Hundreds of Argentine workers took to Buenos Aires streets on Wednesday (October 14) to demand higher wages, welfare plans, and more government action to protect jobs threatened by the coronavirus pandemic.

Angry Argentine workers demand better wages amid pandemic

Argentina has approved HB4 drought-resistant GMO wheat by biotechnology firm Bioceres SA , the company and the government said on Wednesday (October 8), making it the first country in the world to approve a strain of GMO wheat.

Argentina first country to approve GMO wheat

Fans of the Argentine cartoonist Joaquín Salvador Lavado, known as Quino, paid tribute Wednesday after his death at the age of 88. Some visited models of his iconic comic strip 'Mafalda' in Buenos Aires to leave flowers in his honour.

Argentina mourns death of iconic cartoonist Quino

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

The Colombian champion of 2020 Tango World Cup celebrated his victory despite this year's changes brought on by the coronavirus pandemic.

Colombia dancer celebrates winning tango world cup

The show must go on, and that was certainly the case for the World Tango Championship in Buenos Aires as it moved online on Wednesday (August 26) in keeping with social distancing norms.

Dancing cheek to cheek? World Tango Championship moves online

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

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

Sebastian Galleguillo, 18, an Argentine paralympic swimmer, has found an unusual way to train during an almost four-month lockdown in and around capital Buenos Aires due to the coronavirus pandemic that saw his local pool close its doors.

Pools shut? No worries. Argentinian paralympic swimmer builds DIY pool with plastic bag

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

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

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

Bolivian ex-President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/morales-victim-of-coup-mexican-president-amlo-265630">Evo Morales</a> arrived in Argentina on Thursday seeking refuge under the country's new leftist government after he left his homeland last month following a disputed election.

Morales was granted asylum in Argentina and was on his way to "definitive refugee status," the Argentine interior ministry said in a statement. Center-left President Alberto Fernandez, a Morales ally, was inaugurated on Tuesday.

Four former members of Morales' government have also been granted asylum, including his former health minister Gabriela Montano, the ministry said.

Morales had previously been in Mexico where he was granted asylum after his resignation in the wake of a presidential election which the Organization of American States <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolivia-election-rigging-in-favour-of-morales-was-overwhelming-oas-final-report-266281">(OAS) says was rigged</a> in his favor.

Both Morales and Montano signed a petition upon arrival in Buenos Aires that complied with the "conditions of their refugee status," the Argentine government said, without detailing the conditions.

Argentina's new foreign minister, Felipe Sola, said on an Argentine TV station that the government wanted a commitment from Morales to not make political statements while in the country.

Morales, an iconic socialist leader in Latin America who had been in power for nearly 14 years, thanked Argentina and Mexico for their "support and solidarity" in a tweet after arriving in Argentina.

"My eternal thanks to President (Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador) and the government of Mexico for saving my life and for sheltering me. I felt at home with Mexican sisters and brothers for a month," Morales said in the tweet.

Morales resigned as president on November&nbsp;10 after the OAS declared there were serious irregularities during the Oct. 20 election, prompting political allies to quit and the army to urge him to step down.

There was no meeting planned between Morales and Fernandez, but they could talk on the phone, Sola said.

A senior US&nbsp;official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Morales' presence in Argentina was "not welcome news."

"We will not accept any attempt or action by Morales to meddle or use Argentina as a staging ground to stoke violence or unrest or to undermine a democratic transition in <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/bolivia-reforges-us-ties-as-political-alliances-redrawn-264972">Bolivia</a>," the official said.

Morales, who was Bolivia's first indigenous president, insisted on seeking a fourth term in office, in defiance of term limits and a 2016 referendum in which Bolivians voted against him being allowed to do that. After he resigned, interim President Jeanine Anez was appointed.

Bolivian Foreign Minister Karen Longaric said in La Paz on Thursday that she hoped Argentina would restrict Morales from making political statements.

"We hope that Argentina rigorously complies with the principles and rules of the right of asylum and the right of refuge and that what happened in Mexico - that had an open microphone, an open arena for policy making - does not occur," Longaric said.

Bolivian ex-President Evo Morales arrived in Argentina on Thursday seeking refuge under the country's new leftist government after he left his homeland last month following a disputed election.

Bolivian ex-President Evo Morales arrived in Argentina on Thursday seeking refuge under the country's new leftist government after he left his homeland last month following a disputed election. Morales was granted asylum in Argentina and was on his way to "definitive refugee status," the Argentine interior ministry said in a statement. Center-left President Alberto Fernandez, a Morales ally, was inaugurated on Tuesday. Four former members of Morales' government have also been granted asylum, including his former health minister Gabriela Montano, the ministry said. Morales had previously been in Mexico where he was granted asylum after his resignation in the wake of a presidential election which the Organization of American States (OAS) says was rigged in his favor. Both Morales and Montano signed a petition upon arrival in Buenos Aires that complied with the "conditions of their refugee status," the Argentine government said, without detailing the conditions. Argentina's new foreign minister, Felipe Sola, said on an Argentine TV station that the government wanted a commitment from Morales to not make political statements while in the country. Morales, an iconic socialist leader in Latin America who had been in power for nearly 14 years, thanked Argentina and Mexico for their "support and solidarity" in a tweet after arriving in Argentina. "My eternal thanks to President (Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador) and the government of Mexico for saving my life and for sheltering me. I felt at home with Mexican sisters and brothers for a month," Morales said in the tweet. Morales resigned as president on November 10 after the OAS declared there were serious irregularities during the Oct. 20 election, prompting political allies to quit and the army to urge him to step down. There was no meeting planned between Morales and Fernandez, but they could talk on the phone, Sola said. A senior US official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Morales' presence in Argentina was "not welcome news." "We will not accept any attempt or action by Morales to meddle or use Argentina as a staging ground to stoke violence or unrest or to undermine a democratic transition in Bolivia," the official said. Morales, who was Bolivia's first indigenous president, insisted on seeking a fourth term in office, in defiance of term limits and a 2016 referendum in which Bolivians voted against him being allowed to do that. After he resigned, interim President Jeanine Anez was appointed. Bolivian Foreign Minister Karen Longaric said in La Paz on Thursday that she hoped Argentina would restrict Morales from making political statements. "We hope that Argentina rigorously complies with the principles and rules of the right of asylum and the right of refuge and that what happened in Mexico - that had an open microphone, an open arena for policy making - does not occur," Longaric said.

Bolivia's Morales arrives in Argentina, to get refugee status

Alberto Fernandez was sworn in as president of Argentina, vowing to restore growth and redistribute wealth by reversing the austerity policies of his pro-business predecessor, Mauricio Macri.

Peronism returns to Argentina as Alberto Fernandez sworn in as President

In the hard-up neighbourhood of Claypole on the outskirts of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, Elena Escobar makes her way to the local Caritas Felices soup kitchen to serve food to street children who scrape by from meal to meal.

Escobar, 53, says the volunteer-run kitchen has seen a surge of kids and families seeking help over the last few months, amid a biting recession and fast-rising prices that have pushed millions of people into poverty.

"There are many children in need, many malnourished, with kids that get to dinner time and don't have any food," said Escobar. The kitchen receives over 100 children each week, up from around 20-30 when it opened its doors in April.

The rise in hunger and poverty creates a complex backdrop for the leaders of Latin America's number&nbsp;three&nbsp;economy, who are in knife-edge talks with creditors to avoid default on billions of dollars of debt amid economic and political upheaval.

Ahead of a presidential election on October&nbsp;27, officials will head to Washington this month to meet with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a major backer that struck a $57 billion funding deal&nbsp;with the country last year.

Those talks are likely to weigh on the current administration of President Mauricio Macri and the next one, likely led by left-leaning Peronist Alberto Fernandez, the front-runner to win the vote.

The Claypole kitchen is far from alone in witnessing rising hardship, with government data showing poverty rates jumped to 35 per cent&nbsp;in the first half of 2019 amid recession and steep inflation, from 27.3 per cent&nbsp;a year earlier.

Around 13 per cent of children and adolescents went hungry in 2018, according to data from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina, and rising food prices have become a regular target of popular anger in street protests around the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/argentina-recession-emergency-food-bill-approved-249399">Political leaders know something must be done</a>, but face a complex juggling act: bolstering growth and spending to ease issues such as hunger, while cutting debt and averting a damaging default that would shut off access to global markets.

