Argentina’s economy has contracted a record 19.1% in the second quarter versus the same period a year earlier as the coronavirus pandemic crippled production and demand.

Argentina economic woes: Record 19.1% GDP contraction

Enraptured faces turned upwards, illuminated by the glare of lights, Argentines on Saturday night (September 6) enjoyed what was billed by its organisers as the first concert of its kind in South America since the outbreak of the coronavirus.

Argentines enjoy first quarantine concert from their cars

Hundreds of animal rights activists marched towards the presidential palace in Argentina on Monday to protest against plans to build massive pig farms for the Chinese market.

Argentines march against China's pork farms

With theaters closed around the world, three South American dancers have created a digital dance-off for aspiring twirlers, with Instagram as the new stage where competitors from Argentina and Brazil to Israel and Italy post clips of their moves.

A digital dance-off spreads from Argentina to the world

Thousands of opposition demonstrators took to the streets in cities across Argentina on Monday

Anti-govt protesters defy virus measures in Argentina

Mickey, Minnie and Pikachu surprised hundreds of children in a poor neighbourhood in Buenos Aires on Sunday (August 16) to celebrate Children's Day amid coronavirus pandemic.

Mickey, Pikachu, and Minnie bring joy Argentine kids in Children's Day amid pandemic

Marcela Sosa has her own private escape from the tedium of a coronavirus lockdown in the small Buenos Aires home the 12-year-old shares with six others: her violin and a computer connection that lets members of her youth orchestra play together online.

Argentina: Young Musicians rehearse together on Zoom video chat amid pandemic

Argentine child orchestras play on amid lockdown restrictions

Some 1,500 youngsters, ages 6 to 19, from low-income areas participate in the 22-year-old music program. When the pandemic hit, teachers had to reinvent their classes to deal with slow internet and getting the children to play together online.

Can't stop the music: Argentine child orchestras play on amid lockdown

After more than four months of lockdown, the professional dog walkers of Buenos Aires are back. Since the new coronavirus lockdown was put in place on March 20, dog owners had no option but to walk their dogs themselves without venturing more than a few blocks from their homes.

Professional dog walkers back on Buenos Aires streets

The birthplace of twentieth-century leftist Ernesto Che Guevara is on sale in the city of Rosario, Argentina.&nbsp;

The current owner of this 2580 square foot house in the city centre, Francisco Farrugia, said that he bought it in 2002.

The apartment has been uninhabited since 2011 and is up for sale for around $400,000.

Its owner, Francisco Farrugia had a project to transform this place into a cultural centre, but this project didn’t will have seen the light of day.&nbsp;

“We are receiving offers to buy from several countries,” said Francisco Farrugia.

Ernesto "Che" Guevara was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary. A major figure of the Cuban Revolution, his stylized visage has become a ubiquitous countercultural symbol of rebellion and global insignia in popular culture.

(With inputs from agencies)

The birthplace of twentieth-century leftist Ernesto Che Guevara is on sale in the city of Rosario, Argentina. The current owner of this 2580 square foot house in the city centre, Francisco Farrugia, said that he bought it in 2002.

The birthplace of twentieth-century leftist Ernesto Che Guevara is on sale in the city of Rosario, Argentina. The current owner of this 2580 square foot house in the city centre, Francisco Farrugia, said that he bought it in 2002. The apartment has been uninhabited since 2011 and is up for sale for around $400,000. Its owner, Francisco Farrugia had a project to transform this place into a cultural centre, but this project didn’t will have seen the light of day. “We are receiving offers to buy from several countries,” said Francisco Farrugia. Ernesto "Che" Guevara was an Argentine Marxist revolutionary. A major figure of the Cuban Revolution, his stylized visage has become a ubiquitous countercultural symbol of rebellion and global insignia in popular culture. (With inputs from agencies)

Che Guevara’s birthplace set up for sale in Argentina

Argentina exceeded 100,000 cases of novel coronavirus infections on Sunday as it struggles to contain spiraling case rates despite a strict quarantine imposed on the capital Buenos Aires and its surroundings.&nbsp;

The health ministry said 2,657 new cases confirmed overnight took the total to 100,166.

The South American country imposed a strict quarantine in mid-March to stop the pandemic. It relaxed restrictions slightly in May but then reinstated them in late June for Buenos Aires and its surroundings due to a spike in cases.

The death toll in Argentina from COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, is 1,845, a far cry from the 71,469 in Brazil by Sunday and the 11,682 in Peru.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/covid-19-bringing-record-1-trillion-of-new-global-corporate-debt-in-2020-report-312840">Covid-19 bringing record $1 trillion of new global corporate debt in 2020</a>

But confirmed case numbers moved into four figures daily in early June and for the past four days have hit at least 3,000 daily.&nbsp;

Carla Vizzotti, deputy health minister, said the lockdowns would be maintained while hospitals continued to fill up.

"What we want to do is...decrease virus transmission and buy more time for the health service to be able to respond," she said.&nbsp;

Mauro Grossman, an intensive care doctor at Ezeiza Hospital in Buenos Aires, told Reuters he believed the peak was approaching. "We believe this peak will plateau and not decrease for a while," he said. "That is the most dangerous thing, being at peak for a long time, that is what is going to make beds fill up much faster and the intensive care beds get quickly occupied.”

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-records-highest-single-daily-spike-with-230370-global-coronavirus-cases-312834">WHO records highest single-daily spike with 230,370 global coronavirus cases</a>

Some 12.81 million coronavirus cases have been confirmed worldwide, and 565,231 people have died, according to a Reuters count.

The United States has the highest number of cases in the world, with 3.26 million and 134,654 deaths. Other countries with high rates of infections include Brazil, India and Russia.

The coronavirus has also hit Argentina's economy hard, when it was already heading into its third year of recession at a time when it seeks to restructure $65 billion in debt.

Argentina exceeded 100,000 cases of novel coronavirus infections on Sunday as it struggles to contain spiraling case rates despite a strict quarantine imposed on the capital Buenos Aires and its surroundings.

