British arms exports to Israel reach record level
London, May 27: British defence contractors selling arms to Israel has reached a record level, new figures revealed on Sunday.
Figures from the Campaign Against Arms Trade revealed that last year the UK issued 221 million pounds ($294 million) worth of arms licences to defence companies exporting to Israel, reports the Guardian.
This made Israel the UK's eighth largest market for UK arms companies, a huge increase on the previous year's figure of 86 million pounds, a substantial rise from the 20 million pounds worth of arms licensed in 2015.
In total, over the past five years, Israel has bought more than 350 million pounds worth of UK military hardware.
Licences issued to UK defence contractors exporting to Israel last year include those for targeting equipment, small arms ammunition, missiles, weapon sights and sniper rifles.
In 2016 the UK issued licences for anti-armour ammunition, gun mountings, components for air-to-air missiles, targeting equipment, components for assault rifles, components for grenade-launchers and anti-riot shields.
The revelation comes just days after it was confirmed that Prince William will represent the UK government on a visit to Israel next month, the Guardian reported.
"After the appallingly excessive response of the Israeli security forces at the Gaza border, tensions in the occupied Palestinian territories are likely to be close to boiling point when Prince William makes this historic visit," said Kerry Moscogiuri, Amnesty International UK's Campaigns Director.
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Telangana Urdu daily publishes blank editorial in protest against Congress government
Hyderabad: Telangana-based Urdu daily The Munsif Daily has published a blank editorial in protest against the Congress-led state government's alleged decision to freeze government advertisements. The newspaper claims it is being targeted for its critical coverage of the government's shortcomings.
Comparing the move to the Emergency imposed by Indira Gandhi in the 1970s, the daily accused the Congress government, led by Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, of attempting to suppress press freedom.
A Congress spokesperson told NDTV that the government had reduced spending on newspaper advertisements and that it was the government's prerogative to decide whom to support.
In a statement, *Munsif* Executive Editor Ather Moin said the newspaper had reported on communal unrest under the Congress rule, highlighting police failures and the state's inaction. It covered issues such as the demolition of an abandoned mosque in Chilkur, the removal of dupattas from minority schoolgirls' uniforms, and the government's failure to protect Waqf properties. The daily also raised concerns about delayed salaries for imams and muezzins, non-payment of stipends for divorced women, and the absence of a Muslim representative in the Telangana cabinet.
"If the Revanth government expects us to convince our readers that Telangana has turned into a land of milk and honey under Congress rule, then that is something we cannot do," the statement read. "Instead, we shall continue to ask: Why have lands turned barren? Why has starvation forced the poor to the brink? Why have helpless daughters been violated?"
The editorial also criticised Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, recalling his 2023 statement in Washington about press freedom being under threat in India. It claimed that while several Urdu newspapers had criticised the Modi government without facing ad revocations, the Congress government in Telangana was punishing Munsif for its reportage.
"In 1975, Indira Gandhi tried to silence the press—and failed. Today, her party is repeating history. But let it be known: The pen is still mightier than the sword. Journalism in India will not be silenced," the statement added.
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