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A.M.
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Published Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, in
Vol. 17, No.
238
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San José,
Costa Rica, Thursday, Dec. 1, 2016, Vol. 17,
No. 238
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Flurry
of multiple quakes rattle Cartago
By the A.M.
Costa Rica staff
A 5.3 magnitude earthquake east of San José and north of Turrialba Wednesday night triggered at least 31 aftershocks through the early morning. The magnitudes ranged from 4.2 to 1.9. The initial shock was at 6:25 p.m, but it was not very deep at just a kilometer, according to the Red Sismológica Nacional, Costa Rica. The quake registered the strongest on sensors at Hospital William Allen in Turrialba. There were no reports of the quake being felt in San José. The epicenter was estimated to be at Capellades de Cartago. The Laboratorio de Ingeniería Sísmica at the Universidad de Costa Rica estimated the quake at 5.7 magnitude. There were reports of articles falling from shelves in the neighborhood of the quake. There were no reports of structural damage or injuries. The fault that generated all the quakes is believed to be a local one. There also were three quakes in the 3-point range near Tamarindo Wednesday. One was offshore. President gives priority to tax bills By the A.M.
Costa Rica staff
Casa Presidencial has give a priority to tax bills in the legislative session that ends April 30. A summary said that the executive branch wants the corporate tax passes along with a value-added tax to replace the sales levy. In addition, Casa Presidencial said that anti-tax fraud legislation and an incrasein theincome tax also is sought. From today until April 30, the Presidency controls the legislative agenda. This is an artifact that was set up so the president could call the legislature into session in case of emergencies when it was not in session. The Costa Rican Constitution specifies when the legislature may meet and give the president power to call so-called extraordinary session. In modern times lawmakers meet most of the year. Casa Presidencial said that there were 46 bills that already have been designated by the president. Among these is one that provides for same-sex unions. The bill that reinstates a corporate tax is closes to passage. Lawmakers already have agreed to expedite a vote. It is designed to generate 45 billion colons, about $82 million. Most would go to the security ministry with restrictions on use. The money is supposed to be invested in infrastructure, like new police stations. The money is not supposed to be used for trips, consultants or overtime. But income from the tax would free up other funds for these uses. The money is not supposed to be used for salaries, but the ministry already said it would seek to hire 1,000 new police officers. Bands and concerts will mark the season By the A.M.
Costa Rica staff
The Christmas celebrations continue with concert bands performing all around the country. At 6 o['clock tonight the Banda de Conciertos de Puntarenas and the Banda of Guanacaste will be hosting a special Christmas performance at the Faro de Puntarenas. This marks the first of a series of 18 performances by the seven Bandas de Conciertos of the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. All performances are free and families are encouraged to attend, the ministry said. In addition to the performance tonight, there will be several Christmas shows scheduled at various places in the upcoming weeks. The Banda de Conciertos de San José will be holding its first Christmas concert Saturday at 7 p.m. at the Iglesia de Barrio Córdoba. The Banda de Conciertos de Guanacaste will be hosting its opener beginning on Sunday at 10 a.m. at the Aduana in Peñas Blancas. With the music group Senderos, the Banda de Conciertos de Heredia will have the first of its “Hoy es Navidad” show beginning next Wednesday at 7 p.m. in the parque central of Ribera de Belén. The music group Master Key will be holding the first special of “Navidad góspel” show with the Banda de Conciertos de Limón on Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. in Parque Los Baños. Grupo Senderos will again be performing with the Banda de Conciertos de Cartago on Dec. 11 at 7 p.m. at the Iglesia Católica de Juan Viñas. Lastly the Coro del Conservatorio de Alajuela will be joining the Banda de Conciertos de Alajuela on stage for a performance at Lagos del Coyol on Dec. 15 at 7 p.m. The full calendar can be obtained from the Ministerio de Cultura y Juventud. Abolishing the military to be marked today By the A.M.
Costa Rica staff
The 68th anniversary of the abolishing of the military will be celebrated in the Plaza de la Democracia at 9 a.m. today. The Costa Rican government formally abolished its military forces in 1949 following the drafting of a new constitution under José Figueres Ferrer, the hero of the armed uprising and the first winner of the presidency under that constitution. Dance show directed at hurricane victims By the A.M.
