Transit Police Patrol Highway on Foot
Officers of the Policía de Tránsito have been patrolling since March the 51 kilometres of highway of the Zurquí on foot, given that the patrol vehicles assigned to them are still in the shop, waiting on an order for their repair.

Mid Year School Break Starts Tomorrow
For the next two weeks 975.000 students will be on school vacation as the mid-year begins with the closing bell tomorrow.

Two Storms Will Bring Heavy Rain Until Tomorrow
The Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias (CNE) issued a "green" alert for the Pacific and Northern zone as two weather fronts are affecting the area, giving way to fog, drizzle and heavy rain.

US Senate Committee Approves Central America Tre Trade Deal
The free-trade deal with Central America and the Dominican Republic cleared a major hurdle with approval from a key US Senate committee, setting the stage for a floor vote this week and a July showdown in the House of Representatives.

IDB Approves us$116M Loan To Costa Rica
A us$116,835,000 loan from the Inter-American Development Bank will support a program to boost Costa Rica’s competitiveness by investing in strategic sectors for economic growth: small- and medium-size enterprise productivity, trade management, technological innovation and rural roads.

Online Gaming May Recruit Costa Rica in its U.S. push
The international gaming industry is apparently eyeing Central America as a viable entry point to more freely expand Internet gambling in the lucrative U.S. market, including Utah, where such games are not legal.


LATIN AMERICA

Demonstration against Central American summit held in Honduras
Students, teachers and indigenous residents demonstrated Wednesday in Tegucigalpa, capital of Honduras, against the free trade agreement (FTA) between the Central America and the United States and a regional summit held there, reports reaching here said.

US threatens to end aid to Ecuador
The United States threatens to end its military assistance to Ecuador in case the latter refuses to accept the immunity of US troops from criminal prosecution.

Venezuelan president may reconsider ties with US
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez reiterated the possibility of reconsidering the ties with the United States on Wednesday, after a letter revealed US intention to act against the country.

Colombia extradites five more drug traffickers to US
The Colombian government said Wednesday that it has extradited five Colombians to the United States as they were charged with involvement in drug-trafficking in that country.

11,000 affected in storm in S. Chile
Torrential rains have caused five deaths and affected more than 11,000 people in a region spanning between Valparaiso and Bio Bio, southern Chile, since Sunday, the Chilean government said Wednesday.


SPECIAL REPORTS
WOMEN:
12 Colombian Nobel Peace Nominees All Too Familiar with War
"I'm 50 years old, I was born into war and I have lived in war all my life," said labour and women's rights activist Patricia Buriticá, a pioneer in incorporating a gender perspective in Colombia's trade union movement. She is one of 12 Colombian women nominated for this year's Nobel Peace Prize.