Monday, Sept. 3, 2001

Wednesday's game will be a big one
Courteous Costa Ricans were telling U.S. citizens Sunday that the likely outcome of a U.S. Costa  Rican soccer match Wednesday was a tie. Deep in their hearts, they are lusting for blood.

Truth is a shaky concept for public discussion
Anaysis of the news discussing the threshhold for defamation suits by public officials in Costa Rica

Nearly 610,000 suffer due to drought, AID says
The United States and the international community are continuing their joint effort to fight drought conditions and food shortages in Central America that have led to the worst crisis to hit the region since Hurricane Mitch in 1998, reports the U.S. Agency for International Developmen.

U.S. and Colombia agree, U.S. official reports
The United States and the government of Colombian President Andres Pastrana are in firm agreement that the peace process in Colombia is the best way to end the nearly 40-year conflict between the government and left-wing Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) guerrillas, U.S. Under Secretary of State Marc Grossman said.

Bodies uncovered at former U.S. base
Forensic experts in eastern Honduras have uncovered the remains of 15 people at a former U.S. military base used to train Nicaraguan Contras in the 1980s.

Trade ministers report progress
Trade ministers attending an informal meeting in Mexico say they have made progress toward  launching a new round of market liberalization talks later this year.

Top U.S, trade expert to speak in San José
Walter M. Bastian, U.S. acting assistant secretary of commerce, will be in San José Wednesday to participate in a free trade seminar at the Hotel Herradura, a U.S. Embassy announcement said. 

Young shark victim dies
A 10-year-old boy has died after being attacked by a shark while surfing off the coast of the U.S. state of Virginia.

U.N. says U.S. should lighten up
As the United States celebrates Labor Day today, a U.N. study suggests U.S. citizens should be taking more time off from work.
 
 

Tuesday, Sept. 4, 2001

Arrests made in Curridabat murder of U.S. citizen
Investigators have arrested two men in the death of Roy William Karsh, 61, of Curridabat, a U.S. citizen living here.

Bar owner in Playa Coco still kept in jail after shooting
A bar owner from Playa Coco remains in jail today because he shot a man who came at him with a knife.

Adventure racing on tap for Nicoya
Hardbodies are gearing up for a harsh weekend on the Nicoya Peninsula in the first Nicoya Adventure Race.

Big drug web busted, OIJ chief announces
Investigators said Monday they had broken up a ring of drug smugglers with a six-month probe that  resulted in the arrest of nine persons.

Brazilian research facility facing possible shutdown over money
One of the world's top institutions specializing in Amazon research is in danger of shutting down much of its operations because funding from the Brazilian government is not forthcoming. 

Wrong time, wrong bank
A man tried to break into a downtown San José bank early Monday, but he picked a bank across the street from the Costa Rican Supreme Court Building on Avenida 8.
 

Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2001

The big game is top news for today
Tonight's soccer football game between the Costa Rican and U.S. national teams will have a sold-out  audience at Saprissa Stadium where about 24,000 fans are expected.

Two well-known bars on the market for sale
Want to run a bar in downtown San José? At least two are for sale. And they both are classics.

Sports bets, Internet lottery,and bank sales planned
The organization that brings Costa Rica its national 
 lottery wants to create an Internet version. But first 
 it plans to set up electronic sports betting.

Update on fight against AIDS focuses on vaccines
The leading figure in the U.S. campaign to find a  vaccine against the HIV virus that causes AIDS will present an update on the research in a speech to be delivered today at the AIDS Vaccine 2001 meeting in Philadelphia, Pa.

Ortega promises to resolve U.S. property claims 
Nicaraguan presidential candidate Daniel Ortega said that if elected, he will help resolve claims to U.S.-owned property seized by his government in the 1980s.

Colombian policemen killed
Colombian police say two officers are dead following a rebel assault on a  remote village in the southwestern part of the country. Two other officers  have been injured and another two kidnapped.

Bush and Fox begin talks
Mexican President Vicente Fox begins a three-day official visit with President Bush Wednesday that is expected to cover immigration reform and other issues. The two presidents are scheduled to hold their first meeting at the White House to discuss the status of more than three million Mexicans living in the United States illegally.

