San José, Costa Rica -   Wednesday 06 October 2004

1.396 Daily Average Visits in September!

Updated every day by 8:00AM Central Standard Time

Alajuela finally gets it's new hospital! Yesterday afternoon, the move from the the 99 year old Hospital San Rafael ceased to function, opening the doors to the new Hospital San Rafael located across the road from the Mall Internacional, 1km north of the Juan Santamaria airport.  The new facility cost ¢16.000.000 colones, covers 31.645 square meters and will attend to a population of 350.000. Click for larger image!

insidenicaragua A new weekly feature published on Sundays, featuring a summary  of current news and events in Nicaragua.

ICE-ALCATEL SCANDAL
'Angry' Pacheco Feels Betrayed
President Abel Pacheco said Tuesday he would wait until investigators confront his predecessor, Miguel Angel Rodríguez, in a corruption scandal before taking any further action to oust him from the top post at the Organization of American States.

ICE-ALCATEL SCANDAL
Nicaragua & Mexico Support Costa Rica's Call
Nicaragua supports the call of Costa Rica for the stepping down of Organization of American States (OAS) Secretary General Miguel Angel Rodriguez, the Foreign Ministry said Tuesday.

Ericsson Contract Gone
The Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) said Tuesday it would no longer seek to push through a contract with Ericsson after confirming that the Swedish telecommunications giant paid for two officials of the state-run entity to travel to Prague last year.

"Typical" Pedophile Arrested
A 63 year old American, identified only by his last name - Callahan - was detained by police yesterday in his home in La Uruca, west of San José, for allegedly sexually abusing at least five minors in San José centre.

Banana Pickers Allege Use of Toxic Substance by Firms
Thousands of banana pickers in Costa Rica have filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles against two chemical companies and three major U.S. fresh produce companies, claiming exposure to a toxic pesticide caused a range of reproductive disorders.

Brazil "important candidate" for expanded Security Council: Powell
US Secretary of State Colin Powell said Tuesday that Brazil will be an "important candidate" for new permanent members of the United Nations Security Council should the council be expanded.

Colombian army kills four guerrillas
The Colombian army killed four rebels in two separate actions Tuesday, said the military.

International News from the New York Times
 

SPECIAL REPORTS: ELECTIONS-U.S.: Environmental and Latino Votes for Candidate Kerry U.S. environmental groups are rallying behind presidential contender John Kerry, whose environmental record they say is much greener than that of President George W. Bush. The two will face off in the Nov. 2 national election. Activists believe that the administration under Bush, of the Republican Party, has been characterised from its start in January 2001 by placing corporate interests above environmental protection. Unlike the president, the Democratic Party's candidate Kerry opposes drilling for oil in the ecologically sensitive Arctic Wildlife Refuge in the state of Alaska, and supports enforcing existing rules on clean air and water -- which critics say the current administration has tried to significantly weaken.

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