Argentina exceeded 100,000 cases of novel coronavirus infections on Sunday as it struggles to contain spiraling case rates despite a strict quarantine imposed on the capital Buenos Aires and its surroundings. The health ministry said 2,657 new cases confirmed overnight took the total to 100,166. The South American country imposed a strict quarantine in mid-March to stop the pandemic. It relaxed restrictions slightly in May but then reinstated them in late June for Buenos Aires and its surroundings due to a spike in cases. The death toll in Argentina from COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, is 1,845, a far cry from the 71,469 in Brazil by Sunday and the 11,682 in Peru. Also read: Covid-19 bringing record $1 trillion of new global corporate debt in 2020 But confirmed case numbers moved into four figures daily in early June and for the past four days have hit at least 3,000 daily. Carla Vizzotti, deputy health minister, said the lockdowns would be maintained while hospitals continued to fill up. "What we want to do is...decrease virus transmission and buy more time for the health service to be able to respond," she said. Mauro Grossman, an intensive care doctor at Ezeiza Hospital in Buenos Aires, told Reuters he believed the peak was approaching. "We believe this peak will plateau and not decrease for a while," he said. "That is the most dangerous thing, being at peak for a long time, that is what is going to make beds fill up much faster and the intensive care beds get quickly occupied.” Also read: WHO records highest single-daily spike with 230,370 global coronavirus cases Some 12.81 million coronavirus cases have been confirmed worldwide, and 565,231 people have died, according to a Reuters count. The United States has the highest number of cases in the world, with 3.26 million and 134,654 deaths. Other countries with high rates of infections include Brazil, India and Russia. The coronavirus has also hit Argentina's economy hard, when it was already heading into its third year of recession at a time when it seeks to restructure $65 billion in debt.

Argentina exceeds 100,000 cases of novel coronavirus

Hundreds of demonstrators took to the streets in the Argentine capital of Buenos Aires on Thursday (July 9) to protest against the national government and the quarantine measures imposed in the city, during Argentina's independence day amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Argentines protest against strict lockdown measures

Argentina and Brazil are monitoring the movement of a 15-square-kilometer locust swarm in Argentina’s northeast. Watch report.

Locust threaten crops in Argentina and Brazil | Locust attack

Argentina's debt restructuring talks, in a tense final stretch, hit a roadblock on Wednesday with the government determined not to cede further ground after making an improved offer and a key creditor group warning that negotiations had failed.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/trump-sought-jinpings-help-for-2020-re-election-says-ex-nsa-john-bolton-306644" hreflang="en">Trump sought Jinping's help for 2020 re-election, says Ex-NSA John Bolton</a>

An Economy Ministry source told Reuters the country was sticking by its latest proposal with a net present value of around 50 cents on the dollar and warrants linked to Argentina's farm-driven exports. The offer was shared with creditors during recent talks.

The South American grains producer is in talks to revamp around $65 billion in foreign debt that has become unsustainable. The two sides have been inching closer, though tensions have simmered below the surface.

"The government believes that the creditors' proposal has an unsustainable cost for Argentines," said the Economy Ministry source, who asked not to be identified as the talks were private. Creditor groups have made counter-proposals during the process.

"The president is not going to cede any further," the source said.

The major "Ad Hoc" bondholder group, including names like Fidelity, AllianceBernstein and BlackRock, said in a statement that the Argentine government had "walked away" from a counterproposal it had made and called the talks a "failure."

Argentina's Economy Ministry released details of the latest version of its own proposal in a statement late on Wednesday, which it said had been shared with creditors. It also published two counterproposals it had received.

The ministry said creditor demands had varied widely and that some were "inconsistent" with what the country could meet.

Argentina's center-left Peronist President Alberto Fernandez said in a televised interview with network Telefé that the country would keep negotiating with creditors to try to reach an accord, but would not pay more than it was able.

"We are going to pay what we can. Not a millimeter more. And in that I am inflexible," he said.

WHO BLINKS FIRST?

A second person with knowledge of the debt negotiations and familiar with the government's thinking said the country had gone "as far as we could, but the creditors want more."

Proposed warrants tied to agricultural exports had appeared to fall short with bondholders, the person said. "The creditors saw the warrants as a perk but not as a bargaining tool strong enough to bridge the gap," he said.

Argentina, which already improved an original offer made in April, has long argued that debt sustainability analysis shows it cannot afford to pay much more. The International Monetary Fund, a major creditor, has supported that view.

"(Creditors) are not recognizing the restrictions that we set out in the debt sustainability studies that the government and the IMF did," the second person added. "Allowing the NDAs (nondisclosure agreements) to expire means we reached the limit of what we can give and the creditors have not acknowledged that the limit had been reached."

Another creditor involved in the talks with Argentina said the saber rattling was not wholly unexpected.

"There's this point in every negotiation. If you are trying to get the other side to blink, you have to at least pretend you are willing to walk away from the table," the person said.

Argentina's debt restructuring talks, in a tense final stretch, hit a roadblock on Wednesday with the government determined not to cede further ground after making an improved offer and a key creditor group warning that negotiations had failed.

Argentina's debt restructuring talks, in a tense final stretch, hit a roadblock on Wednesday with the government determined not to cede further ground after making an improved offer and a key creditor group warning that negotiations had failed. Also read: Trump sought Jinping's help for 2020 re-election, says Ex-NSA John Bolton An Economy Ministry source told Reuters the country was sticking by its latest proposal with a net present value of around 50 cents on the dollar and warrants linked to Argentina's farm-driven exports. The offer was shared with creditors during recent talks. The South American grains producer is in talks to revamp around $65 billion in foreign debt that has become unsustainable. The two sides have been inching closer, though tensions have simmered below the surface. "The government believes that the creditors' proposal has an unsustainable cost for Argentines," said the Economy Ministry source, who asked not to be identified as the talks were private. Creditor groups have made counter-proposals during the process. "The president is not going to cede any further," the source said. The major "Ad Hoc" bondholder group, including names like Fidelity, AllianceBernstein and BlackRock, said in a statement that the Argentine government had "walked away" from a counterproposal it had made and called the talks a "failure." Argentina's Economy Ministry released details of the latest version of its own proposal in a statement late on Wednesday, which it said had been shared with creditors. It also published two counterproposals it had received. The ministry said creditor demands had varied widely and that some were "inconsistent" with what the country could meet. Argentina's center-left Peronist President Alberto Fernandez said in a televised interview with network Telefé that the country would keep negotiating with creditors to try to reach an accord, but would not pay more than it was able. "We are going to pay what we can. Not a millimeter more. And in that I am inflexible," he said. WHO BLINKS FIRST? A second person with knowledge of the debt negotiations and familiar with the government's thinking said the country had gone "as far as we could, but the creditors want more." Proposed warrants tied to agricultural exports had appeared to fall short with bondholders, the person said. "The creditors saw the warrants as a perk but not as a bargaining tool strong enough to bridge the gap," he said. Argentina, which already improved an original offer made in April, has long argued that debt sustainability analysis shows it cannot afford to pay much more. The International Monetary Fund, a major creditor, has supported that view. "(Creditors) are not recognizing the restrictions that we set out in the debt sustainability studies that the government and the IMF did," the second person added. "Allowing the NDAs (nondisclosure agreements) to expire means we reached the limit of what we can give and the creditors have not acknowledged that the limit had been reached." Another creditor involved in the talks with Argentina said the saber rattling was not wholly unexpected. "There's this point in every negotiation. If you are trying to get the other side to blink, you have to at least pretend you are willing to walk away from the table," the person said.

