
-
'Fear and anxiety': Bangkok residents seek quake-proof homes
-
Injuries threaten to derail Bayern's home final dreams against Inter
-
Real Madrid vulnerability evident ahead of Arsenal clash
-
Texans warily eye impact of Trump's tariffs on their beloved trucks
-
Equities savaged as China retaliation to Trump tariffs fans trade war
-
Sara Duterte back in Philippines after month with detained father
-
Netanyahu and Trump to talk tariffs, Iran and Gaza
-
Max power, Tsunoda's mixed debut, quick Kimi: Japan GP talking points
-
Luis Enrique's revolution leaves PSG stronger without the superstars
-
Messi on target but Miami held by lowly Toronto
-
Inter's bold treble bid bumps up against past glory at Bayern Munich
-
Sagstrom digs deep to win LPGA Match Play
-
The music industry is battling AI -- with limited success
-
New app hopes to empower artists against AI
-
Haiti jazz festival is rare respite for violence-racked capital
-
Johnson satisfied after opening Grand Slam series event
-
China would have agreed TikTok deal if not for US tariffs: Trump
-
Market panic mounts as world scrambles to temper Trump tariffs
-
Harman keeps calm in the winds to clinch Texas Open
-
Doncic scores 30 as Lakers rout Thunder
-
Qualifier Brooksby stuns Tiafoe to win first ATP title
-
McLaughlin-Levrone seals Grand Slam jackpot with 400m victory
-
Juventus miss out on Serie A's top four with Roma draw
-
Marseille, Strasbourg win in Ligue 1 to close in on Champions League
-
Pegula wins WTA Charleston after Kenin collapse
-
Second US child dies of measles, almost 650 ill: officials
-
Thousands attend funeral of legendary Malian musician Amadou
-
Gaza rescuers say Israeli strikes kill 44
-
Alcaraz admits pressure to take Sinner's number one ranking 'killed' him
-
US storms, 'devastating' flooding death toll climbs to 17
-
Ovechkin achieves the 'impossible'
-
Comeback man Siraj's 4-17 helps Gujarat to hat-trick of IPL wins
-
Ovechkin scores 895th goal to clinch all-time NHL record
-
No 'killer instinct' as Man Utd, Man City play out derby stalemate
-
Siraj's 4-17 helps Gujarat to hat-trick of IPL wins
-
Man City held by Man Utd in derby stalemate
-
'Minecraft Movie' strikes gold to dominate N.America box office
-
World scrambles to temper Trump tariffs as market fears mount
-
Strasbourg close in on Champions League with Ligue 1 win at Reims
-
Toulouse overpower Sale to reach rugby Champions Cup last eight
-
Slot shocked by sloppy Liverpool errors in Fulham defeat
-
Zelensky slams US lack of response to Putin truce rejection
-
Juric urges Southampton to learn from record-setting relegation
-
Italian director Moretti leaves hospital after heart attack
-
Chelsea's 'unfair' schedule to blame for Palmer axe: Maresca
-
Barrios grabs Atletico late Liga win at Sevilla
-
Le Pen slams 'witch hunt', vows not to give up at Paris rally
-
Liverpool's rare loss delays title march, Southampton relegated
-
World scrambles to temper Trump tariffs: White House
-
Southampton relegated from Premier League in record time
SCS | -0.56% | 10.68 | $ | |
BCC | 0.85% | 95.44 | $ | |
BCE | 0.22% | 22.71 | $ | |
CMSC | 0.13% | 22.29 | $ | |
NGG | -5.25% | 65.93 | $ | |
GSK | -6.79% | 36.53 | $ | |
AZN | -7.98% | 68.46 | $ | |
JRI | -7.19% | 11.96 | $ | |
CMSD | 0.7% | 22.83 | $ | |
RIO | -6.88% | 54.67 | $ | |
RBGPF | 100% | 69.02 | $ | |
BTI | -5.17% | 39.86 | $ | |
VOD | -10.24% | 8.5 | $ | |
RELX | -6.81% | 48.16 | $ | |
RYCEF | -18.79% | 8.25 | $ | |
BP | -10.43% | 28.38 | $ |

No clear favorite as Costa Ricans elect new president
Costa Ricans voted for a new president Sunday from a crowded field of candidates, with no clear favorite to tackle a worsening economy in one of Latin America's stablest democracies.
