News (List View)

Carlos Alcaraz has admitted to being starstruck when he first faced Rafael Nadal, saying that facing the 22-time Grand Slam champion was “kind of a nightmare”. Speaking in Berlin on Thursday ahead of the Laver Cup, the 21-year-old Alcaraz reflected on his on-court battles with fellow Spaniard Nadal.

“It was a huge thing when I played him for the first time,” said the world number three. “The other times for me were kind of a nightmare.” Alcaraz already has four Grand Slam titles, winning his first at the 2022 US Open in the same year Nadal won his most recent major at the French Open.

Nadal, 38, was set to take the court alongside Alcaraz in Berlin, but pulled out due to his continued struggles with injury. “Playing against Rafa is always tough. Every time for me it was a privilege to share the court,” added Alcaraz.

“Every time I faced him, I tried to be a good enough player to beat him.” There was speculation Nadal may retire from the sport at the Laver Cup, as great rival Roger Federer had done two years ago, but he is set to continue.

Alcaraz will play doubles alongside German Alexander Zverev for Team Europe at the tournament, with their first clash coming against Americans Taylor Fritz and Ben Shelton for Team World.

Preparing to play on home soil, Zverev said of Alcaraz: “It’s a privilege to share the court with a legend of our sport already.” The two have clashed three times in 2024, including in the French Open final, which Alcaraz won in five sets. “I think it’s amazing to hear my teammates call me a tennis legend, but I try not to think about it,” said Alcaraz.

“Above all, what makes you a legend in tennis is what you contribute to the sport and how you try and take tennis to the top, to be heard in every corner of the world. “To attract the largest possible audience, to people who have never seen tennis in their lives, thanks to you they watch it on TV or start to play, that makes you a legend, apart from the tournaments you have won and the success you have.”

Team Europe won the first four Laver Cups, starting in 2017, but Team World have won the past two. Alcaraz has the most Grand Slam titles of any current player besides Nadal and Novak Djokovic.

Team World captain John McEnroe, who this week called Alcaraz “the biggest breath of fresh air we’ve had in the sport in 10 years”, said Thursday the emergence of a next generation of talent meant the men’s game was in good hands.

“We were just watching the three greatest players who ever lived,” McEnroe said. “(We thought) what’s gonna happen? And suddenly, things seem to be doing OK. “We’ve got some energy in our sport and this event helps with it.”

Costa Rica is home to thousands of unique animal species, many of which captivate scientists from around the world. Among these fascinating creatures is the anole lizard, a small, semi-aquatic reptile that inhabits the country’s lush rainforests.

Recently, Lindsey Swierk, an assistant research professor of biological sciences at Binghamton University in New York, conducted groundbreaking research on the remarkable abilities of these lizards, often referred to as “diving lizards.”

The anole lizard is known for its incredible survival tactics, particularly its ability to evade predators by diving underwater and using a bubble of air as a makeshift scuba helmet. This bubble, which forms on the top of the lizard’s head, allows the reptile to remain submerged for extended periods, making it nearly invisible to predators.

“Diving underwater and remaining there for a long time is an anti-predator strategy for water anoles. These lizards aren’t particularly speedy, and taking to the water is a very effective option. It’s easy to disappear from a predator’s eye once you hide underwater for a few minutes,” Dr. Swierk explained.

Dr. Swierk’s research captured this fascinating behavior in a video, showing the anole breathing out and re-inhaling air pockets while submerged. She first noticed this unique adaptation while walking along mountain streams in Costa Rica, observing the lizards dive and remain underwater for surprising lengths of time.

According to her findings, published in Biology Letters, the lizard’s bubble system may allow it to extract oxygen while submerged. Swierk theorizes that additional air pockets are trapped around the lizard’s head and throat, enabling it to exchange and refresh the air within the bubble—much like a scuba diver’s air tank.

Dr. Swierk conducted further experiments to test whether the bubble had a functional role in respiration or was simply a byproduct of the lizard’s skin properties. By applying a substance to the lizards’ skin that prevented bubble formation, she observed that those in a control group—able to form bubbles—could stay underwater 32% longer than those with impaired bubble production.

“This is the first experiment that truly shows the adaptive significance of bubbles. Rebreathing bubbles allow lizards to stay underwater longer. Before, we suspected it, but we didn’t actually test if it served a functional role,” Swierk added.

Swierk’s lab plans to conduct several types of follow-up research on the “bubble-breathing” observation.

The government’s monetary policy has significantly impacted various sectors of the country. In this context, the Costa Rican Social Security Fund (CCSS) announced that the Mexican company Promotora y Desarrolladora Mexicana de Infraestructura S.A. DE C.V. (PRODEMEX), responsible for building the Cartago hospital, has withdrawn its bid.

PRODEMEX cited the country’s macroeconomic situation as a primary reason for exiting the project. The company emphasized the appreciation of the Costa Rican colón and its effects on the project’s viability. According to PRODEMEX, the economic outlook has changed considerably since they initially submitted their bid to build the hospital.

“It is evident that a project of this magnitude can only be successfully executed and completed with the commitment and support of all stakeholders involved, in accordance with the applicable legal framework,” PRODEMEX stated.

Moreover, the appreciation of the colón has affected the economic feasibility of the project, as the contract did not include adjustment mechanisms for such fluctuations.

PRODEMEX also highlighted the country’s political situation as another reason for withdrawing its offer. They pointed to the disagreements between the CCSS and the Ministry of Health, which have generated uncertainty, particularly following a Ministry of Health resolution in May 2023 that deemed the land “unsuitable” for hospital construction.

“The political uncertainty surrounding the project, and the lack of assurance regarding its execution as originally planned, constitutes a true fortuitous event (act of the prince), justifying our withdrawal and exempting us from liability,” the company added.

The hospital project was awarded after a thorough analysis of bids from four companies by the Infrastructure and Technology Department of the CCSS. PRODEMEX received the highest score, with 98.22%, followed by Compañía Constructora Van Der Laat y Jiménez, S.A., with 83.01%, Consorcio Edica HMPJ with 79.90%, and Consorcio Edificar-Estructuras 2022 with 74.09%.

Congresswoman Jhoanna Obando presented several motions on Thursday before the Cartago Commission, calling for a hearing with representatives from PRODEMEX, the Ministry of Health, and the CCSS, following the company’s resignation.

Unfortunately, due to government’s decisions and the disputes between officials, the people of Cartago will face further delays in the construction of a much-needed hospital.

The Minister of Security, Mario Zamora, confirmed the arrest of a Tajikistan citizen at Costa Rica’s northern border for alleged ties to the terrorist group ISIS. The arrest occurred on August 27 in the border town of Los Chiles, located in the province of Alajuela.

“He was arrested in the Northern Zone and transferred under high-security measures to the center of the country, where he remains under the protection of the Migration Police. The deportation process was activated immediately to ensure that he would leave the national territory and be placed at the disposal of his home country,” authorities confirmed.

Authorities identified him through several international alerts that linked him to this paramilitary group, known for its involvement in terrorist activities.

The arrest and subsequent transfer of the suspect required a large-scale police operation. The individual was transferred to the Greater Metropolitan Area under heightened security measures, where he now awaits the initiation of the extradition process.

“The detainee is connected to the Islamic State (ISIS), a well-known organization responsible for attacks and human rights violations in Iraq and Syria, which have caused devastation to thousands of people in the region. The citizen will be deported through legal mechanisms established by Costa Rican migration laws,” Zamora confirmed.

This is not the first time Costa Rica has arrested individuals with suspected ties to terrorist groups. In 2023, the country’s security forces captured two Somali nationals and one Egyptian citizen, all of whom were linked to Al-Qaeda. These individuals have since been deported from Costa Rica after going through the necessary legal procedures.

Migration authorities pointed out that the deportation process for such individuals involves highly complex legal, administrative, and coordination procedures. These challenges arise due to differences in cultural, political, and legal systems between countries involved.

Costa Rican authorities have not released further details regarding the identity of the detainee or the ongoing legal processes, citing security reasons. Nonetheless, Minister Zamora reassured the public that all necessary actions will be taken to ensure the continued safety of Costa Rica and its citizens.

