A gas tank explosion at a downtown San José restaurant was the cause of the fire that destroyed it completely. The restaurant was the bottom floor of a three storey building.
The fire department had to dispatch six units to bring the night blaze under control.
No injuries or fatalities were reported, though there is extensive damage to the building.
Only two weeks ago, a similar explosion occurred in Alajuela centre. In that indicent, four people lost their lives and two continue in hospital.
In this caricature by CRHOY, we have Nicaraguan president, Daniel Ortega (left) telling Costa Rican president, Laura Chinchilla, “According to Google, the waters of the San Juan river feed the the Colorado river, so it’s like (the Colorado) is ours”.
Chinchilla responds, “we have the best defense against an invasion…La Trocha!!… for being impassable”.
This past week, Nicaragua is asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) at The Hague to give Nicaragua navigation rights of the Colorado river that belongs to Costa Rica. The two countries are locked into a border battle dispute following the alleged invasion of Nicaragua of the Isla Calero (in October 2010) along the San Juan river that belongs to Nicaragua.
On Monday the United States Central American Regional Security Initiative made a donation of US$1.2 million dollars to five Non Governmental Organizations (NGO’s).
Receiving the donations are: Marviva, Funadavida, Acción Joven, Visión Mundial and Boy With A Ball. All the organizations offer support to at-risk youth.
The donation will be used to develop programs against violence, drug abuse and reduce school dropouts, in programs designed to benefit youths across the country.
Participating in the event helt at the Fundación Marviva, in front of the the Nunciature Apostólica, in Rohrmoser was US Ambassador to Costa Rica, Anne S. Andrew and representatives of the five NGO’s.
The Paso Canos border (on the Costa Rican side) this morning. Photo send by a fan of the Q!
The Paso Canos border (on the Costa Rican side) this morning. Photo send by a fan of the Q!
The Dirección de Migración y Extranjería de Costa Rica (immigration service) has beefed up its controls at Paso Canoas, the Panama border, as thousands of Costa Ricans head south for tomorrow’s big game.
On Monday Migración reported some 1.250 Ticos crossed into Panama with the express purpose of attending the big game as Costa Rica and Panama battle it out, with more than 3.000 expected today and more tomorrow.
The majority are travelling on by on charters organized by bus companies.
According to local reports, the situation at the border was chaotic on Monday and expected to be worse closer to game time, even with expanded hours of operations at the border. This morning the immigration post opened at 2am instead of the usual 7am. On Wednesday the post will open at 4am.
Come Thursday and Friday, the reserve chaos will occur with fans returning home, hopefully with the joy of a win by the Costa Rican team.
Stepping up controls at the border is also the Policía de Control de Drogas (Drug police), which slows down the process of crossing the border.
Costa Rica will not interfere in the conflict between Israel and Palestine and will favour a bilateral agreement between the two states. This was clarified by Costa Rica’s Foreign Minister, Enrique Castillo.
Last month, Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations and Costa Rica, said he hoped that Costa Rica is an ally to the “end of the Israeli occupation”.
Costa Rica’s Chancellor explained that “it is they who must negotiate” and come to a conclusion with two states with secure borders. Castillo said the two countries of friends of Costa Rica, “so will not take sides”.
Notwithstanding, Castillo has voiced publicly that he does not share Israel’s policy of continued expansion, but expects a solution that is comprehensive and undivided.
In a little over two months of being in place, the speed bumps in Chinatown are going away due to an “error in design”. That is the word from the mayor’s assistant, Rafael Arias.
Arias told the press that pressure from drivers forced the municipality to look again at the design and the decision to remove them.
The problem is that the speed bumps are extremely high. According to Arias, the design style will be maintained, just not as high to scrape the bottom of vehicles.
The Q reported (see “So, This is Barrio Chino?“) on the speed bumps and problems they presented to traffic along the Avenidas (east-west roads) that cross Calle 7.
The height of the bumps meant either vehicles would scrape bottom or would go around them. And with no proper signage, it wouldn’t be long before a vehicle or two would end up in one of the corner shops.
Costa Rica and Panama battle it out in the Hexagonal phase of CONCACAF World Cup Qualifying
The CONCACAF region is now in its final phase of FIFA 2014 World Cup qualifying known as “The Hex”, to end the first set of matches two rising nations clash when Costa Rica travels to Panama City and Estadio Rommel Fernandez to take on the Panamanians.
Date & Time: Wednesday February 6, 2013 8pm local time, Panama City
This match shapes up to be fairly intriguing, as both sides are led by focal points in the attack and play in a trademark Central American style however go about business in completely different styles.
The Costa Ricans under Coach Jorge Luis Pinto has a quite youthful squad with the core of the team in their early to mid 20’s and are highlighted by a versatile attack consisting of the free scoring forward Alvaro Saborio as well as captain Bryan Ruiz, Joel Campbell and Jairo Arrieta, the likes of Saborio and Arrieta as well as multifaceted midfielder Rodney Wallace and fullback Roy Miller might sound familiar as they all play within MLS.
The Panama squad under Coach Julio Dely Valdés plays a more defensive style, predicated on the strength, size and experience of forward Blas Perez and defender/captain Felipe Baloy. With Mexico and USA odds on favorites to grab two to the automatic qualifying places head to head matches between the other sides become vitally important with only one automatic qualifying birth and the playoff place up for grabs, both squad have promising futures to look forward to and being able to qualify for the 2014 World Cup would help their development significantly.
