NicaNews

An AFP article reports that Hector Retamal, a photojournalist for Agence France-Presse to Costa Rica after detaining him for four days. The charge against him was "Violating migration law". Better than Guantanamo as there was at least a charge and the detention was days, not years but a bit strange.

A group of Ontario paramedics is arriving in Nicaraguan this weekend to spend 10-days training first responders. This is the 2nd year the paramedics have been visiting Nicaragua in a volunteer program with the Nicaraguan Health Department. This visit, they plan to train 60 locals in 15 villages in first aid and emergency care. By the time the program is completed in 2014, there will be 360 trained Nicaraguans, enough to staff 90 clinics across the country.

You’re invited! U.S. Citizen Town Hall Meeting in Esteli- April 18, 2013

The U.S. Embassy will hold a Town Hall Meeting for U.S. citizens at Hotel Panorama #1 located at Km. 147 Pan-American Highway in Estelí on April 18, 2013, from 1:30 PM to 3:00 p.m. Ambassador Phyllis M. Powers will be the principal speaker.

Linked to the fake journalists case, Nicaraguan and Russian authorities have linked up to apprehend more Zeta-related traffickers. These were apparently involved in trafficking cocaine to Europe and Russia. From an AP article in the Windsor Star:

A CSM article addresses the question of whether Nicaragua can protect the waters it won in it's ICJ case against Colombia. Most previous articles following the ICJ ruling were about Colombia not being happy with the decision. It's about time to move on.

The issue is real as this is the area where much of Colombia's big cash crop, cocaine, passes through.

I don't know who decides these things but there are articles from all over the world calling the pitaya (also called the pitahaya and dragonfruit) the 2013 Fruit of the Year. Coincidentally, Nicaragua, which produces more of them than any other country in Central America, is going to start exporting them to the US. CAFTA has been credited with making the opportunity possible.

Meet the humble Pitaya

Colombia has been less than thrilled with the ICJ decision with regard to the borders between Colombia and Nicaragua in the Atlantic. Colombia Reports has an article which talks about Daniel Ortega's idea for a solution.

The La Chureca garbage dump is possibly the most talked about social problem in Nicaragua. There are many aspects to the problem because it has created a community of people who pretty much live in the dump. An article in Latin America Herald Tribune talkes about how aid from Spain has addressed this problem.

The Tico Times reports that Nicaragua has requested rights to navigate the Rio Colorado which is in Costa Rica. While it sounds like a playing card in the Rio San Juan dispute it is an interesting one.

From the article:

Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega claims the right to navigate the river by arguing that 90 percent of the river’s water comes from sources in Nicaragua, the daily La Nación reported.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2kZHh590ms

A short AP article offers an update on our fake journalists.

Mexican prosecutors say they will ask Nicaragua to extradite 16 of the 18 Mexicans who allegedly posed as journalists to smuggle $9.2 million in cash into Nicaragua.

Well, it's resolved. That is, the boundary dispute between Colombia and Nicaragua. Effectively, both sides won. The World Court said that the islets belonged to (continued to belong to) Colombia) but it also re-drew the maritime boundry in favor of Nicaragua. Colombia is not pleased.

This information is in the news on many sites. One of the most reasonable articles in by the BBC.

Article from the Nicaragua Dispatch

A decade-long international court battle between Nicaragua and Colombia is finally in its drum-roll finish.

The International Court of Justice at The Hague has announced that on Nov. 19 it will hand down its final verdict on the ownership of the maritime territory surrounding the Caribbean archipelago of San Andres.

RT has just interviewed Daniel Ortega. The interview is dubbed in English.

The US has been and still is the biggest buyer of Nicaraguan exports. With the US economy not doing well, it seems strange that Nicaragua's economy is growing. This news brief tells us at least part of the story.