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The word, the word, have you heard the word? The word is ‘Referendum’. Our populist president, Rodrigo Chaves, had proposed that numerous issues facing the country be put to a national vote. This referendum even had a name: Ley Jaguar. Among the changes that were to be put to a vote, were privatizing Banco de Costa Rica, modifying the work week to 4 days on and 3 off, as well as changes to the way the Limon port is administered. Alas, the Sala IV Costa Rica’s Constitutional Court– just caged the jaguar and declared the proposed referendum unconstitutional, due primarily to procedural errors. The Chaves administration is presently laboring to rework the proposal to satisfy the bureaucratic requirements. Putting complex issues to the vote of the people is always a tricky proposition. Fifteen years ago the Central American Free Trade agreement with the US was put to a vote and narrowly passed. The agreement itself was a massive document that went unread by most voters. The vote spli...

“Unheard of,” “unjustified,” “typical of dictatorial regimes”: The decision by Nicolás Maduro’s government to demand the withdrawal of diplomatic personnel from Argentina, Chile, Costa Rica, Panama, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay from Venezuela, and to order the withdrawal of its own from these countries, has generated diverse reactions. These seven countries, along with Ecuador and Paraguay, had requested on Monday a “complete review of the results” of the presidential elections held on Sunday in Venezuela, where the electoral authority proclaimed Maduro re-elected with 51% of the votes over Edmundo González Urrutia’s 44%, representing opposition leader María Corina Machado. Here are the responses from the governments of these seven countries to Caracas’ announcement of withdrawing diplomatic personnel citing “interfering pronouncements”: Argentina “Argentina has not broken ties with Venezuela. If they have, they have not communicated it to us yet,” said Diana Mondino,...

Deep in Colombia’s northwestern forests, an orchid enthusiast has gathered a colorful collection of nearly 25,000 specimens, some of which he is cloning to protect them from extinction. Colombia, which will host the COP16 UN biodiversity summit later this year, has the world’s largest number of orchid species, and new varieties are regularly discovered. Around the world, the unique flowering plants are increasingly threatened by the slashing down of forests, where most orchids are found. Agricultural technologist Daniel Piedrahita, 62, has made it his life’s mission to preserve the flowers at his sanctuary dubbed “The Soul of the Forest” in La Ceja, a town in the department of Antioquia. “An orchid? I’ll define it for you in one word: perfection,” said Piedrahita. He describes his collection of over 5,000 species as a “genetic bank that I am responsible for… to ensure that each one reproduces perfectly.” The reserve is home to about twenty species that are endangered worldwide and...

Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University in Saudi Arabia invites application for vacant Faculty and Academic Positions, a private non-profit university in Al-Khobar, Saudi Arabia. Assistant Professor, Human Resource Management Requisition ID: 1900001EWork Locations: Al-KHOBARSchedule: Full-timeJob Posting: Jul 24, 2024Apply|Add to My Job Cart   Lab Instructor, Electrical Engineering Requisition ID: 1900001WWork Locations: Al-KHOBARSchedule: Full-timeJob Posting: Jul 22, 2024Apply|Add to My Job Cart   Associate Chair, […]

Prince Sultan University in Saudi arabia invites application for vacant Postdoc and Faculty Positions, located in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia is the first private university founded in Saudi Arabia. Position Department Details Executive Assistant to the HR Director Human Resource See details Postdoctoral in Optical Communication Communications and Networks Engineering Department See details Postdoctoral in the […]

Alfaisal University in Saudi Arabia invites applications for vacant Research and Academic Positions, a private university in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Established in 2002. College of Engineering (CoE) Alfaisal University, Riyadh. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Post Doc (CoE#060624) Alfaisal University, Riyadh. Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Faculty Poistions in Software Engineering (CoE#091218) Alfaisal University, Riyadh. Kingdom of […]

The governments of the Dominican Republic, Panama, Costa Rica, and Ecuador stated this Sunday that “the will of the Venezuelan people…must be respected,” in a joint statement issued during the presidential elections in Venezuela. “In light of Nicolás Maduro’s statements about the possibility of a ‘bloodbath’ if the ruling party loses the elections, we repeat our call to the Venezuelan authorities to comply with the Inter-American Democratic Charter,” said a statement from the Alliance for Development in Democracy (ADD) formed by the four countries. The ADD members added in the statement, released by the Panamanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, that in the elections “the will of the Venezuelan people, the foundation of democracy, must be respected.” The four nations also called for “free, fair, and transparent” elections. The ADD rejected the actions of the Venezuelan government that “limit the access of international observers” to verify the electoral process, particularly the prohi...

