In this age of helicopter parenting, childproof everything, and lawsuits galore, you don't see many handmade slides in public parks. And yet here we...

The Foreign Ministry’s Dec. 17 announcement came the same day U.S. President Barack Obama stunned the world with his declaration that Washington and Havana would restore diplomatic ties after more than half a century of hostilities.

MEXICO CITY — With shouts of "Viva Fidel!" Cuban President Raúl Castro said on Saturday that the easing of tensions with the United States did not mean he was going to jettison the communist ideals that his brother brought to the island a half-century ago.

Avenida Central is packed with tiny stores, dubious hawkers, and assertive panhandlers. Yet thousands of people shop here year-round. In the hectic days leading up to Black Friday, Robert Isenberg wondered: Why shop in San José?

Recent data released by the Costa Rican Construction Chamber (CCC) reflect relatively slow growth from October 2013 to September 2014. The CCC report suggests that both public and private construction stagnated during the yearlong period, and previous estimates for public construction did not materialize, particularly in the area of power generation.

Sure, much of the architecture leaves something to be desired, but the city excels in modern urbanism in ways I had never seen in many U.S. cities. Here are four examples.

A roundup of events going on Oct. 17 – 23.

A roundup of events going on Oct. 10 – 16.

A roundup of events going on Oct. 3 – 9.

The state of Río Torres, which runs through nine cantons in the San José metropolitan area, is deplorable. Not only are fecal matter and trash found in the river, but also toxic substances such as mercury and oil. It’s hard to imagine any living organism surviving in the rushing water, but believe it or not, people still bathe in the river.