President Serge Sarigisian completed a weeklong tour of South America, visiting Argenita, Uruguay and Chile. While in Argentina, he took part in the groundbreaking ceremony of the Armenian Genocide Museum in Buenos Aires. 

It took more than 120 minutes and a goal in extra time, but Germany emerged as the World Cup champion with a 1-0 win over Argentina on Saturday. Once the game ended, the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janeiro was illuminated in German colors, and Twitter was abuzz with responses to the tournament’s final game.

As the Brazil team has come spectacularly undone in the World Cup, the pain for the host country has been compounded by the prospect that its hated rival, Argentina, could still lift the championship trophy on Sunday in Rio de Janeiro’s fabled Estádio do Maracanã, after Argentina won a tense semifinal against the Netherlands in a penalty shootout on Wednesday afternoon. The tens of thousands of Argentine fans who have invaded Brazil to cheer for their team, and taunt their hosts, brought with them a song that predicts not just triumph for Argentina, but deep humiliation for Brazil. 

Argentina, the United States and Iran appear to be the most disliked World Cup teams. Brazilian fans enter the World Cup as the most confident, though Argentines and Spaniards aren’t far behind in their home-country optimism. And fans across many countries agree that the Brazilians play the most attractive form of soccer. These are among the results from a study of people in 19 countries conducted by YouGov, the online survey firm, in collaboration with The Upshot. 

It so happens that Argentine Malbec is attractive enough (on its own) to lure people into events organized by the embassies. An ideal lobbying opportunity. Throw in some tango music and dancers as well as beef or other delicacies and you have an irresistible package. 

Thirty years ago, after the fall of Argentina’s military dictatorship following defeat in the Malvinas/Falklands war with Britain, a newly elected President Raúl Alfonsín created the Human Rights Commission known as Conadep (Comisión Nacional sobre la Desaparición de Personas, or National Commission on the Disappearance of Persons). The first of its kind, Conadep’s main purpose was to investigate the crimes committed by the preceding military dictatorship and bring its perpetrators to justice.

The 2014 World Cup draw that grouped Iran with heavyweights Argentina has provoked thousands of Iranians to trash the Facebook page of Argentine superstar Lionel Messi. Iran was drawn in Group F alongside Argentina, reigning African champions Nigeria and newcomers Bosnia-Herzegovina, and will open their fourth campaign in the final stages of the World Cup on June 16.