Costa Rica staff
Inspired by the adversarial events of Hurricane Otto, the Compañía Nacional de Danza will present its latest work for the final season of 2016. According to the Compañía, the shows are open for the public to attend and are set to start tonight at 8 p.m. at the Teatro de la Danza in the Centro Nacional de la Cultura. These shows will continue until Saturday and the ticket office opens two hours prior to showtime. Coreógrafos Residentes Costa Rica 2016 are presenting three choreographic proposals. Some of themes include overcoming adversity or emotional pain, and the behavior of plants and animals in the forests during different times of the day. The purposes of these expos are to reach out to the victims from the hurricane.
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A.M. Costa Rica Third News Page |
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San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Dec.
1, 2016, Vol.
17, No. 238
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| A
little Colombian pastry treat can become a bit addictive |
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By Conor Golden
of the A.M. Costa Rica staff The right combination of sweet and a tinge of salty makes for a perfect balance in a popular delicacy. The treat could be good with that cup of coffee or tea throughout the day and evening. The almojábana, a common pastry treat found in Costa Rica, is actually a traditional Colombian cheese bread baked to a soft, pillow-like texture. The flavor can often flirt between sweet and a tiny hint of salty in the aftertaste. The delicacy is available throughout any number of bakeries with Colombian origins here in Costa Rica. Costa Rica has a high number of Colombian immigrants according to their country’s census. They represent the second highest group of foreigners living in the country behind neighbor Nicaragua. This particular delicacy is not a common one to be found baking in Costa Rican ovens. The almojábana is mainly obtained from local Colombian bakery of which there are many to choose from in San José alone. To make the almojábana, you will need: A cheese called queso fresco, butter, precooked white corn flour, eggs, baking |
 A.M.
Costa Rica staff
Almojábanas: Bet you can't eat just one!Some recipes also call for an addition of sugar as well as salt, with the latter ingredient depending on how salty the cheese is. According to information from the myfitnesspal.com Web site, one almojabana has around 164 calories in it with a high concentration of saturated fat. This nutritional content represents roughly 62.5 percent of the total fat content within a single piece. |
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2016 and may not be reproduced anywhere without
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A.M. Costa Rica's Fourth News page |
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San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Dec.
1, 2016, Vol.
17, No. 238
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| Zika
virus is linked to eye damage and glaucoma in youngsters |
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By the Yale University news
staff
A team of researchers in Brazil and at the Yale School of Public Health has published the first report demonstrating that the zika virus can cause glaucoma in infants who were exposed to the virus during gestation. Exposure to the zika virus during pregnancy causes birth defects of the central nervous system, including microcephaly. Brazilian and Yale School of Public Health researchers had reported early during the microcephaly epidemic that the virus also causes severe lesions in the retina, the posterior portion of the eye. However, until now, there has been no evidence that zika causes glaucoma, a condition that can result in permanent damage to the optic nerve and blindness. “We identified the first case where zika virus appears to have affected the development of the anterior chamber or front portion of the eye during gestation and caused glaucoma after birth,” said Albert Icksang Ko, professor at the Yale School of Public Health and co-author of the study published in the journal Ophthalmology. Ko has longstanding research collaborations in Brazil and has worked with local scientists since zika first appeared in the Americas to better understand the birth defects that are caused by the virus and the risk factors for zika congenital syndrome. While conducting their investigations of the microcephaly |
epidemic
in Salvador in Northeast Brazil, the researchers identified a 3-month-old boy who was exposed to zika virus during gestation. While no signs of glaucoma were present at the time of birth, the infant developed swelling, pain, and tearing in the right eye. The research team diagnosed glaucoma as the cause of symptoms and together with local ophthalmologists, performed a trabeculectomy, an operation that successfully alleviated the pressure within the eye. While this is the first known incidence of glaucoma in an infant with the zika virus, clinicians treating patients with zika should be aware that glaucoma is another serious symptom of the disease that should be monitored, said the investigators. Additional research is needed to determine if glaucoma in infants with zika is caused by indirect or direct exposure to the virus, either during gestation or postpartum. The zika virus, which is primarily transmitted through infected mosquitoes, has reached epidemic levels in several areas worldwide, and is of particular concern in Brazil, where the Pan American Health Organization reports more than 200,000 suspected cases and 109,000 confirmed cases of the disease. Since the outbreak began in 2015, zika has now reached the United States, with more than 4,000 travel-related cases reported, and 139 locally acquired mosquito-borne cases confirmed, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control. There is currently no vaccine for the zika virus. |
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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A.M. Costa Rica's Fifth news page |
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San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Dec.
