A soldier rams his head through a stack of hard tiles. Another stands unfazed as others smash his arm, thigh and head with wooden bars. A​ shirtless commando lies on broken glass with a thick slab of granite on his belly that is smashed with a hammer.

North Korea has nuclear weapons, intercontinental ballistic missiles and even hypersonic missiles. But the country has yet to retire scenes of brawny men performing stunts as part of its military propaganda designed to whip up national pride and instill fear in its enemies.

When the North held one of its ​biggest exhibitions of missiles and other weapons Monday, the show also featured gung-ho military masculinity with a special demonstration by soldiers who have been trained to do the unthinkable.

In one instance, soldiers placed their forearms or hands on stacks of gray roof tiles, which their colleagues broke by smashing the soldiers’ limbs.

“If the enemy dares to encroach upon our land, these soldiers will turn into cast-iron fists and lightning-speed monsters to protect the peace of the motherland,” a female announcer said on the North’s state-run TV broadcast of the demonstration.

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The crowd cheered, and the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un, sat grinning in the stands as others vigorously clapped. His sister, Kim Yo Jong, who is said to ​lead the country’s propaganda efforts, stood behind him, looking on proudly.

The Kim family has ruled North Korea since the country was founded at the end of World War II. ​Its enormous, state-run propaganda machine permeates ​the lives of all North Koreans, filling every book, film and work of art produced in the country. And it has never been known for its subtlety.

In the Arirang Mass Games, thousands of meticulously trained schoolchildren and soldiers are mobilised to fill Pyongyang’s May Day stadium, performing synchronised dances as they flip color cards to make gigantic signs with slogans of loyalty to Kim.

But it is North Korea’s military stunts that often earn attention on the internet. The demonstrations include a mix of taekwondo​ and performances by “charyeoksa,” the word used to describe itinerant Koreans who used to roam the countryside as part of a traveling circus, showing off their superhuman strength​.

The old circus performers attracted crowds through their perilous feats, such as driving nails into wood with a head butt or bending a steel rod with ​their bare neck, as the North Korean soldiers did for Kim on Monday.

During the Cold War, when the militaries of South Korea and North Korea had few sophisticated weapons but plenty of mutual enmity, both countries would stage martial art demonstrations​ as morale boosters. South Korea has mostly abandoned the demonstrations as its military modernised, occasionally staging them during Armed Forces Day.

In the North, ​kick-and-smash displays of military power remain a favorite genre of propaganda.

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​Kim was so proud of his military stunt squads that he invited China’s leader, Xi Jinping, and his wife to a performance when the couple visited Pyongyang in 2019. When the North wanted to show its displeasure in 2012 after former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak stopped inter-Korean trade in response to the North’s nuclear weapons development, it released footage of commandos throwing hand axes and knives at Lee’s name.

These demonstrations are usually performed by members of the elite units assigned to protect Pyongyang, ​Kim and his safe houses and villas around the country. They are called “human rifles and bombs” for the North Korean leader. The same unit of soldiers arrested Jang Song Thaek, Kim’s uncle, when he was executed on charges of treason and corruption in 2013.

“It is said in the North that each of these soldiers is trained to fight and beat as many as 10 men at the same time in a hand-to-hand battle,” said An Chan-il, a North Korean defector. ​But like North Korean children mobilized to perform countless hours of practice for the Arirang Mass Games, the North Korean soldiers behind these stunts put themselves at great risk.

Choi Won-young, a taekwondo master in South Korea, broke a stack of granite slabs with a head butt during Korea’s Got Talent, a television program, in 2019. During the show, he warned the audience not to try it at home: “When the slabs are not broken through, you blackout and then regain consciousness.”

A soldier rams his head through a stack of hard tiles. Another stands unfazed as others smash his arm, thigh and head with wooden bars. A shirtless commando lies on broken glass with a thick slab of granite on his belly that is smashed with a hammer.

A soldier rams his head through a stack of hard tiles. Another stands unfazed as others smash his arm, thigh and head with wooden bars. A shirtless commando lies on broken glass with a thick slab of granite on his belly that is smashed with a hammer. North Korea has nuclear weapons, intercontinental ballistic missiles and even hypersonic missiles. But the country has yet to retire scenes of brawny men performing stunts as part of its military propaganda designed to whip up national pride and instill fear in its enemies. When the North held one of its biggest exhibitions of missiles and other weapons Monday, the show also featured gung-ho military masculinity with a special demonstration by soldiers who have been trained to do the unthinkable. In one instance, soldiers placed their forearms or hands on stacks of gray roof tiles, which their colleagues broke by smashing the soldiers’ limbs. “If the enemy dares to encroach upon our land, these soldiers will turn into cast-iron fists and lightning-speed monsters to protect the peace of the motherland,” a female announcer said on the North’s state-run TV broadcast of the demonstration. Also read | Kim Jong Un spotted smiling and clapping as soldiers lie on bed of nails The crowd cheered, and the North’s leader, Kim Jong Un, sat grinning in the stands as others vigorously clapped. His sister, Kim Yo Jong, who is said to lead the country’s propaganda efforts, stood behind him, looking on proudly. The Kim family has ruled North Korea since the country was founded at the end of World War II. Its enormous, state-run propaganda machine permeates the lives of all North Koreans, filling every book, film and work of art produced in the country. And it has never been known for its subtlety. In the Arirang Mass Games, thousands of meticulously trained schoolchildren and soldiers are mobilised to fill Pyongyang’s May Day stadium, performing synchronised dances as they flip color cards to make gigantic signs with slogans of loyalty to Kim. But it is North Korea’s military stunts that often earn attention on the internet. The demonstrations include a mix of taekwondo and performances by “charyeoksa,” the word used to describe itinerant Koreans who used to roam the countryside as part of a traveling circus, showing off their superhuman strength. The old circus performers attracted crowds through their perilous feats, such as driving nails into wood with a head butt or bending a steel rod with their bare neck, as the North Korean soldiers did for Kim on Monday. During the Cold War, when the militaries of South Korea and North Korea had few sophisticated weapons but plenty of mutual enmity, both countries would stage martial art demonstrations as morale boosters. South Korea has mostly abandoned the demonstrations as its military modernised, occasionally staging them during Armed Forces Day. In the North, kick-and-smash displays of military power remain a favorite genre of propaganda. Also read | California's Alisal fire continues to burn 14,500-acres Kim was so proud of his military stunt squads that he invited China’s leader, Xi Jinping, and his wife to a performance when the couple visited Pyongyang in 2019. When the North wanted to show its displeasure in 2012 after former South Korean president Lee Myung-bak stopped inter-Korean trade in response to the North’s nuclear weapons development, it released footage of commandos throwing hand axes and knives at Lee’s name. These demonstrations are usually performed by members of the elite units assigned to protect Pyongyang, Kim and his safe houses and villas around the country. They are called “human rifles and bombs” for the North Korean leader. The same unit of soldiers arrested Jang Song Thaek, Kim’s uncle, when he was executed on charges of treason and corruption in 2013. “It is said in the North that each of these soldiers is trained to fight and beat as many as 10 men at the same time in a hand-to-hand battle,” said An Chan-il, a North Korean defector. But like North Korean children mobilized to perform countless hours of practice for the Arirang Mass Games, the North Korean soldiers behind these stunts put themselves at great risk. Choi Won-young, a taekwondo master in South Korea, broke a stack of granite slabs with a head butt during Korea’s Got Talent, a television program, in 2019. During the show, he warned the audience not to try it at home: “When the slabs are not broken through, you blackout and then regain consciousness.”

North Korea’s mightiest weapons? Nukes and shirtless men on broken glass

India has for several decades suffered immensely due to cross-border terrorism by terror groups using illicit weapons smuggled across the country's borders, New Delhi's envoy here has said, in a veiled reference to Pakistan, calling on the global community to unequivocally&nbsp;condemn state sponsorship to such militant outfits.

At the UN Security Council briefing on Small Arms and Light Weapons', India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti strongly underlined the need for the Council's focus on the transfer and trafficking of arms and weapons to terrorists and terrorist groups.

Also Read |<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-army-vs-pakistan-army-how-two-military-forces-stack-up-against-each-other-417849">&nbsp;India Army vs Pakistan Army: How two military forces stack up against each other</a>

These weapons become more sinister and lethal in the hands of terrorists, who deliberately and indiscriminately use them to target innocent civilians, including women and children, he said.

For several decades, my country has suffered immensely due to cross-border terrorism and violence carried out by terrorist groups using these illicit weapons smuggled across our borders, including now through the use of drones,&nbsp;he said, in a veiled reference to Pakistan.

He said an increase in volume and the quality of the arsenal acquired by these terrorist organisations reminds us time and again that they cannot exist without the sponsorship or support of states. This aspect needs to be unequivocally condemned.

He also strongly urged the Council to have zero tolerance to terror actors, their possession and misuse of small arms and light weapons and their sponsors.

High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu told the Council that the misuse, illicit transfer and destabilising accumulation of small arms and light weapons, and their ammunition, remain a defining factor in undermining peace and security at the national, regional and global levels and have deeply aggravated situations for vulnerable populations already suffering from conflict.

"In contexts where United Nations peace operations have been mandated, illicit flows and easy availability of arms can exacerbate and sustain conflict dynamics; render arms embargoes ineffective; endanger peacekeepers, humanitarian workers and local populations; and complicate the implementation of peace agreements,&nbsp;she said.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/pakistan-talks-about-peace-while-imran-khan-glorifies-osama-bin-laden-as-a-martyr-india-at-un-418290">Pakistan talks about peace while Imran Khan glorifies Osama Bin Laden as a martyr: India at UN</a>

Nakamitsu added that small arms control measures, in particular, the development and implementation of border security and management strategies; efforts to detect and seize parts and components of weapons and ammunition; enhanced stockpile management; and the fight against the illicit manufacture of weapons are effective tools to disrupt the supply of illicit small arms and light weapons to terrorists.

Tirumurti stressed that the threat posed by the illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons is a matter of concern to the entire international community.

Noting that an arms embargo is an important tool at the disposal of the Council to curb the flow of such weapons to situations of armed conflict, he voiced concern that embargoes continue to be blatantly violated, as repeatedly reported by the various Panel of Experts supporting the subsidiary bodies of the Council.

It is important that all member states respect and strictly enforce existing arms embargoes and strengthen measures against the illicit transfer of arms, he said, as he underlined that it is a well-known fact that the flow of illicit arms and weapons to non-state actors and terrorists drives and sustains conflicts.

Tirumurti told the Council that the illicit possession and misuse of small arms and light weapons by non-state groups and terrorists is a violation of state sovereignty.

In post-conflict situations, we often witness that non-state actors continue to possess these weapons illegally, which hinders disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration efforts.

India called on the Security Council to ensure effective and timely action against such non-State actors to ensure that post-conflict peacebuilding efforts are not jeopardised while advancing security sector reforms, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, promotion of rule of law and good governance.

India attaches high importance to preventing, combating and eradicating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. We consider that the primary responsibility for addressing this problem lies with the Member States,&nbsp;he said.

India supports the redoubling of efforts at the national and global level to strengthen the implementation of the UN Program of Action and the International Tracing Instrument, including through national legislative measures and enforcement, export controls, information sharing and capacity building, he added.

Further, India said the safety of UN peacekeepers is directly affected by the steady and illicit supply of small arms and light weapons to the warring parties in armed conflict situations.