When we got married almost 15 years ago, we wanted to make it something special. So we did a little research and discovered that the Don Carlos Hotel in San Jose, Costa Rica, actually offered wedding packages… including music and champagne!
We couldn’t resist, so we booked the package and, after tying the knot, we rented a tiny SUV and hit the road without any agenda except seeing as much of Costa Rica as we could in two weeks.
It was one of the best trips of our lives, and Costa Rica itself was one of the main reasons. The country is special in so many ways that, even back then when much of the coastal highway was miles of unrelieved washboard and potholes, we couldn’t have started our married life in a better way.
Of course, much has changed since 1997 (including us). Smooth, divided highways have replaced that hellish stretch of coastal road, and many other infrastructure improvements have opened up vast stretches of Costa Rica that were once almost impossible to reach.
But even before the improvements, Costa Rica was a mecca for expat retirees, sportsmen, and adventurers — and for good reasons. With tropical weather, incredible beaches, lush mountains, low cost of living, and a model public health care system, Costa Rica has a brand identity all its own. Thousands of people have left the snow and high prices behind to live there.
So what exactly is the attraction?
Costa Rica has some of the most breathtaking Pacific beaches on the planet, with miles of surf breaks that make its Pacific coast legendary. But Costa Rica is also a world leader in ecological, sustainable development. Much of Costa Rica’s lush, tropical forests are protected natural preserves, and Costa Rica is one of the few countries in the world that set a deadline for being carbon-neutral and is actually nearing that goal.
This combination of natural beauty, sustainable ecological policies, and killer surf has ensured Costa Rica’s niche as one of the most popular tourism and vacation spots on earth, with 1.5 million people visiting this little Central American country each year.
But beyond a sun-drenched week on the beach, what makes living in Costa Rica so attractive?
The debate over health care in the U.S. put Costa Rica and the country’s public health care system in the spotlight. (Remember a particular talk radio host who said he’d move there if Obamacare passed? He hasn’t… but we think he’d be happier and healthier if he did.)
That’s because Costa Rica is one of the healthiest places on earth. In one area of Costa Rica’s Nicoya Peninsula, people have some of the longest lifespans on record. The Costa Rican health care system is highly rated (even higher than the U.S.), with universal health insurance and world-class public and private hospitals. The public health insurance system is known as the CAJA, and all citizens and legal residents are required to participate. For the typical retiree, the cost averages $50 to $65 per month.
No wonder life in Costa Rica is so appealing.
What about other costs? For sure you can live like a rock star in Costa Rica on $4,000 per month. Most expats, though, report that they are living quite happily and without sacrifices on a monthly budget of $1,500 to $2,500. That’s for two people living in a mid-range, two-bedroom home, and includes rent, utilities, transportation and Internet.
You’ll save, too, on the little things that matter the most, but can add up. Like:
• Ticket to see a movie in a modern theater — $5
• Tickets to see a cultural event at the National Theater start at $2
• Ticket to see a National Soccer Team Match in the brand-new stadium — $20
• Fresh Red Snapper — approximately $2.50 per pound
• A pound of beans — $0.90 per pound
• A pound of rice — $0.50 per pound
• Four avocadoes — $2
• Pineapples — $1 each
• A bottle of Imperial beer — $1.25
• A pack of local cigarettes — $2.20
• Bus ride from downtown San Jose to Escazu — $0.55
• Bus ride from San Jose to Jaco Beach (60 miles) — $4.11
But it’s not just the potential cost savings that you should consider… it’s the overall improvement in your quality of life. Better weather. Beautiful scenery. Healthcare that’s not only high quality, but affordable. Less stress. And one more thing…
Sociologists say Costa Ricans are the happiest people on the planet. This is according to the Happy Planet Index, an independent think tank founded to study environmental impact and human well-being. They say: “Costa Ricans report the highest life satisfaction in the world, and have the second-highest average life expectancy of the Americas (second only to Canada).”
Who wouldn’t be happy living in a paradise like this?
Costa Rica and Colombia officials resumed free trade talks today (Monday), entering the final stage of negotiations addressing the most sensitive issues for both countries.
The agreement had been hoped to have been concluded last December.
This is the fourth round of talks and may be the last, however, much depends on “striking a balance between offensive and defensive interests for domestic production,” said the the director general of Foreign Trade, Ricardo Zuñiga.
The trade talks are expected to continue throughout the week amid strong pressure from various business sectors.
Zuñiga said a deal will not be signed until the sensitivities of the different sectors are met, because the goal is of an agreement with that benefits trade.
The trade deal also opens up Costa Rica to becoming a full member of the Alianza del Pacífico (Pacific Alliance), a Latin American bloc formally launched on June 2012 in Chile’s Paranal Observatory at the organization’s fourth summit. It groups Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. The four nations of the Pacific Alliance represent about 36% of Latin America GDP, and if counted as a single country they would be the ninth largest economy in the world.
On the table is also the elimination of visa requirements for Colombians coming to Costa Rica.
Lawyer and gay activist Marco Castillo has put his foot in the bee´s nest. This week he filed a writ challenging the Supreme Elections Tribunal (TSE), demanding that the two political parties most opposing the gay marriage bill be ruled invalid under the constitution.
He bases his complaint on the little-used constitutional article 28, which states that “no one may exercise politics based upon religious beliefs or sentiments.” The complaint, filed with the Supreme Court´s Constitutional Chamber (Sala IV) specifically names National Restoration and Costa Rican Renovation parties.