“We will continue to work in defense of our sovereignty and ensure the protection of our population from terrorism-related threats,” said Minister Zamora.

QCOSTARICA — With the right Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools and the necessary technical knowledge, anyone could muddy the 2026 presidential campaign with “deepfakes.”

These are images, videos, audios and other multimedia content generated through these new technological tools, which have enormous potential for productivity and education, but also to generate false content and scams.

The warning is made by political strategists, deputies, possible presidential candidates, AI experts and university professors, who conclude that a significant percentage of Costa Ricans would be in diapers when it comes to detecting false content or deepfakes, while there is a huge legal vacuum to sanction behaviors that affect the reasoning of the vote due to these electronic tools.

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“On this issue, there will be people who question the content of social networks from the first entry, but also citizens who do not. Society is not prepared to identify what is false and what is real. “Education and awareness campaigns are needed about the danger posed by these tools,” said Ariel Ramos, a professor of systems engineering at Universidad Fidélitas.

In recent days, this issue gained notoriety when presidential candidate Luis Amador reported that his voice was cloned in an audio that was leaked to the press and in which he and other people discussed a plan to declare President Rodrigo Chaves “mentally unstable.”

El candidato #LuisAmador niega la veracidad del siguiente audio que fue filtrado a la prensa en días pasados y en el cual, él y otras personas discuten un plan para declarar “mentalmente inestable” al presidente @rodrigochavesr #SoundCloud https://t.co/EPevmKIaxA

— Esteban Arrieta (@estarrar) September 17, 2024

With the emergence of ChatGPT in November 2022, AI has seen rapid growth and has entered basically all fields of productivity.

As part of their analysis and discussion, companies such as Meta and OpenAI, as well as non-governmental organizations and various users, have generated deepfake content with ridiculous connotations, but that seem real, such as Pope Francis stealing from a supermarket, to warn of the dangers of technology.

Usuarios en redes sociales han creado contenido de #InteligenciaArtificial en donde personajes como @realDonaldTrump y @KamalaHarris son puestos en situaciones ridículas, pero que parecen reales pic.twitter.com/qajuaIqonA

— Esteban Arrieta (@estarrar) September 17, 2024

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Similarly, the RepresentUs group in the United States created videos of Kim Jong-un, leader of North Korea, and Vladimir Putin, of Russia, to expose the dangers of AI and how fragile a democracy can become.

More recently, singer Taylor Swift had to deny an AI-generated video circulating on Instagram in which she allegedly endorsed Donald Trump for president.

“To counteract this situation, a lot of education and awareness is required from all actors, who would have to come out and promptly refute the false messages that are generated,” said Gabriel Silva, an expert in Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity and member of the National Chamber of Information and Communication Technologies (Camtic).

Under current electoral legislation, not even trolls can be sanctioned, according to the Supreme Electoral Tribunal (TSE), since the law does not establish trolling or the creation of false accounts as an illicit conduct.

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In this way, a person or an organization could attack with complete impunity and would only commit a crime if their conduct falls within the reasoning for identity theft established by the Penal Code.

“The AI ​​law that we are drafting does not include anything on this topic, because we think that it is a very broad topic that must be addressed with greater care. It is undoubtedly a worrying issue that requires specific legislation,” said Vanessa Castro, a PUSC deputy and proponent of the project.

Concerns

Presidential candidates, analysts, technology experts and other actors refer to the challenges that the country will face due to the use of Artificial Intelligence in the political campaign.

For those consulted, it is practically a fact that the “deepfake” or identity theft through videos and audios will be added to the fake news that circulate on social networks during the electoral season.

“In recent days I was the victim of an irresponsible and orchestrated campaign to continue dirtying my name. On the subject of the leaked audios, I want to make it clear that I do not recognize the legitimacy of the audios where my voice is supposedly heard.

“What is evident is that their disclosure in a national media outlet related to the government is due to an irresponsible campaign to continue dirtying my name. I will not lend myself to this type of dirty politicking that contributes nothing to the Costa Rican citizenry,” were the words of Luis Amador, former minister of the MOPT and currently independent presidential candidate.

For Ivan Barrantes, political strategist, “If we do not do something with the education system, which was once of quality and generated excellent human resources, we will have thousands of people “cannon fodder” to be deceived by what is known as “deepfake”. Education is essential to create analytical and questioning citizens.”

“However, we must also be clear that Artificial Intelligence is advancing very quickly and it is possible that in the future, even the most prepared will be scored on. Today, the field is completely free and it is possible that in 2026 there will be something of this; otherwise, in 2030 for sure,” concluded Barrantes.

Some tools

Just by doing a Google search, you can find countless options for tools to generate content with Artificial Intelligence.

As technology advances, new options will become available.

These are some of the most popular for generating multimedia content. With Artificial Intelligence, you can make “deepfakes,” which use deep learning, an area of ​​artificial intelligence, to obtain fake videos:

• Deepfacelab
• FaceSwap
• Vidnoz Face Swap
• Miocreate
• Voice Engine, is is a program that could be used to clone voices and make them look like originals

These are generative Artificial Intelligence programs and services that develop artificial intelligence:

• Midjourney
• DALL-E by OpenAI
• Diffusion by Stability
• Da Vinci
• Stable Diffusion
• Artiphoria
• Adobe Firefly

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Q24N (TheGuardian) For more than 20 years, Lidieth Gomez’s days have been punctuated by the hum of crop-spraying planes. At dawn and dusk, the skies over Matina, capital of Limón province on Costa Rica’s Caribbean coast, are filled with aircraft spraying a viscous rain of agrochemicals on to banana plantations.

The endless green sea of banana fields surrounding Gomez’s spartan wooden home belongs to Limofrut, part of Grupo Acón, one of the main players in Costa Rica’s banana and pineapple export industry.

Gomez, a single mother of three, is one of 451 women participating in research by the Regional Institute for Studies of Toxic Substances (IRET) at the National University of Costa Rica. For 14 years, this study on pesticide exposure has investigated how chemicals used on banana plantations affect thyroid health and foetal development in pregnant women.

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“Every time the planes pass by, my eyes start to burn and my arms itch,” says Gomez. Other common symptoms from coming into contact with pesticides include nausea, vomiting, dizziness, fainting, dermatitis and burning eyes.

Among the pesticides found in the blood of women and children, including Gomez, 51, and her son Daniel, 14, are chlorothalonil and mancozeb – two fungicides associated with potential carcinogenic effects – as well as chlorpyrifos, known for its neurotoxic effects on children, and neonicotinoids, a type of insecticide which can hinder neurological development.

Many of these agrochemicals are banned in Europe but continue to be produced and exported to countries such as Costa Rica, where they help to meet market demands for the kind of aesthetically perfect bananas sold worldwide.

With more than 83,000 hectares of land cultivated with bananas and pineapples, Costa Rica is the world’s third-largest banana exporter and leading pineapple producer. In 2023, it produced approximately 2m tonnes of bananas and 2.5m tonnes of pineapples, primarily for export to the US and Europe.

Between 2000 and 2015, the country’s pineapple production increased by 700%, contributing to the destruction of more than 5,000 hectares (12,400 acres) of forest and leading to severe pesticide-related health issues in local communities.

Costa Rica ranks among the leading countries in the world for pesticide use, reported to be as high as 34.45kg for each hectare every year, according to a 2022 UNDP study.

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Such intensive use of chemicals helps to maximise yields and produce defect-free fruit, but the effects of this production model fall squarely on local people and the environment. On 23 June 2023, pupils and staff at the IDA La Victoria elementary school in Santa Rita de Río Cuarto began to notice a nauseating chemical smell.

“It was terrible. We evacuated the children, but the air outside was worse than inside. Almost all the children started hyperventilating within minutes,” says the headteacher, Rosalyn Sibaja Gomez.

In August, the same school experienced a similar event, resulting in 38 children and teachers being taken to hospital over the two incidents.

