Tag: United Kingdom

• Friday, December 9th 2011 - 06:17 UTC

  Women to be allowed to server in Royal Navy submarines; first expected end of 2013

  

  Women are to be allowed to serve in submarines for the first time in the Royal Navy’s history the Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, announced on Wednesday. The decision comes following an 18-month review conducted by the Royal Navy looking at the legal, operational, health, social, technical, and financial issues of allowing women to serve on submarines.

• Thursday, December 8th 2011 - 20:26 UTC

  Hammond: “no going back” on defence cuts and “it will not be easy or pain-free”

  

  The UK Defence secretary Philip Hammond issued a sharp warning that there can be ‘no going back’ on the government’s cuts to the armed forces made in last year’s Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).

• Thursday, December 8th 2011 - 06:51 UTC

  Argentine lawmaker blasts UK marine conservation project in South Georgia

  

  Argentine lawmaker and president of the Malvinas Islands Parliamentary Observatory Alfredo Atanasof said Britain’s intention of creating a huge marine conservation zone in waters of South Georgia was “completely illegitimate”.

• Wednesday, December 7th 2011 - 02:10 UTC

  UK protests to Argentina the interception of Falklands licensed fishing vessels

  

  The UK has protested to Argentina over its interception of Falkland Islands-licensed fishing boats, mainly Spanish in disputed South Atlantic waters and in the River Plate when they approach the port of Montevideo.

• Tuesday, December 6th 2011 - 15:26 UTC

  Tripartite Forum (UK, Spain and Gibraltar) “dead” says incoming Rajoy delegate

  

  The Tripartite Forum which includes Spain, UK and Gibraltar is dead and the incoming Conservative government of Mariano Rajoy is not willing to accept Gibraltar as a third party in sovereignty talks over the disputed British Overseas Territory.

• Wednesday, November 30th 2011 - 20:27 UTC

  UK and Norway reaffirm commitment to polar and Southern Ocean cooperation

  

  The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, and Norwegian Foreign Minister, Jonas Gahr Støre underlined on Wednesday their commitment to enhance UK/Norwegian cooperation in the Polar Regions.

• Wednesday, November 30th 2011 - 00:19 UTC

  UK without a fully operational aircraft carrier until 2030, says spending watchdog

  

  Britain may be without a fully operational aircraft carrier until 2030, according to a report published by the Commons spending watchdog. The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) says two carriers being built will cost more, offer less military capability and be ready much later than planned.

• Tuesday, November 29th 2011 - 15:34 UTC

  UK opens new consulate in Recife, next to northeast Brazil main trade and sea hub

  

  Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne on Tuesday opened a new Consulate General in Recife, Brazil - the city which became home to one of the first ever British missions in South America in 1808.

• Monday, November 28th 2011 - 17:17 UTC

  UK promotes Search & Rescue helicopter service to be provided by civilian crews

  

  The Department for Transport has started the procurement process for a new UK-wide Search and Rescue helicopter service to be provided by civilian crews, it has been announced.

• Sunday, November 27th 2011 - 00:53 UTC

  UK has more obese women than any other European country: 23.9%

  

  The UK has more obese women than any other country in Europe, according to European Union figures. Data agency Eurostat which looked at 19 countries, found nearly a quarter of UK women - 23.9% - were recorded as being obese in the year 2008 to 2009.
  Just over 22% of UK men were classed as obese, coming second only to Malta.