Britain dethrones the Netherlands
Olympics — Field hockey Saturday, August 20, 2016 Britain dethrones the NetherlandsRIO DE JANEIRO — Britain beat defending champion the Netherlands yesterday to take home its first Olympic gold medal in women’s hockey, winning 2-0 in a tense shootout following a hardfought 3-3 draw. After topping the podium in Beijing and London, the Netherlands were hot favourites going into the Rio Games. Britain also finished the group stages with a perfect record and was gunning for gold in its first Olympic final having won bronze four years ago in London. The Netherlands’ second goal promptly followed with Paumen scoring off the last of three penalty corners in the space of four minutes. Britain’s Helen Richardson-Walsh and Hollie Webb found the back of net to secure victory and their team’s first Olympic gold medals.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
August 20, 2016 03:48 UTC
Macri in Catch 22
But that is not the only cultural battle Macri is waging. The Macri administration is extremely concerned about being – or at least looking – different from its predecessor, the Kirchner era. Where the Kirchners sought to manipulate the media, Macri claims he barely reads newspapers and cares little about what they write about him. But it will only continue to do so if Macri can also be proactive – and successful – in establishing something similar to a governing plan of his own. Catch 22 may be around the corner.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
August 20, 2016 03:48 UTC
Gov’t pledge for zero duties on soybeans sees ‘delay’
Saturday, August 20, 2016 Gov’t pledge for zero duties on soybeans sees ‘delay’President Mauricio Macri pledged during the presidential campaign to continue lowering the soybean levy five percentage points every year until fully eliminating it. He pledged to continue lowering the levy five percentage points every year, until fully eliminating it in seven years. Argentina is going through a difficult situation,” Guillermo Bernaudo, Agriculture Ministry Cabinet Chief, said yesterday in a summit in Córdoba. “We probably won’t have news this year, probably in the next one after the soy harvest season,” he added. He said during the presidential campaign that soybean levy would be at 25 percent in 2017,” Buryaile said back then.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
August 20, 2016 03:11 UTC
Utility rates: businesses mull injunctions
Saturday, August 20, 2016 Utility rates: businesses mull injunctionsStung by their exclusion from a Supreme Court ruling that rolled back natural gas price increases for residential users only, heavy industry and business representatives yesterday urged the government to broker a solution for their sectors. On Thursday, the country’s top tribunal struck down the hikes in gas prices for residential users only — accounting for roughly a third of total consumption. As such, the Court excluded the businesses and industry that consume the majority of the country’s gas. While domestic users will enjoy the rates in effect on March 31 and may be reimbursed in the coming months, businesses will be expected to pay the increases capped at 500 percent. Urtubey added that the ruling issued unanimously by the four Supreme Court justices did “not resolve the rate problem” and that a comprehensive solution was needed.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
August 20, 2016 03:00 UTC
Goodbye, CBU! Central Bank Will Now Let You Pick Your Own Code
In a world in which we are constantly bombarded with information, remembering something longer than your home address can prove to be a challenge. That is why sometimes your CBU (Clave Bancaria Uniforme or, in English, Single Banking Code), which is like the local version of the IBAN, can be very annoying sometimes. The good news is that the Central Bank (BCRA) appears to have reached that same conclusion this week and announced that it will create a so-called “Alias CBU” instead by which bank users will be able to link their account numbers to a pseudonym of their choice. Goodbye 22-number account combinations, hello endless possibilities for weird names. You must have a funnier alias than your friends.
Source:The Bubble
August 19, 2016 20:03 UTC
Where’s My Primera Football Preview?!
That’s right, there will be no football this weekend. The reasons for this lack of on-pitch action will be the focus for this week’s Friday football – erm, non-preview. Not about how much their footwear costs, mind you, but about TV rights money. The Primera clubs have been convinced to stand in solidarity with their lower division counterparts (for the moment, at least) and that, in essence, is why there won’t be any football this weekend. This isn’t the Premier League, and the money involved, it goes without saying, is never going to be comparable.
Source:The Bubble
August 19, 2016 19:41 UTC
Former Vice President Amado Boudou To Face Oral Trial In ‘Ciccone’ Case
Federal Prosecutor Jorge Di Lello yesterday requested that former Vice President Amado Boudou face oral trial for allegedly using his influence as a public official to buy the Ciccone printing company (which had the technology to print currency and other government-issued documents) in order to award it State contracts. Boudou initially denied having anything to do with either the case or the company, and accused the media of mounting a smear campaign against him. Boudou will now have a final chance to defend himself before the criminal tribunal, which will issue a definitive sentence. However, even though the word definitive sounds definitive, this is still another step in the criminal case allowing Boudou to appeal the ruling. If he get a less severe sentence, he can request to go on probation and thus avoid doing time.
Source:The Bubble
August 19, 2016 18:45 UTC
A Farewell To Asados: Argentine Meat Prices To Go Up By 5 Percent
So much so, in fact, that alarmed nutritionists repeatedly warn the local populace to please eat more vegetables. In his newsletter Urcía explained that the price increase is a necessary measure after the 42 percent annual salary increase the government agreed upon in July. On top of this meat consumption in Argentina has declined over the last year and the export sector has as well. This was blamed mainly on food price increases of 32.6 percent over the last year, though it is likely that rising utility bills are no innocent bystanders in this. The report revealed that Argentines are reeling in their spending by 26 percent.