Documents from IRET and documents from the health ministry seen by the Guardian reveal that many of the agrochemicals found at the school – including ametryn, diazinon, chlorpyrifos, oxyfluorfen, terbufos and cadusafos – are banned in Europe.

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Agroindustrial RyB, the spraying company, was approached for comment several times but did not respond.

The Santa Rita de Río Cuarto incident is far from exceptional. Several other schools in the region have also experienced severe pesticide-related incidents.

Near Alfredo Miranda García school, the air is pungent, fields are scorched and the ground is strewn with what looks like the remnants of charred pineapples. The plantation, Agroindustrial Piñas del Bosque – Finca La Virgen, spans 600 hectares and belongs to the US multinational Dole, the world’s biggest fresh produce company.

“They use paraquat to dry and burn the plants, so it’s faster,” says Héctor Dávila, a worker in the pineapple fields and a member of the National Union of Agricultural Workers (Sintraac).

Exasperated, local people gathered testimony, photos and videos indicating the frequent use of paraquat. “They always do it in the afternoon or at night. The smell is unbearable the next day,” says Mariza García Miranza, headteacher of the elementary school.

“We have reported the issue to local authorities multiple times, but we are David against Goliath,” she says.

Maciot Robles Padilla, 41, a mother of three children who lives near the school, says her family are constantly sick. “We are all ill with asthma, coughs and allergies.

“They see us as a resource to be exploited,” she says. “What is the benefit for the community? None. What remains here is destruction and ill people.”

At dawn in Dole’s Finca Banadosmil Dos, workers spread a mix of herbicides around the banana rhizomes while a crop-dusting plane releases a sticky mist from above. Other workers, mostly Nicaraguans, move swiftly from tree to tree, covering banana bunches with blue plastic bags they say are soaked in chlorpyrifos and other insecticides.

“We are always exposed to the poison while working. I wrote a complaint to the company but it was useless,” says Gérman Jimenez, 51, who is paid 18,000 colones (about £25) a day to apply herbicide from 4.30am to 11.30am. He lives with his four children on the plantation in a wood and metal hut with no drinking water or electricity.

The Agricultural Plantation Workers Union (Sitrap) is well aware of the effects of pesticides on its 2,500 members. For years, Didier Leiton Valverde, its general secretary, worked on plantations of United Fruit (now Chiquita International) using Nemagon, a highly toxic pesticide linked to severe health problems such as infertility.

“We do not want fruit multinationals to stop buying bananas from Costa Rica,” he says, but adds: “We demand respect for workers’ human rights.”

Dole denied the paraquat allegations and said: “La Virgen is an organic farm that does not use synthetic chemicals.” It added: “Dole stopped using paraquat in all its pineapple farms in February 2008.”

The company has not responded specifically to allegations made by workers, who claim to have photos and videos suggesting the company’s continued use of these pesticides.

Chiquita International said: “All products used comply with the safety and quality standards set by current regulations. Similarly, the company operates in compliance with local labour rights laws.”

Grupo Acón, parent company of Finca Limofrut, did not respond to requests for comment.

Between 2019 and 2021, the EU banned several pesticides from agricultural use in member states due to their potential carcinogenicity, endocrine-disrupting properties, possible brain damage to children and foetuses, and their effects on ecosystems and aquatic organisms.

However, a document from the Costa Rican agriculture ministrydata from the Costa Rican State Phytosanitary Service for 202 shows that products banned in Europe, including chlorpyrifos (exported from Belgium), mancozeb (exported from Italy), and diazinon (exported from Spain via China) are still largely used on farms in the Central American country.

The export of hazardous substances and pesticides is regulated globally by the Rotterdam Convention, which allows countries to decide whether to import them, while the EU’s prior informed consent regulation governs these exports to non-EU countries or imports to the EU.

Adalbert Jahnz, a spokesperson for the European Commission on the environment, says: “A ban of exports from the EU does not automatically mean that third countries stop using such pesticides … Convincing these countries not to use such pesticides therefore remains crucial.”

Fernando Ramirez Muñoz, a researcher at IRET, sees European practices of not preventing the export of banned pesticides as “chemical colonialism”.

“It is not fair that in poorer countries, the health of most people, aquatic ecosystems, micro-organisms and soils is compromised to allow a few to continue their business,” he says.

As Laurent Gaberell, a food and agriculture expert at the Swiss rights organisation Public Eye, says: “Even if there were an export ban from the EU, the supply chain remains complex and controlled by a few large multinationals.

“A broader systematic approach is needed,” he says. “These chemical products are persistent, remaining in water and soil for decades, contaminating everything.”

For Berendina van Wendel de Joode, an environmental epidemiologist at IRET, there are clear double standards. As far as the agro-industrial system is concerned, she says: “Children and, more generally, citizens of Costa Rica, do not hold the same value as their European counterparts.”

While no barriers are imposed on the production, export or import of these products in Costa Rica, some are embracing organic farming practices that honour plant biodiversity rooted in the ancestral traditions of Indigenous communities.

Marina López is a member of the Bribri community and lives in Uatsi, about six miles from Puerto Viejo de Talamanca, the gateway for Spanish colonisers and the port from which bananas and other fruit have been shipped to Europe and the US for centuries.

On her farm, amid a lush forest, López grows bananas, coffee, cacao and other products, which she sells through fair trade outlets or directly to small groups of tourists, whom she and her son guide through the forest to learn about medicinal plants.

“Everything here is organic. Our ancestors never worked with agrochemicals, and I have chosen not to do so either. I could have produced more, but that would have meant killing other forms of life,” she says.

“The blue plastic bags full of pesticides used in intensive plantations end up in the rivers and soil and in our food. I don’t believe this is development. True development is protecting biodiversity.”

Read the original article titled “‘Every time the planes pass, my eyes burn’: the hidden cost of Costa Rican bananas” at TheGuardian.com

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QCOSTARICA — Starting October 1, just like in other countries or in movies, getting married in Costa Rica is less complicated, individuals will have the option to get married directly at the Civil Registry.

The changes are a result of the implementation of the new Family Procedural Code (Código Procesal de Familia) that comes into effect on the first day of October.

In addition to marriages, divorce and separation agreements and the process of recognition of children of married women can be filed directly with the Civil Registry.

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Marriages

Marriages may be celebrated before TSE authorities of the central and regional offices of the Civil Registry from Monday to Friday, from 8:00 am to 10:00 am at the central offices in San Jose and from 7:00 am to 2:00 pm at any of the 32 regional offices across the country. The other procedures can be requested during the institution’s regular hours; from 7:00 am to 3:00 pm.

Requirements are:

• A valid and current identity document.
• Email address as the main means of receiving notifications.
• Present the information of two adult witnesses, with a valid and current identity document. They must declare under oath that they know the interested parties and their legal capacity to marry, in addition to being available to appear with the contracting parties on the day of the marriage celebration.
• In the event that one of the contracting parties is a foreigner, additional documents must be presented. For example, a birth certificate and a certificate of marital status in the country of origin, both apostilled (must have been issued with a maximum of one month of validity at the time of submission).

Currently, the TSE has authorized a maximum of four marriages per week, both at the central and 32 regional offices. The entity will set the day and time for the ceremonies.

Thus, per week, a total of up to 132 marriages could be processed completely free of charge.

Unlike marriages before a notary, weddings before the Civil Registry will be free. The only payment (currently ¢2,620 colones) the couple must make is a publication in La Gaceta to validate the procedure.

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And unlike marriages entered into before a notary public, which depends on the date and time the notary presents the paperwork to the Civil Registry, they will be automatically registered after the act.

Separations and divorces

Couples without minor children or joint property and who divorce by mutual agreement, can now skip the courts and request the registration of the divorce directly in the Registry.

Requirements:

• The notary must submit the request for approval.
• Email address as the main means of receiving notifications.
• The agreement must be presented in a duly notarized public deed, with the formalities required by law.
• Certification of movable and immovable property of each of the parties.

Recognition of children of a married woman

To submit the application for administrative recognition of paternity of a minor, the mother, the biological father and the registered father must appear together to carry out the procedure before the Civil Registry, either at the central office or at its 32 regional offices.

