Page 5 - Argentina

Messi now has 500 million followers on Instagram; check who is ahead of him

Argentina footballer, Lionel Messi, now has more than 500 million followers on Instagram. He is only behind his arch rival Cristiano Ronaldo

Argentina's poverty levels hit 57% of population, 20-year high in January

Poverty levels skyrocketed to 57.4% of Argentina's 46 million people in January, the highest rate in 20 years, according to a study by the Catholic University of Argentina. The findings quickly unleashed accusations between Argentina's former Vice President Cristina Fernndez de Kirchner and the government of President Javier Milei, who came to power announcing a series of shock measures aimed at tackling the country's severe crisis. About 27 million people in Argentina are poor and 15% of those are mired in destitution, meaning they cannot adequately cover their food needs, according to the study released over the weekend. The UCA's social debt observatory is considered an independent and prestigious research space whose reports on poverty cover a larger geographical area than those conducted by Argentina's national statistics agency, INDEC. It also applies a methodology that addresses the problem with a more multidimensional approach and its findings are seldom questioned by ...

Samvardhana Q3 results: Profit rises 19.4% to Rs 542 cr, misses estimates

The net profit number included a negative hyperinflationary impact of Rs 191 crore for the Argentina business, the company said in a presentation

Argentina friendly in mainland China cancelled over Messi's absence in HK

An Argentina soccer friendly in China next month was cancelled on Friday in more fallout from Lionel Messi failing to play in a club exhibition match in Hong Kong. World Cup champion Argentina, captained by Messi, last month scheduled a tour of China during the international break from March 18-26. Games were lined up against Nigeria in Hangzhou and Ivory Coast in Beijing. Both opponents are coincidentally meeting in the Africa Cup of Nations final this weekend. But Messi, on tour with his Inter Miami club, outraged fans in Hong Kong when he didn't play against a local selection last Sunday and remained on the bench. Messi said he had a groin injury. But his excuse didn't wash in Hong Kong after he played for 30 minutes on Wednesday in Tokyo against Vissel Kobe. On Friday, the sports bureau in Hangzhou canceled the Argentina-Nigeria friendly. "Because of the reasons known to all, we've learned from supervising authorities that the conditions are immature for the match to go forwa

Messi's first contract with Barca was signed on napkin, now up for auction

Lionel Messi's record-breaking career with Barcelona started with a contract written on a napkin. It's up for auction with a starting price of 300,000 pounds (USD 379,000). British auction house Bonhams is selling the napkin in an online auction from March 18-27 on behalf of Horacio Gaggioli, an agent from Messi's home country of Argentina who was part of the deal. The napkin, bearing the date December 14, 2000, bears the signatures of Gaggioli, another agent, Josep Maria Minguella and Barcelona's then-sporting director, Carles Rexach, who met at a tennis club in Barcelona. It outlines an agreement in principle to sign Messi and was intended to reassure his father, Jorge Messi, that the deal would go through. A more formal and detailed contract with the club followed soon after. "This is one of the most thrilling items I have ever handled. Yes, it's a paper napkin, but it's the famous napkin that was at the inception of Lionel Messi's career," Ian Ehling, the head of fine books and

Regret Argentina's move not to join Brics, hope it reconsiders: Kremlin

Argentina's incoming Foreign Minister Diana Mondino said in November that his country would not join the Brics grouping of developing nations despite being invited to do so

State-owned KABIL signs $24 mn lithium exploration deal in Argentina

The deal, signed with an Argentinian state-run enterprise, gives KABIL exploration and developmental rights for commercial production

Devaluation of Argentine Peso results in negative impact on Q3 sales: GCPL

FMCG maker Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) on Friday said the devaluation of the Argentine Peso by the recently elected government in Argentina has resulted in a "negative mid-single digit impact" on its consolidated sales for the December quarter. The new Argentinian government is taking various measures to improve the economic conditions and one of them was to devalue the Argentine Peso to the US Dollar. In December 2023, the Argentine Peso to the US Dollar was devalued from 361 to 808, as the Argentinian economy is facing hyperinflationary pressures. The IndAS 29 (Indian accounting standards) mandates the YTD statement of Profit and Loss to be translated at the closing rate for presentation in consolidated financial statements, said the Godrej Group FMCG arm in a regulatory statement. It mandates all amounts to be restated into the measuring unit at the end of the reporting period by applying a general price index. "Hence, the impact of the devaluation of the Argentine Peso

Newly-elected Argentina President Milei cancels plan to join Brics: Report

The BRICS grouping of five major emerging economies--Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa--at the end of its meeting in Johannesburg announced its decision to invite six new members in 2024

Argentina's unions protest president's cutbacks, deregulation and austerity

Thousands of union members and activists took to the streets of Argentina's capital on Wednesday to protest a decree from President Javier Milei that imposes sweeping deregulation and austerity measures meant to revive the country's struggling economy. Unions had asked a court for a prior injunction to block measures lifting some labour protections, but a judge rejected the appeal, noting the decree had not yet entered into effect. It does so on Friday. Argentine labour activists question whether Milei, a self-described anarcho-capitalist who has long railed against the country's political caste, can impose the measures by way of an emergency decree bypassing the legislature where his party has few seats. We do not question the president's legitimacy ... but we want a president who respects the division of powers, who understands that workers have the need to defend themselves individually and within the framework of justice when there is unconstitutionality, said Gerardo Martnez, .

