The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) warns that a 41% funding cut is jeopardizing support for refugees in Costa Rica, especially Nicaraguans fleeing repression. With over 222,000 asylum claims pending, the country’s asylum system is buckling. Nicaraguans escape political crackdowns, human rights abuses, and economic collapse, sparked by 2018 protests and worsened by …

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A 10% tariff on imports from Costa Rica, rolled out by the U.S. government in April, could slash the country’s economic growth from 3.6% to 3% in 2025, says the International Center for Economic Policy for Sustainable Development of the National University (CINPE-UNA). This hit stems from Costa Rica’s tight trade ties with the U.S., …

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Costa Rica violated the rights of over 200 migrants deported by the United States—including 81 children—according to a report by the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL), the Jesuit Migrant Service (SJM-CR), and the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). A lawsuit filed before the U.N. claims the detentions risked long-term harm to minors. The …

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Costa Rica’s economic growth rate slowed to 3.9% in the first quarter of 2025, down from 4.6% during the same period last year, according to new figures released by the Central Bank of Costa Rica (BCCR). The drop is largely attributed to setbacks in two major sectors: agriculture and hospitality. Agricultural production, which had posted …

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An expedition of marine archaeologists from Denmark has unraveled the mystery surrounding two shipwrecks lying in the shallow waters of Cahuita National Park, on the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica. For nearly two centuries, local fishermen, who first settled in the area in 1826, believed the wrecks were pirate ships. However, a 2015 discovery of …

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World No. 1 Jannik Sinner returns to competition Saturday after his suspension, 104 days after winning the Australian Open.That Melbourne final in late January was his last ATP Tour match before it was announced in mid-February that he had reached an agreement with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), accepting a three-month suspension to resolve a …

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At 69 Leo XIV was elected pope at a significantly younger age than his two immediate predecessors, Francis and Benedict XVI — something observers, including his own brother, believe will bring fresh dynamism to the Holy See. Sure enough, the Chicago-born pontiff né Robert Francis Prevost is said to be a baseball fan that enjoys …

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An agreement signed by the United States and Panama a month ago does not allow for the installation of U.S. military bases in the Central American country, as claimed by some Panamanian sectors, said newly appointed U.S. Ambassador Kevin Cabrera on Thursday. A month ago, U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth signed an agreement in …

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President Donald Trump congratulated León XIV, the first pope from the United States, in a message on his Truth Social network on Thursday. “Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who has just been named pope. It is a great honor to know he is the first American pope. How exciting, and what a great honor …

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In a groundbreaking moment for the Catholic Church, Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, a Chicago-born prelate, was elected as the first pope from the United States on Thursday, May 8, 2025, taking the papal name Leo XIV. The announcement followed the emission of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel, signaling the successful conclusion of the conclave …

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