Stories for February 2017

Wednesday, February 22nd 2017 - 07:53 UTC
Falklands' thriving community underlined by visiting Ilford North MP

British lawmaker Ilford North MP Wes Streeting visited the Falkland Islands as part of a cross-party Parliamentary visit this week. With the 35th anniversary of the Falklands War coming in April, the visit was aimed at giving British politicians a better look at the problems facing the islanders today.
Wednesday, February 22nd 2017 - 07:35 UTC
Rosario and Liverpool twinned in promoting human rights and inclusion

The Argentine city of Rosario and Liverpool in England will sign on Wednesday a cooperation agreement to jointly work in human rights and inclusion issues, the first such accord between mayors of the two countries since the end of the 1982 conflict.
Tuesday, February 21st 2017 - 12:10 UTC
Chilen Navy operating from Punta Arenas rescues Australian yacht skipper

The Chilean Navy rescued 61-year-old Australian skipper Shane Freeman after his yacht Mushka was knocked down and dismasted 300 nautical miles west of Chile. The Australian was on his way to the Sunday Times Golden Globe race’s start line in the UK in his Tradewind 35 class yacht when the incident happened on 18 February 2017.
Tuesday, February 21st 2017 - 10:58 UTC
Petrobras exporting record volumes from sub-salt offshore oil fields

Rising output from Brazil’s sub-salt offshore oil fields is allowing Petrobras to export record volumes of oil and import less light crude for its refineries, a senior executive said. Cláudio Mastella, executive manager for refining and natural gas logistics, said the move is helping to reduce Petrobras’ operational and logistical costs because lighter oil is easier and cheaper to refine into products like gasoline and diesel.
Tuesday, February 21st 2017 - 10:52 UTC
Argentina in April will lower 35% tariff on computers and laptops imports

Argentina will get rid of a 35% tariff on imports of computers, laptops and tablets, the Production Ministry said on Monday, part of a larger effort to lower consumer prices and roll back protectionist policies.
Tuesday, February 21st 2017 - 09:13 UTC
Delay in releasing electoral results triggers turmoil in Ecuador

Tension mounted as vote counting in Ecuador's presidential election dragged into a third day on Tuesday, with supporters and opponents of outgoing President Rafael Correa trading heated accusations. With the last ballots trickling in from Sunday's election, ruling party candidate Lenin Moreno had a little over 39% of the votes and an almost 11-point lead over conservative Guillermo Lasso, a former banker who finished second.
Monday, February 20th 2017 - 21:27 UTC
South Georgia gentoo penguins feed preferably on krill, shows 22 year BAS study

The longest and most comprehensive study to date of what penguins eat is published this month. The study, published in the journal Marine Biology, examines the diets of gentoo penguins (Pygoscelis papua) at Bird Island, South Georgia over a 22 year period and is part of a project investigating the Southern Ocean ecosystem and its response to change
Monday, February 20th 2017 - 20:30 UTC
Brexit Lords' debate: Labour has tabled eight amendments

The House of Lords are to begin debating the bill paving the way for the start of Brexit. MPs agreed the proposed law unchanged, authorizing Theresa May to inform the EU of the UK's intention to leave. But the government does not have a majority in the House of Lords and eight amendments have been tabled by Labor's front bench.
Monday, February 20th 2017 - 20:00 UTC
Summer sea ice in Antarctica is the lowest on record

This year the extent of summer sea ice in the Antarctic is the lowest on record. The Antarctic sea ice minimum marks the day – typically towards end of February – when sea ice reaches its smallest extent at the end of the summer melt season, before expanding again as the winter sets in. This year, sea ice extent contracted to 2.28m sq km on 13 February, according to data from the US National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC).
Monday, February 20th 2017 - 19:17 UTC
New 130 meters long krill fishing vessel to operate in Antarctica

Aker Bio Marine has signed a contract with Vard shipyard to design and construct a modern krill fishing vessel that will operate in the Antarctic. The ship, which is 130m-long, 23m-wide, will be also equipped with environmentally friendly technologies. The hull of the vessel will be built by Vard's Tulcea, Romania, shipyard.