Australian Open 2026: Cerúndolo and Etcheverry through to the third round
There’ll be at least two Argentine tennis stars in the 2026 Australian Open third round, as Francisco Cerúndolo (world No.20) and Tomás Etcheverry (61) won their respective games on Tuesday. Cerúndolo was the first to seal his ticket for the next round. I love playing tennis with this energy.”The win will undoubtedly help Etcheverry keep up his resurgence. Tirante and Comesaña outIt wasn’t all good news for Argentines in the Australian Open, as Thiago Tirante (103) and Francisco Comesaña (68) bowed out. The Argentine fell 6-4, 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 in a rain-delayed affair played late into the Australian night.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 21, 2026 16:26 UTC
Argentina records trade surplus of US$11 billion in 2025, despite imports jumping 25%
First, the good news: for the second year running, the Milei government achieved a trade surplus in 2025, with a positive balance of US$11.286 billion, according to Argentina’s statistical institute, INDEC. December finished with a US$1.9 billion surplus, the second highest figure of the year, only surpassed by the November surplus. It means Argentina has accumulated 25 consecutive months with a trade surplus, which coincides exactly with the length of Javier Milei’s term as president. Exports of goods totaled US$87 billion in 2025 — close to the 2022 record of US$88 billion. However, even with that rise, last year’s trade surplus was 40% lower than the previous year, when it reached almost US$18.9 billion.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 21, 2026 14:29 UTC
Mercosur-EU deal delayed as European Parliament refers it to court
The European Parliament has voted to send the Mercosur-European Union trade deal to the EU’s top court to verify whether it complies with existing EU treaties. This means implementation of the agreement could now happen in at least two years from now, supposing it will be approved by the European Parliament. It is divided into two parts: a strictly trade-only pact, designed to be implemented right after the European Commission and European Parliament approve it, and a broader one, that includes investment and environmental sections, which needs parliamentary approval from each participating country. 334 parliament members backed the provision, 10 above those who rejected it, while 11 abstained. Farmers led mass protests on Wednesday outside of the European Parliament as the vote took place, signaling their disapproval of the EU-Mercosur deal.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 21, 2026 14:29 UTC
Davos Forum says 'insufficient public services' are Argentina's main risk
The revelation is significant insofar as it targets one of President Javier Milei’s main policies. The brief identified an additional four “risks” to Argentina: lack of economic opportunity or unemployment, economic downturn (e.g., recession, stagnation), inequality (wealth, income), and social polarization. Last year, right-wing PRO party leader and former Argentine President Mauricio Macri (2015-2019) denounced a deepfake AI video that spread on social media. The footage falsely depicted him encouraging the public to vote for presidential spokesman Manuel Adorni in the Buenos Aires City legislative elections. Macri took to his own social media channels to condemn the video, calling the matter “an attempt at electoral fraud” conducted by ruling party La Libertad Avanza.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 20, 2026 21:08 UTC
French mountaineer dies near summit of Mount Aconcagua
A French mountaineer died on Monday near the summit of Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas and in the Southern Hemisphere, in Mendoza province. Guillaume Ferey, 33, collapsed and died at “La Cueva,” a spot located about 200 meters from the summit, at an altitude of 6,700 meters. Second death on AconcaguaThis is the second death on Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Andes Mountains, in 2026. The first occurred on January 4, when a 55-year-old Russian mountaineer died, also just meters from the summit. According to official figures, more than 55,000 people visited Aconcagua Provincial Park last season.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 20, 2026 21:08 UTC
Australian Open 2026: Sebastián Báez wins epic three hour match to push into second round
Argentine tennis star Sebastián Báez (ranked 36 in ATP singles) beat Frenchman Giovanni Mpetshi Perricard (61) on Monday, taking the total number of Argentines that made it to the 2026 Australian Open second round to five. However, the Argentine player broke the Frenchman’s serve early both in the first and second sets and raced to a two sets to none lead. As he had done in the first couple of sets, Báez took an early lead and physical issues stopped Mpetshi Perricard from forcing his way back. “I had the chance to wrap it up before but I wasn’t able to take it,” the Argentine player told the press after the match. He joins the other Argentines set to play in the second round starting Tuesday.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 20, 2026 21:08 UTC
Wildfire hotspots reignite in Patagonia, flames rage on in south-central Chile
Several hotspots of the wildfire that began in the touristic area of Puerto Patriada, Chubut, in the Patagonia region, reignited on Monday due to the heat and dry weather. Almost 15,000 hectares of native forest and implanted vegetation have been consumed since the fires began on January 5. This means that, although there are still active hotspots, firefighters have been able to make a barrier around the fire’s perimeter to stop it from spreading further. The wildfire began on January 5 in Puerto Patriada, near the Epuyén lake, and spread to surrounding areas, affecting vegetation, animals and at least 20 homes. One man was arrested on Monday, accused of attempting to start a fire, although it remains unclear how the fires began on Saturday.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 20, 2026 14:53 UTC
Rights groups warn SIDE arrest powers risk 'persecution and intimidation'
A group of 23 Argentine human rights organizations published a joint statement condemning a January decree issued by President Javier Milei granting the intelligence agency SIDE the power to arrest people. According to the human rights groups, this will turn the decree into “a tool for massive surveillance.” They urged Congress to discuss and vote against the decree. The CELS has also made presentations to local courts and the Inter-American Human Rights System. “This decree overrides a previous order banning intelligence sectors from carrying out ‘repressive’ and ‘compulsive’ tasks,” Morales told the Herald. “If an intelligence agent did the same, under the new decree, theoretically, there would be no legal consequences,” said Morales.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 20, 2026 11:26 UTC
