Latest news with #arms
Wall Street Journal
2 days ago
- Business
- Wall Street Journal
Rheinmetall Establishes New Subsidiary in South Africa
Rheinmetall RHM 1.70%increase; green up pointing triangle said it has established a new subsidiary in South Africa, Rheinmetall Resonant South Africa. The German arms maker said upon getting approval from the relevant authorities, its Rheinmetall Waffe Munition business holds a 51% stake in the joint venture.
Sky News
3 days ago
- Business
- Sky News
New UK weapons factories to be built 'very soon', defence secretary reveals
New weapons factories will be built "very soon" to show Vladimir Putin the UK is "stepping up our deterrents", the defence secretary has told Sky News. Last night, the government announced at least six new arms plants as part of a £6bn push to rearm at a time of growing threats. Politics latest: Healey questioned by Trevor Phillips No details on timings or where the factories would be were provided ahead of the strategic defence review, which the £6bn investment will be part of, being published on Monday. But Defence Secretary John Healey told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: "We should expect to see new factories opening very soon. "And we've already got strong munitions factories in every part of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. "The investment we're making will boost the jobs in those areas as well." Asked whether Russian President Vladimir Putin should be "frightened now" or in the future, Mr Healey said: "The message to Putin is we take our defence seriously, we're stepping up our deterrents." Mr Healey also said he has "no doubt" defence spending will hit 3% of GDP in the next parliament. He defended not trying to get to that in this parliament - by 2029 - and said: "It's how much [is spent on defence], but also how you spend it." The defence secretary said his government is showing a sense of urgency by investing £1bn into cyber warfare capabilities, £1.5bn to improve forces' housing over the next five years and a £6bn commitment to "rearm" over the next five years. Senior Conservative Robert Jenrick told Trevor Phillips he welcomed "any extra investment in defence" and the fact Labour had reaffirmed the UK's commitment to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence. However, he said: "We want to see the UK reach 3% within this parliament, we think that 2034 is a long time to wait, given the gravity of the situation." He called Mr Healey "a good man" who is "doing what needs to be done in the national interest". But he added: "I am sceptical as to whether Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, is going to make good on these promises. "Since the general election, all I can see are broken promises from Rachel Reeves."
Yahoo
27-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Decision on lifting range restrictions on arms for Ukraine made months ago, Germany's Merz clarifies
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz clarified on May 27 that his comments on the West lifting range restrictions on arms for Ukraine referred to a step made months ago. "The issue of limiting the range of deployed weapons played a role a few months and a few years ago. As far as I know, and as I said yesterday, the countries that imposed range limitations have long since abandoned these requirements," Merz said during a press conference with Finnish Prime Minister Petteri Orpo in Turku. "In this respect, yesterday in Berlin, I described something that has been happening for months: namely, that Ukraine has the right to use the weapons it receives, even beyond its own borders, against military targets on Russian territory." Speaking at a forum on May 26, Merz said that "there are no longer any restrictions on the range of weapons delivered to Ukraine" imposed by Germany, the U.S., the U.K., or France. "This means that Ukraine can now defend itself, for example, by attacking military positions in Russia," the chancellor added. "Until recently, it couldn't do that, and apart from very few exceptions, it hadn't done so either." Ukraine has previously received long-range missiles from the U.S., the U.K., and France — including ATACMS, Storm Shadow, and SCALP — but was initially permitted to deploy them only against Russian military forces in occupied Ukrainian territories. Only in late 2024, the Biden administration and other allies eased the restrictions, allowing Ukraine to use long-range missiles against Russian military targets in Russia's border regions. Merz's comments on May 26 caused some confusion as to whether he was referring to a newly announced policy, drawing both praise and rebuke. Ralf Stegner, a politician from Merz's coalition partner, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), told the media the move was "unhelpful" and called instead for intensifying diplomatic efforts. In turn, a former German defense minister and ex-leader of Merz's CDU party, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, praised Merz for his comments. Merz's latest statement in Turku indicates that his earlier comment referred to the decision taken in late 2024 rather than a new policy. Before becoming chancellor, Merz signaled he would overturn the ban of his predecessor, Olaf Scholz, on the delivery of Germany's Taurus cruise missiles, capable of striking targets at a distance of 500 kilometers (300 miles). He has not confirmed whether he intends to deliver the missiles since taking office. Read also: Ukraine war latest: West no longer imposing range restrictions on arms for Ukraine, Germany's Merz says We've been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent.
