts.
The two men, supported by the Berlin-based European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), argue that Germany is partly responsible for the attack because the strike was aided by signals relayed from the Ramstein base in the west of the country.
“Without the data that flows through Ramstein, the US cannot fly its combat drones in Yemen,” according to the ECCHR.
“The German government must put an end to the use of this base — otherwise the government is making itself complicit in the deaths of innocent civilians,” said Andreas Schueller, program director for international crimes at the NGO.
The plaintiffs first took their case to court in 2014, arguing that Germany had a responsibility to ensure the US military was respecting international law in using the Ramstein base.

The case was initially thrown out, before the higher administrative court in Muenster ruled in favor of the plaintiffs in 2019.
However, the government appealed and a higher court overturned the decision in 2020, arguing that German diplomatic efforts were enough to ensure Washington was adhering to international law.
In a hearing scheduled for 0800 GMT, the constitutional court must now decide what conditions are necessary for those affected abroad to sue the German state for the protection of their right to life, according to the ECCHR.
This includes whether data transmission alone is enough of a connection to German territory for Germany to be held responsible.
Ahead of the latest proceedings, which opened in December 2024, the German defense ministry said Berlin was “in an ongoing and trusting dialogue” with the United States about its activities at Ramstein.
The government has repeatedly obtained assurances that drones are not launched, controlled or commanded from Germany and that US forces are acting lawfully, the ministry said.

 


Japan warns of China’s military moves as biggest strategic challenge

Updated 15 July 2025
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Japan warns of China’s military moves as biggest strategic challenge

  • China’s increasing dispatch of aircraft carriers in the Pacific underscores the country’s attempt to advance its sea power in distant waters, the report said

TOKYO: Japan raised strong caution against China’s rapid acceleration of military activity in extensive areas from around its southwestern coasts to the Pacific, describing the moves as the biggest strategic challenge.
China’s growing joint operations with Russia also pose serious security concerns to Japan, along with increasing tension around Taiwan and threats coming from North Korea, the Defense Ministry said in an annual military report submitted to Cabinet on Tuesday.
“The international society is in a new crisis era as it faces the biggest challenges since the end of World War II,” the report said, citing significant changes to the global power balance while raising concern about an escalation of the China-US rivalry.
The security threats are concentrated in the Indo-Pacific, where Japan is located, and could get worse in the future, report says.
Japan has accelerated its military buildup on southwestern islands in recent years, preparing to deploy long-distance cruise missiles, as it worries about a conflict in Taiwan, which China claims as its territory to be annexed by force if necessary. Taiwan launched 10-day annual live-fire military exercises last week intended to guard against Chinese threats to invade. Japan tested a short-range, surface-to-ship missile at home earlier last month.
Chinese warships’ advance into the Pacific has steadily increased, with the frequency of their passage off southwestern Japan tripling in the past three years, including in waters between Taiwan and its neighboring Japanese island of Yonaguni, the 534-page report said.
The report comes days after Japan demanded China stop flying its fighter jets abnormally close to Japanese intelligence-gathering aircraft, which it said was happening repeatedly and could cause a collision. Beijing, in return, accused Japan of flying near Chinese airspace for spying purposes.
Two earlier close encounters in June occurred over the Pacific Ocean, where Japan spotted two Chinese aircraft carriers operating together for the first time.
China’s increasing dispatch of aircraft carriers in the Pacific underscores the country’s attempt to advance its sea power in distant waters, the report said. It said China’s frequent dispatch of bombers for long distance flights in the Pacific by more sophisticated flight routes and fleet organization is seen as Beijing’s attempt to show off its presence around Japan and to further advance its operational capability.
The Defense Ministry noted two cases last year — a Chinese warplane’s brief violation of Japanese airspace over waters off islands near Nagasaki and an aircraft carrier’s entry into a zone just outside of Japan’s territorial waters further southwest in the Nansei island chain.
With US President Donald Trump focusing on the strengthening of the US economy and security, Japan and other US allies face expectations to play a greater role for peace and stability in the region, the report said.
North Korea poses “an increasingly serious and imminent threat” for Japan’s security, the report said, noting the North’s development of missiles carrying nuclear warheads into the Japanese territory and solid-fuel ICBM that can reach the US mainland.
Russia maintains active military operations around Japan and violated the country’s airspace in September, the report added, saying its increasing strategic cooperation with China has posed “strong concern” for Japan’s security.