BEN WALLACE

An invasion by Russia into Ukraine "would come at a massive cost", the UK foreign secretary warns.

A string of National Health Service local organizations have declared "critical incidents" in recent days amid staff shortages. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham) (Matt Dunham)LONDON — (AP) — British troops were deploying Friday to hospitals in London that are struggling to cope with “exceptional” staff shortages amid the surge in COVID-19 cases fueled by the omicron variant. The military deployment underscores the impact on Britain's health service of the pandemic that infected nearly 180,000 people on Thursday alone in the country, forcing many workers to stay home. Health service leaders said the military deployment highlighted how the country is battling to stay on top of the pandemic. While the current military focus is on London, it could spread.

A witness tells the BBC the MPs "drank heavily" on the trip - but the SNP calls the claims "false".

British media reports said the people whose email addresses were distributed included some individuals who are in hiding from the Taliban. “It is an unacceptable level of service that has let down the thousands of members of the armed forces and veterans. On behalf of the Ministry of Defense, I apologize," Defense Minister Ben Wallace told Parliament. He told lawmakers that authorities believe there are 900 “credible cases” of Afghan resettlement currently being processed. “These Afghan interpreters worked alongside our British forces and the Government rightly pledged to protect them," lawmaker John Healey said.

APTOPIX Britain Politics Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves 10 Downing Street as he makes his way to Parliament to attend the weekly Prime Minister's Questions session, in London, Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021. In the biggest move, Johnson demoted Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab, who has faced criticism for delaying his return from a holiday in Greece as the Taliban took over Afghanistan last month. Raab was appointed justice secretary with the added title of deputy prime minister. Truss, who is Britain's second female foreign secretary, will also remain minister for women and equalities. Michael Gove, a longtime ally and sometime rival of Johnson, was appointed Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has demoted his top diplomat and fired his education minister in a Cabinet reshuffle, as he attempted to move on from a series of political missteps and U-turns.

Four months after the pandemic-delayed induction of the Class of 2020, the Basketball Hall of Fame gathered to enshrine 16 more new members.

Boston Celtics star Paul Pierce was in a class of 16 scheduled to be inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame this weekend.

The high-profile evacuation that unfolded on social media left Pen Farthing clashing with senior U.K. officials.

The Ministry of Defence said Pen Farthing and his animals are awaiting a flight out of Afghanistan.

LONDON — (AP) — The U.K.'s defense chief promised Friday to “get to the bottom of” a security lapse that saw documents identifying Afghan staff members and job applicants left behind at the abandoned British Embassy in Kabul. Times of London reporter Anthony Loyd said he found the papers scattered on the ground as he toured Kabul’s abandoned diplomatic district with a Taliban escort this week. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said “clearly it’s not good enough” that the documents were left unsecured. Loyd said the documents included the name and address of a senior embassy staff member, the contact details for other employees and the resumes and addresses of people applying to be interpreters. The Foreign Office said in a statement that “during the drawdown of our embassy every effort was made to destroy sensitive material.”Copyright 2021 The Associated Press.

The U.K.'s defense chief is promising to investigate a security lapse that saw documents identifying Afghan staff members and job applicants left behind at the abandoned British embassy in Kabul.

The U.S. and its allies have warned that more terrorist attacks in Kabul are likely, as the deadline for military withdrawal from Afghanistan draws near.

The United States military has struck back at the Islamic State, bombing an IS member in Afghanistan less than 48 hours after a devastating suicide bombing claimed by the group killed as many as 169 Afghans and 13 American service members at the Kabul airport.

The attack — involving two explosions and gunfire — hit near a gate where people gathered attempting to get into the airport. “We’re fine but everything is chaos here at the moment,” Paul “Pen” Farthing told Britain’s Press Association news agency. Farthing is trying to get staff of his Nowzad charity out of Afghanistan, along with about 200 of the group’s rescued animals. Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said Thursday that U.K. forces at the airport would “facilitate” the flight. The U.K. government says the RAF has airlifted more than 12,000 people, including over 7,000 Afghans, from Kabul in the past two weeks.

Paul “Pen” Farthing appealed to the Taliban to allow the group safe passage into the airport. He tweeted to Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen that “we have been here for 10 hours after being assured that we would have safe passage. Truly would like to go home now.”Farthing has been pressing for days to get staff of his Nowzad charity out of Afghanistan, along with the group’s rescued animals. Dominic Dyer, a British animal campaigner who is assisting Farthing, said the chartered plane was due to leave the U.K. later Thursday for Kabul. Armed Forces Minister James Heappey said Thursday that U.K. forces at the airport would “facilitate” the flight.

