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A.M. Costa Rica's Second news page |
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José, Costa Rica, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015, Vol. 15, No. 14
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 Smithsonian
Tropical Research Institute
photo
A mosquito vector for
chikungunya. Panamá
study shows how virus spreads
By the Smithsonian Tropical Research
Institute news staff
The tropical disease chikungunya began twisting Western tongues last July when the first locally transmitted case was reported in Florida. Spotted in the Caribbean in 2013, the disease spread explosively throughout the Americas last year. Chikungunya’s arrival in Panamá prompted Smithsonian scientists to examine how human activity spreads its mosquito vector and the serious implications this has for disease ecology everywhere. Chikungunya causes fever, fatigue and joint swelling and is transmitted by the Asian tiger mosquito, Aedes albopictus. The tiger mosquito also spreads dengue, so the study published as a viewpoint piece in PLOS Neglected Tropical Diseases Jan. 8 also holds a cautionary tale for dengue-eradication programs that primarily target another mosquito, the virus’s main vector, A. aegypti. Panamánian health authorities first detected the tiger mosquito in the Central American nation in 2002 and kept tabs on its spread from Panamá City. This comprehensive data — uncommon in many tropical nations — coupled with years of mosquito surveys by Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute post-doctoral fellow and co-author José Loaiza, showed that the tiger mosquito relies on road networks to disperse. Loaiza is also a researcher at INDICASAT, a leading Panamánian scientific research institute. “The vector is not moving organically across the landscape,” said Matthew Miller, the lead author of the study and a research fellow at the institute. To stem the vector’s spread, the authors recommend that health authorities fumigate vehicles at checkpoints already set up throughout Panamá to prevent screwworms, flesh-eating fly larvae that attack cattle, from spreading from Colombia to North America. Checkpoint fumigation could prevent the tiger mosquito from reaching the Azuero Peninsula and Bocas Del Toro in Panamá, where it has not been detected. In May 2014, A. aegypti genetically modified by the British firm Oxitec to render offspring unviable — at least in laboratory conditions — were released in a Panamá City suburb by Panamá’s Gorgas Institute. The modified mosquitoes are expected to greatly reduce A. aegypti populations. But the experiment may have unwittingly launched a game of ecological whack-a-mole. Given Aedes's ability to disperse through road networks, populations of A. aegypti could reestablish without continuous release of modified mosquitos. Another possibility is that the tiger mosquito could fill the niche that A. aegypti occupied. Coincidentally, the first locally transmitted case of chikungunya appeared in Panamá that same month. “The two mosquito species are so ecologically similar that, by depressing A. aegypti populations, the chances that A. albopictus is going to competitively displace it may increase,” said Miller. “This research is relevant to the study of introduced disease vectors everywhere.” Major highway maintenance urged By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Cámara Costarricense de la Construcción said Tuesday that it was concerned by the lack of maintenance on major highways. The chamber cited Ruta 32, Ruta 1 from San José to San Ramón and other key stretches. Coincidentally, there was another landslide on Ruta 32 north of San José Tuesday, but the debris was cleared by noon, said the Consejo de Vialidad. The construction chamber, of course, has some self interest because its members would do the maintenance. The government is trying to figure out how it will do a major reconstruction job on Ruta 32, the main highway to the north and Limón. Frequent landslides make the road dangerous. Then there is the plan to widen the road from Moín and Río Frio. What the chamber seeks now is just repair of the driving surface. Our reader's opinion:
Remaining silent indicates supportDear A.M. Costa Rica: Why does the news media always blame President Obama or his administration when discussing controversial issues such as: a) Release of Islamic terrorist prisoners from Gitmo, b) Job site violence (Fort Hood), c) Trade of five high-level Islamic terrorists from Gitmo for a U.S. Army deserter, d) Illegal immigrant traffic, e) Health care lies, and not place the blame where it belongs, the Democratic Party. Statements made by the president and other high ranking Democrat officials promoting and justifying protest of lawful police activity should be addressed. Remaining SILENT indicates you support this outrageous protest and statements made by high level government officials promoting this protest. Al Almeida
Nuevo Arenal
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A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015, Vol. 15, No. 14 | |