Twelve hours of voting kicked off at 6:00 am (1200 GMT) in what is frequently rated the region's "happiest" country, a tourist mecca and a leading green economy.
However, polls show unemployment, corruption and creeping living costs topping the concerns of 3.5 million eligible voters in the Central American country of five million people.
Unemployment has been steadily rising for more than a decade and reached 14.4 percent in 2021.
Poverty was at 23 percent last year, and a public debt at 70 percent of GDP has raised flags for multilateral agencies.
Costa Rica's problems have worsened with the Covid-19 pandemic dealing a hard blow to its critical tourism sector.
"Voting is the most important weapon we have to solve problems," said 35-year-old Francisco Zeledon, the first voter in line at his polling station.
"We have to solve poverty and create jobs for people," he said.
Polls showed about a third of voters undecided, faced with a choice from 25 presidential candidates.
But one trend was clear: the ruling Citizens' Action Party (PAC) appeared set for a bruising defeat amid sky-high anti-government sentiment.
Its candidate, former economy minister Welmer Ramos polled at only about 0.3 percent.
- Record unpopularity -
"The ruling party is completely weakened and has no chance" after two successive terms in office, said political analyst Eugenia Aguirre.
"The presidential unpopularity figure of 72 percent is the highest since the number was first recorded in 2013," she added.
This meant the country's traditional political heavyweights -- the centrist National Liberation Party (PLN) and the right-wing Social Christian Unity Party (PUSC) -- could return to the fore after decades of a near political duopoly only recently broken by the PAC.
According to polling, former president Jose Maria Figueres (1994-98) of the PLN was leading with about 17 percent of stated support, followed by the PUSC's Lineth Saborio on about 13 percent.
"This country has a million and a half people living in poverty and half a million in extreme poverty," Figueres said on Sunday.
"There is a housing shortage of 160,000 homes. We have never experienced these things in this magnitude."
Polls showed evangelical Christian singer Fabricio Alvarado Munoz of the right-wing New Republic Party (PNR) in third spot with just over 10 percent.
He commands support from the evangelical community, which makes up about 20 percent of Costa Rica's population.
Fourth-placed was economist Rodrigo Chaves of the newly formed centrist Social Democratic Progress Party with just over eight percent.
The highest-polling left-wing candidate was Jose Maria Villalta of the Broad Front with about 7.6 percent of stated support.
Presidents in Costa Rica cannot seek immediate re-election, leaving incumbent Carlos Alvarado Quesada out of the running.
- Problems have 'worsened' -
Costa Rica is known for its eco-tourism and green policies: its energy grid is entirely run on renewable sources.
Unlike many of its volatile Central American neighbors, Costa Rica has no army, has had no armed conflicts since 1948 and no dictator since 1919.
But the worsening economic situation has hit confidence in the political class.
Voters under 40 have only known "periods in which not only problems have not been resolved, but they have worsened," university student Edgardo Soto, an undecided voter, told AFP.
Apathy and abstentionism are features of Costa Rican elections.
In 2018, 34 percent of voters stayed away, though participation is technically obligatory.
Eugenia Zamora, president of Costa Rica's electoral tribunal, said Sunday's vote kicked off with high turnout in the morning, and proceeded without incident.
"This is a country with a robust democracy... It offers lessons for other countries," added Isabel de Saint Malo, head of the Organization of American States observer mission.
Outgoing president Alvarado, for his part, said Sunday's vote was an affirmation of Costa Rica's place among "the world's strongest democracies."
Costa Ricans also cast their vote Sunday for the 57-member Congress.
Initial results are expected about three hours after polls close at 6.00 pm.
If no single presidential candidate receives 40 percent of the ballots cast, there will be a runoff between the top two on April 3.
"I hope that whoever wins really thinks of the people," said 77-year-old Mayra Sanchez after voting in the canton of Moravia, "and not of themselves."
P.A.Mendoza--AT