Bomb explodes in New York City injuring 29
Monday, September 19, 2016 Bomb explodes in New York City injuring 29New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers stand near the site of an explosion in the Chelsea neighbourhood of Manhattan, New York, yesterday. “Tonight, New York City experienced a very bad incident,” de Blasio said at a press conference near the scene in Chelsea. Governor Andrew Cuomo, touring the site of the blast in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood, said there didn’t appear to be any link to international terrorism. ‘It was crazy’“People didn’t know what was going on, and that’s what was scary,” said Anthony Zayas, an actor who was in the Chelsea neighbourhood Saturday night when the bomb went off. Officials solicited tips from the public, telling reporters at a press conference in the New York Police Department’s headquarters that they didn’t know who set off the bomb or why.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 19, 2016 02:15 UTC
Explore or Exploit – when to do which
Monday, September 19, 2016 Explore or Exploit – when to do whichBy Liliana PalermoFor the HeraldThink Less, Think BetterA FRIEND of mine has a bad habit of narrating his experiences as they are taking place. In a series of experiments, we gave participants a free-association task while simultaneously taxing (7) their mental capacity to different degrees. Other times, we rely on, or “exploit,” what we already know, leaning on our expectations, trusting the comfort of a predictable environment. If creativity is markedly stymied by mind wandering, it is stymied to an extent that is very noticeable, striking and significant. The good side of this is that –by all indications in the language – those who have to deal with a wandering mind are quite a number.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 19, 2016 00:45 UTC
Funny things on the way to the forum
The Macri government is not blind to this factor because it devoted a full day of the forum (the last) to the theme of innovation. In summary, the three days of the Business and Investment Forum brought here some 1,500 CEOs, including the global heads of such big names as BP, Coca Cola, Dow, Siemens, etc. But perhaps the biggest immediate result of the forum came from outside the business world. There were also various news items during the forum days which were not directly related but somehow sent out pertinent signals. The 2017 budget on the forum’s last day was another obvious item of interest for the forum.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 18, 2016 03:11 UTC
Obama fails to stop Israeli settlements
Sunday, September 18, 2016 Obama fails to stop Israeli settlementsPalestinian children carry water bottles near their house on the outskirts of the West Bank village of Yatta, south of Hebron. By Josef FedermanAPFigures show that construction in occupied territories has grown since 2008JERUSALEM — In his landmark speech to the Arab world seven years ago, President Barack Obama warned that Israeli settlements on occupied territories were undermining hopes for peace. Not only did he fail to stop it, but he watched Israeli construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem thrive — despite repeated White House condemnations. But a senior Obama administration official acknowledged the settlements have continued growing significantly during the Obama years. Peter Beinart, a liberal American commentator who has been an outspoken critic of the settlements, said Obama had missed an opportunity.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 18, 2016 03:11 UTC
Foreign investors still cautious
“This shows there is a cultural issue, to maintain the level of work without thinking of economic efficiency,” said Trevisani. The Let’s Change official spoke as he defended a bill designed to promote youth employment that was savaged by the opposition as “unpassable” without amendments, considering the bill a throwback to labour reforms implemented in the 1990s. Addressing a plenary of committees yesterday, Triaca admitted the job sector faced turmoil, saying construction and industry had been hit the hardest. Argentina’s political reality lead some to question how politically feasible further reforms, especially the historically sensitive labour issue, really are. Macri does not have a majority in Congress and needs moderate members of the opposition Peronist movement to pass legislation.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 17, 2016 03:11 UTC
Del Potro outlasts Olympic champ Murray
Argentina takes 2-0 lead over Britain in Davis Cup semifinals Saturday, September 17, 2016 Del Potro outlasts Olympic champ MurrayGLASGOW — Argentina was in sight of a first Davis Cup final since 2011 after taking a 2-0 lead over titleholder Britain yesterday thanks to singles wins by Juan Martín del Potro and Guido Pella in the semifinal. World number two and Wimbledon champion Murray looked poised to chalk up his 30th victory in 32 Davis Cup matches when he led by two sets to one against Del Potro. This is very important to me and my team and we are looking to reach another final in the Davis Cup,” Del Potro said courtside. He looked almost out on his feet at times in an energy-sapping final set, and couldn’t handle the barrage of forehand shots by the rejuvenated Del Potro. “Juan Martín del Potro played an amazing match and I know this was a chance for me today.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 17, 2016 03:11 UTC
Blumbeÿ: Argentina’s First Flower Powered Wine
The creator of these floral wines, Gabriel Vivanco, is passionately in love with his native land and the bounty it offers up. That wonderful would be Argentina’s very first flower nectar wine. Making wine from flower nectar poses unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to food pairings. Both Blumbeÿ wines are incredibly easy to drink on their own, but they also pair well with a huge range of dishes. The dry Nature wine complements everything from octopus and marinated chicken to spicy Thai dishes and pork gyoza, while the sweeter wine is a natural fit for dessert addicts.