Argentina debt talks hit roadblock as government, creditors rattle sabers

An evangelical church in&nbsp;Argentina&nbsp;has reopened as a bar in protest against the lockdown on religious services that remains in place despite the gradual opening up of other activities around the country.

Bar tables were placed inside the church and pastors dressed as waiters carrying bibles on their trays in a mock service as part of call for religious services to be allowed during Argentina’s coronavirus lockdown.

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Así tuvo que abrir la Iglesia Redentor, la persecución religiosa por parte del estado nacional se hace cada vez más evidente.<a href="https://twitter.com/omarperotti?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@omarperotti</a> es hora de que te la juegues y te rebeles contra las presiones del gobierno naciónal.<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/QueAbranLosTemplos?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#QueAbranLosTemplos</a> <a href="https://t.co/UCBOSmMfkR">pic.twitter.com/UCBOSmMfkR</a>
— Federico Picchio (@Picchio_Fede) <a href="https://twitter.com/Picchio_Fede/status/1271104111606484996?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“We are standing here today dressed like this, carrying a tray, because it seems this is the only way we can serve the word of God,” pastor Daniel Cattaneo, dressed as a waiter, said as he opened the “worship bar” at the Comunidad Redentor (Redeemer Community) evangelical church in the city of San Lorenzo, in Argentina’s central province of Santa Fe.

<img alt="Pastor Daniel Cattaneo of the Comunidad Redentor church in San Lorenzo, Argentina, dresses as a waiter to circumvent coronavirus restrictions." data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="da6587f5-5d6b-4c73-a92b-29beb54a61c6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1158.jpg" /> 
Pastor Daniel Cattaneo of the Comunidad Redentor church in San Lorenzo, Argentina, dresses as a waiter to circumvent coronavirus restrictions.

Although the coronavirus continues to spread rapidly in Argentina’s capital city of Buenos Aires and the surrounding area, the rest of the country remains relatively Covid-free.

The province of Santa Fe, where Cattaneo’s church is located, has been especially successful at containing the virus and has started reopening activities, including bars, but churches are still being allowed to receive a maximum 10 people per service.

Since Monday, bars and restaurants in Santa Fe have been allowed to open from 7am to 11pm, at up to 30 per cent&nbsp;capacity and must keep a register of all clients in case any of them later tests positive.

Cattaneo is considering further alternatives to avoid the ban. A “drive-in worship” has been announced for Sunday in an open plot near the church. “At 3pm in the hectares behind the cemetery the faithful will assemble in their cars, to hear the word of the pastor,” tweeted Santa Fe journalist Pablo Gato Gavira on Friday.

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Este domingo en San Lorenzo se realizará "Auto-culto" en Iglesia Redentor. A las 15 hs en las hectáreas -detrás del cementerio- se reunirán los fieles en autos unicamente, donde podrán escuchar la palabra del Pastor <a href="https://twitter.com/CattaneoDani?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CattaneoDani</a> <a href="https://t.co/nwVXOcGUIO">pic.twitter.com/nwVXOcGUIO</a>
— Pablo Gato Gavira (@pablogavira) <a href="https://twitter.com/pablogavira/status/1271429755066335234?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 12, 2020</a></blockquote>
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“So, apart from the breaded veal headed for table four, here goes the word of God from the house of the Lord to all nations.”

“We want to exercise our constitutional right to practice our faith,” Cattaneo said. “Bars can open, shops can open, why are they discriminating against us?”

A record high of 1,391 new cases was recorded in Argentina on Friday, all but 89 of them in Buenos Aires. There have been 28,764 cases and 785 deaths in Argentina so far.

&nbsp;

An evangelical church in Argentina has reopened as a bar in protest against the lockdown on religious services that remains in place despite the gradual opening up of other activities around the country.

An evangelical church in Argentina has reopened as a bar in protest against the lockdown on religious services that remains in place despite the gradual opening up of other activities around the country. Bar tables were placed inside the church and pastors dressed as waiters carrying bibles on their trays in a mock service as part of call for religious services to be allowed during Argentina’s coronavirus lockdown. Así tuvo que abrir la Iglesia Redentor, la persecución religiosa por parte del estado nacional se hace cada vez más evidente.@omarperotti es hora de que te la juegues y te rebeles contra las presiones del gobierno naciónal.#QueAbranLosTemplos pic.twitter.com/UCBOSmMfkR — Federico Picchio (@Picchio_Fede) June 11, 2020 × “We are standing here today dressed like this, carrying a tray, because it seems this is the only way we can serve the word of God,” pastor Daniel Cattaneo, dressed as a waiter, said as he opened the “worship bar” at the Comunidad Redentor (Redeemer Community) evangelical church in the city of San Lorenzo, in Argentina’s central province of Santa Fe. Pastor Daniel Cattaneo of the Comunidad Redentor church in San Lorenzo, Argentina, dresses as a waiter to circumvent coronavirus restrictions. Although the coronavirus continues to spread rapidly in Argentina’s capital city of Buenos Aires and the surrounding area, the rest of the country remains relatively Covid-free. The province of Santa Fe, where Cattaneo’s church is located, has been especially successful at containing the virus and has started reopening activities, including bars, but churches are still being allowed to receive a maximum 10 people per service. Since Monday, bars and restaurants in Santa Fe have been allowed to open from 7am to 11pm, at up to 30 per cent capacity and must keep a register of all clients in case any of them later tests positive. Cattaneo is considering further alternatives to avoid the ban. A “drive-in worship” has been announced for Sunday in an open plot near the church. “At 3pm in the hectares behind the cemetery the faithful will assemble in their cars, to hear the word of the pastor,” tweeted Santa Fe journalist Pablo Gato Gavira on Friday. Este domingo en San Lorenzo se realizará "Auto-culto" en Iglesia Redentor. A las 15 hs en las hectáreas -detrás del cementerio- se reunirán los fieles en autos unicamente, donde podrán escuchar la palabra del Pastor @CattaneoDani pic.twitter.com/nwVXOcGUIO — Pablo Gato Gavira (@pablogavira) June 12, 2020 × “So, apart from the breaded veal headed for table four, here goes the word of God from the house of the Lord to all nations.” “We want to exercise our constitutional right to practice our faith,” Cattaneo said. “Bars can open, shops can open, why are they discriminating against us?” A record high of 1,391 new cases was recorded in Argentina on Friday, all but 89 of them in Buenos Aires. There have been 28,764 cases and 785 deaths in Argentina so far.

Pastor transforms church into bar in protest at uneven COVID-19 restrictions

Argentine wildwater canoeing slalom racer Sebastian Rossi has found an innovative way to continue his training amid the ongoing novel coronavirus pandemic.

