Antarctica

• Wednesday, May 9th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Recovery of the “Irizar” could take more than two years

  

  Damages suffered by the Argentine icebreaker “Almirante Irizar” when fire broke out on board, are far more serious than originally announced and full repairs could take more than the estimated two years revealed this week the Buenos Aires press.

• Monday, April 30th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina “thankful” for HMS Endurance support offer

  

  Argentina officially thanked this Monday Great Britain's cooperation offer in support of Argentine Antarctic activities.

• Saturday, April 28th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Brazilian support for Argentina's 2007/08 Antarctic campaign

  

  Argentina has decided to accept the Brazilian offer of the polar vessel Ary Rongel for the coming Antarctic campaign 2007/08 next December which means the British option has been discarded.

• Thursday, April 26th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  British support to replace Argentina's stricken “Irizar”

  

  Britain has offered Argentina support for its Antarctic operations following the recent fire that broke out in icebreaker “Almirante Irizar” and which could force the vessel out of action for almost two years.

• Wednesday, April 11th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Icebreaker “Almirante Irizar” ablaze in the South Atlantic

  

  Argentine icebreaker “Almirante Irizar” is ablaze in the South Atlantic and all the crew has abandoned ship in an orderly way, with no loss of life or injured, reported the Argentine Navy Wednesday in a press conference in Buenos Aires.

• Tuesday, April 3rd 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  Possible weather pattern changes as El Niño becomes La Niña

  

  The most recent El Niño, the periodic weather pattern that can have repercussions around the world from torrential rains and floods in the Americas and Africa to droughts and brush fires in Australia and Asia, has now ended and a transition to its mirror image, La Niña, is a substantial possibility, according to the latest United Nations forecast.

• Sunday, February 25th 2007 - 21:00 UTC

  British Science Minister off to learn in Antarctica

  On the eve of International Polar Year, Britain's Science and Innovation Minister Malcolm Wicks is visiting the British Antarctic Survey's Rothera research station this week. During the visit, the Minister will have an opportunity to see first-hand the prestigious Government-funded facility that carries out world-leading research into global environmental issues.

• Saturday, February 24th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Crippled Japanese whaler in Antarctica again on the move

  A Japanese whaling ship which was crippled by a fire and laden with fuel begun moving away from Antarctica under its own power, confirmed on Sunday an official from Japan's Institute for Cetacean Research following on reports from the New Zealand press.

• Friday, February 9th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Nordkapp en route to Buenos Aires; “no traces of pollution”

  

  The Norwegian flagged Nordkapp which ran aground in the South Shetlands Islands at the end of January has caused no environmental damage and “no traces of pollution have been found at or around Deception Island” according to a release from the Norwegian Coastal Voyage cruise company.

• Tuesday, February 6th 2007 - 20:00 UTC

  Bill Gates and Paul Allen cruise Antarctica in super yacht

  

  Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft and the world's richest man is currently on an Antarctica cruise in one of the largest and most luxurious private super-yachts belonging to his associate Paul Allen.