Buenos Aires  - Argentina's Senate Wednesday voted 42 to 21 to approve the nationalization of the financially troubled airline Aerolineas Argentinas and its regional subsidiary Austral, taking another step in a project that has been under discussion for months.

The vote follows similar approval by the lower Chamber of Deputies on December 3.

Both airlines are owned by the Spanish travel conglomerate Grupo Marsans, which has already signalled its intention to fight the takeover in court.

At issue was not the return of the airlines to national ownership, which was basically approved in September, but rather the price to be paid.

Buenos Aires  - Fossils of a 5-metre-long short-armed flesh- eating dinosaur previously unknown to scientists have been found in Argentina, the scientist who headed the excavation said Wednesday in Buenos Aires.

The body of the estimated 370-kilogram creature may have also been covered with feathers and could provide an important link to understanding how dinosaurs developed the capability of flight, said Fernando Novas, the paleontologist who lead the dig in the southernmost province of Patagonia.

Buenos Aires - Argentine officials sprang a Davis Cup surprise with their selection on Wednesday of unknown Modesto Vazquez as new captain for the 2008 finalists.

The 59-year-old replaces Alberto Mancini, who stepped down after his side lost to Spain in the final only weeks ago.

"We have chosen two professionals with a lot of experience and long careers in tennis," said Enrique Morea, president of the Argentine federation.

Vazquez is working as federation development director, but played ties for his South American nation in 1968 and 1970.

Buenos Aires  - Argentine President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner announced Monday a short- and medium-term public works plan worth more than 32.2 billion dollars, aimed at generating employment and economic activity at a time of global economic crisis.

The plan's execution is to be decentralized, and provincial and town governments will be in charge of its implementation. It will include the building of new homes, hospitals, schools, roads, railroads and gas and power distribution networks.

Kolkata, Dec. 6 : Argentine football star Diego Maradona was an hour late, but thousands waited patiently, cheering, dancing and singing to catch a glimpse of this football hero when he arrived to lay the foundation stone of the football academy at the upcoming gated community complex Eden City at Mahestala in South 24 Parganas District, West Bengal.

Maradona flew by helicopter from his hotel in Kolkata to the site. On his arrival he waved to the crowds and offered air kisses. He also made the typical fighters gestures the Argentinean footballers are known to make on-field.

Buenos Aires  - A Chilean Navy ship Friday rescued 89 passengers from a ship that ran aground in icy Antarctic waters, took on water through the damage and suffered a fuel leak.

The tourists boarded the rescue ship Aquiles early Friday some 1,300 kilometres south of the Argentine port of Ushuaia, a day after their boat called for help after becoming stuck, Claudia Albornoz, a spokeswoman for the operator Antarpply Expeditions in Ushuaia, told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The passengers were to be taken to the Chilean Antarctic station Frei, where they were expected to arrive late Friday. On Saturday, they were set to fly on to Ushuaia.