Parents Go To Costa Rica for Missing Son
The parents of a missing Australian man have flown to Costa Rica to search for their son who vanished more than 40 days ago.

Concacaf Fines  Saprissa
The Concacaf soccer federation fined the Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica with us$10 thousand dollars because of the misbehavior of its fans at a game against the Monterrey team of Mexico.

Foundation Vice President Speaks Out Against Phone Rabbi
Local channel 7 news team Telenoticias has been giving ample coverage to the woman who claimed to be a rabbi and headed a foundation to help children. Now, lawyer María Teresita Madrigal, who is also an ex-judge, speaks out on the work of Rabbi Elohim Gebor and the foundation Templo de los Santos Apocalípticos del Tercer Milenio, which is supposedly part of the Visión de Vivir foundation.

14 Year Old Boy Scams the Banco de Costa Rica
The Banco de Costa Rica (BCR), a state bank, that has advertised that it is the most secure bank in Costa Rica in face of competition from the private banks. appears to have been taught a lesson in security by a group of youths led by a 14 year old boy.

Costa Rica's Coastal Challenge Opens Registration
he Coastal Challenge, the world’s first “Expedition Run”™, will open online registration for the January 2006 Costa Rica based foot race next Monday, April 18, at 12 p.m. (noon) PST.

LATIN AMERICA

Ecuadorian president declares state of emergency in capital
Ecuadorian President Lucio Gutierrez declared a state of emergency in the capital city on Friday and dissolved the Supreme Court in a bid to settle a political crisis simmering for months.

Castro urges US to deny asylum to Cuban militant
Cuban leader Fidel Castro urged on Thursday the US government not to give asylum to a Cuban militant involved in a Cuban plane bombing that killed 73 people in 1976, local reports said Friday.

Brazilian kidnapped in Iraq dead
The Brazilian engineer held hostage by Iraqi militants since Jan. 19 has been dead, local TV Red Globo quoted a British anonymous source as saying Friday.

Fortune of Augusto Pinochet Over 17 Million Dollars
Chilean judge Sergio Muñoz tagged the personal fortune of former dictator Augusto Pinochet at more than 17 million dollars in a resolution he sent on Friday to the Chilean Appeal Court, to request withdrawal of his parliamentary privileges.



SPECIAL REPORTS

HEALTH-CUBA:
Anti-Smoking Measures and Safer Cigarettes
While Cuba has joined most of the rest of the world in adopting anti-smoking measures, the Caribbean island nation's scientists have also developed a new, less harmful variety of tobacco to lessen the ill effects of this health-threatening habit.