1, 2016, Vol.
17, No. 238
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similar to alcohol and tobacco By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
services
President Barack Obama says he thinks marijuana should be treated just like alcohol and tobacco, but he won't push the issue in his final days as president. Obama, in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine published Tuesday, said he doesn't think legalizing marijuana will put an end to the drug war in America but regulation on a national scale is a better option than continuing to have state laws be at odds with federal laws. It is untenable over the long term for the Justice Department or the Drug Enforcement Agency to be enforcing a patchwork of laws, where something that's legal in one state could get you a 20-year prison sentence in another, he said. Recreational use of marijuana is now legal in eight states and Washington, D.C. Medicinal marijuana use is legal in 26 states and the district, and several large cities have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana. In addition to these states where marijuana is already legal in some form, California, Massachusetts and Nevada voted Nov. 8 to approve recreational marijuana initiatives, while several other states voted to pass medical marijuana provisions. The states are now in the process of working out their regulatory framework. Obama likened the momentum building around marijuana legalization to the drive to recognize gay marriage before its legalization earlier in his presidency by support being built first at the state level before transferring to the national stage. The most recent polling shows support for marijuana legalization at an all-time high. According to a September poll published by Pew Research, 57 percent of Americans believe marijuana should be made legal compared to 37 percent who think it should stay illegal. This shows a sharp contrast compared to 10 years ago, when the polling showed almost the exact opposite, 32 percent in favor of legalization compared to 60 percent opposed. Marijuana is currently listed by the DEA as a Schedule 1 drug, the same level as heroin and LSD. According to DEA guidelines, a Schedule 1 drug has no accepted medical value and has a high potential for abuse. Trump's policies via Twitter is making observers nervous By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
services
Earlier this week, Donald Trump warned on Twitter that he would reverse the current U.S. warming of relations with the Cuban government if Havana doesn't give Washington a better deal. The tweet was short and to the point. It took just 138 characters to outline what would be a major reversal of U.S. foreign policy toward the Communist-ruled country. No video or other link was included explaining what a better deal entailed. It wasn't the first time that Trump or his advisers have threatened to undo President Barack Obama's two-year-old detente with Cuba. The Trump campaign has for months taken a hardline stance on the longtime U.S. foe. But it was the first time Trump announced a significant foreign policy statement via Twitter, his preferred social media network, since being elected president. As a presidential candidate, Trump upended American politics in part through his unconventional use of Twitter. At all hours of the day, Trump would send out 140-character-long outbursts, sometimes launching fiercely personal attacks on political opponents and, at other times, simply offering unfiltered commentary on the controversy of the day. But diplomats say that kind of erratic messaging, if continued during Trump's presidency, would pose a unique challenge to those trying to conduct foreign policy, and could lead to miscommunication, or worse. "We've never really confronted a potential like this before — certainly not in the administrations I've worked for," said Aaron David Miller, a Middle East negotiator under three different U.S. administrations. Miller, now a vice president at the Wilson Center, calls Trump's campaign behavior unprecedented, though he is quick to point out that there's no guarantee that President Trump will continue to tweet like presidential candidate Trump. Communicating important matters of foreign policy via tweet increases the risk that a message is misinterpreted, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, who specializes in political communication and public policy at the University of Pennsylvania, said. That's why, under current norms, presidential communications are carefully crafted or vetted by those with specific policy expertise. "They look at not only the precise meaning, but whether the meaning can be inadvertently mistranslated as it moves from one language to another," Ms. Jamieson said. It's not as if Twitter, which was started in 2006, is an altogether new form of communication for presidents. President Barack Obama, the first U.S. president to take office in the age of social media, has also embraced Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. But Obama's Twitter account, like that of many other world leaders, is run by his staff, and the president himself only rarely issues personal statements through it. Obama's tweets also have mainly focused on domestic affairs, leaving the State Department and its social media accounts to communicate foreign policy. Trump's aides have given no indication that he will dial back the rhetoric anytime soon, instead portraying the president-elect's raw communication style as a positive. "I think that one of the great things about the president-elect is he