"We can't live in peace with such a scourge," left-leaning Fernandez said in a speech on Monday in reference to hunger, which he described as Argentina's "greatest shame."

Fernandez, who has been buoyed by support for populist running mate Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, blames Macri and austerity measures agreed with the International Monetary Fund for the rise in poverty and hunger.

Macri's running mate, Miguel Pichetto, meanwhile, said on Monday the way to eradicate hunger was to generate employment and attract "big global companies" to Argentina.

Both sides have said they would honour the country's debts with creditors, including the IMF, though neither has laid out a clear plan for how to do so while boosting spending at home.

Most investors expect some sort of loss.

Indeed, Moody's Investors Service anticipates holders of Argentina dollar bonds will need to write off 10 per cent&nbsp;to 20 per cent&nbsp;of their investments, while Fitch Ratings believes the government will write down local and dollar debt.

Hunger and poverty are not new in Argentina but have risen abruptly over the past two years amid a series of economic shocks that have rattled the grain-exporting nation, famed for its rich arable land and cattle.

The issues have become a lightning rod for anti-government protests and marches, with the hardships of the poor brought into sharp focus as the government has been locked in talks with creditors about repayments on around $100 billion in debts.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/argentina-inflation-expected-at-53-in-december-2019-treasury-officials-249184">Driving the problem is stubborn inflation</a>, a tumbling peso and a slump in domestic production and consumption, which have hurt spending power, incomes, and jobs.

"There is just no work," said 46-year-old Isabel Britez, a volunteer at the Los Piletones dining room in Buenos Aires, who said that was the main message she heard from people eating at the kitchen, which serves around 2,000 meals a day.

Macri, looking to revive his election hopes, has rolled out plans to bolster jobs, including tax cuts for employers. He also announced a freeze on some food prices earlier this year.

Sergio Chouza, an economist at the University of Avellaneda in Buenos Aires, said food prices have rocketed nearly 60 per cent&nbsp;over the past year, with basics such as dairy up as much as 90 per cent.

"That results in a deterioration of diets and pushes many people below the poverty line," he said.

Poverty is a key reason for Macri's fall from grace. His economic austerity, part of the $57 billion funding deal agreed with the IMF last year, reined in deficits but hit growth and voters' wallets.

Macri was defeated heavily in a primary election in August. Since then, he has announced lower taxes for the middle class and higher subsidies for the poor along with food aid. The Senate approved an emergency food law last month.

"Perhaps we underestimated the impact of the economic situation on the elections. (The poverty issue) affected the vote for Mauricio," Eduardo Amadeo, a Macri ally and member of Argentina's house of deputies, told Reuters.

"The reforms we launched have stabilised the economy and we have tried to reduce the impact from the devaluation in August on people's wallets," Amadeo said.

A spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Social Development listed official measures to deal with the crisis but declined to comment further on poverty rates.

In the meantime, even as soup kitchens flourish, some volunteers say meals are getting more meagre amid tight funding conditions and as food donations dry up.

"Previously, people donated some meat and chicken; now we only get noodles and rice," said Lorena Nievas, who works at the Abrazando Hogares soup kitchen in the southern Patagonian city of Puerto Madryn.

For many residents, however, there is no choice.

"I have people from the street who come in for their lunch and snacks here. It's all the food they get," she said.

In the hard-up neighbourhood of Claypole on the outskirts of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, Elena Escobar makes her way to the local Caritas Felices soup kitchen to serve food to street children who scrape by from meal to meal.

In the hard-up neighbourhood of Claypole on the outskirts of the Argentine capital Buenos Aires, Elena Escobar makes her way to the local Caritas Felices soup kitchen to serve food to street children who scrape by from meal to meal. Escobar, 53, says the volunteer-run kitchen has seen a surge of kids and families seeking help over the last few months, amid a biting recession and fast-rising prices that have pushed millions of people into poverty. "There are many children in need, many malnourished, with kids that get to dinner time and don't have any food," said Escobar. The kitchen receives over 100 children each week, up from around 20-30 when it opened its doors in April. The rise in hunger and poverty creates a complex backdrop for the leaders of Latin America's number three economy, who are in knife-edge talks with creditors to avoid default on billions of dollars of debt amid economic and political upheaval. Ahead of a presidential election on October 27, officials will head to Washington this month to meet with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a major backer that struck a $57 billion funding deal with the country last year. Those talks are likely to weigh on the current administration of President Mauricio Macri and the next one, likely led by left-leaning Peronist Alberto Fernandez, the front-runner to win the vote. The Claypole kitchen is far from alone in witnessing rising hardship, with government data showing poverty rates jumped to 35 per cent in the first half of 2019 amid recession and steep inflation, from 27.3 per cent a year earlier. Around 13 per cent of children and adolescents went hungry in 2018, according to data from the Pontificia Universidad Católica Argentina, and rising food prices have become a regular target of popular anger in street protests around the country. Political leaders know something must be done, but face a complex juggling act: bolstering growth and spending to ease issues such as hunger, while cutting debt and averting a damaging default that would shut off access to global markets. "We can't live in peace with such a scourge," left-leaning Fernandez said in a speech on Monday in reference to hunger, which he described as Argentina's "greatest shame." Fernandez, who has been buoyed by support for populist running mate Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner, blames Macri and austerity measures agreed with the International Monetary Fund for the rise in poverty and hunger. Macri's running mate, Miguel Pichetto, meanwhile, said on Monday the way to eradicate hunger was to generate employment and attract "big global companies" to Argentina. Both sides have said they would honour the country's debts with creditors, including the IMF, though neither has laid out a clear plan for how to do so while boosting spending at home. Most investors expect some sort of loss. Indeed, Moody's Investors Service anticipates holders of Argentina dollar bonds will need to write off 10 per cent to 20 per cent of their investments, while Fitch Ratings believes the government will write down local and dollar debt. Hunger and poverty are not new in Argentina but have risen abruptly over the past two years amid a series of economic shocks that have rattled the grain-exporting nation, famed for its rich arable land and cattle. The issues have become a lightning rod for anti-government protests and marches, with the hardships of the poor brought into sharp focus as the government has been locked in talks with creditors about repayments on around $100 billion in debts. Driving the problem is stubborn inflation, a tumbling peso and a slump in domestic production and consumption, which have hurt spending power, incomes, and jobs. "There is just no work," said 46-year-old Isabel Britez, a volunteer at the Los Piletones dining room in Buenos Aires, who said that was the main message she heard from people eating at the kitchen, which serves around 2,000 meals a day. Macri, looking to revive his election hopes, has rolled out plans to bolster jobs, including tax cuts for employers. He also announced a freeze on some food prices earlier this year. Sergio Chouza, an economist at the University of Avellaneda in Buenos Aires, said food prices have rocketed nearly 60 per cent over the past year, with basics such as dairy up as much as 90 per cent. "That results in a deterioration of diets and pushes many people below the poverty line," he said. Poverty is a key reason for Macri's fall from grace. His economic austerity, part of the $57 billion funding deal agreed with the IMF last year, reined in deficits but hit growth and voters' wallets. Macri was defeated heavily in a primary election in August. Since then, he has announced lower taxes for the middle class and higher subsidies for the poor along with food aid. The Senate approved an emergency food law last month. "Perhaps we underestimated the impact of the economic situation on the elections. (The poverty issue) affected the vote for Mauricio," Eduardo Amadeo, a Macri ally and member of Argentina's house of deputies, told Reuters. "The reforms we launched have stabilised the economy and we have tried to reduce the impact from the devaluation in August on people's wallets," Amadeo said. A spokesman for the Ministry of Health and Social Development listed official measures to deal with the crisis but declined to comment further on poverty rates. In the meantime, even as soup kitchens flourish, some volunteers say meals are getting more meagre amid tight funding conditions and as food donations dry up. "Previously, people donated some meat and chicken; now we only get noodles and rice," said Lorena Nievas, who works at the Abrazando Hogares soup kitchen in the southern Patagonian city of Puerto Madryn. For many residents, however, there is no choice. "I have people from the street who come in for their lunch and snacks here. It's all the food they get," she said.