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In cases of recognition of adults, the application must be submitted jointly by the biological father and the interested party.

Requirements:

• Present a valid and current identity document for both national and foreign persons (DIMEX, passport or identity document from the country of origin, only in cases of recognition of a minor, due to the best interest of the minor).
• Email address as the main means of receiving notifications.
• The biological father, the mother, and the registered father must appear together to make the application before a Civil Registry official.

In all these cases, the genetic marker test will be performed free of charge at the Responsible Paternity Laboratory of the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS).

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Despite the challenges Costa Rica has been facing regarding energy production, the government has resisted lowering tariffs on alternative energy sources, such as solar panels. On August 23rd, the Board of Directors of the Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP) received a new tariff methodology proposal to charge those who produce their own electricity through solar panels.

ARESEP confirmed that a high tax remains in place for those wishing to enter this market. The private sector calls it the “sun tax,” which refers to charging those who install these panels because they remain connected to the national grid. Technically, it is called an “access tariff.”

The new methodology changes the way the tariff is calculated; it will no longer be based on total consumption but on the amount of electricity produced by the panels.

ARESEP argues that it is complying with Law 10.086, which has been in force since December 2021 and was intended to promote the deployment of this technology in Costa Rica. They further argue that eliminating the access tariff would effectively subsidize those installing solar panels, as they would still have the ability to draw from the national grid without paying for that access.

With the entry into force of the new law in 2021, ARESEP claims to have complied with the mandate to create a methodology that avoids subsidizing these customers.

Prior to Law 10.086, the access tariff was calculated based on any surplus. With the approval of this law, the tariff was calculated based on so-called “natural consumption,” i.e., what was produced and what was consumed from the conventional grid; however, this was suspended. The new proposal involves calculating the access tariff based on what is produced by the panels.

The connection charge can range from ¢16 to ¢30 per kilowatt hour (kWh), depending on each distributor. The installation of solar panels is usually the most common way to produce clean energy on this scale. However, few new contracts have been signed in Costa Rica since 2021, when the new law came into effect.

Earlier this year, members of the energy sector indicated that this approach was not the way forward and that the country was regressing in this area. “What we are doing is discouraging growth among those with solar panels, and we are moving backwards,” commented Laura Gutiérrez, a representative of the sector.

Earlier this year, the Costa Rican Electricity Institute (ICE) announced power outages due to extremely dry weather and a lack of proper planning by the institution. They also noted that the country is demanding more energy, and it’s complex to meet this demand.

Citizens have criticized ARESEP’s stance, believing its methodologies discourage those who want to install solar panels.

Solar energy is an ideal alternative for Costa Rica, a country blessed with year-round sunshine and a reputation for green energy. However, authorities must act swiftly to balance the needs of the people with the urgent demands of the planet, encouraging rather than discouraging the adoption of clean energy.

The deputies of the Environmental Commission voted against File 23.463, the “Law to Promote the Economic Development of the Coasts by Declaring the Sailfish a National Symbol in the Economic, Social, and Cultural Development of Costa Rica.”

The vote was narrowly decided. Gilberth Jiménez and Katherine Moreira of the PLN, Manuel Morales of the ruling party, Carlos Andrés Robles of the PUSC, and David Segura of Nueva República voted against the bill. Meanwhile, Ariel Robles of the Frente Amplio, Óscar Izquierdo of the PLN, Luis Diego Vargas of the PLP, and independent María Marta Padilla voted in favor.

According to Feinzaig, in his defense of the bill, this would eliminate incidental fishing and the consumption of sailfish, allowing the species to recover and serve as a tourist attraction through sport fishing, which only permits catch-and-release practices. Bycatch, the unintentional capture of fish or other marine species while targeting other species, remains a concern.

Sailfish caught by sportfishing boats are all returned to the sea, they are not even allowed to be taken out of the water by Costa Rica law. Sailfish caught “unintentionally” by commercial long line boats are legally sold on the local market.

The deputies who opposed the initiative said they did so to protect the livelihoods of fishermen across various regions, arguing that approval of the bill would severely impact their livelihoods. “The fishermen’s farm is the sea; we must support them. Besides, the fishermen already know how to protect the sea,” said Alexander Barrantes.

PLN deputy Gilberth Jiménez pointed out that bycatch is already much lower than what current laws permit. In addition, he emphasized that there has been a significant decrease in this type of fishing in the case of sailfish, down to 5.8% since 2018.

Sailfish tourism is a major contributor to Costa Rica’s economy, generating $520 million in 2021, according to data from INCOPESCA. For the preparation of this bill, Congressman Feinzaig noted that the United States, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Panama have enacted legislation prohibiting the fishing of sailfish for human consumption.

“Costa Rica is the only country in the region where it is allowed to commercialize sailfish up to 10% of the weight of the total catch of a commercial fishing vessel; this proposed law completely prohibits this practice,” said the congressman. The congressman affirms that this initiative is part of the public policies aimed at the economic reactivation of the country.

“This is not just an economic development proposal for coastal regions; it’s a model of how sustainable development policies can protect the environment while fostering economic growth in coastal and rural communities,” he mentioned.

More than 200 interactive screens featuring tourist images of our country in the main metro stations of Paris, presence in high-reach media, and participation in events with professionals from the French tourism sector are some of the actions being taken.

Costa Rica is developing a series of promotional actions in France as part of the IFTM Top Resa 2024 fair, considered one of the most important events and marketplaces for tourism business in Europe and the world, taking place from September 17 to 19 in Paris, France.

In addition to the participation with an eye-catching stand and the active negotiations of 15 tourism companies from Costa Rica, which will showcase the latest in their offerings, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) set out to make the most of this global showcase with the presence of images and audiovisuals of nature, tourist attractions, must-visit destinations, and the biodiversity of our country on more than 200 interactive screens in four of the busiest metro stations in the French capital, specifically at St Lazare, Montparnasse, Paris Nord, and Gare de Lyon.

An interactive experience space

The activation at the St. Lazare station stands out, where an “interactive experience space” will be set up for anyone passing through and interested to take a photo against a backdrop of lush Costa Rican landscapes, along with tourist information.

According to the ICT, in the context of this global fair, content will be generated in some of the main French radio programs of the stations BFM Business and Radio FG, as well as participation in an article in the magazine Désirs de Voyage, one of the leading travel magazines, along with the placement of promotional spaces in the official media of the Top Resa fair.

Finally, Costa Rica will be present at activities with experts from the French tourism sector, specifically at the Travel Agents Cup, an exclusive event featuring the top travel agents from France, and will have a space at the event of the Confederation of Tourism Organizations of Latin America (COTAL), among other actions.

“Participation in Top Resa in France is strategic for contributing to Costa Rica’s positioning in the European market; moreover, it represents a unique opportunity for establishing negotiations among the participating Costa Rican companies, as well as a showcase for executing complementary and innovative promotional actions,” highlighted William Rodríguez, Minister of Tourism.

French people as potential tourists

According to the latest data from the ICT, between January and August, over 54,000 French visitors arrived by air, along with more than 308,000 European tourists through the same means. Currently, France is the leading source market of tourists from the Old Continent to Costa Rica, surpassing Germany, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the Netherlands.

This event is a benchmark for professionals in the tourism sector worldwide, an appropriate and ideal occasion for Costa Rican entrepreneurs to exchange information and negotiate their new offerings of tourist products with European service providers.

In this edition of the IFTM Top Resa 2024 Fair, the following companies will be present: Alamo, National & Enterprise Rent a Car, CAST CENTRAL AMERICA, Costa Rent a Car, MORPHO EVASIONS COSTA RICA, Senda Monteverde, Destination Services Costa Rica, Hotel San Bada Resort & Spa, ALTANUEVA / ALTATICA, Enchanting Hotels & Experiences, Cactus Tour LatinXplore, Hotel Parador Nature Resort & Spa/Hotel Arenal Manoa, Tucaya Costa Rica, Adobe Rent a Car, Travel Excellence, and Grupo Pachira, Tortuguero.

