Although Africa is a significant importer of drones, six countries are taking the lead in developing security self-reliance by increasing local production of these small unmanned aircraft. SPECIAL REPORT | BIRD AGENCY | As unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) become increasingly critical for modern armed forces, African countries are investing in …
Read More »ATMIS forces kill 2 al-Shabaab militants, seize weapons in SW Somalia
Mogadishu, Somalia | Xinhua | The African Union (AU) Transition Mission in Somalia (ATMIS) said its forces killed two al-Shabaab militants and recovered weapons during an ambush on Friday evening in Beled Amin, southwestern Somalia. The ATMIS said in a statement issued on Saturday that the militants had tried to launch …
Read More »Lockheed Martin, Israel’s defense firm to develop laser weapon system
Jerusalem, Israel | Xinhua | Israel’s state-owned defense company Rafael and U.S. weapon manufacturer Lockheed Martin have signed an agreement to jointly develop a high-energy laser weapon system. The agreement includes the developing, testing, and manufacturing of the system in the United States and Israel, the companies said on Monday …
Read More »Biden authorizes largest weapons assistance to Ukraine
Washington, US | Xinhua| The administration of U.S. President Joe Biden announced Monday that the United States will provide Ukraine with 1 billion U.S. dollars worth of additional security assistance, the largest one-time weapons package since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. According to a statement by the Department …
Read More »Global nuclear arsenals expected to grow- SIPRI study
U.S. and Russia lead nuclear arms race with 90% of all nuclear weapons NEWS ANALYSIS | IAN KATUSIIME | The Russian invasion of Ukraine in February sparked fears of a direct confrontation between two of the world’s greatest superpowers, U.S. and Russia. The fears intensified because the two nations have …
Read More »Russia threatens to attack NATO vehicles delivering military supplies in Ukraine
Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Any vehicle of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) that arrives in Ukraine with weapons or material for the needs of the Ukrainian armed forces is considered by Russia as “a legitimate target for destruction,” Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday. Shoigu made the remarks …
Read More »Putin urges West to stop arming Ukraine in conversation with Macron
Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Russian President Vladimir Putin urged Western countries to stop supplying Ukraine with weapons during a telephone conversation with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday. Putin told Macron about Russia’s efforts in the evacuation of civilians from Mariupol, the Kremlin said in a statement. The Russian president …
Read More »Putin criticizes U.S. military-biological research in Ukraine
Moscow, Russia | Xinhua | Russian President Vladimir Putin stressed on Saturday “the unacceptable nature of the military-biological activities of the United States in Ukraine” in a phone conversation with Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Xavier Bettel, the Kremlin said in a statement. Such activities pose a huge danger to both Russia …
Read More »Russia is largest supplier of weapons to Africa – new report
Arms tracking data shows why 17 African countries could have abstained in a UN vote to condemn the superpower Kampala, Uganda | IAN KATUSIIME | A new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an organisation that tracks arms trade, indicates that Russia was the largest supplier of …
Read More »Amazon, Microsoft, ‘putting world at risk of killer AI’: study
Washington, United States | AFP | Amazon, Microsoft and Intel are among leading tech companies putting the world at risk through killer robot development, according to a report that surveyed major players from the sector about their stance on lethal autonomous weapons. Dutch NGO Pax ranked 50 companies by three criteria: …
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