The Council is aware of numerous incidents in the past, where killings and attacks on peacekeepers have been perpetrated through the use of these weapons, Tirumurti said emphasising the need for the Council to address the danger posed by such illicit transfers to the safety and security of peacekeepers by giving due attention to this issue in the consideration of peacekeeping mandates.

UN Peacekeeping Missions could support host countries in addressing the issue of illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons through strengthening the capacities of the law enforcement and security agencies in safe handling, upkeep and stockpile management of arms and weapons, including those recovered from non-state actors,&nbsp;he said.

India welcomed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's recommendation to establish a dedicated component or a unit within peacekeeping Missions to handle such assistance.

Recalling that India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in his address to the Security Council earlier this year, had presented an eight-point action plan to counter-terrorism, Tirumurti said two points are directly relevant to the discussion &nbsp;the need to address the linkages between terrorism and transnational organised crime and combating terrorist financing.

India has for several decades suffered immensely due to cross-border terrorism by terror groups using illicit weapons smuggled across the country's borders, New Delhi's envoy here has said, in a veiled reference to Pakistan, calling on the global community to unequivocally condemn state sponsorship to such militant outfits.

India has for several decades suffered immensely due to cross-border terrorism by terror groups using illicit weapons smuggled across the country's borders, New Delhi's envoy here has said, in a veiled reference to Pakistan, calling on the global community to unequivocally condemn state sponsorship to such militant outfits. At the UN Security Council briefing on Small Arms and Light Weapons', India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador T S Tirumurti strongly underlined the need for the Council's focus on the transfer and trafficking of arms and weapons to terrorists and terrorist groups. Also Read | India Army vs Pakistan Army: How two military forces stack up against each other These weapons become more sinister and lethal in the hands of terrorists, who deliberately and indiscriminately use them to target innocent civilians, including women and children, he said. For several decades, my country has suffered immensely due to cross-border terrorism and violence carried out by terrorist groups using these illicit weapons smuggled across our borders, including now through the use of drones, he said, in a veiled reference to Pakistan. He said an increase in volume and the quality of the arsenal acquired by these terrorist organisations reminds us time and again that they cannot exist without the sponsorship or support of states. This aspect needs to be unequivocally condemned. He also strongly urged the Council to have zero tolerance to terror actors, their possession and misuse of small arms and light weapons and their sponsors. High Representative for Disarmament Affairs Izumi Nakamitsu told the Council that the misuse, illicit transfer and destabilising accumulation of small arms and light weapons, and their ammunition, remain a defining factor in undermining peace and security at the national, regional and global levels and have deeply aggravated situations for vulnerable populations already suffering from conflict. "In contexts where United Nations peace operations have been mandated, illicit flows and easy availability of arms can exacerbate and sustain conflict dynamics; render arms embargoes ineffective; endanger peacekeepers, humanitarian workers and local populations; and complicate the implementation of peace agreements, she said. Also Read | Pakistan talks about peace while Imran Khan glorifies Osama Bin Laden as a martyr: India at UN Nakamitsu added that small arms control measures, in particular, the development and implementation of border security and management strategies; efforts to detect and seize parts and components of weapons and ammunition; enhanced stockpile management; and the fight against the illicit manufacture of weapons are effective tools to disrupt the supply of illicit small arms and light weapons to terrorists. Tirumurti stressed that the threat posed by the illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons is a matter of concern to the entire international community. Noting that an arms embargo is an important tool at the disposal of the Council to curb the flow of such weapons to situations of armed conflict, he voiced concern that embargoes continue to be blatantly violated, as repeatedly reported by the various Panel of Experts supporting the subsidiary bodies of the Council. It is important that all member states respect and strictly enforce existing arms embargoes and strengthen measures against the illicit transfer of arms, he said, as he underlined that it is a well-known fact that the flow of illicit arms and weapons to non-state actors and terrorists drives and sustains conflicts. Tirumurti told the Council that the illicit possession and misuse of small arms and light weapons by non-state groups and terrorists is a violation of state sovereignty. In post-conflict situations, we often witness that non-state actors continue to possess these weapons illegally, which hinders disarmament, demobilisation and reintegration efforts. India called on the Security Council to ensure effective and timely action against such non-State actors to ensure that post-conflict peacebuilding efforts are not jeopardised while advancing security sector reforms, capacity building of law enforcement agencies, promotion of rule of law and good governance. India attaches high importance to preventing, combating and eradicating the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons. We consider that the primary responsibility for addressing this problem lies with the Member States, he said. India supports the redoubling of efforts at the national and global level to strengthen the implementation of the UN Program of Action and the International Tracing Instrument, including through national legislative measures and enforcement, export controls, information sharing and capacity building, he added. Further, India said the safety of UN peacekeepers is directly affected by the steady and illicit supply of small arms and light weapons to the warring parties in armed conflict situations. The Council is aware of numerous incidents in the past, where killings and attacks on peacekeepers have been perpetrated through the use of these weapons, Tirumurti said emphasising the need for the Council to address the danger posed by such illicit transfers to the safety and security of peacekeepers by giving due attention to this issue in the consideration of peacekeeping mandates. UN Peacekeeping Missions could support host countries in addressing the issue of illicit transfer of small arms and light weapons through strengthening the capacities of the law enforcement and security agencies in safe handling, upkeep and stockpile management of arms and weapons, including those recovered from non-state actors, he said. India welcomed Secretary-General Antonio Guterres's recommendation to establish a dedicated component or a unit within peacekeeping Missions to handle such assistance. Recalling that India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in his address to the Security Council earlier this year, had presented an eight-point action plan to counter-terrorism, Tirumurti said two points are directly relevant to the discussion the need to address the linkages between terrorism and transnational organised crime and combating terrorist financing.

India highlights cross-border terror, weapons smuggling at United Nations

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday foiled a major bid by terrorists to smuggle in weapons from Pakistan along the International Border (IB) and seized a big cache of arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district, officials said.

"The BSF, Jammu today foiled a weapon smuggling attempt from across the International Border in Samba area and seized a big cache of arms and ammunition," BSF DIG S P S Sandhu said.

He further said the seizure by BSF troops included four pistols, eight pistol magazines and 232 rounds of ammunition.

Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-army-vs-pakistan-army-how-two-military-forces-stack-up-against-each-other-417849">India Army vs Pakistan Army: How two military forces stack up against each other</a>

The DIG said further details are expected to follow.

There have been several incidents of weapons and narcotic smuggling attempts done by cross-border terrorists to drop weapons on this side of the border through drones over the past six months.

It may be recalled that an arms consignment including one AK assault rifle, three magazines and 30 rounds believed to have been dropped by a drone from Pakistan had been recovered last Saturday by police near the International Border from Sounjana village of Phalain Mandal, about six km from the IB.

On September 27, BSF recovered four pistols, eight magazines, 100 rounds of ammunition, a packet of narcotics weighing about one kg along with fake Indian currency worth Rs 2,75,000, from the International Border in Akhnoor sector of Jammu district, officials said. 
&nbsp;

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday foiled a major bid by terrorists to smuggle in weapons from Pakistan along the International Border (IB) and seized a big cache of arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district, officials said.

The Border Security Force (BSF) on Thursday foiled a major bid by terrorists to smuggle in weapons from Pakistan along the International Border (IB) and seized a big cache of arms and ammunition in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba district, officials said. "The BSF, Jammu today foiled a weapon smuggling attempt from across the International Border in Samba area and seized a big cache of arms and ammunition," BSF DIG S P S Sandhu said. He further said the seizure by BSF troops included four pistols, eight pistol magazines and 232 rounds of ammunition. Also Read | India Army vs Pakistan Army: How two military forces stack up against each other The DIG said further details are expected to follow. There have been several incidents of weapons and narcotic smuggling attempts done by cross-border terrorists to drop weapons on this side of the border through drones over the past six months. It may be recalled that an arms consignment including one AK assault rifle, three magazines and 30 rounds believed to have been dropped by a drone from Pakistan had been recovered last Saturday by police near the International Border from Sounjana village of Phalain Mandal, about six km from the IB. On September 27, BSF recovered four pistols, eight magazines, 100 rounds of ammunition, a packet of narcotics weighing about one kg along with fake Indian currency worth Rs 2,75,000, from the International Border in Akhnoor sector of Jammu district, officials said.

BSF foils bid to bring in weapons from Pakistan along International Border, big cache of arms seized

France is set to sell 52 Caesar artillery guns to the Czech Republic in a deal worth 257 million euros ($301 million) as Paris pushes for greater European defence autonomy, an Armed Forces Ministry official said on Wednesday.

President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that Europe needed to stop being naive when it comes to defending its interests and must build its own military capacity after sealing a 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) frigate deal with Greece and penning a cooperation agreement.

Paris was plunged into a dispute with the United States, Australia and Britain earlier this month over a trilateral nuclear security deal which sank a multi-billion dollar French-designed submarine contract with Canberra.

"This (Czech deal) comes after a period of rapprochement with the Czech Republic that was marked on a strategic level, but also a vision that is closer to what European defence policy should be and should bring us," the official told reporters ahead of a visit by Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly to Prague on Thursday to sign the contract.

Most of the guns will be assembled in the Czech Republic.

France has also sought to bring European allies into military operations in the Sahel region of Africa where it has some 5,000 counter-terrorism troops fighting Islamist militants as part of efforts to encourage a broader European military strategy.

The Czechs are one of nine countries that has contributed special forces to a European contingent.

France is set to sell 52 Caesar artillery guns to the Czech Republic in a deal worth 257 million euros ($301 million) as Paris pushes for greater European defence autonomy, an Armed Forces Ministry official said on Wednesday.

France is set to sell 52 Caesar artillery guns to the Czech Republic in a deal worth 257 million euros ($301 million) as Paris pushes for greater European defence autonomy, an Armed Forces Ministry official said on Wednesday. President Emmanuel Macron said on Tuesday that Europe needed to stop being naive when it comes to defending its interests and must build its own military capacity after sealing a 3 billion euros ($3.5 billion) frigate deal with Greece and penning a cooperation agreement. Paris was plunged into a dispute with the United States, Australia and Britain earlier this month over a trilateral nuclear security deal which sank a multi-billion dollar French-designed submarine contract with Canberra. "This (Czech deal) comes after a period of rapprochement with the Czech Republic that was marked on a strategic level, but also a vision that is closer to what European defence policy should be and should bring us," the official told reporters ahead of a visit by Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly to Prague on Thursday to sign the contract. Most of the guns will be assembled in the Czech Republic. France has also sought to bring European allies into military operations in the Sahel region of Africa where it has some 5,000 counter-terrorism troops fighting Islamist militants as part of efforts to encourage a broader European military strategy. The Czechs are one of nine countries that has contributed special forces to a European contingent.

In European push, France to sell artillery guns to Czech Republic

Taiwan faces "severe threats" from China. It now wants to spend close to $9 billion extra for more arms. But that may not be enough to contain the tensions in the region. Palki Sharma tells you more.

Gravitas: Taiwan faces "severe threats" from China

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday called for a stop to the flow of arms to Myanmar and urged the military to respect November election results and release political detainees, including leader Aung San Suu Kyi. 
 
The General Assembly adopted a resolution with the support of 119 countries several months after the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in a February&nbsp;1 coup. Belarus requested the text be put to a vote and was the only country to oppose it, while 36 abstained, including China and Russia. 
 
"The risk of a large-scale civil war is real," UN&nbsp;special envoy on Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener told the General Assembly after the vote. "Time is of the essence. The opportunity to reverse the military takeover is narrowing." 
 
