Messi Poster in Buenos Aires Buenos Aires, Oct 4 (EFE; additional reporting by The Costa Rica Star).- Matias Messi, brother of Barcelona striker Lionel Messi, faces arms charges in Argentina, the Cadena 3 news website reported. Matias Messi refused to allow police to search his Audi A5 and would not show them the vehicle's documents during a traffic stop on Saturday in the southern city of ...

Wikimedia Commons The United States Embassy in Costa Rica recently announced that the 2017 Diversity Visa Program Registration, often called the "green card lottery," is now open. Once again, citizens from Costa Rica are invited to apply. The congressionally mandated Diversity Immigrant Visa Program is administered annually by the Department of State. Section 203(c) of the Immigration and N...

Source: PRETOMA PRETOMA News Release, October 5, 2015 – San José, Costa Rica - Stemming from the recent blockades of public highways by the fisheries sector last September 2, the government agreed to a series of reckless, illegal, and unconstitutional agreements with certain members of the sector. The agreements and commitments were communicated to environmental groups after a formal request t...

The players and staff of the National Men's Football Team of South Africa, affectionately known as Bafana Bafana, were forced to make last-minute travel plans on their way to Costa Rica, where they are scheduled to play a friendly match at the Chinese-donated National Stadium in La Sabana on Thursday. South Africa is the first of two opponents that will match up against the National Men's Footb...

UNESCO News Release - A commemoration conference on the occasion of the International Day Against Impunity for Crimes Against Journalist will be held in Costa Rica on October 9 and 10. The conference will take place in San Jose, at the Auditorium of the Inter-American Court for Human Rights. Costa Rica is fortunate to enjoy one of the highest levels of press freedom in the Americas. Such is not...

Within the framework of the United Nations General Assembly, Costa Rica joined Belgium, Benin, France, Mexico, Mongolia, the Republic of Moldova, and Switzerland in presenting a resolution against death penalty. Belgium was selected to present the resolution; the following press release on this matter was issued by the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development Cooperation agency of the Kingdom of Bel...

From September 23rd to the 25th, Costa Rica’s National Ecotourism and Sustainable Chamber (Spanish acronym: CANAECO) hosted the International Conference: Planet, People, Peace (P3) at the Children’s Museum in San Jose. P3 was sponsored by Costa Rica Tourism Board (Spanish initials: ICT), and it focused on addressing issues including social development through tourism, climate change adaptation, wa...

As one of the leading medical tourism destinations in the world, Costa Rica attracts thousands of health travelers each year, and many of them arrive in our country seeking dental care. Dental tourism in Costa Rica is attractive not only because it is more affordable in comparison to North America and Europe; in fact, other Latin American destinations may offer cheaper services, but these are plac...

President Solis, center, with CARICOM leaders. Media Release by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Barbados - Prime Minister Freundel Stuart identified Costa Rica as a like-minded country with which CARICOM should deepen relations in areas such as trade, education and cultural exchanges. The Prime Minister was speaking recently on behalf of CARICOM at a meeting with the Pr...

Miami, Oct 3 (EFE).- American actor and rapper Will Smith sings again, this time doing a remix of his number "Fiesta" with the Colombian band Bomba Estereo. Missing from the music world for 10 years, Smith returns with the Colombian band doing an upbeat fusion of electro-tropical sound and rap that reflects "the impact of Latin rhythms" on the international scene. "Having a personality like ...

Flick Commons The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, a 140-year old institution serving the State of Ohio, recently launched an initiative to spread awareness about conservation of the Bradypodidae family. The initiative also seeks to support The Sloth Institute, a wildlife research and rescue center located in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. The Cincinnati Zoo cares for Moe, a 16-year-old ...

Wikimedia Commons Seven years ago, Stephen Fry travelled through all fifty states of the USA in a black cab. But he’s always been fascinated by events south of the border, so now, in this brand new four-part series, he embarks on an adventure into America’s backyard. In episode four, Stephen’s journey continues through Costa Rica and Panama. In Costa Rica he discovers a country, which is a ...

Viaje ORANJESTAD, Aruba, Sept. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The island of Aruba will once again host filmmakers and film enthusiasts from around the world during the fifth annual Aruba International Film Festival (AIFF), Oct. 7-11. Kicking off with a short film and Q&A session with actor Tyrese Gibson (from the Fast & Furious and Transformers franchises) and sponsored by the Aruba Tourism ...

