Argentina

• Thursday, May 15th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Argentina rates 103 out of 190 countries in institutional quality

  Long obsessed with its image in the eyes of such international monitors as the United Nations Human Development Index or Transparency International, Argentina has had its own international Institutional Quality Index for the past two years.

• Wednesday, May 14th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Growing political support for Argentine farmers protest

  Argentine farmers continued with their round of political contacts visiting Congress in Buenos Aires while officials from the Kirchner administration said governors should not feel obliged to receive farmers' delegations and anticipated that “new beneficial alternatives” were under consideration by the government.

• Wednesday, May 14th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Kirchners double conciliatory tone challenges farmers

  A double message on Wednesday from the Argentine government forced a new scenario for the ongoing conflict with the striking farmers who have been protesting since early March against the taxing system.

• Tuesday, May 13th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Cordoba and Santa Fe provinces support farmers' claims

  Argentine striking farmers confirmed on Monday a powerful supporter in their conflict with the President Kirchner administrations over the grains and oil seeds export taxes controversy.

• Tuesday, May 13th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Inflation “rapidly raveling” Kirchner's economic model

  

  Former Argentine Economy minister Roberto Lavagna and considered the architect of the spectacular recovery of the Argentine economy following the 2001/02 melting and default said that former president Nestor Kirchner “does not understand economics” and his economic model is “rapidly raveling”.

• Tuesday, May 13th 2008 - 21:00 UTC

  Erupting volcano imperils two million sheep in Patagonia

  Two million sheep in the Argentine Patagonia province of Chubut are suffering the consequences of the ash blanket spewed by the eruption of the volcano Chaiten in neighboring Chile according to primary estimates from local authorities.

• 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.