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| A.M. Costa Rica's Second news page | |
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San
José, Costa Rica, Thursday, May 22, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 100
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 Ministerio de Gobernacióm,
Policía
y Seguridad Pública/Jorge Alonso Alvarez V President
Solís is instructed in quadracycle handling.
Police get new
vehicles
for northern border duty By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Like the presidents before him, Luis Guillermo Solís showed up at a ceremony Wednesday when some 106 vehicles were handed over to the police. They included 90 pickups, four small buses, three vehicles for transporting prisoners and nine quadracycles. Most will see service along the northern border in the cantons of Upala, La Cruz and Pococí The price tag was a bit more than 2.5 billion colons or about $4.5 million Cuba diverts online readers seeking new newspaper Special
to A.M. Costa Rica
A new, non-government online newspaper has been blocked by the Cuban authorities on its first day of publication. The Web site www.14ymedio.com, officially launched Wednesday morning by renowned blogger Yoani Sánchez, was blocked three hours after the launch. In Cuba those who tried to log onto the site were redirected to “Yoanilandia,” another Web site on which information adverse to the journalist is posted, said the Inter American Press Association. “While this action is no surprise, the world was hoping for greater tolerance by the Raúl Castro government, considering its efforts to show a more positive face, more open to raise attention of the international community,” said Claudio Paolillo. He is chairman of the Inter American Press Association’s Committee on Freedom of the Press and Information. “Unfortunately,” added Paolillo, the editor of the Montevideo, Uruguay, weekly Búsqueda, “this censorship shows that the Cuban government continues to think that freedom of expression is a concession that is granted by the authorities, not a human right, that no one may criticize them and they do not have to give any explanation to their citizens.” Ms. Sánchez managed to remain in contact through her Twitter account. In one of her tweets she blamed the government for the sabotage. In a statement of support for the online newspaper published in 14ymedio and signed by writers, film directors, past presidents and journalists, it welcomes "new means of communication born in a country without a free press — Cuba. " Motorist, 28, gunned down in Heredia by moto riders By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A 38-year-old man died in San Rafael de Heredia after he was shot by two people on a motorcycle while he was driving. Investigators from the Judicial Investigating Organization said the man was traveling in a four-wheel drive car when the motorcyclists approached and opened fire Wednesday around 10 a.m. The man was identified by the last name of Quintero. An organization report said he died at the scene and had been accompanied by another passenger, who was unharmed. The Poder Judicial confirmed Wednesday that Quintero had once been under witness protection after he was the victim of an attempted murder. However, that was not the case at the time of his death. Guanacaste vets
will mark
Memorial Day in Coco By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
U.S. Memorial Day is Monday, and veteran organizations plan observances. The Guanacaste Veteran’s Association is having its annual Memorial Day Celebration at 2 p.m. that day at Casa Las Palmas del Coco (formerly Villa Flores), 200 meters north from Lizard Lounge on the main road into Las Palmas and across the road from Laura’s B&B. Members are asked to bring a dish to pass, and whatever they would like to drink, the organization said. There will be musical entertainment and the pool will be available to those members who would like to swim, an announcement said.. The group seeks individuals that have served in the military and their spouses to join the membership that day. Those interested can contact Karen and Quinn Slack at slack.karen@yahoo.com, or at 8760-7399. The U.S. Embassy announced that it would be closed Monday to observe the holiday. Lawmakers want to hear from heads of key ministries By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Lawmakers want to hear from central government officials who are in key roles in the new administration. The Comisión Permanente de Asuntos Hacendarios, the legislature's principal financial committee, agreed Wednesday to hear from the nation's first vice president, Helio Fallas, who also is in charge of the Ministerio de Hacienda. The topic most certainly will revolve around ways to eliminate the nation's mounting financial deficit when Fallas visits June 4. There also are about 14 pieces of proposed legislation on which the committee seeks an opinion. Also being asked to visit is Olga Marta Sánchez, minister of Planificación. Her date is June 21 when lawmakers seek to hear about the the nation's development plan.
