Falkland Islands

• Tuesday, December 23rd 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Maersk feeder ship plans to call in on January 25

  International shippers, Maersk, are planning to send a vessel to the Falklands next month.

• Sunday, December 21st 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Injured British pilots recovering in Punta Arenas

  Veteran British explorers Jennifer Murray, 63, and Colin Bodill, 54, were evacuated this Saturday evening to Punta Arenas hospital after their helicopter fell in the Antarctic while attempting to break the world helicopter pole to pole flight record.

• Saturday, December 20th 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Falklands Councillors deplore Argentina's “bullying and threatening” tactics.

  All eight elected members of the Falkland Islands Government condemned what they called, 'Argentina's bullying and threatening tactics' during a meeting of the Legislature on Friday.

• Saturday, December 20th 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  UK interest rate remains unchanged: 3,75%

  The Bank of England left interest rates unchanged at 3,75% during the December meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee but suggestions of an increase in the near future seem certain.

• Friday, December 19th 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Penguin News Update.

  Headlines:
  Handing over command; Director looks forward to New Year change; Visiting officials' passports must be stamped; Forbes v FIG; Ships cruising in.

• Friday, December 19th 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Patagonian toothfish fishery suspended

  The Fisheries and Aquaculture Undersecretary has suspended the fishery of Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) as a target species in national waters, after this year's 4,800 tonne TAC was fulfilled.

• Friday, December 19th 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  News from Chile.

  Headlines:
  Chilean tourism turnover reaches a billion US dollars; Local company acquires Magallanes abattoir; Farewell to Punta Arenas air pioneer.

• Friday, December 19th 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Armed Australian patrolling in Southern Ocean

  Australia will boost the protection of its sovereign interests with full-time armed patrols of the remote and ecologically sensitive Southern Ocean, the Australian Government announced this week.

• Friday, December 19th 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Viarsa trial postponed.

  The crew of the Uruguayan flagged longliner “Viarsa 1”, currently retained in Fremantle will be informed next February 5 of the date of their trial for allegedly illegally fishing in Australian waters.

• Friday, December 19th 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  HMS Sheffield under new masters.

  The former Type 22 batch 2 frigate HMS Sheffield, now the Chilean FFG Almirante Williams, welcomed on board her new masters as part of a visit to Devonport Naval Base. Chilean officials anticipated they hoped to purchase two more former Royal Navy units.