Falkland Islands

• Tuesday, December 31st 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  New Year Honours

  The Prime Minister's Official Spokesman (PMOS) said that the 2003 Honours List, as always, reflected and paid tribute to outstanding achievements and service right across the community and the nation as a whole.

• Monday, December 30th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Hake ban set in Common Fishing Zone

  A preventive summer ban on Hubbsi Hake is being imposed from 1 January to 31 March in the Common Fishing Zone (CFZ) shared by Argentina and Uruguay.

• Saturday, December 28th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Darwin Monument moves ahead “slowly but surely”

  The Families' Commission which groups the next-of-kin of Argentine servicemen killed during the 1982 South Atlantic War responsible for building a monument to the fallen of the conflict to be constructed at the Argentine Cemetery at Darwin said yesterday that they were extremely “optimistic” that the project would get underway in the New Year.

• Saturday, December 28th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  FIBS New Review 2002

  Corina Goss from FIBS reviews the highlights of the twelve months of 2002 which had a special significance for the Falklands: the twentieth anniversary of the conflict that put the Islands once again in the world media during several months. The commemorations centred in June, --Liberation Day--, but extended to November with the visit of HRH Prince Andrew and the SAMA pilgrimage. In December a new Governor with a long experience in Argentine and South Atlantic affairs, Mr. Howard Pearce took office.
  
  However, it was also the year of the controversial abattoir and when the Islands were declared free of foot and mouth; when squid decided to move into the high seas forcing the Islands government to tighten the budget; when the first oil exploration licences since 1996, were awarded; when mounting deaths of penguins in the archipelago beaches remain as an unsolved mystery; plus the long usual list of distinguished visitors, official and non official, as the interest in these remote but unique Islands keeps growing.

• Friday, December 27th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Breaking News

  Headlines: HMS Sheffield to Chile; Trade surplus; Punta Arenas monument to oil; Argentine crisis losses; Rich, poor and very poor; Uruguay working on human anthrax vaccine.

• Friday, December 27th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Gibraltar: “the deal that almost was”.

  Former British Minister for Europe Peter Hain shook hands on a deal for the future of Gibraltar with his Spanish counterpart; it has emerged in press reports from Wales. But hours later the Spanish Government reneged on the agreement. Details of “the deal that almost was” came to light this week in an article in the Western Mail. Mr Hain is currently Minister for Wales where the paper is published.

• Tuesday, December 24th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Falklands tourist industry net £1.5 million

  The net contribution of the tourism industry to the economy of the Falklands is now in excess of £1,500,000 per annum, according to a recent report by Councillor Mike Summers to the Legislative.

• Sunday, December 22nd 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Falklands new Governor anxious to ensure “Good Governance”.

  The Falklands newly appointed Governor, Howard Pearce CVO, has no plans to visit Argentina during his 3 years term in office. Mr. Pearce, who spent several years working in the British Embassy in Buenos Aires during the 1970's, said, ?I would want to be sensitive to local concerns and I sense that people here would not be particularly enthusiastic about the Governor visiting Argentina'.

• Friday, December 20th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Stranded Argentine naval surgeon back for Christmas

  Six months after volunteering to remain aboard a German transport vessel stranded in Antarctica an Argentine Navy doctor is scheduled to return home in time for Christmas

• Friday, December 20th 2002 - 20:00 UTC

  Penguin News Friday Update

  Headlines: MERRY CHRISTMAS; FIG on Bingham 'We've been evenhanded'; Tory support; New FIDC boss; Morrisons continue.