The mystery story of the Maya slowly reveals new twists Jun 23, 2008
The classic Maya were part of a Central American civilization best known for stepped pyramids, beautiful carvings and murals and the widespread abandonment of cities around 900 A.D. in southern Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and El Salvador, leaving the Maya only the northern lowlands of the Yucatan peninsula. The conventional wisdom of this upheaval is that many Maya moved north at the time of this collapse, also colonizing the hilly "Puuc" region of the Yucatan for a short while, until those new... (USA Today -- Tech)
Honduras reach third round, Suriname, Grenada pull off impressive results Jun 15, 2008
Honduras won the opening leg of its tie against Puerto Rico 4-0 earlier in the month, and Saturday's away draw made it 6-2 on aggregate, putting the Central American nation into the last 12 of regional qualifying ... Guatemala's 6-0 home thumping of Caribbean minnow St. Lucia was more predictable, and meant the Central Americans were as good as through to the third round. (International Herald Tribune)
Three teams face meaningless matches at Euro 2008 Jun 14, 2008
FIFA switched to the UEFA system in qualifying for the 2006 World Cup enabling the United States to finish first ahead of Mexico in the final round of the North and Central American and Caribbean region. The Americans lost 2-1 in Mexico and beat the Mexicans 2-0 at home, finishing atop the standings even though Mexico had a plus-13 goal difference compared with plus-10 for the U.S.. (International Herald Tribune -- Arts)
'a Leap of Faith'Retired Casa Grande dentist, wife seek to improve Honduran lives Jun 13, 2008
On July 3 they will board a plane to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, where they will live immersed in the culture of the Central American nation for 18 months while serving as welfare service missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Wayne, a retired dentist, will volunteer as a professor at the dental school in Tegucigalpa. (Casa Grande Valley Newspapers, AZ)
CAL THOMAS: Book tells of lessons we can learn from poor Jun 10, 2008
They now have subsidiaries in Mexico, Venezuela, Ecuador, four Central American countries and Thailand. By 2005, they had more than 8 million customers and employed 8,000 workers. (Fresno Bee -- Opinion)
Committee approves trip to Costa Rica Jun 7, 2008
At Monday School Committee meeting, the committee unanimously approved the field trip to the Central American republic the first time that the district will send middle-school students on an international trip. It s one that I think pushes the envelope of learning, Superintendent Patrick Schettini said of the experience. (Reading Advocate, MA)
More of this story Jun 7, 2008
" Ahmanson Theatre, 135 N. Grand Ave., (213) 628-2772 or . NOW Festival at REDCATFor the fifth year running, REDCAT gives local artists an opportunity to take creative risks and experiment in an environment of encouragement and support. For the New Original Works Festival, the Bunker Hill venue provides technical assistance, equipment and an honorarium and lets the artists run wild. This year's nine artists/groups will share their innovative performances July 17-19, July 24-26 and July 31-Aug. 2... (Los Angeles Downtown News, CA)
First-Of-Its-Kind Farmers Market To Open Jun 6, 2008
"There will be Mexican food, western African food, Central American food, Asian food," he said. In addition to selling locally grown crops, the market will accept food stamps to purchase fruits and vegetables from local farmers. (NBCSandiego.com, CA)
Soap opera social engineering May 29, 2008
We have made progress toward this vision by expanding the benefits of free commerce, through [the North American Free Trade Agreement], the Central American Free Trade Agreement, and our free trade agreements with Peru and Chile. But the progress has stalled; our longstanding bipartisan commitment to hemispheric prosperity is crumbling. (Salon)
In-depth on Indy - Part 4: The Crystal Skull legends: Fact or fiction? May 25, 2008
In 1924 F.A. Mitchell-Hedges, a British banker-turned adventurer led an expedition deep into the Central American jungle ... " The crystal skulls filled that niche and fuelled collectors' imaginations. "The stories surrounding them have no basis in legends written down by the Aztecs," says Jennings. The tales also changed from one culture to another. That, says Jennings, has more to do with the 20th century's New-Age movement than historical fact. "If people want to believe these skulls have... (CTV.ca)
