San José, Costa Rica -    Thursday 14 October 2004

1.396 Daily Average Visits in September!

Players on the Canadian bench sit quiet after Costa Rica scored their third goal, during their World Cup qualifying match in Vancouver, Brirish Columbia.Costa Rica defeated Canada 3-1 in Wednesday' s  game. [Foto: REUTERS/Andy Clark] Click for larger image!

insidenicaragua A new weekly feature published on Sundays, featuring a summary  of current news and events in Nicaragua.

Taiwan Again Implicated in Costa Rican Corruption
Alleged payments by Taiwan to former Costa Rican president Miguel Angel Rodríguez were added to a growing list of scandals involving the Taipei government and Costa Rican politicians and civil servants.

Alcatel Total Payout To Date: us$4.400.000
Just when you thought the wave of corruption scandals was calming down, another revelation yesterday by television Channel 7's "Telenoticias" confirmed that another former director of the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) got paid by Alcatel.

Costa Rica to Host Private Sector Forum in San José
The fight against Corruption, the Promotion of Transparency and Free Trade are some of the themes that will figure prominently in this year's Business Forum at the IberoAmerican Summit of Heads of State and Heads of Government, according to the President of the Inter-American Economic Council Barry Featherman.

CONCACAF SOCCER:
Costa Rica beat Canada 3-1
Costa Rica overcame an early goal down to beat Canada 3-1 in Vancouver on Wednesday, ending the home team's hopes of advancing to the next round of World Cup qualification. 

MORE
Pacheco on Taiwan and Rodríguez
"I hope he has an explanation..."

False Alarm!
What will happen when Miguel Angel Rodríguez arrives in Costa Rica?

Where's My Car?
A list of parking lots with the highest number of vehicles reported stolen, according to complaints filed at the Organismo de Investigacion Judicial (OIJ), between January 1 and October 4 of this year:

Mexico to support single Central American candidate as OAS chief
Mexican Foreign Minister Luis Derbez said Wednesday that his country would support one single Central American as candidate for the post of secretary general ofthe Organization of American States (OAS).

Paraguayan interior minister, police chief sacked
Paraguayan President Nicanor Duarte on Wednesday fired Interior Minister Orlando Fiorotto and National Police Commander Umberto Nunez for deteriorating security in the country.

Colombian police capture rebel chief
Colombian police captured a top rebel commander who was allegedly the main supplier of arms and ammunition of an anti-government guerrilla forces, Colombian press said Wednesday. 

International News from the New York Times
 

The average Tico makes far less than $700 per month.  Do you really think that Ticos pay the same amount for property here as gringos do? Think about it.  Maybe you don't have to overpay. Find out... Click here!

RIGHTS-COLOMBIA: Paramilitaries Extend Their Tentacles Local secretariats of finance, roads and health -- ”that's where the money is, that's where the show is run,” a member of a paramilitary militia in Colombia can be heard saying in the taped telephone conversation. The wiretapped conversation took place a few days after the October 2003 local and regional elections, and the two men were lamenting that the candidate for mayor backed by the paramilitaries in a town in the department (province) of Norte de Santander, on the border with Venezuela, was not elected.

With GSM and the Lowest Cost to Rent a Cellular Telephone in Costa Rica!

Retirement/Relocation Tours for the Non-rich! I am the ONLY Retirement, Relocation Guide in Costa Rica without a hidden agenda. I will show you many of the best areas for value of climate, land, amenities, and building costs. I will introduce you to honest, value, people who will share with you the actual costs of real estate & homes built for people like you. You can then compare these to any of the other "DEALS" promoted by the many other "Tours" Please visit: www.costaricaretireonss.com and contact my References. George Lundquist, Retirement, Relocation Columnist for: www.insidecostarica.com and www.welovecostarica.com