The UK’s air and space force, formed in 1918.
UK defense authorities have tracked a Russian attack submarine and two deep-sea research vessels within UK waters. The operation has lasted over a month, with no evidence of damage to infrastructure. The vessels have now left UK waters, and the UK warns Russia against damaging undersea cables and pipelines. The UK emphasizes its ongoing efforts to monitor and deter Russian covert activities.
The Court of Appeal has ruled that the home secretary lawfully proscribed Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, reversing a High Court judgment. The ruling preserves a ban that criminalises membership or support and has already prompted thousands of arrests and fresh police action at protests outside the Royal Courts of Justice.
The government is expanding use of former military sites to house asylum seekers, planning to accommodate about 3,750 people across Bicester, Barnham and Linton-on-Ouse, with extensions at Crowborough and Wethersfield. Local opposition persists in several communities as the plan unfolds.
Defence Secretary Dan Jarvis has reworked the Defence Investment Plan to prioritise frontline kit, drones and hybrid ships, amid resignations and continued debate over funding levels. The plan aims to equip front-line forces and deter changing threats, with six Common Combat Vessels replacing six Type 45 destroyers.
The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) has been published, detailing a 2.7% of GDP defence spend by 2029 with a 3% target in the next Parliament. The plan shifts funding away from road and energy projects to weapons, drones, and naval capabilities, while promising efficiencies and a long-term upgrade in nuclear deterrence. Several ministers have resigned over the funding levels amid a controversial rollout that may be revisited by a new prime minister.