Costa Rica convicts ex-president of embezzlement from Finnish gov’t loan: 5-year sentence

October 5th, 2009 Costa Rican ex-president convicted of embezzlementSAN JOSE, Costa Rica — A Costa Rican court has found former President Rafael Calderon guilty of embezzlement and sentenced him to five years in prison. Calderon, who was president from 1990 to 1994, was accused of receiving at least $520,000 in 2004 from a Finnish government loan to Costa Rica's social security system.

September 13th, 2009 54 US-bound migrants detained at Costa Rican coastSAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Costa Rican authorities detained 54 U.S.-bound migrants from Africa and Nepal after their boat arrived on the Central American country's coast, officials said Sunday. Authorities were treating some of the migrants for dehydration after several days at sea and took into custody three suspected Colombian smugglers who were traveling with them, said Sergio Lopez, a spokesman for Costa Rica's security ministry.

September 8th, 2009 Costa Rica team resumes missing US hiker's searchSAN JOSE, Costa Rica — The Red Cross says a search team in Costa Rica has resumed the hunt for a missing U.S. hiker after police spotted what may be a body floating in a crater lagoon.

August 25th, 2009 Nicaragua to dredge border river with Costa RicaMANAGUA, Nicaragua — Nicaragua will reroute a river on the border with Costa Rica that has been at the center of a lengthy dispute between the two Central American countries, the Nicaraguan government announced Tuesday. Eden Pastora, president of the committee for development of the San Juan River, said the dredging project will begin at the end of September and cost $1 million.

June 28th, 2009 MEXICO CITY - Honduran President Manuel Zelaya accused his military of abducting him and spiriting him to Costa Rica in his first televised interview after a coup Sunday morning. "There is no justification for this coup," said Zelaya in an interview with a Venezuelan broadcaster that was also carried by CNN.

June 28th, 2009 Honduran president calls arrest a 'kidnapping'SAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Honduran President Manuel Zelaya says soldiers rousted him out of bed, beat his body guards and arrested him in his pajamas in what he criticized as "a coup" and "a kidnapping." Zelaya told a local television station Sunday that he is at the airport in San Jose, capital of Costa Rica. He said he would not recognize any attempt to name a replacement for him following his detention earlier Sunday.

June 28th, 2009 Honduran president in Costa Rica after arrestSAN JOSE, Costa Rica — A high-ranking official says that Honduran President Manuel Zelaya is in Costa Rica following his detention by soldiers in his homeland. The official at the Costa Rican president's office was not authorized to be quoted by name.

May 10th, 2009 SAN JOSE - Costa Rica has confirmed its first death from the influenza A(H1N1) virus, also called swine flu. The 53-year-old man died early Saturday after contracting the virus.

May 9th, 2009 Costa Rica confirms 1st swine flu deathSAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Costa Rica's health minister confirmed the death of a 53-year-old patient with swine flu on Saturday, the first death from the epidemic outside of a North American nation. The man, who also had diabetes and chronic lung disease, was one of eight swine flu cases in the Central American country that have been confirmed by the U.S.

May 9th, 2009 Costa Rica confirms its 1st swine flu deathSAN JOSE, Costa Rica — Costa Rica's health minister confirmed the death of a 53-year-old patient with swine flu on Saturday, the first death from the pandemic outside of a North American nation. The man, who also had diabetes and chronic lung disease, was one of eight swine flu cases in the Central American country that have been confirmed by the U.S.

January 10th, 2009 SAN JOSE - The toll in Thursday’s devastating earthquake in Costa Rica has risen to 20, while thousands of people lost their homes in the aftermath, EFE reported. The rescue work has been intensified after more bodies were found in the quake-affected areas of the Andean nation, the report said Saturday.

January 9th, 2009 SAN JOSE - The toll in Costa Rica's 6.2 magnitude quake has risen to 10, EFE reported. Officials said the most affected regions are near the epicentre of the quake near a mountainous region in the central part of Costa Rica.

January 8th, 2009 SAN JOSE - A powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale struck north central Costa Rica Thursday, killing two girls and causing widespread damage, EFE news agency reported Friday. According to authorities, two children were killed after a landslide following the quake buried thier house in the town of Fraijanes de Alajuela, about 50 km west of San Jose, in Alajuela province.

January 8th, 2009 SAN JOSE - At least five people were killed after an earthquake with a magnitude of 6.1 on the Richter Scale shook Costa Rica, media reported Friday. More than 300 people were injured and scores remained missing after the quake, which took place Thursday at 1.21 p.m.

January 8th, 2009 SAN JOSE - A powerful earthquake measuring 6.2 on the Richter scale rocked northern Costa Rica late Thursday night, but there were no reports of any casualty, EFE news agency reported Friday. The epicentre of the quake was near Poas volcano in Alajuela province, about 60 km northwest of San Jose, said Juan Segura, the head of Costa Rica's Ovisicori Seismology Institute.