CCSS Goes After Dead Beat Companies
As of May 1 of this year, 10 companies owe the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS) - Caja - millions of colones in unpaid worker benefits.

Hurricane Adrian Slams El Salvador; Costa Rica Affected
Hurricane Adrian slammed into El Salvador late Thursday, cutting off power and unleashing heavy rains that could cause severe flooding.

Man Who Shoots Mother-in-Law Suicides
The young man, Guadalupe Vives Miranda, who was known in the areas as "Lupe" was found dead from a self inflicted wound on Thursday morning about 300 metres from where he shot dead his mother-in-law on Wednesday night.

Costa Rica Expects to Reap Good Business Dividends from EXPOTUR
Some 150 travel and tourism wholesalers from 16 countries will huddle in Costa Rica´s EXPOTUR with a view to do business with Costa Rican businessmen.

100 Birthday Candles for Oliva
Come Wednesday, doña Oliva Vargas, will prove that her formula for living in peace, tranquility and fervor for life was fruitful for her reaching her centenary birthday.

Costa Rica Exports Talent, Too
Among 104 countries, Costa Rica is the 20th largest exporter of "brains", according to the most recent global report on information technology from the World Economic Forum.


LATIN AMERICA

Venezuela demands US hand over Cuban-born terrorist
Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez Thursday demanded the US government stop putting on a show and hand over a terrorist with Venezuelan citizenship to face justice in his country.

US arrest of Cuban-born terrorist a farce: Castro
Cuban President Fidel Castro said Thursday that the arrest of Cuban-born terrorist Luis Posada Carriles is a "great farce" performed by the US government, whose true aim is to protect him and prevent him from facing justice.

Colombian army kills 16 rebels
The Colombian army killed 16 members of the rebel Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) in Operation Romeo in the south of the country, said an army officer Thursday.

5 Chilean soldiers killed, 95 missing in snowstorm
Five Chilean soldiers were frozen to death and 95 others were missing in a fierce snowstorm in Andean region, an army commander said Thursday.



SPECIAL REPORTS

ARGENTINA:
Trafficked Women - an Invisible Problem
 "They simply vanish, as if the earth had swallowed them up," said activist Juan Carr, referring to the girls and women who fall prey to trafficking rings in Argentina that sell them into forced prostitution.