Argentina

• Thursday, January 9th 2014 - 07:09 UTC

  Argentine idea to move the capital to north of the country closer to Pacific basin

  

  The president of the Lower House, and Victory Front lawmaker Julián Domínguez affirmed that Argentina's capital should be moved to the north. It is not the first time that this kind of project is presented: when Ricardo Alfonsín was president during the 80's, he proposed to transfer the nation’s capital to Viedma, a town located in the southern province of Río Negro.

• Thursday, January 9th 2014 - 06:35 UTC

  People living in Buenos Aires shanty towns increased 52% in ten years

  

  The number of people living in shanty towns or “misery villages” in Argentina and particularly in the capital Buenos Aires keeps increasing despite a decade of sustained growth at almost Chinese rates. According to data from the latest census of 2010, the number of people living in 'misery villages' in Buenos Aires was 163.587 compared to the 107.422 in 2001, with a 52% increase.

• Thursday, January 9th 2014 - 06:23 UTC

  Increase in TB cases in Buenos Aires linked to sweat shops working conditions

  

  Tuberculosis cases in Buenos Aires City have increased 25% between 1985 and 2011 according to a paper presented by a Federal Attorney who links the surge to dreadful working conditions in many of the sweat-shops in the Argentine capital that employ cheap foreign labor.

• Wednesday, January 8th 2014 - 05:58 UTC

  Germany's Wintershall joins Patagonia's Vaca Muerta shale gas and oil rush

  

  Germany's Wintershall signed on Tuesday a farm-in contract with the Argentine Patagonia province of Neuquén to explore Vaca Muerta’s shale gas and oil field. Under the terms of the joint-venture agreement Wintershall together with Gas & Petroleo de Neuquen will explore and develop the Aguada Federal block and are committed to invest 80 million Euros.

• Wednesday, January 8th 2014 - 05:28 UTC

  Record car sale in Argentina in 2013, but 2014 is full of uncertainties because of new taxes

  

  The registry of new cars in Argentina soared 13.5% last year establishing a record of 955.203 vehicles, compared to 2012, and also above the 860.000 units of 2011, which was the standing record, according to the Argentine association of automobile dealers, ACARA.

• Wednesday, January 8th 2014 - 05:00 UTC

  US dollar climbs to new record in Argentina: 10.90 Pesos

  

  The newly appointed Argentine Central bank chairman Juan Carlos Fábrega strategy to make the money exchange markets converge does not seem to be working: on Tuesday the 'blue' or parallel dollar soared to a new record, 10.85 and 10.90 Pesos, while the gap with the official rate again climbed to almost 60%.

• Wednesday, January 8th 2014 - 04:56 UTC

  Expectation: Cristina Fernandez is back and is scheduled to address the situation

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernández resumed on Tuesday her official activity in the Government House, after spending 18 days with her relatives in the Patagonia province of Santa Cruz. She arrived in Buenos Aires late Monday night and is scheduled to make a public appearance on Wednesday.

• Monday, January 6th 2014 - 19:51 UTC

  Cristina Fernandez “working everyday” returns this week to Buenos Aires

  

  Argentine President Cristina Fernandez “works everyday” and is “complying with her constitutional responsibilities” said cabinet chief Jorge Capitanich on Monday responding to opposition voices that have criticized the leader who remains in the Patagonian city of El Calafate. He also announced that the president would be returning to Buenos Aires this week.

• Monday, January 6th 2014 - 19:42 UTC

  Uruguayan minister says trade relations with Argentina “will never be the same”

  

  Industry, Energy and Mining Minister, Roberto Kreimerman, said Uruguay would try to settle disputes with Argentina in order to reestablish trade relations, but he also recognized Uruguay’s relationship with Argentina 'will never be the same'. The minister revealed that 32 million dollars of Uruguayan exports are blocked at Argentine Customs.

• Monday, January 6th 2014 - 19:37 UTC

  Beckham to play for Argentina's River Plate for six months: 'why not?'

  

  The great English player David Beckham could come out of retirement and sign a short term deal for Argentine giants River Plate, reports Argentine website Diario Veloz.