The Tico Times Online

LOCAL COLOR: Weekend-long indigenous fair featuring handcrafted artwork, music and dancing wrapped up yesterday, with the government renewing its commitment to help the country's 64,000 Indians, representing eight ethnic groups. Saturday was national Culture Day.
TT/Photo Shoshana Ora Cohen

The Tico Times wishes all Canadians a Happy Thanksgiving today!

The U.S. Embassy will be closed today to celebrate Columbus Day

IB Art Exhibit
British School of Costa Rica today opens its annual art event, which will be on display through Friday, 17, 6-8 p.m. Info: 220-0131.

Costa Rican Film and Video Contest
Today is the last day to submit films and videos. Contestants can participate in different categories such as fiction, feature film, documentary, video creation, animation, publicity, contact at Centro de Cine at 222-9329, 223-2127.

Costa Rican Sign Language Classes
Don’t forget to register today or tomorrow, 1-4 p.m., at the Regional Program for the Deaf. Info: tel/fax: 253-5653 or tel: 207-4160, after 1 p.m.

Miss Costa Rica Will Boycott Beauty Pageant
After two weeks of dodging controversy over whether she should participate in the Nov. 30 Miss World Pageant in Nigeria, Miss Costa Rica, Shirley Alvarez, finally came out of hiding Thursday night and told Channel 7 TV she will boycott the pageant in protest of a Nigerian court sentencing 30-year-old divorcee Amina Lawal to death by stoning for having a child out of wedlock.

The 21-year-old Alvarez's first public statements came two weeks after the Costa Rican government announced it would officially boycott the pageant for human rights reasons (TT, Oct. 11).

However, because the Miss Wold Pageant is a private event, the final decision was up to Alvarez and her sponsor, Channel 7.

Esmeralda Britton, the Minister of Women's Affairs, applauded Alvarez's decision, and continues to try to organize a region-wide
boycott of the pageant. So far, only Panama has agreed to Britton's proposal.

Italy Funds Last Step of De-mining Project

The Italian government last week announced it will donate $25,500 to fund the last leg of the Organization of American States-led de-mining project on the Costa Rican- Nicaraguan border.

Costa Rica originally hoped to be mine-free by Sept. 15 -- Central America's Independence Day (TT, Aug. 30). However, the lack of funding has made finishing the slow project even slower.

But now that the Italians have agreed to fund the final step, Costa Rica will be able to keep to its original schedule and be mine-free by the end of the year, according to a Foreign Ministry press release. Costa Rican sappers have cleared 172 of the 178 kilometers of the Nicaraguan border, and are expected to finish the slow-going project next month.

Since the de-mining project began here in September 1999, the Ministry of Public Security's 40-man minesweeping team has cleared 338 mines and dis-activated a number of other explosives, rockets and booby-traps left behind from the Nicaraguan war in the 1980s. Two Costa Ricans have been killed and one injured after stepping on mines during the last 20 years. (TT, Sept. 28, 2001)

A ceremony to declare Costa Rica mine-free is being planned for December.

U.S. Issues New Worldwide Caution

The U.S. State Department Friday announced a new Worldwide Caution for all U.S. citizens abroad to remain vigilant and to remember that there exists a threat of terrorist actions that may target civilians.

This most recent caution, issued because of "the recent audio tape attributed to Usama bin Laden and other reports of threats to American interests," supersedes the Sept. 9 Worldwide Caution and doesn't expire until April 8, 2003.

The warning reads: "The U.S. Government continues to receive credible indications that extremist groups and individuals are planning additional terrorist actions against U.S. interests. Such actions may include, but are not limited to suicide operations. Because security and security awareness have been elevated within the U.S., the terrorists may target U.S. interests overseas. We remind American citizens to remain vigilant with regard to their personal security and to exercise caution."

The caution warns U.S. citizens abroad to be especially careful in areas where they are generally known to congregate or visit. "Americans should increase their security awareness when they are at such locations, avoid them, or switch to other locations where Americans in large numbers generally do not congregate."

More information can be found at the State Departments website: www.travel.state.gov, or, U.S. travelers can access recorded information by calling the 202-647-5225.