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The contents of this page and this Web site are copyrighted by A.M. Costa Rica.com Ltda. 2014 and may not be reproduced anywhere without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details | ||||||
A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, May 22, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 100 | |
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| Voluntary standards outlined for building prefabricated
structures |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
A Costa Rican construction institute wants to improve the country's social housing projects through a series of regulations. Representatives from the Insituto de Normas Técnicas de Costa Rica said these standards should guarantee that these homes receive the best prefabricated construction material available. Mauricio Céspedes, the institute's CEO, said these construction guidelines can potentially revolutionize how these family homes are made. “The regulation is brought to better the quality of homes that use prefabricated material,” Céspedes said. “It will facilitate the taxation and control in the construction phase of the housing projects and standardize the requirements for construction companies in the buying of materials.” Roberto Mesén, a press representative from the institute, said there is an all-encompassing list of requirements that will ensure |
high-quality
production. These will cover quality, handling, transport, sampling,
product checks, and lab analysis. There are specific outlines over the
use of concrete, such as avoiding a potential contamination from
moisture and mixing it only with a regulated mechanical cement mixing. Mesén said the institute's standards will also tighten up perceived problems with floor tiling and prefabricated columns. They will look into better transportation and shipping methods to safely handle the parts. He added that right now the regulations are only voluntary guidelines. Céspedes said he highly recommends them to construction companies for the sake of the population living in future prefabricated homes. There are more than 140,000 prefabricated homes in Costa Rica, according to a 2011 census. The majority of which are located in San José, Alajuela, and Cartago. |
| Three traffic
officers held on allegations of taking bribes By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
When the new traffic law went into effect, critics said that the high fines would encourage corruption among traffic officers. That prediction continues to play out as judicial investigators detained three officers Wednesday. They are men 35, 37 and 38 years old who were working in Hatillo, on the Caldera highway and also in Paso Ancho. They were detained while on the job. The judicial agents allege that the three men would tell motorists that they are facing gigantic fines but that they would be willing to make a private arrangement. In one case, agents said a motorist paid 40,000 colons, about $72. The Judicial Investigating Organization maintains a Sección Especializada de Tránsito, which investigates complaints about traffic policemen. The agency said that sometimes motorists had not committed a traffic violation but that they still were approached by an officer of the Policía de Tránsito. In response to some of the complaints and criticism, lawmakers passed a revised traffic law in September 2012. But the fines still are ample. A litany of violations carry the top fine of 280,000 colons, about $500. They include speeding 120 kph (74.4 mph) or more, driving under the influence, driving with an expired or suspended license, passing in a no-passing zone or on a curve, passing on the right. crossing into the oncoming lane, making an illegal u turn or making an unauthorized left turn. Even a minor violation such as having a license plate in an incorrect position draws a 20,000-colon fine. That is about $36 at the current rate of exchange. |
 Judicial Investigating Organization photo
One of the three traffic
officers is taken into custody. |
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| You need to see Costa Rican tourism information HERE! |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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| A.M. Costa Rica's Fourth News page | |||||
| San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, May 22, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 100 | |||||
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| Mediterranean diet cuts blood pressure by blocking enzyme,
study says |
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By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Scientists say they’ve unlocked the secret of the Mediterranean diet. The study, which was done at King’s College in London, showed that leafy vegetables eaten in combination with olive oil can lower the risk of high blood pressure in mice. When these are combined, the research showed, they produced nitro fatty acids, which was found to lower blood pressure by blocking the enzyme epoxide hydrolase. The researchers also say that nuts and avocados could be used as well as olive oil and that celery and carrots could supplement leafy greens. A Mediterranean diet is high in fruits, vegetable, legumes and unrefined cereals. “The findings of our study help to explain why previous research has shown that a Mediterranean diet supplemented with extra-virgin olive oil or nuts can reduce the incidence of cardiovascular problems like stroke, heart failure and heart attacks,” said Philip Eaton, professor of cardiovascular biochemistry at King’s College, in a statement. The study was partly funded by the British Heart Foundation and showed that genetically engineered mice who were resistant to epoxide hydrolase inhibition, maintained high blood pressure despite eating a Mediterranean diet. Normal mice benefited from the diet. |
 Voice of America photo
A typical Mediterranean diet
