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Costa Rica Leads Effort to Shield Sloths from Growing Illegal Trade

Costa Rica, alongside Brazil and Panama, has secured new international safeguards for two species of two-toed sloths, as nations at the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) voted to add them to Appendix II. The decision came during the CITES Conference of the Parties ( CoP20 ) in Uzbekistan, addressing the surge in illegal captures that threaten these animals’ survival. The unanimous approval includes Hoffmann’s two-toed sloth (Choloepus hoffmanni) and Linnaeus’s two-toed sloth (Choloepus didactylus). This listing requires permits for international trade, aiming to curb exploitation in the pet market, tourism, and zoos. Wildlife experts note that rising demand has led to sharp population drops in regions like Central America, Colombia, Bolivia, and Brazil over the past decade. Traffickers target sloths for their slow movements and nocturnal habits, making them easy to catch. Once captured, these animals face high mortality rates—between 80% a...
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Monash University in Australia invites applications for vacant (73) PhD, Research and Academic Positions

Monash University in Australia invites applications for vacant PhD and Academic Positions, a public research university based in
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Al Ain University in United Arab Emirates invites applications for vacant 18 PhD and Academic Positions

Al Ain University in United Arab Emirates invites applications for vacant Academic Positions, a private university in the
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U.S. Returns 13 Pre-Columbian Artifacts to Costa Rica

The United States government returned 13 pre-Columbian artifacts to Costa Rica this week, marking another step in the repatriation of items seized during a massive FBI operation in 2014. The pieces, including 12 stone axes and one ceramic ocarina, now rest with the National Museum of Costa Rica after years of identification and diplomatic coordination. Authorities confiscated the artifacts from the rural Indiana home of Don C. Miller, a collector who amassed thousands of cultural objects over decades. The FBI raid uncovered more than 7,000 documented items, with estimates suggesting the full collection surpassed 42,000 pieces. Among them were over 500 sets of human remains from various regions in the Americas and Asia. This operation stands as the largest single recovery of cultural property in FBI history. The repatriation process began in 2019, but progress has moved slowly due to incomplete provenance records for most items. So far, only about 15 percent of the seized artifacts ha...
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Costa Rica Eyes Complete Vape Ban to Combat Rising Teen Use and Risks

A lawmaker from Costa Rica’s ruling party has introduced a bill to outlaw vapes entirely, targeting their import, sale, and use across the country. Ada Acuña, a deputy with the Partido Progreso Social Democrático, filed the proposal on November 18 under file number 25.309. The measure aims to prohibit all activities related to electronic nicotine delivery systems, known as vapes, along with similar devices without nicotine and heated tobacco products. This includes banning their distribution, manufacturing, storage, transportation, advertising, and any components like liquids, batteries, cartridges, and accessories. The bill calls for the Ministry of Health to issue a list of prohibited substances linked to these devices. Acuña argues that the current law, passed in 2021, has failed to curb their spread, especially among young people. She points to cases where minors access vapes through delivery services without age checks, and reports from health authorities show 25 intoxications t...
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Trump Pardon Frees Ex Honduran President Hernández Before Crucial Vote

Juan Orlando Hernández has a kind of luck that borders on a miracle. Born in a very poor household, he rose to become president of Honduras, and when it seemed he would spend the rest of his life in prison for drug trafficking, he received a pardon from Donald Trump. Brought down from grace by his former ally, the United States – which sentenced him to 45 years in prison last year – Hernández walked out of prison on Monday amid the intense pressure Trump is exerting over Honduras’s presidential elections. He was president from 2014 to 2022 for the right-wing National Party (PN), the same party as Trump’s chosen candidate, Nasry Asfura , who is in a technical tie with television host Salvador Nasralla, with 43% of Sunday’s tally sheets still to be counted. In a dramatic twist, Trump announced on the eve of the elections that he would pardon Hernández, arguing that he was the victim of a “setup” by his predecessor, Democrat Joe Biden. “JOH,” as Hondurans call him, had been out of offic...
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Costa Rica’s La Fortuna Waterfall Ranks in Top 1% Globally on TripAdvisor

La Fortuna Waterfall in Costa Rica received TripAdvisor’s “Best of the Best” award for the second straight year in the Travellers’ Choice 2025 rankings. This honor places the site among the top 1% of attractions globally, based on millions of traveler reviews and ratings. The waterfall, a key draw in the Arenal Volcano National Park area, attracted roughly 1,000 visitors daily in 2024. The waterfall is about 4 kilometers from the center of La Fortuna in San Carlos, the 70-meter cascade requires a descent of about 530 steps to reach its base. The path includes safety rails, rest spots, and water stations amid native forest trees. At the site, travelers find a restaurant, gift shops, restrooms, and other services. Admission costs $10 for Costa Rican nationals and $20 for international visitors, with reduced rates for those with disabilities. A non-profit group, the Integral Development Association of La Fortuna ( ADIFORT ), oversees the site. Founded in 1969, ADIFORT directs revenue ...
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