Art show: Ebenezer Leyva
Exhibit “Icarus' Journey,” painting, through the end of August, Galería Amón, Barrio Amón, Calle 7, Avenidas 9 and 11, tel. 2223-9725

8th International Education Congress
Today through Aug. 9, the Franklin Chang High Technology Center, Pavas, 1 km north of U.S. Embassy, tel. 2277-8043, 2277-8226.

Jorge Arturo Cascante in concert
Guitar, 5 p.m., José Figueres Ferrer Cultural Center, San Ramón, Alajuela, tel. 2447-2178.

Peace center fundraiser
DJs Mario Miranda and Esteban Howell, benefits go to community projects such as recycling, 9 p.m., Latino Rock Café, opposite La Primavera gas station in Barrio California, tel. 2222-4719.

Vocal Sin Tiempo in concert
Men's a cappella, 7 p.m., Cipreses hall in Curridabat.

Costa Rica plans to polish up its English teachers' fluency after a lackluster performance by 3,200 teachers on the Test of English for International Communication.

The plan, called “Multilingual Costa Rica,” announced yesterday by the Public Education Ministry (MEP) and the Costa Rican-U.S. Foundation (CRUSA), calls for 140 hours of class time for 1,212 of the test-takers. It aims to increase poor speakers' level to intermediate and intermediate to fluent.

“We need to train our English teachers to become competent speakers,” said Martha Blanco, executive director of the program. “It is very important in many aspects of our society.”

Of 3,200 teachers examined, who represent about 86 percent of all English teachers, 38 percent received scores of A1 or A2, representing beginner and upper-beginner level language skills.

Of the remaining 62 percent, 48.5 percent placed in B1 and B2, or intermediate ranges, and 13.5 percent placed in the C1, or fluent, category.

The government and co-organizer's of the scheme hope that the teacher training will be the first step in a sweeping plan to revamp English education and expand the use of the language in the country over the next 10 years.

Costa Rica's bus fares are set to go up for the second time this year after the Public Services Regulatory Authority (ARESEP) flashed the green light yesterday.

The latest fare hike averages 12.87 percent for routes to and from the capital, San José. To cite a few, San Pedro rides that now cost ¢165 (about $0.30) will increase to ¢185; the ¢280 ride to Heredia will cost ¢295; and the ¢370 to Alajuela goes up to ¢420.

The increase, meant to compensate for the bus companies' higher gas prices, salaries, maintenance and administrative fees, is slated to take effect Aug. 14, when it is expected to be published in the government's news bulletin, La Gaceta, according to an ARESEP press release.

The government of Iran agreed to build and equip a $2 million medical facility in Nicaragua as part of a deal the Iranian government signed with Nicaragua's foreign minister, Samuel Santos.

Santos spent the last week in the Iranian capital of Tehran at “the movement of non-aligned nations” summit for top government officials of Iranian allies, according to a Nicaraguan Foreign Ministry statement released yesterday.

“Our two people are brothers that should prepare themselves for new conditions in the world by strengthening relations,” Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said after meeting with Santos.

After speaking with Ali Lariyani, president of the Iranian parliament, Santos said the two agreed to deepen ties economically and politically, though he did not specify how.

Iran has also promised to build several hydroelectric and dairy plants in Nicaragua as well as a deep-water Caribbean port in conjunction with Venezuela, among other projects.