According to data from the organizers, in 2023, Top Resa had an attendance of approximately 30,000 people, and this year it is expected to surpass that number, thereby increasing the promotion of the participants. On this occasion, more than 170 countries and tourist destinations are participating, and over 9,000 confirmed business meetings have been reported, along with the accreditation of more than 900 journalists from around the world.

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Since the 1960s, the University of Costa Rica (UCR) has ventured into the use of computational tools for solving scientific problems. With the arrival of Matilde on campus, the first electronic computer in Costa Rica, the opportunity arose for new highly specialized careers and professions in computing to be born in the country. Matilde and her heirs were no longer just a scientific tool for the UCR, but they also began to carry out tasks related to the daily operations of the university. The need for knowledge in this area gave rise to the School of Computer Science and Informatics and the Center for Informatics.

Since the late 1990s, if not earlier, the first high-performance computing clusters (HPC) began to be built in the country in an artisanal manner. The idea of an HPC cluster is to connect several high-performance computers to each other via a high-speed network. The way they manage to work together, or in parallel, is by breaking a large problem into several smaller problems, which will be assigned to a single processor, from among the many that may exist in these computers. Thus, the calculation takes much less time than if it were done on a single computer, in addition to allowing for larger and more complex simulations and numerical models. In other situations, it is impossible to use a desktop computer for these monumental tasks. Many of the problems and numerical simulations in science and engineering can benefit from this type of technology. 

Multi-institutional endeavor

The creation of an HPC cluster initially came from the Astrophysical Research Laboratory. In the mid-2000s, the Geophysical Research Center CIGEFI did the same, building its own HPC cluster with more powerful features and greater scientific reach. Then the Quantum Chemistry Laboratory of NASA is born, a laboratory created for conducting research through computational chemistry and that houses clusters with CPU and GPU technology. At the same time, the same was happening with the Pattern Recognition and Intelligent Systems Laboratory, PrisLab, and its clusters also in CPU and GPU. Shortly after, in 2016, the Cluster of the Research Center in Science and Engineering of Materials, CICIMA-HPC, began to offer its services. Even so, all these teams have their days numbered, both due to obsolescence and technical failures from age and use.

This is why around 2019 the first steps began to be taken in consolidating HPC resources at the university, with the support of the Computer Center and several faculty members and researchers. The population that needs access to these devices is growing larger every day. More and more research is also starting to use this resource to reach their results. At the same time, new courses are being created that specialize in the use of some HPC scientific tool, both at the undergraduate and graduate levels. We are beginning to observe a scientific and teaching culture that embraces the use of a cluster as a daily tool more naturally. For these reasons, the initiative of the Institutional HPC Cluster was born, to facilitate the generational change of the currently used equipment, while also optimizing resource use and enhancing the university’s position as a regional leader in the HPC field. 

A society in constant change

We must not forget that society is in constant change. Now artificial intelligence in all its forms is peeking into our lives. The UCR cannot fall behind, and the HPC Institutional Cluster is another resource that helps us to be at a competitive international level, both for the university and for the country. Tools like this are what make the training of artificial intelligence and machine learning models possible. But it is not enough to just have the tool; it is necessary to train students and teachers in its use, continue supporting research in this direction, and project the impact of this tool on Costa Rican society.

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The creator of ChatGPT, OpenAI, launched a new line of generative artificial intelligence (AI) models capable of reasoning and answering particularly complex questions, such as those in mathematics.

Unlike their predecessors, these new models have been designed to refine their thought processes, test different methods, and recognize errors before providing a final response.

A new paradigm

The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, praised the models as “a new paradigm: an AI that can perform complex reasoning for general purposes.” However, he warned that the technology “still has flaws, is limited, and seems more impressive the first time you use it than after spending more time with it.”

OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, stated that in the trials, the models performed comparably to PhD students in challenging tasks in physics, chemistry, and biology.

They also excelled in mathematics and coding, achieving a success rate of 83% on a qualifying exam for the International Mathematical Olympiad, compared to 13% for GPT-4o, its most advanced general-use model. In a mathematics competition for American high school students, o1 placed “among the top 500,” he added.

Just like a human

“Just like a human who can think for a long time before answering a difficult question, it uses a chain of thought (…)” Learn to recognize and correct your mistakes. Learn to break down the most delicate stages into simpler ones. “Learn to try a different approach when the current one isn’t working,” explained OpenAI.

The company said that the enhanced reasoning capabilities could be used for healthcare researchers to annotate cell sequencing data, for physicists to generate complex formulas, and for computer developers to build and execute multi-step designs. He also indicated that the new models are better able to withstand attempts to bypass security mechanisms than the previous ones.

Enhanced security

OpenAI highlighted that its enhanced security measures included recent agreements with the AI Safety Institutes of the United States and the United Kingdom, which were granted early access to the models for evaluation.

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QCOSTARICA — Costa Rica’s Attorney General, Carlo Diaz, responded to the attacks of President Rodrigo Chaves against the Public Ministry on Wednesday during the weekly cabinet meeting, accusing the Judicial Branch of “harassing” him.

Wednesday morning, the Fiscalía (Prosecutor’s Office) raided the offices of the Ministry of Health to investigate the alleged abuse of authority by the President and his former Minister of Health, Joselyn Chacón, by closing the Parque Viva.

President Chaves accused the attorney general of defending private interests, to which Díaz responded:

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“The Public Prosecutor’s Office is a legal body that is legally responsible for carrying out criminal prosecution, so it will not refer to malicious statements that seek to question our objectivity and independence in the operational actions in execution.

“Any legal discussion about the work we direct will be done only where appropriate: in the Courts of Justice.”

Rodrigo Chaves and the current Minister of Health and Second Vice President Mary Munive spent almost 20 minutes during the press conference pointing out the Judiciary for investigating them and referring to other issues.

Among other things, the president said:

“Today they raided the Ministry of Health because the Attorney General told the Third Chamber, which is the supreme court for criminal matters, that I, Rodrigo Chaves, had created a kind of criminal syndicate to close Parque Viva.

“That this merited investigating your servant – the leader of the gang -, the director of Firefighters, the director of Traffic, the Minister of Public Works and Transportation at that time, the executive president of the National Institute (he did not specify) at that time and a lot of entities, because they had fallen into a game that, according to them, is closing Parque Viva for reasons other than public welfare.

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“”(…) It is one more example of the institutionality, in this case of the Attorney General’s Office and the Third Chamber, the president Patricia Solano, being people who captured those institutions to try to harm the government, to try to harass me and try to silence me. That is what they are doing. (…)

So many things, but no. An investigation authorized by the Third Chamber must be carried out to see how it was that I led a criminal group to affect Parque Viva and La Nación. (…)

“I am not saying it, Mr. Carlo, you have the documents. If you believe that there was a conspiracy, you are totally wrong.

“There are the technical documents from honest people like the Fire Department, the Traffic Department, etc., and now you say that, in your protection of the La Nación Group because I see nothing else, you say that there was a criminal act on our part.”

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For her part, Munive, was at the Ministry of Health main office Wednesday morning during the time of the raids. However, she left the institution in her vehicle quickly.

Hours later, at the press conference with Chaves, Munive referred to alleged irregularities within the National Council for Older Persons (Conapam), which she had filed a criminal complaint months ago. But she omitted or did not provide any response about the raids in the ministry, only saying, “Just today I realized, once again, what the priorities of some Powers of the Republic are. (…) Today we were raided to go and search, together with the Attorney General and 5 high-ranking magistrates, a lot of papers at the level of the Ministry of Health, but something that could presumably be a homicide is sleeping the sleep of the righteous. (…)”

The Attorney General’s Office is seeking to gather evidence to include in the investigation into alleged abuse of power by President Rodrigo Chaves, when the Parque Viva, an entertainment center owned by Grupo Nacion (also owner of Costa Rica’s main newspaper La Nacion) was closed in mid-2022, several months following Chaves’ inauguration as president.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office directed an operation in which they intended to seize documents, electronic evidence (emails, text messages and phone calls) and clues relevant to the investigation.

