Argentina

• Friday, December 22nd 2017 - 09:56 UTC

  Argentina: Approval of reform bills triggers markets

  

  Merval, the main index of the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange, rose 1.51% Thursday, closing at 28,494.01 points - close to exceeding the maximum of the year, by 28,500 points. The Argentine stocks were driven by the approval of the pension and tax reforms passed this week in the House of Representatives.

• Thursday, December 21st 2017 - 10:05 UTC

  President Maduro “cries” for Argentina and pledges to work for the people

  

  The president of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, condemned the repression carried out by the Argentine security forces of president Mauricio Macri during the debate in Congress of the pensions' reform system, and underlined that the television reports from Buenos Aires called on him to work ever harder for the benefit of the people.

• Thursday, December 21st 2017 - 09:34 UTC

  Argentina's tax reform bill passed in the Lower House by 146 to 77 votes

  

  Argentina’s business-friendly President Mauricio Macri continued his year-end legislative winning streak on Wednesday when the lower House of Congress approved his plan for cutting corporate income and employer social security taxes.

• Wednesday, December 20th 2017 - 09:30 UTC

  EU support for Falklands at the UN in doubt, warns ex UK ambassador

  

  The European Union will refuse to back Britain in United Nations votes over the Falkland Islands after Brexit, a former ambassador has suggested. Other countries regarded the UK’s loss of influence since the Leave vote “as a shark would regard blood in the water”, Lord Hannay told a parliamentary inquiry.

• Wednesday, December 20th 2017 - 08:45 UTC

  Shame on you Argentina

  

  A heartbreaking photo of a tiny indigenous girl drinking from a filthy puddle in the blistering sun has prompted soul searching across Argentina and the wider Spanish-speaking world. The toddler, from the Mbya Guarani people who live across Brazil and Argentina, was reported to be begging for money with other children in the city of Posadas.

• Wednesday, December 20th 2017 - 08:37 UTC

  Despite the violence and protests, Argentina's pension reform bill is passed

  

  Argentina’s president defended a pension reform bill approved by Congress in the early hours of Tuesday that has prompted violent protests and a general strike, saying it seeks only to benefit retirees. The measure passed in the lower house by a 127-117 vote after more than 12 hours of debate, much of which came as demonstrators clashed with police outside the chamber.

• Tuesday, December 19th 2017 - 12:50 UTC

  Second chapter of Buenos Aires battle over pension overhaul; 24 hour general strike

  

  Police and protesters clashed on Monday outside Argentina’s Congress as lawmakers debated a proposed pension overhaul that has angered retirees and prompted union leaders to wage a general strike.

• Monday, December 18th 2017 - 07:16 UTC

  Argentina ready for another attempt to approve the pension reform bill on Monday

  

  The government of Argentina has decided to vote on the pension reform bill on Monday amid speculation that President Mauricio Macri's administration could use a decree to fast-track the legislation.

• Saturday, December 16th 2017 - 17:18 UTC

  Argentina sacks the head of the Navy, first disciplinary action since the loss of ARA San Juan

  

  Argentina fired the head of its navy a month after a submarine disappeared in the South Atlantic with 44 crew members onboard, a government spokesman said on Saturday. Local paper La Nacion had reported earlier, citing anonymous sources, that Navy Admiral Marcelo Eduardo Hipolito Srur was let go by the defense minister.

• Friday, December 15th 2017 - 07:51 UTC

  Violent protests in Buenos Aires as Congress attempted to discuss a pensions reform plan

  

  A trade union-organized march in Buenos Aires descended into violence Thursday, with thousands of protesters clashing with police as they demanded lawmakers reject a controversial pension reform plan. Riot police used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets against demonstrators, who threw stones and burned barricades made of rubbish outside the doors of Argentina's congress.