Yahoo
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Ukraine Is Making More Weapons Than Ever—but Still Can't Fight Russia Alone
With future U.S. aid in doubt, Kyiv is ramping up domestic production of arms such as its Bohdana howitzer.
BreakingNews.ie
08-05-2025
- Politics
- BreakingNews.ie
Government accused of ‘false ignorance' on shipments of Israeli arms
The Government has been accused of 'false ignorance' on reports of flights carrying arms to be used in Gaza through Ireland. Tánaiste Simon Harris was handed a folder of what he said were aircraft inventories by an opposition TD who said there was 'no mystery' to the issue. Advertisement He said that a 'robust' investigation was being carried out by the Department of Transport and added that any breach of Irish law 'cannot be consequence free'. Simon Harris said he did not believe weapons being used in Gaza were being flown through Irish skies based on the information available to him. Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. News website The Ditch has reported that several flights carrying munitions to weapons manufacturers and contractors in Israel have travelled over Ireland. Permission is needed from Ireland's transport minister to carry munitions through Irish airspace. Mr Harris, who is also the Foreign Affairs Minister, said last week that he did not believe weapons being used in Gaza were being flown through Irish skies based on the information available to him. Advertisement He admitted that it was 'a real challenge' to know what is being carried in planes flying above Ireland. On Thursday, People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the Government of 'false ignorance' and of 'pretending you don't know what's going on'. He produced a green folder of what he said were waybills that show 'thousands of tons of weaponry have gone through Irish airspace on the way to be used in a genocide in Gaza'. 'This is not a mystery. The airlines admit it.' Advertisement He added: 'You want to know my practical solution? My practical solution is that the Minister for Transport should prosecute the companies. It's the law. They're currently breaking the law.' People Before Profit TD Paul Murphy accused the Government of 'false ignorance' and of 'pretending you don't know what's going on' Photo: Brian Lawless/PA. Mr Harris said that the Department of Transport is examining the reports and agreed that any breach of Irish law 'cannot be consequence free'. 'Irish law matters, I'm very clear in relation to that, as is the Taoiseach, as is the Minister for Transport,' he told TDs. 'If there have been breaches of Irish sovereign law, decisions will need to be taken on the next steps, based on clear and robust evidence. Advertisement 'I think we also need to be clear here, and I this is the point I was trying to make, that if you know existing legislation doesn't provide for the implementation of a system of routine and random inspections, and rather, it requires that there first be an appearance of intention or likelihood for a civil aircraft to depart from a point in the state in a manner that will contravene the legislation, for example, carry munitions, I think it is a legitimate question for government to now consider whether we need to amend our own domestic legislation and whether more needs to happen internationally. 'So I'm very clear any breaches of Irish law, it cannot be consequence free, I agree with you. The Department of Transport is carrying out a robust examination of all of these matters and then will advise Government on what next steps are required.' In response to questions from Social Democrats deputy leader Cian O'Callaghan, Mr Harris said that 'no one is dragging their feet' and Ireland 'is not standing idly by' on Palestine. He said that he intends to call his EU counterparts in the hours ahead and see if they will 'echo' Ireland's call for the EU to review Israel's obligation to adhere to human rights clauses in its trade association agreement, which the Netherlands had called for on Wednesday. Advertisement Mr Harris also said he had met Senator Frances Black about her bill that would ban trade with illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian lands. Mr Harris and Taoiseach Micheál Martin had initially committed to passing the Ms Black's Occupied Territories Bill after it was amended to make it legally 'robust', but since then have suggested new legislation may be required. Mr Harris said that there is 'a narrow pathway' based on an advisory opinion from the International Courts of Justice, to legislate on banning trade, but Mr Harris said 'we have not yet been able to identify the narrow pathway on services, that's the truth'. Campaigners have criticised the move to ban the trading of goods but not services, which is estimated to represent around 70% of trade activity. 'It's not a policy position. It's a legal position,' he said. 'There is a need to make sure any bill can withstand the inevitable challenge that this will face.' He said his hope was that if Ireland brought forward such legislation that it may encourage other countries to do the same. 'If the EU refuses to act as a collective in relation to this, why don't a number of member states do what we're proposing to do here in Ireland,' he said.