Argentine canoeist trains in his girlfriend's pool to prep for 2021 Olympics

Argentina, in default since last month, is tantalizingly close to pulling off a $65 billion debt restructuring deal with creditors but still faces a complex set of hurdles to avoid falling into what one bondholder called debtor "zombie land."

The South American country's government is reworking a proposal to holders of its foreign debt as the two sides have inched closer to an agreement to revamp the debt. Creditors said they expect to have the new offer in coming days.

Striking a deal is key for the major grains producer to avoid years of legal battles and being locked out of global capital markets, which happened after a major default in 2001. Argentina defaulted for a ninth time in May.

"Unless there is an agreement in principle, Argentina would be walking into zombie land," one bondholder who requested anonymity told Reuters, saying the country needed to improve on its offer to win over enough creditors for a comprehensive deal.

Argentina's government has pushed a moving deadline for talks to June 12 and said it is looking to sweeten its offer, despite having only a "slim margin" to make any changes. In late May it unveiled an already improved proposal.

Major creditor groups have been lowering their demands too, cutting the gap between the two sides and raising hopes of a deal. Still, both sides say there is much work left to do.

Bondholders say Argentina can pay more than is currently on the table. Analysts say the latest government offer is worth between 40-45 cents on the dollar, while a joint proposal from two of the three major creditor groups is north of 50 cents.

"We remain of the view that a deal is likely to be achieved over the next several weeks," Goldman Sachs said in a note on Tuesday. It cautioned that the risk of no deal remained, however, saying the government was unlikely to significantly improve its terms.

Mood music&nbsp;

The International Monetary Fund, a major backer of Argentina, on Monday supported the government's offer as being sustainable and said there was only limited room to improve it.

Argentina is set for a third straight year of recession with forecasts of an economic contraction around 6-7%, while emergency spending on the COVID-19 pandemic response is sapping government coffers and pumping up the country's deficit.

Citi said in a note that Argentina's government would likely use the IMF's backing as "an argument to justify improving its offer less than what creditors seem to be asking for."

Nonetheless, Argentine bonds have climbed steadily on growing expectations of a deal, rising over 20% on average in May.

"The mood music has changed considerably from both sides recently," said one fund manager who has in recent weeks added significant amounts of exposure to Argentine bonds and is now overweight on the credit.

The fund manager, who asked not to be named, said the government was keen for a deal, especially given the impact of the coronavirus. President Alberto Fernandez is also seen as something of a moderating force in the talks.

"We're getting close and think there's quite a lot of potential upside, particularly as money flows back into emerging markets and Argentina will benefit as it's a high yield, liquid credit," he said.

"We think a deal will be done in the next week and a half. It seems that everyone wants to move on from this."

Argentina, in default since last month, is tantalizingly close to pulling off a $65 billion debt restructuring deal with creditors but still faces a complex set of hurdles to avoid falling into what one bondholder called debtor "zombie land.

Argentina, in default since last month, is tantalizingly close to pulling off a $65 billion debt restructuring deal with creditors but still faces a complex set of hurdles to avoid falling into what one bondholder called debtor "zombie land." The South American country's government is reworking a proposal to holders of its foreign debt as the two sides have inched closer to an agreement to revamp the debt. Creditors said they expect to have the new offer in coming days. Striking a deal is key for the major grains producer to avoid years of legal battles and being locked out of global capital markets, which happened after a major default in 2001. Argentina defaulted for a ninth time in May. "Unless there is an agreement in principle, Argentina would be walking into zombie land," one bondholder who requested anonymity told Reuters, saying the country needed to improve on its offer to win over enough creditors for a comprehensive deal. Argentina's government has pushed a moving deadline for talks to June 12 and said it is looking to sweeten its offer, despite having only a "slim margin" to make any changes. In late May it unveiled an already improved proposal. Major creditor groups have been lowering their demands too, cutting the gap between the two sides and raising hopes of a deal. Still, both sides say there is much work left to do. Bondholders say Argentina can pay more than is currently on the table. Analysts say the latest government offer is worth between 40-45 cents on the dollar, while a joint proposal from two of the three major creditor groups is north of 50 cents. "We remain of the view that a deal is likely to be achieved over the next several weeks," Goldman Sachs said in a note on Tuesday. It cautioned that the risk of no deal remained, however, saying the government was unlikely to significantly improve its terms. Mood music The International Monetary Fund, a major backer of Argentina, on Monday supported the government's offer as being sustainable and said there was only limited room to improve it. Argentina is set for a third straight year of recession with forecasts of an economic contraction around 6-7%, while emergency spending on the COVID-19 pandemic response is sapping government coffers and pumping up the country's deficit. Citi said in a note that Argentina's government would likely use the IMF's backing as "an argument to justify improving its offer less than what creditors seem to be asking for." Nonetheless, Argentine bonds have climbed steadily on growing expectations of a deal, rising over 20% on average in May. "The mood music has changed considerably from both sides recently," said one fund manager who has in recent weeks added significant amounts of exposure to Argentine bonds and is now overweight on the credit. The fund manager, who asked not to be named, said the government was keen for a deal, especially given the impact of the coronavirus. President Alberto Fernandez is also seen as something of a moderating force in the talks. "We're getting close and think there's quite a lot of potential upside, particularly as money flows back into emerging markets and Argentina will benefit as it's a high yield, liquid credit," he said. "We think a deal will be done in the next week and a half. It seems that everyone wants to move on from this."

Argentina debt deal in sight as serial defaulter looks to avoid 'zombie land'

Protests took place on Saturday in Buenos Aires against the quarantine measures brought in to combat the new coronavirus in Argentina.

Protesters demand end to lockdown in Argentina

Joy returned to a nursing home in Tandil, Argentina this week after the installation of a plastic curtain on one of its doors which allows residents to hug their relatives while also preventing the spread of the coronavirus.

Argentine retirement home creates ‘hug curtain’ to embrace grandparents during quarantine

India has started repatriating&nbsp;its citizens from far way Argentina with 24 Indians set to arrive in Delhi later this week even as New Delhi will be gifting medicines to Uruguay and&nbsp;Paraguay.

Speaking exclusively to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Buenos Aires, India's envoy to Argentina, Uruguay &amp; Paraguay Dinesh Bhatia said EAM Jaishankar had "very productive and very fruitful" discussions with foreign ministers of all the 3 countries - Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay on not only "cooperation in the times of COVID-19 but beyond that."

Interestingly, Argentina envoy to India Daniel Chuburu who was in Argentina for two&nbsp;months due to lockdown is coming to India in the first flight from Buenos Aires that left on Monday.

WION: How is the Indian&nbsp;Mission helping in getting citizens back?

Dinesh Bhatia: Argentina was the farthest country from India, there is a large enough community of Indians here, about a couple of thousand Indians in Argentina.

In addition, our embassy also looks after Paraguay and Uruguay and we had stranded Indians there also, the numbers are not very large, the issue is distance is very large, going from Argentina to Delhi and of course Paraguay and Uruguay.

