Tipu Sultan's gun fetches 60,000 pounds at UK auction

Agencies
March 27, 2019

London, Mar 27: A collection of rare artefacts discovered by a couple after years of lying wrapped up in their attic in the English county of Berkshire and evaluated as items from Tipu Sultan's armoury was auctioned for around 107,000 pounds.

The highlight lot, a silver-mounted 20-bore flintlock gun and bayonet from the personal armoury of the last ruler of Mysore, proved hugely popular as it attracted 14 bids before going under the hammer for 60,000 pounds.

"Unlike other Tipu Sultan guns this one exhibits clear signs of having been badly damaged in its past...rather than being taken directly from the rack after the fall of Seringapatam it appears to have been collected from the battlefield," the lot description notes.

The other highlight lot, a gold-encrusted sword and suspension belt ensemble believed to be one of Tipu Sultan's personal swords, attracted as many as 58 bids before being sold to the winning bidder for 18,500 pounds.

The two centrepieces formed part of a collection of eight items brought back by Major Thomas Hart of the East India Company after the Tiger of Mysore's defeat at Seringapatam in 1799.

Alongside the arms, an intricately designed Betel Nut Casket (17,500 pounds) and a Gold East India Company Seal ring (2,800 pounds) belonging to Major Hart, believed to have passed down generations before landing in the hands of the current owners, were among the other big sellers of Tuesday's sale.

Berkshire-based Antony Cribb Ltd auctioneers, who specialise in arms and armoury related sales, had announced the auction following the "exciting discovery" earlier this year and said that majority of the buyer interest had come from Indians based in India.

The Indian High Commission in London was made aware of the artefacts by the India Pride Project, a worldwide volunteer network set up to track "India's stolen heritage", and attempted to convince the auction house to consider voluntarily restoring the items to India.

The India Pride Project, which was instrumental in the restitution of a 12th century Buddha statue stolen from Nalanda in Bihar last year via the Indian High Commission in London, said it would continue lobbying for such artefacts to find their way back to India.

"You haven't really decolonised a nation, unless you've given back what's theirs," said Anuraag Saxena, founder of the India Pride Project.

However, the auction house insisted that no laws were being broken and also confirmed that the beneficiary family had decided to make a sizeable donation to a school in India from the money generated from the auction.

"The family is not motivated by money and sincerely hope these items find their way back to India, maybe to a museum, for future generations to have access to it," said Antony Cribb of the auction house.

The latest cache of Tipu Sultan related artefacts, which included three further swords from the ruler's armoury and a lacquered leather shield, was described as special because of its rare discovery under one roof after nearly 220 years.

The items bore the trademark tiger and tiger stripes associated with the Tiger of Mysore as proof of their provenance. The lots came to light in January this year when the couple who made the discovery of this innocuous family heirloom contacted Antony Cribb Ltd about a sword they had in their attic.

After an evaluation, a gold "Haider" symbol found on the sword confirmed that the sword belonged Haider Ali Khan – Tipu Sultan's father. The three other swords bearing similar gold markings were found soon after, along with the other items.

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News Network
March 1,2025

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After a dramatic confrontation between former US President Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House, Russian officials and state media expressed satisfaction, viewing the exchange as a major political shift.

Following the heated meeting, which ended with Zelensky abruptly leaving, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova praised Trump's "restraint" for not physically assaulting the Ukrainian leader. "I think Zelensky's biggest lie was his claim that Kyiv was alone in 2022 without support," Zakharova wrote on Telegram. She further added, "How Trump and Vance held back from hitting that scumbag is a miracle of restraint," criticizing Zelensky for "biting the hand that feeds him."

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia's Security Council deputy head and former president, issued the most scathing remarks, calling Zelensky an "insolent pig" who had received "a proper slap down in the Oval Office." Medvedev declared, "For the first time, Trump told the cocaine clown the truth: the Kyiv regime is playing with World War III. And the ungrateful pig got a strong slap on the wrist from his masters. This is useful but not enough—we must stop military aid to the Nazi machine."

Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund and a key Russian-American negotiator, described the exchange as "historic" and suggested it reflected a shift in US foreign policy. Meanwhile, Yevgeny Primakov, head of Russia's Agency for International Humanitarian Cooperation, accused Zelensky of attempting to provoke violence in response to the confrontation. "The Kyiv regime thrives on bloody provocations," Primakov wrote on Telegram, speculating that Ukraine might stage an attack to blame Russia and regain Western sympathy.

Russian state media amplified these sentiments, with RT posting on X (formerly Twitter): "Zelensky sits with hands between legs as US President and VP hammer him."

While European leaders expressed support for Zelensky, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, a long-time Putin ally, sided with Trump. Orban praised the former US president’s stance, writing on X: "Strong men make peace, weak men make war." He commended Trump for "bravely standing for peace, even if it was difficult for many to digest."

