HAMBURG, Germany, June 14 (UPI) -- Ecuador pulled a surprise in its first World Cup game last week, now a victory would come close to assure it of advancing out of group play.

MUNICH, Germany, June 9 (UPI) -- Miroslav Klose scored a pair of goals Friday in leading a relentless German offense to a 4-2 victory over Costa Rica in the first game of the 2006 World Cup.

MUNICH, Germany, June 8 (UPI) -- Germany takes on the traditional role of opening World Cup play as host, meeting Group A opponent Costa Rica on Friday in Munich.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, May 9 (UPI) -- Costa Rica has sworn in a new president, Nobel Peace Prize winner Oscar Arias, La Prensa Libre newspaper reported Tuesday.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- Costa Rica has completed the recount of its presidential election though no new leader has been named, La Prensa Libre reported Friday.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- Costa Rica's state utility company has selected Israel's ECI Telecom to provide an advanced backbone network for both fixed and mobile voice-data service.

PARIS, July 19 (UPI) -- The French telecommunications giant Alcatel is implicated in a corruption scandal in Central America, Le Figaro reports Tuesday.

FOXBORO, Mass., July 12 (UPI) -- The United States and Costa Rica played to a 0-0 tie on Tuesday in the opening round of the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, July 12 (UPI) -- At least 17 people were killed Tuesday when a Costa Rican hospital caught fire and burned for more than three hours before it was declared under control.