plate.A spokesperson for the American Heart Association said the organization would like to see how humans following the diet would be affected. “This is animal study data,” said Linda Van Horn, a professor of preventive medicine, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine. “Clearly, the value of the data are of interest, and the AHA diet recommendations are very much in line with a Mediterranean diet, but it is really important to remember that animal research, while interesting and useful in generating hypotheses, really must be demonstrated in humans before AHA would make any modifications of existing dietary recommendations.” Human trials are expected to follow. |
Here's reasonable medical care
Costa Rica's world class medical specialists are at your command. Get the top care for much less than U.S. prices. It is really a great way to spend a vacation. See our list of recommended professionals HERE!amcr-prom
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
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| A.M. Costa Rica's Fifth news page |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, May 22, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 100 | |||||
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| Chinese hacking losses put at millions or even billions By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
A U.S. manufacturer was in the midst of a trade dispute with Asian competitors it said was flooding the market with cut-rate solar panels when it learned of a glaring new vulnerability: Its online communications were being hacked. SolarWorld executives “were notified by the FBI that there was a penetration, and it was ongoing,” company spokesman Ben Santarris said, describing the exfiltrations of thousands of sensitive emails and documents. Santarris’ dispassionate language contrasts with the anger and frustration that U.S. officials expressed this week. In a landmark case, they charged five Chinese military officers with stealing information from a handful of prominent technology companies, including SolarWorld, U.S. Steel Corp. and Westinghouse Electric Co. While the exact toll of the alleged espionage and theft would be almost impossible to calculate, experts say, the potential costs to America’s economy could be staggering in terms of lost sales, profits and jobs. The theft of a single company’s proprietary information about products or processes “could be worth millions, it could be billions,” said Halina Dziewit, who specializes in emerging technology as an intellectual property attorney for the Washington-based law firm Patton Boggs LLP. “You’re losing your competitive advantage. You’re not getting the maximum return on your investment,” creating disincentives for more research and development, she said. Overall, foreign theft of U.S. intellectual property costs “$300 billion a year and up, and that’s conservative,” said Slade Gorton, a former U.S. senator and member of the Commission on the Theft of American Intellectual Property. Last May, the commission issued a report that cited the impact of intellectual property theft by foreigners, singling out China as the most egregious offender. The indictment announced Monday was brought by a grand jury in the Western District of Pennsylvania. Five of the alleged six hacking victims are located in Pittsburgh: Westinghouse Electric Co., Alcoa World Alumina, Allegheny Technologies, U.S. Steel Corp. and the United Steelworkers Union. SolarWorld, a wholly owned subsidiary of SolarWorldAG in Germany, is based in Hillsboro, Oregon. China denied the accusations, lodging a protest late Monday with U.S. Ambassador Max Baucus. China’s defense ministry warned the indictments could harm the two countries’ ongoing discussions concerning cybersecurity and the military. A spokesman for China’s foreign ministry, Hong Lei, denied his country ever had engaged in cybertheft of trade secrets. And China's defense ministry accused the United States of having ulterior motives and of demonstrating hypocrisy and double standards. FBI Director James Comey, in an interview this week with ABC News, said the United States conducted surveillance for national security purposes but never shared information with businesses, which would give them an unfair competitive edge. For years, the United States had accused China of stealing trade secrets but hadn’t adequately substantiated its claims, said David Hickton, U.S. attorney for the Western District of Pennsylvania. “This indictment changes that,” Hickton said in an interview. “… We have given China the evidence.” The indictment charges the Chinese with computer hacking, economic espionage and other offenses. It alleges that, from 2006 to 2012, they broke into computer systems, stealing trade secrets or other sensitive information that might benefit Chinese companies or “that would provide a competitor, or an adversary in litigation, with insight into the strategy and vulnerabilities,” according to a Department of Justice news release Monday. For instance, the indictment contends the hackers stole key information about U.S. Steel’s cutting-edge stainless-steel pipes, installing malware on computers and snagging host names and descriptions of computers, “including those that controlled physical access to company facilities.” Westinghouse, while building four power plants in China, allegedly suffered the theft of “confidential and proprietary technical and design specifications” for pipes. “There is a direct loss to the company when cyber-espionage is done,” Hickton said, “… especially when it’s done by a state actor for a state company.” He also emphasized the downstream losses to ordinary Americans, particularly those employed by the named companies. They “lose their jobs because the companies they work for can’t compete,” he said. The hackers allegedly stole SolarWorld information about “cash flow, manufacturing metrics, product line information, costs and privileged attorney-client communications” about ongoing trade litigation, the indictment says. SolarWorld’s spokesman, Santarris, said he couldn’t estimate the company’s related financial losses because of too many unknowables. Through cyber spying, he said, “unfair advantages could have been secured in a variety of directions: knowing about our cost structure, our financial position, our technological road map, our innovative ideas, our strategy for trying to curb anti-competitive trade.” Santarris said SolarWorld had been in litigation with China over what the company