
United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention wants Argentine President Mauricio Macri to explain why social leader Milagro Sala has been in jail for almost two months. The request comes two weeks after the UN Group accepted a filing submitted by the Centre of Legal and Social Studies (CELS), Amnesty International and Andhes, a group of lawyers from the northern area of the country.

Argentine foreign minister Susana Malcorra sided with former president Lula da Silva arguing that it is hard to believe that a leader with such a record is under a criminal investigation, and underlined that all the economic and political scenario of Brazil has a great impact in Argentina.

The Argentine government announced it downgraded the Malvinas Islands department at the Foreign ministry, but minister Susana Malcorra insisted that the sovereignty claim over the South Atlantic Islands remains as strong as ever and will advance in different forms, probably more subtle, and with Gibraltar as a reference.

Elliott Management Corp., a New York-based hedge fund that invested in distressed Argentine government bonds well over a decade ago, will have made a $2.4 billion profit on its wager once this week's settlement is finalized, the Wall Street Journal said.

The Argentine Coast Guard and Uruguayan navy failed in capturing a Chinese flagged jigger poaching in the two countries shared waters. According to non official reports, two Argentine Coast Guard vessels and a helicopter plus a Uruguayan aircraft and vessel were involved in the attempt to arrest Hua Li 8.

Brazil's state-run oil company Petrobras may be forced to pay 7.3 billion Reais (US$1.9 billion) in back taxes and fines after a decision by the country's tax authority Carf, newspaper Valor Economico reported on Wednesday.

Argentine president Mauricio Macri is scheduled to receive in a week's time the European Union head of foreign affairs, Federica Mogherini who is expected to announce that all is ready to begin, next April, formal negotiations for the long-delayed trade and cooperation agreement between Mercosur and the EU.

A judge sided with Argentina in its debt standoff on Wednesday, agreeing to let orders protecting creditors expire so that large U.S. hedge funds and smaller entities and people can be paid at least US$6.2 billion to satisfy settlements reached over the last month.

Mark Andrew Geoffrey Kent, currently ambassador in Thailand has been appointed British ambassador in Argentina, in succession of Dr. John Freeman, who will be transferring to another diplomatic service appointment. Mr. Kent is expected to take his new job during July this year.

At the formal opening of the 134th congressional term on Tuesday, Argentine president Mauricio Macri said on Tuesday that his administration is building mature and sensible relations with all countries of the world, and Mercosur is a priority, but dialoguing with world leaders, including British PM David Cameron “does not mean giving up our sovereignty claim over the Malvinas Islands”.