BEN WALLACE

Boris Johnson says it will hit 2.5% of GDP by 2030, but the defence secretary wanted faster action.

The Supreme Court has ruled unanimously for an American woman who is involved in an international custody dispute with her Italian husband over their young son. The high court determined that the boy would be at risk because of the father’s abuse of the mother.

A roundup of key developments and the latest in-depth coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin warned the West against sending longer-range rocket systems to Ukraine.

Andrei Kelin tells the BBC tactical nuclear weapons have "nothing to do" with operations in Ukraine.

Tory leaders looking to bolster their political fortunes could be making a negotiated end to the war harder to reach.

As the invasion of Ukraine drags on, evidence is emerging that much of Russia's military equipment is outdated and often ineffective.

Russian President Vladimir Putin attended a military parade in Moscow's Red Square as the country marked the 77th anniversary of the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany.

Ben Wallace will say in a speech Monday that Russia's military pomp insults the memory of Soviets who fought in WW2.

Approximately 15,000 Russian troops died in the invasion of Ukraine, per UK's Defense secretary.

Russia has significantly increased its military presence in the Arctic since its invasion of Ukraine, Ben Wallace has warned as UK troops take part in the largest Nato exercise in Norway in 30 years.

Russia Ukraine War Britain FILE - British Defense Minister Ben Wallace speaks with the media as he arrives for a meeting of NATO defense ministers at NATO headquarters in Brussels, March 16, 2022. Britain accused Russia of spreading misinformation on Tuesday March 22, 2022, by posting doctored clips of the U.K.’s defense secretary speaking to a hoaxer posing as Ukraine’s prime minister. Two videos of Defense Secretary Ben Wallace speaking to the imposter were posted on the YouTube channel of Russian prankster duo Vovan and Lexus. The British government says the Russian state was behind the hoax, which it says was designed to sow false information and embarrass Britain. Vovan and Lexus have previously targeted international figures including Prince Harry, Elton John and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

Britain has accused Russia of spreading misinformation by posting doctored clips of the U.K.’s defense chief speaking to a hoaxer posing as Ukraine’s prime minister.

Russia Ukraine War Civilian volunteers attend a training camp of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces in Brovary, northeast of Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 21, 2022. (AP Photo/Felipe Dana) (Felipe Dana)BELGRADE, Serbia — A senior Serbian official says Belgrade will never impose sanctions or join the Western “hysteria” against Russia for its invasion of Ukraine. It appeared after the U.K. accused Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government of backing efforts to secure sensitive or embarrassing information through hoax calls. ___MADRID — Authorities in Gibraltar have detained a superyacht linked to a Russian tycoon who is the target of British sanctions over Russia’s war against Ukraine. “The latest situation has been all caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters Tuesday.

Russia Ukraine War Civilian volunteers attend a training camp of the Ukrainian Territorial Defense Forces in Brovary, northeast of Kyiv, Ukraine, Monday, March 21, 2022. It appeared after the U.K. accused Russian President Vladimir Putin’s government of backing efforts to secure sensitive or embarrassing information through hoax calls. ___MADRID — Authorities in Gibraltar have detained a superyacht linked to a Russian tycoon who is the target of British sanctions over Russia’s war against Ukraine. “The latest situation has been all caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told reporters Tuesday. He also repeated his call for direct talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Michael Jordan gave way to LeBron James in the NBA of the 2000s, just as traditional forms of communication began to yield to the birth and growth of new media.

___LONDON — Britain is accusing the Russian state of being behind hoax calls to two government ministers by an imposter posing as the prime minister of Ukraine. Bennett has held multiple phone calls with both leaders in recent weeks and flew to Moscow earlier this month to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin. “There’s still a long way to go, because as I stated, there are a number of controversial issues, some of them fundamental,” the prime minister said at the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper’s conference. Prime Minister Janez Jansa has urged other European Union nations to do the same. ___KYIV, Ukraine — Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy denounced the Russian bombing of a school in Mariupol where civilians took refuge.

“We believe that this system will remain within the definition of defensive weapons, but will allow the defending force to better defend the skies,” Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said.

Britain is set to send the world’s most advanced anti-aircraft missile system to Ukraine, the Defence Secretary has announced.

APTOPIX Poland Russia Ukraine War A train with refugees fleeing Ukraine crosses the border in Medyka, Poland, Monday, March 7, 2022. __LVIV, Ukraine — Russian aircraft bombed cities in eastern and central Ukraine overnight, Ukrainian officials said. The United Nations has called the situation the fastest growing refugee crisis in Europe since World War II. __CANBERRA, Australia — The Australian government says it is placing sanctions on Moscow’s “propagandists and purveyors of disinformation” who legitimatize Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine had been accompanied by a widespread disinformation campaign, both within Russia and internationally, she said.

Ben Wallace has warned Vladimir Putin not to “test” the United Kingdom, as the Defence Secretary indicated that he could pour more funds into the light weapons wreaking havoc on Russian tanks and aircraft in Ukraine.

Brexit on back burner due to Ukraine Anger over knighthood for Gavin Williamson NHS axes free flu jabs for over-50s and secondary students Fraser Nelson: Putin will regret a war that has united Europe Labour holds seat in by-election with reduced majority US says Nato is 'ready for conflict' seizure of nuclear plant

Russian forces make more gains despite fierce Ukrainian resistance. The civilian death toll, while still unclear, is expected to grow exponentially.