Some countries, which abstained, said the crisis was an internal issue for Myanmar, others did not think the resolution would be helpful, while some states complained it did not adequately address the plight of Rohingya Muslims some four years after a military crackdown forced nearly a million to flee Myanmar. 
 
European Union UN&nbsp;Ambassador Olof Skoog said the UN&nbsp;resolution sends a powerful message: "It delegitimises the military junta, condemns its abuse and violence against its own people and demonstrates its isolation in the eyes of the world." 
 
UN&nbsp;Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had earlier on Friday pushed the General Assembly to act, telling reporters: "We cannot live in a world where military coups become a norm. It is totally unacceptable." 
 
The military cited the government's refusal to address what it said was fraud in a November election as the reason for the coup. International observers have said the ballot was fair. 
 
An initial draft UN&nbsp;resolution included stronger language calling for an arms embargo on Myanmar. According to a proposal last month, nine Southeast Asian countries wanted that language removed. 
 
The compromise text 'calls on all member states to prevent the flow of arms into Myanmar'. 
 
General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but carry political weight. Unlike the 15-member Security Council, no country has veto power in the General Assembly. 
 
The junta's forces have killed more than 860 people since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The junta says the number is much lower. 
 
The UN&nbsp;resolution calls on the Myanmar military to 'immediately stop all violence against peaceful protesters' and end restrictions on the internet and social media. 
 
The General Assembly also called on Myanmar to swiftly implement a five-point consensus the junta forged with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in April to halt violence and start dialogue with its opponents. 
 
ASEAN has led the main diplomatic effort to find a way out of the crisis, but was split on Friday over the UN&nbsp;action. 
 
Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar's UN&nbsp;Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who speaks for the country's elected civilian government, voted yes, while Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand abstained. 
 
Kyaw Moe Tun said he was disappointed it took so long for the General Assembly to adopt a 'watered down' resolution, adding: "It is critically important that no country should support the military."

(With inputs from agencies)

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday called for a stop to the flow of arms to Myanmar and urged the military to respect November election results and release political detainees, including leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The United Nations General Assembly on Friday called for a stop to the flow of arms to Myanmar and urged the military to respect November election results and release political detainees, including leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The General Assembly adopted a resolution with the support of 119 countries several months after the military overthrew Aung San Suu Kyi's elected government in a February 1 coup. Belarus requested the text be put to a vote and was the only country to oppose it, while 36 abstained, including China and Russia. "The risk of a large-scale civil war is real," UN special envoy on Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener told the General Assembly after the vote. "Time is of the essence. The opportunity to reverse the military takeover is narrowing." Some countries, which abstained, said the crisis was an internal issue for Myanmar, others did not think the resolution would be helpful, while some states complained it did not adequately address the plight of Rohingya Muslims some four years after a military crackdown forced nearly a million to flee Myanmar. European Union UN Ambassador Olof Skoog said the UN resolution sends a powerful message: "It delegitimises the military junta, condemns its abuse and violence against its own people and demonstrates its isolation in the eyes of the world." UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had earlier on Friday pushed the General Assembly to act, telling reporters: "We cannot live in a world where military coups become a norm. It is totally unacceptable." The military cited the government's refusal to address what it said was fraud in a November election as the reason for the coup. International observers have said the ballot was fair. An initial draft UN resolution included stronger language calling for an arms embargo on Myanmar. According to a proposal last month, nine Southeast Asian countries wanted that language removed. The compromise text 'calls on all member states to prevent the flow of arms into Myanmar'. General Assembly resolutions are not legally binding but carry political weight. Unlike the 15-member Security Council, no country has veto power in the General Assembly. The junta's forces have killed more than 860 people since the coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. The junta says the number is much lower. The UN resolution calls on the Myanmar military to 'immediately stop all violence against peaceful protesters' and end restrictions on the internet and social media. The General Assembly also called on Myanmar to swiftly implement a five-point consensus the junta forged with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in April to halt violence and start dialogue with its opponents. ASEAN has led the main diplomatic effort to find a way out of the crisis, but was split on Friday over the UN action. Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Vietnam and Myanmar's UN Ambassador Kyaw Moe Tun, who speaks for the country's elected civilian government, voted yes, while Brunei, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand abstained. Kyaw Moe Tun said he was disappointed it took so long for the General Assembly to adopt a 'watered down' resolution, adding: "It is critically important that no country should support the military." (With inputs from agencies)

United Nations calls for halt of weapons to Myanmar

Thousands of Hamas fighters held a military parade Friday in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, a week after a ceasefire with Israel took effect in the devastated coastal enclave.&nbsp;

Holding weapons, the masked members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed branch of Hamas, the Islamist group that runs Gaza, paraded through the southern city, AFP reporters said.&nbsp;

Riding pick-up trucks, the fighters showed off a military arsenal including rocket launchers and a drone as groups of people, including women and children, cheered them on.&nbsp;

An Egyptian-brokered ceasefire that went into force on last Friday has so far held, ending 11 days of devastating Israeli bombardment of Gaza and rocket fire into Israel from the coastal strip that started on May 10.&nbsp;

Israeli strikes on Gaza killed 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, and have wounded more than 1,900 people, the Gaza health ministry says.&nbsp;

Rockets and other fire from Gaza claimed 12 lives in Israel, including one child and an Arab-Israeli teenager, an Israeli soldier, one Indian, and two Thai nationals, medics say. Some 357 people in Israel were wounded.&nbsp;

There is controversy about how many of those killed in Gaza were combatants, and how many were civilians.&nbsp;

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's bombing campaign had killed 'more than 200 terrorists' in Gaza, which Hamas has controlled since 2007.&nbsp;

But both sides claimed victory after the ceasefire went into force.&nbsp;

Hamas has held several post-ceasefire rallies across the devastated Gaza Strip, including one on Thursday in Khan Yunis and also in the south of the Israeli-blockaded territory.&nbsp;

Thousands of Hamas fighters held a military parade Friday in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, a week after a ceasefire with Israel took effect in the devastated coastal enclave.

Thousands of Hamas fighters held a military parade Friday in Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip, a week after a ceasefire with Israel took effect in the devastated coastal enclave. Holding weapons, the masked members of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed branch of Hamas, the Islamist group that runs Gaza, paraded through the southern city, AFP reporters said. Riding pick-up trucks, the fighters showed off a military arsenal including rocket launchers and a drone as groups of people, including women and children, cheered them on. An Egyptian-brokered ceasefire that went into force on last Friday has so far held, ending 11 days of devastating Israeli bombardment of Gaza and rocket fire into Israel from the coastal strip that started on May 10. Israeli strikes on Gaza killed 248 Palestinians, including 66 children, and have wounded more than 1,900 people, the Gaza health ministry says. Rockets and other fire from Gaza claimed 12 lives in Israel, including one child and an Arab-Israeli teenager, an Israeli soldier, one Indian, and two Thai nationals, medics say. Some 357 people in Israel were wounded. There is controversy about how many of those killed in Gaza were combatants, and how many were civilians. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel's bombing campaign had killed 'more than 200 terrorists' in Gaza, which Hamas has controlled since 2007. But both sides claimed victory after the ceasefire went into force. Hamas has held several post-ceasefire rallies across the devastated Gaza Strip, including one on Thursday in Khan Yunis and also in the south of the Israeli-blockaded territory.

Hamas fighters display weapons in Gaza after truce with Israel 

Two days ago, the US seized a staggering cache of weapons in the Arabian Sea. The vessel allegedly came from Iran and was on its way to Yemen. Then, the US Navy had a direct face-off with Iranian vessels. Why are tensions high between the US and Iran? Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: Staggering cache of weapons seized in the Arabian Sea

The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet said on Saturday that the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) seized an illicit shipment of weapons from a stateless dhow in international water of the North Arabian Sea on May 6 and 7. &nbsp;

"The cache of weapons included dozens of advanced Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles, thousands of Chinese Type 56 assault rifles, and hundreds of PKM machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenades launchers. Other weapon components included advanced optical sights," the Bahrain-based Fleet said in a statement. &nbsp;

It added that the material is in US custody awaiting final disposition, while the original source and intended destination of the materiel is under investigation.&nbsp;

"After all illicit cargo was removed, the dhow was assessed for seaworthiness, and after questioning, its crew was provided food and water before being released," the statement said.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet said on Saturday that the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) seized an illicit shipment of weapons from a stateless dhow in international water of the North Arabian Sea on May 6 and 7.

The US Navy’s Fifth Fleet said on Saturday that the guided-missile cruiser USS Monterey (CG 61) seized an illicit shipment of weapons from a stateless dhow in international water of the North Arabian Sea on May 6 and 7. "The cache of weapons included dozens of advanced Russian-made anti-tank guided missiles, thousands of Chinese Type 56 assault rifles, and hundreds of PKM machine guns, sniper rifles and rocket-propelled grenades launchers. Other weapon components included advanced optical sights," the Bahrain-based Fleet said in a statement. It added that the material is in US custody awaiting final disposition, while the original source and intended destination of the materiel is under investigation. "After all illicit cargo was removed, the dhow was assessed for seaworthiness, and after questioning, its crew was provided food and water before being released," the statement said. (With inputs from agencies)

US 5th Fleet seizes weapons shipment from stateless dhow in Arabian Sea 

The United States has imposed a temporary freeze on two big arms deals with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates which were approved in the final weeks of the Trump administration, a State Department official said.

The nearly week-old administration has already signaled it plans to end support for the Saudi-led, UAE-backed offensive in Yemen, which is facing a humanitarian catastrophe. 
 
<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-president-joe-biden-warns-china-over-expansionism-in-asia-359774">Also read | US President Joe Biden warns China over expansionism in Asia</a> 
 
A State Department spokesperson said the administration is "temporarily pausing the implementation" of a number of defense sales "to allow incoming leadership an opportunity to review."

"This is a routine administrative action typical to most any transition, and demonstrates the administration's commitment to transparency and good governance," the spokesperson said. 
 
Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/biden-and-suga-vow-to-strengthen-us-japan-alliance-359772" hreflang="en">Biden and Suga vow to strengthen US-Japan alliance</a>

The move is also aimed at "ensuring US arms sales meet our strategic objectives of building stronger, interoperable and more capable security partners."

The most high-profile sale is a $23 billion package of top-of-the-line F-35 jets to the United Arab Emirates.

Former president Donald Trump's administration agreed to the sale -- the first of the stealth-capable planes to an Arab nation -- after the United Arab Emirates agreed to recognize Israel.

A potential halt to the sale could raise questions about whether the United Arab Emirates will continue its normalization with Israel, which Trump saw as a key foreign policy achievement.

Lawmakers of Biden's Democratic Party had voiced misgivings over the deal, fearing it would set off an arms race, but failed in the Senate to block the sale while Trump was in office.

The package to the United Arab Emirates also included unarmed drones, while the United States has been preparing major sales of munitions to Saudi Arabia.

Trump had explicitly backed arms sales on commercial grounds, saying that the Saudis were creating US jobs by buying from US manufacturers.

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during his confirmation hearing that the Saudi offensive against Yemen's Huthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, has contributed to the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen.

(With inputs from agencies)

The United States has imposed a temporary freeze on two big arms deals with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates which were approved in the final weeks of the Trump administration, a State Department official said.

