The Tico Times Online Daily Page

Daily Edition: San José, Costa Rica, August 18, 2003

DON'T CRY FOR ME: Argentina's Under-17 Team defeated the U-17 Ticos 2-0 on Saturday. Costa Rica, which tied Nigeria in its first game, will play its final tournament match against Australia on Tuesday. Costa Rica's National Soccer Team (Sele), meanwhile, is heading to Europe to take on Austria Wednesday at 12:30 p.m. Tico time.
AFP/TT

Freak Hail Storm Cancels
La Liga's Season Opener
A freak hail storm that erupted out of the sky over San José yesterday sent soccer players and referees running for cover as Deportivo La Liga's season opener against Santa Barbara was rained out during the second half.
(Click for more)

Coast Guard Graduates
18 New Officers
The Coast Rican Coast Guard Academy this weekend graduated 18 new officers, bringing the national maritime police force to 98 officers.
(Click for more)

Alemán Threatens Hunger Strike
MANAGUA (AFP) - Former Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Alemán, who last week was moved to a maximum-security prison where he is being held on charges of corruption, threatened yesterday that he will begin a hunger strike if not transported to another jail.
(Click for more)

August 18

Talking about Music
Master Guillermo Rosabal is talking about the Nature and Value of Contemporary Music,7 p.m., School of Music, University of Costa Rica campus, San Pedro. Info: 207-5565.

Classes on Food and Beverages
Every other starting Monday, Aug. 18, Sept. 1, 22, 2-6:30 p.m., Palma Real Hotel. Info: 234-6222.

Workshop "Series on Fiction TV"
in Spanish, by script writer Josep Maria Benet i Jornet, Mon.-Fri., Aug. 18-22, Spanish Cultural Center, 200 north, 200 east of Santa Teresita Church. Info: 257-2919.

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Freak Hail Storm Cancels
La Liga's Season Opener
By Tim Rogers
trogers@ticotimes.net

A freak hail storm that erupted out of the sky over San José yesterday sent soccer players and referees running for cover as Deportivo La Liga's season opener against Santa Barbara was rained out during the second half.

With the game tied 1-1 ten minutes into the second half, the heavens opened over what had been a blistering hot morning and pelted fans and players with a deluge of hail and rain. Fierce winds knocked down the sponsor billboards lining the field, and players went running for cover.

The fans, most of whom wearing the red and black colors of La Liga, responded as wildly as the weather. As the players ran for the locker rooms, many of the fans stormed the field, tearing off their shirts and running amok.

Several of the La Liga team leaders came out of locker room to try to calm the fans and urged them not to vandalize the facilities.

After a 20 minute weather delay, the rain and hail ceased, the players and officials came back onto the field and the fans returned to the stands. After a 30 minute investigation of the soupy field, parts of which were under an inch of water, the referees decided to cancel the game.

The remaining 30 minutes of the match will be made up at a date to be announced later. The makeup game would normally be played today, but will be rescheduled because five of La Liga's players will be heading to Europe with the National Soccer Team (Sele) for a Wednesday's friendly against Austria.

In other league games, former Sele coach Alexandre Guimaraes lost his first game as head coach of Cartago, 2-1 to Los Santos of Guapiles. And the highly touted Saprissa squad, under the new ownership of Mexican multi-millionaire Jorge Vergara, tied Carmelita 1-1 in its first game of the 2003-2004 season.

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Coast Guard Graduates 18 New Officers

The Coast Rican Coast Guard Academy this weekend graduated 18 new officers, bringing the national maritime police force to 98 officers.

During a graduation ceremony at the Coast Guard's headquarters in the southern Pacific port town of Golfito, Academy Director Mario Barrientos congratulated the graduates for completing their four-month course in nautical techniques, policing and environmental protection, according to a Security Ministry press release.

The national Coast Guard, charged with protecting and patrolling a maritime area 10 times the size of Costa Rica's total land mass, conducts search-and-rescue missions, anti-drug operations and environmental protection missions.

"In our work, we come across unscrupulous people who damage natural resources, steal turtle eggs, kill turtles to sell their shells, and fish illegally and indiscriminately species that are in danger of extinction," said Saúl Araya, head of the Coast Guard office in northern Limón's Barra del Colorado.

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Alemán Threatens Hunger Strike

HUNGER STRIKE? Aleman.
AFP/TT

MANAGUA (AFP) - Former Nicaraguan President Arnoldo Alemán, who last week was moved to a maximum-security prison where he is being held on charges of corruption, threatened yesterday that he will begin a hunger strike if not transported to another jail.

Supreme Court Judge Carlos Guerra, who visited Alemán in jail Saturday, said the former President accused of embezzling $100 million in state funds, threatened he would "sacrifice" himself and go on a hunger strike if he is not sent to the Modelo Jail, 20 kilometers north of Managua.

Alemán currently is being held at the Criminal Investigative Division of the Police - cells that are normally reserved for highly dangerous criminals.

Alemán, the party boss of the ruling Liberal Constitutional Party (PLC), was moved from house arrest to jail last Monday, when the judge ruled the state would no longer pay to keep the former President under guard at his compound known as El Chile (TT, Aug. 15).

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