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| Rey Curré prepares to host another Juego de los Diablitos | |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The Boruca residents of Rey Curré present their version of Juego de los Diablitos from late Thursday, Jan. 29, to Sunday, Feb. 1. This is the centuries old drama that pits the native residents of the country against the Spanish invaders. There are several such presentations at the beginning of each year, and Rey Curré is, by far, the most accessible location. The community is right on the Interamericana Sur. The three-day drama could be much older than the Spanish. Rey Curré itself is said to be at least 3,000 years old. That some ancient festival morphed itself into a mock battle against Europeans is likely. After all, the festival provides a lot of food and chicha de maíz that fuels the nighttime dancing. The Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud said that a typical meal is smoked pork, rice tamales and the homemade booze, chicha. The characters in the three-day event are a bull representing the Spanish. Usually this is someone covered with rough cloth and wearing a mask and horns. The diablitos, wearing traditional masks, represent the native population. The confrontation between the diablitos and the bull begins before midnight Jan. 29. Those playing the diablitos will go to a nearby hill and sound a rude horn. They descend dressed in the famous Boruca masks and cloths covered with banana leaves. They go to the local houses seeking food and the chicha. |
 Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud photo
Youngster gets an early
start on being a diablito.At dawn the bull appears and begins to gore the diablitos. For three days there is back and forth and a resurrection of the slain diablitos. Sunday the culmination of the event is the death of the bull. Rey Curré is a friendly community that is fighting against the loss of land due to construction of a hydro project on the Río Térraba. Visitors probably should stop by the community center to learn about the local objections. The community is about 29 kilometers (18 miles) south of Buenos Aires de Puntarenas |
| Still no clarification from executive branch on procuradora general | |
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By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The three principal figures in the ambassadorgate scandal that is undermining the current administration have dates to appear before lawmakers. They are the former vice minister of the Presidencia, Daniel Soley, his ex-boss, Melvin Jiménez, and Ana Lorena Brenes, the procuradora general. Jiménez walked out of a press conference Tuesday without answering questions about the situation. Soley approached Ms. Brenes Jan. 6 and offered her an ambassadorship if she quit her job as the executive branch lawyer. She has differed with President Luis Guillermo Solís on key issues. |
Many
lawmakers doubt that Soley would do this on his own, and there
were some calls Tuesday for whoever orchestrated the meeting to resign.
Soley resigned Saturday. What may have been an impropriety has grown into a full-fledged scandal because no one in the administration will say if Soley acted on his own or who sent him to the meeting. The president has said he did not know about the meeting, but Ms. Brenes disputes that claim. Even the political party of the president in the legislature, the Partido Acción Ciudadana, issued a statement Tuesday asking for more information. Jiménez is expected to meet lawmakers Thursday. |
| You need to see Costa Rican tourism information HERE! |
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| A.M. Costa Rica's Fourth News page | |||||
| San José, Costa Rica, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015, Vol. 15, No. 14 | |||||
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| Moderate alcohol consumption may protect heart, European
study says |
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By the European Heart Journal news staff
Drinking up to seven times a week in early to middle age is associated with a 20 percent lower risk of men developing heart failure in the future when compared to people who did not drink at all, and the lower risk is a more modest 16 percent for women. Evidence already exists for the beneficial effects of drinking moderate amounts of alcohol on the risk of developing a number of heart conditions. However, the role it plays in the risk of developing heart failure has been under-researched with conflicting results. Now, a large study of nearly 15,000 men and women, published online in the European Heart Journal, shows that ingesting up to seven drinks a week in early to middle age is associated with a lower risk. Heart failure is a condition in which the heart can no longer pump blood around the body as well as it used to. The most common reason is that the heart muscle has been damaged, for instance by a heart attack. High blood pressure, heart muscle disease, heart valve problems, an irregular heart beat, viral infections, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, consuming recreational drugs and the side-effects of radiotherapy treatment for cancer can all contribute to heart failure developing. Heart failure is a major public health problem with over 23 million people living with it worldwide. Scott Solomon, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and senior physician at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, Alexandra Gonçalves, a research fellow at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and colleagues analyzed data from 14,629 people aged between 45 and 64 years who had been recruited to the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study between 1987 and 1989 in four U.S. communities. They followed the participants for 24 to 25 years to the end of 2011, and they questioned them about their alcohol consumption at the start and at each of three subsequent visits. They defined a drink as one that contains 14 grams of alcohol, equivalent to approximately one small glass of wine, just over |
half a
pint or a third of a liter of beer, and less than one shot
of liquor
such as whisky or vodka. The study participants were divided into six
categories: abstainers (people who recorded having drunk no alcohol at
every visit by the researchers), former drinkers, people who drank up
to seven drinks a week, or between 7 to 14 drinks, 14 to 21 drinks, or