The United States has imposed a temporary freeze on two big arms deals with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates which were approved in the final weeks of the Trump administration, a State Department official said. The nearly week-old administration has already signaled it plans to end support for the Saudi-led, UAE-backed offensive in Yemen, which is facing a humanitarian catastrophe. Also read | US President Joe Biden warns China over expansionism in Asia A State Department spokesperson said the administration is "temporarily pausing the implementation" of a number of defense sales "to allow incoming leadership an opportunity to review." "This is a routine administrative action typical to most any transition, and demonstrates the administration's commitment to transparency and good governance," the spokesperson said. Also read: Biden and Suga vow to strengthen US-Japan alliance The move is also aimed at "ensuring US arms sales meet our strategic objectives of building stronger, interoperable and more capable security partners." The most high-profile sale is a $23 billion package of top-of-the-line F-35 jets to the United Arab Emirates. Former president Donald Trump's administration agreed to the sale -- the first of the stealth-capable planes to an Arab nation -- after the United Arab Emirates agreed to recognize Israel. A potential halt to the sale could raise questions about whether the United Arab Emirates will continue its normalization with Israel, which Trump saw as a key foreign policy achievement. Lawmakers of Biden's Democratic Party had voiced misgivings over the deal, fearing it would set off an arms race, but failed in the Senate to block the sale while Trump was in office. The package to the United Arab Emirates also included unarmed drones, while the United States has been preparing major sales of munitions to Saudi Arabia. Trump had explicitly backed arms sales on commercial grounds, saying that the Saudis were creating US jobs by buying from US manufacturers. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said during his confirmation hearing that the Saudi offensive against Yemen's Huthi rebels, who are backed by Iran, has contributed to the dire humanitarian situation in Yemen. (With inputs from agencies)

US President Joe Biden freezes controversial arms deals with Saudi Arabia and UAE

China will impose sanctions on top US defence firms, including Boeing and Lockheed Martin, for supplying weapons to Taiwan.

Your Story: China to impose curbs on US entities over arms sales

30 countries have backed the plan to fully ban autonomous weapons, or as they’re more commonly called - “killer robots”, a report by Human Rights Watch has revealed.

The weapons in question will be capable of inflicting mass casualties without human intervention.

97 countries have acknowledged such weapons

The report was released by the watch group on Monday, and was based on a review of policies from 97 countries that have publicly acknowledged such weapons. This issue was first taken up at the Human Rights Council in 2013.

According to the report titled "Stopping Killer Robots: Country Positions on Banning Fully Autonomous Weapons and Retaining Human Control”, more and more countries are acknowledging the need to stop “killer robots”, formally categorised as lethal autonomous weapon system.

A coalition of 161 non-governmental organisations including the HRW has been pleading for a complete ban on such weapons since 2013.

Weapons&nbsp;systems that select and engage targets without meaningful human control are unacceptable and need to be prevented," HRW said.

<h6><img alt="People look a mock &quot;killer robot&quot; in central London on April 23, 2013 during the launching of the Campaign to Stop &quot;Killer Robots,&quot; which calls for the ban of lethal robot weapons that would be able to select and attack targets without any human intervention. The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots calls for a pre-emptive and comprehensive ban on the development, production, and use of fully autonomous weapons." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="c30a8ece-f70b-40f5-92f4-368e07dc7559" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design-8_6.jpg" /> 
People look a mock "killer robot" in central London on April 23, 2013 during the launching of the Campaign to Stop "Killer Robots," which calls for the ban of lethal robot weapons that would be able to select and attack targets without any human intervention. The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots calls for a pre-emptive and comprehensive ban on the development, production, and use of fully autonomous weapons. | AFP 
&nbsp;</h6>

"Grave threat to humanity"

"Removing human control from the use of force is now widely regarded as a grave threat to humanity that, like climate change, deserves urgent multilateral action," said Mary Wareham, the coordinator of the “Campaign to Stop Killer Robots”.

"An international ban treaty is the only effective way to deal with the serious challenges raised by fully autonomous weapons," Wareham added.

"All countries have a duty to protect humanity from this dangerous development by banning fully&nbsp;autonomous&nbsp;weapons. Retaining meaningful human control over the use of force is an ethical imperative, a legal necessity, and a moral obligation", the organisation added.

Many countries are calling for a ban on such weapons. These are: Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China (only on using them), Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Djibouti, Ecuador, El Salvador, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, the Holy See, Iraq, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, the State of Palestine, Uganda, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe.

Major military hubs like Russia and the United States have halted the progress towards banning such weapons. At the same time, both the countries have upped investment in artificial intelligence for military purposes besides developing autonomous weapons systems for land, water, and air.

Warhem shed light on the “existential threats to humanity”, including “killer robots”.

30 countries have backed the plan to fully ban autonomous weapons, or as they’re more commonly called - “killer robots”, a report by Human Rights Watch has revealed.

30 countries have backed the plan to fully ban autonomous weapons, or as they’re more commonly called - “killer robots”, a report by Human Rights Watch has revealed. The weapons in question will be capable of inflicting mass casualties without human intervention. 97 countries have acknowledged such weapons The report was released by the watch group on Monday, and was based on a review of policies from 97 countries that have publicly acknowledged such weapons. This issue was first taken up at the Human Rights Council in 2013. According to the report titled "Stopping Killer Robots: Country Positions on Banning Fully Autonomous Weapons and Retaining Human Control”, more and more countries are acknowledging the need to stop “killer robots”, formally categorised as lethal autonomous weapon system. A coalition of 161 non-governmental organisations including the HRW has been pleading for a complete ban on such weapons since 2013. Weapons systems that select and engage targets without meaningful human control are unacceptable and need to be prevented," HRW said. People look a mock "killer robot" in central London on April 23, 2013 during the launching of the Campaign to Stop "Killer Robots," which calls for the ban of lethal robot weapons that would be able to select and attack targets without any human intervention. The Campaign to Stop Killer Robots calls for a pre-emptive and comprehensive ban on the development, production, and use of fully autonomous weapons. | AFP "Grave threat to humanity" "Removing human control from the use of force is now widely regarded as a grave threat to humanity that, like climate change, deserves urgent multilateral action," said Mary Wareham, the coordinator of the “Campaign to Stop Killer Robots”. "An international ban treaty is the only effective way to deal with the serious challenges raised by fully autonomous weapons," Wareham added. "All countries have a duty to protect humanity from this dangerous development by banning fully autonomous weapons. Retaining meaningful human control over the use of force is an ethical imperative, a legal necessity, and a moral obligation", the organisation added. Many countries are calling for a ban on such weapons. These are: Algeria, Argentina, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China (only on using them), Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Djibouti, Ecuador, El Salvador, Egypt, Ghana, Guatemala, the Holy See, Iraq, Jordan, Mexico, Morocco, Namibia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Panama, Peru, the State of Palestine, Uganda, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. Major military hubs like Russia and the United States have halted the progress towards banning such weapons. At the same time, both the countries have upped investment in artificial intelligence for military purposes besides developing autonomous weapons systems for land, water, and air. Warhem shed light on the “existential threats to humanity”, including “killer robots”.

30 countries support explicit ban on 'killer robots': Report

Peruvian police seized over nine hundred weapons during a crime wave amid the coronavirus state of emergency, the government reported this week.

Peru: Hundreds of weapons seized by police during in Lima

As the world is turning against China, and the US President Donald Trump is leaving no stone unturned in blaming China for spreading the novel coronavirus in the world, China has decided to "enhance peace and stability" in the world.

One of the most powerful countries of the world has decided to&nbsp;join a global pact to regulate arms sales that has been rejected by the United States.

The Communist Party's top legislative body has voted to join UN Arms Trade Treaty. The treaty aims to regulate the flow of weapons in conflict zones.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-held-off-xinjiang-sanctions-due-to-us-china-trade-talks-307586">Also read:&nbsp;Trump held off Xinjiang sanctions due to US-China trade talks</a>

The decision has been taken after Donald Trump, last year, announced that he plans to pull US out of the agreement.

China, however, believes that this decision is "another important measure for China to support multilateralism," said&nbsp;Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.

China has claimed that the country only exports such products to sovereign states.&nbsp;

As China hopes to make "continuous effort to maintain and enhance peace and stability in the world and region", it has "always strictly controlled the export of military products".

The treaty requires member countries to keep records of international transfers of weapons and to prohibit cross-border shipments that could be used in human rights violations or attacks on civilians.

However, the US government has not been an active member of the treaty since the end of the Obama administration.

(With inputs from agencies)

As the world is turning against China, and the US President Donald Trump is leaving no stone unturned in blaming China for spreading the novel coronavirus in the world, China has decided to "enhance peace and stability" in the world.

As the world is turning against China, and the US President Donald Trump is leaving no stone unturned in blaming China for spreading the novel coronavirus in the world, China has decided to "enhance peace and stability" in the world. One of the most powerful countries of the world has decided to join a global pact to regulate arms sales that has been rejected by the United States. The Communist Party's top legislative body has voted to join UN Arms Trade Treaty. The treaty aims to regulate the flow of weapons in conflict zones. Also read: Trump held off Xinjiang sanctions due to US-China trade talks The decision has been taken after Donald Trump, last year, announced that he plans to pull US out of the agreement. China, however, believes that this decision is "another important measure for China to support multilateralism," said Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian. China has claimed that the country only exports such products to sovereign states. As China hopes to make "continuous effort to maintain and enhance peace and stability in the world and region", it has "always strictly controlled the export of military products". The treaty requires member countries to keep records of international transfers of weapons and to prohibit cross-border shipments that could be used in human rights violations or attacks on civilians. However, the US government has not been an active member of the treaty since the end of the Obama administration. (With inputs from agencies)

China joins pact to regulate weapons after Trump decides to quit

Leaving Russia behind, China has now become the world's second-largest weapons producer. Who is buying arms from the dragon? This report has the details.

Gravitas: China is now world's second largest weapons producer

Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesman Ahmed <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/tripoli-residents-denounce-trumps-call-to-libyan-commander-haftar-211945">Mismari</a> warned other carriers against transporting weapons using civilian planes, adding that "the army will down and strike any plane" that carries weapons.

"The civilian status of aircraft is revoked as soon as they are used for military purposes," Mismari told Reuters.

Mismari also said, in a video released on Sunday, that the LNA was extending an ultimatum it had given fighters in Misrata aligned with the internationally recognised Government of National Accord based in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/air-raids-in-libyan-capital-tripoli-kill-five-wound-ten-sources-265847">Tripoli</a>. They would now have until Wednesday at midnight to withdraw from the city instead of midnight on Sunday.

Withdrawing forces would not be targeted, he said.

The LNA, led by commander Khalifa Haftar, has been trying since April to take Tripoli from the GNA, which was set up in 2016 following a U.N.-brokered deal.

Eastern Libyan forces seized a Grenada-flagged ship with a <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/erdogan-says-turkey-will-increase-military-support-to-libya-if-necessary-269588">Turkish</a> crew on Saturday off the Libyan coast, a spokesman said, amid rising tensions with Turkey, which supports the rival GNA in Tripoli.

Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesman Ahmed Mismari warned other carriers against transporting weapons using civilian planes, adding that "the army will down and strike any plane" that carries weapons.

Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesman Ahmed Mismari warned other carriers against transporting weapons using civilian planes, adding that "the army will down and strike any plane" that carries weapons. "The civilian status of aircraft is revoked as soon as they are used for military purposes," Mismari told Reuters. Mismari also said, in a video released on Sunday, that the LNA was extending an ultimatum it had given fighters in Misrata aligned with the internationally recognised Government of National Accord based in Tripoli. They would now have until Wednesday at midnight to withdraw from the city instead of midnight on Sunday. Withdrawing forces would not be targeted, he said. The LNA, led by commander Khalifa Haftar, has been trying since April to take Tripoli from the GNA, which was set up in 2016 following a U.N.-brokered deal. Eastern Libyan forces seized a Grenada-flagged ship with a Turkish crew on Saturday off the Libyan coast, a spokesman said, amid rising tensions with Turkey, which supports the rival GNA in Tripoli.

