San José, Costa Rica -     Tuesday 19 October 2004

1.396 Daily Average Visits in September!

The party that went bad. Five year old, Amanda Peña Gómez, was accidentally killed by her uncle who thought the gun, .22 caliber revolber, he was playing with was a toy.  The accident occurred Sunday in Sabanilla. [Foto: Graciela Solís/ Diario Extra] Click for larger image! Our foto gallery of Miguel Angel Rodríguez's arrival at the Juan Santamaria airport The La Nación foto gallery  for a closer look of the man himself as he steps off the airplane and taken into custody

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

Busy Week Ahead for the Fiscalía
This week will be a tense and trying week for the Fiscalía (Prosecutor's office) and the Fiscal General, Franciso Dall'Anese.

Who Is Allowed to Visit Former President Rodríguez?
Television Channel 7's Telenoticias has been keeping a close eye on the "house arrest" of former president Miguel Angel Rodríguez and raised the question over the last couple of days, of who is authorized by the courts to make visits of Rodríguez.

No Trace of Escaped Prisoners
The doors at the country's most populated prison have to be repaired once more, as three men made their way past security on Sunday morning, taking advantage of visitor's day, to escape from the the prison.

17% of Inmates In for Sexual Crimes
Costa Rican jails hold 1.118 male prisoners related to sexual crimes, that include rape, abuse and corruption of a minor.

Heavy Rain Expected for This Week
This week will see an increase in the intensity of rain and thunderstorms, as the "rainy season" winds down, according to the country's weatherman - the Instituto Meteorológico Nacional (IMN).

MORE
Who is paying for Rodríguez apartment?
A real estate agent was able to answer that question, the same agent who negotiated the lease on apartment 39, in the condominum “Estancias Latinas”, en Vargas Araya, Monts de Oca, San Pedro.

OPINION
Costa Rica's Status Paled
Costa Rica finds itself swamped in scandals reaching as far away as Taiwan, France and Washington. Dubbed the "Switzerland" of Central America, Costa Rica now joins the ranks of the other corrupt Latin American countries.

Cuba calls for true integration of Latin America
Cuba supports a "true economic integration" of Latin America and favors all the integration initiatives raised by the Latin American Integration Association (LAIA), a Cuban minister said here Monday.

Venezuela Investigates Fire in South America's Tallest Building
Venezuela is investigating to determine the cause of a fire that gutted the top 20 floors of South America's tallest building and why the sprinkler system failed, a government spokesman said.

UN nuclear experts arrive in Brazil
A team of UN nuclear experts has arrived in Brazil, hoping to break a deadlock over inspections to verify Brazil is not diverting enriched uranium to a weapons program.

Bolivian protesters ask Congress to approve new oil bill
About 5,000 demonstrators gathered Monday in the Bolivian capital of La Paz to urge congress to endorse a new bill on the nationalization of oil and natural gas resources, reports arriving here said.  

International News from the New York Times
 

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RELIGION Bishops Talk About Cockroaches, Lesbians and Democracy The Catholic Church will always be hierarchical, will continue to keep women out of the priesthood, and will never accept marriage between homosexuals, said bishops from around the world meeting in Mexico. Some observers say these stances and others emanating from the Vatican alienate followers and are driving the Roman Catholic religion towards crisis. "Christ decided that the Church would be hierarchical and not democratic, and although society is moving towards gender equality, the Church will hold to its precepts," said Venezuelan Bishop Luis Márquez. That position, along with others on questions like homosexuality and the best way to draw new followers into the fold, were discussed by the bishops in the 48th International Eucharistic Congress, held Oct. 10-17 in the western Mexican city of Guadalajara.

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