We have to work with stranded Indians in all the 3 countries and we have worked with and managed to send them back. We have a small number but a long stance and I hope they will reach safely.

There are two&nbsp;stops, the flight goes via Sydney and Bangkok and the journey is more than 30 hours and thanks to the leadership of our EAM Jaishanker and FS Harsh Shringla and the entire ministry who has supported us in organising flight back to India.

WION: How many Indian have registered from repatriation from all the 3 countries?

Dinesh Bhatia: We had our registration only from Argentina for more than 60 people who wanted to go back and another 20 people from Uruguay. From Uruguay, they have not been able to get out because all of them work for one particular company called TCS &nbsp;and they decided not to go in this flight, but from Argentina when we circulated to all the 60 people who had registered and also to the larger community and we have 24 Indians going in this flight and one of them dropped out from this flight, unfortunately.

Twenty-four&nbsp;Indians are going back and surprisingly and interestingly Argentiain envoy to India, he was also in Argentina for the last two&nbsp;months, he was here for a family visit. He got stuck because of quarantine and lockdown in Argentina and India, he is also in this flight. He is going back to his workplace.

WION:&nbsp;Any Indian infect in all the 3 countries?

Dinesh Bhatia: Fortunately for us, no Indian has been infected in the 3 countries we deal with. The numbers are also not large and Uruguay has started improving because a number of recovered have been consistently more than infected on a daily basis since the 15th of last month. No Indians infected in the country.

WION: EAM spoke with Foreign Ministers of the countries, what was the key focus?

Dinesh Bhatia: EAM has spoken to foreign ministers of all the 3 countries--Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Discussions were very productive and very fruitful because they not only discussed cooperation in the times of COVID, beyond that.

EAM also committed gift medicines and medical supplies to Uruguay and Paraguay and currently, they are being procured and sent to both countries.

All the three&nbsp;countries have close relations with India and since we sit in Buenos aires, we will talk about the country.

Argentina has a new government since December, this was this is the first conversation between the two&nbsp;FMs and the same thing applies to Uruguay because they had new govt which took over. They had elections in October and November and govt took over on March 1 and EAM spoke to his counterpart in Uruguay too and all the discussions were productive.

WION: How has been the ground situation in the 3 countries?

Dinesh Bhatia: The number in all these 3 countries have not been very large and Argentina and Paraguay have been in complete lockdown since March.

In fact, Argentina was the first country to declare lockdown since 20th March and they will continue for some more time. Paraguay same situation.

Uruguay has opened up, in fact, schools in the rural areas have also opened. They were never under complete lockdown as such, the numbers were very small, a small country with 3.5 million people and numbers have been small. Uruguay is gradually opening-up becoming back to normal.

Argentina will continue till numbers are in control because so far the numbers have been increasing.&nbsp;

India has started repatriating its citizens from far way Argentina with 24 Indians set to arrive in Delhi later this week even as New Delhi will be gifting medicines to Uruguay and Paraguay.

India has started repatriating its citizens from far way Argentina with 24 Indians set to arrive in Delhi later this week even as New Delhi will be gifting medicines to Uruguay and Paraguay. Speaking exclusively to our Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal from Buenos Aires, India's envoy to Argentina, Uruguay & Paraguay Dinesh Bhatia said EAM Jaishankar had "very productive and very fruitful" discussions with foreign ministers of all the 3 countries - Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay on not only "cooperation in the times of COVID-19 but beyond that." Interestingly, Argentina envoy to India Daniel Chuburu who was in Argentina for two months due to lockdown is coming to India in the first flight from Buenos Aires that left on Monday. WION: How is the Indian Mission helping in getting citizens back? Dinesh Bhatia: Argentina was the farthest country from India, there is a large enough community of Indians here, about a couple of thousand Indians in Argentina. In addition, our embassy also looks after Paraguay and Uruguay and we had stranded Indians there also, the numbers are not very large, the issue is distance is very large, going from Argentina to Delhi and of course Paraguay and Uruguay. We have to work with stranded Indians in all the 3 countries and we have worked with and managed to send them back. We have a small number but a long stance and I hope they will reach safely. There are two stops, the flight goes via Sydney and Bangkok and the journey is more than 30 hours and thanks to the leadership of our EAM Jaishanker and FS Harsh Shringla and the entire ministry who has supported us in organising flight back to India. WION: How many Indian have registered from repatriation from all the 3 countries? Dinesh Bhatia: We had our registration only from Argentina for more than 60 people who wanted to go back and another 20 people from Uruguay. From Uruguay, they have not been able to get out because all of them work for one particular company called TCS and they decided not to go in this flight, but from Argentina when we circulated to all the 60 people who had registered and also to the larger community and we have 24 Indians going in this flight and one of them dropped out from this flight, unfortunately. Twenty-four Indians are going back and surprisingly and interestingly Argentiain envoy to India, he was also in Argentina for the last two months, he was here for a family visit. He got stuck because of quarantine and lockdown in Argentina and India, he is also in this flight. He is going back to his workplace. WION: Any Indian infect in all the 3 countries? Dinesh Bhatia: Fortunately for us, no Indian has been infected in the 3 countries we deal with. The numbers are also not large and Uruguay has started improving because a number of recovered have been consistently more than infected on a daily basis since the 15th of last month. No Indians infected in the country. WION: EAM spoke with Foreign Ministers of the countries, what was the key focus? Dinesh Bhatia: EAM has spoken to foreign ministers of all the 3 countries--Argentina, Uruguay and Paraguay. Discussions were very productive and very fruitful because they not only discussed cooperation in the times of COVID, beyond that. EAM also committed gift medicines and medical supplies to Uruguay and Paraguay and currently, they are being procured and sent to both countries. All the three countries have close relations with India and since we sit in Buenos aires, we will talk about the country. Argentina has a new government since December, this was this is the first conversation between the two FMs and the same thing applies to Uruguay because they had new govt which took over. They had elections in October and November and govt took over on March 1 and EAM spoke to his counterpart in Uruguay too and all the discussions were productive. WION: How has been the ground situation in the 3 countries? Dinesh Bhatia: The number in all these 3 countries have not been very large and Argentina and Paraguay have been in complete lockdown since March. In fact, Argentina was the first country to declare lockdown since 20th March and they will continue for some more time. Paraguay same situation. Uruguay has opened up, in fact, schools in the rural areas have also opened. They were never under complete lockdown as such, the numbers were very small, a small country with 3.5 million people and numbers have been small. Uruguay is gradually opening-up becoming back to normal. Argentina will continue till numbers are in control because so far the numbers have been increasing.

Repatriation of Indians begins from Argentina; New Delhi gifts medicines to Paraguay & Uruguay

India has started reparation of its citizens from far way Argentina with 24 Indians set to arrive in Delhi later this week even as New Delhi will be gifting medicines to Uruguay & Paraguay.

