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World Bank: Extreme poverty to fall below 10 percent

Extreme poverty will this year fall to less than 10 percent of the global population for the first time, although there is still "great concern" for millions in Africa, a World Bank report said Sunday.

PHOTOS: Human rights office uses images to show the everyday side of poverty in Costa Rica

Eighty students from across Costa Rica participated in a photo course designed to explore the theme of poverty in everyday life. The photographs will be on display at the National Museum this weekend until Sunday, Sept. 27.

Millions exit poverty worldwide, but just barely: study

The world "witnessed an historic reduction in global poverty" over the first decade of the century, with those considered "middle income" nearly doubling, according to the Pew Research Center. But Costa Rica's middle class — and that of most other Central American countries — shrunk over the same time period as a percentage of those countries' total population.

Costa Rican government launches new anti-poverty plan aimed at helping 54,600 families

President Solís' plan aims to unify all 30 of the government's current aid programs into a single welfare system called the “Unique System of Beneficiaries.”

Troubling statistics: Nearly a quarter of Costa Ricans live in poverty

Poverty and extreme poverty have climbed to a four-year high in Costa Rica – 22.4 percent – according to the 2014 National Statistics and Census Institute's National Household Survey.

Costa Rica unveils partnership with Oxford University to tackle persistent poverty

Costa Rica will begin using the multi-dimensional poverty index (MPI) developed by the English university in the hope of more effectively leveraging the country’s social assistance programs to tackle extreme poverty.

Anti-poverty programs enjoy success, but jobs would be better, says UN

Costa Rica could reduce its poverty rate by 8.5 percent if all employers paid the legal minimum wage and poor families could find work, according to a new report from the United Nations Development Program released Monday.

Verdict in on Latin American left-wing leadership

There's an enduring myth in Latin America that left-wing populist governments somehow do a better job of promoting economic growth and social development than their political counterparts. For those wedded to that belief the 2014 Social Progress Index should be compulsory reading.

How having a home changes lives

In 2006, more than 1,000 families in extreme poverty, most of them Nicaraguan immigrants, were evicted from a shantytown called La Candela behind the Juan Santamaría International Airport, north of Costa Rica’s capital.
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Costa Rica Faces ₡1 Billion Bill from Home Damages Due to Fires and Floods

Natural disasters and severe weather events led to more than ₡1 billion in payouts for damaged homes last year, data from the National Insurance...

U.S. Sanctions Fuel Cuba’s Energy Meltdown – Flights Suspended

Cuba's ongoing energy shortfall has escalated into a full-scale crisis, with aviation authorities announcing a suspension of jet fuel supplies at major airports, including...

Study Finds Half of the World’s Coral Reefs Hit by Mass Bleaching

Half of the planet’s coral reefs suffered major damage from a heatwave that occurred almost a decade ago, according to research released Tuesday, which...

Route 32 Reopens in Costa Rica with Traffic Controls at Key Slide Zone

Route 32 reopened Wednesday morning under regulated passage at kilometer 48, a spot hard hit by repeated slides from heavy rains. The Ministry of...