Both small parties are openly Evangelical and their lawmakers cite their religious beliefs freely. But specifically, the complaint targets National Restoration party’s lawmaker Carlos Avendano who is a practicing Evangelical pastor.
But controversial Renovation lawmaker Justo Orozco fired back that the party has not used their elected posts to make religious propaganda or that their beliefs affect their congressional work. He also denied that the party used Evangelical church pulpits to get votes.
“This señor is out of place,” said Orozco, referring to Castillo, leader of the gay right group Diversification Movement, “Neither Justo Orozco nor National Renovation has violated the constitution.”
Orozco, despite the miniscule size of his party, was elevated in May, 2012, to the chairmanship of the Legislative Assembly’s Human Rights Committee in a deal with the National Liberation Party in which his party voted with Liberation to regain control of the Assembly, after an opposition coalition had wrested control for most of 2011.
The lawmaker quickly used his chairmanship to derail the gay marriage bill in a lightning parliamentary move that prevented discussion. This raised an outcry among liberals and gays but Orozco blithely denied misusing his power, saying his conscience was clear.
This week he told the national newspaper La Nacion, “They talk of the family and matrimony and that is what we defend. Those people have used resources and party against me but they’re just hitting at air. They’re fighting alone.”
Commentary: It is interesting that Orozco assumes that the Castillo complaint is aimed at him when it is Avendano who is mentioned in the complaint. His speaking of himself in third person and assumption that he is the main target indicates that his committee chairmanship and notoriety may have gone to his head.
Meanwhile, his attitude is that all his decisions are communicated to him directly from on High. But his enemies are not fighting alone — after his political maneuver that shunted the gay marriage bill aside, his appointment as Human Rights Committee chief received enough flak on the social media to shoot down a squadron of bombers.
On the other hand, we have stopped predicting how magistrates will rule a long time ago. The constitution, with this unique article, places the TSE in an uncomfortable position. The judges could rule the parties unconstitutional but still the lawmakers could retain their seats as independents.
The issue places the TSE in the same position as the Constitutional Chamber of the Supreme Court (Sala IV) and the TSE could redirect the complaint to that high court.
More than 700 people in Costa Rica are currently waiting for an appointment with an oncologist, as increasingly more people die each year waiting for a clinical diagnosis
Today, February 4, is World Cancer Day, a day when organizations around the world will focus on Target 5 of the World Cancer Declaration: Dispel damaging myths and misconceptions about cancer, under the tagline “Cancer – Did you know?”.
World Cancer Day is a chance to raise our collective voices in the name of improving general knowledge around cancer and dismissing misconceptions about the disease.
In Costa Rica, 3 out 10 people are victims of cancer, making the second cause of deaths in the country, with 4.200 deaths last year.
Breast cancer is the most common in women, while prostate cancer is for men. According to Costa Rica health data, on average two people die daily of gastric cancer.
These figures show the need for campaigns for early detection and getting appropriate treatment in a timely manner.
According to the Caja del Seguro Social (Social Security Fund), there are currently more than 700 people waiting for an appointment with an oncologist.
The figure is worrisome as increasingly more people die each year waiting for a clinical diagnosis.
It is incredible but true, the paint crew working on Ruta 32 (San José – Limón) painted over the carcass of a dead dog. And right in front of the Oasis evangelical temple that was inaugurated on Sunday.
This was denounced by a businessman and resident of San Luis Santo Domingo de Heredia, who took photos and distributed them to the media and posted on Facebook.
The Consejo Nacional de Vialidad (CONAVI) – Road Safety Council – says “it is unacceptable”, blaming the incident on the carelessness of the work crew.
But, wait a minute, isn’t one of the responsibilities of the Conavi to keep the roads safe?
By the looks of the carcass, it had been lying on the street for months, a fact confirmed by the Heredia resident.
So, here we have the CONAVI blaming the work crew for a problem they have an even bigger role in? Where is taking responsibility for its actions or lack of?
There has to be someone at the Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transportes (MOPT) with enough juice to establish a program of picking road debris, especially large items like a dead animal.
It is even more pitiful when you stop to consider that on this heavily transited route, daily Tránsitos (traffic police) – a division of the MOPT – patrol up and down and not one would report it to the CONAVI, which is also part of the MOPT?
In any event, blaming the road painting work crew is pure bullocks. The MOPT has to take responsibility that many road accidents are caused by bad roads, roads that are poorly designed, constructed and maintained. The have to take responsibility for faulty programs and/or the lack of. Responsible for a lackadaisical attitude by a government agency that…
If anyone is to blame for this and many of other not so unusual situations is the current MOPT minister, Pedro Castro and the director of the CONAVI, Silvia Bolaños. And for good measure, the responsibility should also be borne by German Marín
The contract for painting the lines on the Ruta 32 was ¢169 million colones (US$345.000 dollars). A shovel and a plastic bag at the corner hardware store is not more than ¢20.000 colones. The cost of fatal accident?
In a couple of days the 2013 school year starts in Costa Rica* and as a precaution parents should inspect the vans and mini-buses that are used to transport their children to and from school.
But, few are concerned about security and even less on inspecting the school transport vehicles.
According to Riteve, the vehicular inspection service, 6 out of 10 “school vehicles” failed the inspection on the first visit. More than half had to undergo a second inspection and more to correct the problems that ensure road safety.
Some of the main problems for not passing the inspection were with faulty brakes and missing or non-working seat belts.