Attorney General Carlo Díaz confirmed that the complaint focuses on Rodrigo Chaves.

In addition to the main offices of the Ministry of Health in downtown San Jose, the raids extended to the Alajuela office of the Ministry of Health, under the direction of the Attorney General’s Office, in collaboration with agents from the Anti-Corruption and Cybercrime sections of the Judicial Investigation Agency (OIJ).

President Rodrigo Chaves, and Joselyn Chacón Madrigal, and Luis Amador, former Ministers of Health and MOPT, respectively, appear as defendants in the investigation, according to information released by the Attorney General’s Office when the file was opened. For this reason, the Attorney General must lead the proceedings.

The crimes being investigated for the closure of Parque Viva are those of prevarication and abuse of authority, processed under complaining file 22-000049-0033-PE.

Although suspects or defendants in criminal cases are usually investigated, the Attorney General pointed out that President Chaves will not have to appear before the judicial authorities like all citizens, because he is a member of the Supreme Powers of the State.

According to Díaz, when it comes to a person in the presidential office, there is a special procedure, and, therefore, the president will not be detained to make a statement, it will only file charges if sufficient evidence is found.

The raids on Wednesday were endorsed and supervised by the five magistrates of the Third Chamber of Criminal Cassation of the Supreme Court of Justice.

“The Third Chamber is in full session. The five magistrates of the Third Chamber who were currently in office are carrying out the search,” said Díaz.

“It is a search related to the closure of Parque Viva, where members of the Supreme Powers are being investigated. The search, as it is, I repeat, of members of the Supreme Powers, must be requested from the Third Chamber of the Supreme Court of Justice and was authorized by the magistrates who are also carrying out the procedure,” added Díaz.

The investigation began after a complaint, given that the Ministry of Health, headed by Joselyn Chacón, ordered the closure of the entertainment two days after Chaves questioned the financial solvency of Grupo Nación, to comply with financial commitments acquired through the placement of debt bonds, which were purchased by the Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social (CCSS).

The closure occurred on July 8, 2022, two months after Chaves took office. However, the technical reports to justify the closure arrived days later with the order to temporarily revoke the operating permit.

At the time Chaves defended his actions arguing that the closure order was made based on technical criteria from institutions such as the Bomberos (Fire Department) and the Fuerza Publica (National Police), which reported the difficulty of responding to emergencies when there are mass events at Parque Viva, and on the recommendations of National Emergency Commission (CNE), the Ministry of Public Works and Transport (MOPT), and the Costa Rican Red Cross.

On October 21, 2022, the Constitutional Court annulled the health order issued on July 8, 2022. The Court determined that the action violated freedom of expression, allowing Parque Viva to resume operations.

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Meditation is an ancient practice that has been experiencing great popularity in the West in the last decade, because there are many benefits it provides for mental and emotional well-being and it is very useful in these times.

Whether to calm the mind, to find oneself or to reduce anxiety or stress, more and more people are interested in introducing this practice into their daily lives, improving their quality of life.

But meditating is not always easy, especially at the beginning, as it requires discipline and practice for perfection. And as much as it may not apparently be very physically demanding, it also requires effort. Nothing is free in this life, but if you know everything that meditation can bring to your life, it is quite likely that you will feel the need to start familiarizing yourself with its techniques.

The benefits of meditation

In recent years, research on this practice has shown that meditating is effective in improving people’s mental health. What are these benefits? What is the use of meditating? Meditation benefits us for different reasons:

Mitigate the effects of stress

Positively affects the immune system

Improves attention and concentration capacity

It is useful to empathize with others

Increases pain tolerance

Improves memory and cognitive functions

Enhances the appearance of positive thoughts

The 8 steps to learn to meditate

The key to developing the habit of meditation is to find the perfect time for you and the type of meditation and posture that suits you. In the beginning you can experiment with the different types of meditation and the correct posture to find the necessary comfort and the ideal state of mind to carry out this practice.

But you should know that in order to overcome the resistances you may sometimes encounter during the meditative process, it is the practice that really makes you improve. If you want to know how to meditate correctly, follow the steps below.

Put on comfortable clothes

The first thing you should do to meditate and be in the here and now is to wear comfortable clothes: take off your shoes and choose a wide garment is the best alternative to feel ready to meditate. Forget tight clothes and take off your watch or other accessories that may be annoying.

Find a quiet place

It is necessary to find a place that allows you to be relaxed and without interruptions or interferences. It can be a room in your house, the seashore, your garden, an area in the park away from cars…. Any place is good if it allows you to feel comfortable and focus on the practice of meditation without being bombarded with distracting stimuli, totally immersed in the activity you are about to start.

Tips to start practicing meditation

Sit in the right way

Keep in mind that even if you dedicate a few minutes to it, if you stay in a bad posture to meditate, you will immediately feel discomfort because your back is loaded, your legs are asleep or your arms are bent in an inadequate way, and this will distract you.

To meditate you should sit correctly, that is, on the floor with your back straight, but without tension, breathing deeply and keeping your shoulders and arms relaxed. Some people prefer to sit on a chair or on their knees instead of the classic posture, and there is also lying down meditation, but in these cases you should have more practice and know beforehand that in this way you will not feel discomfort right away (each body is unique, after all). Whatever position you adopt, the back should always be straight and the body, especially the shoulders and arms, relaxed.

Focus on one object

Focus on an object or the breath (with your eyes closed) when you begin your meditative practice. For example, you can hold a small rubber ball in your hand, or have a cushion on your lap. If you direct your attentional focus towards the stimuli that these objects transmit to you, it will be easy for you to stay in the here and now through your senses.

In this way it will be easier for you to begin the practice of meditation, because you will have a clear objective and you will not feel the uncertainty of not knowing where your mind will wander. Later on, you can do other types of meditation, such as the “body scan” or meditation focused on sounds.

Accept the thoughts that arise and move on

It is common that, during the practice of meditation, different thoughts arise: our personal problems, the discomfort of the moment or the insecurity of being doing meditation well or not (something that usually happens when we start in this practice). But this is something normal and, therefore, we must accept it.

Meditation focuses on the idea that psychological well-being is a state that emerges from the acceptance of thoughts, emotions and bodily sensations without trying to eliminate or modify them, simply observe them in a non-judgmental way. Therefore, when these thoughts appear, simply accept them and then refocus attention on the object, breath, sound or bodily sensation.

Increase your meditation time progressively.

When you start meditating, you should start slowly and then increase the time. It is ideal to start with a one-minute meditation, to progressively reach 20 or 30 minutes a day that will help you improve your well-being. Take a look at this video to know what is one-minute meditation:

Add it to your daily routine

After reading the above steps, you are now ready to make meditation a healthy habit. With practice you will become a great meditator, which will help you achieve the benefits of this ancient practice.

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Ayahuasca, an herbal decoction used ancestrally by Amazonian Indians, improves the health status of people who have followed these rites in Holland and Spain: they show better general well-being, physical activity, healthy eating and less diseases than the population of their respective countries, according to a study. In Spain it needs to be regulated, like MDMA, psilocybin, DMT or LSD.

A team of researchers from Brazil, Spain and the Netherlands has found that participants in ceremonies using ayahuasca show higher rates of general well-being, physical activity, healthy eating and a lower incidence of chronic diseases than other people.

Ayahuasca is an herbal decoction used since ancient times by Amazonian Indians in their traditional medicine.The composition of the drink varies in different communities, but the essential ingredient is the Banisteriopsiscaapi vine, also called ayahuasca, which contains harmalines. When visionary experiences are sought, the chacruna bush (Psychtriaviridis) or the chacropanga vine (Diplopteryscabrerana), which contain the powerful psychoactive compound N, N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), are added to ayahuasca. Harmalines are inhibitors of the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO) type A, which prevents the inactivation of DMT in the gastrointestinal tract.

New scientific approach

Although DMT is a controlled substance, neitherayahuasca nor any decoction made with plants containing DMT is subject to international control.In some countries, moreover, its use is legally recognized, as is the case in Peru, where ayahuasca is recognized as Cultural Heritage, or in Brazil for ritual ceremonies for the followers of some syncretic religions, in particular the Santo Daime church (legally present in Spain and Holland) and the União do Vegetal center.

