Russian President Dmitry Medvedev arrived in Buenos Aires on Wednesday, the first visit by a Russian head of state to Argentina, touting Moscow’s drive to expand its presence and influence in Latin America.
“Russia has come back to South America,” Medvedev said at a news conference with Argentine President Cristina Kirchner. “In my view, all global major players should be present in Latin America. So I hope no one is hurt by this and if they are hurt, we couldn’t care less.”
Medvedev, who arrived following a nuclear summit in Washington, earlier talked up business opportunities for both countries at a session with Argentine business leaders, expressing hope trade would grow after a 30 percent downturn during the global financial crisis.
The two countries signed deals on nuclear energy, trade, space, transportation and sports.
“The world has changed … We are no longer a back yard of any state,” Kirchner said in reference to the US.
The Kremlin said in a statement that Russia was keen to diversify its trade with Argentina, which stood at just US$2 billion dollars in 2008 and is largely limited to meat, fruit and mineral fertilizers.
Russia and Argentina are considering cooperation in oil and gas and shipbuilding, with Moscow also hoping to sell arms to Buenos Aires.
“Argentina remains one of our largest Latin American partners and I am confident we will be able to fill the gaps that emerged because of the global financial crisis through new projects,” Medvedev told the business leaders.
Argentina has expressed interest in Russia’s air defense systems and aircraft, as well as vessels and helicopters that could help the country with its Antarctic program, the Kremlin said.
Argentine Foreign Minister Jorge Taiana told local radio the two countries would sign more than 10 agreements during Medvedev’s visit, which he said marked “the first time in 125 years” of bilateral relations that a Russian head of state has visited Argentina.
A dinner in his honor was to be held at the opulent San Martin Palace to crown Medvedev’s trip to the country.
Republican US lawmakers on Friday criticized US President Joe Biden’s administration after sanctioned Chinese telecoms equipment giant Huawei unveiled a laptop this week powered by an Intel artificial intelligence (AI) chip. The US placed Huawei on a trade restriction list in 2019 for contravening Iran sanctions, part of a broader effort to hobble Beijing’s technological advances. Placement on the list means the company’s suppliers have to seek a special, difficult-to-obtain license before shipping to it. One such license, issued by then-US president Donald Trump’s administration, has allowed Intel to ship central processors to Huawei for use in laptops since 2020. China hardliners
Conjoined twins Lori and George Schappell, who pursued separate careers, interests and relationships during lives that defied medical expectations, died this month in Pennsylvania, funeral home officials said. They were 62. The twins, listed by Guinness World Records as the oldest living conjoined twins, died on April 7 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, obituaries posted by Leibensperger Funeral Homes of Hamburg said. The cause of death was not detailed. “When we were born, the doctors didn’t think we’d make 30, but we proved them wrong,” Lori said in an interview when they turned 50, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The
RAMPAGE: A Palestinian man was left dead after dozens of Israeli settlers searching for a missing 14-year-old boy stormed a village in the Israeli-occupied West Bank US President Joe Biden on Friday said he expected Iran to attack Israel “sooner, rather than later” and warned Tehran not to proceed. Asked by reporters about his message to Iran, Biden simply said: “Don’t,” underscoring Washington’s commitment to defend Israel. “We are devoted to the defense of Israel. We will support Israel. We will help defend Israel and Iran will not succeed,” he said. Biden said he would not divulge secure information, but said his expectation was that an attack could come “sooner, rather than later.” Israel braced on Friday for an attack by Iran or its proxies as warnings grew of
IN PURSUIT: Israel’s defense minister said the revenge attacks by Israeli settlers would make it difficult for security forces to find those responsible for the 14-year-old’s death Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday condemned the “heinous murder” of an Israeli teenager in the occupied West Bank as attacks on Palestinian villages intensified following news of his death. After Benjamin Achimeir, 14, was reported missing near Ramallah on Friday, hundreds of Jewish settlers backed by Israeli forces raided nearby Palestinian villages, torching vehicles and homes, leaving at least one villager dead and dozens wounded. The attacks escalated in several villages on Saturday after Achimeir’s body was found near the Malachi Hashalom outpost. Agence France-Presse correspondents saw smoke rising from burned houses and fields. Mayor Amin Abu Alyah, of the