is going to voice his opinion," Jason Miller, Trump's transition team communications director, told Fox Business Network Tuesday. "When he has something to say, he's going to say it and people are going to know it." But Trump, who has had enormous success as a businessman, has also touted his unpredictability, saying one of his best rhetorical tools when it comes to negotiations is truthful hyperbole. "I play to people's fantasies," Trump wrote in his 1987 book “The Art of the Deal,” which details how he likes to make exaggerated statements in part to manipulate the press and keep his rivals guessing. Will Trump attempt to use “The Art of the Deal” tactics in international relations? And is his Twitter account a part of that? Nobody really knows, except Trump. Trump still has not explained details of his plans for assets By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
services
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump says he is completely removing himself from his global business empire to avoid conflicts of interest with running the country when he assumes power Jan. 20. Soon to be the wealthiest U.S. president, Trump said in a series of Twitter comments that he would relinquish control over his hotels, golf courses, resorts, Trump-branded consumer products, office buildings and residential properties that are perhaps worth billions of dollars and span the United States and 18 other countries. Trump is not required by U.S. law to divest his holdings, but he said that he feels it is visually important, as president, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses. Left unclear is whether Trump plans to create a blind trust for his vast assets, with an independent manager and no Trump family control, which numerous other, less wealthy U.S. presidents have done. Trump said legal documents are being drafted to end his involvement in his business ventures. The 70-year-old Trump said he would discuss the issue at a Dec. 15 news conference with his children, whom he previously said he wanted to run the Trump Organization if he were elected. In ending his business control, Trump is bowing to the public demands of ethics experts who said that if he did not, it would raise continual questions about his actions as president, whether it be labor and pay policies affecting hundreds of workers at his U.S. resorts, military actions he might undertake overseas or which countries he visits and world leaders he meets with. As recently as last week, Trump dismissed concerns about his holdings and whether they would present a conflict of interest in running the U.S. government. “Prior to the election it was well known that I have interests in properties all over the world. Only the crooked media makes this a big deal,” Trump tweeted. Some ethics experts, however, have said since the Republican Trump’s stunning upset win three weeks ago that it was not sufficient to turn control of his business empire over to the three children. They said he needed to create a blind trust, a financial mechanism in which Trump or an independent manager would sell his holdings, with the substantial assets then being managed independently without his knowledge or family involvement. "Otherwise he will have a personal financial interest in his businesses that will sometimes conflict with the public interest and constantly raise questions," Norman Eisen, President Barack Obama's chief ethics lawyer, and Richard Painter, who held the same post for President George W. Bush, said in a joint statement. Reince Priebus, Trump’s incoming White House chief of staff, told MSNBC Trump has the best people in America working on the details of removing himself from his decades-long involvement in the family businesses. But Priebus declined to say whether the president-elect is creating a blind trust or leaving the businesses in the hands of his children. Progress in combating ailment cited on World AIDS Day By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
services
On World AIDS Day today, new research is offering hope for further treatment options and, perhaps, even a vaccine. When the first World AIDS Day was held in 1988, infection was a death sentence. Today, there is lifesaving treatment. In Thailand, researchers eliminated mother-to-child HIV transmission, the first country in Asia to do so. In South Africa, a major clinical trial of an experimental AIDS vaccine aims to reduce the risk of HIV infection by 50 percent. In the United States, researchers are working to use the body's own immune system to keep the virus in check. One study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania shows promise. "We infuse antibodies into the patients, the participants in the study, and we want to see if those antibodies will control the HIV virus … keep it quiet, and prevent the virus from coming back when we stop anti-retroviral therapy," said Pablo Tebas, an infectious disease specialist. Dr. Tebas said the research in controlling HIV with antibodies is similar to immunotherapy being done in the field of cancer. HIV, he explains, hides in cells. If a patient stops taking anti-AIDS drugs, the virus comes back. The new technique aims to work as cancer therapy works, where antibodies are used to attack cancer cells. "When you think about oncology and cancer therapy with these immune-based therapies, what people are doing now in that field is to try to boost the immune system to eliminate the cancer cells,” he said. “The problem of eliminating the HIV hideout is similar. You want to eliminate the cells that harbor the virus and, by making the immune system more active, in finding and eliminating those cells." Researchers have found that the antibodies suppressed the HIV virus for 21 days. The goal is to find a combination of antibodies that can suppress the virus for six months to a year. A new trial using two antibodies is to start in the next couple of months. No firm jihadist ties disclosed in Ohio State slashing attack By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