In farm-rich Argentina, hunger cries ring in leaders' ears amid crisis

Argentines reeling from an ongoing economic crisis and a shock election result that wiped out around 25% of the peso's value took to the streets of Buenos Aires on Thursday (August 15) for a demonstration that included a mobile soup kitchen for participants.

"It's getting worse all the time"- Argentines protest even as political talks offer glimmer of hope

About 1,500 Argentines took to the streets of Buenos Aires on Thursday (August 08) to mark the first anniversary of a failed bill to legalise abortion in the country, with rival protests celebrating and denouncing the move.

Rival abortion protesters rally in Buenos Aires as issue divides Argentina

Ecuador`s market &nbsp;friendly President Lenin Moreno is cracking down on illegal gold miners, who are increasingly encroaching on formal mines, but keeping them away from an Australian billionaire`s concession for good may prove a tall order.

 
Moreno last month sent 4,000 troops and police to clear thousands of miners from a gold and copper mining concession belonging to Hancock Prospecting, controlled by Gina Rinehart, Australia`s wealthiest person.

 
Now, with the area under a 60 day state of emergency and military and police guarding nearby Buenos Aires parish, authorities say illegal mining, also known as wildcat mining, at the Imba &nbsp;2 concession has stopped.

But the move, which followed a request by Rinehart`s company that its contract is suspended due to the unrest, now risks sparking a backlash with locals.&nbsp;

For dwellers of the hardscrabble agricultural community, the "plastic city" of tents and makeshift restaurants near the mines brought a jolt of economic activity to the remote, mountainous area. Some wildcat miners pledge to return once the emergency measures end.

"This town was left poorer than it had been in a lifetime," said 50 year old Buenos Aires resident Alba Martinez, whose husband abandoned his crops when he went to work at the mine two years ago. After the operation, he and the couples` two sons also miners left town looking for work.

The standoff underscores a wider conundrum for governments in the developing world, including Latin American, African and Asian countries, as they seek to court big miners and the jobs and tax revenues they typically bring in while trying to avoid a backlash among locals, many of whom see wildcat prospecting as their birthright.&nbsp;

"Of course, illegal mining generates uncertainty," Ecuadorean Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner, who chairs a task force on combating illegal mining, told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference last month. "There`s no question of that. But what is certain is that the national government will not tolerate any illegal activity."

Moreno has courted the sector by eliminating a windfall tax on miners, lowering a sliding scale of royalty payments, and reducing a capital gains tax on mining company transfers.&nbsp;

Last year, Ecuador received $742 million in foreign direct investment in the mining sector, more than double 2017 levels.&nbsp;

Moreno cheered the recent opening of the Chinese-owned Mirador copper mine in southern Ecuador, as well as progress at SolGold PLC`s Cascabel project in mountainous Imbabura province. That is where the concessions of Hancock`s local subsidiary, Hanrine, are also located.&nbsp; 
But obstacles have emerged. Communities near the Cascabel mine challenged the project, seeking a popular referendum. That has been turned back by Ecuador`s Constitutional Court, but similar challenges are pending.

Several companies, including Canadian explorers Core Gold Inc and Luminex Resources Corp, have alerted investors to risks posed by illegal miners, ranging from the depletion of reserves to environmental damages for which they could be held accountable.&nbsp;

Hancock declined to comment. Core Gold and Luminex did not respond to requests for comment. 
`THE PEOPLE HAVE LEFT` 
Illegal miners flocked to Hanrine`s Imba 2 concession soon after a farmer struck fool`s gold while building a nearby road in late 2017. As the ensuing gold rush attracted thousands, the government grew concerned about human trafficking, environmental damages and extortion by armed rebel groups.

As a result, Hanrine could not access the area. In March 2018, authorities issued a resolution ordering the end of illegal mining on the concession.&nbsp;

But the wildcat mining continued to grow, and this March Hanrine requested that its contract be suspended so that the clock on its four year exploration license would stop ticking, according to Santiago Chamorro, who coordinates mining policy for Ecuador`s northern region. He said the suspension was granted on July 19.&nbsp;

The state of emergency in Buenos Aires, one of several such crackdowns on illegal mining by Moreno, ended an economic boom that had taken hold in the area.

Buenos Aires resident Martinez, for example, had taken out loans to run a catering business, which disappeared overnight after authorities cleared the mine. On a Friday morning about two weeks ago, the 60 soldiers and police occupying the town vastly outnumbered residents out on the streets, while restaurants, inns and credit unions all had their doors shut.&nbsp;

"The people have left, and now we do not have anything. There is not a single source of jobs," she said. 
Chamorro said the development of formal, large-scale mining would bring jobs to the area, pointing to laws requiring 80per cent of mining workers to be Ecuadorean citizens and 60per cent of royalties from mine to be invested in nearby communities.

"Illegal mining is not the cause, but the effect...of the lack of employment, we have to be sincere," Chamorro said in an interview at his office in Ibarra, Imbabura`s provincial capital.&nbsp;

But in Buenos Aires, two former miners said they were plotting to return to the mine once the two month state of emergency ended and security forces retreated.&nbsp;

One of them, a 20 &nbsp;year old who gave his name as Alberto and said he earned up to $40 a day during nine months working at the illegal mine, was sceptical of the government`s assurances big mining would bring jobs.&nbsp;

"Once the company arrives, there will be nothing left for the people," he said.&nbsp;

Ecuador`s market friendly President Lenin Moreno is cracking down on illegal gold miners, who are increasingly encroaching on formal mines, but keeping them away from an Australian billionaire`s concession for good may prove a tall order.

Ecuador`s market friendly President Lenin Moreno is cracking down on illegal gold miners, who are increasingly encroaching on formal mines, but keeping them away from an Australian billionaire`s concession for good may prove a tall order. Moreno last month sent 4,000 troops and police to clear thousands of miners from a gold and copper mining concession belonging to Hancock Prospecting, controlled by Gina Rinehart, Australia`s wealthiest person. Now, with the area under a 60 day state of emergency and military and police guarding nearby Buenos Aires parish, authorities say illegal mining, also known as wildcat mining, at the Imba 2 concession has stopped. But the move, which followed a request by Rinehart`s company that its contract is suspended due to the unrest, now risks sparking a backlash with locals. For dwellers of the hardscrabble agricultural community, the "plastic city" of tents and makeshift restaurants near the mines brought a jolt of economic activity to the remote, mountainous area. Some wildcat miners pledge to return once the emergency measures end. "This town was left poorer than it had been in a lifetime," said 50 year old Buenos Aires resident Alba Martinez, whose husband abandoned his crops when he went to work at the mine two years ago. After the operation, he and the couples` two sons also miners left town looking for work. The standoff underscores a wider conundrum for governments in the developing world, including Latin American, African and Asian countries, as they seek to court big miners and the jobs and tax revenues they typically bring in while trying to avoid a backlash among locals, many of whom see wildcat prospecting as their birthright. "Of course, illegal mining generates uncertainty," Ecuadorean Vice President Otto Sonnenholzner, who chairs a task force on combating illegal mining, told Reuters on the sidelines of a conference last month. "There`s no question of that. But what is certain is that the national government will not tolerate any illegal activity." Moreno has courted the sector by eliminating a windfall tax on miners, lowering a sliding scale of royalty payments, and reducing a capital gains tax on mining company transfers. Last year, Ecuador received $742 million in foreign direct investment in the mining sector, more than double 2017 levels. Moreno cheered the recent opening of the Chinese-owned Mirador copper mine in southern Ecuador, as well as progress at SolGold PLC`s Cascabel project in mountainous Imbabura province. That is where the concessions of Hancock`s local subsidiary, Hanrine, are also located. But obstacles have emerged. Communities near the Cascabel mine challenged the project, seeking a popular referendum. That has been turned back by Ecuador`s Constitutional Court, but similar challenges are pending. Several companies, including Canadian explorers Core Gold Inc and Luminex Resources Corp, have alerted investors to risks posed by illegal miners, ranging from the depletion of reserves to environmental damages for which they could be held accountable. Hancock declined to comment. Core Gold and Luminex did not respond to requests for comment. `THE PEOPLE HAVE LEFT` Illegal miners flocked to Hanrine`s Imba 2 concession soon after a farmer struck fool`s gold while building a nearby road in late 2017. As the ensuing gold rush attracted thousands, the government grew concerned about human trafficking, environmental damages and extortion by armed rebel groups. As a result, Hanrine could not access the area. In March 2018, authorities issued a resolution ordering the end of illegal mining on the concession. But the wildcat mining continued to grow, and this March Hanrine requested that its contract be suspended so that the clock on its four year exploration license would stop ticking, according to Santiago Chamorro, who coordinates mining policy for Ecuador`s northern region. He said the suspension was granted on July 19. The state of emergency in Buenos Aires, one of several such crackdowns on illegal mining by Moreno, ended an economic boom that had taken hold in the area. Buenos Aires resident Martinez, for example, had taken out loans to run a catering business, which disappeared overnight after authorities cleared the mine. On a Friday morning about two weeks ago, the 60 soldiers and police occupying the town vastly outnumbered residents out on the streets, while restaurants, inns and credit unions all had their doors shut. "The people have left, and now we do not have anything. There is not a single source of jobs," she said. Chamorro said the development of formal, large-scale mining would bring jobs to the area, pointing to laws requiring 80per cent of mining workers to be Ecuadorean citizens and 60per cent of royalties from mine to be invested in nearby communities. "Illegal mining is not the cause, but the effect...of the lack of employment, we have to be sincere," Chamorro said in an interview at his office in Ibarra, Imbabura`s provincial capital. But in Buenos Aires, two former miners said they were plotting to return to the mine once the two month state of emergency ended and security forces retreated. One of them, a 20 year old who gave his name as Alberto and said he earned up to $40 a day during nine months working at the illegal mine, was sceptical of the government`s assurances big mining would bring jobs. "Once the company arrives, there will be nothing left for the people," he said.