believed was the dumping of low-cost solar panels in the United States, creating unfair competition. The U.S. Commerce Department concurred in mid-2012 – right around the time the FBI notified SolarWorld executives of ongoing hacking. “All of the personnel who were targeted for this infiltration had connections to the trade cases,” Santarris added. SolarWorld cooperated with the FBI investigation, Santarris said. Helping investigators collect evidence means a company can risk further exposure, said Melodi Mosley Gates, a privacy expert and an associate with Patton Boggs. She praised what she sees as increased collaboration between private companies and the government, a critical part of improving cybersecurity. Gorton, of the intellectual property theft commission, said he was encouraged by the government’s indictment, which aligns with the commission’s call for more aggressive investigation and prosecution of trade-secret theft, especially involving cybersecurity, by the Justice Department and FBI. “This kind of cybertheft will only end when the cost of doing it exceeds the benefits the Chinese get from it,” Gorton said. “That means dealing with our own domestic market much more quickly seize goods that benefit from intellectual property theft, and perhaps going beyond that.” U.S. troops on the ground in Chad helping Nigerians By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Barack Obama has informed Congress that the United States is deploying about 80 military personnel to Chad as part of its effort to help find and return more than 270 Nigerian schoolgirls kidnapped by the Islamist militant group Boko Haram. The pledge came on the same day as a powerful visit to Capitol Hill by a survivor of a Boko Haram attack. Deborah Peter, a Nigerian teenager, came to Washington to tell how she lost her family to Boko Haram in December 2011. Ms. Peter said three men came to her home and shot and killed her father and brother in front of her because of their Christian faith. She also appealed for help for the schoolgirls kidnapped by Boko Haram from her village, Chibok. "I want them maybe to send armies to find the girls and maybe they should help them when the people lost their family like to come to school here," said Peter. Ms. Peter now goes to school in Virginia. Members of Congress were visibly moved, including Eliot Engel. "I want to take this opportunity to thank Deborah for coming here and being with us. You’ll see when she talks what a fine young lady she is," said Engel. At a hearing on Boko Haram, House Foreign Affairs Chairman Ed Royce said more girls are being snatched and more people are being targeted for death. "The difficulty is that Boko Haram is in a process of expanding their terror, and the frequency of these attacks, the attacks on girls. That has been an evolution. I mean as they have intimidated and frightened the Nigerian military, they are now to the point where a lot of military units have run away," said Royce. Royce called for U.S. forces to help Nigerian units track down the girls and to plan and organize a rescue mission. Asked about the health and welfare of the girls, senior State Department official Sarah Sewall was cautiously optimistic. "Given time, I am hopeful that we will make progress," said Ms. Sewall. Republicans and Democrats in Congress agree that the U.S. needs to boost its efforts to help rescue the girls and to curb future attacks. Obama takes D.C. stroll and greets some tourists By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Hundreds of thousands of tourists visit Washington every year to see the national monuments and iconic buildings. Several visitors were startled and delighted Wednesday to see perhaps the greatest attraction of all: President Barack Obama. Obama took advantage of a sunny afternoon to take an unexpected stroll from the White House to the Department of the Interior, where he announced the establishment of a national monument in New Mexico, before walking back to the White House. Flanked by Secret Service agents, the president chatted with visitors from Israel and China, handed out boxes of candy to children, and invited a group of shocked tourists to shake hands, assuring them that he does not bite. Obama told reporters that it is good to get out. U.S. ranked in first place as the most competitive By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The United States ranks as the most competitive country in the world in a survey of 60 countries by IMD, a leading global business school in Switzerland. The survey finds Europe is recovering some of its competitive edge, while emerging economies are struggling to hold their own. Authors of the report say the United States owes its top position to its resilient economy, better employment numbers, and dominance in technology and infrastructure. It is followed in the competitiveness ranking by three small economies - Switzerland, Singapore, and Hong Kong - all of which prosper from exports, business efficiency and innovation. The report finds Europe is doing better than last year, thanks to its gradual economic recovery, but most of the big emerging markets are sliding in the rankings. It says the so-called BRIC countries, Brazil, Russia, India and China, are losing out in the competitiveness race as economic growth and foreign investment slow and infrastructure remains inadequate. China, which is widely expected to supplant the United States as the world's economic superpower, has fallen two places since last year and now ranks 23rd on the competitiveness index. Director of the IMD World Competitiveness Center, Arturo Bris, says China does not perform well in terms of competitiveness because of its lack of good institutional development. "What we see in China and in BRIC countries in general - Brazil, Russia, India - is that economic growth has happened too fast and has not happened in parallel with the necessary reform in the institutional environment. The business regulation, economic institutions and financial markets, business principles and values, corruption, sustainability - in that regard, at some point, economic growth becomes unsustainable," said Bris. Bris says Brazil is in big trouble. He says last year's huge economic growth has translated