services
The investigation into Monday's car-and-knife attack at Ohio State University has yet to find any evidence that Abdul Razak Ali Artan was acting on behalf of the Islamic State terror group. "At this stage, we see no direct links to a terrorist organization," Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told an audience Wednesday in Washington. "We see no communications, direct communications with a terrorist organization overseas, by this individual," Johnson added. "The indicators are right now that this was an act that was committed by someone who was self-radicalized." The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack Tuesday, calling Artan, 20, a soldier of the caliphate in a statement through the group's Amaq News Agency. The statement also claimed Artan was responding to calls to target citizens of international coalition countries. But at this point, investigators said they have yet to determine Artan's motive or whether the attack, which injured 11 people, was even premeditated. Artan was shot and killed at the scene by an Ohio State University police officer. "They have been known to take credit for incidents like this when the assailant is deceased and cannot refute that," FBI Special Agent in Charge Angela Byers said during a news conference Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio. She was speaking of the Islamic State. Still, Agent Byers said it did appear Artan was aware of Islamic propaganda, as well as the writings of other influential jihadist clerics. "We don't know whether that's something that he's getting from something ISIS is putting out there or whether he's inspired by other attacks," Agent Byers said. The FBI also said that despite a Facebook post made just minutes before the attack in which Artan said he was willing to kill a billion infidels to stop America from interfering with other countries, he had not been on the agency's radar. "He was not a subject of any investigation," Agent Byers said. "The FBI had no knowledge of him and had no contact with him." Artan, a Somali-born refugee, was living as a legal permanent resident in the U.S. and was a freshman business student at Ohio State. He came to the U.S. in 2014 after spending several years in Pakistan. Investigators are still poring through several electronic media found during a search of the house where Artan was living. A search of the vehicle, believed to belong to Artan's brother, is also underway. Investigators are also asking for the public's help in determining Artan's movements on the morning of the attack. Officials said Artan bought a knife at a local Wal-Mart store, which might have been the knife used in the attack, several hours before he drove into the crowd of people in front of the university's Watts Hall. |
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Food |
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| What we published this week: | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Earlier |
| The
contents
of
this Web site are copyrighted by Consultantes Río
Colorado S.A. 2016 and may not be reproduced anywhere
without permission. Abstracts and fair use are permitted. Check HERE for details |
||||||
|
A.M. Costa Rica's Fifth news page |
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San José, Costa Rica, Thursday, Dec.
1, 2016, Vol.
17, No. 238
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Food |
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similar to alcohol and tobacco By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
services
President Barack Obama says he thinks marijuana should be treated just like alcohol and tobacco, but he won't push the issue in his final days as president. Obama, in an interview with Rolling Stone magazine published Tuesday, said he doesn't think legalizing marijuana will put an end to the drug war in America but regulation on a national scale is a better option than continuing to have state laws be at odds with federal laws. It is untenable over the long term for the Justice Department or the Drug Enforcement Agency to be enforcing a patchwork of laws, where something that's legal in one state could get you a 20-year prison sentence in another, he said. Recreational use of marijuana is now legal in eight states and Washington, D.C. Medicinal marijuana use is legal in 26 states and the district, and several large cities have decriminalized possession of small amounts of marijuana. In addition to these states where marijuana is already legal in some form, California, Massachusetts and Nevada voted Nov. 8 to approve recreational marijuana initiatives, while several other states voted to pass medical marijuana provisions. The states are now in the process of working out their regulatory framework. Obama likened the momentum building around marijuana legalization to the drive to recognize gay marriage before its legalization earlier in his presidency by support being built first at the state level before transferring to the national stage. The most recent polling shows support for marijuana legalization at an all-time high. According to a September poll published by Pew Research, 57 percent of Americans believe marijuana should be made legal compared to 37 percent who think it should stay illegal. This shows a sharp contrast compared to 10 years ago, when the polling showed almost the exact opposite, 32 percent in favor of legalization compared to 60 percent opposed. Marijuana is currently listed by the DEA as a Schedule 1 drug, the same level as heroin and LSD. According to DEA guidelines, a Schedule 1 drug has no accepted medical value and has a high potential for abuse. Trump's policies via Twitter is making observers nervous By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