Ecuador's crackdown on wildcatting at Australian mogul's mining lease faces backlash

While Argentina has never beaten New Zealand at rugby in 32 matches, momentum on one side and personnel changes on the other side could give the Latin American nation its best chance yet to reverse that trend when they meet up on Saturday in Buenos Aires.

Pumas eye best chance of first win over All Blacks

A highly anticipated late June meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping has some parallels with their Buenos Aires summit last December that postponed a tariff hike, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday.

Mnuchin told Reuters in an interview that the US-China trade dispute was at a similar point in December 2018, when Trump and Xi met on the sidelines of a G20 summit, with a US tariff increase about to kick in on hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese goods.

As this year's June 28-29 G20 summit in Osaka, Japan approaches, Trump is preparing to launch 25 per cent tariffs on virtually all Chinese imports so far untouched by the two countries' tariff war, a $300 billion list of consumer goods including cell phones, computers and clothing.

"As it relates to the higher tariffs, if you just recall where we were in Buenos Aires, they were going to go up," Mnuchin said. "They were scheduled to go up, and as a result of that meeting, the president agreed not to raise them while we were negotiating," Mnuchin said.

Asked whether he thought a similar outcome would result from the meeting in Osaka - Trump agreeing to forestall the tariffs while negotiations resume - Mnuchin said, "That's the president's decision."

Trump said on Thursday in France that he will decide whether to proceed with the tariffs after the meeting with Xi.

The Buenos Aires summit paved the way for five months of talks aimed at ending a festering trade war between the world's two largest economies.

But these talks broke down in early May, and no face-to-face meetings have been held since May 10, the day that Trump sharply increased tariffs on a $200 billion list of Chinese goods to 25 per cent - the increase that he delayed after the Buenos Aires meeting.

Since then, acrimonious rhetoric and trade threats between Beijing and Washington have steadily increased, especially after the United States imposed severe sanctions against Huawei Technologies Co, China's premier telecommunications equipment firm.

Mnuchin told Reuters that the Huawei sanctions were "completely separate" from the US-China trade dispute.

China central banker meeting

Earlier, Mnuchin said at a news briefing that the Osaka meeting, yet to be confirmed by the Chinese side, was where the "main progress" could be made towards reviving talks to end the US-China trade conflict.

Mnuchin downplayed expectations for a meeting expected on Sunday with People's Bank of China Governor Yi Gang on the sidelines of a G20 finance leaders meeting in Fukuoka, Japan.

The US Treasury chief said that while he would discuss trade issues with Yi, "this is not a negotiating meeting."

The Trump administration was comfortable with any outcome from the negotiations, Mnuchin said, adding that more tariffs would encourage companies to move their operations out of China.

"If we can get the right agreement, that's great. If we can't get the right agreement, we will proceed with tariffs," Mnuchin said.

Mnuchin said the United States and China were about 90 per cent of the way toward reaching "an historic agreement" before China backtracked on certain commitments. He said that if China wants to resume the negotiations on the basis of the texts prior to an early May breakdown of talks, the US side is ready to engage.

Mnuchin said that the United States wants free, fair and balanced trade with China, in part to close a gaping US trade deficit with China.

"If we can't have that, the end result will be that my expectation is that many companies will move their production out of China to other locations," due to tariffs, Mnuchin said.

Mnuchin also said that the Treasury was watching China's currency markets closely for signs of intervention, saying that the markets may have become accustomed to central bank support for the yuan.

If that support is suddenly withdrawn, "the market could view that as a desire to have the currency weaken," he said, declining to comment when asked whether he thought China was deliberately trying to weaken its currency.

A highly anticipated late June meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping has some parallels with their Buenos Aires summit last December that postponed a tariff hike, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday.

A highly anticipated late June meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping has some parallels with their Buenos Aires summit last December that postponed a tariff hike, US Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said on Saturday. Mnuchin told Reuters in an interview that the US-China trade dispute was at a similar point in December 2018, when Trump and Xi met on the sidelines of a G20 summit, with a US tariff increase about to kick in on hundreds of billions of dollars in Chinese goods. As this year's June 28-29 G20 summit in Osaka, Japan approaches, Trump is preparing to launch 25 per cent tariffs on virtually all Chinese imports so far untouched by the two countries' tariff war, a $300 billion list of consumer goods including cell phones, computers and clothing. "As it relates to the higher tariffs, if you just recall where we were in Buenos Aires, they were going to go up," Mnuchin said. "They were scheduled to go up, and as a result of that meeting, the president agreed not to raise them while we were negotiating," Mnuchin said. Asked whether he thought a similar outcome would result from the meeting in Osaka - Trump agreeing to forestall the tariffs while negotiations resume - Mnuchin said, "That's the president's decision." Trump said on Thursday in France that he will decide whether to proceed with the tariffs after the meeting with Xi. The Buenos Aires summit paved the way for five months of talks aimed at ending a festering trade war between the world's two largest economies. But these talks broke down in early May, and no face-to-face meetings have been held since May 10, the day that Trump sharply increased tariffs on a $200 billion list of Chinese goods to 25 per cent - the increase that he delayed after the Buenos Aires meeting. Since then, acrimonious rhetoric and trade threats between Beijing and Washington have steadily increased, especially after the United States imposed severe sanctions against Huawei Technologies Co, China's premier telecommunications equipment firm. Mnuchin told Reuters that the Huawei sanctions were "completely separate" from the US-China trade dispute. China central banker meeting Earlier, Mnuchin said at a news briefing that the Osaka meeting, yet to be confirmed by the Chinese side, was where the "main progress" could be made towards reviving talks to end the US-China trade conflict. Mnuchin downplayed expectations for a meeting expected on Sunday with People's Bank of China Governor Yi Gang on the sidelines of a G20 finance leaders meeting in Fukuoka, Japan. The US Treasury chief said that while he would discuss trade issues with Yi, "this is not a negotiating meeting." The Trump administration was comfortable with any outcome from the negotiations, Mnuchin said, adding that more tariffs would encourage companies to move their operations out of China. "If we can get the right agreement, that's great. If we can't get the right agreement, we will proceed with tariffs," Mnuchin said. Mnuchin said the United States and China were about 90 per cent of the way toward reaching "an historic agreement" before China backtracked on certain commitments. He said that if China wants to resume the negotiations on the basis of the texts prior to an early May breakdown of talks, the US side is ready to engage. Mnuchin said that the United States wants free, fair and balanced trade with China, in part to close a gaping US trade deficit with China. "If we can't have that, the end result will be that my expectation is that many companies will move their production out of China to other locations," due to tariffs, Mnuchin said. Mnuchin also said that the Treasury was watching China's currency markets closely for signs of intervention, saying that the markets may have become accustomed to central bank support for the yuan. If that support is suddenly withdrawn, "the market could view that as a desire to have the currency weaken," he said, declining to comment when asked whether he thought China was deliberately trying to weaken its currency.