Source:The Argentina Independent
September 16, 2016 18:00 UTC
Viví Francia: Get Your French On in Buenos Aires
French culture will be celebrated in Buenos Aires for one week starting 17th September. It is being organised by the Franco-Argentine Chamber of Commerce, the French Embassy, and the Alianza Francesa of Buenos Aires. French immigrants formed the third largest community after the Italians and the Spanish and the majority stayed in the capital. French cinema: If you’re into French films then you are in luck. Photo exposition ‘Objectif Sport’: An international photo exposition will be shown from 20th September in the Alianza Francesa.
Source:The Argentina Independent
September 16, 2016 13:52 UTC
Aerolíneas Pilots’ Strike Causes Air Travel Chaos
A surprise strike by pilots at state-owned airline Aerolíneas Argentinas and sister company Austral is causing severe travel disruption today. The strike action – motivated by a dispute over wages – was decided yesterday evening by the Association of Airline Pilots (ALPA) and is expected to continue until 12pm today (Friday). Dozens of flights departing today from Buenos Aires – both domestic and international – have already been cancelled, with other services likely to be delayed on suspended (check here for latest information). Late last night, Aerolíneas Argentinas advised travellers on flights scheduled before 12pm not to go to the airport until it announces that services had been resumed. In a press statement, the airline called on union leaders to “return to the table of dialogue so as to avoid these serious measures that are detrimental to passengers and the company.”However, a statement by ALPA claimed that the union had spent “months seeking an answer to demands to recover the value of pilots’ income that has been lost due to the inflation registered since the last wage increase in September 2015.”Share On
Source:The Argentina Independent
September 16, 2016 10:41 UTC
Uruguay moves to tackle dictatorship crimes
Friday, September 16, 2016 Uruguay moves to tackle dictatorship crimesGov’t approves bill sent to Congress to create new prosecutor’s office for human rights abusesMONTEVIDEO — Uruguay’s government yesterday sent a bill to Congress to create a prosecutors’ office specializing in crimes against humanity committed during the country’s military dictatorship (1973-1985), local media reported yesterday. “The idea is to transform one of the country’s public prosecutor’s offices, we do not know which yet, into a special prosecutor for crimes against humanity focusing on the last dictatorship,” said local media. However, sources from the Attorney General’s Office declined to disclose the bill’s contents regarding the creation of the new body. Among those convicted was an Uruguayan military officer named Manuel Cordero, the only member of the Uruguayan dictatorship that could legally be tried in Argentina, as Argentine law doesn’t allow trials in absentia and the extradition of other accused officials was denied by the Uruguayan courts. Many of those accused are currently serving sentences in Uruguay, either in prisons or under house arrest.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 16, 2016 04:15 UTC
Government pencils in higher 2017 fiscal deficit in its first Budget
Finance Minister Alfonso Prat-Gay presented the 2017 Budget in Congress yesterday, formally kicking off the review process to generally cautious approval by the opposition. Annual inflation will slow to the range of 12 to 17 percent in 2017, according to estimates included in the bill. In 2015 a deficit of US$ 2.97 billion was recorded and 2016 is expected to come in with a deficit of US$ 646 million. Prat-Gay said the 2017 budget will be the first in many years based on reality. Lawmaker Néstor Pitrola of the FIT denounced collusion among the other opposition sectors in favour of a “Kirchnerite budget”.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 16, 2016 03:59 UTC
Playing with fire