However, although there are dozens of scientific studies on ayuahuasca, in recent decades research on this decoction has expanded beyond the fields of anthropology and ethnobotany.

Researchers have recently reoriented the scientific approach with the goal of understanding how ayahuasca works and its impact on human and community health.

New approach

To deepen this approach, researchers from Spain, the Netherlands and Brazil, led by the scientific director of the International Center for Ethnobotanical Education, Research and Service (ICEERS), José Carlos Bouso, have conducted a survey among 377 participants in Dutch ceremonies with the use of ayahuasca. The results are published in the Journal of Psychoactive Drugs.

50.1 percent of the participants were female; 84.6 percent were Dutch. The mean age was 48.8 years (22 to 80 years). 57.8 percent attended such events for more than five years, and 30 percent more than 100 times.

The authors of the paper were interested in data related to general health (body mass index, chronic diseases and medical consultations, medication, use of tobacco, alcohol and other psychoactive substances) and lifestyle (diet, physical activity, social networks).

Participants were also asked to complete standardized psychometric questionnaires. The information obtained was compared with statistical data from comparable demographic segments of the population.

Surprising results

After processing the data, the researchers concluded that ayahuasca users have fewer chronic diseases than the general population. They also feel less lonely, eat healthier (more vegetables, fruits and legumes, as well as less meat and grains) and are more physically active.

In addition, during the COVID pandemic, they consumed less alcohol, although they increased their consumption of other psychoactive substances, while the level of harm associated with the latter did not differ in the samples between the main and control groups.

It was also found that those who participated in more than 100 ayahuasca ceremonies, when faced with difficult situations, were more likely to prefer active problem solving, while those who attended 3 to 10 such events tended to resort to problem avoidance strategies.

Limitations

The study has several limitations, the researchers acknowledge. One is that the people who participated in the study did so after a positive experience, so people who had negative experiences may have been underrepresented in the sample.

Another limitation refers to the fact that the data obtained are observational and do not indicate a causal relationship between the intake of the entheogenic decoction and better physical and mental health.

According to the authors of the study, the most appropriate interpretation of their results is not that ayahuasca is the cause of better health indicators, but that people who use self-care and stress management strategies use ayahuasca ceremonies as another tool to improve overall health.

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Do we all agree that the Caribbean has a unique “mood”? I bet your answer was yes. Limón has a lot of options to explore and to do, but this time we will give you some recommendations of the activities you can do in Punta Uva beach or very close to it.

Let’s start by describing this incredible paradise. Punta Uva is a white beach that blends with the turquoise water and the trees that lie on the sea. It has few rocks and a swell that varies according to the dry or rainy season, but in the dry season it has an intermediate level.

Diving and Snorkeling:

The coral reef makes it an ideal place for diving and snorkeling, where you can see numerous species of coral, colorful fish, sponges and crustaceans. It is almost like watching a living painting.

Cycling:

Most hotels rent bicycles to tour around and visit nearby beaches. This is a very common means of transportation in the area. Besides exercising you will be able to tour the area by yourself.

Kayaking and paddle boarding:

The calm and crystal clear waters of Punta Uva are ideal for this kind of tours. You can opt for these activities to enjoy the exuberant nature of the area and, of course, to admire the incredible sea.

Tour to indigenous villages and waterfalls

About 30 minutes from Punta Uva is the district of Talamanca, Bratsi, here there are settlements of aborigines who are dedicated to rural tourism. Here you can learn about their culture through a cocoa tour, visit nearby waterfalls, among others.

Gandoca-Manzanillo Mixed National Wildlife Refuge

Less than 2 km away is a refuge full of vegetation and fauna. Here you can walk along the trails, enjoy nature and its beach. It is also known for being a nesting site for several species of sea turtles, manatees, crocodiles, alligators, dolphins and more. The turtle nesting season in this area runs from March to May.

Surf lessons

Just 15 minutes from this beach, in downtown Puerto Viejo, you can find companies that offer surfing lessons. So take advantage of the visit and venture out to learn a new activity.

Gastronomy

Not to mention the gastronomy of this area! The dishes that you can taste near Punta Uva are delicious, so we recommend that you go several days to this place so you can enjoy the delicious rice and beans, the Caribbean rondón, the bochinche casado, the pan bon, the patí, plantintá and the hiel or agua de sapo (toad water). Our mouths watered too!

Punta Uva viewpoint and cave

On one side of the beach you will find a steep trail where you can reach a viewpoint with a spectacular view of the sea, perfect for photos or just to relax. Going down and following the path you will reach a cave or bridge where the waves come in. We recommend you to wear closed shoes, as it is normal for some sea urchins to live near the rocks.

Punta Uva beach cave

How to get there? It is located only 15 minutes from Puerto Viejo, 8.8 km following the coastal route 256 from where a bus leaves every hour. From San José it can take approximately 4 to 5 hours, depending on road conditions.

What is the climate like in the Caribbean? The Caribbean has its own microclimate and most of the year it maintains a hot and humid climate at the same time. In fact, it experiences more rainfall than the rest of the country throughout the year. Its driest seasons are from February to March and from September to October.

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Great news for the communtiy of Santa Teresa and the surrounding areas: after six years of battles, the Municipal Council of Cóbano announced the paving of streets and the improvement and rehabilitation of the drainage and roadway systems between Playa del Carmen and Quebrada del Carmen.

With approximately 218 kilometers of road network, 90% of these roads are currently made of ballast and dirt. These types of roads, particularly those in ballast, pose public health risks, especially during the dry season when vehicle traffic generates large amounts of dust.

This progress is another achievement by lawyer and environmentalist Walter Brenes, who began his fight in February 2018 to secure the authorization for the repair and paving of roads in Santa Teresa.

In his pursuit, Brenes filed a lawsuit against the council and made significant efforts to reach this important agreement for the region, which holds considerable importance for the local tourism industry.

Brenes requested that the Municipality of Puntarenas and the Council of the District of Cóbano be ordered to construct a new road covering 21 kilometers of the Montezuma route, including Entronque Ruta Nacional 624 and Playa Cocal del Peñón.

A final settlement agreement was reached between Brenes and the council, signed by Ronny Montero, Mayor of the Municipal Council of the District of Cóbano, Randall Chavarría Matarrita, Mayor of the Municipality of Puntarenas, and Wálter Brenes Soto. The agreement was then submitted to the Municipal Council of Puntarenas for approval.

Several communities will benefit from the road reconstruction, including Delicias, Playa Carmen, San Isidro, Cabuya, Cóbano, Bello Horizonte, La Esperanza, and Santa Teresa. The latter will now have paved access to the beach. In addition to paving, the project will include the repair of the storm drainage system, the installation of vertical and horizontal signage, and the construction of curbs and gutters.

Santa Teresa, a rapidly growing tourist destination known for its beaches and natural beauty, has long struggled with poor road conditions. This is why Wálter Brenes, a lawyer and renowned surfer, was determined to secure the paving and reconstruction of the streets in this thriving community.

Last week, in the Cerro del Muerte mountains, there was a tragic accident with a bittersweet ending. The tragedy—a young pre-school teacher traveling home after a full day of teaching—lost her life when the car she was driving went off an embankment and plunged some fifty meters down the mountainside. While her body was recovered at the scene, her 6-year-old son who was traveling with her was nowhere to be found.

Overnight temperatures can drop to the point of freezing there. It is called Cerro del Muerte (Mountain of Death) because many early travelers died of exposure due to being unprepared for the harsh weather conditions. This hazardous road descends from its peak at over 3000 meters (10,000 feet), down to 700 meters (2,400 feet) in a distance of 40 km (25 miles).

It was once part of the Pan American Highway and is still the road used between San Jose and San Isidro de El General, the largest city in the southern zone. It is a narrow, winding, two-lane highway shared by buses, tractor-trailers, farm machinery, motorcycles, cars, and trucks. The name Cerro Del Muerte really has a dual meaning now, as it is a road that takes several lives annually in vehicle crashes.

