Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

Further Reading

• UK and Germany work towards stronger defence relationship UK MOD 28 Feb 2018 -- Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has hosted his counterpart Ursula Von der Leyen in the UK for the first time.
• Theresa May rejects EU's plan for Northern Ireland border, says will never agree to it Press TV 28 Feb 2018 -- British Prime Minister Theresa May says a European Union draft proposal for Northern Ireland's border threatens the "constitutional integrity" of the UK, and that she will "never" agree to it
• Sturgeon: Scottish Parliament will refuse to sign EU exit bill Press TV 28 Feb 2018 -- Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon says Edinburgh will refuse to agree to London's planned Brexit deal with the European Union, arguing that the exit bill would undermine the whole foundation on which the UK devolution system was built.
• New UK-EU Customs Union Would Be Betrayal of Brexit Vote - May Sputnik 28 Feb 2018 -- Agreeing on a new comprehensive customs union with the European Union would betray the vote of the UK people on Brexit, UK Prime Minister Theresa May said Wednesday.
• UK may join US strikes on Syria if gas attack claims proven: Johnson Press TV 27 Feb 2018 -- Amid a renewed Western push to blame Syria for "chemical attacks" against civilians, the UK says it will start "seriously" considering joining US military strikes against the Arab country if such claims are ever established.
• UK Threatens Damascus With Airstrikes if There's Proof of Chemical Weapons' Use Sputnik 27 Feb 2018 -- Despite being repeatedly accused of using chemical weapons, Damascus has strongly denied having them; it destroyed its arsenal several years ago, and their complete destruction was subsequently confirmed by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).
• Defence Minister hosts Polish counterpart at Allied Rapid Reaction Corps UK MOD 27 Feb 2018 -- Defence Minister Mark Lancaster and Under Secretary of State Tomasz Szatkowski have visited the UK's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps Headquarters (HQ) and Salisbury Plain.
• UK has spent $2.4bn on bombing Iraq, Syria: Official data Press TV 27 Feb 2018 -- The British government has spent over $2.44 billion (£1.7bn) to carry out airstrikes in Iraq and Syria since 2014, the year the US and its allies formed a so-called coalition to allegedly counter terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the two Arab countries, according to official data.
• Royal Navy and Royal Marines join major French deployment UK MOD 26 Feb 2018 -- UK maritime forces are taking part in a French naval deployment to the Indian Ocean and Far East.
• Corbyn corners May with Labour Brexit plan Press TV 26 Feb 2018 -- UK Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has piled more pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May by laying out a Brexit plan that he says would take Britain out of the European Union (EU) while keeping tariff-free access to the bloc's markets.
• Britain set to launch Combat Air Strategy, Defence Secretary announces UK MOD 21 Feb 2018 -- A Combat Air Strategy will be launched to ensure Britain maintains a world-leading combat air capability, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson announced in front of the defence select committee today.
• Was Britain's Labour Leader a Communist Spy? VOA 19 Feb 2018 -- A former Czech spy who was expelled by the British government in the 1980s has claimed Britain's leader of the opposition, Jeremy Corbyn, was a source of his – one of 15 senior Labour lawmakers he met regularly when based in London. And the former spy says they knew he was an intelligence officer rather than a diplomat, which was his official cover.
• £260m deal signed to keep RAF giants flying UK MOD 17 Feb 2018 -- A £260 million agreement with the United States Government to support RAF C-17 heavy lift transport aircraft into the next decade has been signed by the MOD, Defence Minister Guto Bebb announced today.
• Theresa May calls for security treaty with EU by end of 2019 Press TV 17 Feb 2018 -- UK Prime Minister Theresa May has called for a new security partnership with the European Union that should be in place by next year to ensure military, intelligence and counter-terrorism cooperation after Britain exits the EU in 2019.
• Ministry of Defence expands counter-poaching training into two new parks in Malawi UK MOD 16 Feb 2018 -- The Ministry of Defence is ramping up its efforts to stop animals being cruelly hunted in Malawi by expanding its counter-poaching training into two further parks in the country.
