Argentina

• Thursday, January 31st 2013 - 07:01 UTC

  Argentine construction activity was down 3.2% in 2012, according to official stats

  

  Argentina’s construction activity registered a 3.2% drop in 2012 compared to the volume reported the previous year, according to the Indec national statistics bureau. This would be the first time in three years that the industry experienced a broad slowdown.

• Wednesday, January 30th 2013 - 15:18 UTC

  Timerman taking the Falklands’ dispute to London in an event with EU figures

  

  Foreign minister Hector Timerman will be taking the Falklands/Malvinas sovereignty claim to London where next week he is scheduled to meet outstanding figures from 18 European countries that have been calling for a resumption of negotiations, according to a release from the Argentine embassy in UK.

• Wednesday, January 30th 2013 - 06:44 UTC

  IMF informally briefed on Argentina and on Friday will address possible censure

  

  The International Monetary Fund’s board of directors was informally briefed on the economic situation in Argentina, which has refused to undergo an annual assessment since 2006.

• Wednesday, January 30th 2013 - 06:41 UTC

  Argentine organized labour anticipates fierce wage talks despite controversial tax relief

  

  Argentina’s organized labour CGT confederation led by Hugo Moyano came on stage on Tuesday to make clear that Monday’s income tax floor 20% rise announced by President Cristina Fernández “is not enough” and anticipated fierier wage talks with a clear 25% raise demand.

• Wednesday, January 30th 2013 - 06:36 UTC

  Kingmaker of Argentine soccer stepping down in 2015 after 36 years

  

  Argentine Football Association (AFA) chief Julio Grondona will step down in 2015 after 36 years in the job, he said on Tuesday. The 81-year-old senior FIFA vice-president, widely criticised for the way in which he has run the AFA, will not seek re-election for the first time since he came to power in 1979.

• Wednesday, January 30th 2013 - 06:34 UTC

  Good and bad news for Argentina disputes at World Trade Organization

  

  The World Trade Organization decided to implement two dispute resolution panels, one to probe accusations of unfair trade practices against Argentina by the US, the EU and Japan and another regarding Argentina’s claim that US-sanctioned measures affect their meat and lemons exports.

• Wednesday, January 30th 2013 - 06:32 UTC

  Argentina rejects as ‘improper’ Israel’s objection of an agreement with Iran

  

  The Argentine government rejected Israel’s decision to summon the Argentine ambassador in Tel Aviv to discuss recent agreement between Argentina and Iran, saying it considered it an “improper” move that goes “against the traditional, friendly relationship” between both nations.

• Tuesday, January 29th 2013 - 06:02 UTC

  UK wants to control South Atlantic access and resources, claims Argentina

  

  Argentina claimed at the CELAC summit in Chile that the UK has converted the Falkland Islands into one of the “most militarized territories in the world” with the sole purpose of exploiting the natural resources of the Islands and control access to Antarctica.

• Tuesday, January 29th 2013 - 03:02 UTC

  Are Falkland Islanders the Mapuches of the South Atlantic?

  

  By John Fowler - Frequently controversial newspaper columnist, Matthew Parris, who was a member of the British Parliament during 1982, has not been noted in the past as a supporter of the Falkland Islands in their struggle to avoid annexation by Argentina. It was something of a surprise therefore to read an article by him in The Times of January 26 entitled Argentina’s hypocrites is steeped in blood.

• Monday, January 28th 2013 - 20:13 UTC

  An Argentine queen for the House of Orange; Beatrix steps down April 30

  

  Dutch Queen Beatrix, who turns 75, announced she was abdicating in favour of her son, Prince Willem-Alexander, who will become king on April 30. Willem-Alexander, 45, is married to Argentine born Princess Maxima Zorreguieta and has three young children.