Libyan force warns against transporting military equipment in civilian planes

The Parliament today passed the Arms (Amendment) Bill 2019, which seeks to increase the punishment for illegally procuring, making, and selling prohibited arms and ammunition in the country.

The Rajya Sabha passed the bill one day after it was cleared in the Lok Sabha.

According to the bill, a prison sentence of seven years extending to life imprisonment will now be possible. The sentence will be given for possession of illegal weapons while perpetrators may face life imprisonment for snatching the weapons of police personnel.

The bill serves as an amendment to the Arms Act of 1959 ''to effectively curb crimes committed using illegal firearms''.

Proceedings in the Lok Sabha have been adjourned till 11 am Wednesday.

(With inputs from ANI)

The Parliament today passed the Arms (Amendment) Bill 2019, which seeks to increase the punishment for illegally procuring, making, and selling prohibited arms and ammunition in the country.

The Parliament today passed the Arms (Amendment) Bill 2019, which seeks to increase the punishment for illegally procuring, making, and selling prohibited arms and ammunition in the country. The Rajya Sabha passed the bill one day after it was cleared in the Lok Sabha. According to the bill, a prison sentence of seven years extending to life imprisonment will now be possible. The sentence will be given for possession of illegal weapons while perpetrators may face life imprisonment for snatching the weapons of police personnel. The bill serves as an amendment to the Arms Act of 1959 ''to effectively curb crimes committed using illegal firearms''. Proceedings in the Lok Sabha have been adjourned till 11 am Wednesday. (With inputs from ANI)

Parliament passes Arms (Amendment) Bill, 2019

Do arms sales cause conflicts? Or do conflicts trigger arms sales? This is a Chicken-Egg problem that deserves attention because increasingly, arms sales form the fulcrum of foreign policies of countries.&nbsp;

On WION Edit, we will explore this. Look at some of the major conflicts in the world - Syria, Yemen and Iraq.

In all these conflicts, either one or both the parties use American weapons. Yes, weapons do not start a fire. But access to weapons stokes fires.

And weapons make conflicts that are much more intense and probable. In fact, arms sales have been a defining thread in the foreign policy of most countries.&nbsp;

The US clearly has the policy to sell weapons to any country that wants them and can afford them. Money is the only criterion. case in point Saudi Arabia - the home of 15 of the 19 attackers of 9/11.

As recently as last week, a Saudi national was involved in an attack at a US naval base. Saudi Arabia's record on terrorism has been patchy, to say the least.

But none of this has affected US weapons sales to Saudi Arabia in May this year, the Trump administration pushed an 8 billion dollar arms deal without congressional approval.

And this, even when America's own department of defence is investigating how American weapons sold to Riyadh end up in the hands of al Qaeda-linked terrorists and hardline militias.

Look at other allies of America - most of them buy weapons from the US. And then pursue policies which are aggressive and sometimes hostile. 
. 
Examples, UAE, Egypt, Israel, Taiwan, Australia, South Korea and Japan.

The US has provided weapons worth 124 billion dollars to all these countries between 2002 and 2016.

In the last five years, West Asian countries accounted for 52 per cent of American arms exports. Is it any surprise that this region is roiled in conflict.

And it's not just the US which uses foreign policy to sell weapons. countries like the UK and France do the same.

Look at the situation in Yemen. The UK is an active participant in the Yemen crisis. It provides weapons to Saudi Arabia.

Earlier this year, a UK court said that British arms sales to Saudi Arabia are unlawful. The court accused ministers of ignoring whether airstrikes killed civilians and broke the humanitarian law.

This is the template. The murder of Jamal Khashoggi brought this issue to the fore. Soon after Khashoggi's murder, Saudi Arabia conducted the 'Davos in the Desert' conference in October 2018.

All the major defence- firms and fund managers gave it a skip. It was as if the global arms industry had sprouted a conscience. But a year later, they were all back at the event, pitching weapons for sale to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

For firms like Lockheed Martin and Boeing, it's cut-throat business - plain and simple. Conflicts help these firms thrive.

Here, we have to discuss India. Over the last few years, New Delhi's ties with most nations have improved. India-Israel ties, India-France ties, India-US ties and India-Russia ties.

What's the common thread?

India has purchased or in the process of purchasing crucial strategic arms from each of these countries.

The conflicts in India's neighbourhood are good news for the defence firms in these countries. The same applies to Erdogan's interference in the Kashmir issue, Pakistan is alienated and Turkey has arms to sell.

Add 2 plus 2 and you can understand Turkey's support to Pakistan.

Across the world, defence majors - both countries and firms - have a lot at stake.

If you view geopolitical events across the world, you will understand that conflicts are fuelled to sustain the weapons industry. And then the loop continues.

The only victim -in this kind of 'arms diplomacy' is peace. Diplomacy is bait for protecting weapons markets. This is not healthy, but unfortunately, this is the norm.

(Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

Do arms sales cause conflicts? Or do conflicts trigger arms sales? This is a Chicken-Egg problem that deserves attention because increasingly, arms sales form the fulcrum of foreign policies of countries.

Do arms sales cause conflicts? Or do conflicts trigger arms sales? This is a Chicken-Egg problem that deserves attention because increasingly, arms sales form the fulcrum of foreign policies of countries. On WION Edit, we will explore this. Look at some of the major conflicts in the world - Syria, Yemen and Iraq. In all these conflicts, either one or both the parties use American weapons. Yes, weapons do not start a fire. But access to weapons stokes fires. And weapons make conflicts that are much more intense and probable. In fact, arms sales have been a defining thread in the foreign policy of most countries. The US clearly has the policy to sell weapons to any country that wants them and can afford them. Money is the only criterion. case in point Saudi Arabia - the home of 15 of the 19 attackers of 9/11. As recently as last week, a Saudi national was involved in an attack at a US naval base. Saudi Arabia's record on terrorism has been patchy, to say the least. But none of this has affected US weapons sales to Saudi Arabia in May this year, the Trump administration pushed an 8 billion dollar arms deal without congressional approval. And this, even when America's own department of defence is investigating how American weapons sold to Riyadh end up in the hands of al Qaeda-linked terrorists and hardline militias. Look at other allies of America - most of them buy weapons from the US. And then pursue policies which are aggressive and sometimes hostile. . Examples, UAE, Egypt, Israel, Taiwan, Australia, South Korea and Japan. The US has provided weapons worth 124 billion dollars to all these countries between 2002 and 2016. In the last five years, West Asian countries accounted for 52 per cent of American arms exports. Is it any surprise that this region is roiled in conflict. And it's not just the US which uses foreign policy to sell weapons. countries like the UK and France do the same. Look at the situation in Yemen. The UK is an active participant in the Yemen crisis. It provides weapons to Saudi Arabia. Earlier this year, a UK court said that British arms sales to Saudi Arabia are unlawful. The court accused ministers of ignoring whether airstrikes killed civilians and broke the humanitarian law. This is the template. The murder of Jamal Khashoggi brought this issue to the fore. Soon after Khashoggi's murder, Saudi Arabia conducted the 'Davos in the Desert' conference in October 2018. All the major defence- firms and fund managers gave it a skip. It was as if the global arms industry had sprouted a conscience. But a year later, they were all back at the event, pitching weapons for sale to the kingdom of Saudi Arabia. For firms like Lockheed Martin and Boeing, it's cut-throat business - plain and simple. Conflicts help these firms thrive. Here, we have to discuss India. Over the last few years, New Delhi's ties with most nations have improved. India-Israel ties, India-France ties, India-US ties and India-Russia ties. What's the common thread? India has purchased or in the process of purchasing crucial strategic arms from each of these countries. The conflicts in India's neighbourhood are good news for the defence firms in these countries. The same applies to Erdogan's interference in the Kashmir issue, Pakistan is alienated and Turkey has arms to sell. Add 2 plus 2 and you can understand Turkey's support to Pakistan. Across the world, defence majors - both countries and firms - have a lot at stake. If you view geopolitical events across the world, you will understand that conflicts are fuelled to sustain the weapons industry. And then the loop continues. The only victim -in this kind of 'arms diplomacy' is peace. Diplomacy is bait for protecting weapons markets. This is not healthy, but unfortunately, this is the norm. (Disclaimer: WION Edit is the channel's take on the big events of the world)

WION Edit: Weapons sales conundrum

Arms&nbsp;sales rose by nearly five per cent worldwide in 2018 in a market dominated by the United States, according to a new report published Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

The turnover of the 100 biggest&nbsp;arms&nbsp;manufacturers came to $420 billion, thanks in large part to the US market, said the report.

US manufacturers alone accounted for 59 per cent of the market, or a turnover of $246 billion, up 7.2 per cent on the previous year.

"This is a significant increase over one year considering the already high levels of US combined&nbsp;arms&nbsp;sales," Aude Fleurant, the director of SIPRI's&nbsp;arms&nbsp;transfers and military expenditure programme, told AFP.

US firms were benefitting from the Trump administration's decision to modernise its armed services to reinforce its position against China and Russia.

Russia was second in the rankings for&nbsp;arms&nbsp;production, with 8.6 per cent of the market, just ahead of the United Kingdom on 8.4 per cent and France on 5.5 percent.

The study did not include China, for which there was insufficient data, but SIPRI's research estimated that there were between three and seven Chinese businesses in the top 100&nbsp;arms&nbsp;manufacturers.

Two major European companies, Airbus and MBDA were also responding to "demand due to ongoing armed conflicts and severe tensions in several regions", Fleurant added.

China has spent 1.9 per cent of its gross domestic product on defence every year since 2013.

The top-ranked Russian firm, Almaz-Antei, jumped to ninth on the list with turnover of $9.6 billion,&nbsp;18 per cent up on the previous year.

"This increase was based not only on strong domestic demand, but also on continuing growth in&nbsp;arms&nbsp;sales to other countries, in particular exports of the S-400 air defence system," said the report.

One of the buyers of this system is NATO member Turkey, which took the deal despite a US threat of sanctions.

Turkey's&nbsp;arms&nbsp;industry had two businesses in the top 100 and turnover of $2.8 billion, up 22 per cent on the previous year.

Turkey was "driven by the goal of being self-sufficient in&nbsp;arms&nbsp;supply and therefore develop&nbsp;arms&nbsp;production capabilities in all segments (land systems, air systems, naval systems, missiles, etc.)," said Fleurant.

"Turkey is also involved with an enduring armed conflict with the Kurds, which also tends to increase demand for&nbsp;arms," she added.

The world's largest&nbsp;arms&nbsp;maker remains the US firm Lockheed Martin, as it has been since 2009, this last year with turnover of $47.3 billion.&nbsp;

Its sales alone account for 11 per cent of the world market.