Biden President Joe Biden speaks about the situation in Afghanistan in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Sunday, Aug. 22, 2021, in Washington. Ahead of the meeting, British defense secretary Ben Wallace said he was doubtful that Biden would agree to extend the deadline. Biden addressed the leaders for several minutes near the start of the meeting that lasted less than an hour, according to the White House. The G-7 leaders were also joined by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Charles Michel, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg. The leaders put Afghanistan as number 57 out of 70 points in their final 25-page communique -– behind Ukraine, Belarus and Ethiopia.

Britain and other allies are pressing President Joe Biden to extend the evacuation past the end-of-the-month date agreed with the Taliban. The statement says Qureshi told Lavrov that a peaceful and stable Afghanistan was of critical importance for Pakistan and the region. ___COPENHAGEN, Denmark — Norwegian Foreign Minister Ine Eriksen Soereide says the evacuation deadline in Afghanistan should be extended beyond Aug. 31. In neighboring Sweden, Foreign Minister Ann Linde said that she too could not guarantee that they can help all those who want to get out. ___CANBERRA, Australia — Australian Home Affairs Minister Karen Andrews said that Australia has helped evacuate more than 1,600 people from the Kabul airport in 17 flights since last Wednesday.

Two months ago, the leaders of the world’s seven major industrialized democracies met at the height of summer on England’s southwest coast.

France, the UK and Germany all raise the possibility of troops staying beyond the end of August.

London’s powerlessness, so far, to change Washington’s course also is a blow to U.K. hopes that an assertive “Global Britain” will be a major global player in the wake of its exit from the European Union. “We affirmed the special relationship — it’s not said lightly — the special relationship between our people,” Biden said. Britain’s lack of clout with Washington underscores the fragility of Johnson’s goal of making post-Brexit “Global Britain” a key international player and bridge between the U.S. and Europe. Opponents say Johnson's unwillingness to work closely with the EU and his decision to slash Britain's foreign aid budget, citing the economic blow of the pandemic, makes “Global Britain” little more than a slogan. U.K. Armed Forces Minister James Heappey acknowledged that Britain would have liked “a more conditions-based” U.S. withdrawal, but he insisted the special relationship remains strong.

The messy exit of Western military forces from Afghanistan and the swift takeover of the country by the Taliban has stunned officials in Britain and strained the U.K.'s “special relationship” with its most important ally, the United States.

Any extension to the deadline for withdrawal from Afghanistan would cross a red line that will lead to "consequences", the Taliban has said, as the British defence minister warned that the UK was "down to hours now, not weeks" in its evacuation plan.

Ryan Blaney took the lead from William Byron on a late restart and bobbed and weaved his way across the final seven laps to win at Michigan International Speedway.

More than half a dozen countries who joined the United States' invasion 20 years ago are also dealing with the fallout.

More than half a dozen countries who joined the United States' invasion 20 years ago are also dealing with the fallout.

The U.S., the U.K, Germany and others face stark choices as they attempt to get as many people out of Afghanistan as possible.

Britain Afghanistan FILE - In this Tuesday, July 20, 2021 file photo, Britain's Defense Secretary Ben Wallace arrives at the prime minister's official residence on his way to meet Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga in Tokyo. British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace held back tears Monday Aug. 16, 2021, as he conceded that Britain was unlikely to be able to evacuate all its Afghan allies from Kabul. (Franck Robichon/Pool Photo via AP, File) (Franck Robichon)LONDON — (AP) — British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace held back tears Monday as he conceded that Britain was unlikely to be able to evacuate all its Afghan allies from Kabul. “It is a really deep part of regret for me that some people won't get back,” he said. British forces played a pivotal role in Afghanistan over the past two decades and suffered 457 casualties, mainly in the southern province of Helmand.

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace has held back tears as he conceded that Britain was unlikely to be able to evacuate all its Afghan allies from Kabul.

As president, Trump negotiated a conditional peace deal with the Taliban that involved the withdrawal of US and NATO forces.