The Olympics officially kicked off, and Costa Rican athletes began their participation in the competition held in Paris. Judoka Sebastian Sancho was the first to compete, followed by swimmer Alberto Vega. Sancho had a strong bout but lost to Michel Augusto of Brazil. Sancho, who secured his participation in the Games through the continental quota, showed impeccable preparation by weighing in at 59.7 kg at the pre-weigh-in, ensuring his eligibility for the competition. His debut took place on tatami 2, where he faced Augusto in the fifth fight of the day. Despite Sancho’s great performance, standing out for his technique and dedication, Augusto demonstrated his experience and tactical skill by scoring the point he needed to secure the victory shortly before the end of the fight. “We are proud to congratulate Sebastian Sancho for his outstanding participation in the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. These were the first Olympics for our judoka. Sebastian has shown great spirit and determinat...

Have you ever heard of Saragundí? This fascinating plant, scientifically known as Senna alata, is a hidden gem in Costa Rica’s rich botanical world. Also playfully called “Piss-a-Bed” due to its diuretic properties, Saragundí is more than just a funny name – it’s a powerhouse of medicinal benefits and a beautiful addition to any garden. Native Beauty Saragundí is native to the warm regions of Mesoamerica, thriving in Costa Rica’s tropical climate. Picture a bush-like perennial stretching 2-4 meters tall, adorned with pinnate leaves and bright yellow flowers. These vibrant blossoms, born on racemes at the leaf axils, make Saragundí as pleasing to the eye as it is beneficial to health. A Natural Pharmacy In Costa Rican traditional medicine, Saragundí is a go-to remedy for various ailments: Digestive Aid: Its leaves serve as a natural laxative. Urinary Health: Both leaves and flowers are used to address urinary problems. Skin Care: Fresh leaves are a potent treatment for fungal...

Potrero Beach in Guanacaste has become an accessible beach for people with disabilities, reduced mobility, and senior citizens. The beach features 33 meters of retractable walkways and an amphibious chair provided by Las Buenas Acciones Verdes de Monge in collaboration with the Costa Rican Network of Accessible Tourism. The accessible beach will be open on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will be managed by the Ecological Blue Flag Committee of Potrero Beach. “We are very pleased to reaffirm Monge’s commitment to the environment and society with the sixth accessible beach . This project has two purposes: to reduce pollution and generate social impact,” said Carlos Fernandez, director of Monge’s Good Green Deeds program. Since 2021, more than 11 tons of plastic caps have been collected, which were used to build and install over 300 meters of walkways and six amphibious chairs across six beaches: one in Playa Espadilla in Manuel Antonio, two in Puntarenas,...

Nanyang Polytechnic Institute in Singapore invites application for vacant Academic Positions in Data Analysis and Information Management, a post-secondary education institution and statutory board under the purview of the Ministry of Education in Singapore. Senior/ Research Specialist, Translational Research Division (Data Science)locationsSingaporeposted onPosted Today JR-10000023955 Senior/Manager, Research & Development (Behavioural Science & Insights)locationsHealth Promotion Boardposted […]

The exchange rate is a concern for all Costa Ricans and foreigners residing in or visiting the country. Its impact on the national economy is significant, affecting the entire productive sector. Calculations and projections regarding the dollar exchange rate are also crucial for those who receive their income in foreign currency, as well as for those exposed to foreign exchange risk. Several experts have analyzed the situation and shared their predictions for the end of the year. Although there are some differences, they generally agree that the average value of the dollar will not reach—or even come close to—the ¢600 mark. As of May 27, 2024, the currency’s value was above or very close to ¢520. A few days later, on June 7, it reached the highest value of the year, ¢535.02. The Minister of Finance, Nogui Acosta, states that the exchange market has already achieved a certain “stability” compared to the fluctuations seen in 2022 and 2023. However, the productive sector believes it is...