Arms sales rose by nearly five per cent worldwide in 2018 in a market dominated by the United States, according to a new report published Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

Arms sales rose by nearly five per cent worldwide in 2018 in a market dominated by the United States, according to a new report published Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The turnover of the 100 biggest arms manufacturers came to $420 billion, thanks in large part to the US market, said the report. US manufacturers alone accounted for 59 per cent of the market, or a turnover of $246 billion, up 7.2 per cent on the previous year. "This is a significant increase over one year considering the already high levels of US combined arms sales," Aude Fleurant, the director of SIPRI's arms transfers and military expenditure programme, told AFP. US firms were benefitting from the Trump administration's decision to modernise its armed services to reinforce its position against China and Russia. Russia was second in the rankings for arms production, with 8.6 per cent of the market, just ahead of the United Kingdom on 8.4 per cent and France on 5.5 percent. The study did not include China, for which there was insufficient data, but SIPRI's research estimated that there were between three and seven Chinese businesses in the top 100 arms manufacturers. Two major European companies, Airbus and MBDA were also responding to "demand due to ongoing armed conflicts and severe tensions in several regions", Fleurant added. China has spent 1.9 per cent of its gross domestic product on defence every year since 2013. The top-ranked Russian firm, Almaz-Antei, jumped to ninth on the list with turnover of $9.6 billion, 18 per cent up on the previous year. "This increase was based not only on strong domestic demand, but also on continuing growth in arms sales to other countries, in particular exports of the S-400 air defence system," said the report. One of the buyers of this system is NATO member Turkey, which took the deal despite a US threat of sanctions. Turkey's arms industry had two businesses in the top 100 and turnover of $2.8 billion, up 22 per cent on the previous year. Turkey was "driven by the goal of being self-sufficient in arms supply and therefore develop arms production capabilities in all segments (land systems, air systems, naval systems, missiles, etc.)," said Fleurant. "Turkey is also involved with an enduring armed conflict with the Kurds, which also tends to increase demand for arms," she added. The world's largest arms maker remains the US firm Lockheed Martin, as it has been since 2009, this last year with turnover of $47.3 billion. Its sales alone account for 11 per cent of the world market.

In a United States dominated market, arms sales worldwide up by nearly 5%: Report

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/thousands-rally-in-hong-kong-as-government-appeals-for-calm-266921">The Hong Kong police</a> on Sunday morning said that a semi-automatic pistol, 105 bullets and other prohibited weapons were seized.

Senior Superintendent Li Kwai-wah of the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau said it is the first time that a handgun has been seized related to Hong Kong's demonstrations in recent months, and warned organizers and participants of Sunday's demonstration to watch out for personal and public safety.

The police received information suggesting that some members of a radical group, who had participated in an unlawful assembly on October 20 and attacked the Mong Kok police station with a large number of petrol bombs, were planning to use weapons including guns to create chaos and attack the police during Sunday's demonstration, Li said at a media briefing on Sunday.

The police, therefore, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-gears-up-for-mass-rally-as-government-appeals-for-calm-266882">mounted an operation</a> on early Sunday morning at 11 locations in various districts of Hong Kong.

Watch: Hong Kong police chief urges for peaceful rally

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hong-kong-police-chief-urges-for-peaceful-rally-266689/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In the Fortress Hill area on the Hong Kong Island, the police seized a 9 mm semi-automatic Glock pistol, which forensic firearm examination shows it is in good condition, and five magazines, three of which were already loaded with bullets.

At that location, the police also seized three daggers and some sabres.

In the Heard Street in Wan Chai, where a suspected assembly point of the radicals is located, the police seized two bulletproof vests.

In Tsuen Wan, the New Territories, the police launched a search operation and found a large number of fireworks believed to be used for attacking police stations. They also seized nine extendable batons and four pepper sprays.

The police arrested eight men and three women aged between 20 and 63 in the operation for offences including the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/hong-kong-police-say-pistol-among-weapons-seized-ahead-of-protest-266910">possession of a firearm</a> without a license, dangerous goods, prohibited weapons and unlawful assembly.

Li said the police are investigating where the weapons come from and may make more arrests as the operation is still ongoing.

The Hong Kong police on Sunday morning said that a semi-automatic pistol, 105 bullets and other prohibited weapons were seized. Senior Superintendent Li Kwai-wah of the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau said it is the first time that a handgun has been seized related to Hong Kong's demonstrations in recent months, and warned organizers and participants of Sunday's demonstration to watch out for personal and public safety.

The Hong Kong police on Sunday morning said that a semi-automatic pistol, 105 bullets and other prohibited weapons were seized. Senior Superintendent Li Kwai-wah of the Organised Crime and Triad Bureau said it is the first time that a handgun has been seized related to Hong Kong's demonstrations in recent months, and warned organizers and participants of Sunday's demonstration to watch out for personal and public safety. The police received information suggesting that some members of a radical group, who had participated in an unlawful assembly on October 20 and attacked the Mong Kok police station with a large number of petrol bombs, were planning to use weapons including guns to create chaos and attack the police during Sunday's demonstration, Li said at a media briefing on Sunday. The police, therefore, mounted an operation on early Sunday morning at 11 locations in various districts of Hong Kong. Watch: Hong Kong police chief urges for peaceful rally In the Fortress Hill area on the Hong Kong Island, the police seized a 9 mm semi-automatic Glock pistol, which forensic firearm examination shows it is in good condition, and five magazines, three of which were already loaded with bullets. At that location, the police also seized three daggers and some sabres. In the Heard Street in Wan Chai, where a suspected assembly point of the radicals is located, the police seized two bulletproof vests. In Tsuen Wan, the New Territories, the police launched a search operation and found a large number of fireworks believed to be used for attacking police stations. They also seized nine extendable batons and four pepper sprays. The police arrested eight men and three women aged between 20 and 63 in the operation for offences including the possession of a firearm without a license, dangerous goods, prohibited weapons and unlawful assembly. Li said the police are investigating where the weapons come from and may make more arrests as the operation is still ongoing.

Hong Kong unrest: Police arrest 11, seize semi-automatic pistol in raids

The upgrade work&nbsp;of MiG-29 fleet is in its final stages, with modern customisations&nbsp;capable of prolonging their life by&nbsp;40 years.

A source told WION, “IAF and HAL have completely mastered the technology of upgrading MiG-29 fighter jets into MiG-29 UPG."

The source further added, "The project, which incorporates delivery of modernisation kits from Russia, technology transfer and personnel training is divided into two stages: first,&nbsp;the overhaul of the plane, then, the upgrade process itself envisaging the modernisation of the airframe, instalment of new systems and adding new capabilities."

Currently, all planes are being&nbsp;modified only in India. The capabilities of the upgraded MiG-29s which included improving&nbsp;electronic equipment have been significantly augmented and new weapons can be fitted in.

"MiG-29UPG has gained not only increased efficiency but also has much more leverage in hitting the ground and naval targets (both static and moving) with high-precision weapons in any meteorological conditions both day and night'', the source added.

This has made it possible for the local refurbishment of aircraft, leaving the choice of using either Indian origin or international aerial weapons to Indian Air Force.&nbsp;Other than this, the fuel payload has been increased&nbsp;and the operating range has been improved.

The upgrade work of MiG-29 fleet is in its final stages, with modern customisations capable of prolonging their life by 40 years. A source told WION, “IAF and HAL have completely mastered the technology of upgrading MiG-29 fighter jets into MiG-29 UPG.

The upgrade work of MiG-29 fleet is in its final stages, with modern customisations capable of prolonging their life by 40 years. A source told WION, “IAF and HAL have completely mastered the technology of upgrading MiG-29 fighter jets into MiG-29 UPG." The source further added, "The project, which incorporates delivery of modernisation kits from Russia, technology transfer and personnel training is divided into two stages: first, the overhaul of the plane, then, the upgrade process itself envisaging the modernisation of the airframe, instalment of new systems and adding new capabilities." Currently, all planes are being modified only in India. The capabilities of the upgraded MiG-29s which included improving electronic equipment have been significantly augmented and new weapons can be fitted in. "MiG-29UPG has gained not only increased efficiency but also has much more leverage in hitting the ground and naval targets (both static and moving) with high-precision weapons in any meteorological conditions both day and night'', the source added. This has made it possible for the local refurbishment of aircraft, leaving the choice of using either Indian origin or international aerial weapons to Indian Air Force. Other than this, the fuel payload has been increased and the operating range has been improved.

MiG-29 upgrade allows weapon customisation, improves operating range

In line with the central government's push to make India a major defence manufacturing hub, a firm based in Karnataka's Bengaluru&nbsp;has developed the country's first indigenous sniper rifle prototypes that are meant for use by the Indian armed forces. 
 
SSS Defence, which has developed two sniper rifles, is hoping to lead the way for India to become an arms manufacturing and exporting hub. 
 
"We started designing and developing these rifles after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/make-in-india-bullet-resistant-jackets-are-safer-lighter-cheaper-paswan-253870">'Make in India'</a> came in the defence sector. We became one of the few manufacturers allowed to develop arms in the country. These two weapons are entirely made indigenously," SSS Defence Managing Director (MD) Satish R Machani told ANI on Sunday. 
 
The 61-year-old company earlier used to manufacture components (mainly springs) for the automotive industry. 
 
"We have also been supplying components for the defence sector. Our idea is to have a complete system of arms for our forces and we eventually hope to become an arms exporter. Obviously, we have to put in a lot more work to make our weapons global level but we have an excellent Research and Development centre," Machani said. 
 
The company is also constructing an 80,000 sq ft arms factory in Jigani for its manufacturing unit. 
 
Explaining the working of the weapons, CEO Vivek Krishnan said: "We have developed high-end sniper rifles [with] calibre 7.62x51 mm and .338 Lapua Magnum platforms. Each rifle uses a barreled action that is inspected, gauged, hand-worked and accurized. The barrel length options range from 20 inches to 24 inches, based on the mission criteria and use environments."

In line with the central government's push to make India a major defence manufacturing hub, a firm based in Karnataka's Bengaluru has developed the country's first indigenous sniper rifle prototypes that are meant for use by the Indian armed forces.

In line with the central government's push to make India a major defence manufacturing hub, a firm based in Karnataka's Bengaluru has developed the country's first indigenous sniper rifle prototypes that are meant for use by the Indian armed forces. SSS Defence, which has developed two sniper rifles, is hoping to lead the way for India to become an arms manufacturing and exporting hub. "We started designing and developing these rifles after 'Make in India' came in the defence sector. We became one of the few manufacturers allowed to develop arms in the country. These two weapons are entirely made indigenously," SSS Defence Managing Director (MD) Satish R Machani told ANI on Sunday. The 61-year-old company earlier used to manufacture components (mainly springs) for the automotive industry. "We have also been supplying components for the defence sector. Our idea is to have a complete system of arms for our forces and we eventually hope to become an arms exporter. Obviously, we have to put in a lot more work to make our weapons global level but we have an excellent Research and Development centre," Machani said. The company is also constructing an 80,000 sq ft arms factory in Jigani for its manufacturing unit. Explaining the working of the weapons, CEO Vivek Krishnan said: "We have developed high-end sniper rifles [with] calibre 7.62x51 mm and .338 Lapua Magnum platforms. Each rifle uses a barreled action that is inspected, gauged, hand-worked and accurized. The barrel length options range from 20 inches to 24 inches, based on the mission criteria and use environments."

Two sniper rifles developed by Bengaluru-based firm

At a time when the Indian Air Force (IAF) is batting for indigenisation, the Force is planning to acquire the new 21 MiG-29 fighters from Russia and equip them with indigenous weapon systems such as the Astra air. 
 
"The proposal for the acquisition of 21 MiG-29s would be placed before the Defence Acquisition Council soon. The IAF wants the MiG-29s to be of the upgraded MiG-29s that are already in service," defence sources told ANI. 
 
"The IAF also wants that the aircraft should be equipped with the Indian weapon systems including the Astra missiles," they said. 
 
The sources said there are other indigenous equipment and weapons which would be integrated with the aircraft once the deal comes through. 
 
The MiG-29s now have a new airframe and had been lying unused in Russia. 
 
The push for promoting indigenous weapons has come at a time when IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria has made it clear that the force will fully back indigenisation efforts such as the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and the fifth Generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme. 
 
