Argentina

• Monday, February 8th 2010 - 05:05 UTC

  Argentina’s strong man undergoes successful emergency surgery

  

  Former Argentine president Nestor Kirchner, husband of the current President Cristina Kirchner, underwent successful emergency surgery on Sunday, the government news agency reported.

• Monday, February 8th 2010 - 02:14 UTC

  Argentina announces completion of third nuclear plant by end of the year

  

  Argentina will complete work on its third nuclear power plant by the end of the year, Planning Minister Julio De Vido said at a press conference. Last April, De Vido said work on the plant, called Atucha II, wouldn't be finished until the first or second quarter of 2011.

• Friday, February 5th 2010 - 04:53 UTC

  Argentina threatens UK and Falklands oil companies with legal actions

  

  Argentina reiterated on Thursday warnings to the United Kingdom over the “illegality” and juridical consequences of having awarded oil exploration licences in the Falkland Islands, under British control but which Argentina claims as part of its territory.

• Friday, February 5th 2010 - 03:19 UTC

  IMF says monetary policy needs of “independent central banks”

  

  The International Monetary Fund, IMF, made a public veiled reference to Argentina’s Central bank institutional crisis underlining the importance of having independent central banks for monetary policy all over the world.

• Thursday, February 4th 2010 - 17:58 UTC

  Central bank can have operational autonomy but “it is not independent”

  

  Argentina’s newly appointed Central Bank president Mercedes Marcó del Pont, said she “believes in the Central Bank' operational autonomy,” but expressed “it cannot be independent”. She also said they would “work rigorously and continue their policies to bring calm in the currency exchange market.”

• Thursday, February 4th 2010 - 14:20 UTC

  “The Kirchners, growing richer and richer”

  

  The controversial 2 million US dollar purchase former president Néstor Kirchner made in October 2008 has already made it to the foreign press. After the controversy, Spanish newspaper El País' headlines read: “The Kirchners, growing richer and richer.”

• Wednesday, February 3rd 2010 - 13:52 UTC

  Kirchner loyalist appointed new Central bank president

  

  Mercedes Marcó Del Pont a long time ally of the Kirchners and until now head of the state-owned development bank, is known to support limited autonomy for the institution she's taking over. Her appointment closes a standoff over whether the government can overrule the central bank and tap international reserves.

• Wednesday, February 3rd 2010 - 12:35 UTC

  Kirchner admits 2 million USD operation for the purchase of a hotel

  

  Former president Néstor Kirchner admitted that his 2 million US dollars purchase, taken place in October 2008, before the outbreak of the global financial crisis, was made to acquire a percentage of stock for a hotel located in El Calafate, Patagonia.

• Wednesday, February 3rd 2010 - 05:14 UTC

  Imminent start of oil drilling in Falklands triggers strong Argentine protest

  

  Argentina summoned the British ambassador in Buenos Aires to deliver a formal protest regarding the imminent beginning of a hydrocarbons exploratory drilling season off-shore the Falkland Islands.

• Tuesday, February 2nd 2010 - 13:01 UTC

  How far can Argentina’s Central bank’s 48 billion USD reserves be stretched?

  

  The dispute between Argentine president Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and the governor of the Central Bank over who is entitled to use the international reserves triggered a legal and political battle that is ongoing.