President Rodrigo Chaves announced that the Government has denounced the Adral Corporation, which belongs to the Arias family, along with other implicated parties, before the Attorney General’s Office regarding the El Jobo case. According to Trivisión Channel 36, brothers Óscar and Rodrigo Arias acquired land that the government had donated to locals in El Jobo, canton of La Cruz de Guanacaste. These lands were transformed into luxury hotels and tourist developments, increasing their value exponentially. Investigations suggest that the Agrarian Development Institute (IDA) removed legal limitations to allow politicians affiliated with the PLN party to acquire and sell agricultural plots of land irregularly. The Arias brothers, through the Adral Corporation, own extensive properties in the El Jobo area of Guanacaste. In total, they own 297,000 square meters, equivalent to 29.7 hectares, in one of the most coveted and developing areas of Guanacaste. “There is a criminal complaint befo...

Max Planck Institute in Germany invites application for vacant PhD, Postdoc and Academic Positions, an independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes. PostDoc (m/f/d) | Theoretical BiologyJULY 19, 2024Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plön Postdoctoral Researcher / Data Scientist (m/f/d) | Geospatial data and/or remote sensingJULY 19, 2024Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry, […]

Costa Rica President Rodrigo Chaves and several ministers met yesterday with deputies from various political parties to discuss mining in Crucitas. The government seeks to modify the current legislation to ensure that the State obtains better profits from gold mining. Laura Fernández, Minister of the Presidency, advocated for amending the Mining Code, which establishes a profit for the country of 2% of the royalty. She pointed out that the current laws on this subject date back to 1948. Fernández emphasized the public interest and the need to find a solution to the “environmental disaster” in this area of San Carlos. Meanwhile, Franz Tattenbach, Minister of the Environment, said, “we’re interested in protecting the environment, and to do so, we need actions of the necessary magnitude to combat the disaster we are facing.” The only political party that did not participate in the meeting was Frente Amplio, who reminded everyone that open-pit mining is prohibited in Costa Rica. The go...

Excellent news for those traveling between Guanacaste and San Jose: the Amistad Bridge over the Tempisque River is 99% complete and will be inaugurated next week. After three months of intervention and maintenance work, Efraím Zeledón, Vice-Minister of Transportation, indicated that they are now in the final stage. “The asphalt mix has already been laid, we are working on demarcation, final painting details, and placing the joints. It is practically ready, and according to plan, we will be opening next week,” he assured. Thus, between now and July 24, the date scheduled for the reopening, small works will be carried out and the final details will be reviewed. “The bridge is almost ready. The most complicated part, which was to lift the bridge, change the supports, and lower it again, has already been done. A delicate part, which was the placement of the asphalt mix, has been successfully completed, and the installation of the lighting, which was very important, has also been finaliz...

North Carolina State University in United States invites application for vacant Postdoc and Academic Positions, a public research university in Raleigh, North Carolina, United States. Extension EFNEP Educator 11 – College of Agriculture & Life Sciences (CALS) 117102 – West District – Avery NC Cooperative Extension No Are you looking for a rewarding career that […]

I spend much of my time using motion-sensor camera traps to observe the natural behaviors of wildlife in Costa Rica. The thousands of resulting videos need to be reviewed and entered into databases, so I also spend a large portion of my time sitting in my sweaty little office watching wildlife videos. After years of video watching, one thing has become very obvious. I’m using my cameras to observe wildlife, and, in turn, the wildlife are observing my cameras. Some of the species that I’ve caught on camera noticing the camera wouldn’t surprise you. Monkeys, especially white-faced monkeys , not only notice the camera but inspect it, smash it, twist it, turn it, sit on it, and leave it in a position where the next rainstorm ruins it. Similarly, common opossums , northern raccoons , white-nosed coatis , and Baird’s tapirs not only notice the camera but, let’s say, take it upon themselves to adjust it. The perceived intelligence levels of some of the species doing this camera-noticing mi...

The number of tourists visiting Costa Rica increased by 14.5% in the first half of this year, compared to the same period in 2023, the Costa Rican Tourism Institute (ICT) reported this Friday. “From January to June of this year, 1,532,443 tourists visited Costa Rica entering by air, representing an increase of 14.5% compared to the same period in 2023,” the ICT indicated in a semi-annual report. The Institute specified that 92% of visitors arrive in the country by air, mainly from the United States and Canada. “The outstanding results of the first semester of 2024 […] show a dynamic, growing, and solid tourism sector,” said Tourism Minister William Rodríguez when presenting the report. The figures reflect that Costa Rica has already recovered from the crisis caused by the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 and 2021 in the tourism sector, which contributes 8.2% of the national GDP and is one of the largest sources of foreign exchange. The ICT forecasts a record 2.8 million tourists by the ...

