WAR No More!: A group gathered at downtown San José's Parque Morazán Saturday to join people around the world in protesting the Iraq war on the four-year anniversary of the U.S. invasion of that country. Here, Teresa Rosewood, of Heredia, north of San José; and Samuel James Butler, of the western suburb of Escazú, make their opinions known by toting signs and wearing white to symbolize peace. The protest was organized by the Friends' Peace Center, the League of Women for Peace and Liberty and the Costa Rican Human Rights Commission, among other groups.

Costa Rica's fiscal deficit dropped 65% during the first two months of this year because of a 33% increase in income, Finance Minister Guillermo Zúñiga explained during a press conference Friday.

Concert in Honor of Ballad Singer Ray Tico
Featuring Editus, Malpaís, Arnoldo Castillo, Marta Fonseca, Luis Zumbado, Ricardo Acosta, 8 p.m., Melico Salazar Theater, San José. Info: 257-6005.

Folkloric Festival
Including oxcart parade, music, marimbas, food, today through Sunday, Cañas, northwestern Guanacaste province.

Cultural Art Show
Music, dance, theater, 7 p.m., Casa de la Cultura, Nicoya, Guanacaste. Info: 665-2996.

Citing irregularities in the buying and selling of land and a failure to carry out basic responsibilities, the Comptroller General's Office Thursday recommended that the Agricultural Development Institute (IDA) be shut down, according to the daily La Nación.

In a report, the Comptroller said the institution no longer carries out the work for which it was created and that it fails to efficiently resolve alleged irregularities, many of which have been made public by the national press during the past decade.

For example, land intended to go to farmers has instead allegedly ended up housing factories and gas stations or in the hands of institute officials' family members, the daily reported.

Additionally, the Comptroller reccommeded that the Executive Branch assign IDA officials to jobs at other government institutions.

President Oscar Arias asked Agriculture Minister Alfredo Volio to present a proposal to reform the institution at the President's Cabinet meeting Wednesday, the daily reported.

In a statement released by the Agriculture Ministry Friday, Volio said his ministry has been evaluating “the need to transform IDA” since he took office in May. IDA must be converted into “an institution that in addition to giving away land, answers the needs of our farmers, who need institutions to serve them with efficiency, agility and transparency,” according to the statement.

The plan Volio presents Wednesday will spell out actions the ministry plans to take to achieve these goals, the statement said.

-Tico Times

Queen of Jordan Lisa Halaby, better known as Queen Noor, plans to arrive to Costa Rica today to attend the inauguration of the new United World School in Santa Ana, west of San José, tomorrow, according to a statement from the school.

The Queen, 52, is the acting president of the Movement of United World Schools, which strives to maintain high academic standards and promote cultural diversity, the development of peace, mutual understanding and community service, the statement said.

The school's new Costa Rican branch will have students from five continents and offer an international baccalaureate degree, emphasizing environmental protection and community service.

-ACAN-EFE

Costa Rica's fiscal deficit dropped 65% during the first two months of this year because of a 33% increase in income, Finance Minister Guillermo Zúñiga explained during a press conference Friday.

At the end of February, the fiscal deficit registered $38.9 million, 65% less than during the same period in 2006, when it reached $111 million.

The government's income at the end of February registered $564.6 million, a 33% increase over the $424.6 million reported during the same period last year. Its total expenditure, including interest on debt, totaled $603 million, up from the $535.8 million it spent during the first two months of 2006.

Zúñiga lamented that interest on the country's debt has “eaten up” its efforts to increase income and reduce its deficit.

Among actions the government plans to carry out to continue lowering the deficit include aggressive tax collection, better control of costs to focus on its main priorities and promotion of laws that would create new taxes, such as a tax on luxury residences.

The minister said that although he does not have access to statistics on tax evasion this year, this is a “serious” problem. The Comptroller General's Office reported that in 2005, $800 million in taxes went unpaid.