US Treasury's Mnuchin says Trump-Xi meeting has parallels to Buenos Aires summit

Discovery of spiky-necked dinosaur divulged

Former Argentine football player Diego Maradona was admitted to a clinic in Buenos Aires on Saturday (January 12) for a scheduled surgery.&nbsp;

The 58-year-old Maradona was diagnosed with a health problem in <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/diego-maradona-out-of-hospital-after-internal-bleeding-scare-188335">early January during routine exams</a> performed at the same hospital in the town of Olivos.&nbsp;

He was preparing to travel to Mexico to take over the technical management of the Dorados de Sinaloa football club.&nbsp;

"It is bleeding due to a hernia. It is not complicated at all," a source told Reuters on Saturday, adding: "With this, he hopes to solve some of the inconveniences that he usually has."

Late on Saturday, Maradona's lawyer Matias Morla reported that the operation was a success.&nbsp;

Maradona suffered frequent periods in hospitals over the years, often due to the extravagant lifestyle that helped make him one of the most admired and iconic footballers of the 20th century.

He last fell ill at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he was filmed passing out in an executive box at the Argentina-Nigeria game.&nbsp;

He was taken into hospital in 2004 with severe heart and respiratory problems linked to cocaine use.

Argentine legend later underwent drug rehabilitation in Cuba and Argentina before a stomach-stapling operation in 2005 helped him lose weight.&nbsp;

In 2007 he checked himself into a clinic in Buenos Aires to help him overcome alcohol abuse problems.&nbsp;

In recent months he has walked with the aid of crutches due to problems with his knees.

Former Argentine football player Diego Maradona was admitted to a clinic in Buenos Aires on Saturday (January 12) for a scheduled surgery. The 58-year-old Maradona was diagnosed with a health problem in early January during routine exams performed at the same hospital in the town of Olivos.

Former Argentine football player Diego Maradona was admitted to a clinic in Buenos Aires on Saturday (January 12) for a scheduled surgery. The 58-year-old Maradona was diagnosed with a health problem in early January during routine exams performed at the same hospital in the town of Olivos. He was preparing to travel to Mexico to take over the technical management of the Dorados de Sinaloa football club. "It is bleeding due to a hernia. It is not complicated at all," a source told Reuters on Saturday, adding: "With this, he hopes to solve some of the inconveniences that he usually has." Late on Saturday, Maradona's lawyer Matias Morla reported that the operation was a success. Maradona suffered frequent periods in hospitals over the years, often due to the extravagant lifestyle that helped make him one of the most admired and iconic footballers of the 20th century. He last fell ill at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he was filmed passing out in an executive box at the Argentina-Nigeria game. He was taken into hospital in 2004 with severe heart and respiratory problems linked to cocaine use. Argentine legend later underwent drug rehabilitation in Cuba and Argentina before a stomach-stapling operation in 2005 helped him lose weight. In 2007 he checked himself into a clinic in Buenos Aires to help him overcome alcohol abuse problems. In recent months he has walked with the aid of crutches due to problems with his knees.

Diego Maradona admitted to hospital for scheduled surgery

Argentina's Libertadores' celebrations descends into violence

The summit between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump in Argentina was "<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-envoy-warns-of-dire-consequences-if-us-hardliners-hold-sway-179861">friendly and candid</a>" and would help to avoid further trade tensions, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Thursday, but offered no new details on the talks.

The two leaders held high stakes discussions on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Buenos Aires last week and agreed to a ceasefire in their trade war.

State Councillor Wang Yi, the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/china-pumps-109-billion-into-economy-as-trade-war-bites-on-growth-170027">Chinese government</a>'s top diplomat, said the talks about trade frictions had been extremely positive and constructive, helping reach a consensus that worked for both China and the United States.

Xi and Trump had "deep exchanges in a friendly and candid atmosphere", setting the direction for an appropriate resolution to the problems between the two countries, Wang said, in a statement carried on the foreign ministry's website.

"The two sides agreed to jointly promote Sino-US relations based on coordination, cooperation and stability, and promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields in the two countries to achieve even more results," he added.

"The discussions on economic and trade issues between the two sides were very positive and constructive, and reached a principled consensus."

That consensus included preventing trade frictions from spreading, returning to dialogue to resolve issues, and a joint goal of cooperation to benefit the global economy, Wang said.

"All of these help to safeguard China's legitimate interests, and are also in the interests of the United States, and even more are in line with the expectations of the international community," he added.

The two countries have hit each other with tit-for-tariffs on goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars in sectors from automobiles to agriculture and energy, stymying trade and redrawing global supply chains.

The United States has levied additional duties of between 10 per cent and 25 per cent on $250 billion of Chinese goods this year as punishment for what it calls China's unfair trade practices. China has responded with its own tariffs.

But as part of the truce agreed to by Xi and Trump, the United States will not raise tariffs further on Jan. 1, so further talks can take place.

Wang said the facts will prove that the common interests between China and the United States are greater than our differences, and cooperation needs to be greater than friction.

However, he offered no new details on what China had agreed to with the United States.

The summit between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump in Argentina was "friendly and candid" and would help to avoid further trade tensions, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Thursday, but offered no new details on the talks.

The summit between President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump in Argentina was "friendly and candid" and would help to avoid further trade tensions, a senior Chinese diplomat said on Thursday, but offered no new details on the talks. The two leaders held high stakes discussions on the sidelines of the G20 meeting in Buenos Aires last week and agreed to a ceasefire in their trade war. State Councillor Wang Yi, the Chinese government's top diplomat, said the talks about trade frictions had been extremely positive and constructive, helping reach a consensus that worked for both China and the United States. Xi and Trump had "deep exchanges in a friendly and candid atmosphere", setting the direction for an appropriate resolution to the problems between the two countries, Wang said, in a statement carried on the foreign ministry's website. "The two sides agreed to jointly promote Sino-US relations based on coordination, cooperation and stability, and promote exchanges and cooperation in various fields in the two countries to achieve even more results," he added. "The discussions on economic and trade issues between the two sides were very positive and constructive, and reached a principled consensus." That consensus included preventing trade frictions from spreading, returning to dialogue to resolve issues, and a joint goal of cooperation to benefit the global economy, Wang said. "All of these help to safeguard China's legitimate interests, and are also in the interests of the United States, and even more are in line with the expectations of the international community," he added. The two countries have hit each other with tit-for-tariffs on goods worth hundreds of billions of dollars in sectors from automobiles to agriculture and energy, stymying trade and redrawing global supply chains. The United States has levied additional duties of between 10 per cent and 25 per cent on $250 billion of Chinese goods this year as punishment for what it calls China's unfair trade practices. China has responded with its own tariffs. But as part of the truce agreed to by Xi and Trump, the United States will not raise tariffs further on Jan. 1, so further talks can take place. Wang said the facts will prove that the common interests between China and the United States are greater than our differences, and cooperation needs to be greater than friction. However, he offered no new details on what China had agreed to with the United States.

China hails Trump-Xi summit, but offers no new details

The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The G20 is a self-appointed group whose composition is determined by the major countries and powers.

G20 consists of 19 individual countries plus the European Union (EU).

Collectively, the G20 economies account for around 90% of the gross world product (GWP), 80% of world trade (or, if excluding EU intra-trade, 75%), two-thirds of the world population,&nbsp;and approximately half of the world land area. It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization, but still, the G20's membership policies have been criticized by numerous intellectuals. G20 is an initiative aiming at international coordination of economic policy. &nbsp;Summit themes varies from year to year.&nbsp;

HISTORY&nbsp;

Canadian finance minister Paul Martin was chosen as the first chairman and German finance minister Hans Eichel hosted the inaugural meeting in 1999 in Berlin. The group was founded primarily at the initiative of Eichel, the concurrent chair of the G7, as per 2004 report by Colin I. Bradford and Johannes F. Linn of the Brookings Institution.

However, Bradford later described &nbsp;Paul Martin as "the crucial architect of the formation of the G-20 at finance minister level," and as the one who later "proposed that the G-20 countries move to leaders level summits."

Canadian academic and journalistic sources have also identified the G20 a project initiated by Martin and then-US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers. But Germany and the United States played a key role in bringing their vision into reality. 
The G20's primary focus has been governance of the global economy.

