Argentina

• Thursday, December 27th 2012 - 20:18 UTC

  Setback for Cristina Fernandez: Supreme Court rejects two appeals on the Media Law

  

  The Argentine Supreme Court rejected on Thursday the Government’s ‘per saltum’ request to debate the constitutionality of two articles in the controversial Media Law which has the administration of President Cristina Fernandez clashing with the powerful Clarin group.

• Thursday, December 27th 2012 - 19:57 UTC

  First Kirchnerite minister to be sentenced to four years in prison

  

  Argentine former Economy Minister Felisa Miceli was sentenced to 4 years in prison after being found guilty of hiding and destroying evidence after a bag full of cash was found in her office in 2007; an incident which ended with her resigning from office.

• Thursday, December 27th 2012 - 06:11 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez recommended to ease intensity and will cut short visit to Asia

  

  Argentine president Cristina Fernandez has been recommended by her medical team to ease the ‘intensity’ of her activities and thus will leave Vietnam out of a tour which is planned for next month and includes the Arab Emirates and Indonesia.

• Thursday, December 27th 2012 - 06:05 UTC

  Argentine labour leader files complaint against officials for last week’s extended looting

  

  The head of Argentina’s organized labour, Hugo Moyano filed a complaint before a federal criminal court against cabinet chief Juan Manuel Abal Medina and Security Secretary Sergio Berni who openly and repeatedly accused the teamsters leader of being behind the extended rioting and looting of last week when four people were killed, hundreds injured and arrested and left millions of dollars in damages.

• Thursday, December 27th 2012 - 06:01 UTC

  Xmas rainstorms and soggy soil delaying soy and corn planting in Argentina

  

  Christmas rainstorms across Argentina further delayed soy and corn planting, keeping markets guessing about whether the grains powerhouse can produce enough this season to help bring high-flying global food prices down to earth.

• Thursday, December 27th 2012 - 05:39 UTC

  Timerman meets with Jewish community to report on talks with Iran

  

  Argentine Foreign Minister Hector Timerman met with the relatives of victims of the Buenos Aires 1994 AMIA Jewish center bombing to update them on negotiations with Iran. The update came three months after Timerman's first public meeting with his Iranian counterpart.

• Thursday, December 27th 2012 - 02:47 UTC

  Argentine government blasts farmers’ strike who are considering further actions

  

  Argentine Agriculture and Livestock Minister Norberto Yauhar accused farmers who organized what proved to be a very effective 24 hours livestock trading strike on Wednesday, of responding to ‘political interests’. The farmers’ Liaison Board said they are considering extending the protest to other economic activities.

• Thursday, December 27th 2012 - 02:38 UTC

  “Uruguay needs leaders in government, not demagogues” says transport businessman

  

  The country “needs leaders in government, not demagogues” said Juan Carlos López Mena a leading businessman of Uruguay’s tourism and transport industry who is also investing heavily in agriculture and an incipient regional airline.

• Thursday, December 27th 2012 - 02:24 UTC

  Argentine Coast Guard arrests two Chinese jiggers off Puerto Madryn

  

  The Argentine Coast Guard arrested on Christmas after fining some intimidatory shots, two Chinese flagged jiggers illegally fishing in Argentina’s South Atlantic Economic Exclusive Zone off the Chubut province coast, according to an official report released Wednesday.

• Wednesday, December 26th 2012 - 06:35 UTC

  Life sentence for Argentine civilian minister who worked with the military dictatorship

  

  An Argentine federal court handed down life sentences on Dec. 19 to former Buenos Aires province interior minister Jaime Smart (1976-1979), former Buenos Aires province police investigations director Miguel Osvaldo Etchecolatz and 14 former police and military personnel for genocide and crimes against humanity in the cases of 280 people detained during the 1976-1983 “dirty war” against suspected leftists.