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Strange Balloon-Like Object Spotted Over Costa Rica

A mysterious white object seen high above several parts of Costa Rica over the weekend triggered a new round of speculation online, with residents sharing photos and videos from communities stretching from the Central Valley to the Pacific coast. Sightings were reported Saturday, August 8, from areas including Quepos, Pérez Zeledón, Acosta, Grecia and Heredia. Additional reports came from Alajuela and Cartago, with witnesses describing a white, roughly circular object that appeared to be floating high in the sky. By today, the object had a likely general explanation but still no publicly identified owner. The National Meteorological Institute (IMN), said the object does not belong to the agency. Based on its visible characteristics, however, the institute said it appears to be some type of balloon. That distinction leaves an important part of the mystery unresolved: who launched it, where it came from and what it was carrying. High-altitude balloons are commonly used for weath...
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Costa Rica Targets Luxury Car Tax Evasion After Ferrari Case

A Ferrari declared for a fraction of its real value has become the poster case for a customs loophole that Costa Rica’s vehicle importers say is bleeding Costa Rica of millions in tax revenue. The Asociación de Importadores de Vehículos y Maquinaria, (Aivema), is warning that luxury vehicles worth well over one hundred thousand dollars have been declared at Customs for as little as fifteen hundred dollars, and the Ministry of Finance has confirmed similar cases of its own. Among the examples Hacienda has publicly cited is a Toyota Land Cruiser with a real market value near one hundred forty thousand dollars that was declared at only twenty thousand, a gap that allowed the importer to avoid roughly twenty six million colones in taxes. In a separate case, a Ferrari’s undervaluation created a tax shortfall of more than sixty seven million colones, or roughly one hundred thirty five thousand dollars. The heart of the problem traces back to a policy shift Hacienda made i...
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Lionel Messi’s Father Jorge Messi Dies After Long Illness

Jorge Messi, the father and longtime representative of Argentine soccer star Lionel Messi, has died at age 68 following a prolonged illness. Jorge Messi died early Saturday at a medical clinic in Rosario, Argentina, where he had been receiving treatment. The specific illness and medical cause of death have not been made public at the family’s request. Lionel Messi is expected to travel from Miami to Rosario to be with his family and attend a private wake. The 39-year-old Argentina captain had spent time with his father following the 2026 World Cup before returning to Inter Miami . Jorge Messi was far more than the father of one of soccer’s greatest players. He played a central role in Lionel Messi’s career from his earliest years in Rosario and later handled many of the business and contractual decisions surrounding his son. When Messi was a young player at Newell’s Old Boys and required treatment for a growth hormone deficiency, Jorge helped search for ...
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Why the Cincinnati Open Is the Last Major Test Before the US Open

The Cincinnati Open begins opening its grounds to fans this weekend, but for the players arriving in Mason, Ohio, the tournament carries considerably more weight than another stop on the summer schedule. Cincinnati is the final ATP Masters 1000 and WTA 1000 tournament before the US Open, making the next two weeks one of the clearest tests of who is ready to contend in New York and who still has work to do. Qualifying begins August 11 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center, followed by the men’s and women’s main draws on August 13. The Cincinnati singles finals will be played August 23. Exactly one week later, on August 30, the US Open singles main draws begin in New York. That short turnaround is what gives Cincinnati its importance. Players who make deep runs will arrive at Flushing Meadows with confidence, match fitness and proof that their games are working on North American hard courts. Those struggling with injuries, form or the transition from other surfaces have lit...
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Where You Can Fly Nonstop to Costa Rica This High Season

Getting to Costa Rica is about to get easier from a lot more places. Fourteen new or expanded nonstop flights start between October and March, and several of them connect cities that have never had a direct flight here. One heavily promoted route has already been cancelled, and it is worth knowing which. If you are planning a trip for the high season, or you have family flying down to visit, this is the list you need. Every route below is confirmed by the airline, with start dates, days of the week and aircraft where those have been published. The expansion follows a strong year for arrivals. Between January and June, 1,605,360 travelers landed in Costa Rica by air, up 7.8% over the same six months of 2025 and the best first half on record . New flights to San Jose Las Vegas is off the table. Southwest announced a daily overnight Las Vegas to San Jose route in February, pushed the launch from October to November, then cancelled it in July before a single flight operated. ...
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Costa Rica Faces Months of Drought as El Niño Intensifies

Costa Rica doesn’t take direct hurricane hits often, but this year’s El Niño is playing out with the same shape as one, tracked for months with a clear window to prepare before it peaks and a long recovery afterward. Forecasters flagged its likely arrival back in April, and by late July the National Emergency Commission confirmed the drought had already surpassed the severity of the 1997 and 2015 events in some regions, with rainfall running as much as 80 percent below normal. Fifty-four areas now sit under yellow alert. If you have any doubts talk to a friend that lives in Limon and one that farms is the Northern Pacific, we have. The worst of it, the equivalent of the eyewall, is expected between September and December, with effects lingering into early 2027. September and October are usually the rainiest time of the year. Agriculture is already feeling it. Rice growers in Guanacaste and Puntarenas have abandoned planting entirely this season, and vegetable prices...
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Why Daniel Ortega Is Moving to Eliminate Nicaragua’s Opposition

“They will have no choice but to bark,” Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega shot back in response to the wave of international condemnation sparked by his decision to bar opposition parties from participating in elections. Daniel Ortega rules the country with absolute authority alongside his wife, Rosario Murillo. Congress has announced that it will approve a constitutional reform in September establishing a seven-year presidential term that is “renewable” and excluding opposition parties, which the president describes as “coup plotters” serving the interests of the United States. Ortega, for his part, says the measure protects Nicaragua from interference by Washington, which he accuses of orchestrating the 2018 protests. The crackdown on those demonstrations left around 350 people dead, according to the United Nations. Here are the main factors behind his decision. Succession A former leader of a far-left guerrilla movement, Daniel...
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