Costa Rica

Costa Rica announced a ban on synthetic nicotine in vaping liquids and e-cigarettes, aiming to address health risks associated with their use, following reports of lung injuries and a surge in vaping-related hospitalizations

Costa Rica's consulate facilitated passport delivery to 450 Venezuelans as part of President Maduro's initiative to provide documentation for Venezuelans abroad, bringing passports to many who had been without passports for over 5 years

Costa Rican health authorities have intensified efforts to vaccinate children against measles, rubella, and mumps, aiming to close vaccination gaps and achieve 100% coverage, especially with over 88.000 children currently susceptible due to missing doses

Costa Rica has reached an agreement with the IMF's technical team to access a total of US$510 million loans to keep the Colon at the same exchange rate with respect to the USD, pending approval from the IMF's Executive Board

Costa Rica has presented a plan to attract semiconductor investments, aiming to become a top destination by leveraging its strategic relationship with the US to begin building centers for the development of such materials

Costa Rica has become the world's first country to export coffee free from deforestation; the first shipment has been destined for Italy's Illycaffè

Melissa Pérez has become the first female data engineer graduate in Costa Rica; she is aiming to inspire women in STEM fields and urging more female participation in the development of innovative solutions

Costa Rica has reported its first case of screwworm infection in the Altamira de Pavones area, triggering investigations and the implementation of an action protocol by the Ministry of Health and SENASA to address and contain potential outbreaks

A US$2,1 million US-funded Anti-Drug Operations Center in the Térraba-Sierpe National Wetland, a region historically exploited by organized crime for drug trafficking

Earlier this week, a meteor-like flash, identified as space debris by experts from the University of Costa Rica, illuminated the country's sky, captured in videos, with the phenomenon attributed to debris disintegration upon entering Earth's atmosphere

Biologists have discovered 4 new octopus species near Costa Rica’s El Dorado Hill, including the “Dorado” octopus, which laid eggs near low-temperature hydrothermal vents, revealing a previously unknown hydrothermal ecosystem

Costa Rica's Supreme Constitutional Court declared unconstitutional that the father's surname must precede the mother's in people's names, thereby eliminating the obligation to place the paternal surname first

Costa Rica and the United Arab Emirates have achieved a groundbreaking pact with the Comprehensive Economic Partnership on Trade and Investment, granting Costa Rican exporters preferential access to a market of 10 million consumers