Stories for December 18th 2008

Thursday, December 18th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Brazilian Congress puts Venezuela inches closer to Mercosur

Brazil's Lower House approved the incorporation of Venezuela to Mercosur, but a further and tougher hurdle lies ahead: the Senate where several members have anticipated their disagreement, according to sources quoted by the Brasilia press.
Thursday, December 18th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
RN new Type 45 destroyer undergoes successful sea trials

The Royal Navy's first-of-class of the new Type 45 Destroyers HMS Daring has now completed a range of stringent trials and tests and is due to sail to her home port of Portsmouth in January 2009. The 7,500-ton ship is scheduled to undertake several months more of exhaustive trials and training before she is declared ready for operational service.
Thursday, December 18th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Woman to the rescue of “failed” US financial watchdog

Mary Schapiro has been named the next head of the US financial watchdog Securities and Exchange Commission. President-elect Barack Obama officially nominated her as the first permanent chairwoman of the regulator.
Thursday, December 18th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
EU begins annual round of fish quotas and discards

European Union fisheries ministers have begun an annual round of talks to decide the quantities of fish which can be caught from Europe's seas in 2009. The ministers, under pressure from environmentalists, are considering changes that could limit discards - the practice of throwing fish overboard.
Thursday, December 18th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
UK warning of deadlier mad cow disease strain

The United Kingdom Government's chief adviser on the human form of mad cow disease has warned of a possible new wave of the illness that could kill as many as 350 people in the UK.
Thursday, December 18th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Rescue plan discussions for British icons Jaguar-Land Rover

British car manufacturer Jaguar Land Rover is in discussions with the government over a state bail out, Peter Mandelson has announced.
Thursday, December 18th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Gibraltar celebrates EU tax case victory with public holiday

Gibraltar Government hailed on Thursday the comprehensive victory in the European Union tax case “as huge for Gibraltar, economically, socially, politically and constitutionally”.
Thursday, December 18th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
Iron Duke back in UK after Caribbean and Falklands patrolling

Royal Navy warship HMS Iron Duke returned to Portsmouth on Thursday from operations in the Atlantic which included a £50 million drug bust in the Caribbean, combined patrolling around the Falkland Islands and South Georgia and navigating the iceberg-infested Antarctic Convergence Zone
Thursday, December 18th 2008 - 20:00 UTC
UK engineers and spares in P Arenas wait for Endurance

Twenty four passengers from the stranded Royal Navy Ice Patrol HMS Endurance arrived Thursday morning to Punta Arenas on board the Chilean navy missile fast boat “Casma”.