The Oval Office clash highlighted growing tensions between Washington and Kyiv over Trump’s push for a ceasefire in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. During the meeting, Trump accused Zelensky of being "disrespectful" and warned, "You have no right to dictate how we should feel. You are gambling with World War III."

Trump further cautioned, "I have empowered you to be a tough guy. You either make a deal, or we're out. You don't have the cards." Vice President J.D. Vance also rebuked Zelensky, saying he had never acknowledged the extensive US aid provided to Kyiv.

The confrontation, witnessed by reporters, resulted in the abrupt cancellation of a scheduled press conference. Trump later criticized Zelensky on Truth Social, calling him "disrespectful" and unwilling to negotiate peace.

Before the meeting, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov reiterated Russia’s willingness to engage in diplomatic talks with the US, emphasizing the importance of mutual respect. "We seek dialogue not only with the US but with all nations, based on mutual respect and benefit," Peskov stated, dismissing the notion that diplomacy should be dictated solely by strength, a criticism often directed at Trump’s foreign policy approach.

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Media Release
March 5,2025

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New Delhi: Former U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to develop a state-of-the-art missile defense system called the ‘Golden Dome’, inspired by Israel’s ‘Iron Dome.’ Addressing a joint session of Congress, Trump declared his intention to build “the most powerful military of the future” and pledged funding for a comprehensive missile shield to protect the U.S. homeland.

A Modern Take on Reagan’s Vision

Trump claimed that former President Ronald Reagan had envisioned a similar system decades ago but lacked the technology to bring it to life. The initiative he referred to was the Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) of the 1980s, which aimed to intercept intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) but was eventually abandoned following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

How Will the ‘Golden Dome’ Work?

The U.S. already has several missile defense systems in place. Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ would likely integrate existing technologies, including:

🔹 Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) – Satellites that provide early missile launch warnings.

🔹 Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) – Interceptors in Alaska and California designed to shoot down ICBMs.

🔹 Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) – A naval-based system for intercepting short- to intermediate-range missiles.

🔹 Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) – A mobile system to destroy medium- and intermediate-range missiles.

🔹 Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) – Interceptor missiles designed to counter Chinese hypersonic threats.

Comparing with Israel’s ‘Iron Dome’

Israel’s multi-layered missile defense includes:

✅ Iron Dome – Protects against short-range rockets.
✅ David’s Sling – Targets mid- to long-range missiles.
✅ Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 – Designed to intercept long-range ballistic missiles.

With the U.S. contributing over $3.7 billion toward Israel’s Arrow defense system, Trump’s ‘Golden Dome’ could follow a similar model but on a much larger scale.

While the feasibility and timeline of this ambitious project remain unclear, Trump's announcement signals a renewed push for advanced missile defense in an increasingly volatile world.

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News Network
March 1,2025

The Trump administration has given the go-ahead for a nearly $3 billion arms sale to Israel, sidestepping the standard congressional review process to expedite the delivery of 2,000-pound bombs widely used by the Israeli military in its ongoing onslaught in the Gaza Strip.

In a series of notifications sent to Congress on Friday, the State Department has reported it has approved the sale of more than 35,500 MK 84 and BLU-117 bombs and 4,000 Predator warheads worth $2.04 billion to Israel.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio “has determined and provided detailed justification that an emergency exists that requires the immediate sale to the Government of Israel of the above defense articles and defense services in the national security interests of the United States, thereby waiving the Congressional review requirements,” the department said.

Deliveries are set to begin next year, it said.

According to the same statement, Rubio has also approved another munitions sale to Israel worth $675.7 million to be delivered starting in 2028.

The Israeli regime has extensively used the MK 84, also known as the 2,000-pound bomb, in its genocidal wars against the people of Lebanon and Palestine, including the assassination of top Hamas and Hezbollah leaders.

Last May, the previous US administration attempted to curb Israel’s military aggression in Rafah, a city in southern Gaza, by imposing a temporary ban on the sale of 2,000-pound bombs.

This effort, however, proved futile in halting the invasion, as the US continued to supply other weapons to the Israeli regime.

On February 25, Trump’s National Security Adviser, Michael Waltz, rescinded the ban to allow the State Department to resume the sale of the bombs to the regime.

The State Department has also approved the sale of Caterpillar D9 Bulldozers and related equipment for an estimated cost of $295 million to Israel.

The Israeli regime has used D9 bulldozers to demolish thousands of Palestinian homes in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.

The Office of the UN High Commissioner on Human Rights has advised Caterpillar Inc. that by supplying the bulldozers to the regime, it is complicit in human rights violations.

D9 has been involved in several incidents of civilian deaths, including in 2023 when it was used against the refugees sheltering outside the Kamal Adwan Hospital.

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