• UK to Boost Presence in NATO Command Despite Brexit - Defence Secretary Sputnik 15 Feb 2018 -- UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson said that the United Kingdom will remain committed to the interests of NATO after Brexit and will increase its presence in the NATO command structure, the ministry said in a statement Thursday.
• UK steps up commitment to a modernised NATO UK MOD 15 Feb 2018 -- Speaking at a meeting of NATO Defence Ministers in Brussels, Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson set out his ambition for a modern NATO that delivers on its commitments.
• Britain Poised to Impose Direct Rule Over Northern Ireland VOA 15 Feb 2018 -- The collapse of 13-month-long talks overnight Wednesday to restore a power-sharing government in Northern Ireland might force the British government to seek emergency powers and rule the province directly from London for the first time since 2007, acknowledge British officials.
• UK blames Russia for 'NotPetya' cyber attack in June Press TV 15 Feb 2018 -- The UK has accused Russia of being behind last year's so-called "NotPetya" cyber attack, which allegedly started in Russia and Ukraine before spreading worldwide, affecting thousands of computers.
• Britain Blames Russia For 'Malicious' 2017 Cyberattack RFE/RL 15 Feb 2018 -- Britain has blamed Russia for a cyberattack last summer that disrupted companies across Europe, warning that the West will not tolerate such "malicious" activities.
• Kremlin Dismisses Allegations of Cyberattacks as Russophobic Campaign Sputnik 15 Feb 2018 -- Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov has commented on accusations of UK Foreign Office of Russia allegedly being behind a massive cyberattack, using the NotPetya virus.
• UK Blames Russia for NotPetya Ransomware Cyberattack Sputnik 15 Feb 2018 -- The UK's minister for cybersecurity on Thursday attributed the blame for last June's cyberattack on governments and businesses in Europe on Russia, despite providing no evidence.
• Statement from the Press Secretary The White House 15 Feb 2018
• Chinese Paper Says British Navy is Only Attention Seeking Over South China Plan Sputnik 14 Feb 2018 -- Plans by Britain to sail a Royal Navy warship through the disputed South China Sea later this year is merely an attention-seeking exercise, according to China's state media that could have potentially damaging trade implications between the two countries.
• UK seeks to grab attention with planned South China Sea mission: China Press TV 14 Feb 2018 -- A leading Chinese newspaper has criticized Britain's decision to sail one of its warships through the disputed South China Sea next month.
• MOD submits final Typhoon proposal to Belgium UK MOD 14 Feb 2018 -- The UK Ministry of Defence has today submitted its final Eurofighter Typhoon offer to Belgium.
• UK's BAE Systems eyeing $2bn fighter jet deal with Malaysia Press TV 13 Feb 2018 -- British weapons manufacturer BAE Systems says it has offered Malaysia a $2 billion financing deal backed by the UK government, in a bid to convince the Southeast Asian country to replace its ageing combat aircraft with British-made ones.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 13 Feb 2018 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Syria.
• UK sending warship to challenge China at South China Sea Press TV 13 Feb 2018 -- Britain plans to sail a warship to the South China Sea next month at a time of rising tensions between China and the United States, a move likely to anger Beijing.
• Defence Secretary hails modern partnership with Australia UK MOD 12 Feb 2018 -- The Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has visited the regional power with global interests, Australia, to discuss reinforcing the modern partnership, as well as tackling the nuclear threat from North Korea.
• Update: air strikes against Daesh UK MOD 06 Feb 2018 -- The RAF are continuing to take the fight to Daesh in Syria.
• Huge new Atlas aircraft hangar opened by Defence Minister UK MOD 01 Feb 2018 -- A £70 million hangar large enough to contain three of the RAF's new Atlas transport aircraft at the same time was officially opened by Defence Minister Guto Bebb at RAF Brize Norton today.
• Defence Secretary discusses threats with US counterpart UK MOD 01 Feb 2018 -- The Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson and his US counterpart, Jim Mattis, have been discussing how to tackle the increasing threats faced by both allies.