
Italy’s news daily “Corriere della Sera” said it will appeal a decision by that country’s court which ruled in favour of Argentine President Cristina Fernández in a “defamation” case involving alleged “luxury” purchases at Bulgari shops in Rome.

Brazil and Argentina are trying to address their economic and trade differences so that they can reach a long-standing, long term solution, said Marco Aurelio García, the Brazilian Executive advisor on foreign issues and trouble shooter for this kind of conflicts.

Brazil has virtually frozen political and economic relations with Argentina following serious discrepancies that were confirmed during the recent summit of presidents Cristina Fernandez with Dilma Rousseff who cut short the originally scheduled two-day visit to Buenos Aires.

Vice-president Danilo Astori admitted on Friday that economic-trade relations with Argentina continue to deteriorate and seriously question Mercosur and Uruguay must therefore speed the search for other alternatives.

The Argentine radical group ‘Resistencia Malvinas’ protested on Thursday midday before the Lan Chile offices in downtown Buenos Aires to demand the end of the weekly air link between Punta Arenas and the Falkland Islands. The group led by Toni Lopez and with drums banging displayed banners, distributed pamphlets and burnt Union Jacks.

For a third consecutive day the ‘blue’ dollar which trades in Argentina’s informal market established a new record and after having brushed 10 Pesos in earlier trading finally closed Friday at 9.84 (buying price) and 9.88 (selling price) Pesos.

United Nations expert on magistrates and solicitors independence again expressed concern on Thursday about the laws contained in the Argentine government-promoted judicial reform which might lead to the “politicization” of the judiciary branch.

President Cristina Fernández said she would like to see “some more justice in Argentina” after referring to a court case she won against an Italian newspaper which in 2008 claimed that while in Rome she went on an extravagant shopping spree: “Hunger and dolce vita in Rome”.

Argentine president Cristina Fernandez honoured the memory of the 323 crew members from the cruiser “General Belgrano” who lost their lives during the Malvinas war, “today, 31 years ago” and described the British torpedo attack on the vessel as “a criminal and coward action”.

The Malvinas cause will only come to an end when Argentina has definitive possession of the Islands, said Argentine defence minister Arturo Puricelli during a military ceremony to remember the 31st anniversary of the loss of cruiser ‘General Belgrano”, during the Falklands’ conflict torpedoed on 2 May 1982 by a Royal Navy submersible with the loss of 323 lives.