Fortunately school bus accidents are few and far between. However, just one accident is one too many, like the one where the vehicle’s brakes failed and slammed into a house to prevent rolling down and over a hill.
That accident occurred last May 2012 in Granadilla, the east side of San José, killing four – among them a 10 year old boy and his 19 year old pregnant sister.
The vehicle in that accident has all its papers current, but Riteve records indicate that the vehicle had to be inspected 4 times, the first three failed for problems with its brakes.
Come Wednesday, almost 200 Tránsito (traffic) police officials will be posted at or near schools for a safe return back to school.
The school year in Costa Rica is from the first week in February to the first week in December.
Today is Super Bowl day. And while the day will be just another day for most Costa Ricans, for Costa Rican fans of the NFL and many expats, they will be glued to the nearest screen, be it on a smartphone or tablet to the giant screens in bars around the country, when the Baltimore Ravens will take on the San Francisco 49ers this Sunday at 5:30pm (Costa Rica time).
In the Central Valley (San José) the following locations have some type of Super Bowl party going on. Reservations are recommended.
Fiesta Casino – near the airport
Casino Colonial – downtown San José
Wyndham (Herradur) – Heredia
Sportmen’s lodge – Barrio Amon (downtown San José)
El Estribo (Santa Ana)
Goool (Sabana)
Hooters (Escazú)
Hooligans (Heredia)
Outside the Central Valley
Outback Hacks (Jaco)
Monkey Bar (Flamingo)
Coconutz (Playa Coco)
Byblos (Manuel Antonio)
Sharkys (Tamarindo)
The above list is by now way complete. Many bars are hosting Super Bowl parties. Use the comments section below to add your favorite bar.
It all started on Monday, January 22, when the brother Juan Carlos Quesada went looking for him at the Banco Nacional branch where he was manager. And it wasn’t until the next day when bank auditors confirmed that ¢378 million colones was missing from the bank vault.
A massive manhunt was on for the bank employee of 13 years and manager of the Santa Teresita, Cobano, Puntarenas branch for the last three.
On Thursday, January 25, Quesada gave himself up to authorities. The former bank manager, in his statement, admitted to taking the money, threatened by third parties whose identity has not been made. Authorities have yet to recover the money.
Today, Banco Nacional investigators say there is sufficient evidence that Quesada acted alone and with malice. Bank investigators would only reveal that the security tapes indicate that the former manager was not nervous or acting in a way a person would if under threat or being blackmailed into committing the crime.
Bank officials say that Quesada chose the money to place into the bags, leaving behind the tracking pack that would allow investigators to track the movements of the money and thus the former manager.
Confirmed is that Quesada visited Nicaragua in the days between Saturday evening, when he made off with the money, and Thursday afternoon when he gave himself up. Investigators are now looking into whom he may have contacted in his travels and the time frame and focusing on the money trail.
A theory that investigators are looking into are the possibility that part of the money was removed from the vault on Friday.
Quesada is keeping frim on his story that he was threathned and forced to steal the money and that “he is no criminal”.
Quesada’s family confirmed to the press that they are paying, out of their own pockets, legal counsel. The former manager is currently in preventive detention (jail) while the investigation continues.
Since Saturday strong winds with gusts of up to 70 km/h have been common in the Central Valley and mountain areas. The national weather service is forecasting the winds to continue today and into the coming week.
Rebeca Morera, spokesperson for the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN) said that gusts reached 100 km/h in some mountain peaks.
The forecast for the rest of the week are strong winds, though not much less in intensity, and dry and hot conditions.
Presidenta Laura Chinchilla will inaugurate today, Sunday, the new evangelical church “Casa Oasis” located in San Miguel de Santo Domingo, in Heredia.
The auditorium is the largest in the country with room for up to 10.000 people seated, a 3.000 vehicle parking lot and latest in technology and video.
Since her electoral campaign in 2009, the Presidenta got closer to the evangelical churches in the country, which also attracted legislators Justo Orozco and Carlos Avendaño, who will also be attending the inauguration ceremony today.
According to the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT), the total number of visitors to the country last year is estimated to reach 2,300,000. Costa Rica is an ideal holiday destination because of its picturesque landscapes and mild climate. Driving in Costa Rica is an excellent opportunity to encounter the sights at one’s own pace.
With offices in popular locations such as Liberia and San Jose, Vamos Rent-A-Car is an example of a successful Costa Rican car rental company, made possible by the increasing waves of tourists.
Even though the fourth quarter economic figures for the United States have not yet been released, it’s doubtful that its expansion will peak above 3 percent. Compared to the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR) report, their economic growth could be in the neighborhood of 5 percent for the past year; slightly higher than expected.
Nevertheless, not everything is experiencing positive escalation in Costa Rica, namely their road network. The Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration states the over 18,750 miles of roadway has fallen into disrepair; making the need for 4×4 vehicles more of a necessity than a luxury.
Four-wheel drive SUVs are a very popular choice and have helped to make Vamos a local leader as far as Costa Rican car rental firms are concerned. The proof is in the fact that in December of 2012, the company acquired another 35 vehicles with intentions to increase that number even further in 2013. In an interview Ricardo Vargas, marketing spokesman for Vamos, answered, “We are looking to add another 40 cars, bringing our fleet up to 175 units.”
Reviews and praise may be found across the web on such sites as Fodors, Frommers and Lonely Planet. One recent comment on Trip Advisor states, “There is no rental agency better, believe me – I called about eight before settling down with Vamos. I am sure that you will be very pleased.”
