European Union fisheries ministers decided Wednesday in Brussels to allow fishermen to catch more threatened fish like cod in 2008 against the recommendations of scientists and environmentalists.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Gold Rover has been involved in the urgent re-supply of drugs and medical stores to the isolated volcanic island of Tristan Da Cunha after having been earlier re-tasked from her maritime Security and support duties in the Atlantic to provide assistance.

After the successful conclusion of the landmark United Nations Climate Change Conference in Bali, Indonesia, developed and developing countries alike must continue to build on the momentum generated by the meeting, an official from the world body said on Wednesday.

The United Nations Universal Postal Union, UPU, has identified the recipient of the most personalized letters in the world: a white-bearded man who prefers to wear red suits and is so reclusive that he only travels on one night of the year.

The size of China's economy is overestimated by some 40%, but it remains the world's second largest using a ranking based on purchasing power, the World Bank said Monday.

The European Union Economic and Monetary Affairs Commissioner Joaquin Almunia said on Sunday that the Botnia pulp mill in Uruguay which recently begun production and is at the heart of an acrimonious dispute with Argentina complies reasonably with environmental requisites.

The world's sea levels could rise twice as high this century as UN climate scientists have previously predicted, according to a study. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change proposes a maximum sea level rise of 81cm (32in) this century.

British Defence Minister Baroness Taylor announced earlier this month a £35m (70 million US dollars) major upgrade to Royal Navy Type 23 frigate HMS Sutherland.

Two weeks of international climate talks marked by bitter disagreements and angry accusations culminated Saturday in a last-minute U.S. compromise and an agreement to adopt a blueprint for fighting global warming by 2009. Now comes the hard part
Proposals to cut the time tourists from outside the EU can stay in the UK from six months to three are expected to be announced by ministers this week.