OPENING THE COSTA RICAN MARKET SERVICE was demanded by the U.S., Canada and other countries in a meeting destined to examine the Costa Rican financial policy at the World Trade Organization in Geneva. While the U.S. stated interest on the financial market, Canada did likewise on the tourist sector.
THE GOVERNMENT IS MAKING EFFORTS TO AVOID the strike teacher and labor unions have summoned for Monday. President Jose Maria Figueres requested dialogue to solve the differences between labor and the government.
COSTA RICA'S INCOME FROM EXPORTS AND TOURISM was $1.754 billion this year's first semester--which means a 23% increase as compared to the same period in 1994--, Foreign Trade Minister Jose Rossi announced.
SIXTY-FOUR PERCENT OF THE PINEAPPLE imported by the U.S. is from Costa Rica, according to Foreign Trade Ministry sources. They said pineapple exports were worth $57 million last year, and are expected to reach $71 million in 1995.
HARD CURRENCY RESERVES DROPPED 68% this year's first six months, according to data disclosed by daily El Heraldo.
REFERENCE RATE OF EXCHANGE * 180.18 colones (sell); 181.16 colones (buy) per U.S. $1 at Costa Rican banks. *50-cent up/down fluctuations at participating banks.
Events
FOLK BALLET NAYURIBE PERFORMS at Melico Salazar Theater today and tomorrow, at 8 p.m.
THE YOUTH SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA presents a concert at Maribu Caribe Hotel, Limon, this evening at 8. A "Caribbean Evening" is part of the program. For details and reservations call 758-4010 or 758-4543.
DID YOU KNOW COSTA RICA"S NATURAL wealth includes 1500 species of orchids? A large sample of this diversity can be enjoyed at Lankester Garden, 3 kilometers from Cartago's Our Lady of the Angels Basilica, on the road to Paraiso.
MORPHO ECOLOGICAL CENTER invites people interested in conserving nature to educational activities and hikes at its headquarters (next to Braulio Carrillo National Park). For more information, call 221-9132.
Weather
FORECAST from the National Meteorological Institute valid from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, July 14, 1995.
CENTRAL VALLEY: Partly cloudy, with chances of widely scattered showers.
GUANACASTE: Sunny morning. Partly clooudy afternoon and evening, with chances of scattered showers and thunderstorms.
CENTRAL PACIFIC AND SOUTH PACIFIC: Mostly sunny morning. Partly to fully cloudy afternoon and evening, with scattered showers and chances of thunderstorms.
NORTHERN ZONE AND ATLANTIC WATERSHED: Partly to fully cloudy, with scattered showers in the afternoon and evening.
COMMENT: No major departure from yesterday's patterns is expected for today.