Authorities declared an alert for the city of Colon and the surrounding areas due to the dangerous smoke emissions from the Monte Esperanza landfill. The smoke reportedly affected several sectors of Colon’s reverted area including Arco Iris and Margarita, and people continue to scavenge the landfill, which should have been closed on January 1,...
Customs officials in the province of Colon detained a shipping container with illegally introduced onions. Although the container’s content was listed as 27,000 kilos of garlic, there was only a layer of garlic masking a large quantity of onions below. Because garlic is not produced in Panama, there is no import tax, but there...
The government’s innovation unit is working to put the Paperless Panama plan into effect. A new system would connect government databases and allow the public to process transactions online instead of waiting in long lines. Transactions will include criminal record requests, water bill balance inquiries and traffic ticket consultation and payment, among others. Implementation...
The Smithsonian Tropical Institute will open a new Summit Park Amphibian Rescue Center in Panama. The laboratory’s mission is to prevent the extinction of a number of species including the endangered golden frog, Panama’s national animal. Since 1980 more than 120 species of amphibians have gone extinct, under assault from the rapidly spreading chytridiomycosis fungal infection....
Woman strangled in Colon – Anabelis Melgar Martinez, age 18, was strangled with a towel in a motel room in Colon. Police have arrested her 22-year-old boyfriend for the murder and were surprised to find him in the company of the victim’s sister. Robbers hit Banco Nacional – Armed bank robbers held up the...