MEMBERS&nbsp;

As of 2017, there are 20 members of the group. These include leaders of 19 countries, and of European Union and, at the ministerial-level meetings, the finance ministers and central bank governors of 19 countries and of the European Union. 
In addition each year, the G20's guests include Spain; the Chair of ASEAN; two African countries and a country (sometimes more than one) invited by the presidency, usually from its own region, and office holders of United Nation, World Bank &nbsp;Group and World Trade Organisation.&nbsp;

G20 AGENDA

Initially, G20 was set up for global economic coordination but over the years it has widened up its agenda. After the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, more "issues of global significance" were added to the G20 agenda: migration, digitisation, employment, healthcare, the economic empowerment of women and development aid.

CRITICISM&nbsp;

&nbsp;Although G20 group has a high degree of legitimacy and influence over the management of the global economy and financial system due to broad membership and economic weight. G20 group's legitimacy has been challenged.

In a 2010 interview with Der Spiegel, the Norwegian foreign minister Jonas Gahr Støre called the G20 "one of the greatest setbacks since World War II." 
The G20's transparency and accountability have been questioned by critics.&nbsp;

The cost and extent of summit-related security is often a contentious issue in the hosting country, and G20 summits have attracted protesters from a variety of backgrounds, including information activists, opponents of fractional-reserve banking and anti-capitalists. In 2010, the Toronto G20 summit sparked mass protests and rioting, leading to the largest mass arrest in Canada's history. Critics also point out at the disproportionate representation of African countries&nbsp;

ACHIEVEMENTS&nbsp;

G20 provides a platform to discuss all issues that affect the world. Its major achievement includes quick deployment of emergency funding during the 2008 global financial crisis.&nbsp;

2018 G20 BUENOS AIRES SUMMIT

The thirteenth meeting of Group Of Twenty was held from 30 November till 1 December 2018 in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. &nbsp;It was the first G20 summit to be hosted in South America.

G20 Argentina had put forth three agenda priorities for the G20 dialogue in 2018: the future of work, infrastructure for development and a sustainable food future. 
A number of attending countries also focused on the regulation of crypto-currencies at this meeting. International trade was also one of the priorities of the thirteenth G20 Summit.&nbsp;

The 13 G20 Summit ended with a number of big outcomes such as<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/g20s-big-outcomes-india-to-host-g20-in-2022-trump-xis-trade-truce-181018"> India being as the host for G20 in 2022 </a>and Trump-Xi truce in the ongoing trade war.&nbsp; 
On Global outcomes, <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/at-g20-dinner-trump-calls-relationship-with-xi-very-special-180799">US president and Chinese President </a>met for almost two-and-a-half hours on a working dinner.&nbsp;

Trump &amp; Xi have also agreed to "immediately" begin negotiations on "structural changes" with respect to forced technology transfer, intellectual property protection, non-tariff barriers, cyber intrusions and cyber theft, services and agriculture. Both agreed that this will be completed within the next 90 days.&nbsp;

G20 nations also agreed on reforming WTO

On the sidelines of G20,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-meets-presdent-xi-takes-part-in-brics-meet-as-g20-summit-begins-180549"> PM Modi also met a number of world leaders </a>including Chinese President Xi<a href="http://www.wionews.com/india-news/pm-modi-meets-presdent-xi-takes-part-in-brics-meet-as-g20-summit-begins-180549"> </a>for the fourth time since he assumed office and invited South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for the Republic day celebrations.

The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States.

The G20 (or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for the governments and central bank governors from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, the European Union, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The G20 is a self-appointed group whose composition is determined by the major countries and powers. G20 consists of 19 individual countries plus the European Union (EU). Collectively, the G20 economies account for around 90% of the gross world product (GWP), 80% of world trade (or, if excluding EU intra-trade, 75%), two-thirds of the world population, and approximately half of the world land area. It seeks to address issues that go beyond the responsibilities of any one organization, but still, the G20's membership policies have been criticized by numerous intellectuals. G20 is an initiative aiming at international coordination of economic policy. Summit themes varies from year to year. HISTORY Canadian finance minister Paul Martin was chosen as the first chairman and German finance minister Hans Eichel hosted the inaugural meeting in 1999 in Berlin. The group was founded primarily at the initiative of Eichel, the concurrent chair of the G7, as per 2004 report by Colin I. Bradford and Johannes F. Linn of the Brookings Institution. However, Bradford later described Paul Martin as "the crucial architect of the formation of the G-20 at finance minister level," and as the one who later "proposed that the G-20 countries move to leaders level summits." Canadian academic and journalistic sources have also identified the G20 a project initiated by Martin and then-US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers. But Germany and the United States played a key role in bringing their vision into reality. The G20's primary focus has been governance of the global economy. MEMBERS As of 2017, there are 20 members of the group. These include leaders of 19 countries, and of European Union and, at the ministerial-level meetings, the finance ministers and central bank governors of 19 countries and of the European Union. In addition each year, the G20's guests include Spain; the Chair of ASEAN; two African countries and a country (sometimes more than one) invited by the presidency, usually from its own region, and office holders of United Nation, World Bank Group and World Trade Organisation. G20 AGENDA Initially, G20 was set up for global economic coordination but over the years it has widened up its agenda. After the adoption of the UN Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Climate Agreement in 2015, more "issues of global significance" were added to the G20 agenda: migration, digitisation, employment, healthcare, the economic empowerment of women and development aid. CRITICISM Although G20 group has a high degree of legitimacy and influence over the management of the global economy and financial system due to broad membership and economic weight. G20 group's legitimacy has been challenged. In a 2010 interview with Der Spiegel, the Norwegian foreign minister Jonas Gahr Støre called the G20 "one of the greatest setbacks since World War II." The G20's transparency and accountability have been questioned by critics. The cost and extent of summit-related security is often a contentious issue in the hosting country, and G20 summits have attracted protesters from a variety of backgrounds, including information activists, opponents of fractional-reserve banking and anti-capitalists. In 2010, the Toronto G20 summit sparked mass protests and rioting, leading to the largest mass arrest in Canada's history. Critics also point out at the disproportionate representation of African countries ACHIEVEMENTS G20 provides a platform to discuss all issues that affect the world. Its major achievement includes quick deployment of emergency funding during the 2008 global financial crisis. 2018 G20 BUENOS AIRES SUMMIT The thirteenth meeting of Group Of Twenty was held from 30 November till 1 December 2018 in the city of Buenos Aires, Argentina. It was the first G20 summit to be hosted in South America. G20 Argentina had put forth three agenda priorities for the G20 dialogue in 2018: the future of work, infrastructure for development and a sustainable food future. A number of attending countries also focused on the regulation of crypto-currencies at this meeting. International trade was also one of the priorities of the thirteenth G20 Summit. The 13 G20 Summit ended with a number of big outcomes such as India being as the host for G20 in 2022 and Trump-Xi truce in the ongoing trade war. On Global outcomes, US president and Chinese President met for almost two-and-a-half hours on a working dinner. Trump & Xi have also agreed to "immediately" begin negotiations on "structural changes" with respect to forced technology transfer, intellectual property protection, non-tariff barriers, cyber intrusions and cyber theft, services and agriculture. Both agreed that this will be completed within the next 90 days. G20 nations also agreed on reforming WTO On the sidelines of G20, PM Modi also met a number of world leaders including Chinese President Xi for the fourth time since he assumed office and invited South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for the Republic day celebrations.

What does the G20 do ?

President Trump met <a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/g20-opens-under-assault-from-trump-on-collective-action-180345">Argentine President Mauricio Macri </a>ahead of the G20 opening at Buenos Aires in Argentina on Friday.

The US president in a nostalgic mood, said: "People wouldn't know that he was a young man, very handsome man and we knew each other very well, and I actually did business with his family, with his father, great father, friend of mine, and I purchased the West Side Railroad Yards and it was a great job, a successful job."

"We're going to be talking about lots of good things for Argentina, for the United States, including trade, including military purchases and other things but we have a lot to talk about," the US president said as he promised to help the Argentinian economy which has been hit by an economic crisis.

"You're my friend long time, great family and you're doing a fantastic job," Trump said.