Vamos Rent-A-Car’s growth and success is attributed to their rigorous maintenance programs and personalized customer service. Offering safe and dependable vehicles at competitive rates since 2004, Vamos is the cost-effective alternative to the international rental franchises.
Foreign capital inflows have rushed into Costa Rica too quickly, sparking the government’s efforts to weaken Latin America’s third-best performing currency this year, Vice President Luis Liberman told Bloomberg.
The government is seeking congressional approval to raise deposit requirements on investors and boost taxes on interest paid abroad after inflows rose as global investors search for higher yields, Liberman said in an interview yesterday in San Jose. The measures are designed to be temporary, he said.
“It’s too much, too fast,” Liberman, who heads President Laura Chinchilla’s economic team, said. “Because of the size of the country and the current international economic conditions where interest rates in some of the developed countries are so low, we need to put these measures in place.”
Costa Rica’s moves came after currencies in Poland, Romania and Colombia reached their strongest levels this month since at least February 2012. Russia’s central bank warned Jan. 16 that the world is on the brink of a fresh ‘‘currency war.”
Costa Rica’s currency, the colon, has gained 1.4 percent against the dollar this year through yesterday, trailing only the Brazilian real and the Guyanese dollar among 20 Latin American and Caribbean economies tracked by Bloomberg. The colon was little changed at 501.14 per dollar at 1:11 p.m. local time.
International Reserves
The entrance of speculative capital into Costa Rica, where the interest rate on deposits is 8.6 percent, has forced the central bank to purchase more than $1.5 billion in the last 10 months to stabilize the colon. That hasn’t cut into central bank reserves, which have reached $7.1 billion this month from $4.6 billion a year ago.
The government’s proposed currency measures won’t affect long-term foreign investment in Central America’s second-biggest economy, which hosts companies including Hewlett-Packard Co. (HPQ) and Intel Corp, Liberman said.
“Costa Rica is attractive,” Liberman, 66, said. “Our economic growth was 5 percent last year, which is very stable, and inflation of 4.5 percent, which is very low.”
Liberman also said that Costa Rica’s “crawling band” currency system, which allows the colon’s value to fluctuate daily between a fixed ceiling and floor, will eventually be abandoned by the central bank.
Crawling Band
“No country has a permanent system of having a ceiling and a floor always,” he said. “When is the optimal moment to move away from that system? That has to be decided by the central bank.”
The Finance Ministry will announce ideas for a new fiscal consolidation plan as soon as March in an attempt to pare the country’s budget deficit, estimated at 4.5 percent of gross domestic product, Liberman said. The plan will increase tax collection and reduce spending in hopes of narrowing the gap by 3 percentage points prior to the start of a new government in 2014.
“It is an act of political responsibility to try to find a long-term solution to this issue,” he said. “Leaving a fiscal deficit of 1.5 percent of GDP is very manageable.”
Like many cancers, skin cancers -- including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma -- start as precancerous lesions. These precancerous lesions are changes in skin that are not cancer but could become cancer over time. An estimated 40% to 50% of fair-skinned people who live to be 65 will develop at least one skin cancer.
So, you think you’re beating the sun, eh? Well, the facts prove you wrong. Incidences of skin tumors have risen 34% from 2004 to 2008, the latest figures available. At least 50 Costa Ricans per each 100,000 residents have suffered from it.
Like many cancers, skin cancers — including melanoma, basal cell carcinoma, and squamous cell carcinoma — start as precancerous lesions. These precancerous lesions are changes in skin that are not cancer but could become cancer over time. An estimated 40% to 50% of fair-skinned people who live to be 65 will develop at least one skin cancer.
Although the mortality rate is relatively low — about six per month — it is still a dangerous situation, physicians say. In 2004, 1,600 cases were reported. But 2008, that figure had risen to 2,146.
The data comes from the National Tumor Registry and the National Institute of Statistics and Census. Researchers says that every day six new cases of skin cancer are diagnosed.
A little more than 45 men are diagnosed with skin cancer per 100,000 population as opposed to a little more than 42 women. This is probably due to the fact that housewives spend more of their time indoors out of direct exposure to the sun. But it’s the most common cancer in the women and the second most in men.
Dermatologist Sergio Cortes says that the effects of the sun are long term — three sunburns before the age of 20 raises the probability of getting cancer 80% by the time one is 60 years old. In fact, says Cortes, although most cases are found in persons over 60, he has seen cases develop in the teens.
Cortes considers suntanned skin as “sick” and notes that sun worshippers are more apt to get cancer. It also artificially ages the skin and causes dark spots to develop.
Dermatologists note that many people only use sun blocks at the beach. But in the mountains is where people get more ultraviolet radiation, since the air is “thinner” and has less pollution to deflect sun rays. According to the universal health care system here, at an altitude of 1,600 meters (about 4,000 feet) one gets 20% to 40% more UV radiation that at the beach.
Clouds only block half the sun’s UV rays so it is an error to assume that a cloudy day protects you. Moreover, the rays are more direct between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Another error is to assume that sun block begins to work immediately after application. Not so — apply it 20 minutes before going out into the sun.
Finally, if you think that swimming will protect you, be advised that the sun can penetrate 50 centimeters into the water. Moreover, sun blocks tend to wash off. Apply a new coat of lotion after swimming. If you simply toast on the sandy beach, apply the sun block every two hours.
Physicians recommend sun blocks of at least a 30 rating for best results. But don’t think that makes you immune to the sun, warns Cortes. It just slows down the amount of sun’s rays that beat on the skin.