Argentina's new president lays off 5,000 government employees hired in 2023

The administration of Argentina's new President Javier Milei said on Tuesday that his government won't renew contracts for more than 5,000 employees hired this year before he took office. The move was part of a sweeping plan of cutbacks and devaluations announced by the right-wing libertarian since he took office on Dec. 10 to transform Argentina's struggling economy. The contracts for other government employees, who were hired prior to 2023, will be reviewed, authorities said. The 2023 cutoff is apparently meant to target the practice of outgoing presidents padding the payrolls in their final year. With inflation expected to reach about 200% by the end of the year, Milei has pledged to reduce government regulations and payrolls, and allow the privatization of state-run industries as a way to boost exports and investment. The cutbacks have already drawn protests but Milei has vowed to forge ahead. The goal is (to) start on the road to rebuilding our country, return freedom and ...

India set to acquire five lithium blocks in Argentina spotted by KABIL

"Talks are in the final stages, and a proposal has been submitted to the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs for approval," said government officials aware of the development

A year in politics: A recap of all key global events that shaped 2023

From geopolitical conflicts to historic political shifts, 2023 has been a year of significant milestones. Dive into the key political events that left an indelible mark on the world stage

Crypto wrap: Bitcoin gains on Argentina's endorsement, ETF anticipation

Experts suggest that Bitcoin may soon reach the $48,000 level if the momentum persists

Indictment against Hezbollah figure says he helped plan Argentina bombing

A high-ranking member of Hezbollah's Islamic Jihad Organisation was charged with terrorism offences, including the bombing of a building in Argentina in 1994 that killed 85 people, in an indictment unsealed Wednesday in Manhattan federal court. Samuel Salman El Reda, 58, who remains at large and is believed to be in Lebanon, was described by federal authorities as the leader of terrorist activity carried out by Hezbollah since at least 1993. From 1993 to 2015, he conspired to support terrorists in Lebanon, Argentina, Panama, Thailand and elsewhere, the indictment said as it listed six aliases for El Reda, including Salman Ramal, Sulayman Rammal, Salman Raouf Salman and Hajj. He faces conspiracy charges and a count alleging he provided material support to a terrorist organisation. Assistant Attorney General Matthew G Olsen said in a release that El Reda nearly three decades ago helped plan and execute the heinous attack on a Buenos Aires Jewish community centre that murdered 85 ...

Thousands protest austerity measures of Argentina's new president Milei

Protests began Wednesday against the austerity and deregulation measures announced by Argentina's newly elected President Javier Milei, whose government had also warned against blocking streets. For years it has been common for protesters in Argentina to block streets for long periods of time; while Milei's administration has said it will allow protests, it threatened to cut off public aid payments to anyone who blocks thoroughfares. Marchers began gathering in Buenos Aires, the capital, and set out toward the iconic Plaza de Mayo, the scene of protests dating back to the country's 1980s dictatorship. Police struggled to keep marchers from taking over the entire boulevard. Eduardo Belliboni, one of the march's organisers, said demonstrators faced an enormous repressive apparatus. Belliboni's left-wing Polo Obrero group has a long history of leading street blockades. Belliboni claimed marches wouldn't fit on the sidewalks. This (the street) is where people move around all over the .

There is no money: Argentina begins shock remedy to jolt stagnant economy

Total spending cuts will amount to 2.9% of gross domestic product, a senior government official said later. The goal is to eliminate the primary budget deficit

Argentina to devalue peso by more than 50% to help its struggling economy

In recent years, Argentina's central bank has printed more of the peso to help the country's government avoid defaulting on its debt. That has resulted in skyrocketing prices

Ukraine Prez Zelenskyy in Argentina to win support from developing nations

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy traveled to Buenos Aires to witness the swearing-in on Sunday of Argentina's new president, Javier Milei. It is the Ukrainian leader's first-ever trip to Latin America as Kyiv continues to court support among developing nations for its 21-month-old fight against Russia's invading forces. Milei welcomed Zelenskyy at the presidential palace after his inauguration. The two shared an extended hug, exchanged words and then Milei, who has said he intends to convert to Judaism, presented his Ukrainian counterpart with a menorah as a gift. They were expected to have a longer one-on-one meeting later on Sunday. A political outsider who has railed against what he calls entrenched official corruption in Argentina and promised to uproot the political establishment, Milei ran on a pro-Western foreign policy platform, repeatedly expressing distrust of Moscow and Beijing. Zelenskyy phoned Milei shortly after the Argentinian's electoral victory, thanking him

World Cup Qualifier: ARG beat BRA 1-0 after crowd violence delays start

Many fans came to the Maracana Stadium to watch Lionel Messi in his likely last match in Brazil, a superclasico in World Cup qualifying against the hosts. Instead, they saw Nicols Otamendi score the only goal in a 1-0 win for Argentina after a brawl between fans that delayed the start of the game. The World Cup champions inflicted the first home defeat on Brazil ever in World Cup qualifying. It was Brazil's third consecutive loss in the round-robin tournament another negative mark for new coach Fernando Diniz. Messi left the pitch in the 78th minute amid a mixture of jeers and applause from Brazil fans. Dozens of children arrived at the Maracana wearing the shirts of Barcelona, the star's previous club, and Inter Miami. The Argentine star wasn't able to end one of his last barriers in the sport at the Maracana, though, to score against the Brazilians in a World Cup qualifier. Argentina will return home not only atop the South American qualifying standings but also having given it