Today we discuss the “king” of Tico ducks, the Muscovy duck. A species of duck that has been taken under the wing of humanity to such a degree that it split into two subspecies. The Muscovy duck (Cairina moschata) is known as the pato real in Spanish. That translates to royal duck in English but for the life of me I couldn’t figure out how it earned such a moniker. I’m sure this isn’t the reason, but it could be declared the king of all Tico ducks because it’s by far the largest duck in Costa Rica. Males are heavy-bodied and have broad wings, weighing several kilograms. Females are noticeably smaller. Both sexes are generally black with some metallic green with a white patch on the wings. The male’s face comes complete with red caruncles, which is a fantastic word that’s defined as ‘small, fleshy excrescence that is a normal part of an animal’s anatomy.’ To you and me, that means they have red fleshy bumps on their faces. Muscovy duck’s have a large natural range starting in start...

PhD Scholarships at Max Planck Institute, an independent non-governmental and non-profit association of German research institutes. PhD Position (m/f/d) | Collective Dynamics of Living Neuronal NetworksJULY 15, 2024Max Planck Institute for Dynamics and Self-Organization, Göttingen Dissertation Writing-up Fellowships for the Department ‘Law & Anthropology’JULY 12, 2024Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology, Halle (Saale) Student Assistant […]

PhD, Postdoctoral and Academic Positions at Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences in Delft University of Technology in Netherlands, the largest Dutch public technological university, located in Delft, Netherlands. Job title Faculty/Department Closing date Assistant Professor in Global Geodetic Observing Systems Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences 26-08-2024 PhD Position Thermo-Mechanical Methods of Recycling Fine […]

Costa Rican Police Forces will implement “Operativo Pacífico” in the province of Puntarenas during the coming weeks, as informed by the director of the Judicial Investigation Organism (OIJ), Randall Zúñiga. “For us, it is very important to make this type of effort to lower crime and to carry out our work. It is our desire to bring a little more peace and tranquility to this beloved province,” the OIJ director said. The OIJ pointed out that the work will be focused on the central canton of Puntarenas, as it is one of the areas that has suffered a crime onslaught. Nonetheless, the Ministry of Security added that the operations include the districts of Barranca, Chacarita, El Roble, Esparza, and the center of Puntarenas. The entire operation involves 130 police officers and 40 OIJ agents. The Vice Minister of Security, Erick Lacayo, described that the actions and the investment of personnel in Puntarenas seek to prevent and contain crimes. “We have coordinated information, events that...

Numerous world leaders condemned and expressed their shock at the attempted assassination of former U.S. President and Republican candidate, Donald Trump, during a shooting at a rally on Saturday in the state of Pennsylvania. The former president was injured in the ear, an event attendee died, and two others are in critical condition. The shooter, who was outside the venue, was killed by the Secret Service. Americas UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres unequivocally condemned “this act of political violence,” said his spokesman, Stephane Dujarric. Argentine President Javier Milei blamed the “international left” for the assassination attempt. “In panic over losing at the polls, they resort to terrorism to impose their retrograde and authoritarian agenda,” Milei stated on his X account. Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador also denounced “what happened.” “Violence is irrational and inhumane,” he declared on the same social network. On the northern border of the United Sta...

The University of Twente in Netherlands invites application for vacant PhD, Postdocs and Academic Positions, a public technical university located in Enschede, the Netherlands. POST DOCTORAL POSITION: HEALTH SERVICE INNOVATION AND CO-DESIGNAcademic staff PostDoc Doctorate ET32 – 40 hr.€ 3,887 – € 5,090Challenging workPublished: 11 Jul 2024Deadline: 30 Aug 2024View position  PHD POSITION ON A VIRTUAL 3D HUMAN BONE SHAPE PROCESSING PLATFORM FOR ORTHOPEDIC […]

Amsterdam University in Netherlands invites application for vacant PhD, Postdoctoral and Academic Positions, one of two large, publicly funded research universities in the city, Netherlands. TitelPostdoctoral Researcher in Thalamo-cortical Interactions During BehaviorOpleidingsniveauGepromoveerdFunctie typeWetenschappelijk PersoneelFaculteit/DienstFaculteit der Natuurw., Wiskunde & InformaticaVacaturenummer13126Selecteer deze spatiebalk om de volledige inhoud van de functiegegevens weer te geven. TitelJunior DierverzorgerOpleidingsniveauMBOFunctie typeOndersteunend Beheer […]