Pacheco Spends Another Night in Hospital, Should be Home Today
Doctors are giving President Abel Pacheco the ok to leave the Calderón Guardia hospital after spending two nights there, treated for high blood pressure. He expected to leave the facility, headed for home, at noon today.

Arias in the Lead Latest Poll Reveals
Oscar Arias, presidential candidate for the Partido Liberación Nacional (PLN) - the green and white party - is leading the pack for the 2006 presidential race, according to a recent poll by Demoscopia published in the daily Spanish language newspaper Al Día.

Catholic Priest Sentenced to 30 Days Jail for Killing Dog
The Juzgado Contravencional del II Circuito Judicial de San José sentenced Padre Carlos Artavia, priest of the Tibás Parrish, to 30 days jail for the death of "Camila", the street dog that the priest sent to be be put to death at a veterinary clinic following reports that the dog was disturbing masses.

Heavy Rain Causing Flooding and Mudslides in Many Areas of the Central Valley
The heavy rains of the last several days have caused alarm for the Comisión Nacional de Prevención de Riesgos y Atención de Emergencias (CNE) as floods are affecting many areas.

New Immigration Law Passes Gets First Vote Approval
Congress approved at first debate the new immigration law that would punish up to six year jail time "el coyotage" or the illegal trafficking of persons.

300.000 Foreigners Live in Costa Rica Legally
Statistics by the Departamento de Migración y Extranjería reveals that some 300.000 foreigners live permanently in Costa Rica. That number does not include those living under refugee or tourists status, nor illegals.

Report Confirms Sharks Disappearing off Costa Rica
According to a report released June 3, 2005 by the government of Japan at the Ninth Session of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), 120 Taiwanese vessels were recently conducting shark-finning operations offshore Costa Rica, Honduras and Mexico, but the abundance of shark resources in the region declined rapidly.


LATIN AMERICA

Bolivian protests grow after President offers to quit
Tens of thousands of Bolivian peasants and miners marched through La Paz on Tuesday as some opposition leaders urged early elections to end the crisis after President Carlos Mesa's offer to resign.

Bolivia's Mesa urges early elections
Bolivian President Carlos Mesa says elections are the only way to stop the demonstrations spreading through the capital La Paz.

OAS General Assembly adopts final statement
The Organization of AmericanStates (OAS) closed its three-day General Assembly meetings here in the southern US State of Florida late Tuesday by issuing a final statement that omitted the US proposal to establish a mechanism to monitor threats to democracies in the region.

American countries prepare to help Bolivia out of crisis
American countries and regional blocs Tuesday expressed their concerns about the situation in Bolivia and said they would provide assistance to resolve the crisis after the resignation of Bolivian President Carlos Mesa.

Chile removes Pinochet's immunity on corruption charges
The Santiago Court of Appeals removed former military ruler Augusto Pinochet's immunity from prosecution on Tuesday, paving the way for him to be tried for financial fraud after the discovery that he had secret accounts in the United States.


SPECIAL REPORTS

ARGENTINA:
The Right to Give Birth Naturally
An original media campaign in Argentina is aimed at raising women's awareness on their right to be accompanied in the delivery room, and to give birth in whatever position is most comfortable for them and without unnecessary medical interventions.