services
Earlier this week, Donald Trump warned on Twitter that he would reverse the current U.S. warming of relations with the Cuban government if Havana doesn't give Washington a better deal. The tweet was short and to the point. It took just 138 characters to outline what would be a major reversal of U.S. foreign policy toward the Communist-ruled country. No video or other link was included explaining what a better deal entailed. It wasn't the first time that Trump or his advisers have threatened to undo President Barack Obama's two-year-old detente with Cuba. The Trump campaign has for months taken a hardline stance on the longtime U.S. foe. But it was the first time Trump announced a significant foreign policy statement via Twitter, his preferred social media network, since being elected president. As a presidential candidate, Trump upended American politics in part through his unconventional use of Twitter. At all hours of the day, Trump would send out 140-character-long outbursts, sometimes launching fiercely personal attacks on political opponents and, at other times, simply offering unfiltered commentary on the controversy of the day. But diplomats say that kind of erratic messaging, if continued during Trump's presidency, would pose a unique challenge to those trying to conduct foreign policy, and could lead to miscommunication, or worse. "We've never really confronted a potential like this before — certainly not in the administrations I've worked for," said Aaron David Miller, a Middle East negotiator under three different U.S. administrations. Miller, now a vice president at the Wilson Center, calls Trump's campaign behavior unprecedented, though he is quick to point out that there's no guarantee that President Trump will continue to tweet like presidential candidate Trump. Communicating important matters of foreign policy via tweet increases the risk that a message is misinterpreted, Kathleen Hall Jamieson, who specializes in political communication and public policy at the University of Pennsylvania, said. That's why, under current norms, presidential communications are carefully crafted or vetted by those with specific policy expertise. "They look at not only the precise meaning, but whether the meaning can be inadvertently mistranslated as it moves from one language to another," Ms. Jamieson said. It's not as if Twitter, which was started in 2006, is an altogether new form of communication for presidents. President Barack Obama, the first U.S. president to take office in the age of social media, has also embraced Twitter, Facebook and other social networks. But Obama's Twitter account, like that of many other world leaders, is run by his staff, and the president himself only rarely issues personal statements through it. Obama's tweets also have mainly focused on domestic affairs, leaving the State Department and its social media accounts to communicate foreign policy. Trump's aides have given no indication that he will dial back the rhetoric anytime soon, instead portraying the president-elect's raw communication style as a positive. "I think that one of the great things about the president-elect is he is going to voice his opinion," Jason Miller, Trump's transition team communications director, told Fox Business Network Tuesday. "When he has something to say, he's going to say it and people are going to know it." But Trump, who has had enormous success as a businessman, has also touted his unpredictability, saying one of his best rhetorical tools when it comes to negotiations is truthful hyperbole. "I play to people's fantasies," Trump wrote in his 1987 book “The Art of the Deal,” which details how he likes to make exaggerated statements in part to manipulate the press and keep his rivals guessing. Will Trump attempt to use “The Art of the Deal” tactics in international relations? And is his Twitter account a part of that? Nobody really knows, except Trump. Trump still has not explained details of his plans for assets By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
services
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump says he is completely removing himself from his global business empire to avoid conflicts of interest with running the country when he assumes power Jan. 20. Soon to be the wealthiest U.S. president, Trump said in a series of Twitter comments that he would relinquish control over his hotels, golf courses, resorts, Trump-branded consumer products, office buildings and residential properties that are perhaps worth billions of dollars and span the United States and 18 other countries. Trump is not required by U.S. law to divest his holdings, but he said that he feels it is visually important, as president, to in no way have a conflict of interest with my various businesses. Left unclear is whether Trump plans to create a blind trust for his vast assets, with an independent manager and no Trump family control, which numerous other, less wealthy U.S. presidents have