One dead in Chilean clash
Chilean police say one person is dead  and another critically injured as  supporters and opponents of former  dictator Augusto Pinochet clashed  during the National Unity Day  holiday.
 

Thursday, Sept. 6, 2001

Costa Rica gives its fans what they came for
The sound you heard exactly at 10 p.m. was the collective voices of the Costa Rican people as their dream came true. That was the time when an official called an end to the World Cup semifinal match in rainy Saprissa Stadium with Costa Rica ahead 2-0.

Bar owner mystified and doesn't like jail conditions
Roger M. Crouse isn't really sure why he is in jail, and he is not very happy with the accommodations.

Man being held in sales scams
Investigators are holding a man they claim ran scams on property owners here. They had been seeking him for more than a year, and they  found him in downtown San José Tuesday, they announced Wednesday.

Big party planned for Saturday by residents
The event is billed as Costa Rican Independence Celebration, and it's being held a week in advance of the actual day. The purpose of the party is to express appreciation by the foreign community to Costa Rica and her citizens for making members of the association feel welcome in the country, the association said.

Brazil's Congress may slash Amazon's protection
An environmental struggle is under way in Brazil over a proposed change in the country's forestry code. The proposal would allow farmers to cut down more trees in the Amazon rainforest. Rural lawmakers are pushing for the forestry code change and are hoping to get the backing of the full Congress.

Bolivia makes citizens stay home for count
Bustling Bolivian cities were quiet Wednesday, as census officials went door-to-door to count the number of residents in the country.

Fox to address U.S. Congress
Visiting Mexican President Vicente Fox is expected to press for a speedy immigration reform  agreement with the United States when he addresses a joint session of the U.S. Congress later Thursday.

VW workers OK settlement
Workers at the Volkswagen auto assembly plant in Puebla, Mexico, have approved a wage increase agreement reached by union and company officials, ending a nearly three-week strike.

Colombians say rebels used gas
Colombian police officials say leftist guerrillas used an unidentified toxic gas in a recent attack on avillage police station in the south that killed four policemen.
 

Friday, Sept. 7, 2001

Two men held here in interest-rate scam
Investigators here have arrested two men involved in a high-interest Internet investment club. Police also took over real estate, bank accounts, cash and a yacht.

Jo Stuart's weekly column
. . . having been pickpocketed three times, having had a necklace ripped from my neck and having heard the stories of other people’s misfortunes on the streets of San José, I have learned a few things.

Another big day for Soccer fans
You might have noticed that the soccer celebration continued Thursday. There were little hints: Like the big parade and the confetti.

Bush and Fox still not in accord on amnesty
President Bush and Mexican President Vicente Fox visited the U.S. state of Ohio Thursday where they spoke to university students and visited a Hispanic community center.

Foreign Service Exam signups are double
More than 23,500 people have registered for the Sept. 29 Foreign Service Written Exam, nearly twice the number of registrants last year, the U.S. State Department said.

Pastrana won't void enclave
Colombian President Andres Pastrana says any move by his government to end the status of the rebels' enclave in the south as a demilitarized zone would mean all-out war.

Colombian negotiation killed
Colombian politician Jairo Rojas, vice president of the national legislature's committee administering a peace process with insurgents, has been slain in Bogota.  Police said Mr. Rojas was killed Thursday as he was leaving his car, parked in front of his residence. 

U.S. won't split Microsoft
The U.S. Justice Department has announced it is giving up efforts to break-up Microsoft, the world's largest computer software company.

Volkswagen to halt investments
Volkswagen says it is halting investment in Mexico for the moment. The announcement came just hours after the German-based automaker reached an agreement with labor unions that ended an 18-day strike.
 

Monday, Sept. 10, 2001

Colorful party celebrates Costa Rican independence
About 150 persons showed up for the first Costa Rican   Independence Day celebration Saturday. The event was sponsored by the Association of Residents of Cost Rica.

Four still missing in abduction. . . but  burned car found
Investigators have been tight-lipped over the weekend on the progress, if any, in the kidnapping of two women and two children.