According to the annual report by the the Non-Governmental Organization (NGO), Reporters Without Borders on the state of freedom of the press around the world, Press Freedom Index 2013, Costa Rica is the highest rated country in Latin America.
Costa Rica ranks 18th of 179 countries in terms of fundamental right and freedom of the press, on spot higher than last year.
In Latin America, the closest to Costa Rica is Uruguay placing 27th, and El Salvador at 38th. The worst countries in Latin America in terms of press freedom are Cuba, placing 171, Mexico at 153 and Honduras at 127.
Among the criteria that Reporters Without Borders bears in mind when developing the classification includes violence against practitioners of information or legislative initiatives undertaken by governments to promote freedom to inform and be informed.
“The Press Freedom Index published by Reporters Without Borders does not take direct account of the kind of political system but it is clear that democracies provide better protection for the freedom to produce and circulate accurate news and information than countries where human rights are flouted,” Reporters Without Borders secretary-general Christophe Deloire said. “In dictatorships, news providers and their families are exposed to ruthless reprisals, while in democracies news providers have to cope with the media’s economic crises and conflicts of interest. While their situation is not always comparable, we should pay tribute to all those who resist pressure whether it is aggressively focused or diffuse.”
The Report Overall the report indicates that after the “Arab springs” and other protest movements that prompted many rises and falls in last year’s index, the 2013 Reporters Without Borders World Press Freedom Index marks a return to a more usual configuration. The ranking of most countries is no longer attributable to dramatic political developments. This year’s index is a better reflection of the attitudes and intentions of governments towards media freedom in the medium or long term.
The same three European countries that headed the index last year hold the top three positions again this year. For the third year running, Finland has distinguished itself as the country that most respects media freedom. It is followed by the Netherlands and Norway. Although many criteria are considered, ranging from legislation to violence against journalists, democratic countries occupy the top of the index while dictatorial countries occupy the last three positions. Again it is the same three as last year – Turkmenistan, North Korea and Eritrea.
Coinciding with the release of its 2013 Press Freedom Index, Reporters Without Borders is for the first time publishing an annual global “indicator” of worldwide media freedom. This new analytic tool measures the overall level of freedom of information in the world and the performance of the world’s governments in their entirety as regards this key freedom In view of the emergence of new technologies and the interdependence of governments and peoples, the freedom to produce and circulate news and information needs to be evaluated at the planetary as well as national level. Today, in 2013, the media freedom “indicator” stands at 3395, a point of reference for the years to come.
The indicator can also be broken down by region and, by means of weighting based on the population of each region, can be used to produce a score from zero to 100 in which zero represents total respect for media freedom. This produces a score of 17.5 for Europe, 30.0 for the Americas, 34.3 for Africa, 42.2 for Asia-Pacific and 45.3 for the former Soviet republics. Despite the Arab springs, the Middle East and North Africa region comes last with 48.5.
The high number of journalists and netizens killed in the course of their work in 2012 (the deadliest year ever registered by Reporters Without Borders in its annual roundup), naturally had a significant impact on the ranking of the countries where these murders took place, above all Somalia (175th, -11), Syria (176th, 0), Mexico (153rd, -4) and Pakistan (159th, -8).
The Nordic countries have again demonstrated their ability to maintain an optimal environment for news providers. Finland (1er, 0), Netherlands (2nd, +1) and Norway (3rd, -2) have held on to the first three places. Canada (20th, -10) only just avoided dropping out of the top 20. Andorra (5th) and Liechtenstein (7th) have entered the index for the first time just behind the three leaders.
The Environment ministry has dropped the “telecommunications” from its portfolio and goes back simple to Environment & Energy, the Ministerio de Ambiente y Energía (MINAE).
Several years back with the coming changes in telecommunications, mainly the opening of the cellular telephone market and entering of competing operators in addition to the state, ICE, telecom became part of the MINAE.
With the change, the telecommunications portfolio is no longer and folder is part of the Ministerio de Ciencia y Tecnología (Ministry of Science and Technology).
With the change, the MINAE released a new logo.
“The little hand is a symbol MINAE very representative and beloved by both ministry officials and the population, and symbolizes the union of man with nature, of which we are a small part and to which we must respect and care”said Environment Minister Rene Castro.
However, the MINAE monicker may soon be changed again, as the ministry takes on the portfolio of Aguas y Mares (waters and seas). Once the bill presently in the Legislature is passed, the MINAE becomes the MINAEM – the Ministerio de Ambiente, Energía y Mares.
The limit on credit growth this year set by the Banco Central (Central Bank) this week means a further analysis is needed before making a borrowing decision in the coming months, experts say.
One of those is Felix Delgado, general manager of the Central Bank, who says of “a strong adjustment” in interest rates, in particular in the case of the dollar due to less dollars available in the market.
In general, economists agree that the best course of action in the short term is to postpone any decision to borrow.
It’s a place where rainforest meets white sandy beach, where unusual critters large and small roam the land, sea and air — a raw, rugged piece of this Earth with mountains and volcanoes.
So it’s no surprise Costa Rica has become a tourist mecca for eco-adventure.
Its wonders, beauty and opportunities this country offers the world is now the focus of a new book, Costa Rica: The Complete Guide ($25.95, Destination Press) by award-winning travel writer and photographer James Kaiser, now available in book stores and online.
