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.
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.
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.
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.
Ice patrol ship HMS Endurance has assisted with the rescue of 280 passengers and 50 non-essential crew from a cruise ship damaged off the Antarctic peninsula.
The Polar First helicopter pilots, Jennifer Murray and Colin Bodill arrived on Sunday at the Don Torcuato airfield, north of Buenos Aires. They will stay in Argentina's capital until February 13, while the Bell helicopter is serviced.
Mount Everest conqueror and Antarctic explorer New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary has returned to the frozen continent, at age 87, for what he believes will be his last time.
The New Zealand Thermal Heart Antarctic Expedition of Jamie Fitzgerald (26) and Kevin Biggar (36) achieved on Tuesday their goal of trekking 1.100 kilometers unsupported to the South Pole. They are the first all NZ expedition to reach the South Pole for 50 years.
The mysteries of the Antarctic deep will be probed in mid January by a new robot vessel capable of plunging 6.5 kilometer down, reports the BBC. Isis, the UK's first deep-diving remotely operated vehicle (ROV), will be combing the sea-bed in the region in its inaugural science mission.