Source:The Bubble
August 19, 2016 16:41 UTC
Argentines Win MIT Prize For Environmentally Friendly Air Conditioner
That was when Ecuardo Fracassi, leader of the Awareness Initiative for Climate Change and professor at ITBA, stepped in to help coordinate the project. The ITBA team won first place over 60 other finalists and 500 participants. Users save energy while maintaining a comfortable temperature and businesses, by decreasing energy consumption, will need less investment. Due to its geographic location and abundance of natural resources, Argentina is a key player in the fight against climate change, and has committed to cutting its C02 emissions by large quantities. In addition to their participation in the Climate Change Conference, President Mauricio Macri founded a new National Cabinet For Climate Change together with Cabinet Chief Marcos Peña and Environment Minister Sergio Bergman.
Source:The Bubble
August 19, 2016 16:07 UTC
Macri Announces Plan To Simplify Process Of Setting Up A Business In Argentina
President Mauricio Macri yesterday announced a plan called Argentina Emprende (“Argentina Undertakes”) that will allow new companies to be set up within 24 hours as well as simplify the whole legal process behind launching a business. The plan is comprised of two bills: The Entrepreneur Bill and the Collective Benefits and Interests Bill. Argentina ranks 157 out of 189 countries regarding company creation according to the Doing Business report by the World Bank, which classifies countries according to how easy it is to do business. Between that and the government’s continual search to bring in more investment, the bill could potentially reap enough support to be passed. However, it has yet to be presented and evaluated in Congress, so we’ll have to see the actual legislation before drawing conclusions.
Source:The Bubble
August 19, 2016 15:11 UTC
What’s That Strange Smell In Buenos Aires Today?
If your olfactory senses hadn’t alerted you, local media may have: beginning early this morning, a strange smell has overtaken the City of Buenos Aires, which many are likening to burned plastic or something rotten. Cue the Twitter complaints and the hashtag #OlorEnBuenosAires (#BuenosAiresSmells). Apparently, the phenomenon is due to a particular climatic situation that creates a kind of windless fog. The static air mass is suspended over the city and has trapped a rotten smell coming from a CEAMSE waste plant in the locality of José León Suárez. The smell should begin to dissipate with the arrival of more intense winds and a temperature increase.
Source:The Bubble
August 19, 2016 15:00 UTC
Macri Administration To Hold Public Hearing About Gas Increases in September
Following yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling suspending gas bill increases for homes, the Macri administration today called for a public hearing on September 12 to, once again, present its proposal to raise gas prices. In a resolution published in the Official Bulletin, the Macri administration also instructed the national entity in charge of regulating gas (ENARGAS) to have the companies in charge of distributing gas go back to charging the prices it did until March 31. The public hearing will take place on Monday, September 12, at 9 AM at the Usina del Arte, in the capital’s neighborhood of La Boca. According to the resolution, “Any person or company, public or private, who claims a right has been transgressed or is simply interested” will be eligible to attend. Read more: Supreme Court Halts Gas Bill Increases For HomesHearings are intended to inform the public and are not legally binding, however.
Source:The Bubble
August 19, 2016 14:26 UTC
Why It Matters To Brazil That US Olympian Ryan Lochte’s Robbery Story Is BS
The games may have had some bumps along the road, but they most definitely weren’t headed for a failure. And then, gold medalist Ryan Lochte claimed that he and three other US swimmers were robbed at gunpoint while returning to the Olympic Village in Barra da Tijuca. Video footage revealed the swimmers weren’t robbed as they said and at a press conference on Thursday, Rio police confirmed no robbery took place. And unfortunately for Brazil, this incident is very much in line with its public image as well. At least with the image of Brazil where white US citizens get held up at gunpoint on the regular, and even the police aren’t to be trusted.
Source:The Bubble
August 19, 2016 13:52 UTC
Brazil seizes US$655 M from engineering firms
Friday, August 19, 2016 Brazil seizes US$655 M from engineering firmsBrazil’s suspended President Dilma Rousseff speaks about the upcoming impeachment process during a press conference for foreign correspondents, at the official Alvorada Palace residence, in Brasilia yesterday. Odebrecht, Latin America’s largest engineering group, and OAS are among the 31 builders that allegedly colluded to rig contracts at Petrobras, the target of the corruption probe. When asked about charges of graft facing some members of her Workers Party (PT), Rousseff said her administration had put in place mechanisms allowing the investigation of systemic corruption. Pope Francis letterRousseff also revealed yesterday that she received a letter from Pope Francis, but refused to reveal its contents. The request was sent a week after PT lawmakers lobbied the entity to order the suspension of the impeachment process.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
August 19, 2016 03:45 UTC
What To Do In Buenos Aires This Weekend August 19 Edition
San Juan 328)WELCOME: The city of Buenos Aires is hosting a massive welcome party for any international student who finds themselves in Buenos Aires for the purpose of furthering their education. The Alianza Francesa will host this exploration of the 200 year-old cultural practice at 7:00 PM and the event is free! Babel Orkesta will be ringing in the weekend with unmatched exuberance at the Mamerta Espacio Cultural starting at 11:30 PM. Mamerta Espacio Cultural (Lavalle 4080)PARTY: We’re all about the live music vibe this weekend, and Uniclub is on the same wavelength. Tickets are ARS 120 at the door, but only ARS 90 if you email cia.avantgarde@gmail.com to get your tickets in advance.
Source:The Bubble
August 19, 2016 03:00 UTC