LETTERS: NCT, May 13, 2008 May 14, 2008
These units would be assigned to conduct sweeps and take into custody an estimated 400,000 undocumented Central American immigrants in the United States. The immigrants would be interned at 10 detention centers to be set up at military bases throughout the country. (North County Times)
The hottest beaches of Central America May 10, 2008
The appeal of Central American beaches is an offbeat and organic sexiness that blends together visitors of varied ages and economic backgrounds ... Los Angeles resident and inveterate Central American traveler Aaron Davis points out that English-speaking Belize is a great introduction to the region, with innumerable laidback beaches. (MSNBC -- Travel)
China attends Costa Rican Int'l Art Festival Apr 13, 2008
Her remarks were echoed by Wang Xiaoyuan, China's ambassador to this Central American country. "It is good to share the Chinese culture with the Costa Rican people and to keep deepening the friendly relations between our two countries," he said. (Xinhuanet, China)
Fleeing abuse at home, Central American girls find no haven in gangs Apr 11, 2008
Published: April 10, 2008. To join one of Central America's fierce street gangs, Benky, a tiny young woman wearing heavy mascara and with tattoos running up and down her arms, had to have sex with a dozen or so of her homeboys one night. (International Herald Tribune)
ThinkMTV, Seventeen Magazine & Declare Yourself Team Up to Energize America's Youth to Register & Vote Apr 10, 2008
ThinkMTV, Seventeen Magazine & Declare Yourself Team Up to Energize America's Youth to Register & Vote: Financial News - Yahoo. ThinkMTV, Seventeen Magazine & Declare Yourself Team Up to Energize America's Youth to Register & VoteWednesday April 9, 2:11 pm ET. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Honduras sends top ministers to Washington to lobby against melon ban Mar 27, 2008
Honduran officials say there is no proof the fruit was first infected in the Central American country. . (International Herald Tribune)
Army general: No matter the rank, cultural knowledge is critical to U.S. success overseas Mar 26, 2008
A linguist, the captain was fluent in Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese and two Central American dialects. He also drank large amounts of tea with Sheik Sittar and others in developing them to become supporters of America instead of fighting U.S. forces. (Sierra Vista Herald, AZ)
Tibet: the jealousy, rage and bitterness of Mar 22, 2008
I think it has something more to do with the word "globalisation' and the CCP is certainly not responsible for it. If those Tibetan youth feel so strongly about preserving their culture, why don't they wear traditional costume everyday, boycott any han chinese food and pursue a nomad life?Lucy, Melbourne, AustraliaHaving been in Lhasa for some time only a few months ago, I'm pleased to read what seems like the first accurate and thoughtful article on the current unrest. The advances in Tibet and... (Times Online)
Eco Mania is all around Mar 20, 2008
More than 6,000 butterflies from 50-plus species of South American, Central American and Asian origin fly free in the conservatory. Horseshoe Casino. (Munster Times, IN)
Wilson completes Beliz mission trip Mar 4, 2008
She hopes to be able to return to the Central American nation again. "The trip was amazing and Pastor Tate offered a short term position that I am seriously considering, if I can raise the funding for it for this summer," Wilson said. (Mid Iowa Enterprise, IA)
Teaching and learning in Honduras - A local couple's Peace Corps journey Mar 1, 2008
During the two years they spent in the poor Central American country, both would agree that they learned and were enriched far more in return than what they gave to the people there ... Only 17 percent of the Central American population resides in Honduras, yet the country accounts for 60 percent of the AIDS cases in the same region. (Westerly Sun, RI)
45 comments Feb 20, 2008
With him were members of the Central American Mara Salvatruchas gang, which some officials allege has ties to Al-Qaeda. In , the FBI uncovered an operation dedicated to smuggling Iranians into the United States from Mexico. (Human Events Online)