Foreign Secretary says volunteers must make their own decision but calls it a fight for democracy.

GettyRussian soldiers from all across the country were deceived into heading to the Ukrainian border, and some were beaten if they resisted, according to the Committee of Soldiers’ Mothers, a Russian non-governmental organization that works to expose human rights violations within the military.The group is reportedly preparing a complaint for the Chief Military Prosecutor’s Office alleging that their sons only recently joined the military as conscripts and were told they were going to the border

Fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine and a jibe from the UK defence secretary lead the papers.

Countries react to Russia's order to send troops into rebel-held regions in eastern Ukraine.

Nehammer said Austria supports the EU’s approach of imposing sanctions against Russia step by step, starting with a formal decision Tuesday afternoon by the bloc’s foreign ministers. ——ANKARA, Turkey — Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan says Russia’s decision to recognize two separatist regions in eastern Ukraine is “unacceptable” and is calling for a respect of international laws. ——SANAA, Yemen — Yemen’s Houthi rebels have welcomed Russia’s decision to recognize two separatist regions in southeast Ukraine. ——HELSINKI — The Baltic nations of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania have strongly condemned Russia's decision to recognize the separatist regions of Luhansk and Donetsk as independent states. Non-EU member Norway said the Russian decision “directly contradicts the spirit and the letter of the Minsk agreements.”___Follow AP's coverage of the Ukraine crisis at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraineCopyright 2022 The Associated Press.

“This is a sovereign state which has now had some of its land effectively annexed from it." ——SANAA, Yemen - Yemen’s Houthi rebels have welcomed Russia’s decision to recognize two separatist regions in southeast Ukraine. Estonian President Alar Karis said that “Russia tore the Minsk agreements into pieces,” referring to a 2015 peace deal. In Baltic neighbor Latvia, President Egils Levits, Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins and the country’s Parliament released a joint statement condemning Moscow’s actions. Non-EU member Norway said the Russian decision “directly contradicts the spirit and the letter of the Minsk agreements.”Copyright 2022 The Associated Press.

Russia has massed about 150,000 troops east, north and south of Ukraine, sparking Western concerns it was planning an assault. A day earlier, the ministry reported the start of a pullback of troops following military exercises near Ukraine. Still, Putin did not commit to a full withdrawal, saying Russia’s next moves in the standoff will depend on how the situation evolves. The Russian military hasn't given the number of troops or weapons being withdrawn and offered few other details. Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei reaffirmed that all Russian troops will leave the country after the maneuvers wrap up Sunday.

Sunday's papers continue to report on concerns that Moscow is preparing to invade Ukraine.

(AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) (Andreea Alexandru)The chill of a Cold War hung over Eastern Europe again Friday, with Russian maneuvers and drills close to Ukraine, and NATO’s chief boosting troop morale on the Black Sea. Diplomats and government leaders, meanwhile, struggled ever more to jumpstart moribund talks to stave off full-out war. WATCH LIVE: Crews battle large wildfire near I-95 in Brevard CountyIt was yet another indication that hardware was being beefed up around the strategic Black Sea where Russia, Ukraine and three NATO allies have bases. “From here in the Black Sea region, all the way to the Baltic, allies are stepping up to reinforce NATO’s presence at this critical time,” NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said from Constanta. The ships join several similar vessels that are part of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, augmenting its amphibious landing capability.

Russia Ukraine Tensions British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace speaks during a news conference following his meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu at the British Embassy in Moscow, Russia, Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. He said British troops deployed to Ukraine to help train its military to use the British weapons and will leave “pretty soon” after they accomplish that mission. Wallace described the talks as “constructive and frank” and noted his Russian counterpart's assurances that Moscow has no intention to attack Ukraine. But he also emphasized that the concentration of Russian troops near Ukrainian territory is clearly “beyond normal exercising,” explaining that about half of Russia's land forces are concentrated around the border with Ukraine. Continuing its military buildup near Ukraine, Russia has moved six amphibious assault vessels into the Black Sea, augmenting its capability to land marines on the coast.

Russia and Belarus say the Kremlin's forces will withdraw after the training operation, but U.S. and European security officials are not convinced.

The U.K. is expected to bolster its offer to NATO with a major military deployment to strengthen Europe's borders amid rising Russian aggression.

Ukraine Russia Soldiers take part in an exercise for the use of NLAW anti-aircraft missiles at the Yavoriv military training ground, close to Lviv, western Ukraine, Friday, Jan. 28, 2022. (AP Photo/Pavlo Palamarchuk) (Pavlo Palamarchuk)MOSCOW — (AP) — Russia said Friday it will not start a war in Ukraine but warned that the U.S. and NATO have ignored its demands and left little room for compromise in the crisis. “While they say they won’t change their positions, we won’t change ours,” Lavrov told Russian radio stations in a live interview. Washington has warned Moscow of devastating sanctions if it invades Ukraine, including penalties targeting top Russian officials and key economic sectors. During Friday's call with Macron, Putin spoke in favor of continuing talks about a stalled peace agreement for eastern Ukraine between Russia, Ukraine, France and Germany.

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.

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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.