Exclusive conversation with Indian Envoy to Argentina

A young Argentina family awaiting the birth of their second child is spending the coronavirus quarantine on a sailboat off the coast of Rio de Janeiro.

Argentine family spends quarantine at sea

Argentina is entering a crucial period this month for a precarious debt-restructuring process that will determine whether or not the country falls into default for a third time in just two decades.

After months of negotiations, the South American country made a proposal in April to restructure $65 billion of its foreign debt. This offer expires on May 8, while a grace period for paying interest on three dollar bonds ends on May 22.

Argentina's leaders are racing to win over wary creditors, who have already rejected the initial offer, with bankers and investors increasingly concerned that no deal will be reached - at least not in time.

"The two sides are so far further apart than we imagined at this stage, leading to bonds underperforming our earlier expectations," Morgan Stanley said in a note in late April, adding an agreement was still possible later in the year.

"We still believe that a deal will be found but the timing is now much more uncertain."

The investment bank said it calculated the current offer's net present value (NPV) - a key metric for creditors - at around 33 cents on the dollar, which it said would need to be improved to around 40-45 cents with likely higher coupon payments.

Argentine officials, meanwhile, have indicated the offer on the table is a take-it-or-leave-it deal. It involves a three-year payment halt, maturities pushed back until the next decade and a 62% reduction in coupon payments.

The major grains producer also owes a large amount to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has supported the country's debt negotiations, and is trying to delay a $2.1 billion payment to the Paris Club due on May 5.

"My instinct is that they do want to get a deal, but even though they have the support of the IMF and others, there is a sense that it is not going to happen," said Jay Auslander, a partner at Wilk Auslander who worked previously with creditors in a case against Argentina.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; "I think the likelihood is they are going to default and it will be their ninth default, so it is nothing new to them."

Argentina suffered a major default in late 2001, which led to over a decade of litigation with creditors, and a smaller partial default in 2014. By some counts, it has previously defaulted eight times, a number the government disputes.

A default would hurt, even as Argentina grapples with recession, inflation and a major hit from the coronavirus outbreak that will likely cause a large economic contraction this year.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"There is already enough turbulence in the context of the pandemic, with exchange rate pressures, and that will be sharpened further with a default scenario," said Fernando Baer from consultancy Quantum Finanzas.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;"Everything would get even worse," he added.

A parallel, if smaller, debt drama is playing out in Argentina's largest province, Buenos Aires, which is looking to restructure over $7 billion in foreign debt. Its proposal to bondholders has also been knocked back by creditors.

&nbsp;

Debt deadlines

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;May 5: Argentina faces a $2.1 billion payment to the Paris Club group of lenders. The government has asked the group to postpone the payment for a year.

&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;May 8: The current national debt restructuring proposal expires for creditors to accept or reject the offer. The government may choose to extend the deadline.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;May 11: A grace period ends for a debt payment by Buenos Aires, which could see the province enter default if payment is not made or no restructuring deal is reached.

&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;May 22: The 30-day grace period ends for a $500 million group of interest payments on three foreign law sovereign bonds. If no deal is reached and payment is not made, this could see Argentina default.

Argentina is entering a crucial period this month for a precarious debt-restructuring process that will determine whether or not the country falls into default for a third time in just two decades.

Argentina is entering a crucial period this month for a precarious debt-restructuring process that will determine whether or not the country falls into default for a third time in just two decades. After months of negotiations, the South American country made a proposal in April to restructure $65 billion of its foreign debt. This offer expires on May 8, while a grace period for paying interest on three dollar bonds ends on May 22. Argentina's leaders are racing to win over wary creditors, who have already rejected the initial offer, with bankers and investors increasingly concerned that no deal will be reached - at least not in time. "The two sides are so far further apart than we imagined at this stage, leading to bonds underperforming our earlier expectations," Morgan Stanley said in a note in late April, adding an agreement was still possible later in the year. "We still believe that a deal will be found but the timing is now much more uncertain." The investment bank said it calculated the current offer's net present value (NPV) - a key metric for creditors - at around 33 cents on the dollar, which it said would need to be improved to around 40-45 cents with likely higher coupon payments. Argentine officials, meanwhile, have indicated the offer on the table is a take-it-or-leave-it deal. It involves a three-year payment halt, maturities pushed back until the next decade and a 62% reduction in coupon payments. The major grains producer also owes a large amount to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), which has supported the country's debt negotiations, and is trying to delay a $2.1 billion payment to the Paris Club due on May 5. "My instinct is that they do want to get a deal, but even though they have the support of the IMF and others, there is a sense that it is not going to happen," said Jay Auslander, a partner at Wilk Auslander who worked previously with creditors in a case against Argentina. "I think the likelihood is they are going to default and it will be their ninth default, so it is nothing new to them." Argentina suffered a major default in late 2001, which led to over a decade of litigation with creditors, and a smaller partial default in 2014. By some counts, it has previously defaulted eight times, a number the government disputes. A default would hurt, even as Argentina grapples with recession, inflation and a major hit from the coronavirus outbreak that will likely cause a large economic contraction this year. "There is already enough turbulence in the context of the pandemic, with exchange rate pressures, and that will be sharpened further with a default scenario," said Fernando Baer from consultancy Quantum Finanzas. "Everything would get even worse," he added. A parallel, if smaller, debt drama is playing out in Argentina's largest province, Buenos Aires, which is looking to restructure over $7 billion in foreign debt. Its proposal to bondholders has also been knocked back by creditors. Debt deadlines May 5: Argentina faces a $2.1 billion payment to the Paris Club group of lenders. The government has asked the group to postpone the payment for a year. May 8: The current national debt restructuring proposal expires for creditors to accept or reject the offer. The government may choose to extend the deadline. May 11: A grace period ends for a debt payment by Buenos Aires, which could see the province enter default if payment is not made or no restructuring deal is reached. May 22: The 30-day grace period ends for a $500 million group of interest payments on three foreign law sovereign bonds. If no deal is reached and payment is not made, this could see Argentina default.

Deal or no deal? Argentina faces make-or-break May to avoid default

Researchers in Argentina have announced the discovery of fossilized skin of a 43-million-year-old penguin on Marambio Island in the Antarctic.

The fossilized skin which was a part of the penguin's wing belongs to the Palaeeudyptes gunnari, one of the many extinct types of penguins that lived in Antarctica during the Eocene period, which lasted from around 56 to 34 million years ago.

<img alt="Penguin" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="410bf107-ce96-4070-90ec-bb5386bf2e45" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/000_1PV8RA.jpg" /> 
(In photo: Fossil from which remains were extracted)

At that time, Antarctica was covered in woodland and boasted a diverse fauna.