Kaiser’s 495-page guide offers just about everything you need to know about this Central American gem that borders Nicaragua to the north and Panama to the south.
Whether you’re headed to Costa Rica for a relaxing, pampered stay at an all-inclusive hotel or seeking an adventure of a lifetime, Kaiser’s book has something for everyone.
It’s well-organized with an introduction that includes the ‘best of’ in Costa Rica, (popular beaches, wildlife destinations, waterfalls), practical advice (diseases, money, hotels, restaurants and transportation), adventures (canoeing, hiking, canopy tours, scuba and snorkelling and much more), culture (coffee, legends, festivals, food), and loads of history about the people, wildlife and land.
One of the best things about this book is the use of photographs which provide a visual record of its contents, such as the indigenous fruits, wildlife, native foods, the jaw-dropping scenery found in the different regions of the country and more.
There are also helpful maps and details about how to get around the various regions.
The Ministerio de Salud (Ministry of Health) said ti will investigate the drug ‘Diane-35’, whose sale has been banned France in response to the deaths of four women over the last 25 years.
The women died of blood clots linked to their use of Diane-35, an acne drug that is also widely prescribed as an oral contraceptive because it halts ovulation. It has been sold in France since 1987.
France’s National Agency for the Safety of Drugs and Health Products said this week that Diane-35, made by Bayer and licensed in 135 countries, would be withdrawn from sale in three months. Meanwhile, doctors are banned from prescribing the medication.
The medication is authorised for sale and use in Costa Rica.
The Directora General de Salud (Director General of Health), Ileana Herrera, told the media that the Ministry of Health has received no reports of adverse reactions to the product.
However, due to the France alert, authorities will have to conduct assessmets and corresponding analysis.
The chief medical scientist for Bayer Pharmaceutical Division Central America and Caribbean, Miguel Fiallo, said the alert is surprising, yet ensures that drug users do not have to worry if ingested as indicated from Bayer.
The drug is often prescribed “off-label” as a contraceptive.
Vehicles declared “totaled” or junked in other countries and entering Costa Rica (although prohibited by the Ley de Tránsito – traffic law) will not be allowed to pass the vehicular technical review (Riteve), says the director of the Consejo de Seguridad Vial (CONAVI) – Road Safety Council, Silvia Bolaño.
However, Fernando Mayorga, head of the Riteve* vehicle inspection service, said he has yet to received any directive from the CONAVI.
According to Mayorga, they (Riteve) have no way of knowing if a vehicle has been declared a total loss, this can only be filtered at the Aduanas (Customs) level.
Last Monday the law prohibiting the importing of junkers went into effect. The law imposed a fine of ¢1.4 million colones (US$3.000) to anyone doing so. The prohibition is covered under the new traffic law that went into effect last October.
However, once a vehicle has entered the country, the owner can then proceed to register the vehicle and the Riteve inspection certificate is one step in the process.
*Riteve SyA is a private consortium working under a concession of the Ministerio de Obras Publicas y Transportes (MOPT).
The Banco Central (Central Bank) imposed a ceiling of 12.2% on the growth of credit for this year over last.
The restrictive easure, part of the ‘Programa Macroeconómico 2013-2014’ (Macroeconomic Porgram), imposes a limit on new loans by financial institutions between February and October.
Thus borrowing in dollars many only grow 9.9% and 13.8% in colones, during the period.
The decision of the bank is avoid the creation of a credit bubble, said Banco Central president, Rodrigo Bolaños
Almost four years ago Johnny Araya had to take a back seat to Laura Chinchilla for the leadership of the PLN party, losing the presidential nomination in a tight race.
Last night, Araya was acclaimed as the 2014 PLN candidate at a ceremony at the Balcon Verde in La Sabana.
The cost of admission was ¢30 million colones, the amount required to be paid to the party by candidates. The cost would have been higher if there had been other candidates, that would have forced a convention.
The long time mayor of San José is not the official PLN candidate and could become Costa Rica’s next president in the elections of February 2014.
“Nowadays, Costa Rica’s pineapples are the most demanded variety. Although produced also in other countries, Costa Rica has a reputation for producing the world’s best pineapples,” says Kent Meyer, of BriBri Compañía; a firm devoted to the sale and export of Costa Rican fruit.
The firm’s products, such as pineapples, Cavendish bananas, cassavas, papayas and mangoes, among others, are shipped from Costa Rica and its delegation in Spain to many European countries under the brand BRIBRI FRUITS.
A particularity of Spain’s pineapple market is that the fruit is perceived as a product for special occasions and festivities, such as Christmas. “This is something we would like to change, as we believe pineapples should be consumed daily. It is a very healthy fruit, and we are convinced that as consumers begin to realise this, they will consume it just like any other fruit. According to Kent, fruit consumption is already being promoted amongst children, but there is still a lot to do. “They should eat more fruit and fewer processed bakery products.”
Regarding cassavas, Costa Rica’s production is not very large and it is focused towards immigrants residing in Europe, “although their consumption is very low in Spain,” says Kent. “However, we export them to countries like the UK and Germany, where there are many more immigrants who consume them.”
The greatest difficulty that exotic fruit exporters face, according to Kent, are the high shipping costs, which makes the products expensive. “The shipping costs almost equal the value of the goods. The market would improve if shipping firms lowered their prices, as customers suffering the recession prefer cheaper products.”
The firm’s headquarters are located in San José, “which allows us to work directly with the fruit and supervise the entire process of production, quality control and shipping to international clients,” he affirms.
