Falkland Islands

• Friday, January 3rd 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Growing doubts about Punta Arenas port

  There's growing concern among Punta Arenas cruise operators and local tourist authorities that current port facilities are not sufficiently appropriate to cope efficiently with the growing number of vessels that visit the area in summer months.

• Friday, January 3rd 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Penguin News Friday Update

  Headlines: Highlighting close bonds in 2002, Prime Minister Tony Blair addresses Islanders; More species dead; Saturday - Wireless for the Blind; Summer visitors; Pale Maiden emblem.

• Friday, January 3rd 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Fisheries News

  Headlines: Brazil creates new Fisheries Department; Canadian producers launch spawn on kelp brand; Lula unveils sustainable fishery plans; Long-term changes in Chilean fisheries legislation; Fishermen seek assurances on Spanish access to Irish;

• Thursday, January 2nd 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Falkland Islands Honour

  As well as the MBE awarded to Claudette Anderson in the New Years Honours List for public service in the Falkland Islands, a knighthood goes to Professor Lawrence Freedman, who is writing the official history of the 1982 Falklands War.

• Wednesday, January 1st 2003 - 20:00 UTC

  Falklands offered to settle Uganda Asians

  In a surprise report, it has been revealed that the Falklands were one of several countries asked by the British Government in 1972 to settle Asian Ugandans expelled by the dictator Idi Amin, and that the Falklands were one of the few to agree to help.

• 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.