San José, Costa Rica - Wednesday 18 August 2004

1.116 Unique Visitors Daily Average in July!  What's This? 

Updated every day by 8:00AM Central Standard Time

Costa Ricas Claudia Poll Ahrens looks at scoreboard after her women's 200 metres freestyle semi-final at the Olympic Aquatics Centre in Athens, August 16. [Foto:  REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach ] Click for larger image!

Commission Appointed to Recommend Solutions to High Gasoline Prices
The government is serious about it's fight against rising gasoline prices. The first step in their strategy is to launch a media campaign to promote fuel savings, to ask Ticos to use less gasoline. The rest, according to a Presidential House press statement, will be left to a commission.

TACA Considering Moving Operations
Grupo Taca announced yesterday that it is considering moving it's operations base from the Juan Santamaria airport to another Central American city, saying Costa Rica has become too expensive.

Six Detained for Robbing Tourists
Police yesterday detained six persons who are allegedly part of a gang that has been attacking tourists for more than a year. The arrest took place in downtown San José, near la Plaza de la Cultura, when the group attempted to rob two American tourists.

Electrical Meters a Hot Item for Thieves
While some dedicate to robbing banks or bank messengers, as was the case yesterday when the Banco de Costa Rica branch in Barrio Amon and a Banco Interfin messenger in Rohrmoser were the target of criminals, others will steal anything that is not bolted down, even electrical meters.

Olympic Soccer: Costa Rica hoping to rediscover ruthless streak
Costa Rica's Group D hopes hang by a thread as they go into their last match against Portugal.

Guatemala appeals to Mexico to extradite drug lord
Guatemala's supreme court asked Mexico on Tuesday to extradite a drug lord to Guatemala, said reports from Guatemala's capital Guatemala City.

More leaders hail Venezuela's recall referendum
More leaders of various countries and international organizations lauded Venezuela's recall referendum on Tuesday, and some sent congratulations to President Hugo Chavez on his victory in the voting.

Brazilian, Central American and Caribbean leaders meet
Brazilian, Central American and the Caribbean leaders met Tuesday morning at the National Palace of Santo Domingo to discuss regional integration, poverty and foreign debt, said reports from Santo Domingo, capital of Dominican Republic.

Death toll in Paraguay's supermarket fire rises to 368
The number of dead and missing people from the supermarket fire on the outskirts of Asuncion, Paraguay, rose to 368, reports reaching here said Tuesday.

International News from the New York Times
 

SPECIAL REPORTS VENEZUELA: Chávez's Victory to Revitalise His 'Social Revolution' The stamp of approval that Venezuela's recall referendum won Monday from the Organisation of American States (OAS) and the Carter Centre will help pave the way for a new stage of President Hugo Chávez's "social revolution". In his first speech early Monday, the president announced that Venezuela would move forward with determination towards overcoming the economic and social injustices inherited from neo-liberal free-market policies of the past, and towards national reconciliation. The partial results of Sunday's referendum announced by election authorities showed that nearly 59 percent of voters were opposed to removing Chávez from office, giving the president renewed legitimacy.

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