19 dead and 50,000 evacuated as wildfires spread through south-central Chile
At least 19 people have been confirmed dead by the Chilean government as wildfires, that started on Saturday, spread through the south-central region of the country, devastating the Ñuble and Biobío regions. So far, over 50,000 people have been evacuated from fire-affected areas. The fires have ravaged heavily populated areas in Ñuble and Biobío, some 500 kilometers south of the Chilean capital, Santiago. Interior Minister Álvaro Elizalde said the country is “facing a complex scenario,” with over 3700 firefighters working in the area. Boric travelled to the nearby city of Concepción to lead the firefighting operations, and has decreed a state of emergency in the area.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 19, 2026 22:42 UTC
Iran warns Argentina that labeling Quds Force as terrorists will elicit ‘response’
Iran warned Argentina that its decision over the weekend to label the Iranian military’s Quds Force unit a terrorist organization will “undoubtedly receive an appropriate response” from Tehran. The Quds Force is an elite unit within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, the main branch of the country’s armed forces. See more The United States welcomes Argentina’s decision, under President Javier Milei’s leadership, to designate the Quds Force as a terrorist organization. This means that Quds Force members and allies could be subject to economic sanctions and be restricted in their ability to operate in Argentina. Days ago, Argentina also declared the Lebanese, Egyptian, and Jordanian chapters of the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 19, 2026 22:42 UTC
Milei aims for Congress to pass labor reform in February extraordinary sessions
President Javier Milei issued a decree ordering Congress to carry out extraordinary sessions during February, a month in which the parliament is normally on summer break. The extraordinary sessions will extend from February 2 until the 27th, finishing one day before the official reopening of Congress and the start of the ordinary period, on March 1. Milei already had Congress carry out extraordinary sessions during the last three weeks of December, right after the ordinary period ended at the end of November. Milei has called for extraordinary Congress sessions every summer since he took office to debate controversial issues. 2026 summer sessions agenda2026 will be no exception, as Milei — once again — has filed controversial bills for debate during the extraordinary sessions period.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 19, 2026 17:11 UTC
Australian Open 2026: Wins and losses split evenly for Argentines at the first round
It was a solid start for Argentine tennis stars in the 2026 Australian Open, with eight out of the nine players in the singles’ draws having already played, and four still in the running. Argentina was left without representatives in the women’s singles draw after Solana Sierra (63) lost to Japan’s Moyuka Uchijima 3-6, 1-6. The last of the Argentines to move through to the second round on Sunday was Francisco Comesaña (68), who defeated U.S. player Patrick Kypson 6-2, 6-3, 3-6, and 6-3. It was a first win in the Australian Open main draw for the 25-year-old, who will face another U.S. native, Frances Tiafoe (34) on Tuesday. Camilo Ugo Carabelli was the first Argentine to be eliminated from the singles draw after losing to Hungary’s Marton Fucsovics 6-7 (5), 1-6, and 2-6.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 19, 2026 15:49 UTC
Argentina among best-performing economies globally in 2026 and 2027, says IMF
Argentina’s gross domestic product (GDP) is projected to grow by 4% in 2026 and 2027, according to the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) latest World Economic Outlook, presented on Monday in Brussels. January’s World Economic Outlook ranked Argentina among the best-performing economies globally over the next two years, as its growth is expected to exceed the global average, estimated at 3.3% for 2026 and 3.2% for 2027. Brazil is expected to slow its growth rate from 2.5% in 2025 to 1.6% in 2026, with a recovery to 2.3% in 2027. In this context, Argentina appears to be one of the countries with the strongest projected growth. According to a table included in the World Economic Outlook, which outlines forecasts for 30 economies that account for the majority of global GDP, Argentina ranks as the eleventh fastest-growing economy.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 19, 2026 14:17 UTC
Toy guns, a tunnel and a poetic message: Why Argentina's Heist of the Century still fascinates 20 years on
The case instantly turned the thieves into living legends, and was quickly dubbed the “robo del siglo,” the heist of the century. Vitette Sellanes was the most experienced and would lead the hostage situation and negotiations with the police. Vitette Sellanes delayed Sileo, hinting at an eventual surrender, while the rest of the gang broke open and emptied over 140 safety deposit boxes from the underground vault. At 4:30 p.m., Vitette Sellanes requested Sileo send food and drinks and ended communication. The bank repaid its clients for all that was stolen, but investigators claim only 20% of the bounty was ever recovered.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 18, 2026 19:40 UTC
EU and Mercosur sign landmark trade and association deal after 26 years
Following 26 years of negotiations and a string of setbacks that threatened to scupper it, representatives of the Mercosur countries and the European commission signed the EU-Mercosur trade deal at a ceremony in Asunción, Paraguay, on Saturday. However, the deal has faced opposition due to fears about price suppression and possible harm to South America’s local industries. Argentine President Javier Milei speaks at signing ceremony for EU-Mercosur Association Agreement in Asunción, Paraguay, January 17 2026. President Yamandú Orsi of Uruguay, European Council President António Costa, President Rodrigo Paz of Bolivia, and President José Mulino of Panama were also on stage. While popularly described as a trade deal, the free trade provisions form part of a broader association agreement.
Source:Bueno Aires Herald
January 17, 2026 21:55 UTC