(LPhot Ben Shread/MoD/Crown Copyright via AP) (LPhot Ben Shread)LONDON — (AP) — British lawmakers are being called back from their summer break to Parliament to discuss the worsening situation in Afghanistan. Authorities said Sunday that Parliament will be recalled for one day on Wednesday to debate the government’s response to the crisis. The Sunday Telegraph reported that the U.K.’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Laurie Bristow, would be airlifted out of the Afghanistan by Monday evening. The defense ministry said last week that Britain was sending 600 troops to Afghanistan to help evacuate remaining U.K. citizens and Afghans who worked with British forces in the country. Writing in the Sunday Telegraph, Defense Secretary Ben Wallace maintained “we have not betrayed Afghanistan."

British lawmakers are being called back from their summer break to Parliament to discuss the worsening situation in Afghanistan, as U.K. troops arrive in Kabul to help evacuate remaining Britons there.

APTOPIX Afghanistan A U.S. Chinook helicopter flies near the U.S. Embassy, left, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Sunday, Aug. 15, 2021. Helicopters are landing at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul as diplomatic vehicles leave the compound amid the Taliban advanced on the Afghan capital. ___ISLAMABAD — Pakistan has closed the Torkham border point with Afghanistan after the Taliban took control of the Afghan border facility, the interior minister said Sunday. — By Rahim Faiez___TREBON, Czech Republic — Czech leaders have approved a plan to evacuate Afghan staffers at the Czech embassy in Kabul. Defense Minister Lubomir Metnar said the Czechs will help those Afghans who worked with Czech troops during their deployment in NATO missions.

In the rare criticism of US strategic decision-making, he called the US deal with the Taliban a 'mistake.'

Al-Qaeda is likely to have a resurgence as Afghan regions continue to fall to the Taliban, Britain's defense minister warned Friday.

LONDON — (AP) — Britain will send around 600 troops to Afghanistan to help U.K. nationals leave the country amid increasing violence and deteriorating security, the ministry of defense said Thursday. A ministry statement said the troops will provide protection and logistical support for the relocation of British nationals where required. They will also help speed up efforts to swiftly relocate to Britain interpreters and other Afghan staff who worked alongside U.K. forces in Afghanistan. The additional forces are expected to arrive in Kabul “over the coming days” and will be deployed on a short-term basis, the ministry statement said. “The security of British nationals, British military personnel and former Afghan staff is our first priority,” Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said.

Hundreds of paratroopers are being sent back to Afghanistan to bring home Britons, the Defence Secretary has announced, as the Taliban continues to make rapid advances through the country.

The British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth and its strike group will visit Japanese ports in September for joint exercises, defense ministers from Japan and Britain said Tuesday as the two countries step up military ties amid increased Chinese assertiveness in regional seas. British defense secretary Ben Wallace said the visit by the Royal Navy’s largest warship is part of his country’s “Indo-Pacific tilt” that shares goals with Japan. “Both our countries seek to protect and uphold the rules-based international order,” Wallace said at a joint news conference after meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Nobuo Kishi.

Royal Navy sea graves are to be protected from looters by underwater drones, the First Sea Lord has said, as US forensics teams work to identify British remains of past conflicts. Wrecks from Second World War battles in the Pacific have been raided in recent years by unethical scrap metal bounty hunters. Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, the head of the Royal Navy, said there were “no easy answers” over the “very sensitive issue” of grave robbers disturbing Britain’s maritime war dead. Speaking to the T

A new space base will be built in Britain to monitor the “irresponsible and reckless” threats to satellites by Russia and China, the head of the Royal Air Force has said. The Deep-Space Advanced Radar Capability (Darc) will be located either in southern England or Scotland. The site will work with identical facilities in Texas and Australia to cover the entire world up to 36,000km (22,000 miles) above the Earth, watching for incoming nuclear missiles or space debris on collision courses with sat

The training follows two recent incidents in the Black Sea involving UK and Dutch warships and the Russian military.

The buzzing and mock attacks came a day after another unsafe encounter involving Russian fighters and a UK destroyer.

A senior Russian diplomat is warning that Russia will be ready to fire at intruding warships to protect its borders.

The Detroit Pistons did a lot of losing this season, finishing with the second-worst record in the NBA and the franchise’s worst record in nearly 30 years.

The vessel, reportedly costing up to £200m, will sail the globe promoting trade with the UK.

