Portal:Argentina/Current News

Mar 23, 06 Chilean President Michelle Bachelet visits Argentina, who chose this country as the first destination of her international tour. The most interesting part was the invitation to a walk through the Buenos Aires suburbs, where she participated in the inauguration of a kindergarten, the visit to a housing project carried out by a cooperative and the participation in a political event. According to her words, she was very grateful for knowing & # 34; the real Argentina & # 34;. Points such as energy and gas shortages were also addressed. In this sense, Argentine President Néstor Kirchner guaranteed the supply of gas to the inhabitants of the neighboring country.

- The cuts on the two bridges that connect Argentina with Uruguay were lifted.

February 17, 06 The conflict between Uruguay and Argentina is growing over the construction of two paper mills on the Uruguay River, which divides the two countries. To the cuts carried out by environmentalists in the cities of Gualeguaychú-Fray Bentos and Colón-Paysandú, the passage that connects the city of Concordia with the city of Salto will now be added, thus blocking all the passages that connect Argentina with the neighboring country..

Jan 13, 06 A historic robbery occurs at the Banco Río in the town of Acassuso. A commando group of five armed criminals takes the people present hostage with toy weapons. Many safe deposit boxes and the main vault are looted. When they are surrounded by the police and the Special Operational Halcón Brigade of the Argentine Federal Police, they escape through an underground tunnel in which they had worked for months. They took around $25 million and police believe they have already fled the country.

Jan 3, 06. The Argentine Republic today cancels the debt with the International Monetary Fund. The Government paid US$ 9,530 million; Felisa Miceli, the Minister of Economy, said that a new stage is opening and that the payment improves the "economic, financial and fiscal perspectives of the country".

December 30, 05. Today marks the first anniversary of what was popularly called the Cro-Magnon tragedy. The fire at a bowling alley in Buenos Aires on December 30, 2004, which left 194 dead and 1,300 injured, marked the worst unnatural tragedy in the country's history. Relatives of the victims will hold various demonstrations today in various parts of the Argentine capital. Of the several defendants, only one is in prison: the manager of the bowling alley, Omar Chabán. Towards the end of 2006, an oral and public trial could begin to determine who was responsible for the incident. In addition, the head of government of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires, Anibal Ibarra, is suspended and will be impeached. The Cromañon tragedy undoubtedly caused a break in Argentine society.

December 22, 05. The Argentine star, Diego Maradona, would have disrespected the Brazilian authorities after missing the flight from Rio de Janeiro to Buenos Aires. He was detained. He was accused of contempt against local authorities and also of causing destruction, angry at having missed a plane. He was later released. There had been speculation that he was going to be transferred to central Brazil to undergo a breathalyzer test, but this was ruled out.

- Blank employment grew 10.3 percent in one year. It is the highest figure since 2002. In comparison with October, the increase was 1.3 percent, as measured in the main cities of Argentina. "There is a trend towards quality employment", said the Minister of Labor, Carlos Tomada.

December 21, 05. Very harsh sanction to the 27-year-old Argentine tennis player Mariano Puerta for positive doping. It was confirmed by the International Tennis Federation (ITF), after several months of suspense. The Argentine tennis player tested positive after the end of the last Roland Garros. He is a repeat offender and the disqualification is eight years, which could end his career. He must also return almost 900 thousand dollars in prizes won by the tennis player. This sanction is considered the harshest penalty that a player has received in the history of tennis.

December 19, 05. The World Bank approves the long-awaited report on environmental impact, supporting the installation of paper mills in Uruguay. The project includes the installation of two cellulose pulp plants in Fray Bentos, Uruguay. The residents of Gualeguaychú, (Province of Entre Ríos, Argentina), who are on the opposite bank, oppose it because they consider that it will contaminate the region and have harmful consequences for tourism and other economic activities. Yesterday there were massive protests against the project in Gualeguaychú with Argentine and Uruguayan protesters.

- Argentina was fourth in the annual FIFA ranking, while Brazil finished first for the fourth consecutive time and is one more reason to profile it as the great candidate for the 2006 World Cup in Germany. It will be held starting June 9 of next year. José Pekerman's team was behind Brazil, the Czech Republic and the Netherlands, in that order.

December 15, 05. Argentina pays all the debt to the IMF with its reserves: 9,810 million of dollars. President Néstor Kirchner criticized the organization saying that "this debt has turned out to be the most determining factor, and a vehicle for interference and demands". The country's external debt amounts to 120 billion dollars. The gesture of the national government responds to a debt reduction policy. On December 13, Brazil announced its cancellation of debt with the IMF, also paying with its monetary reserves.

- The Gross Domestic Product grew during the third quarter of the year by 9.2% compared to the same period last year, and also accumulated an increase of 9.2 percent between January and September, the INDEC reported this afternoon.

- The Argentine film “Iluminados por el fuego” was nominated as Best Spanish-speaking Foreign Film for the Goya Awards (Spain) that will be presented in January. The theme of the film addresses the period of the Falklands War.

Dec 14, 05. A UNICEF report reveals a slight improvement in child poverty rates in Argentina. The percentage of poor children under 18 years of age fell in one year from 62.7% to 58.2%. Experts from the international organization assure that a negative trend is being reversed. In any case, 2 out of every 10 Argentine children are homeless.