Current events of 12 December 2008 (2008-12-12) (Friday) edit history watch

Four members of the Royal Marines are killed in two explosions in Afghanistan. (BBC) 2008 Russian financial crisis: Russian Deputy Economics Minister Andrei Klepach claims that Russia may face at least two quarters of economic decline in the future. (BBC News) Global financial crisis of 2008: A proposed $14 billion bailout of U.S. automakers fails in the U.S. Senate, raising the specter of an industry collapse that sent Asian markets reeling and sparked fears it could deepen the recession. (New York Times) (MarketWatch) Switzerland becomes the 25th European country to join the Schengen Agreement, whereby cross-border passport checks will be abolished. (BBC News) The United Nations Security Council finds that Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo are using child soldiers to fight a proxy war. (AP)