done. Trump said legal documents are being drafted to end his involvement in his business ventures. The 70-year-old Trump said he would discuss the issue at a Dec. 15 news conference with his children, whom he previously said he wanted to run the Trump Organization if he were elected. In ending his business control, Trump is bowing to the public demands of ethics experts who said that if he did not, it would raise continual questions about his actions as president, whether it be labor and pay policies affecting hundreds of workers at his U.S. resorts, military actions he might undertake overseas or which countries he visits and world leaders he meets with. As recently as last week, Trump dismissed concerns about his holdings and whether they would present a conflict of interest in running the U.S. government. “Prior to the election it was well known that I have interests in properties all over the world. Only the crooked media makes this a big deal,” Trump tweeted. Some ethics experts, however, have said since the Republican Trump’s stunning upset win three weeks ago that it was not sufficient to turn control of his business empire over to the three children. They said he needed to create a blind trust, a financial mechanism in which Trump or an independent manager would sell his holdings, with the substantial assets then being managed independently without his knowledge or family involvement. "Otherwise he will have a personal financial interest in his businesses that will sometimes conflict with the public interest and constantly raise questions," Norman Eisen, President Barack Obama's chief ethics lawyer, and Richard Painter, who held the same post for President George W. Bush, said in a joint statement. Reince Priebus, Trump’s incoming White House chief of staff, told MSNBC Trump has the best people in America working on the details of removing himself from his decades-long involvement in the family businesses. But Priebus declined to say whether the president-elect is creating a blind trust or leaving the businesses in the hands of his children. Progress in combating ailment cited on World AIDS Day By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
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On World AIDS Day today, new research is offering hope for further treatment options and, perhaps, even a vaccine. When the first World AIDS Day was held in 1988, infection was a death sentence. Today, there is lifesaving treatment. In Thailand, researchers eliminated mother-to-child HIV transmission, the first country in Asia to do so. In South Africa, a major clinical trial of an experimental AIDS vaccine aims to reduce the risk of HIV infection by 50 percent. In the United States, researchers are working to use the body's own immune system to keep the virus in check. One study conducted by the University of Pennsylvania shows promise. "We infuse antibodies into the patients, the participants in the study, and we want to see if those antibodies will control the HIV virus … keep it quiet, and prevent the virus from coming back when we stop anti-retroviral therapy," said Pablo Tebas, an infectious disease specialist. Dr. Tebas said the research in controlling HIV with antibodies is similar to immunotherapy being done in the field of cancer. HIV, he explains, hides in cells. If a patient stops taking anti-AIDS drugs, the virus comes back. The new technique aims to work as cancer therapy works, where antibodies are used to attack cancer cells. "When you think about oncology and cancer therapy with these immune-based therapies, what people are doing now in that field is to try to boost the immune system to eliminate the cancer cells,” he said. “The problem of eliminating the HIV hideout is similar. You want to eliminate the cells that harbor the virus and, by making the immune system more active, in finding and eliminating those cells." Researchers have found that the antibodies suppressed the HIV virus for 21 days. The goal is to find a combination of antibodies that can suppress the virus for six months to a year. A new trial using two antibodies is to start in the next couple of months. No firm jihadist ties disclosed in Ohio State slashing attack By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
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The investigation into Monday's car-and-knife attack at Ohio State University has yet to find any evidence that Abdul Razak Ali Artan was acting on behalf of the Islamic State terror group. "At this stage, we see no direct links to a terrorist organization," Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson told an audience Wednesday in Washington. "We see no communications, direct communications with a terrorist organization overseas, by this individual," Johnson added. "The indicators are right now that this was an act that was committed by someone who was self-radicalized." The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack Tuesday, calling Artan, 20, a soldier of the caliphate in a statement through the group's Amaq News Agency. The statement also claimed Artan was responding to calls to target citizens of international coalition countries. But at this point, investigators said they have yet to determine Artan's motive or whether the attack, which injured 11 people, was even premeditated. Artan was shot and killed at the scene by an Ohio State University police officer. "They have been known to take credit for incidents like this when the assailant is deceased and cannot refute that," FBI Special Agent in Charge Angela Byers said during a news conference