BriBrí’s name derives from one of Costa Rica’s largest ethnic groups, which has survived in harmony with nature for thousands of years. Despite the country’s deep changes, they have been able to keep their language and traditions, maintaining agriculture as their main activity.
The firm is also socially committed. It officially collaborates with Spain’s Esportus Foundation, which attempts to bring sport and culture closer to this ethnic group and to other countries with difficulties to access them.
“Our products go mainly to large wholesaler distributors; however, our long-term objective is to be able to supply large supermarket chains directly,” says Kent Miller. France and the UK are our main markets and we ship the cheaper, lower quality fruit to Eastern European countries, such as Romania, as that is what they request.”
BriBri Fruits will attend the upcoming Fruit Logistica 2013, to take place in Berlin between 6 and 8 February, although not under the company’s name. It will be represented at the stand of the Costa Rican Chamber of Commerce, where they will present their pineapples and conduct tastings.
Costa Rica’s Banco Central (Central Bank) said on Thursday it will issue an additional US$1 billion in Eurobonds in 2014, on top of an expected issue of the same amount this year.
“We are considering that $1 billion dollars will be issued in the international markets this year and another US$1 billion next year”, Central Bank president Rodrigo Bolaños told a news conference.
Costa Rican researchers are pioneering ‘aquatic agriculture’ — the method of growing crops on freshwater lakes and reservoirs — to boost food security in the developing world.
The technique involves creating floating rafts on which vegetables, grains and flowers can be grown. Terrestrial crops such as grains and vegetables have their roots directly in the water or can be potted, with water being drawn up into their soil from the lake by capillary wicks, Ricardo Radulovich, a professor at the University of Costa Rica’s Department of Agricultural Engineering, explains. Aquatic crops are grown directly on the water.
The idea was developed by Radulovich and colleagues over several years. Last November, they received a CAD$100,000 (around US$100,000) grant from Grand Challenges Canada, a global health innovation agency funded by the Canadian government, to further their work.
Radulovich and his colleagues are currently carrying out prototype projects on Lake Arenal in Costa Rica and Lake Nicaragua in Nicaragua.
“Seventy per cent of the world’s available water is used for irrigation,” Radulovich tells SciDev.Net. He says there are fears that water supplies will run out because of rising demand. In addition, climate change is increasing uncertainty over rainy seasons and higher temperatures mean that crops need more water, he says.
Using lake water can avoid the wastage that results from traditional irrigation, Radulovich says.
Sustainable use of all the world’s freshwater resources could double the current capacity of food production without requiring more irrigation water, he says.
Radulovich says the technique could be effective in many countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as Bangladesh, Bolivia, the Philippines and other nations with large lakes, whether they are natural or artificial ones that form behind hydroelectric dams.
Researchers in Malawi, Tanzania and Uganda have shown interest in developing aquatic agriculture projects in their countries, Radulovich says.
Lakes could also be used for animal aquaculture, especially to farm herbivorous fish and shrimps, further increasing their role in food production, he adds.
Mario Zúñiga Chaves from the School of Agricultural Engineering at the Costa Rica Institute of Technology (TEC), says that aquatic farming could solve many families’ economic problems in regions with a dry tropical climate.
One option, he says, is to build reservoirs to capture water in the rainy season and then use them to farm fish. “Similarly, these reservoirs can be used in the dry season to supply the water needs of crops and animals,” Zúñiga says.
The improvised motocross track at the Nosara Fiestas was completely full with hundreds of motorcycle fans on Sunday, January 27 for the second date of Guanacaste’s regional motocross championship.
Forty competitors from different parts of Nicoya and Santa Cruz gave a grand show. Without a doubt the most anticipated part of these competitions are the expert-category street races. These audacious and intrepid drivers ride at incredible speeds and make spectacular jumps that leave your skin cold.
The most expert young riders have the most powerful motorcycles, in general 450cc. They are very modern machines and should be in excellent condition to endure the demands of their drivers. In addition, the riders should have the latest protective gear.
Another category that excites and captivates the audience is the children’s category. On their 50cc motorcycles, they look as capable and daring as the older riders.
At around 11 a.m., the competition opened with the experts category, everyone ready at the starting lineup. Among them was Brainer Rojas, competitor from Nosara, who started off and right in the first curve wound up in a violent crash with another competitor. Both motorcycles landed on top of the motorcyclists, and the one who caught the brunt of it was Brainer. He suffered a back injury. Even so, with the pain reflected on his face and completely covered in mud, he picked up his motorcycle and took off in search of his rivals.
In the end, it was impossible for him to hunt them down since he had lost almost two laps in the fall; however he managed to earn 40 points on the general board and is now ranked 9th in the tournament.
Another Nosaran who stood out on Sunday was Luis Saiden Lopez, who took two hits in the pre-experts category. On his Honda CR125, he showed his great ability as a racer. Luis has a very unique style at the stops, turning his motorcycle in a pirouette that not just anyone would dare to execute.
The organization lacked many classic details for this type of events, such as narration and music that add a lot more flavor to the spectacle, but in everything else, and despite the fact that the track didn’t offer the best conditions either, all of the spectators were excited and enjoyed the show.
The public paid attention during the entire competition, which ended around 2:30 p.m. Everyone who attended paid 3000 colones ($6) for admission, and they all agreed that attending was worth it since the day, in spite of the usual January heat, was rather nice. The breeze made the morning more pleasant, and between the dust, mud and powerful motorcycles, the crowd was thrilled.