U.S. the real terror in Iraq Feb 16, 2008
snarky wrote on Feb 15, 2008 1:47 PM:" Also - I find it funny that the same people who complain about the actions of our government in "forcing our democratic values" down the throat of the Iraqi people are the same people who argue so vehemently for nationalized healthcare and a bigger role for the government in ensuring that illegal immigrants have all the same luxuries and rights as though of us who are born citizens and pay taxes for these rights. Aren't we forcing our capitalistic and... (Logan Herald Journal, UT)
A path in the darkness Feb 2, 2008
The Ordinary Seaman (1997), shortlisted for the Impac award, is a fable, written in the language of the barrio, about a crew of central American sailors marooned on a ghost ship in Brooklyn harbour. The Divine Husband (2004), a fictional portrait of the Cuban poet and liberation hero Jos; Mart;, traces ties between 19th-century Guatemala and New England. (Guardian Unlimited)
Andy Palacio, at 47; singer and guitarist was cultural icon in Belize Jan 27, 2008
LOS ANGELES - Andy Palacio, a singer and guitarist whose critically acclaimed music championed the language and culture of the Garifuna people of his native Belize and made him a cultural icon in the Central American country, has died. He was 47. (Boston Globe)
Andy Palacio, 47; musician championed Garifuna culture of Belize Jan 22, 2008
template_bastemplate_bas By Valerie J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer January 22, 2008 Andy Palacio, a singer and guitarist whose critically acclaimed music championed the vanishing language and culture of the Garifuna people of his native Belize and made him a cultural icon in the Central American country, has died. He was 47. (Los Angeles Times)
Embracing their roots Jan 20, 2008
Christian, 5, and Nathan, 15 months, may not remember living in the Central American country, but Jennifer and Rob are making sure they don't forget where they come from. Jennifer, the education supervisor at Cayuga County Correctional Facility in Moravia, is fluent in Spanish, studied in Spain and is knowledgeable on Central American culture ... Rob, a chef at Lasca's restaurant in Auburn, frequently constructs Central American cuisine, giving his boys a taste of the region from which they... (Auburn Citizen, NY)
JOHN GASTALDO / Union-TribuneCelebrating his dream Jan 20, 2008
Samuel, 11, was one of the KIPP Adelante Preparatory Academy students whose global village depicting the Central American country was the centerpiece of Saturday's San Diego Multicultural Festival. The festival was sponsored by the Centre City Development Corporation and coincided with the Martin Luther King Jr. Day parade. (San Diego Union-Tribune)
GM potato trials given go-ahead Jan 13, 2008
The plant breeder says it has found a trait in a wild potato from a remote valley in the Central American Andes that causes resistance to the fungal organism. The biotechnology firm applied to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) to hold trials at the headquarters of the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB) in Cambridge and on a farm at Draycott in Derbyshire. (Yahoo News -- Genetically Modified Food)
Follow the Reader 2007: Across the Americas Dec 31, 2007
Placencia, on the southern Belize coast, is both a long, narrow peninsula of Caribbean beaches and a traditional Central American village. During our recent stay, my family appreciated the varied recreation and "barefoot atmosphere" - simple, unhurried comforts with Central American color and style. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Letters to the Editor Dec 14, 2007
Has anyone considered that the rightful heirs to the coins might, instead, be the South and Central American nations from which the gold and silver was looted by Spaniards many centuries ago. The idea that "we stole it so it's ours now" doesn't work any better than it did for ancient Egyptian and Greek artifacts in British museums. (Christian Science Monitor)
Guatemalans, Mexicans blending as families Dec 12, 2007
As more Central Americans arrive, the more they meet and marry Mexicans ... But mixed Latino immigrant families are less likely to return home because it becomes difficult to pick one country over another, said Cecilia Menjvar, a sociologist at Arizona State University and an expert on Central American migration ... Central Americans coming to the United States. (AZCentral -- News)