Just before leaving for the summit on Thursday, Trump in a tweet had said he won't be meeting President Putin due to the ongoing military standoff between Russia and Ukraine.

Russia's foreign ministry said the meeting was cancelled due to due to domestic issues rather than the Ukraine situation

During the G20, Trump will be meeting several world leaders including PM Modi today. All eyes are on Trump's meeting with President Xi on Saturday as the two leaders are widely expected to address the escalating trade war between the two countries with experts speculating a likely breakthrough.

Although President Trump had indicated that he was looking forward to meeting Xi but did not assure a breakthrough. On Thursday, the president tweeted saying the US was making billions of dollars due to tariffs imposed on China.

President Trump met Argentine President Mauricio Macri ahead of the G20 opening at Buenos Aires in Argentina on Friday. The US president in a nostalgic mood, said: "People wouldn't know that he was a young man, very handsome man and we knew each other very well, and I actually did business with his family, with his father, great father, friend of mine, and I purchased the West Side Railroad Yards and it was a great job, a successful job.

President Trump met Argentine President Mauricio Macri ahead of the G20 opening at Buenos Aires in Argentina on Friday. The US president in a nostalgic mood, said: "People wouldn't know that he was a young man, very handsome man and we knew each other very well, and I actually did business with his family, with his father, great father, friend of mine, and I purchased the West Side Railroad Yards and it was a great job, a successful job." "We're going to be talking about lots of good things for Argentina, for the United States, including trade, including military purchases and other things but we have a lot to talk about," the US president said as he promised to help the Argentinian economy which has been hit by an economic crisis. "You're my friend long time, great family and you're doing a fantastic job," Trump said. Just before leaving for the summit on Thursday, Trump in a tweet had said he won't be meeting President Putin due to the ongoing military standoff between Russia and Ukraine. Russia's foreign ministry said the meeting was cancelled due to due to domestic issues rather than the Ukraine situation During the G20, Trump will be meeting several world leaders including PM Modi today. All eyes are on Trump's meeting with President Xi on Saturday as the two leaders are widely expected to address the escalating trade war between the two countries with experts speculating a likely breakthrough. Although President Trump had indicated that he was looking forward to meeting Xi but did not assure a breakthrough. On Thursday, the president tweeted saying the US was making billions of dollars due to tariffs imposed on China.

G20: Trump meets Argentine President Mauricio Macri; discuss trade, military ties

In the wake of the Russia-Ukraine crisis,<a href="http://www.wionews.com/world/putin-wants-my-whole-country-says-ukrainian-president-petro-poroshenko-180267"> US President Trump today cancelled</a> his meeting Russian President Putin in Argentina during the G20 summit to held in Buenos Aires from November 30th.

"Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin," the US president said in a tweet just before leaving for the summit.

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1068181367857397760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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"I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved!" he added.

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....in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin. I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1068181371883909121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 29, 2018</a></blockquote>
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Earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko asked NATO members to send naval vessels to the Sea of Azov to back his country in the standoff with Russia. President Putin blamed Ukraine for escalating the crisis.&nbsp;

President Putin said that border guards "fulfilled their military duty" and protected Russia's border.

"These territorial waters were always ours, even before Crimea joined Russia," Putin said, referring to Moscow's 2014 annexation of the peninsula.&nbsp;

Poroshenko claimed that Putin wanted "nothing less than to occupy the sea".&nbsp;

"We cannot accept this aggressive policy of Russia. First it was Crimea, then eastern Ukraine, now he wants the Sea of Azov," the Ukrainian president said.

On Sunday, Russian naval ships had seized three Ukranian vessels during a skirmish in the Sea of Azov, the clash led to condemnation by western powers including NATO which called Russia to return the Ukranian ships.

At least 24 Ukranian sailors were captured by the Russian navy during the clash. Tensions between the two countries have been on fever pitch since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the latest development sent political temperatures soaring in the region with Ukrainian authorities fearing a larger Russian response in the Sea of Azov.

Although Russia opened the Sea of Azov on Monday but&nbsp;the standoff over the seized ships and the captured sailors continued to keep the region simmering.

The Ukrainian president on Wednesday officially&nbsp;imposed Emergency in areas around the Russian border fearing the Russian military would respond.

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In the wake of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, US President Trump today cancelled his meeting Russian President Putin in Argentina during the G20 summit to held in Buenos Aires from November 30th.

In the wake of the Russia-Ukraine crisis, US President Trump today cancelled his meeting Russian President Putin in Argentina during the G20 summit to held in Buenos Aires from November 30th. "Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin," the US president said in a tweet just before leaving for the summit. Based on the fact that the ships and sailors have not been returned to Ukraine from Russia, I have decided it would be best for all parties concerned to cancel my previously scheduled meeting.... — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2018 × "I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved!" he added. ....in Argentina with President Vladimir Putin. I look forward to a meaningful Summit again as soon as this situation is resolved! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2018 × Earlier in the day, Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko asked NATO members to send naval vessels to the Sea of Azov to back his country in the standoff with Russia. President Putin blamed Ukraine for escalating the crisis. President Putin said that border guards "fulfilled their military duty" and protected Russia's border. "These territorial waters were always ours, even before Crimea joined Russia," Putin said, referring to Moscow's 2014 annexation of the peninsula. Poroshenko claimed that Putin wanted "nothing less than to occupy the sea". "We cannot accept this aggressive policy of Russia. First it was Crimea, then eastern Ukraine, now he wants the Sea of Azov," the Ukrainian president said. On Sunday, Russian naval ships had seized three Ukranian vessels during a skirmish in the Sea of Azov, the clash led to condemnation by western powers including NATO which called Russia to return the Ukranian ships. At least 24 Ukranian sailors were captured by the Russian navy during the clash. Tensions between the two countries have been on fever pitch since Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the latest development sent political temperatures soaring in the region with Ukrainian authorities fearing a larger Russian response in the Sea of Azov. Although Russia opened the Sea of Azov on Monday but the standoff over the seized ships and the captured sailors continued to keep the region simmering. The Ukrainian president on Wednesday officially imposed Emergency in areas around the Russian border fearing the Russian military would respond.

Trump cancels meeting with Putin at G20 over Russia-Ukraine standoff

Rioting continued in the streets of Buenos Aires after the second leg of the <a href="http://www.wionews.com/sports/libertadores-final-postponed-after-boca-bus-attacked-players-hurt-179328">Copa Libertadores final between River Plate and Boca Juniors</a> was delayed on Saturday (November 24).

The delay was announced after Boca players were hurt when their bus was attacked on its way into the stadium, organizers said.

Some reports said Argentine police fired tear gas at River fans who were throwing missiles at the Boca bus and the gas got into the vehicle while others reported that the damage was caused by River fans.

Boca officials told reporters some of their players were not fit to play in the match.

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Clarin said six players had vomited in the dressing-room after gas drifted into bus windows smashed by River fans outside the stadium.

Boca and River drew the first leg 2-2 on November 11.

The incident comes three years after a Copa Libertadores last-16 tie between the same teams was abandoned at halftime after Boca fans attacked the River players with pepper spray in the tunnel.

River were given a bye into the quarter-finals and Boca were kicked out the competition.

Rioting continued in the streets of Buenos Aires after the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final between River Plate and Boca Juniors was delayed on Saturday (November 24).

Rioting continued in the streets of Buenos Aires after the second leg of the Copa Libertadores final between River Plate and Boca Juniors was delayed on Saturday (November 24). The delay was announced after Boca players were hurt when their bus was attacked on its way into the stadium, organizers said. Some reports said Argentine police fired tear gas at River fans who were throwing missiles at the Boca bus and the gas got into the vehicle while others reported that the damage was caused by River fans. Boca officials told reporters some of their players were not fit to play in the match. × Clarin said six players had vomited in the dressing-room after gas drifted into bus windows smashed by River fans outside the stadium. Boca and River drew the first leg 2-2 on November 11. The incident comes three years after a Copa Libertadores last-16 tie between the same teams was abandoned at halftime after Boca fans attacked the River players with pepper spray in the tunnel. River were given a bye into the quarter-finals and Boca were kicked out the competition.