Source: Facebook Karen Quesada is a glamour model who cuts a familiar figure in the lingerie show circuit in Costa Rica, but she is also becoming known for her political inclination. Miss Quesada is formally seeking election a municipal seat in the Guadalupe district of the central canton of Cartago, the former capital city of Costa Rica. Miss Quesada is not the only lingerie model running ...

Source: Sea Shepherd Sea Shepherd Media Release - Last week, while patrolling the waters of the Faroe Islands, the crew of the Sea Shepherd ship, Sam Simon, discovered the carcass of a pilot whale floating in the waters just outside Klaksvík in the Kalsoyar fjord in the northeast of the archipelago. On closer inspection, the Sea Shepherd crew made a number of gruesome and disturbing observa...

Source: Flickr Commons Nearly 100 low-income families have decided to take over land that belonged to a United States farmer who was killed in Costa Rica. According to a news report recently filed by Alexander Mendez of daily tabloid Diario Extra, the squatters have moved into a farm in Coloradito a remote village located near the border with Panama. The farm in question is apparently part ...

Mr. Madonna and Mr. Tacetta. NJ AG Office NJ Attorney General Press Release. TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman announced that Matthew Madonna, a ruling boss of the New York-based Lucchese crime family, was sentenced to state prison as a result of Operation Heat, an investigation by the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice that uncovered an international criminal gambling ent...

Wikimedia Commons Vibrators, inflatable sex dolls, cremated remains, and snakes are some of the contents of the strangest parcels handled by Correos de Costa Rica, the national post office, at sorting and delivery facilities in San Jose. Since about 2006, letter mail in Costa Rica has virtually disappeared; however, courier delivery of parcels and packages has greatly increased over the las...

Miss Costa Rica 2015 Brenda Castro Brenda Castro, a stunning Caribbean woman who was crowned Miss Costa Rica earlier this year, will represent our country at the next Miss Universe pageant. Such was the announcement made during last night's broadcast of 7 Estrellas, an entertainment news magazine produced by national television network Teletica. As previously reported by The Costa Rica Star...

22/09/2015 - Madrid / TRAGsa Press Release -- A total of 51 professionals, all of them technicians and in charge of ecotourism in Wild Protected Areas at Costa Rica’s National Network of Preservation Areas (SINAC) took part in the courses given by professionals from Grupo TRAGSA, and which had as their main goal to strengthen the capabilities and knowledge of the workers from the above institution...

Source: Supreme Auctions GUANACASTE, Costa Rica, Oct. 1, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- On November 14th, 2015, four contemporary eco-luxury villas located on the Nicoya Peninsula in Guanacaste Province will be sold at a single luxury no reserve absolute auction, offered by Supreme Auctions in cooperation with Chris Suarez of Keller Williams Realty International, Costa Rica. Each Nirvana Sanctuary ho...

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Solid capital positions, high dollarization, stable customer deposits, good liquidity and sustainable asset quality underpin the largest private banks in Costa Rica, according to Fitch Ratings. With the addition of strong parental support, BAC, Scotiabank and Davivienda's national ratings are well anchored. 'Despite the prospects of a less dynamic eco...

TORONTO, Sept. 29, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- National Geographic and award-winning Canadian tour operator G Adventures have joined forces to launch National Geographic Journeys with G Adventures, a new line of experiential trips to destinations all over the globe. With similar core values, an aligned sense of social responsibility, and a shared belief in the positive impact that travel can have on the ...

Rincon de la Vieja, Costa Rica – September 29, 2015 – Zip Lining has become a top choice of tourists the world over. It provides an exhilarating experience like no other, filled with sights and memories that will last a lifetime. While Zipping along a carefully planned course is a fun experience wherever it may be, nothing compares to the experience of Zip Lining through the canopy of a Costa Rica...

PRFree.Org (Press Release) Sep 28, 2015 -- Global Concepts, a travel agency based in San Antonio, Texas, plans to offer all-inclusive travel packages to its customers for a week stay at the Ecoplaya Beach Resort in Costa Rica. The resort is situated in Salinas Bay, La Coyotera Beach, which is located in Guanacaste province in Costa Rica. This area is located near two national parks, as well as in ...

Source: NORCECA NORCECA Press Release - MORELIA, Mexico, September 29, 2015 - Canada dominated Costa Rica 3-0 (25-15, 25-12, 25-10) on day three of the NORCECA Women’s Continental Championship at the Bicentenario Auditorium in Morelia, Michoacan. Canada concludes the preliminary round with a 2-1 record and advances to the quarterfinals of the competition; Costa Rica, with 0-3 record, will m...