Boston: the receptor city on a hill Dec 10, 2007
The Bank of Boston, which once ruled Hollywood and toppled Central American governments with the flick of a finger, no longer exists. The Northeast mob, our great department stores, wonderful publishing houses - they have all disappeared or relocated, as Boston has become Branch Office City. (Boston Globe)
Panama schools to teach Chinese Dec 7, 2007
The Central American nation also has diplomatic links with Taiwan, one of the few countries to do so. The proposed legislation sets out a timeframe of 10 years for Mandarin to be taught in all schools. (BBC News -- Americas)
Canoeist's wife 'to be arrested' Dec 7, 2007
Mrs Darwin, who sold the family home on Teesside and moved to Panama six weeks ago, has already admitted to newspapers that a photo of her and her husband taken last year in the Central American country was genuine. A neighbour of the Darwins in Panama City, Patricia Centella de Lopez, told the BBC the couple arrived in July. (BBC News -- UK)
British chain could open door for Home Depot Dec 7, 2007
"You can envision . . . how a Central American strategy might be of interest to us, a broader Asian strategy might be of interest to us," Tome said. "Really, in Western Europe we love our friends at B we are just friends, that's it, so that's where we are.". (Atlanta Journal-Constitution -- Business)
10 places to check out (before you check out) Oct 27, 2007
EL SALVADOR, THE WESTERN COAST El Salvador is the smallest Central American country, with more than its share of pristine beaches, craggy mountains and lush forests. Tourists are few and locals are unwaveringly friendly, putting to rest any unease about being in a country where civil war ended a mere 15 years ago. (Globe and Mail)
Pedophiles drawn to ESL jobs, groups warn Oct 18, 2007
A number of South Asian and Central American countries in need of teachers are also known for child-sex tourism. "Pedophiles are drawn to places where they think they can hide. They are attracted to environments where they think they can get away with it," Mr. McIntosh said. (National Post)
Lendman: Reviewing Rulers and Ruled Oct 13, 2007
-- the Central American countries: El Salvador, Honduras, Costa Rica and Guatemala. . (Zmag.org)
LASO events no easy feat to pull off Oct 1, 2007
With more than 500 people in attendance, it began with the powerful annual tradition "The Parade of Flags" followed by music played by Fiesta Del Norte and food from Caribbean, Central American and Latin American countries. The Parade of Flags is a message to the university exclaiming the Latino existence, as well as a show of the pride we as students have for our heritage. (Northeastern News, MA)
Guatemala visit enriches art of Cedar Falls couple Sep 28, 2007
Crit visited the Central American nation from July 2006 to August 2006 and from December 2006 to June 2007. Advertisement. (Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier)
Uncover what violence begets in 'Art of Political Murder' Sep 17, 2007
Though he is better known as a novelist, Goldman began his career as a journalist, reporting on the Central American wars for Harper's throughout the 1980s ... A small country awash in drug money, this is a Central American nation that seems to have lost its way - a nation whose bleak present makes "The Art of Political Murder" all the more urgent. (San Francisco Chronicle)
'Coffee megagods' fly from Guatemala to Burundi in search of the perfect cup Sep 13, 2007
Peter Giuliano, co-owner and director of coffee for Counter Culture Coffee, spoke with palpable excitement about stumbling upon a Central American farm planted with geishas - a plant known to yield especially high quality beans. (This year, Esmeralda Especial, a Panamanian coffee produced exclusively from geisha beans, earned the highest price ever paid in a coffee auction. (International Herald Tribune)
Why adopting in Guatemala is getting harder Sep 12, 2007
Critics, including adoption agencies and Guatemalan lawyers, say that tighter regulations will leave thousands of babies without safe homes in this Central American nation, in which 80 percent of residents live in poverty and the infant-mortality rate is one of the highest in the hemisphere. But many others say that more restrictions on the process is crucial to the children's well-being. (Christian Science Monitor)
