Daily Archives: January 7, 2011

Mudslide in Brazil kills four from same family

Authorities in Brazil say four people from the same family have died in a mudslide in Sao Paulo state. Officials say the four, including two girls, died when a mudslide triggered by heavy rains caused their house to collapse. The … Continue reading

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Amnesty cites sex violence in Haitian tent communities

Amnesty International says sexual violence against women in Haiti is increasing one year after a deadly earthquake forced hundreds of thousands of people into makeshift shelters with little or no security. Amnesty said in a report Thursday the offenses are … Continue reading

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Blaze in Aserrí levels home and furniture store

Fire destroyed a furniture store and a connected dwelling in Aserrí Thursday morning. There were no injuries, but the blaze put a family of six out on the street and destroyed their business. The site was in the center of … Continue reading

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Muslims say U.S. agents ask religious questions

If any U.S. citizen knows his legal rights, Hassan Shibly does. A law student at the University of Buffalo in New York, he has also clerked for a judge at a New York’s State supreme court. Last summer he took … Continue reading

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Vermont school children get a taste of real Cuban music

Fifty years ago this month, U.S. President Dwight Eisenhower broke off diplomatic relations with Cuba, after Fidel Castro nationalized property and businesses owned by U.S. citizens. Eisenhower’s successor, President John Kennedy, imposed a trade embargo on the island nation the … Continue reading

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Jail time sought for man who was in standoff with police

A Desamparados man who held his own son hostage for about 90 minutes Wednesday is in police hands as he recovers from a self-inflicted bullet wound. The man, who has the last name of Chacón, was reported to be depressed. … Continue reading

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Three quarters of police vehicles reported to be road worthy

The Fuerza Pública said that 75 percent of its 1,097 cars and pickups have passed the obligatory inspection and have received permission to operate on the nation’s roads for this year. The police agency said that through a glitch, many … Continue reading

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Accelerating change is having subtle and unknown effects

Lately there has been a lot of mail on the Internet about the comical problems social networking is causing older adults (when I say “older adults,” my friend Steve always asks, “Older than what?” and I used to try to … Continue reading

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New York Bar, an expat watering hole, passes into history

New York Bar, an expat watering hole, passes into history

The bar, operated by Richard Arthur, held a final night party Wednesday. The fixtures were up for sale Thursday. Arthur, like many downtown business people, has experienced financial pressures lately. There are fewer tourists and expats roaming the downtown streets. … Continue reading

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U.S. boat that visited Golfito made a big haul in Pacific

When Costa Rican lawmakers visited a U.S. Navy ship in Golfito last month, the crew had just confiscated more than 600 kilos of cocaine off the coast of Panamá. U.S. Ambassador Anne Andrew hosted a group of 18 Costa Rican … Continue reading

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Latin America in 2010 presented in U.N. statistics

“The Statistical yearbook for Latin America and the Caribbean, 2010,” which features the main economic, social and environmental indicators for the region’s countries, became available Thursday on the Web site of the Economic Commission for Latin America. This annual report … Continue reading

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Missing California family could be here, father says

Missing California family could be here, father says

A California family of four vanished in February, and the husband’s father said Thursday that he thinks the family may be in Costa Rica. “My son Joseph is an avid surfer and would never be able to not surf,’ said … Continue reading

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Spike in robbery-murders worries law enforcement

A wave of murders that began the year is linked to gang members and other young men who punctuate robberies with additional violence. The latest case was Thursday when a 27-year-old mother on her way to work suffered a fatal … Continue reading

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