Source: Wikimedia Commons Since Costa Rica is blessed with a Caribbean coastline, many diving and snorkeling enthusiasts tend to pursue their passion on that side of the country, thereby missing out on the great opportunities located on the opposite side. The northern Pacific Coast of Costa Rica is home to an underwater paradise, but there are issues with visibility that can alleviated with th...

Wikimedia Commons With hundreds of miles of coastline, the Guanacaste region offers spectacular fishing options in Costa Rica. Although most of the competitive offshore fishing tournaments in Costa Rica are typically organized along the Southern Pacific coast, Guanacaste and the entire Northern Pacific region is a haven for deep sea anglers who wish to enjoy their fishing vacations. This artic...

Source: Sylvania Costa Rica By Carolina Ruiz Vega Choosing LED lighting can benefit the environment and your personal finances in  Liberia. A worldwide growing energy demand in a context of scarce energy resources has resulted in an increase of energy prices in recent years. This situation can be felt in Liberia and across Costa Rica. According to the World Economic Forum, lightning d...

Source: Pixabay Commons Tinder, the popular mobile social network that makes it easy for members to meet and interact based on affinity and geolocation, is increasingly being used for the purpose of prostitution, at least according to a recent investigative article by Sophie Cullinane of online British publication The Debrief. The Debrief article interviewed Sarah, a woman who worked in a n...

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica - Sept. 27, 2015 - PRLog -- The Costa Rican Car Rental Association (ACAR) announced radical changes to its organization in September 2015 to combat the tarnished image of the industry in the country with sweeping changes to its structure. ACAR is relaunching itself as a self-regulatory body with the main purpose of providing a neutral mediatory service between customers and...

Source; Karolina Brenes Facebook A stolen smartphone and the unauthorized publication of a sex video on social media have been motives of concern for Karolina Brenes, a shapely woman who used to be one of the top glamour models on the lingerie show circuit in Costa Rica. Ms. Brenes recently asked her social media followers for help in stopping an intimate video from reaching viral status on Fa...

Most medical tourists who choose Costa Rica for dental treatments often cite cost as their major motivation to travel. Dental procedures in North America and Europe can be very pricey, particularly when they involve restorative work, implantation and oral surgery. Such treatments are far more affordable in Costa Rica, but there is another very attractive factor to dental tourism in Costa Rica, and...

Wikimedia Commons A broken tooth is a dental condition that may result from an accident or from decay. To a certain extent, a chipped tooth can be a medical emergency if a large fragment is inadvertently swallowed or if it leads to an oral infection. Depending on the amount of damage sustained, the tooth may be permanently lost if left untreated, and the risk of future infection may increase. ...

What effect does environmental degradation have on local communities? How do you produce enough food to sustain humanity? Why do so many racial and ethnic minorities and the poor live in places that are detrimental to their health? How can people live in harmony with the environment while having access to modern conveniences? According to Dr. Patricia Campion, Saint Leo University asso...

Immigration officers assigned to the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), located in the province of Alajuela, detained a male traveler from the United States during the early hours of Friday. According to a news report filed by Josue Alvarado of online news daily Costa Rica Hoy, the U.S. man planned to enter our country for the purpose of tourism; however, he was denied entry at the passp...

In an effort to prevent interference by awful tourists who have previously disrupted nesting sea turtles in Costa Rica, the Ministry of Public Security (Spanish initials: MSP) has alerted officers from a special police unit to deploy to Playa Ostional, province of Guanacaste, in case they are needed. According to a news report filed by Pablo Rojas of online news daily CRHoy.com, the MSP has rea...

Recent public opinion surveys conducted by the Investigative Center of Political Science of the University of Costa Rica suggest that the administration of President Luis Guillermo Solis is not the most popular at the moment, particularly in matters related to the national economy. According to reports filed by Ernesto Rivera of the weekly Semanario Universidad, 70 percent of voters in Costa Ri...

Malinche Costa Rica Newrest Press Relase - Only three months after launching its operations in Costa Rica, the Newrest Group is proud to announce the inauguration of its first restaurant specifically created for Central America: the Deli'Malinche. This novel concept, now open at the Juan Santamaria International Airport (SJO), located in the province of Alajuela and not far from San Jose, w...

Pixabay Commons Heartbreak, love unrequited and a deep feeling of lost hope are being cited as the reasons that drove an English teacher to take his own life in Costa Rica. According to a news report filed by Gerin Portilla of daily tabloid Diario Extra, Cristobal Oviedo Ocontrillo decided to jump from the Saprissa Bridge in Tibas, a northern suburb of San Jose, after telling his elderly mothe...