Riots break out in Argentina after Boca Juniors bus is attacked

He is living an Olympic dream at 15 but Indian weightlifting sensation Jeremy Lalrinnunga has no time to stay in the moment as he has to bulk up in pursuit of a bigger Olympic goal in less than two years.&nbsp;

The Mizo teen, touted as the next best thing in Indian weightlifting, came up with a personal best effort in the 62kg category to clinch India's first gold medal at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires on Monday. He is happy beyond words but does not have the time to sit back and relish the moment for too long.&nbsp;

"I am feeling really happy that I won the gold medal here," Lalrinnunga told PTI from the Argentine capital.

"I am returning to Patiala on October 21. I have to train hard now for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. I am going to change my weight category to 67kg for the Olympics so I have to work harder," he added.

Son of a national-level boxer Lalneihtluanga, Lalrinnunga aspired to don the gloves too but shifted to weightlifting as it involved just power to excel, something he found fascinating.

"A new weightlifting academy opened in my village. The moment I saw it I wanted to try out the sport. I used to do boxing when I was younger but when I tried weightlifting I loved it. It's a sport that involves strength and that is the reason I love it," Lalrinnunga said.&nbsp;

He was eight when Lalrinnunga was enrolled at the Mizoram Weightlifting Academy. A year later he was picked by the scouts of the Army Sports Institute in Pune.&nbsp;

"I have been training at the Army Sports Institute since 2012," he said.

Starting off in the 50kg category, Lalrinnunga won the national gold but the teenager has struggled with maintaining his weight, jumping from 50kg to 62kg in a span of two years.

"As I was growing my height and weight was increasing. Then coach sir advised me to switch to 56kg.

"After shifting to 56kg also my body continued to grow and it was very difficult for me to maintain that weight, so we decided to go even higher switching to 62kgs."

However, weight issues were not the only obstacles in Lalrinnunga's Youth Olympics preparation, the teenager also contracted chicken pox months before the big event.

"I suffered from chicken pox in May so I had to gain back my strength for 62kg. My focus was on the Youth Olympics so I had to work very hard to recover and start training.

"I learned a lot of new techniques in the process. We focused mainly on strength training and perfecting the technique," Lalrinnunga said.&nbsp;

He is living an Olympic dream at 15 but Indian weightlifting sensation Jeremy Lalrinnunga has no time to stay in the moment as he has to bulk up in pursuit of a bigger Olympic goal in less than two years.

He is living an Olympic dream at 15 but Indian weightlifting sensation Jeremy Lalrinnunga has no time to stay in the moment as he has to bulk up in pursuit of a bigger Olympic goal in less than two years. The Mizo teen, touted as the next best thing in Indian weightlifting, came up with a personal best effort in the 62kg category to clinch India's first gold medal at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires on Monday. He is happy beyond words but does not have the time to sit back and relish the moment for too long. "I am feeling really happy that I won the gold medal here," Lalrinnunga told PTI from the Argentine capital. "I am returning to Patiala on October 21. I have to train hard now for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. I am going to change my weight category to 67kg for the Olympics so I have to work harder," he added. Son of a national-level boxer Lalneihtluanga, Lalrinnunga aspired to don the gloves too but shifted to weightlifting as it involved just power to excel, something he found fascinating. "A new weightlifting academy opened in my village. The moment I saw it I wanted to try out the sport. I used to do boxing when I was younger but when I tried weightlifting I loved it. It's a sport that involves strength and that is the reason I love it," Lalrinnunga said. He was eight when Lalrinnunga was enrolled at the Mizoram Weightlifting Academy. A year later he was picked by the scouts of the Army Sports Institute in Pune. "I have been training at the Army Sports Institute since 2012," he said. Starting off in the 50kg category, Lalrinnunga won the national gold but the teenager has struggled with maintaining his weight, jumping from 50kg to 62kg in a span of two years. "As I was growing my height and weight was increasing. Then coach sir advised me to switch to 56kg. "After shifting to 56kg also my body continued to grow and it was very difficult for me to maintain that weight, so we decided to go even higher switching to 62kgs." However, weight issues were not the only obstacles in Lalrinnunga's Youth Olympics preparation, the teenager also contracted chicken pox months before the big event. "I suffered from chicken pox in May so I had to gain back my strength for 62kg. My focus was on the Youth Olympics so I had to work very hard to recover and start training. "I learned a lot of new techniques in the process. We focused mainly on strength training and perfecting the technique," Lalrinnunga said.

No time for celebrations, Jeremy looks to bulk up for Tokyo dream

The head of the Argentine Football Association has apologised for the publication of a World Cup&nbsp;manual&nbsp;that included advice on how to woo&nbsp;Russian&nbsp;women.

The advice, which has been condemned as sexist, was part of a course entitled ‘Language and Russian&nbsp;Culture – Thinking of the World Cup’ and included the tips, "Be clean, Don't be negative and Don't treat&nbsp;women&nbsp;as objects".

"An internal investigation ... concluded that part of the material was printed in error. It does not reflect the thinking of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), nor its president Claudio Tapia, nor any of its directors," the association said in a statement.

Tapia visited Russia House, a cultural institute, in Buenos Aires on Wednesday to personally apologise for the gaffe.

News reports said the information had been presented to players, AFA staff and media earlier this week at a special forum on how to prepare for the World Cup.

More than 40,000 Argentines have bought tickets for matches in the tournament that kicks off in Moscow on June 14.

Two-time winners of the World Cup,&nbsp;Argentina&nbsp;have been drawn to play Iceland, Nigeria and Croatia.

More than 40,000 Argentines have bought tickets for matches in the tournament that kicks off in Moscow on June 14

The head of the Argentine Football Association has apologised for the publication of a World Cup manual that included advice on how to woo Russian women. The advice, which has been condemned as sexist, was part of a course entitled ‘Language and Russian Culture – Thinking of the World Cup’ and included the tips, "Be clean, Don't be negative and Don't treat women as objects". "An internal investigation ... concluded that part of the material was printed in error. It does not reflect the thinking of the Argentine Football Association (AFA), nor its president Claudio Tapia, nor any of its directors," the association said in a statement. Tapia visited Russia House, a cultural institute, in Buenos Aires on Wednesday to personally apologise for the gaffe. News reports said the information had been presented to players, AFA staff and media earlier this week at a special forum on how to prepare for the World Cup. More than 40,000 Argentines have bought tickets for matches in the tournament that kicks off in Moscow on June 14. Two-time winners of the World Cup, Argentina have been drawn to play Iceland, Nigeria and Croatia.

FIFA 2018: Argentina apologises for manual on seducing Russian women

Argentina&#39;s navy revealed Monday that a submarine missing for five days reported a mechanical breakdown in its final communication, and that weekend signals did not come from the vessel, dimming hopes for its 44 crew members.

&quot;The vessel surfaced and it reported a breakdown. It was therefore asked to change course and go to Mar del Plata,&quot; said Gabriel Galeazzi, the head of the naval base in the northeastern city, located 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Buenos Aires.

Enrique Balbi, a spokesman for the navy, meanwhile told a press conference in the capital that seven signals received by naval bases over the weekend were not attempted distress calls from the submarine, as previously hoped.

&quot;We&#39;ve received the report from the company that analyzed the signals -- the seven attempted calls did not come from the submarine&#39;s satellite phone,&quot; he said, adding: &quot;We have still been unable to contact them.&quot;

The ARA San Juan, a German-built diesel-electric sub, made its last contact on Wednesday.

A multinational air and sea search is under way with help from countries including Brazil, Britain, Chile, the United States and Uruguay.

Argentina's navy revealed Monday that a submarine missing for five days reported a mechanical breakdown in its final communication, and that weekend signals did not come from the vessel, dimming hopes for its 44 crew members. "The vessel surfaced and it reported a breakdown. It was therefore asked to change course and go to Mar del Plata," said Gabriel Galeazzi, the head of the naval base in the northeastern city, located 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Buenos Aires. Enrique Balbi, a spokesman for the navy, meanwhile told a press conference in the capital that seven signals received by naval bases over the weekend were not attempted distress calls from the submarine, as previously hoped. "We've received the report from the company that analyzed the signals -- the seven attempted calls did not come from the submarine's satellite phone," he said, adding: "We have still been unable to contact them." The ARA San Juan, a German-built diesel-electric sub, made its last contact on Wednesday. A multinational air and sea search is under way with help from countries including Brazil, Britain, Chile, the United States and Uruguay.

Argentina submarine missing for 5 days reported problem in final call: Navy

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