Watch: Polish zoo shows off unique albino penguin

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/polish-zoo-shows-off-unique-albino-penguin-205788/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

After it's discovery, the fossil was studied at the La Plata Museum by Argentine palaeontologist Carolina Acosta Hospitaleche, the agency for scientific disclosure at La Matanza National University said on Friday.

According to Acosta Hospitaleche, "the fossilization of the skin of this wing is unique because it's the first conserved example in the world of a penguin with skin".

"The skin was conserved as a fossil on both surfaces of its wing, enveloping the bones that have remained articulated in their original position," she added.

Researchers in Argentina have announced the discovery of fossilized skin of a 43-million-year-old penguin on Marambio Island in the Antarctic. The fossilized skin which was a part of the penguin's wing belongs to the Palaeeudyptes gunnari, one of the many extinct types of penguins that lived in Antarctica during the Eocene period, which lasted from around 56 to 34 million years ago.

Researchers in Argentina have announced the discovery of fossilized skin of a 43-million-year-old penguin on Marambio Island in the Antarctic. The fossilized skin which was a part of the penguin's wing belongs to the Palaeeudyptes gunnari, one of the many extinct types of penguins that lived in Antarctica during the Eocene period, which lasted from around 56 to 34 million years ago. (In photo: Fossil from which remains were extracted) At that time, Antarctica was covered in woodland and boasted a diverse fauna. Watch: Polish zoo shows off unique albino penguin After it's discovery, the fossil was studied at the La Plata Museum by Argentine palaeontologist Carolina Acosta Hospitaleche, the agency for scientific disclosure at La Matanza National University said on Friday. According to Acosta Hospitaleche, "the fossilization of the skin of this wing is unique because it's the first conserved example in the world of a penguin with skin". "The skin was conserved as a fossil on both surfaces of its wing, enveloping the bones that have remained articulated in their original position," she added.

Fossilized skin of 43-million-year-old penguin found in Argentina

Argentine military lauds women's inclusion | WION News | World News Women musicians from the Argentine Army, Navy and Air Force played together for the first time outside the Defense Ministry in Buenos Aires ahead of the International Women's Day is celebrated annually worldwide on March 8.

Argentine military lauds women's inclusion

The Peruvian government displayed on Thursday 21 cultural artifacts returned to embassies in Argentina, Canada, Ecuador and Brazil.

Peru officials hail return of cultural artifacts

A Palaeontologist has discovered fossilised remains of a 90-million-year-old carnivorous dinosaur distantly related to the infamous T-rex. This discovery will give important insights into the ecological habits of dinosaurs.

Evidence of a new carnivorous dinosaur species has been unearthed in Argentina, a distant relative of the tyrannosaurus rex the thunder reptile was much smaller than the ferocious monster.

Remains of the dinosaur, including fragments of skull, teeth, ribs, hip and tail, were discovered in the central Argentine province of Rio Negro.

"This tralkasaurus, a dinosaur from the Rio Negro province, would probably have reached about four meters, a size much smaller than what is known about other dinosaurs. the importance of this finding is that we are getting to know the morphological diversity and, above all, the size of these animals,"&nbsp;palaeontologist Mauricio Cerroni said.

Despite being smaller in size than its relatives, the thunder reptile shares many of the same characteristics, such as being bipedal, having a short neck and four claws in each of its hind legs. Its arms were also very short in relation to its body and the bones of its limbs were light and hollow.

According to the research,&nbsp;it’s possible that these dinosaurs fed on the small herbivorous dinosaurs known as iguanodonts, which were found by the same team of palaeontologists in nearby locations, along with other species such as turtles and lizards.

Dinosaurs ruled and dominated earth around 66 million years ago before they suddenly went extinct. It was believed for many years that the changing climate destroyed the food chain of the huge reptiles. Since then discovering their traces became an important field of study.

Experts say this discovery will help palaeontologists define the ecological habits of both carnivorous and herbivores dinosaurs.

A Palaeontologist has discovered fossilised remains of a 90-million-year-old carnivorous dinosaur distantly related to the infamous T-rex. This discovery will give important insights into the ecological habits of dinosaurs.

A Palaeontologist has discovered fossilised remains of a 90-million-year-old carnivorous dinosaur distantly related to the infamous T-rex. This discovery will give important insights into the ecological habits of dinosaurs. Evidence of a new carnivorous dinosaur species has been unearthed in Argentina, a distant relative of the tyrannosaurus rex the thunder reptile was much smaller than the ferocious monster. Remains of the dinosaur, including fragments of skull, teeth, ribs, hip and tail, were discovered in the central Argentine province of Rio Negro. "This tralkasaurus, a dinosaur from the Rio Negro province, would probably have reached about four meters, a size much smaller than what is known about other dinosaurs. the importance of this finding is that we are getting to know the morphological diversity and, above all, the size of these animals," palaeontologist Mauricio Cerroni said. Despite being smaller in size than its relatives, the thunder reptile shares many of the same characteristics, such as being bipedal, having a short neck and four claws in each of its hind legs. Its arms were also very short in relation to its body and the bones of its limbs were light and hollow. According to the research, it’s possible that these dinosaurs fed on the small herbivorous dinosaurs known as iguanodonts, which were found by the same team of palaeontologists in nearby locations, along with other species such as turtles and lizards. Dinosaurs ruled and dominated earth around 66 million years ago before they suddenly went extinct. It was believed for many years that the changing climate destroyed the food chain of the huge reptiles. Since then discovering their traces became an important field of study. Experts say this discovery will help palaeontologists define the ecological habits of both carnivorous and herbivores dinosaurs.

Researchers find distant relative of T-Rex in Argentina

Argentina's female soccer league has long tackled stereotypes in the soccer-mad nation. Now, a first-division women's team in the country is breaking new barriers in the sport with a first-division transgender player.

Tackling discrimination: Meet Argentina's transgender soccer player

Bolivia's exiled former president <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/morales-victim-of-coup-mexican-president-amlo-265630">Evo Morales</a> on Sunday defended a call he made for the formation of armed groups, a recording of which was leaked on public radio.

Speaking exclusively to Reuters on Sunday night in Argentina where he is in exile, the defiant former president confirmed he was the voice in a recording played on Bolivian radio calling for the creation of armed militias "as in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/opinions/venezuela-france-wests-duplicity-196078">Venezuela</a>".

He said people have a right to defend themselves if the new government was attacking them. He said he had not meant armed with guns and was referring to civil defense groups that had always loosely existed.

"In Bolivia, if the armed forces are shooting the people, killing the people, the people have the right to organize their security," he said in the interview with Reuters.

"We´re not talking arms, more like slingshots," he said.

"In some times (these groups) were called militias, in other times they were called union security or union police and in some places, it is called a communal guard. It is not new."

