Maritime Tragedy Update: A Costa Rican fisherman rescued after nearly a week adrift says he witnessed two crewmates die when the panga Roxana II capsized, with Abraham Ríos found near the Murciélago Islands and rushed to care for severe dehydration. Tourism Push: The new ICT tourism chief, Marcos Borges, says he’ll cut decades-old red tape and speed up approvals while keeping sustainability, including backing 24-hour operations at Liberia airport and planning for more international access. Beach Access Clash: Police removed license plates from vehicles near Playa Blanca at Punta Leona, escalating a dispute over whether the road is public or part of private property—now parking and traffic are the new flashpoints. Energy & Climate Pressure: El Niño’s expected rainfall drop is putting Costa Rica’s hydro-heavy power model under strain as lawmakers debate breaking the electricity commercialization and distribution monopoly. Legal & Rights: Costa Rica’s family court rejected the government’s bid to annul the country’s first same-sex marriage, affirming it as legal under constitutional and international norms. Extradition Clears: Courts cleared the last domestic hurdle for “Macho Coca” (Gilbert Bell Fernández) to move forward with extradition to the U.S. Environment & Science: Researchers announced a new marine worm species discovered in Guanacaste’s Playa Naranjo, named Sthenelais onca. Business Arrival: IKEA is advancing its Costa Rica rollout via e-commerce and hiring, with physical stores not yet dated.