Plight of the monarch butterfly topic of new book
In her new book "Four Wings and a Prayer," Sue Halpern is caught in the mystery of the monarch butterfly. She combines science, history, and memoir to create a portrait of the annual migration of the monarch from the eastern United States and Canada to Mexico.

Powell plans 'frank' talks in Colombia Tuesday
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell has been quoted saying he will hold "frank" talks with Colombia's President Andres Pastrana on his strategy for curbing illegal drug trafficking and battling leftist rebels. The two will meet on Tuesday in Bogota. 

Chile wants Brazil to talk about coup
The Chilean government has asked the Brazilian government for information about the alleged involvement of Brazilian diplomats in the 1973 coup in Chile that overthrew Salvador Allende and installed Augusto Pinochet.

Powell lauds Internet as vehicle for U.S. word
Secretary of State Colin Powell says the communications tools now available to the State  Department through the Internet are "just remarkable, in the sense that they can go over political boundaries, they can go over cultural walls, they can break down any barrier that is out there to communication.

Fox wants to dump Rio Treaty
Mexican President Vicente Fox has wrapped up a state visit to the United States with a call for a new security structure in the Western Hemisphere.

Argentines march in protest
Hundreds of Argentines have marched  through the capital in the latest protests against President Fernando de la Rua's unpopular budget-cutting plan.
 

Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001

Bulletin at 8: 30 a.m. Tuesday
A.M. Costa Rica will post its web pages early and perhaps several times today, Tuesday, to alert readers here to developments in Costa Rica as a result of the terrorist attacks in   the United States. 

Notice of a prayer vigil was posted at 9:30 a.m. 

Statement from the U.S. Embassy 
(11 a.m.) In light of the terrorist acts that took place in the United States, the U.S. Embassy in San José, Costa Rica, has assumed a state of high security.

A report from the scene
10:20 a.m. A quick report from the 12th floor of an office building in Jersey City, directly across the river from lower Manhattan.

The following were posted earlier in the morning:

High tech systems can intercept your messages
If you had the feeling someone was reading your e-mails, your concerns might be well placed. The United States and other western intelligence agencies maintain a 29-year-old worldwide system to read almost any electronic communication, according to civil rights groups.

U.S. issues new alert for citizens
The U.S. government issued another warning Friday to its citizens abroad, telling them that they may be at increased risk of terrorist action from extremist groups.

Professors claim that child exploitation is rampant
Tens of thousands of U.S., Mexican and Canadian children and youths become victims of juvenile pornography, prostitution and trafficking each year. So significant is the problem  that even most law-enforcement and child-welfare officials do not realize its scope.

No developments reported in kidnapped of women and youngsters
There were no new developments reported Monday in the kidnapping case that has the whole country talking.

U.S. brands right-wing group a terrorist organization
The United States has branded a right-wing Colombian paramilitary group a foreign terrorist organization ahead of a Tuesday visit to Bogota by Secretary of State Colin Powell.

Cuba Invites U.S. to drug confab
Cuba has invited U.S. officials to Havana to participate in an international conference on the fight against drug trafficking in the Caribbean.

Ochoa's lawyer says 'innocent'
A lawyer for Colombian Fabio Ochoa has entered a "not guilty" plea for his client in a U.S. court in Miami, where Ochoa is charged with helping to smuggle 30 tons of cocaine per month into the United States.
 

Wednesday, Sept. 12, 2001

Costa Rica just waits and watches
U.S. and Canadian citizens glued themselves to the television Tuesday as historic events unfolded in the United States. They felt anger, uncertainty and impotence, as did all of Costa Rica.

Where to donate blood?
A reader wants to help organize a program to donate blood to help the injured in the United States. But Tom Hoy of Heredia still doesn't know whom to call.

A young woman writes from near ground zero
Jessica Perez, 18, is the granddaughter of long-time resident Shirley Amack. Jessica, who was born here, was near ground zero Tuesday morning attending classes in New York.

Republican and Democratic leaders stress future
From Susan Tessem, chairman, Republicans Abroad of Costa Rica, and from Jerry Ledin, president of Democrats Abroad of Costa Rica.

