Gasoline Prices Drop!
Traffic was back to normal yesterday with the lowering of gasoline prices.

Hurricane Adrian Means More Rain Than Normal in Costa Rica
This weekend will be wetter than normal thanks to the effects of "Adrian", the tropical storm that converter to Hurricane as it hit the El Salvador coast and weakening as it moved east towards the Caribbean.

CCSS Ordered To Offer Better Medical Attention to Patients
Waiting for up to a year to be treated at a hospital run by the Caja Costarricense del Seguro Social (CCSS) - the Caja - is nothing new to many Costa Ricans. And being turned away at the Caja pharmacies because your medication is not in today is a common practice.

Gonzalez Family Given One More Independence Day
The Gonzalez family, which has been fighting deportation to their native Costa Rica after overstaying a visitor visa for 13 years, has gotten permission to remain in the United States for one final Independence Day.

No More "Shoeshining" in Central Park
Come today, the Municipality of San José will not permit "shoe shining" in the Central and La Merced park.

Equal Opportunities
Costa Rica places 18 in the world regarding equality of opportunities for men and women, according to a World Economic Forum survey disclosed in London.

It Doesn't Pay to Bribe A Transit Official; Woman Arrested and Vehicle Seized!
Perhaps, in what could be a first in the history of the Policia de Transito, a woman was detained yesterday for attempting to bribe an Oficial de Transito.


LATIN AMERICA

Brazil, Argentina agree to deepen bilateral relations
Argentina and Brazil reached Friday an "ambitious" agreement to end differences that stressed their ties and drive the strategic cooperation between the two powers of South America.

US to deal with Posada case according to its own laws: official
The United States will apply its own laws to the case of Luis Posada Carriles, who was accused of terrorism by Cuba, said a senior US official here Friday.

13 Chilean soldiers die in snowstorm, scores still missing
At least 13 Chilean soldiers were frozen to death and scores of others were still missing in a fierce snowstorm in the Andean region while they were on a training exercise, President Ricardo Lagos said Friday.

Mexico: 12 people die in wave of violence
At least 12 people were found killed in a wave of violence across Mexico after police found Colombian drug-dealer Omar Gallego had been beaten to death here.

Venezuela: Washington Protects Terrorists
Attempts to avoid the extradition request of terrorist of Cuban origin Luis Posada Carriles received a strong response from Venezuela, which accused the US of protecting terrorists.


SPECIAL REPORTS

COLOMBIA:
Anti-Drug Herbicide to Be Sprayed Again in Nature Reserves
The Colombian government plans to renew fumigation in nature reserves using the herbicide glyphosate to wipe out illicit drug crops. The practice was suspended in March 2004 in those areas as a result of protests by activists who argued that it violated international treaties, national laws, and agreements with local indigenous and peasant farming communities.