In the recording released by radio station Kawsachun Coca Tropico, Morales said he and his supporters had been "too trusting" ahead of last year´s presidential election and should have had a "Plan B."

"If between now and in a little while... I were to return (to Bolivia) or someone else goes back, we must organize as in Venezuela armed militias of the people," Morales said in the recording. "We were too trusting. The blunder: we did not have a 'Plan B'."

Morales fled Bolivia in November after political unrest sparked by his controversial election win.

The former coca farmer-led Bolivia for almost 14 years at the helm of the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/violence-rocks-bolivia-after-poll-shows-weakening-support-for-morales-249562">Movement for Socialism</a> (MAS) coalition but left for Mexico in mid-November after being granted asylum there. He then moved to Argentina.

His departure followed intense pressure from the armed forces after the Organization of American States found "overwhelming" irregularities in the October presidential elections which he won.

He has since described what happened as a coup. At least 29 people died in clashes between police and protesters in the unrest, a significant number in Morales strongholds.

Bolivia´s interim president <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-recognises-jeanine-anez-as-bolivias-interim-president-261929">Jeanine Añez</a>, a former senator and political opponent of Morales, said the recording showed that "peace, reconciliation, and democracy were never options for him."

"Given the intention of sowing terror and violence, they will only find the Bolivian people united, and in the face of threats, our deepest democratic vocation," Añez tweeted on Sunday night.

In mid-December, Bolivian prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Morales´arrest over allegations of sedition and terrorism.

The charges related to accusations by the Añez government that Morales had organised road blockades. Morales has denied the claim.

Morales told Reuters in an interview in December that he would return to his home country by next Christmas, but he has ruled out running as a candidate himself in the next elections scheduled for May 3.

Bolivia's exiled former president Evo Morales on Sunday defended a call he made for the formation of armed groups, a recording of which was leaked on public radio.

Bolivia's exiled former president Evo Morales on Sunday defended a call he made for the formation of armed groups, a recording of which was leaked on public radio. Speaking exclusively to Reuters on Sunday night in Argentina where he is in exile, the defiant former president confirmed he was the voice in a recording played on Bolivian radio calling for the creation of armed militias "as in Venezuela". He said people have a right to defend themselves if the new government was attacking them. He said he had not meant armed with guns and was referring to civil defense groups that had always loosely existed. "In Bolivia, if the armed forces are shooting the people, killing the people, the people have the right to organize their security," he said in the interview with Reuters. "We´re not talking arms, more like slingshots," he said. "In some times (these groups) were called militias, in other times they were called union security or union police and in some places, it is called a communal guard. It is not new." In the recording released by radio station Kawsachun Coca Tropico, Morales said he and his supporters had been "too trusting" ahead of last year´s presidential election and should have had a "Plan B." "If between now and in a little while... I were to return (to Bolivia) or someone else goes back, we must organize as in Venezuela armed militias of the people," Morales said in the recording. "We were too trusting. The blunder: we did not have a 'Plan B'." Morales fled Bolivia in November after political unrest sparked by his controversial election win. The former coca farmer-led Bolivia for almost 14 years at the helm of the Movement for Socialism (MAS) coalition but left for Mexico in mid-November after being granted asylum there. He then moved to Argentina. His departure followed intense pressure from the armed forces after the Organization of American States found "overwhelming" irregularities in the October presidential elections which he won. He has since described what happened as a coup. At least 29 people died in clashes between police and protesters in the unrest, a significant number in Morales strongholds. Bolivia´s interim president Jeanine Añez, a former senator and political opponent of Morales, said the recording showed that "peace, reconciliation, and democracy were never options for him." "Given the intention of sowing terror and violence, they will only find the Bolivian people united, and in the face of threats, our deepest democratic vocation," Añez tweeted on Sunday night. In mid-December, Bolivian prosecutors issued an arrest warrant for Morales´arrest over allegations of sedition and terrorism. The charges related to accusations by the Añez government that Morales had organised road blockades. Morales has denied the claim. Morales told Reuters in an interview in December that he would return to his home country by next Christmas, but he has ruled out running as a candidate himself in the next elections scheduled for May 3.

Bolivia exiled ex-president Morales calls on radio for armed militias

No one can escape Argentina's biggest economic crisis in almost two decades -- not even the dead.&nbsp;

The cost of buying, renting and maintaining graves and tombs is so high that many people opt to cremate their loved ones instead.

Juan Tapia runs the Cocheria Tacuari undertakers in Buenos Aires, which has been operating for 60 years.

"It's an economic problem. People don't have enough money to pay for a service. Family members help each other, ask for loans; some come and pay with US dollars that they've saved or kept under the mattress," he told AFP.

Undertakers are constantly forced to drop their prices "because unfortunately, people don't have the same spending power of a few years ago."

Paying for a funeral "means, for a family, that they might not eat this month," said Tapia.

The cheapest service offered by Cocheria Tacuari is a cremation without a wake, which costs 25,000 pesos ($415) -- almost 50 per cent more than the minimum wage of 16,875 pesos a month.

More expensive options can cost up to 180,000 pesos, but few are interested in those.

"Almost 90 per cent ask for cremation. Young people want nothing to do either with graves, niches (cubbies for storing remains urns) or tombs," said Tapia.

His estimations are not far off from official statistics.

In 2018, 78.5 per cent of corpses in Buenos Aires were cremated, according to an AFP count of public records. That's the highest proportion over the last decade.

No one can escape Argentina's biggest economic crisis in almost two decades -- not even the dead. The cost of buying, renting and maintaining graves and tombs is so high that many people opt to cremate their loved ones instead.

No one can escape Argentina's biggest economic crisis in almost two decades -- not even the dead. The cost of buying, renting and maintaining graves and tombs is so high that many people opt to cremate their loved ones instead. Juan Tapia runs the Cocheria Tacuari undertakers in Buenos Aires, which has been operating for 60 years. "It's an economic problem. People don't have enough money to pay for a service. Family members help each other, ask for loans; some come and pay with US dollars that they've saved or kept under the mattress," he told AFP. Undertakers are constantly forced to drop their prices "because unfortunately, people don't have the same spending power of a few years ago." Paying for a funeral "means, for a family, that they might not eat this month," said Tapia. The cheapest service offered by Cocheria Tacuari is a cremation without a wake, which costs 25,000 pesos ($415) -- almost 50 per cent more than the minimum wage of 16,875 pesos a month. More expensive options can cost up to 180,000 pesos, but few are interested in those. "Almost 90 per cent ask for cremation. Young people want nothing to do either with graves, niches (cubbies for storing remains urns) or tombs," said Tapia. His estimations are not far off from official statistics. In 2018, 78.5 per cent of corpses in Buenos Aires were cremated, according to an AFP count of public records. That's the highest proportion over the last decade.

Cost of maintaining graves hurts Argentinians amid economic downturn

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