Wednesday in Columbus, Ohio. She was speaking of the Islamic State. Still, Agent Byers said it did appear Artan was aware of Islamic propaganda, as well as the writings of other influential jihadist clerics. "We don't know whether that's something that he's getting from something ISIS is putting out there or whether he's inspired by other attacks," Agent Byers said. The FBI also said that despite a Facebook post made just minutes before the attack in which Artan said he was willing to kill a billion infidels to stop America from interfering with other countries, he had not been on the agency's radar. "He was not a subject of any investigation," Agent Byers said. "The FBI had no knowledge of him and had no contact with him." Artan, a Somali-born refugee, was living as a legal permanent resident in the U.S. and was a freshman business student at Ohio State. He came to the U.S. in 2014 after spending several years in Pakistan. Investigators are still poring through several electronic media found during a search of the house where Artan was living. A search of the vehicle, believed to belong to Artan's brother, is also underway. Investigators are also asking for the public's help in determining Artan's movements on the morning of the attack. Officials said Artan bought a knife at a local Wal-Mart store, which might have been the knife used in the attack, several hours before he drove into the crowd of people in front of the university's Watts Hall. |
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Plane with Brazilian team ran out of fuel By the A.M. Costa Rica wire
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The pilot of a British-model plane that was carrying a Brazilian soccer club said he ran out of fuel before the crash that killed himself and 70 others late Monday near Medellin, Colombia, a leaked recording showed. In a four-minute recording of communication from an air traffic tower, obtained by Colombian media outlets, the pilot can be heard repeatedly asking for permission to land because of a total electric failure and lack of fuel. A surviving flight attendant and an Avianca pilot, who was flying nearby and listening to his radio, described the pilot's desperate pleas. And the audio obtained Wednesday confirmed both accounts. Authorities were still not ruling out other possibilities, but experts said the lack of an explosion once the jet crashed indicated an uncommon case of running out of fuel in a jet that was flying at its maximum range. Colombian authorities said Wednesday that forensic experts were working on identifying the bodies in order to have the victims repatriated to Brazil. The death toll was lowered from earlier reports of at least 76. Alfredo Bocanegra, head of Colombia's civil aviation agency, told reporters that planes must have extra fuel to fly at least 30 to 45 minutes to another airport in a case of an emergency. Investigators were also considering the possibility of a fuel leak. The country's aviation agency found the airplane's cockpit voice recorder and flight data recorder on Tuesday amid the aircraft debris. Six people survived the crash. Among them were three members of the Chapecoense soccer team, at least two of them with substantial injuries: a journalist, and two members of the flight crew. Doctors had to amputate the leg of reserve goalkeeper Jackson Follman, while defender Helio Neto suffered cranial injuries. Defender Alan Ruschel was the other team survivor. A doctor said he underwent surgery and then was transferred to another hospital for further examination. The plane, owned by the small Venezuelan airline LaMia, was en route from Bolivia to Medellin, where the team was to play in the final of the Copa Sudamericana tournament, when it crashed. According to reports, the jet was at an altitude of 3,300 meters (10,827 feet) before the accident. Rescue efforts were hindered by the difficulty in reaching the crash site in the mountainous area and by low visibility. Also on board were more than 20 journalists who were going to cover the Copa Sudamericana soccer match Wednesday. Former president's funeral is today By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Former president Luis Alberto Monge Álvarez will have a state funeral at 2 p.m. today in the Catedral Metropolitana. The 90-year-old politician died late Tuesday night. President Lius Gullermo Solís and most living former presidents will be there. Solís is expected to sign a decree providing three days of national mourning Monge served as president from 1982 to 1986. He had been elected a member of the Asamblea Nacional at age 24 and later served as a minister and as ambassador to Israel. Monge took office in the wake of the troubled presidency of Rodrigo Carazo Odio. The Nicaraguan Contra war was waging in the north, and the economy had crashed under Carazo. |
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| From Page 7: Police on duty to prevent aguinaldo thefts By the A.M. Costa Rica staff
Fuerza Pública officers are paying special attention to financial institutions, automatic tellers and shopping centers now that aguinaldos are being paid to workers. The aguinaldo usually represents a twelfth of what an employee earned during the year. Most consider it a Christmas bonus. The aguinaldo is paid regardless of employee performance because it is mandated by law. Although electronic deposits and credit card payments are popular, there still is enough money in the streets to tempt thieves, hence the police. So the security ministry has assigned many more police the the capital and major cities. |