Lodi to promote wine in Costa Rica Sep 6, 2007
Representatives from a dozen Lodi area wineries will tour the Central American hub next month to promote their products and make inroads into the surrounding 47-million-person market. "This is an opportunity the world is becoming flat," said Pat Patrick, president of the Lodi Chamber of Commerce, who is helping organize the trip for both the local wine industry and other interested businesses. (Lodi News Sentinel, CA)
Johnson launches London mayor campaign Sep 3, 2007
In another remark that drew laughter, he described Mr Livingstone's relationship with the Venezuelan president, Hugo Chavez, as "completely Caracas", claiming that street children from the central American state were subsidising Transport for London. A deal Mr Livingstone has struck allows those on income support to pay half-fare on London's buses, paid for by using discounted Venezuelan oil. (Guardian Unlimited -- UK)
Bucknell Hoops Trio Profits from Summer International Experience Sep 1, 2007
Medrano, who also had two points in 10 games as a rookie in 2006-07, had the opportunity to play for the El Salvadorian National Team at a FIBA Americas Central American qualifier tournament in July. All three student-athletes wrote about their international experiences, which proved to be memorable for reasons extending far beyond basketball. (Bucknellbison.com)
Bentez: Rigoberta Mench Running Sep 1, 2007
"Although she may achieve modest results in terms of votes, her candidacy is important as a sign that the political system, which has traditionally been dominated by criollos (people of European descent), is opening up," Manfredo Marroqun, the head of the Central American Institute for Political Studies (INCEP), told IPS.. "We are the voice of the thousands of silenced people, who have no room (in the system) and who only take orders," said Mench, who emphasised the fact that she is a... (Zmag.org)
'Once' measures Latinas through a milestone Aug 27, 2007
And though no one knows the origin of the Quince 15th birthdays have been celebrated as milestones in many Caribbean, Latin and Central American countries it may have roots in ancient Aztec and European court traditions. Alvarez, whose family emigrated from the Dominican Republic in the 1960s, wraps much of her book around the Quinceaera of Monica Ramos (not her real name), a teenager in Queens whose family throws her a comparatively modest celebration. (USA Today -- Life)
(Part 4 of 4: Immigration in Austin) Calling Austin home Aug 26, 2007
The hospital receives about 20 to 50 requests a day for interpretation, most from Cuban, Central American or Mexican Latinos, in addition to other ethnicities. Hidalgo said, above all, trust is the most crucial aspect of providing help to immigrants, some of whom are wary of medical facilities, where they sometimes even had to pay at the time of the appointment. (Austin Daily Herald, MN)
Mexico deports stranded migrants Aug 24, 2007
Central American immigrants are known to cross Mexico's southern border illegally on their way to the US, often riding on train roofs or stowing away in carriages. In June, GWI revealed plans to shut the rail link down over a four-week period. (Yahoo News -- Mexico)
Catamount Men's Hoops Squad Preparing for Preseason Central American Swing Aug 24, 2007
Sophomore Brigham Waginger and the Catamounts began practice on Aug. 20 for their four-day Costa Rica trip on Aug. 31. WCU to play a pair of games in Costa Rica Aug. 31 through Sept. 1. (Catamountsports.com)
Music that could save a culture Jul 26, 2007
"In its essence Garifuna is one of the Arawak family of languages," Palacio explains, "with borrowed words from Africans, who intermarried with Arawaks and Caribs. The French also had a significant impact on the Garifuna vocabulary when we were relocated to the Central American republics.". Palacio first became aware of the disintegration of the Garifuna language and culture when he was a teenager and traveled to Nicaragua to participate in a literacy campaign launched by the Sandinistas. (San Francisco Chronicle)
Buffalo State partners south of the border Jul 24, 2007
To the south, Quintana Roo borders the small Central American nation of Belize. "People go to Cancun and Playa del Carmen to see the beach," said Esquinca, who is optimistic that the plans to attract visitors to the area, once finalized, will garner the desired results. (Buffalo Business First, NY)