A report from the scene
Re[print from Tuesday newspaper: A quick report from the 12th floor of an office  building in Jersey City, directly across the river from lower Manhattan.

David had answer to today's terrorism
A personal view: The sheer obscenity of yesterday's multiple attacks  on the United States is overwhelming. The devastation caused to so many families who have lost loved ones is staggering.
 

Thursday, Sept. 13, 2001

A jittery country continues to cope with terror
The  country remained jittery Wednesday as the Costa Rican flag flew at half staff, the first of two  days of mourning.

Coco business owners were concerned before shooting
Friends and associates of Playa Coco bar owner Roger M. Crouse are trying to get together enough money for an adequate defense fund.

Trip to U.S. was quicker than planned for Ticos
A con man offered residents of the San Carlos area travel to and good jobs in the United States. Then he took their money and abandoned them in and around San José, according to investigators.

A reader reflects on the horror that came from New York
It is a new day, but it feels very old and historically familiar. In one sense, I am glad that my father didn't live to see what happened yesterday. 

Four face charges in Jacó drug bust
Investigators arrested four persons they said were major distributors of cocaine paste in the Jacó area.
 

Friday, Sept. 14, 2001

Flowers show sympathy as memorial Mass planned
The flowers are beginning to gather at the U.S. Embassy in San José as Costa Ricans seek a way to express their sympathy for the terrorist attack that killed thousands in the United States Tuesday.

Jo Stewart's weekly column
Tuesday morning when I got up at 6 a.m. I decided for the first time in several months, not to watch the news.

FBI seeking extradition of Florida jail escapee
The Federal Bureau of Investigation is seeking the extradition of a Cuban man who fell into police hands after a masked man broke into the home of a San José restaurant operator.The wanted man is Julio Bonchea, 31, who also is know by the last name Bonachea, according to officials in Florida.

Heredia shooting kills one man
Two gunmen tried to rob a taquería in San Rafael de Heredia Wednesday about 11 p.m. and ended up killing Milton Aguilar Mireira, 46, who confronted them, according to the Judicial Investigation Organization.

Anti-drug strategies stress cooperation
Some 65 military men who fight drugs in Central America wrapped up a four-day conference in San José Thursday. They heard a high Costa Rican official tell them "You are on the side of good."

U.S. issues another strong warning to citizens
The U.S. government renewed its continuing warning to citizens abroad Thursday in the wake of the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington.
 

Monday, Sept. 17, 2001

Photo display of Sosta Rican fireman paying tribute to dead firefighters in the United States.

Passenger jets are flying again to the States
Airlines with flights into Juan Santamaría Airport in the Central Valley were making a dent into the  involuntary tourists Sunday. The major airlines said they were flying into the United States, and they planned to continue today.

Opinion: Please don't call response a 'war'
Please let's not use the words "war on terrorism." To characterize in that way the search for those hateful people who would kill innocents is to elevate their importance.

Rodríguez rips terrorists in Independence speech
The president of Costa Rica condemned the terrorist attack on the United States at the top of his Independence Day agenda at Parque Nacional Saturday morning.

Off to see the world in hope of peace
Watch out for the  guy with the stroller if you are headed south of Dominical on the way to Panama this week. The walker is Jean Béliveau.

Nine arrested in new bust in Jacó over drug sales
Investigators have arrested nine more persons at the popular beach town of Jacó and jailed them on various drug charges.

Cubans deplore attacks, too
Cubans gathered Saturday in the town of Majibacoa for a rally to condemn the terrorist attacks against the United States and show support for the victims.

Brazil braces for negative economic reactions
Like other Latin American nations, Brazil is bracing for potentially negative economic repercussions from Tuesday's terrorist attacks in the United States.
 

Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2001

Memorial service this morning at 9 for terror victims
The U.S. community and friends will be gathering this morning for a memorial service for the thousands killed by terrorists Tuesday in the United States.

Possibility of list touches Costa Rica
Costa Rica was abuzz Monday at the possibility that 52 terrorists are hiding here.

