San José, Costa Rica - Wednesday 30 June 2004

1.611.962 Hits in May!

 

Public sector employees gathered in front of the Ministerio de Hacienda building yesterday on Avenida Segunda to protest their increase in salaries of only 3.5% for the second half of 2004. Click for larger image!

Banco Elca Closed
A series of anomalies in the operation of Banco Elca was detected by the Consejo Nacional de Supervisión del Sistema Financiero (CONASSIF), which Tuesday ordered an intervention into the operations of the private bank.

New Comptroller Asked to Resign
A group of 38 Legislative Deputies have banded together and calling for the resignation of the newly appointed Comptroller Álex Solís.

Earthquakes Shake the Pacific Coast
Two earthquakes shook the Pacific coast yesterday, according to the Red Sismológica Nacional (RSN).

210 Year Sentence for Corruption
Rodríguez is one ten people who were accused of irregularities in using airline tickets. Managers at the Aviación Civil have access to a certain number of airline tickets at various airlines.

Controller's Strike Still Going Strong
The air traffic controller's strike continues with neither side giving way to any further negotiations.

Priests Said to Cross Borders to Escape Abuse Charges
A yearlong investigation into 200 cases of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic clergy by The Dallas Morning News found that nearly half involved clergy that tried to elude law enforcement by crossing international borders, often with assistance from their superiors, and many of these remained in active ministry.

News Briefs
A computer virus placed the records of the Registro Nacional in jeopardy this past week, slowing down the producing of records and other functions at the Registro, was disclosed yesterday. Computer technicians took some 3 days to remove the virus.

Nicaragua seizes 1,900 kg of cocaine The Nicaraguan Naval Force and the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) seized 1,900 kg of cocaine in a joint raid against drug trafficker, the Naval Force said Tuesday. The almost two tons of cocaine were found on June 27 by the US coastguard service patrolling the international waters in the maritime border between Nicaragua and Costa Rica, the Naval Force said.  Brazil asks for measures to protect nuclear industrial secrets The Brazilian government said Tuesday that it is "normal" for the United Nations to inspect its nuclear installations, but made it clear that the procedure has to be negotiated to protect the industrial secrets.  Ten people missing in river overflow in Colombia Ten people were missing after the Banadia River, in Colombia's eastern department of Arauca, overflowed and destroyed a bridge.  Paraguay's coup plotter jailed after returning from exile Former Paraguayan army chief Lino Oviedo was arrested Tuesday at Paraguay's capital airport on charges of plotting a coup and murder after five years in exile.  Fitch Ratings Affirms Banco Cuscatlan's Ratings Fitch Ratings affirmed Banco Cuscatlan de El Salvador, S.A.'s (BC) long-term foreign currency at 'BB (Negative Outlook)', short-term foreign currency at 'B', individual at 'D', and support at '5'. International News from the New York Times

SPECIAL REPORTS: MEXICO: Sick and Tired of Rising Crime and Impunity Sara Patrón, who was kidnapped for several hours in her car and beaten by her kidnappers in the Mexican capital, said she lives in constant fear in a country where the police and criminals sometimes appear to be on the same side. ''I didn't report the kidnapping to the police,'' she told IPS, ''first of all because I was terrified, and in a really bad physical condition, but also because the criminals told me they were in contact with the police and that if I dared to talk, they would kill my five-year-old daughter. ''Just imagine, that's too much to deal with,'' said Patrón, 35, who lives in a middle-class neighbourhood in Mexico City and works at a clothing store.   THE TAKE: CULTURE CLASH MOVIE MADNESS Expatriate question - Popcorn, Coke, hotdogs -- all are coming attractions to an enjoyable movie watching experience. Luckily all these amenities are available in Costa Rica (along with some of the softer theaters seats that I have had the pleasure to sit down in). Unfortunately, Costa Rican movie watching requires one more accessory that is rarely found in theaters to the North…cell phones.

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