into social unrest because the country's prosperity has not trickled down to the average citizen. Brazil this year has fallen three places to number 54 in the rankings. The IMD competitiveness rankings are based on four factors: economic performance, government efficiency, business efficiency and infrastructure. The report says there is no relationship between democracy and competitiveness, though the likelihood of a good government is higher in a democracy. It says good leadership is a more important determinant. It notes that Singapore and the United Arab Emirates - two authoritarian governments with strong leaders - figure in the top 10. There is a noticeable absence of developing countries in the survey. In fact, the only African country included is South Africa, which places 52 in the rankings. Bris says IMD believes African countries are very competitive and would like to include them in the survey. But, he says, IMD can only work with countries that are able to provide high-quality data and access to business executives who can provide information about the country. "Our mission as a center is to help countries develop and create, generate prosperity. And we can help Nigeria or Kenya much more than we can help the United States. So it is in our mission to just incorporate more and more emerging markets and emerging countries into the rankings," he said. Russia has moved up four places from last year's ranking to number 38. Ukraine remains steady in 49th position. However, IMD chief Bris notes this year's rankings are based on data collected before the current destabilizing events in Ukraine erupted. He says volatility and lack of social cohesion are bad for business, and that he expects this will be reflected in next year's competitiveness rankings. State of some VA hospitals is growing scandal in U.S. By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
As Americans commemorate Memorial Day to honor the country's fallen soldiers, a scandal is unfolding that highlights the federal government’s failure to properly care for veterans. Fraud and neglect at the Veterans Administration reportedly have forced thousands of veterans to wait months to see a doctor and reportedly even caused some to die because of a lack of treatment. In response to a firestorm of criticism over reports of neglect at veterans hospitals that have even caused preventable deaths, President Barack Obama says he will hold accountable officials involved in any misconduct. “If these allegations prove to be true, it is dishonorable, it is disgraceful and I will not tolerate it, period,” said Obama. Twenty-six veterans facilities are under investigation, including a hospital in Phoenix, Arizona, where 40 veterans allegedly died while waiting for treatment. The hospital there is reported to have kept a secret waiting list to hide months-long delays to get care. The Veterans Health Administration treats nearly 9 million veterans at 1,700 facilities around the country. The system has been overloaded by a growing number of wounded Iraq and Afghanistan veterans seeking treatment, and new expanded coverage for Vietnam vets and for post-traumatic stress disorder. But the VA’s critics say reports of staff falsifying records to cover up treatment delays are indicative of a system that is both broken and criminal. Louis Celli, legislative director for the American Legion, said the veterans group wants the president to immediately fire Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki, who is a disabled veteran, for failing to change the agency’s dysfunctional culture. “We know that the Department of Veteran Affairs has had a long systemic problem and needed a culture change, and we thought Shinseki was the man to come in and do that, and we’ve since lost our faith in that.” Congress is working on legislation to make it easier to fire poorly performing managers at the VA. Sen. John McCain, a wounded war veteran himself, said veterans deserve better. “We must be worthy of the sacrifices that are made on our behalf. How we care for those who risked everything for us is the most important test of a nation’s character. Today, we are failing that test.” Pending an investigation, the White House is standing behind the embattled VA secretary for now. Obama has said he wants to focus on making systemic change. “So today I want every veteran to know we are going to fix whatever is wrong, and so long as I have the privilege of serving as commander-in-chief I am going to keep on fighting to deliver the care and the benefits and the opportunities that your families deserve,” said the president. On Memorial Day, which is Monday, America commemorates the soldiers who fought and died for their country. But this year many also will be talking about the country’s obligation to care for the veterans who fought and survived. Pope plans meetings with leaders of all faiths By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Pope Francis is to visit the Holy Land for the first time since he became head of the Roman Catholic Church 14 months ago. In addition to stops in Jordan and Bethlehem, the Pontiff is to visit Jerusalem, one of Christianity’s holiest sites. The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City marks the site where Christians believe Jesus Christ was buried and rose from the dead 2,000 years ago. Pilgrims visit from all over the world. “It’s very emotional for me to see the religious sites," said Derry O’Sullivan from Ireland. "I find it emotional.” The pope plans to meet the head of the Greek Orthodox Church, Patriarch Bartholomew I. It will mark a similar encounter between Pope Paul VI and Athenagoras I50 years ago that launched a dialogue between the two churches after centuries of conflict. A coordinator of the visit, Vicar David Neuhous, said reconciliation is important not only to Catholics and Orthodox Christians. “This is one of the terrible wounds on the face of the Church. But this is also an opening to bring all Christians together -- eastern and western, Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox and the ancient churches of the East -- to say it’s enough. The Lord asked very deliberately that we be one,” he said. Ursula Vega is visiting with two friends from Spain, Lucia