Muggers at work in downtown area
A gang of muggers is targeting pedestrians along Avenida 1 in downtown San José in the area much-frequented by tourists.

Ex-banker wins one
A Mexican judge threw out three arrest warrants against former banking tycoon Carlos Cabal, who was extradited from Australia earlier this month.

Arab community down south gets the eye
Authorities in Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay say they have stepped up  security along their common border area in the wake of Tuesday's terrorist  acts in the United States. The area was under suspicion in the past as a  possible haven for Middle East terrorists.

Temporary dip seen in Costa Rican tourism
There is a consensus on the effect Tuesday's terrorist attack will have on tourism in Costa Rica. Air fares might creep higher, thanks to increased security. Some U.S. citizens and Canadians might avoid foreign travel for awhile.

Gunmen strike businesses in Sabana and Alajuela
Armed gunmen hit twice in Sabana, once Sunday and again Monday.
 

Wednesday, Sept. 19, 2001

Police raid liberates four victims of kidnapping
Police raided cottages in Birri de Heredia late Tuesday and freed four kidnapping victims who had been held since Sept. 7. They also said they captured two women and four men and held them as suspects. 

Resolve not vengeance stressed by speakers at memorial service
With the Flag suspended above and 50 votive candles outlining the stage, the U.S. community and friends met Tuesday in a memorial service for victims of terrorist attacks a week earlier.

Bar owner who shot man hopes to leave jail soon
Roger M. Crouse is hoping to get out of jail soon.

Latin countries probe links to Osama bin Laden
Latin American governments are actively investigating possible suspects and activities linked to accused terrorist Osama bin Laden. 

OAS might invoke Rio Pact against terrorism
The Organization of American States is set to meet today in Washington to discuss a regional response to last week's deadly terrorist   attacks in the United States.

New quake in El Salvador
An earthquake measuring 5.0 on the Richter scale has shaken El Salvador.
 

Thursday, Sept. 20, 2001

Costa Ricans show their sympathy with flowers
The wall at the U.S. Embassy in Pavas is a collection point for flowers and notes of sympathy.

Police identify suspects in Rohrmoser kidnapping
Police have released the names of the five suspects grabbed late Tuesday night in a raid that rescued four kidnapping victims

Internet scammers have new twist
There's a new twist to the Nigerian scam. This time the money is safely in Spain, and you won't have to go to Nigeria to collect all those millions of dollars.

Guide to Costa Rica goes electronic
A guide book about Costa Rica is different than most.  For an additional charge, author Harry S. Pariser has made arrangements for book purchasers to download a Palm Pilot supplement that is searchable by computer.

Bush will address Congress, world
President Bush addresses both houses of Congress tonight to explain to the American people why the United States has come under attack by terrorists. 

Judge orders arrests of Dirty War suspects
An Argentine federal judge has ordered the arrest of 18 former officials from the country's military dictatorship during the late 1970's and early1980's. 

OAS discussed Rio Pact consequences
The Organization of American States has held a one-day special session to discuss hemispheric action in the wake of last week's deadly terrorist strikes in the United States.

IRA disavows Colombian trio
The Irish Republican Army says three Irish men arrested in Colombia several weeks ago are not affiliated with the organization.
 

Friday, Sept. 21, 2001

Woman shot near congress
A woman confronted a man trying to break into her car Wednesday about 6 p.m., and the man shot her.

Most famous statue getting spiffed up
The most famous statue in Costa Rica is being made ready for another century.

How life can change completely in a second
Jo Stuart's weekly colomn

Bush demands quick surrender of terrorists
President Bush has demanded Afghanistan's Taleban authorities immediately turn over Osama bin Laden and the leaders of his al-Qaida militant group. 

U.S. tourism hit but local effect still uncertain
The U.S. tourism industry is being hard hit by last  week's terror attacks as millions of Americans cancel vacation and convention plans.

Embassy official thanks country for its sympathy
Linda Jewell, the top U.S. official at the embassy in San José issued a formal thanks Thursday to Costa Rican officials and citizens who have expressed their sorrow for what happened Sept. 11 in New York and Washington.

