San José, Costa Rica - Tuesday 29 June 2004

1.611.962 Hits in May!

 

Kurt Niehaus of Costa Rica swims during the 1500 meter free style even in the National Championships (CAMEX) in Panama City, Panama, Monday. Niehaus won the gold with a time of 16:25:16. The countries participating in the event are Mexico, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Costa Rica and Guatamala. (AP Photo/Arnulfo Franco) Click for larger image!

CCSS Pays Fischel More Than Half Million Dollars for Nine Cuban Professionals
The investigation into the relationship between the Caja - La Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS) - and the Fischel Corporation has uncovered another questionable practice in which the Caja, again, used the services of the  Fischel Corporation.

Government Calls Controller's Strike Illegal
The government says that the strike by air traffic controllers is illegal. The strike is now into it's fourth day and no end is in sight.

Public Employees to Protest Salary Increase Today
Routine transactions with government agencies could be a nightmare today as public servants have threatened to walk off job or work to rule to protest their semi-annual pay increase.

News Briefs
In San Juan de Chicuá, an education initiave is seeing mothers attending school with their children. The initiative came about when it was found that mothers could not help their children with their schoolwork as they themselves had not advanced beyond the grade of their chidren. Norma Solano, who is heading the project says that currently there are only 16 mothers in the

Peru's ex-spy chief sentenced to 15 years for corruption A Peruvian anti-corruption court sentenced former spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos to 15 years in prison Monday on charges that he paid television station owners millions of US dollars to support ex-President Alberto Fujimori.  Venezuelan president to learn from China's experience in development China has set an example to the developing countries with its successful economic development which deserves Venezuela's drawing on the experience, said Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez on Monday.  Nicaragua unlikely to send more troops to Iraq: general Nicaragua is unlikely to send more troops to Iraq before stability returns to that country, Nicaragua's army chief commander Javier Carrion said Monday.  Colombian police readies for further peace talks Colombian police arrived in a buffer zone set aside for peace talks between the government and the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia (AUC) group, official sources said Monday.  International News from the New York Times

SPECIAL REPORTS: ENVIRONMENT-BOLIVIA: Chainsaws Threaten Nature Preserve Residents of the town of Apolo, in northeast Bolivia, have been using chainsaws to open a path through Madidi National Park, while the government and defenders of biodiversity say the route would mostly benefit illegal exports of precious wood. This nature preserve is seen as one of the most important in the world, and is now under threat since 140 people began to cut down everything in their path in a straight line to the neighbouring town of Ixiamas, according to an official report. THE TAKE: CULTURE CLASH MOVIE MADNESS Expatriate question - Popcorn, Coke, hotdogs -- all are coming attractions to an enjoyable movie watching experience. Luckily all these amenities are available in Costa Rica (along with some of the softer theaters seats that I have had the pleasure to sit down in). Unfortunately, Costa Rican movie watching requires one more accessory that is rarely found in theaters to the North…cell phones.

With GSM and the Lowest Cost to Rent a Cellular Telephone in Costa Rica!

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