21 or more drinks a week. During the follow-up period 1,271 men and 1,237 women developed heart failure. The lowest rate of heart failures occurred in those drinking up to seven drinks per week and the highest rate was seen among former drinkers. After taking account of various factors that could affect the results such as age, diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or heart attacks, body mass index, cholesterol levels, physical activity, education and smoking, men who consumed up to seven drinks a week had a 20 percent reduced risk of developing heart failure compared to abstainers, while the risk was reduced by 16 percent in women consuming the same amount. Former drinkers had the highest risk of developing heart failure – a 19% and 17% increased risk among men and women respectively compared to abstainers. Interestingly, among both men and women consuming the most amount of alcohol (14 or more drinks a week), the risk of heart failure was not significantly different compared to the risk for abstainers. The number of very heavy drinkers in the study was small, which could have limited its power to detect any association. However, when the researchers looked at death from any cause, there was an increased risk of death of 47 percent for men and 89 percent of women who reported consuming 21 or more drinks a week at the start of the study. Professor Solomon said: “These findings suggest that drinking alcohol in moderation does not contribute to an increased risk of heart failure and may even be protective. No level of alcohol intake was associated with a higher risk of heart failure. However, heavy alcohol use is certainly a risk factor for deaths from any cause. |
Here's reasonable medical care
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2015 and may
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A.M. Costa Rica's Fifth
news page
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| San José, Costa Rica, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015, Vol. 15, No. 14 | |||||||
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 White House photo
Obama begins his speech to
CongressObama vows to strengthen national and global security By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
As he enters his seventh year at the nation’s helm, U.S. President Barack Obama put forward an agenda he said will strengthen national and global security and will expand economic security to poor and middle-income Americans. "We are 15 years into this new century. Fifteen years that dawned with terror touching our shores; that unfolded with a new generation fighting two long and costly wars; that saw a vicious recession spread across our nation and the world," Obama said in his annual State of the Union address Tuesday evening. "It has been, and still is, a hard time for many. But tonight, we turn the page," he said. "… The shadow of crisis has passed, and the State of the Union is strong." Speaking from the U.S. Capitol, Obama addressed the nation and a Congress in which Republicans control both the Senate and the House of Representatives after winning sweeping victories in the November elections. The president touted the rebounding U.S. economy, with its "shrinking deficits, bustling industry and booming energy production," and a 5.6 percent unemployment rate, the lowest since 2008. But while incomes have been rising among well-to-do Americans, wages have not kept pace. In past weeks, Obama has promoted policies he said would spread the economic benefits to those who have largely been shut out of the recovery. Improving middle-class economics "means helping working families feel more secure in a world of constant change,” the president said. "That means helping folks afford childcare, college, health care, a home, retirement. ..." The budget he's submitting to Congress in two weeks "will address each of these issues, lowering the taxes of working families and putting thousands of dollars back into their pockets each year." He called for higher wages to help families make ends meet. To enable those higher wages and ensure a U.S. workforce competitive, the United States should "do more to help Americans upgrade their skills," Obama said, repeating his call for free tuition for community college. He also said he would work with Congress to ease student loan burdens. To offset tuition costs and tax breaks for middle-income Americans, Obama has proposed raising taxes on profits that individuals make from selling such assets as stocks, bonds and real estate, ending tax breaks for inherited estates worth millions of dollars, and imposing a fee on the country's biggest financial firms. Those measures would generate revenues estimated at $320 billion. "Let’s close loopholes so we stop rewarding companies that keep profits abroad, and reward those that invest in America," the president said. "Let’s use those savings to rebuild our infrastructure and make it more attractive for companies to bring jobs home." He also called for simplifying and adjusting the tax code, which now allows "the top 1 percent to avoid paying taxes on their accumulated wealth." As Obama has unveiled some of his proposals in recent days, Republicans have sharply attacked them as too costly. Opposition lawmakers say higher taxes would derail improvement in the U.S. economy, the world's largest. Congress is unlikely to enact Obama's tax plan. But, by making the proposal, Obama is likely setting the stage for a major debate as the United States heads into next year's presidential election to pick his successor. For his part, Obama has vowed to veto a number of Republican priorities. These include congressional approval of a controversial oil pipeline from Canada to the central U.S., as well as changes to undercut the health care reform law and