|
|
Traffic
builds up as the
exodus from San
Josι begins.
Traffic on the Bernardo Soto highway that leads to the Pacific
coast was slow and
steady yesterday as
the holiday week
begins.
|
The
Internet:
A Basic Guide
to the
Internet
The
Internet is a
computer
network made
up of
thousands of
networks
worldwide. No
one knows
exactly how
many computers
are connected
to the
Internet. It
is certain,
however, that
these number
in the
millions and
are increasing
at a rapid
rate.
Click
here. |
|
|
|
Costa Rica Photo Gallery.
Click
here!
|
|
|
Semana Santa
underway!
The bus stops and the highways that lead to the beaches are getting busy
as many traditionally leave San Josι for Semana Santa.
Typically, the big exodus doesn't take place until Wednesday night,
however, this year, with the government's decision to give all public
employees the entire week, the trip out of San Josι began Friday.
The bus companies have added more buses to their routes and leaving more
frequency to handle the increased demand for this week. For example, at
the Gran Terminal del , where buses to the Caribbean side usually run
every 30-45 minutes, since Friday they have been running every 15
minutes.
Complete
Story
Click
here to find out what's open and what's not
|
|
|
March inflation 0.65 percent
The index of consumer prices in Costa Rica
increased 0.65 percent increase last month, as compared to February, according
to the National Statistics and Census Institute.
The overall figure for this year's first quarter thus went up to 2.12, yet lower
than the one for the same period in 2002, 2.37 percent. |
|
Central
American tourists
Tourism sector
representatives asked
the Government to
extend from 48 to 72
hours the in-transit
period for foreign
visitors. This way,
they aim at attracting
tourists from Central
America, who would
compensate for the
drop in visitors
- mainly from the US -
resulting from the war
in Iraq.
If allowed to stay 72
hours in transit,
passengers could enjoy
a three-day visit here
and would not be
charged the $26
departure tax that all
travelers must pay at
Juan Santamaria
International Airport.
According to sector
sources, a drop in the
number of visitors is
starting to show and
is expected to
increase steadily.
|
|
|
Privatization
not a must
In
the third round of the
US-Central America talks
leading to the negotiation
of a free trade agreement,
the US chief negotiator,
Regina Vargo, said that to
accept her proposal in the
telecommunications sector it
is not a must for Costa Rica
to privatize it.
However, she pointed out
that more opportunities have
to be made available for the
private sector to invest in
it. Washington presented a
proposal to open the
telecommunications sector in
the five Central American
countries through an
inter-connection system, in
which a private operator
would buy the service from
the state or private
organization that manages
it.
On the other hand, Vargo
made it clear that
everything is subject to
negotiation. This applies to
services, including
telecommunications, and
agriculture, where the
Central American private
sectors are discussing the
convenience of asking or
ignoring exclusions from an
eventual free trade
agreement.
|
|
Coffee
Internet auction
The best coffee of Costa
Rica will be offered in an
international auction via
the Internet. Called Golden
Crop 2003, the activity is
set for next May 15. It is
co-sponsored by the Coffee
Institute of Costa Rica and
the Costa Rican Association
of Fine Coffees.
|
|
Indian
women request asylum
Four Honduran Indian women
requested political asylum
at the Costa Rican embassy
in Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
The women claim that they
are persecuted because of a
dispute over the ownership
of land.
The Costa Rican ambassador
to Honduras, Edgar Garcνa,
said that the request is
under study and the embassy
was closed until things
clear up
|
|
Cuba
sends unequivocal message
with execution of hijackers,
crackdown
HAVANA (AFP) - Amid
an international outcry over
its crackdown on dissidents,
Cuba sent a clear message to
anyone who would destabilize
the regime from within,
summarily executing three
men who tried to hijack a
ferry to get to the United
States.
An official statement
said the men were tried
"with full respect for
their ... basic
rights," convicted
Tuesday and shot dead at
dawn Friday.
Another four of the men
involved in the hijacking of
the ferry with some 40
people aboard were sentenced
to life in jail, and one man
to 30 years in prison. The
three women who took part
were sentenced to five,
three and two years
respectively.
Complete
Story
|
|
|
|
|