As night fell, the Red Cross and various search teams flew drones and used infrared technology in search of the child. The odds seemed against his survival, but the night was milder than normal, and the following morning the boy was found alive, in the fetal position, by a waterfall. He was reunited with his father in a scene that deeply moved all who saw it.

Online, the news was received joyously, and with the predictable responses from a largely God-fearing people: “Gracias a Dios” was the most common response, followed by “Un milagro (miracle) de Dios.” God was invoked over and over as the reason the little boy had miraculously survived the night. My wife repeated similar sentiments when I informed her of the news.

As she is a devout believer and I am a confirmed skeptical agnostic, when it comes to events such as this, we have what I will call a friendly debate. When she said, “Gracias a Dios,” and spoke of God’s greatness and the miracle that the boy had survived, my response was— “What about the mother? Why did she have to die?”

My wife responded by saying, “It was her time.” I didn’t like this argument and responded with, “Her time? She was young, with a 6-year-old son, a career, and her whole life ahead of her. It was NOT her time.”

I did not push the argument too far. After all, I am seriously outnumbered not only when I am with my wife and her family but in Costa Rica in general. The God they worship is all-knowing, all-powerful, and we should do our time on earth in preparation to serve in His kingdom. All good that happens is “Gracias a Dios.”

All bad that happens, well, “Gracias a Dios” that it wasn’t worse. Our time is marked, they say. Everybody has a time to die, it seems, and this was her time. Gracias a Dios, the little boy survived and was reunited with his father.

Finding a common ground with people with whom you have little in common spiritually is not easy, but in this case, there was one thing we could agree on, even if we disagreed on the reason—yes, the end result was bittersweet, but indeed, it was a miracle the little boy was found alive.

QCOSTARICA — To avoid blackouts during the coming dry (summer) season, the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad (ICE) – the State monopoly on electricity – says it is already preparing a series of measures to deal with the lack of rain that the country is currently experiencing.

At a press conference, ICE authorities called for calm and guaranteed that the electricity supply will not be affected, with specialists presenting the hydrometeorological projections for next year, mainly those that affect the production of energy with water and wind.

“The planning that we carry out at ICE will allow us to have sufficient resources to generate the energy required in the dry season, knowing that demand is very likely to increase. Unlike in 2024, the rented thermal plants will be available from the beginning of the year,” said Agustín Murillo, ICE’s Electricity Manager.

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Murillo pointed out that this will make up for the absence of rains typical of summer.

“It is also projected that wind will have low availability, so we must have local and imported support when we need it, in addition to the contribution of private generation,” added the ICE manager.

As a result of the measures applied, the levels of the regulation reservoirs – such as Arenal, Cachí, Reventazón, and Pirrís – are in the process of recovery.

No rate increases or blackouts

During the press conference on Tuesday at the División Operación y Control del Sistema Eléctrico (Docse) -antiguo Cence – in Santo Domingo de Heredia, ICE authorities also assured today that with the planning carried out there will be enough electricity to meet demand during the dry season; and an energy efficiency and savings campaign will continue to avoid a rate increase.

“We are certain that if these conditions are met, this variability in terms of rainfall, we could ensure that the rate remains the same,” said Murillo when asked if it would really be possible to prevent an increase in the electricity rate due to the costs involved in thermal generation and imports through the Mercado Eléctrico Regional (MER).

Murillo added that this year, unlike for the last dry season, they are better prepared and that with the current scenarios, there is a guarantee to cover national demand. That is no blackouts or rationing is expected in 2025.

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“We have the guarantee that the best effort has been made in favor of the people of Costa Rica, all the knowledge and engineering experience of the institution to guarantee that there will be no rationing and that we will have the satisfaction of the demand in 2025,” said Murillo.

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QCOSTARICA (OP-ED by Barbara Steenstrup) A friend, who also lives in Costa Rica, asked me the other day, “What is the advantage of U.S. citizens living in Costa Rica?” There are the usual replies. It is a beautiful country with kind people. It is close enough to the United States to visit family and friends and for them to visit. It is a safe and stable country. And, of course, depending on how and where one lives, it can be less expensive than living in the U.S.

What more can one ask for as a person?

I think there is more to it. I think that living in Costa Rica, U.S. citizens are shielded from the chaos that is the U.S. at present – shootings in schools and gun violence altogether; the tension of racism for people of color sometimes no more than walking down the wrong street or driving a car; deep political divisions, especially as we near the 2024 elections.

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Still stay involved – still, we vote in U.S. elections

Nevertheless, we need to care about what goes on in the United States. We care for our own interests and for those of our families and friends who live there. And we care because the United States is big and powerful and whatever the United States does affects the world.

There are key issues for U.S. citizens. They are the issues that are key for people all over the world: a woman’s right to decide about her body, the impact of global warming on every aspect of life, the migration of poor and endangered people all over the globe, the rights to education and good health care, the right to economic stability. It is hopefully who we believe will deal with these issues better that will decide our vote this year and not a cult of personality.

That is why there are notices all over Facebook and Instagram, in online media, on posters, during in-person events, and most of all phone calls to U.S. citizens in Costa Rica and around the world to say register to vote and vote. The vote of overseas U.S. citizens can be the margin of victory in several states.

I am, however, perplexed. Some U.S. citizens I have met think that since they’ve left the U.S., voting doesn’t matter to them anymore. The result will not affect them. But they still travel on a U.S. passport – one that gives visa-free access to many countries.

They still care about family and friends in the U.S. and visit them. They still accept their Social Security pension payment every month. Many keep Medicare insurance; in case they need to return to live in a care facility or with family because of old age or illness. Thus, they, as all of us, will be affected by U.S. policies in the years to come.

Costa Rica is our adopted home. Here we strive to contribute to society. Here we shop, travel, have friends, belong to organizations, and enjoy our lives. That does not relieve us of the right and the responsibility to VOTE AND HAVE OUR VOICE COUNTED because what happens in the United States affects us all.

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The viewpoint presented in the article belongs to the author, Barbara Steenstrup, and not that of Qcostarica.com or TheQmedia.com. Sharing the contents of this message with others is recommended and permissible.

Votefromabroad.org.

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The Costa Rican chocolate brand Sibö recently earned international recognition, winning a gold medal and two bronze medals at the prestigious International Chocolate Awards, held in New York. Competing among the world’s top chocolatiers, Sibö stood out for the quality and craftsmanship of its products.

The gold medal was awarded for its Coffee Toffee milk chocolate bar, praised for its smooth texture and balanced flavors. The bronze medals were granted to the Caramel with Salt and Huetar 70% dark chocolate bars, further solidifying Sibö’s reputation for excellence.

“Once again, Sibö Chocolate is distinguished by the quality of its products worldwide, and places Costa Rica on the map as a producer of exceptional cocoa and fine chocolate,” the company said in a statement. Sibö’s success at the event also secured the company’s qualification for the World Fine Chocolate Competition, set to take place in November at a location yet to be confirmed.

“Our small factory has always dreamed big! We hope this recognition serves as a source of pride for Costa Rica and helps us fulfill our mission of making our country known not only for its coffee but also for its chocolate and cocoa,” commented George Soriano, Director of Marketing & Sales.

Founded in 2012, the International Chocolate Awards are organized by the International Institute of Chocolate & Cacao Tasting (IICCT). The competition highlights fine, artisanal, and micro-batch chocolate makers who work directly with cocoa producers, creating premium bars using Latin American and Caribbean cocoa beans.

Since its establishment in 2007, Sibö has been dedicated to promoting the superior quality of Costa Rican cocoa and chocolate on the world stage. One of its key missions is to support the resurgence of cocoa cultivation in the country, which in turn contributes to the creation of biological corridors between conservation areas.

The company also upholds its commitment to sustainability. Its packaging is eco-friendly, with handmade boxes crafted from cocoa fiber and recycled paper, minimizing plastic waste. Sibö produces a variety of artisanal chocolates using natural ingredients and Costa Rican raw materials, sold in San Isidro de Heredia and Escazú.