FBI vists Paraguay in terrorism probe
Paraguayan authorities say the Federal Bureau of Investigation has sent agents to a major border city that has fallen under suspicion as a transit point for shadowy groups. 

Ex-Venezuelan dictator dies in Spanish exile
Marcos Pérez Jímenez, 86, a military officer who rose to be the Venezuelan strongman, died Thursday in Madrid, Spain, where he was in exile.
 

Monday, Sept. 24, 2001

Water gains status as natural resource
The United States and allies went to war over oil. Now a new war seems to be in the works, and oil will be a factor.

FBI charges U.S. analyst as spy 
A senior U.S. defense intelligence analyst has been charged with spying for Cuba. FBI agents arrested Ana Belen Montes Friday at  her office at the U.S. Defense Intelligence Agency headquarters at Bolling Air Force Base in Washington.

How's that again?
This is another Costa Rican bank story. It's a bit personal because the individual involved is editor of this publication.

15 suspects arrested by Paraguayan authorities
Paraguayan officials have detained at least 15 people in their investigation into possible links between the country's large Arab community and the deadly terrorist attacks in the United States.

Clinton OK'd bin Laden plan
Former President Bill Clinton said that he had authorized a plan to capture, and if necessary, to kill suspected terrorist Osama bin Laden. 

Oregon student becomes new Miss America
A college student from the western U.S. state of Oregon has been crowned Miss America in a patriotic pageant amid tight security in Atlantic City, New Jersey.

Violinist Isaac Stern is dead
Isaac Stern, the master violinist,  has died.

Mass media have forsaken their obligations
Opinion: As with most Americans in the aftermath of Sept. 11, the news media are lining up with President Bush to fight the good fight against terrorists, but in so doing journalists have forgotten that their job is to ask questions and report the facts.

We may have been forced into a corner
Opinion: With my coffee cup in one hand and my little Buddy's leash in the other, I strolled down our unpaved street this morning in the same way I often start my day. 
 

Tuesday, Sept. 25, 2001

When will  the  rains end  this  year?
The Central Valley had a break from the rains last week and Monday. Some hope this means an early end to the rainy season. But that is not likely, according to the National Meteorological Institute.

House urged to go slow on new terror bill
Persons and organizations concerned about privacy and civil liberties are urging the House Judiciary Committee to go slow in considering the Anti-Terrorism Act of 2001 backed by the Bush Administration.

Colombian president identified as assassin's target
Colombian authorities say they have foiled a plot by right-wing paramilitary forces to assassinate President Andres Pastrana.

U.S. Embassy sets up page on terrorism
The U.S. Embassy in San José has put up a special set of Web pages relating to terrorism, and among them is a link that lets travelers check the status of flights at most U.S. airports.

Bush and Chretien pledge unity against terror
President Bush and Canadian Prime Minister Jean  Chretien have pledged to work together closely to combat global terrorism.

Hurricane targets Mexico's west
Hurricane warnings continue to be posted along Mexico's western coastline as a weakened but still powerful hurricane, Juliette, tracks a parallel  course.

Gas station manager gunned down in north
Four men in a car intercepted a gas station  manager, shot him fatally and took an estimated 5  million colons in Guácimo Monday morning, according to the Organization of Judicial Investigation.

Annual carnival runs into possible trouble
The annual October carnival event in Limón is scheduled to kick off Oct. 12 in the Caribbean town. But the Carnival de Caribe 2001 may be in jeopardy.

U.S. will re-examine its policies on visas
Evidence showing that most of the terrorists  involved in the Sept. 11 attacks in New York and  Washington entered the United States legally on student or tourist visas is prompting a  re-examination of U.S. immigration and visa  policies.
 

Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2001

They'll get a jolt out of this device
Self-protection always is on the mind of  foreigners living in Costa Rica. [Feature story on Air TASER device.]

Jews to begin holiest day of year at sundown
The holiest day of the Jewish year begins at sundown today and ends tomorrow one hour after sunset.

Danilovich promises he will protect U.S. citizens
One of John Danilovich's priorities as U.S. ambassador to Costa Rica will be ensuring the protection of Americans here, he told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee Tuesday.

