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A Tennessee judge has bound over murder charges against the husband and son of Costa Rican Silvia Gabriela Vílchez Mora, who authorities say died from a brutal beating before her body burned in a rural fire pit. The ruling came during a preliminary hearing on December 8 in Sequatchie County, advancing the case to a grand jury. David Gardiner, 64, Vílchez’s husband, and Gabriel Vílchez, her 18-year-old son, face counts of criminal homicide and abuse of a corpse. Investigators allege Gabriel struck his mother multiple times with a baseball bat in their home, while Gardiner stood by and watched. The pair then moved her remains to an outdoor pit and set them ablaze, according to arrest reports. The hearing revealed new details from law enforcement. A detective testified that Gabriel confessed shortly after his arrest, describing how he hit Vílchez in the head and body until she stopped moving. Blood evidence covered the walls and floor of a bedroom in their Dunlap residence, supporting t...

British heavy metal icons Iron Maiden have locked in their return to Costa Rica, delivering a major win for local fans. The band will perform at the Estadio Nacional on October 8, 2026, as part of their Run For Your Lives World Tour, which marks 50 years in the business. The group shared the full Latin American leg of the tour on December 12, starting with Mexico City on October 2, then hitting El Salvador on October 5 before arriving in San José. From there, the itinerary heads to Bogotá on October 11, Quito on October 14, Lima on October 17, Buenos Aires on October 20, São Paulo on October 25, and wraps up in Santiago on October 31. Opening for Iron Maiden in Costa Rica will be The Raven Age, who join them for several stops including El Salvador, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru. Other dates feature different acts: Souls of Steel in El Salvador, Alter Bridge in Brazil, Nuclear and Mammoth in Chile, and LA H NO MURIÓ in Argentina. Tickets for the Costa Rican show go on general sale in F...

Durham University in United Kingdom invites application for vacant Postdoctoral and Academic Positions, a collegiate public research university

President Rodrigo Chaves completed a two-day trip to El Salvador on Friday by walking through the Terrorism Confinement Center (CECOT), the region’s largest prison built to hold gang members. The visit highlights his plan to adopt similar approaches in Costa Rica as homicides and drug-related crimes continue to climb. Chaves arrived by helicopter at the facility in Tecoluca, about 75 kilometers from San Salvador. Salvadoran Justice and Security Minister Gustavo Villatoro and Defense Minister René Francis Merino met him there. President Nayib Bukele, who often highlights CECOT to visitors, did not join the tour. During the walkthrough, Chaves examined the cells. In one section, officials directed inmates to lift their shirts, revealing tattoo-covered bodies linked to gangs like Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) and Barrio 18. He paused at a cell with heavy steel bars to address the prisoners, who wore white T-shirts and shorts. “I am the president of Costa Rica, gentlemen. Good afternoon, how ...

My flight was scheduled for a late evening arrival. I prefer flying into Costa Rica in the daytime hours. From a window seat I always anticipate the moment when the plane descends from the clouds and you get your first glimpse of the green earth a few miles below. But there are advantages to arriving at Juan Santamaría Airport after midnight. Checked luggage arrives quickly, lines are shorter and faster, and the daytime gauntlet of taxistas , tour company reps and random hustlers have gone home until daylight. There were a surprising number of people for the late hour. Another flight arrived shortly after, another two hundred people to be processed. I had a couple of hours to kill, so I went to the cafeteria overlooking the terminal to wait. A line formed at an Avianca counter for a flight departing at four in the morning. At about 3 a.m., I went outside, around and down to the street to await the first bus of the day. When I boarded the bus the first words out of my mouth were “Goo...

Costa Rica’s economy has seen a strong push from its medical device industry this year, which now stands as the country’s primary export category. Data from the Foreign Trade Promoter ( Procomer ) shows that goods exports totaled $19.028 million through October, a 16% rise compared to last year. Medical devices led this expansion with a 30% increase, making up 48% of the total. This sector includes products like needles, catheters, and prosthetics, which companies manufacture here and ship worldwide. Sales in precision and medical equipment reached $9.199 million by October, highlighting how these items have overtaken traditional exports such as agricultural goods. For instance, pineapple, once a key player, now represents just 6% of exports. The growth started early in the year. From January to July, the sector expanded by 34%, according to Procomer reports. This momentum carried through the third quarter, where medical devices generated $2.211 million, followed by hybrid integrated...

Carlos Alcaraz outlasted Joao Fonseca in a thrilling exhibition match at the Miami Invitational. The world number one from Spain claimed victory with a 7-5, 2-6, 10-8 scoreline after a tense super tiebreak, held inside the loanDepot Park baseball stadium in Miami, Florida. The contest drew a packed crowd, including soccer stars like Brazilian legend Ronaldo Nazario and Inter Miami players Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba. Spectators filled the stands, creating an electric mood as fans cheered for both players. Many Brazilians in attendance supported Fonseca, adding to the lively energy. Alcaraz, at 22, holds the top ranking and has dominated recent seasons, sharing Grand Slam wins with Jannik Sinner—four each over 2024 and 2025. Fonseca, the 19-year-old Brazilian ranked 24th, has risen quickly this year with his first ATP titles in Buenos Aires on clay and Basel indoors. This marked their first meeting, and it lived up to expectations as a showcase of talent. The match featured stro...