Lendman: Militarization of North America Jul 21, 2007
On April 9, he held a one-day conference in Campeche, Mexico attended by the presidents of all Central American countries except Belize and Nicaragua, who sent their prime minister and vice-president respectively. Washington no doubt is pushing this scheme as it would be a development bonanza for US corporations if implemented and a huge opportunity for many others if ever completed. (Zmag.org)
Gangs less structured, but just as deadly Jul 15, 2007
Gang experts are seeing a presence of MS 13, the violent Central American street gang that started in California, in surrounding states. The gang moved east following migration patterns of immigrants from El Salvador and other Central American countries. (New Haven Register, CT)
* Taiwan Quick Take Jul 14, 2007
DIPLOMACY Taiwan makes donation The government donated equipment to the Panamanian National Police on Thursday to help the Central American country improve its ability to maintain order. The donation, which included 30 six-wheeled Ford police cars, 30 Suzuki motorcycles, 500 portable wireless telecommunications devices and 5,000 police uniforms, was made by Taiwan's ambassador to Panama, Tomas Hou (J). (Taipei Times, Taiwan -- World)
Sex Trafficking Victims: Disposable or Human Jul 13, 2007
Central American girls sexually consumed by predatory tourists are not disposable; they are people ... Central American girls sexually consumed by predatory tourists are not disposable; they are people. (Townhall.com)
Spike TV Television Highlights - August 2007 Jul 10, 2007
Dutch and his group of commandos are returning from a successful CIA mission in a Central American jungle when they discover that something is hunting them. Starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, and Jesse Ventura. (Yahoo! Wire -- Entertainment News)
Abington Heights students giving up luxuries to learn Jul 6, 2007
Michael Freidlin, an Abington Heights Middle School science teacher, has been to the Central American rain forests 33 times. In the 1990s, he started taking students with him through Save the Rainforest, a nonprofit organization based in New Mexico that organizes school trips to rain forests in Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica, Panama and Galapagos. (Scranton Times, PA)
Petrona's makeover Jul 2, 2007
But when they took her to a special monthly, Spanish Mass for immigrant laborers from the local dairy farms, Petrona could not relate to her Mexican and Central American brethren. Her life is quite different from theirs. (The Palm Beach Post)
Full Story... Jun 29, 2007
Twenty-five students, eight chaperones and three instructors took the excursion to the Central American country. Events in San Jose included an aerial tram excursion, a tour of Cafe Britt, hiking to the dormant Poas Volcano with a stop at the La Paz Waterfall and then a nature hike in the Tirimbina Forest Reserve and a Sarapiqui River wildlife watch. (Albert Lea Tribune, MN)
CRS Wins Grant to Educate Workers about Labor Rights Under CAFTA-DR Jun 8, 2007
5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Labor to help improve labor law compliance in the six Central American countries and the Dominican Republic that signed the Central American Free Trade Agreement (CAFTA-DR) ... Nicaragua has seized tens of thousands of tubes of Chinese toothpaste tainted with a lethal chemical, the government said on Wednesday, following mass raids on suppliers by other Central American nations. (AlertNet)
Transcript of Press Conference With Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales and ATF Acting Director Michael Sullivan on the Indictment of MS-13 Gang Leaders Jun 6, 2007
They include increasing regional anti-gang training in Central America where the fourth such U.S.-sponsored program is underway in San Salvador this very week; the FBI Central American Fingerprinting Exploitation Initiative, which helps track down violent criminals no matter which country they hide in and the establishment of a new Transnational Anti-Gang Center by El Salvador's national police in partnership with the FBI and U.S. Department of State. In fact, several El Salvador investigators... (PR Newswire)
Miller: Nicaraguan Workers Sue Dole May 30, 2007
After years of toil in Central American fields where they say pesticide use made them sterile, they're suing Dow, Dole and other firms in L.A.. . (Zmag.org)
