Argentina

• Tuesday, May 13th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina/Chile Dakar edition begins January 3 in Bs. As.

  

  Argentina and Chile will be hosting for the first time ever the 2009 edition of the Dakar rally that will extend from next January 3 to 18 covering 9.000 kilometers. The announcement was made on Tuesday in Paris by Patrice Clerc, president of Amaury Sport Organization and Etienne Lavigne director of the competition.

• Monday, May 12th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Blasting audit report on Argentina's Fisheries Secretariat

  

  Argentina's National Auditing Office accused the country's Fisheries Secretariat of lack of controls and transparency which have driven the hubssi and Illex squid resources to “the limit” because of over fishing.

• Sunday, May 11th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Conflict fears make Argentine savers opt for US dollars

  

  Seven out of ten Argentines with savings in the banking system have been changing their options from local pesos to US dollars or other currencies or assets, fearing the consequences of the unresolved farmers' conflict could lead to a run on the banks and the government's response of freezing assets, according to some Argentine media.

• Sunday, May 11th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine farmers plan more protests; governors' support

  Tired of waiting for signals from President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner's administration, Argentine farmers' leaders are ready to extend the current lock out which expires next Thursday, according to warning speeches over the weekend.

• Saturday, May 10th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina's inflation is April doubles the Kirchner's index

  The April Consumer Prices Index, CPI, in Argentina registered a 0.8% increase according to an official release from the questioned Statistics and Census Office, Indec. The index is half what private analysts were estimating and is bound to re-ignite the controversy about the alleged manipulation of Indec by the Kirchners' administrations.

• Saturday, May 10th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine farmers lobbying governors to join struggle

  

  Argentine striking farmers completed the second day of their renewed protest with an open meeting in one of the country's northern provinces warning that the country is beginning to feel recession symptoms because of the stoppage, while from Buenos Aires the Kirchners administration continued with their verbal attack calling them greedy and irresponsible.

• Friday, May 9th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Hawks & hooligans, the Kirchners' anti inflation plan

  Hardliners have taken over the Argentine administration of President Mrs. Kirchner determined to a complete victory over the farmers in the current conflict, while pickets of hooligans have taken to the streets to intimidate businesses to moderate prices thus helping to combat the country's spiraling inflation.

• Friday, May 9th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Volcanic ashes give Buenos Aires sunset grayish color

  A thin rain of ashes in suspension from the Chilean volcano Chaitén which became active last Friday and have blanketed vast areas of Chilean and Argentine Patagonia began reaching Buenos Aires City atmosphere on Thursday.

• Thursday, May 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Climate conditions could reduce Argentina's soybean

  

  Bad weather may reduce Argentina's soybean crop below previous forecasts this year but the precise outlook is still unclear, Hamburg-based oilseeds analysts Oil World said this week.

• Thursday, May 8th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentine farmers' conflict resumes in uncharted terrain

  

  Frustrated Argentine farmers returned on Wednesday to protest pickets in the country's highways following 21 days of conflict and 36 of truce during which no sound agreements were reached with the reluctant and stubborn President Kirchner administration.