Colombia wonders how guerrilla got in
Colombian authorities are investigating how a suspected Marxist guerrilla managed to appear in an official delegation that included the presidents of Colombia and Venezuela.

Colombians rescue seven hostages
The Colombian military has rescued seven of the people taken hostage in a mass kidnapping, but the wife of the nation's attorney general remains a captive.

U.S., Latin countries hold free-trade talks
U.S. trade officials held simultaneous meetings with their counterparts from Central and South American countries Monday to advance their common goal of building stronger trade ties within the region and worldwide.

Scam scandal rocking 911 emergency service
Scamsters inside the police or the agency that runs  Costa Rica's 911 telephone system are being sought  for tricking people who had just suffered the loss of their car to thieves.

Woman suffers injuries
A woman suffered injuries about 2:30 Tuesday afternoon in Plaza Major, Rohrmoser, near the U.S. Embassy,  according to police investigators. 

Official English: Still beating a dead horse?
Opinion: Twenty-six American states have passed laws declaring English the official  language. Now it's Congress' turn.
 

Thursday, Sept. 27, 2001

Four legs of economy now shaky
 Costa Rica's economy stands on four once-sturdy legs. They are bananas, coffee, microchips and tourism.

Vendors feeling the brunt
You cannot get much more basic as a tourism industry than the vendors who maintain stands under a rusting corrugated roof between Avenida Principal and Avenida 2 just west of the Plaza of Democracy.

Lights, camera, action!
You want to play chicken? Well you always could at the Los  Anonos bridge. That's the narrow structure over the Rio Tiribi east of Escazú.

Mystery classic new productionof theater group
Tomorrow The Little Theatre Group of Costa Rica opens Agatha Christie's masterpiece of murder and suspense "Ten Little Indians."

Tico car-theft, fraud ring is being dismantled
Authorities are cracking down on what they say is a complex web of car thieves, public officials, crooked lawyers, forgers and businessmen.

Tougher U.S. laws urged against money laundering
A top U.S. Department of Justice official and a senator from Michigan urged Congress Wednesday to approve tougher laws against money laundering as a necessary tool against terrorism and other forms of international crime.

Hurricane Juliette appears to be weaker
U.S. weather forecasters say Hurricane Juliette is  weakening but remains a large and powerful system as it moves northwest along Mexico's Pacific coast.

Woman was shot in robbery
A woman injured Tuesday afternoon in Rohrmoser was shot by robbers at Cafeteria Berraca, said  police. they identified her as Karla María Tardaucia.
 

Friday, Sept. 28, 2001

President requests unity to overcome economic crisis
The president of Costa Rica took to the television Thursday night to raise national spirits in the face of economic reverses.

A funny thing happened on the way to the theater
Jo Stuart's weekly column

Police seek leads to find next-of-kin of dead man
There is a body of a U.S. citizen in the police morgue in Heredia, but neither police nor U.S. Embassy officials can locate family members.

Police get170 kgs. of coke in exportation firm bust
Police watched a meeting between four suspected drug smugglers in Sabana Norte Tuesday then  followed them to find 170 kilograms of cocaine nearby, they said Thursday. 

U.S. Coast Guard denies targeting foreign ships
The U.S. Coast Guard has moved to squash rumors  that it is preventing ships "from certain countries" to dock in U.S. ports.

Judge plans to  try Argentine ex-dictator
An Argentine judge has ordered former dictator Jorge Videla to stand trial for the  abductions of 72 political opponents during Argentina's so-called Dirty War on political  dissent.

Hurricane Juliette reaches Mexico's Baja
Hurricane Juliette has reached Mexico's Baja California Peninsula after hitting southern Mexico  with heavy rainfall and high winds. 

Chavez says Venezuela will aid Afghans
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said his country will provide humanitarian aid to Afghan refugees fleeing their country as soon as the U.N. refugee agency approves the mission.

Population in poverty reported to be lower
Efforts to reduce the number of people living in poverty have proven successful in much of Latin America and the Caribbean, according to a new report by the U. N. Economic Commission for Latin America