Rinon and Carmen Rodriguez. Ms. Rinon is hopeful. “I think very important steps are being taken. Benedict 16 and John Paul 2 made some. But I think Pope Francis is going to advance it more, I have confidence it will happen. The will is there,” she said, The pope, during his visit, is to meet the senior Muslim leader, Grand Mufti, and the two chief rabbis of Jerusalem. Neuhous said this underscores his deep ties to both communities. “He has a deep, personal commitment to relations with the Jews. And just as intimately, we are also profoundly linked to the Palestinian people. And here is the delicacy, coming into a region where the joy of one is the disaster of the other, or the disaster of one is the joy of the other, the Pope is coming as a profound friend of both,” he said. He said the pontiff will also visit the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum and refugees from various conflicts in the region to show his concern for the suffering of all human beings. World baby deaths estimated to be 5.5 million each year By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
Despite five-and-a-half million newborn and stillborn baby deaths each year, investment in newborn health remains very low. That’s one of the findings in a series of papers published in the medical journal The Lancet. The research also shows the vast majority of those deaths could be prevented. Lead researcher Joy Lawn said the research is the most accurate estimate yet on the number of deaths of newborns and stillbirths. “Every year there are two-point-nine-million babies who die in the first month of life -- and most shockingly a million who die on their birthday, the first day. And there are 2.6 million stillbirths -- most shockingly, 1.2 million who die while the woman is in labor. So together this is 5.5 million babies,” she said. Most of the deaths are in low and middle income countries. But rich nations, she said, are not immune. There are about 500,000 pre-term births in the United States every year. “The three leading causes around the world are pre-term births, birth complications -- so where women don’t get the right care during labor. And babies that are full-term can have damage and even die because of lack of care during labor – and then, thirdly, infections,” she said. Ms. Lawn is a professor at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine and an advisor to Save the Children UK. She said many babies and their mothers could be saved for just a few dollars worth of medical care. “In this series we show very clearly that 71-percent of newborn deaths can be prevented with solutions that we have already. And that together, three-million women, babies – counting newborns and stillbirths – could be saved every year with investments at the time of birth. So that’s a triple return on investment with care at the time of birth,” she said. That care includes simple things like keeping the baby warm, helping it learn to breast feed and making sure it has skin to skin contact with its mother. Also, Ms. Lawn said there are injections that can greatly improve the odds of a baby’s survival. One injection prevents tetanus infections, a nearly always fatal condition for babies. Another contains corticosteroids and is given to women in pre-term labor. Corticosteroids affect stress and immune response and inflammation. They help premature babies improve their breathing. This is standard treatment in rich nations, but not in developing countries. It costs less than one dollar. Ms. Lawn said that it’s been known for many years that a large number of newborns die. Yet, funding to prevent the problem remains low. “Of the billions of dollars that are given for child survival, only four percent of that donor funding even mentions the word newborn. And yet 44 percent of under-five deaths are among newborns. So there’s a major mismatch in what the funding is going to compared to where the deaths are now,” she said. Much of the funding goes towards preventing deaths of mothers and children up to age 5. In recent years, it’s become more common in the U.S. to issue birth certificates for stillborn babies. Ms. Lawn said it means a lot to parents to know that their child has been recognized. However, what the papers in The Lancet also show is that in many developing countries no record is kept. Lawn said, “A women who loses a newborn death or a stillbirth in many of the places I’ve worked in Africa – there will be no piece of paper. The baby may not be named. It’s very unlikely there will be any funeral or public recognition. And those things aren’t just sad for the woman, but they hide the whole problem. The fact that in this day and age you can have 5.5 million babies entering and leaving the planet without official record – but also mostly without funerals or recognition – actually stops us acting.” More than 50 experts from 28 institutions in 17 countries took part in The Lancet series. In June, a new international initiative is set to be launched called Every Newborn Action Plan. It’s described as an evidence-based roadmap toward care for every women and a healthy start for every newborn baby. Despite prejudice, Pagans practice the ancient rituals By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
The lounge in a community that epitomizes middle-class Johannesburg, South Africa, suburbia is gloomy, lit by a single candle. Its flame flickers in the slight, cool breeze that wafts through an open door. Silence pervades the atmosphere, broken only by the whisper of soft rain soaking the ground outside. Adults of varying ages and a few children are seated on sofas or cross-legged on the floor. Their eyes are closed, their palms turned upwards. The soothing voice of a bare-footed and bespectacled middle-aged man, salt-and-pepper stubble covering his chin, shreds the quiet and leads the meditation. Swaddled in a shiny navy robe, he exhorts the group to inhale and exhale, “to let go of all negativity, to feel your roots reaching into the lava at the center of the earth.” He’s the high priest, preparing his fellow Pagans for a ritual that was first performed thousands of years ago. He wants to be identified only by his first name, Greg. “My family and friends know I’m a Pagan but only one or two