The IAF had carried out a study to check if the airframes of the MiG-29s on offer were good enough for it to operate for a long time. 
 
MiG-29s are flown by the IAF and the pilots are familiar with it but the ones offered by the Russians are different from the ones in the Indian inventory. 
 
The Indian Navy also operates the MiG-29 'K' and is the only operator of this version of the plane. It is having a rough experience with the planes which are difficult to maintain and their settings change immediately after they land on the aircraft carrier. 
 
The IAF has three squadrons of the MiG-29s which have been undergoing upgrades for extended life and are considered to be very good planes in the air defence roles.

At a time when the Indian Air Force (IAF) is batting for indigenisation, the Force is planning to acquire the new 21 MiG-29 fighters from Russia and equip them with indigenous weapon systems such as the Astra air.

At a time when the Indian Air Force (IAF) is batting for indigenisation, the Force is planning to acquire the new 21 MiG-29 fighters from Russia and equip them with indigenous weapon systems such as the Astra air. "The proposal for the acquisition of 21 MiG-29s would be placed before the Defence Acquisition Council soon. The IAF wants the MiG-29s to be of the upgraded MiG-29s that are already in service," defence sources told ANI. "The IAF also wants that the aircraft should be equipped with the Indian weapon systems including the Astra missiles," they said. The sources said there are other indigenous equipment and weapons which would be integrated with the aircraft once the deal comes through. The MiG-29s now have a new airframe and had been lying unused in Russia. The push for promoting indigenous weapons has come at a time when IAF Chief RKS Bhadauria has made it clear that the force will fully back indigenisation efforts such as the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas and the fifth Generation Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft programme. The IAF had carried out a study to check if the airframes of the MiG-29s on offer were good enough for it to operate for a long time. MiG-29s are flown by the IAF and the pilots are familiar with it but the ones offered by the Russians are different from the ones in the Indian inventory. The Indian Navy also operates the MiG-29 'K' and is the only operator of this version of the plane. It is having a rough experience with the planes which are difficult to maintain and their settings change immediately after they land on the aircraft carrier. The IAF has three squadrons of the MiG-29s which have been undergoing upgrades for extended life and are considered to be very good planes in the air defence roles.

IAF wants new MiG-29s to be equipped with indigenous weapons

The<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/united-states-announces-humanitarian-aid-to-afghanistan-worth-125-million-244429"> United States</a> on Tuesday will urge the United Nations Security Council to extend an arms embargo and travel ban on Iran before the measures expire in October, US Special Representative for<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/iran-says-any-external-military-presence-in-gulf-source-of-insecurity-241885"> Iran </a>Brian Hook said during a press briefing on Tuesday. 
 
"We are not far away from the arms embargo expiring and the travel ban lifting ... we believe that the UN Security Council has an important role to play to ensure that the arms embargo and the travel ban are continued, so that will be a discussion today at the UN Security Council," Hook said. 
 
UN Resolution 2231, which the Security Council adopted in July 2015 after signing the international nuclear deal with Iran, set a deadline for the sanctions to end by October 18, 2020.

The United States on Tuesday will urge the United Nations Security Council to extend an arms embargo and travel ban on Iran before the measures expire in October, US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said during a press briefing on Tuesday.

The United States on Tuesday will urge the United Nations Security Council to extend an arms embargo and travel ban on Iran before the measures expire in October, US Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook said during a press briefing on Tuesday. "We are not far away from the arms embargo expiring and the travel ban lifting ... we believe that the UN Security Council has an important role to play to ensure that the arms embargo and the travel ban are continued, so that will be a discussion today at the UN Security Council," Hook said. UN Resolution 2231, which the Security Council adopted in July 2015 after signing the international nuclear deal with Iran, set a deadline for the sanctions to end by October 18, 2020.

US to Discuss Extending Iran Arms Embargo, Travel Ban At UNSC Meeting: Special Envoy

WION Edit: Is the World staring at a Nuclear arms race?

US Republican members of Congress pushed back on Wednesday against President Donald Trump`s plan to sell $8 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, saying it was "unfortunate" the administration used an emergency declaration to avoid Congressional review.

Members of Congress had been blocking sales of military equipment to Saudi Arabia and the UAE for months, angry about the deaths of civilians in their air campaign in Yemen, as well as human rights abuses such as the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey last year.&nbsp;

The Trump administration is pressing Riyadh to show "tangible progress" toward holding to account those behind Khashoggi`s killing, a senior administration official said on Tuesday.

The ranking Republican on the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committee, Michael McCaul, said at a hearing on Wednesday that he supports "the efforts of Saudi Arabia to defend themselves against Iran," but "the recent use of this emergency authority, in my judgment, was unfortunate."

Another Republican, Representative Ann Wagner, asked for a better understanding of the administration`s move to sidestep congressional oversight given Saudi Arabia`s human rights abuses.&nbsp;

Citing an Iran-related emergency, the Trump administration told congressional committees on May 24 that it would go ahead with 22 military deals worth $8.1 billion to Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan, circumventing a long-standing precedent for lawmakers to review major weapons sales.&nbsp;

Strains between Washington and Tehran have increased in recent weeks, a year after Trump, a Republican, abandoned a 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers to curb Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief.

Trump’s administration announced that it was sending 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East, which it described as an effort to bolster defences against what it sees as a threat of potential attack by Iran.

Iran has warned against any military aggression.&nbsp;

"Iran will never initiate a war but will give a crushing response to any aggression," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday.

In a memorandum justifying the emergency declaration, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "Iranian malign activity poses a fundamental threat to the stability of the Middle East and to American security at home and abroad."

Democrats on the committee called the emergency declaration phony.

Defending the administration`s position at Wednesday`s hearing, assistant secretary of state for Political-military affairs Clarke Cooper said: "This is an emergency, this is a one time event."

However, Cooper later said a "one time event is conditions based," and that this was the fifth time in history that such an emergency was used to push through the sale of weapons.&nbsp;

Cooper said that some of the weapons have already been sent to the customer since the emergency declaration and before Wednesday`s hearing. "Anything that`s what`s called `off then shelf` then it`s already moving" to customers, Cooper said.

But Cooper said "there was nothing new in these 22 sales," indicating that the packages had been previously notified to Congress, but did not progress through the established channels for weapons sales notifications.

US Senators have drafted 22 "resolutions of disapproval." The resolutions are intended to "protect and reaffirm Congress` role of approving arms sales to foreign governments."&nbsp;

Companies that would benefit include Raytheon Co precision-guided munitions (PGMs), support for Boeing Co F-15 aircraft, and Javelin anti-tank missiles, which are made by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin Corp. 
&nbsp;

US Republican members of Congress pushed back on Wednesday against President Donald Trump`s plan to sell $8 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, saying it was "unfortunate" the administration used an emergency declaration to avoid Congressional review.

US Republican members of Congress pushed back on Wednesday against President Donald Trump`s plan to sell $8 billion in weapons to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, saying it was "unfortunate" the administration used an emergency declaration to avoid Congressional review. Members of Congress had been blocking sales of military equipment to Saudi Arabia and the UAE for months, angry about the deaths of civilians in their air campaign in Yemen, as well as human rights abuses such as the murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi at a Saudi consulate in Turkey last year. The Trump administration is pressing Riyadh to show "tangible progress" toward holding to account those behind Khashoggi`s killing, a senior administration official said on Tuesday. The ranking Republican on the US House of Representatives Foreign Affairs committee, Michael McCaul, said at a hearing on Wednesday that he supports "the efforts of Saudi Arabia to defend themselves against Iran," but "the recent use of this emergency authority, in my judgment, was unfortunate." Another Republican, Representative Ann Wagner, asked for a better understanding of the administration`s move to sidestep congressional oversight given Saudi Arabia`s human rights abuses. Citing an Iran-related emergency, the Trump administration told congressional committees on May 24 that it would go ahead with 22 military deals worth $8.1 billion to Saudi Arabia, UAE and Jordan, circumventing a long-standing precedent for lawmakers to review major weapons sales. Strains between Washington and Tehran have increased in recent weeks, a year after Trump, a Republican, abandoned a 2015 nuclear accord between Iran and world powers to curb Tehran’s nuclear program in exchange for sanctions relief. Trump’s administration announced that it was sending 1,500 additional troops to the Middle East, which it described as an effort to bolster defences against what it sees as a threat of potential attack by Iran. Iran has warned against any military aggression. "Iran will never initiate a war but will give a crushing response to any aggression," Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Wednesday. In a memorandum justifying the emergency declaration, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, "Iranian malign activity poses a fundamental threat to the stability of the Middle East and to American security at home and abroad." Democrats on the committee called the emergency declaration phony. Defending the administration`s position at Wednesday`s hearing, assistant secretary of state for Political-military affairs Clarke Cooper said: "This is an emergency, this is a one time event." However, Cooper later said a "one time event is conditions based," and that this was the fifth time in history that such an emergency was used to push through the sale of weapons. Cooper said that some of the weapons have already been sent to the customer since the emergency declaration and before Wednesday`s hearing. "Anything that`s what`s called `off then shelf` then it`s already moving" to customers, Cooper said. But Cooper said "there was nothing new in these 22 sales," indicating that the packages had been previously notified to Congress, but did not progress through the established channels for weapons sales notifications. US Senators have drafted 22 "resolutions of disapproval." The resolutions are intended to "protect and reaffirm Congress` role of approving arms sales to foreign governments." Companies that would benefit include Raytheon Co precision-guided munitions (PGMs), support for Boeing Co F-15 aircraft, and Javelin anti-tank missiles, which are made by Raytheon and Lockheed Martin Corp.

Republicans in US Congress push back on Trump weapons packages to Saudi Arabia, UAE

A territorial army man was shot dead by terrorists when he was at home to celebrate Eid with his family in Kashmir.&nbsp;

Terrorists opened fire on Manzoor Ahmad Beg at Sadoora village of south Kashmir's Anantnag district.&nbsp;

Manzoor was rushed to a local hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival.&nbsp;

Sources told WION that Manzoor was posted with army's 34 RR in Shopian district and was at home on leave.&nbsp;

''He was fired upon by the terrorists and sustained critical gunshot injuries in the incident..... he was subsequently evacuated to hospital for treatment were he succumbed. Police is investigating the circumstances of this terror crime,'' police said in a statement.

Security forces have launched an operation in the area to nab the terrorists.

Meanwhile, two cops have gone missing from District Police Lines in south Kashmir’s Pulwama along with their weapons.&nbsp;

Sources have identified them as Special Police Officers (SPO), Shabir Ahmad of Tujan Pulwama and Salman Ahmad Uthmula Shopian.&nbsp;

''Two SPOs have not reported back to Lines Pulwama. The matter is being investigated,'' police said.&nbsp;

An encounter is also underway in between terrorists and security forces in Panjran area of Lassipora of South Kashmir's Pulwama district.

Sources said that one terrorist was killed in the encounter and gunfire was ongoing. Earlier, a joint team army's 44RR, Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF launched cordon and search operation in the area.

A territorial army man was shot dead by terrorists when he was at home to celebrate Eid with his family in Kashmir. Terrorists opened fire on Manzoor Ahmad Beg at Sadoora village of south Kashmir's Anantnag district.