Friday, September 16, 2016 Playing with fireLittle over a fortnight after a San Martín surgeon gunned down the man trying to steal his Toyota, the issue of vigilante justice has returned to newspaper headlines and media debate after a Zárate butcher killed a presumed thief last Tuesday — it is thus time for both government and society to define its positions on what is sure to be a chronic problem before a dangerous escalation of violence between criminals and the citizenry at large takes root (changing the roles definitely). But Macri arguably had less right than Bullrich to applaud a man taking the law into his own hands and converting robbery into a capital offence — if the legitimate right to self-defence was highly tenuous in the confusing San Martín episode, it was directly non-existent in this latest case when the butcher had to pursue his presumed assailants a considerable distance before running one of them over. A major seminar on Wednesday at the “mini-Davos” investment forum headed by Vice-President Gabriela Michetti and Supreme Court Chief Justice Ricardo Lorenzetti was entitled (in English) “Establishing the Rule of Law” but the rule of law is not being served when suspected criminals are denied their right to a fair trial, instead being subjected to an arbitrary form of capital punishment which has never been prescribed by the Criminal Code for this or any other crime. Perhaps Macri was consciously or subconsciously influenced by this international context in being more cautious yesterday but this attitude has been the exception rather than the rule in his general approach — certainly not the tone of his “war on drugs” launched at a mega-event late last month or the subtle efforts of his administration to soft-pedal the trials of the crimes against humanity during the 1976-83 military dictatorship. But anybody taking the law into their own hands warrants “zero tolerance” as much as anybody breaking the law — not only does this encourage trigger-happy police and vigilante-minded citizens to take a grim toll in innocent lives but criminals will become more inclined to kill their targets preventively in their own version of “legitimate self-defence.”
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 16, 2016 03:56 UTC
Lula: prosecutors want to derail re-election bid
Friday, September 16, 2016 Lula: prosecutors want to derail re-election bidBrazil’s former president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva weeps during a press conference while commenting on corruption charges he is facing, in São Paulo yesterday. Federal prosecutors on Wednesday accused Lula of being the “maximum commander” of the kickback scheme at Petrobras. Prosecutors also believe Lula benefitted from OAS paying the rent of a storage unit to house gifts that Lula received while president. Rousseff and Lula have argued that the impeachment push also was politically motivated, a way to weaken their Workers’ Party. In a separate case related to Petrobras, Lula will go on trial on charges of obstruction of justice.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 16, 2016 03:56 UTC
EU court annuls anti-dumping duties slapped on biodiesel exports
Further to WTO ruling Friday, September 16, 2016 EU court annuls anti-dumping duties slapped on biodiesel exportsA European Union court delivered a series of rulings yesterday that annulled anti-dumping duties imposed on exporters of biodiesel from Indonesia and Argentina. Argentina and Indonesia, major exporters of biodiesel, have called the EU measures protectionist. The cases have brought legal challenges, with the General Court of the European Union, the lower of the two EU courts, issuing its ruling yesterday. Some trade lawyers say the ruling could have far wider implications and determine future EU trade relations with China. Duties ranged between 22 percent and 25.7 percent and led to a plunge of more than 75 percent of the Argentine biodiesel exports.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 16, 2016 03:56 UTC
If Murray plays on all three days...
Friday, September 16, 2016 If Murray plays on all three days...By Eric Weil / SportsworldArgentina faces a challenging tie in the Davis CupArgentina has reached the semifinals of the Davis Cup again and will face Britain, the holders, in Glasgow. If Andy Murray, the world number two, plays on all three days, Britain will be even firmer favourites to win. The British team is completed by Daniel Evans (ranked 53th) and Kyle Edmund (55th) and both are potentially beatable. But if Andy Murray plays on all three days in the doubles and wins? The gang was not on Boca’s banned list.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
September 16, 2016 03:56 UTC