of my work colleagues know. We can’t share what we do with everyone; they don’t understand,” he says. Most Pagans present here are professionals. By day, they’re businesspeople, accountants, teachers, even doctors... Several nights a year, they meet to observe important dates on the Pagan calendar, such as the seasonal equinoxes. “We observe the rites of our ancient elders, or our ancestors. Most of us in this coven come from ancient Celtic roots,” explains High Priestess Shinny Pearson, her long, golden blonde hair streaming down her dark brown satin cloak. A silver five-pointed star hangs around her neck. She continues: “Our roots go way back, thousands of years before all the accepted religions such as Christianity, Judaism and Islam. We believe in the earth. We revere the earth. The earth is our mother. Without her, we will die. We worship the Mother Goddess way above us all.” Greg says Pagans venerate the natural world. “We show this by honoring the old Gods of earth, from various ancient civilizations, such as the Greeks. One of our Gods is Herne. He is the stag, the God with antlers. He is the lord of the greenwood,” he explains. “Then we have Demeter, another Greek goddess. She looks after the land; she gives us the crops, so we have food. Women who cannot fall pregnant very often give offerings and pray to Demeter and beg her to make them as fertile as she is.” Nearby sits another senior Pagan, cloaked in a snow white tunic edged with royal blue material and trimmed with rich gold fabric. He holds a wooden staff that’s hewn in the form of a patterned, spiraling cobra. Pearson introduces him as Rico. “He is our scribe,” she says. “He does all our paperwork and voices our rituals. He practices the Egyptian side of Paganism. He is our conduit to the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt.” Tonight, The Grove - one of Johannesburg’s most eclectic Pagan covens - is observing an Esbat, a full-moon celebration. After the meditation, the warden, a young man in a black, hooded cloak, beats a drum to consecrate the Pagan’s sacred circle, to drive away all evil, says Ms. Pearson. The Pagans, some shaking rattles, march slowly in a row to a muddy, tree-filled backyard, with a table in the middle of it. Jagged daggers, an ivory white conch, a golden statue and ceremonial wine in pewter chalices decorate the table. “A circle is a ring of power; it has no beginning and no end, that’s why it’s so powerful,” the high priestess whispers. Rico the Pagan scribe then challenges each person who wishes to enter the circle by pointing his crook at them and demanding, “How do you enter?” They reply with phrases such as, “With love in my heart and knowledge in my soul,” and “In perfect love and perfect understanding.” The scribe replies, “Welcome, child of the Goddess. You may enter. Blessed be.” Each Pagan announces his presence in the circle with a name taken from ancient times, such as the age of the Vikings of Scandinavia, around 800 AD. One dark-robed man introduces himself as Svehaltrihar. A woman in a hooded blue cloak calls herself Ilvalon Kestavar. They believe they’re reincarnations of people from bygone epochs. Then, the Pagans call out the names given to God by various religions, such as the Hebrew, Adonai, and the names of their archangels. They chant: “In front of me, Rafael. Behind me, Gabriel. On my right hand, Michael. On my left hand, Uriel. For about me flames the pentagram. Above me, now within me, shines the six-ray star. Shala, descend upon me now! Atar, Malkut! Vigibra, Vigillah, Laiulam; amen!” They call upon their goddess of the full moon, Selene, who they revere for her nurturing and mothering nature. “She brings things into fruition,” says Greg. Ms. Pearson adds: “Young girls, who are maidens, go and they pray to her because she’s the closest to them. She understands them. She understands what they’re going through. They’re virgins. She’s a virgin. She’s pure and untouched, they are…” In the ceremony, the high priestess clutches a knife and shrieks: “We call upon the great Selene! I invoke thee thus with the powers of shadow and dark! We reach for the stars and call down the moon! I bow before the moon, I bow before the moon!” The Pagans demonstrate deep reverence for nature, worshiping the elements of water, air and fire. “Hail Lord Jin!” shouts one. “I call to thee, my Lord. Come into the circle tonight! Bring your passion; bring your fiery creatures with you. Come salamanders, salamanders of fire! Play with us in the circle… Fire on this Esbat night, fire burning, burning bright! Come to me! So mote it be!” They ring a bell to welcome their gods and goddesses, and sing a melodious Pagan song, the chorus of which rings: “All that’s born shall rise again… We all come from the garden, and to her we shall return. Like a drop of rain, falling into the ocean…” The celebration ends with the traditional Pagan parting: “Merry we meet, and merry we part, and merry we meet again. Blessed be!” After the ceremony, the Pagans reflect on the prices they’re forced to pay for their unusual beliefs. Society often brands them deviants, and even Satanists. “Look,” says the high priest, Greg, “we’re not ashamed of being Pagans but because of all the prejudice out there we have to be discreet about our beliefs and practices. “In this country, and throughout the rest of Africa, there are witch hunts and people do get burnt and things are blamed on satanic rituals. It happens very often, more often than people realize…” He adds: “What is taken very out of context and why people believe that we are Satanists and that we worship Satan, is that we worship Pan… He is the goat-footed God. However, he is absolutely a nature-based God. He is so far from Satan, you couldn’t possibly believe it! He is the god you call on to have absolute fun. He is the lord of the wildwood.” Pagans honor and cherish many of the same deities that Christians do, Pearson says. “We believe very strongly in Jesus. He’s the god of little children in Paganism. We also believe very strongly in Mary because she’s a virgin goddess… We venerate her; we adore her. She’s somebody that young women go to and can pray to very easily, from a Pagan point of view.” But the high priestess also maintains that there are just too many aspects of other religions that Pagans cannot believe in. “We cannot accept that women are unclean when they’re having their period, or that women are inferior to men, as in Islam. And we disagree strongly with certain religions seeing themselves as superior to others. “I don’t believe that we must hate everybody else that’s not of our religion. I don’t hate you because you’re not a Pagan. I do not discriminate against you because you are a Christian. You are welcome in my circle, because the Mother says you are my brother.” According to Ms. Pearson and other Pagans, they’re a breed apart because they’re seekers. She emphasizes: “Unlike other religions, we don’t believe that a kind of paradise, or true meaning in life, can be accessed using only one, righteous path, to the exclusion of all others. We say live and let live, respect and love everyone.” |