Dominic Raab could be the second Cabinet casualty of a major shake-up of constituency boundaries, new modelling has suggested. According to Britain Elects, the UK’s largest poll aggregator, proposed changes to the Foreign Secretary’s constituency of Esher and Walton suggest it now compromises more Liberal Democrat voters than Conservatives. The modelling, which is based on how voters living within the redrawn constituency voted in 2019, suggests the seat is now split 48.1 per cent Liberal Democr

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson walks, during a visit to BAE Systems at Warton Aerodrome in Lancashire, England, Monday, March 22, 2021 to mark the publication of the Integrated Review and the Defence White Paper. (Christopher Furlong/Pool Photo via AP)LONDON – Britain plans to cut the size of its army and boost spending on drones, robots and a new “cyber force” under defense plans announced by the government on Monday. Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said the British Army would shrink from 76,500 soldiers to 72,500 by 2025. He said the army hadn't been at its “established strength” of 82,500 for several years. In November the government announced a 16.5 billion-pound ($23 billion) increase in defense spending over the next four years, focusing on the future battlefields of space and cyber rather than traditional resources such as army troops.

(AP Photo/Marco Ugarte)MEXICO CITY — Mexico reported a near-record 1,707 confirmed coronavirus deaths Wednesday, as the country runs out of vaccines. Ad___THE VIRUS OUTBREAK:Spain surpasses 60,000 confirmed virus deaths. Dr. Fauci suggests watching Super Bowl at home with household to avoid spreading coronavirus. British officials say Oxford study backs up their decision to delay second vaccine shot for up to 12 weeks. ___MANAGUA, Nicaragua — Nicaragua’s government says it has approved Russia’s Sputnik V coronavirus vaccine for emergency use.

Johnson said the armed forces will receive an additional 16.5 billion pounds ($21 billion) over and above the governments earlier plans. Since the end of the Cold War in the early 1990s, Britain, like many other Western countries, cut defense spending in order to reap a peace dividend. Starmer and others, including members of Johnson's Conservative Party, voiced concerns that the government is about to abandon its commitments on overseas aid to pay for the higher military spending. The government has already rolled the department overseeing overseas aid into the Foreign Office. Some in government have argued for a reduction in the commitment to maintain aid spending at 0.7% of national income to 0.5%, which could free up billions of pounds for use elsewhere.

LONDON — The U.K. has announced the biggest program of investment in British defense since the end of the Cold War. The current budget of the U.K.'s Ministry of Defence is almost £41.5 billion. The money will see further investment in military research and development, as well as new areas of defense. The extra defense spending could create 10,000 extra jobs annually, according to the government. The extra investment would also secure U.K. jobs and livelihoods, he added.

The Nave Andromeda oil tanker is docked next to the Queen Elizabeth II Cruise Terminal in Southampton, England, Monday, Oct. 26, 2020. The U.K. military seized control of the oil tanker that dropped anchor in the English Channel after reporting it had seven stowaways on board who had become violent. (Andrew Matthews/PA Wire via AP)LONDON – All crew members of an oil tanker that was stormed by British naval special forces after a group of stowaways threatened violence are “safe and well,” the ship‘s operator confirmed Monday. Seven people were detained in the raid, which unfolded in the English Channel after darkness fell on Sunday. “I commend the hard work of the armed forces and police to protect lives and secure the ship,″ Wallace said.

The U.K. has added to international pressure on China to answer questions over information it gave the world about the coronavirus outbreak but said the priority now is to beat the pandemic. Asked on Monday if China needed to explain how quickly it made the world aware of the extent of the virus, the U.K.'s defense minister said: "I think it does." "Only by being open and transparent will we learn about it, and China needs to be open and transparent about what it learned, and its shortcomings, but also its successes," Wallace said. His comments come after a barrage of U.S. criticism against China regarding its handling of the coronavirus outbreak and accusations that it was not transparent when it came to making the world aware. Speaking during a Fox News virtual town hall, Trump said, "I think they made a horrible mistake and didn't want to admit it."

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks during a joint news conference with Britain's Secretary of State of Defence Ben Wallace after their meeting at Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File PhotoWASHINGTON (Reuters) - China is still withholding information related to the coronavirus needed to inform the global response, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said in a television interview on Wednesday, as he called on Beijing to share its data. Clearly, the Chinese could have been more transparent earlier and shared much more of the data. We would have (had) a better understanding of this virus and then how to deal with it, Esper said in an interview with Fox News. Even today we see them withholding information and so I think we need to do more and continue to press them to share.