Wall Street financial restrictions. Obama acknowledged his first duty, as commander-in-chief, is defending the country. "We lead best when we combine military power with strong diplomacy, when we leverage our power with coalition building, when we don’t let our fears blind us to the opportunities that this new century presents," the president said. American leadership is stopping the advance of Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, the president said, citing a broad coalition, including Arab nations working to degrade and ultimately destroy this terrorist group." Obama called on Congress "to show the world that we are united in this mission by passing a resolution to authorize the use of force against ISIL," he said, using an acronym for the Islamic State group. As for the almost yearlong turmoil in eastern Ukraine, Obama reiterated that America was "upholding the principle that bigger nations can’t bully the small." The United States is "opposing Russian aggression, supporting Ukraine’s democracy and reassuring our NATO allies," he said, adding that sanctions have left Russia's economy in tatters. Obama emphasized the persistent, steady resolve of the United States and its allies. But he brought up Cuba and the recent U.S. policy switch after 50 years. "It’s time to try something new," he said. "Our shift in Cuba policy has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemisphere; removes a phony excuse for restrictions in Cuba, stands up for democratic values and extends the hand of friendship to the Cuban people." Today a U.S. delegation will be in Havana to open the first round of talks aimed at restoring diplomatic ties. The three-day session follows up on last month’s surprise announcement by Obama and Cuban leader Raúl Castro to normalize relations with the Communist-led island. Obama acknowledged one of his guests in the audience: Alan Gross. The American contractor spent five years in a Cuban jail before his release Dec, 17, which coincided with the historic announcement. Since then, Cuba has freed 53 other political prisoners. Obama urged increasing cybersecurity to repel invaders, like those who recently attacked Sony Pictures and others who hacked a Pentagon Twitter feed. "No foreign nation, no hacker, should be able to shut down our networks, steal our trade secrets or invade the privacy of American families, especially our kids," the president said. He said the U.S. government had taken steps to integrate "intelligence to combat cyber threats, just as we have done to combat terrorism." Obama urged Congress to pass legislation "to better meet the evolving threat of cyber-attacks, combat identity theft and protect our children’s information." Obama also called for strong demonstrations of American values. He cited his adminstration's prohibition on torture, the country's defense of free speech and a rejection of "offensive stereotypes of Muslims, the vast majority of whom share our commitment to peace." The country's first biracial president said that, "as Americans, we cherish our civil liberties and we need to uphold that commitment if we want maximum cooperation from other countries and industry in our fight against terrorist networks." He praised the American melting pot and "a nation that gave someone like me a chance." In an oblique reference to the recent deaths of several young black men at the hands of police, Obama called for demonstrating to "every child, in every neighborhood: Your life matters, and we are as committed to improving your life chances as we are for our own kids." In giving the opposition party's traditional response to the Democratic president, U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst said the new GOP-led Congress would give renewed emphasis to initiatives targeting job creation and repealing Obama's health care law. She reiterated a Republican desire to cut federal spending and balance the nation's budget, while also expanding America's economic engagement with the world. "Let's tear down trade barriers in places like Europe and the Pacific," the first-term senator said. "Let's sell more of what we make and grow in America over there so we can boost manufacturing, wages and jobs right here at home." Sen. Ernst also said Congress will discuss ways to confront terrorism, by individuals and groups such as al-Qaida and the Islamic State. "The forces of violence and oppression don't care about the innocent," she said. "We need a comprehensive plan to defeat them." The senator, a war veteran elected in November, said the new Congress also will work on ways to prevent cyberattacks and to "confront Iran's nuclear ambitions." Some speech spectators unhappy with Cuban thaw By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
When President Barack Obama took the podium Tuesday night for his first State of the Union address since reestablishing a diplomatic dialogue with Havana, at least five people in the audience were listening intently to what he said about Cuba. And they were not U.S. lawmakers. At the invitation of the White House, former detainee and government contractor Alan Gross and wife, Judy, were in attendance, one month after his release from a Cuban prison. On the other side of the partisan divide were Republican Speaker of the House John Boehner's invitees, dissident Jorge Luis García Pérez and his wife, Yris Pérez Aguilera. García Pérez spent nearly two decades as a political prisoner in Cuba and came to Washington with a message. "We feel cheated. We feel hurt, greatly betrayed, by the government that should have been our primary ally," he told reporters Tuesday. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, another Republican, also had a guest, Marlene Alejandre Triana, whose father, Armando Alejandre Jr., was killed when his plane was shot down by the Cuban military in 1996. "What they've told us is that they want a hard line against the dictatorship, and not this gift of lifting the embargo and lifting sanctions," said Ms. Ros-Lehtinen, part of a core group of lawmakers who oppose the government of Fidel and Raúl Castro, and who disagree with the U.S. president's new policy of diplomatic rapprochement that ended decades of isolationism toward the Communist-run country. Although the decision to renew ties between Havana and Washington was unilateral, Obama needs congressional support to end a U.S. trade embargo on the island. "Our shift in Cuba policy has the potential to end a legacy of mistrust in our hemisphere, removes a phony excuse for restrictions in Cuba, stands up for democratic values, and extends the hand of friendship to the Cuban people," President Obama said in his State of the Union address. Despite support from Democrats and some Republicans on the decision, the fiercely anti-Castro isolationists spearheaded by Ms. Ros-Lehtinen have dug in their heels to oppose the president. But Carl Meacham, of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that partisan divide does not necessarily mean Congress will be at an impasse over the issue. "I think we're going to see more change than what we think. I don't know if they are going to lift the embargo, but I think that there will be change insofar as how the Congress looks at this bilateral policy," Meacham said. Formal talks are set to begin between U.S. envoys and Cuban officials in Havana today. Both governments need to listen to those affected by their diplomatic decisions, said the Freedom House director for Latin America, Carlos Ponce. "The Cuban has been suspicious about the whole negotiation process," he said. "The dialogue between the U.S. and Cuba needs to incorporate Cubans." AirAsia flight climb rate considered as crash cause By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Indonesia's transport minister said Tuesday that the AirAsia flight that crashed into the Java Sea last month stalled because it was climbing too fast for the wings to generate lift. Ignasius Jonan told Indonesian lawmakers that radar data indicated the Airbus A320 was climbing at a rate of about 1,800 meters (5,900 feet) per minute just before the crash Dec. 28. He said the normal rate for commercial planes is only about 300 to 600 meters (980 to 1970 feet) per minute. None of the 162 people on board the jet survived. The plane went down in stormy weather on what was supposed to be a short trip from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore. Indonesia's meteorological agency has suggested the bad weather may have played a role in the crash. The pilot did seek permission to climb to avoid big storm clouds just before the accident, but air traffic controllers denied the request because of heavy air traffic. Man held in New York on possession of toxic ricin By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The Justice Department said a New York man has been charged with trying to obtain and distribute the highly potent and potentially fatal toxin known as ricin. He was caught by an uncover FBI agent in an online forum. U.S. officials announced Tuesday that Cheng Le has been indicted on two counts and faces life in prison for his attempt to have ricin sent to him last month by U.S. mail. According to a Justice Department statement, he wanted to resell the ricin to at least one buyer. The FBI arranged a sham shipment that the defendant collected at a U.S. Post Office box wearing latex gloves. The 21-year-old Le took the package back to his Manhattan apartment where he was arrested Dec. 23. He faces two counts. The first charges Le with attempting to possess a biological toxin for use as a weapon and carries a maximum sentence of life in prison. The second charges him with using a fictitious name in furtherance of unlawful business involving the mail. It carries a maximum jail sentence of five years. German rabbit breeders defend bunny sex habits By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
German rabbit breeders have expressed dismay over Pope Francis' recent comment that Catholics do not have to breed like rabbits. On his flight back to Rome Monday from his trip to the Philippines, Francis reminded his followers that they should practice responsible parenthood and natural methods of birth control. The pope elaborated by saying that new life was part of the sacrament of marriage. While in Manila, the pontiff had strongly defended the church’s stance on outlawing artificial contraception for Catholics. Speaking Tuesday with Deutsche Presse Agentur, Erwin Leowsky, president of the central council of the Association of German Rabbit Breeders, took issue with the pope’s analogy, saying that only rabbits that live in the wild are sexually overactive. He said those in captivity have tamer reproductive habits. Leowsky also said he thought Francis should skip the misleading cliches about rabbits and allow Catholics to use contraceptives.  Voice of America photo
James Chen demonstrated one
of the adjustable glassesCheap,
adjustable glasses