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| San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, May 22, 2014, Vol. 14, No. 100 | |||||||||
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Kerry says peace
process in Venezuela has failed By
the A.M. Costa Rica wire services
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says there has been a total failure by Venezuela's government in keeping its promises to the opposition, including respect for the rights of protesters. Kerry said during a visit to Mexico City Wednesday that an impatience is growing in what he calls the neighborhood of Latin America and that the United States is part of that neighborhood. President Nicolas Maduro's government agreed last month to free jailed anti-government protesters and set up a panel to investigate the deaths of 42 demonstrators on both sides. The opposition pulled out of talks with the government, saying officials have done nothing and that protesters are still being arrested. A U.S. Senate panel has approved sanctions on Venezuelan officials responsible for violence against the marchers. While the Maduro government has the support of many poor Venezuelans, the opposition says many others are fed up with rampant crime, food shortages, and inflation. Mayor in Bolivia rapped after his groping exposed Special
to A.M. Costa Rica
The Inter American Press Association condemned today the suspension of official advertising placement, and the intimidation campaign against the Bolivian newspaper El Deber by the Santa Cruz de la Sierra municipal government in apparent reprisal for the broadcast of a video in which the municipality’s mayor grabbed the leg of a female television reporter during a public ceremony. El Deber denounced the campaign of intimidation accompanied by total stoppage of placement of official advertising, which occurred after the airing of a video in which the city mayor, Percy Fernández Áñez, is placing his hand on the leg of a female reporter sitting beside him. The UNO network reporter, Mercedes Guzmán, reacted by forcefully removing the mayor’s hand. Then, in response to one of her questions, he replied with a double meaning. Given the controversy and criticism that Fernández Áñez’s actions gave rise to, he publicly apologized in a video sent to local television stations. The chairman of the press association's Committee of Freedom of the Press and Information, Claudio Paolillo, condemned “the harassment of the newspaper and the reprisals taken by the local government against the publication which shows, without any doubt, an inappropriate and disrespectful attitude of a public official towards a woman.” Paolillo, editor of the Montevideo, Uruguay, weekly Búsqueda, said the placement or suspension of official advertising should not be applied to reward or punish media or journalists, and no media outlet or journalist should be punished for disseminating the truth or making criticism or denunciations of those in power. According to Bolivia’s National Press Association supporters of the mayor and social organizations on the side of his administration also staged demonstrations against the newspaper to protest the information it had published “which has given rise to verbal threats by officials and political persons close to the mayor against El Deber.” |
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| From Page 7: Exports reported to be on upswing By
the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Costa Rica's export sector is making important strides which are producing more jobs and better businesses, according to a recent Estado de la Nación report. The national performance monitor showed that the sector is succeeding through an increasing diversification in products and international connections. However, it warns of a clear break between the export industries and local markets that is hampering maximum productivity. The Estado's investigation said diversification, competitiveness and productivity remain the marquee concerns for exporters. The Estado is designed to evaluate overall human development in Costa Rica through a set of social, economic, environmental, and political measures. Numerous other organizations helped collaborate in this research work, including the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social and the Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Comercio. The groups relied on looking through necessary goods made in Costa Rica to better understand the country's production ability. This allowed them to analyze information like employment and sales in regards to medium- and micro-sized businesses, according to a report from the Estado. As shown in the study, the amount of exported goods and services has grown steadily since 2000. Still, other areas like manufacturing and agriculture exportation have remained stagnant. And despite overall growth, numbers pointed to declining exports to the United States and developing countries. A director from the Estado program, Jorge Vargas Cullell, said these findings are not only valid, but can also help the country's economic fortunes by bringing new strategies to the table. A full presentation of the findings will be given next Tuesday morning at the Hotel San José Palacio. One of the major discussion topics will be the change in the exporting structure over the past few decades. |
