Smart Manufacturing: Costa Rica is positioning itself as Latin America’s next smart manufacturing hub, moving beyond labor-cost competition toward automation, precision engineering, digital integration, and Industry 4.0-style compliance. MedTech Infrastructure: MCI’s testing and quality engineering platform is now a key part of Costa Rica’s medical device supply chain, supporting sterility testing, validation, and regulatory documentation for much of the sector. Payments & Mobile Tech: EBANX is running its global payments summit in Costa Rica and expanding tech offerings, including native Apple Pay decryption across Latin America and new Pakistan operations. Retail Payments: Apple has rolled out Tap to Pay on iPhone in Costa Rica, letting merchants accept contactless payments via participating payment platforms. Conservation & Courts: A Costa Rican court temporarily froze access to the Playa Blanca Marine Wetland, ordering a scientific carrying-capacity study before visitation continues. Marine Science: Panama hosted COLACMAR 2026, spotlighting satellite, remote sensing, and genetic tools for ocean research. Wildlife Research: Scientists studying sea snakes off Costa Rica documented tiny crab larvae hitching rides. Public Health: A new episode looks at the current state of measles as cases rise. Weather Watch: Central America faces continued heavy rain risks, with flooding and landslides possible.