
The Argentine government signed the decree on Thursday formalising the decision for the state to begin to control a part of the mobile phone sector, a measure announced on Wednesday by Planning Minister Julio De Vido.

Argentina’s Security Ministry issued a tough press release in response to the alleged police operative deployed by the Santa Cruz government in order to monitor the activities of President Cristina Fernández last weekend.

Argentina announced the government has rejected the proposals made by bidders seeking to gain a public contract to manage up to 25% of the 3G telecommunications frequency nationwide. Instead the federal government satellite and communications company Arsat will get 20% of the available 3G spectrum.

Real estate sales in Buenos Aires City dropped for the eighth month running in July and 27.6% over a year ago because of the US dollar clamp according to the monthly evolution index of sales documents from the Notaries College of the Argentine capital.

International arrivals in Chile in the first half of the year showed a significant growth of 15% compared to the same period a year before, having totalled 1.850.048 tourists, according to the Chilean Tourism Barometer compiled by Fedetur, the Federation of Tourism companies from Chile.

Argentina has filed its third trade complaint in two weeks, the World Trade Organization said on Monday, challenging US laws that it says have blocked imports of fresh lemons from north-west Argentina.

Argentine nationalized oil company YPF moved forward in the signing of an agreement with Russian state oil company Gazprom to develop conventional and non-conventional gas in Argentina and the eventual supply of liquefied gas.

Argentina’s Industrial Union, UIA, called on the government of President Cristina Fernandez to ease the imports of inputs for manufacturing, which is suffering from shortages caused by severe controls, although at the same time was supportive of official policies to boost industry.

President Cristina Fernández blasted those sectors that demand a cheaper Peso (and stronger US dollar) and defended the exchange rate and imports' controls saying they are vital for the industrialization process of Argentina.

The Argentine non government organization CeDePesca, Development and Sustainable Fisheries Centre have requested Argentine fisheries authorities to take action against the sustained over-fishing experienced by the hake (Merluccius hubbsi) in the South Atlantic.