Archive for October 7th, 2008
Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
Massive support by Costa Ricans, and many others throughout Latin American, via text-message voting have catapulted local singer Maria Jose Castillo to the finals of the reality show “Latin American Idol,” produced by Sony Entertainment Television — and modeled after the hugely popular American Idol program in the United States.
This week, it will finally be known whether the 18-year-old native of Barva, in the province of Heredia, will walk away with the coveted crown that would most certainly assured her an international artistic career.
To support Castillo in her last and most important effort to come out triumphant, people can send an SMA to 43657 with the message “MARIA”.
To accomplish such a goal, Castillo must face off the other finalist: Panamanian Margarita Henriquez. In either case, the winner of this year’s popularity contest — now in its third season — will be a Central American once again, following last year’s victory by Guatemalan Carlos Peña. The first edition of the show went to Venezuelan singer Mayre Martinez.
This Wednesday, at 7 p.m., Castillo and Henriquez will go on stage once again to decide who deserves the title. Following their performances, viewers can start voting via SMS until noon on Thursday, with the results to be announced that same night on TV. (more…)
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Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
Prices surged 15.77 percent over the past 12 months, the highest year-over-year increase since 1998, according to a report by the Statistics and Census Institute (INEC). Food and non-alcoholic beverages became 27.7 percent more expensive, hurting low-income families who tend to spend a greater percentage of their paycheck on food. Transportation costs increased 19 percent, while the bill at restaurants went up 18.8 percent.
Of the 292 goods and services used to measure the consumer price index, 68 percent increased in price, while 23 percent became cheaper and 9 percent stayed the same. Compared to September 2007, consumers are now paying 70 percent more for beans, 56 percent more for eggs and 53 percent more for rice.
Last month, prices increased 0.95 percent, the highest September increase since 1999. The Central Bank estimates that 2008 inflation (from January to December) will be 14.2 percent, down from its earlier stated goal of about 8 percent.
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Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
Costa Rican Coast Guard and health authorities on a relief mission to Burica Point –the southernmost area of Costa Rica–, unexpectedly located a boat involved in drug trafficking on the Pacific. In a fast action, a boat with a four-man South American crew was seized with a cargo consisting of 3.2 tons of compressed marihuana, 220 kilos (478.2 pounds) of cocaine, and 10 kilos (22 pounds) of heroine. Also seized was a Costa Rican commercial fishing boat, with three local crewmen, who carried fuel apparently destined to drug-smuggling boats.
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Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
At a cost of $12 million, Intercontinental Hotels Group (IHG) is building its fifth hotel in Costa Rica. Located in Santa Ana, San Jose, Indigo Forum Costa Rica will have 100 rooms and it will operate under the idea of a boutique hotel.
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Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
Costa Rican-owned Punta Islita Hotel, in Nandayure, Guanacaste, is listed among the 100 best destinations in the world. The acknowledgement comes from Travel + Leisure, a renowned travel magazine. It is the only Central American hotel in the magazine’s recommendations. “This confirms that a Costa Rican business is not only competitive but that it also can successfully surpass even the best known international luxury chains,” said Harry Zurcher, Punta Islita president.
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Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
President Oscar Arias warned that poverty is increasing in Costa Rica this year. The main reason for the negative trend, he explained, is the increase in the prices of food, which will also affect different Latin American nations. Dr. Arias said he was very pleased in 2007, when the level of poverty was lowered by 3%, but that this year he feels sorry because the opposite is most likely to happen. From 2006 to 2007, the growth of the economy, the lower inflation, and state aid lowered overall poverty from 20.2 percent to 16.7 percent, which was the lowest level in the last 30 years. The cabinet’s social coordinator and Minister of Health Dr. Maria Luisa Avila said that proper actions are underway to lessen the impact of poverty.
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Tuesday, October 7th, 2008
Costa Rica ranks number one in the list of regional democracies in the Latin American Democratic Development Index (known as IDD-Lat2008), the privately-sponsored annual report made by Polilat.com and the Konrad Adenauer Foundation. The study consists in an analysis of the behavior of societies, leaders, and institutions in 18 countries throughout Latin America. Costa Rica is followed by Chile, and Uruguay in the upper part of the list, while Venezuela, Bolivia, and Ecuador are the countries with the least democratic development in the region, according to the Index.
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