The Navy did not immediately respond to a request for comment but does not usually discuss individual cases due to privacy laws. It has also become a political lightning-rod as the Trump administration faces intense criticism for its handling of the nations coronavirus outbreak. I have full faith and confidence in him and the Navy leadership, and I support their decision, Esper told ABC News This Week program. On Saturday, President Donald Trump described the letter as not appropriate and said Crozier had done a terrible thing. The Navy on Saturday said 155 Theodore Roosevelt sailors have now tested positive for the coronavirus but none have been hospitalized, with 44% of the ships nearly 5,000 crew having been tested so far.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks during a joint news conference with Britain's Secretary of State of Defence Ben Wallace after their meeting at Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File PhotoWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Tuesday it was not time to evacuate a U.S. aircraft carrier reeling from an outbreak of coronavirus, adding that he had not read in detail a letter from the commander of the ship pleading for help. In his interview with CBS News, Esper did not comment directly on Croziers proposal, at least in the portions that aired. Asked if it was time to evacuate the carrier, Esper said: I dont think were at that point.Were moving a lot of supplies and assistance, medical assistance, out to the carrier in Guam. Were providing additional medical personnel as they need it, Esper said, adding the goal was still to contain the virus and that none of the crew were seriously ill.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Mark Esper has issued a stop movement order to the U.S. military halting travel and movement abroad for up to 60 days in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus through the ranks, the Pentagon chief told Reuters on Wednesday. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper walks out to welcome Britain's Secretary of State of Defence Ben Wallace before their meeting at Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., March 5, 2020. The purpose is to make sure that were not bringing the virus back home, infecting others, that were not spreading it around the military, Esper said. That (stop movement order) should not impact that, Esper said of the withdrawal. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks during a joint news conference meeting at Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., March 5, 2020.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Defense Secretary Mark Esper has issued a stop movement order to the U.S. military halting travel and movement abroad for up to 60 days in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus through the ranks, the Pentagon chief told Reuters on Wednesday. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper walks out to welcome Britain's Secretary of State of Defence Ben Wallace before their meeting at Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., March 5, 2020. The purpose is to make sure that were not bringing the virus back home, infecting others, that were not spreading it around the military, Esper said. That (stop movement order) should not impact that, Esper said of the withdrawal. FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks during a joint news conference meeting at Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., March 5, 2020.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper walks out to welcome Britain's Secretary of State of Defence Ben Wallace before their meeting at Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Yuri GripasWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has issued a stop movement order halting all travel and movement abroad for up to 60 days in an effort to limit the spread of the coronavirus through the ranks of the military, Esper told Reuters on Wednesday. Esper said in an interview that the order applied to all U.S. forces, civilian personnel and families, but noted that there would be some exceptions. One exception would be the drawdown under way in Afghanistan, which Esper said would continue.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior Pentagon leaders said on Tuesday that the fast-spreading coronavirus outbreak that has hit the United States could continue for months and that the military would continue to support efforts to counter it for as long as needed. The coronavirus pandemic has killed more than 660 people in the United States and infected more than 50,000. On Monday, Esper announced more security restrictions on those entering the Pentagon. The carrier, which was in the Pacific, was last in port in Vietnam about 15 days ago, naval officials said. The Pentagon also said that elective surgeries at military treatment facilities, with some exceptions, would be postponed starting March 31.

FILE PHOTO: U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper speaks during a joint news conference with Britain's Secretary of State of Defence Ben Wallace after their meeting at Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Yuri GripasWASHINGTON (Reuters) - Senior Pentagon leaders said on Tuesday that the coronavirus pandemic which has hit the United States could continue for months. I think we need to plan for this to be a few months long at least and were taking all precautionary measures to do that, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said when asked how long the outbreak may last and how long the military would continue the support efforts to counter it. I am fully confident that at the end of the day, in a period of months, we will get through this, Esper said during a virtual town hall. At the same event, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley said that while it was unclear how long the outbreak would last, taking models from the experience of other countries, which may or may not apply to the United States, the outbreak could last into July.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper gestures as he speaks during a joint news conference with Britain's Secretary of State of Defence Ben Wallace after their meeting at Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, U.S., March 5, 2020. REUTERS/Yuri GripasWASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said on Thursday he expected the Pentagon to be able to keep carrying out its core functions in the event of a coronavirus outbreak at the massive military headquarters, where 22,000 people work every day. We have a lot of capabilities in this building. Our National Military Command Center has the capability to go for weeks at a time if they have to be locked down inside the building if we have some type of outbreak, Esper told a news conference. So, were fully confident that we can continue to perform the functions that the Pentagon needs to perform if we have some type of outbreak in the building.