designed for Rwandans By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Ninety-five percent of people in Sub-Saharan Africa who need glasses don't own a pair, according to the Britain-based charity foundation Vision for a Nation. Its founder, British philanthropist James Chen, says Rwanda, whose 11-million residents are served by 14 ophthalmologists, is just one nation where the need for the glasses is great, especially among schoolchildren. “We expect that perhaps a million people in Rwanda will need some form of vision correction, and out of that probably 900,000 people will just need a simple reading glass, and we would be able to supply that," he says of his company, Adlens, which manufactures two types of adjustable glasses based on technology developed at Oxford University. The glasses, he says, are easy to use and offer a wide range of magnification. “You have two lenses. As they move against each other, the part of the eye you can see out the power changes with the two lenses moving against each other," he says. "The other technology we have is the fluid-filled, which is a chamber. On the one side you have a plastic kind of a sheet, and as you put in the fluid; which is a silicone oil, it changes the curvature of that and so that's what's changing the power.” Adlens ophthalmologist Graham Mackenzie says the glasses are especially suitable for people with variable eyesight. “If your eyesight does fluctuate from day to day, or even minute to minute, you can just readjust the lens power to meet your needs," MacKenzie says. "The technology as it currently stands has a very high power range — so high, in fact, that we can capture 90 percent of all the sorts of refractive errors that are out in the world.” With a subsidy from the World Bank, Rwandans will pay only about $1.50 for the adjustable glasses, which is roughly equal to three-days' wages in the country. The Vision for a Nation foundation has trained some 1200 nurses to help the vision-impaired learn how to use the product. If everything goes well with the distribution and adoption of adjustable lenses in Rwanda, Vision for a Nation plans to distribute them in other countries, too. |
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2015 and may
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| A.M. Costa Rica's sixth news page |
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 Ministerio de Seguridad photo
The Fuerza
Pública said officers intercepted this cattle truck in LaCruz, Guanacaste. Instead of cows, the truck held 42 illegal immigrants, they said. Rights called priority in Cuban talks Special to A.M. Costa Rica
In anticipation of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Roberta Jacobson’s visit to Havana from today through Saturday, Freedom House urged attention to human rights “As Roberta Jacobson begins historic talks with Cuban officials, the first of their kind in over 30 years, it is essential to keep progress on democratic reform and respect for human rights at the top of the agenda,” said Robert Herman, vice president for regional programs. “Freedom House encourages Ms. Jacobson and her delegation to raise concerns over recent crackdowns on universal human rights, including freedom of expression and engage in meaningful conversation with members of Cuban civil society and dissidents, who will be instrumental in balancing discourse while diplomatic relations are being restored.” Attacks on Afghan journalists condemned By the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
A U.S.-based human rights group has called on Afghanistan's leadership to condemn attacks on journalists and media freedom, in order to protect the right to free speech. Human Rights Watch released a report today describing ways it says the Afghan government has failed to investigate and prosecute allegations of harassment, intimidation, and attacks on journalists. It said the failure to investigate and prosecute such incidents has emboldened parties determined to suppress criticism of the government, its security forces, and other powerful entities in Afghan society. The report said Afghanistan's Taliban insurgency has greatly contributed to the climate of fear by explicitly targeting journalists whose reporting it deems unfavorable. Journalists report that the behavior often influences them to self-censor on sensitive issues such as corruption, violence against women, and other human rights abuses. The rights group's deputy Asia director, Phelim Kine, said Afghanistan's President Ashraf Ghani needs to back up campaign promises to protect media freedom by prosecuting and bringing to justice anyone who abuses members of the press. Afghan media advocacy organization Nai has reported that 2014 was the most violent year on record for journalists in Afghanistan, with attacks up from 2013 by 64 percent. It says government and foreign support for press freedom will be particularly important this year and in following ones, now that most foreign forces have withdrawn from the country. The Taliban on Dec. 13 explicitly threatened members of the media, saying journalists seen as supporting so-called Western values would be targeted for attack. |
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From Page 7: Zollner Elektronik AG
graphic
Rendering
of the German firm's Cartago facility.
German
electronics firm chooses Cartago
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
The German electronics firm Zollner Elektronik AG says it expects to hire up to 200 persons and invest $10 million at its new Cartago facility over the next three years. The firm will be the first occupant in the new Parque Industrial La Lima free zone. Headquartered in Zandt, Germany, Zollner Elektronik AG has successfully grown to become one of the largest electronic manufacturing service providers in the world, the firm said. Zollner offers a range of services: from research and development, through production, and all the way to after-sales service, it added. The new Cartago facility has been established to serve customers throughout the Americas and Canada, as well as support existing production facilities, particularly in the United States, the firm said. Zollner’s global presence includes 8,700 employees at 17 sites in Germany, Hungary, Romania, China, Tunisia, the United States, Switzerland and now Costa Rica, it added. The firm's funder, Manfred Zollner, is expected to be at the 8:30 a.m. inauguration ceremony today. |