A territorial army man was shot dead by terrorists when he was at home to celebrate Eid with his family in Kashmir. Terrorists opened fire on Manzoor Ahmad Beg at Sadoora village of south Kashmir's Anantnag district. Manzoor was rushed to a local hospital where doctors declared him dead on arrival. Sources told WION that Manzoor was posted with army's 34 RR in Shopian district and was at home on leave. ''He was fired upon by the terrorists and sustained critical gunshot injuries in the incident..... he was subsequently evacuated to hospital for treatment were he succumbed. Police is investigating the circumstances of this terror crime,'' police said in a statement. Security forces have launched an operation in the area to nab the terrorists. Meanwhile, two cops have gone missing from District Police Lines in south Kashmir’s Pulwama along with their weapons. Sources have identified them as Special Police Officers (SPO), Shabir Ahmad of Tujan Pulwama and Salman Ahmad Uthmula Shopian. ''Two SPOs have not reported back to Lines Pulwama. The matter is being investigated,'' police said. An encounter is also underway in between terrorists and security forces in Panjran area of Lassipora of South Kashmir's Pulwama district. Sources said that one terrorist was killed in the encounter and gunfire was ongoing. Earlier, a joint team army's 44RR, Jammu and Kashmir police and CRPF launched cordon and search operation in the area.

Jammu and Kashmir: Army man shot dead by terrorists, two cops missing

The Kremlin on Wednesday said it hoped for a transition of power in Algeria without foreign "interference" after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/algeria-president-abdelaziz-bouteflika-submits-resignation-with-immediate-effect-207621">President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned</a> in the face of massive street protests.&nbsp;

"We expect that the internal processes that are happening in this country and are exclusively the internal affair of Algeria will take place without the interference of any third countries," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

He added that Russia has "mutually beneficial, friendly relations" with Algeria and that the two countries share "many joint projects in the economic sphere."&nbsp;

Russia is an ally of the north African state to which it supplies weapons.&nbsp;

Bouteflika, 82, had ruled the former French colony for two decades and had long been accused of clinging to power.&nbsp;

The veteran leader faced mounting pressure to step down following his decision to seek a fifth term, despite rarely being seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013.

His decision to stand aside was announced on state television late Tuesday. 
&nbsp;

The Kremlin on Wednesday said it hoped for a transition of power in Algeria without foreign "interference" after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned in the face of massive street protests.

The Kremlin on Wednesday said it hoped for a transition of power in Algeria without foreign "interference" after President Abdelaziz Bouteflika resigned in the face of massive street protests. "We expect that the internal processes that are happening in this country and are exclusively the internal affair of Algeria will take place without the interference of any third countries," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. He added that Russia has "mutually beneficial, friendly relations" with Algeria and that the two countries share "many joint projects in the economic sphere." Russia is an ally of the north African state to which it supplies weapons. Bouteflika, 82, had ruled the former French colony for two decades and had long been accused of clinging to power. The veteran leader faced mounting pressure to step down following his decision to seek a fifth term, despite rarely being seen in public since suffering a stroke in 2013. His decision to stand aside was announced on state television late Tuesday.

Kremlin urges no foreign 'interference' in Algeria

NZ PM: Ensures ban on every Semi-Automatic weapon used in Friday terror attack

US&nbsp;President Donald Trump has said he would be happy as long as <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/north-korea-could-become-great-economic-power-without-nukes-trump-199406">North Korea maintains its pause on weapons testing</a>, and he was in no rush to strike a nuclear deal with its leader, Kim Jong Un, when they hold their second summit this week.

The two leaders will meet in Hanoi on Wednesday and Thursday, eight months after their historic summit in Singapore, the first between a sitting US&nbsp;president and a North Korean leader.

The two leaders pledged to work toward the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, but their vague agreement has produced few results. US&nbsp;Democratic senators and security officials have warned Trump against cutting a deal that would do little to curb North Korea's nuclear ambitions.

As Kim made his way across China by train for the summit, North Korean state media warned Trump on Sunday not to listen to US&nbsp;critics who it said were disrupting efforts to improve ties.

Trump, speaking in Washington on the eve of his departure for Vietnam, said he believed he saw eye to eye with Kim and that they had developed "a very, very good relationship".

"I'm not in a rush. I don't want to rush anybody," Trump said. "I just don't want testing. As long as there's no testing, we're happy."

North Korea conducted its last nuclear test, its sixth, in September 2017. It last tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017.

The Trump administration has pressed the North to give up the nuclear weapons programme, which combined with its missile capabilities, pose a threat to the United States, before it can expect any concessions.

But in recent days, Trump has signalled a possible softening, saying he would love to be able to remove sanctions if there is meaningful progress on denuclearisation.

Trump said he and Kim expected to make further progress at the summit and again held out the promise that denuclearisation would help North Korea develop its economy.

He scoffed at critics of his handling of North Korea, and added that Chinese President Xi Jinping has been supportive of US&nbsp;efforts on North Korea.

Limited deal?&nbsp;

A South Korean presidential spokesman told reporters in Seoul the two sides might agree to declare a formal end to the 1950-1953 Korean War at the summit.

The war ended in a truce, not a treaty, and the North has long called for a treaty to end it. It also wants security guarantees.

The United States has for years demanded North Korea's complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation, before any concessions will be granted. North Korea denounced that stance as unilateral and "gangster like".

Trump's latest comments would appear to support speculation his administration is open to seeking a limited deal at the summit.

Officials in Washington and the South Korean capital, Seoul, have said discussions have included allowing inspectors to observe the dismantlement of North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear reactor and opening US-North Korea liaison offices.

Declaring an end to a technical state of hostilities that has existed since the 1950s, and allowing some inter-Korean projects like opening a tourism zone in North Korea were other possibilities.

US&nbsp;Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told "Fox News Sunday" he hoped for substantial progress this week but North Korea had yet to take "concrete" steps on denuclearisation and another summit might be needed beyond the one in Hanoi.

The New York Times reported Pompeo has conceded in private discussions with Korea experts that he would be lucky if North Korea agreed to dismantle 60 percent of what the United States has demanded. That would still be more than any other administration had achieved, he added.

The State Department declined to comment on the report.

North Korean state media confirmed on Sunday that Kim had left for the summit by train from Pyongyang, accompanied by senior officials as well as his influential sister, Kim Yo Jong.

The Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the official mouthpiece of the ruling Worker's Party, said on Monday the entire nation received news of the leader's long foreign trip with "countless excitement and thrill".

Kim’s train passed through the Chinese city of Wuhan at around 7 am&nbsp;(2300 GMT on Sunday), Yonhap news agency reported.

That would put it on track to arrive in Vietnam by early Tuesday.

Vietnam has released few details about arrangements for the summit including its specific location or timing.

US President Donald Trump has said he would be happy as long as North Korea maintains its pause on weapons testing, and he was in no rush to strike a nuclear deal with its leader, Kim Jong Un, when they hold their second summit this week.

US President Donald Trump has said he would be happy as long as North Korea maintains its pause on weapons testing, and he was in no rush to strike a nuclear deal with its leader, Kim Jong Un, when they hold their second summit this week. The two leaders will meet in Hanoi on Wednesday and Thursday, eight months after their historic summit in Singapore, the first between a sitting US president and a North Korean leader. The two leaders pledged to work toward the complete denuclearisation of the Korean peninsula, but their vague agreement has produced few results. US Democratic senators and security officials have warned Trump against cutting a deal that would do little to curb North Korea's nuclear ambitions. As Kim made his way across China by train for the summit, North Korean state media warned Trump on Sunday not to listen to US critics who it said were disrupting efforts to improve ties. Trump, speaking in Washington on the eve of his departure for Vietnam, said he believed he saw eye to eye with Kim and that they had developed "a very, very good relationship". "I'm not in a rush. I don't want to rush anybody," Trump said. "I just don't want testing. As long as there's no testing, we're happy." North Korea conducted its last nuclear test, its sixth, in September 2017. It last tested an intercontinental ballistic missile in November 2017. The Trump administration has pressed the North to give up the nuclear weapons programme, which combined with its missile capabilities, pose a threat to the United States, before it can expect any concessions. But in recent days, Trump has signalled a possible softening, saying he would love to be able to remove sanctions if there is meaningful progress on denuclearisation. Trump said he and Kim expected to make further progress at the summit and again held out the promise that denuclearisation would help North Korea develop its economy. He scoffed at critics of his handling of North Korea, and added that Chinese President Xi Jinping has been supportive of US efforts on North Korea. Limited deal? A South Korean presidential spokesman told reporters in Seoul the two sides might agree to declare a formal end to the 1950-1953 Korean War at the summit. The war ended in a truce, not a treaty, and the North has long called for a treaty to end it. It also wants security guarantees. The United States has for years demanded North Korea's complete, verifiable and irreversible denuclearisation, before any concessions will be granted. North Korea denounced that stance as unilateral and "gangster like". Trump's latest comments would appear to support speculation his administration is open to seeking a limited deal at the summit. Officials in Washington and the South Korean capital, Seoul, have said discussions have included allowing inspectors to observe the dismantlement of North Korea's Yongbyon nuclear reactor and opening US-North Korea liaison offices. Declaring an end to a technical state of hostilities that has existed since the 1950s, and allowing some inter-Korean projects like opening a tourism zone in North Korea were other possibilities. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told "Fox News Sunday" he hoped for substantial progress this week but North Korea had yet to take "concrete" steps on denuclearisation and another summit might be needed beyond the one in Hanoi. The New York Times reported Pompeo has conceded in private discussions with Korea experts that he would be lucky if North Korea agreed to dismantle 60 percent of what the United States has demanded. That would still be more than any other administration had achieved, he added. The State Department declined to comment on the report. North Korean state media confirmed on Sunday that Kim had left for the summit by train from Pyongyang, accompanied by senior officials as well as his influential sister, Kim Yo Jong. The Rodong Sinmun newspaper, the official mouthpiece of the ruling Worker's Party, said on Monday the entire nation received news of the leader's long foreign trip with "countless excitement and thrill". Kim’s train passed through the Chinese city of Wuhan at around 7 am (2300 GMT on Sunday), Yonhap news agency reported. That would put it on track to arrive in Vietnam by early Tuesday. Vietnam has released few details about arrangements for the summit including its specific location or timing.

Trump happy if North Korea doesn't test weapons; peace deal a possibility

Haitian police arrested a group of foreign nationals including Americans armed with semi-automatic weapons, Haitian newspapers reported on Monday, adding to uncertainty in the poor Caribbean country after more than a week of anti-government protests.

Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste reported that seven foreigners and a Haitian were in the group that was picked up by the police on Sunday night. Police found rifles, pistols, drones and satellite phones in their vehicle, the paper said.

Other media said several of the men were US citizens and one was Serbian.

Since February 7, thousands of demonstrators have called for President Jovenel Moise to resign and for an independent probe into the whereabouts of funds from the PetroCaribe agreement, an alliance between Caribbean countries and OPEC member Venezuela.

Haitian police arrested a group of foreign nationals including Americans armed with semi-automatic weapons, Haitian newspapers reported on Monday, adding to uncertainty in the poor Caribbean country after more than a week of anti-government protests.

Haitian police arrested a group of foreign nationals including Americans armed with semi-automatic weapons, Haitian newspapers reported on Monday, adding to uncertainty in the poor Caribbean country after more than a week of anti-government protests. Haitian newspaper Le Nouvelliste reported that seven foreigners and a Haitian were in the group that was picked up by the police on Sunday night. Police found rifles, pistols, drones and satellite phones in their vehicle, the paper said. Other media said several of the men were US citizens and one was Serbian. Since February 7, thousands of demonstrators have called for President Jovenel Moise to resign and for an independent probe into the whereabouts of funds from the PetroCaribe agreement, an alliance between Caribbean countries and OPEC member Venezuela.

Americans arrested in Haiti with weapons: Source

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