The United States announced Tuesday it had indicted 17 alleged leaders and associates of Colombia's powerful Clan Usuga drug gang, who would all risk life in prison if ever convicted.

They are charged with criminal enterprise, international cocaine trafficking conspiracy and firearms charges in New York and Miami.

Ash spewing from Costa Rica's Turrialba volcano Monday forced the country's main airport to close for more than three hours, officials said.

Four flights to Juan Santamaria international airport were diverted and 10 departing flights were canceled because of the ash, the airport's administrator said.

Costa Rican authorities declared an emergency on Sunday after a ship carrying 180 tons of ammonium nitrate sunk off the country's Pacific coast.

The National Emergency Commission (CNE) urged people to avoid swimming at beaches and suspend fishing in the region off the port of Puntarenas, 90 kilometers (55 miles) west of the capital.

A volcano erupted Thursday in Costa Rica, shooting up a column of ash that forced the closure of the airport in the capital city San Jose.

The blast from the Turrialba volcano in the east of the Central American country came after the Calbuco volcano in Chile erupted twice in the space of seven hours Wednesday and Thursday, after remaining dormant for more than 50 years.

Costa Rica said Wednesday it has sacked its ambassador to Caracas for breaking the diplomatic service's rule against talking about local politics.

The ambassador had said that he believed Venezuela enjoys wide press freedom -- an opinion not shared by opposition figures and critics who say the government of President Nicolas Maduro restricts media liberties.

A catamaran carrying nearly 100 tourists and 10 crew capsized and sank within minutes off Costa Rica on Thursday, leaving three elderly foreigners dead while rescuers saved dozens from the choppy seas.

The victims were identified as a 68-year-old American woman, a Canadian woman, 70, and an 80-year-old British man, said Vice President Ana Helena Chacon, as survivors described harrowing tales of how they were tipped into the waters.

A 4.3 magnitude earthquake shook the Costa Rican capital of San Jose early Saturday morning, with no initial reports of casualties or damage.

The quake struck at 1:23 am (0723 GMT) with an epicenter near the town of Alajuelita, in the southern San Jose metropolitan area, the country's National Seismological Network said.

Costa Rica drew 0-0 with England to top World Cup Group D unbeaten and leave their opponents without a win and an early flight home on Tuesday in Belo Horizonte.

England had chances to rescue something form a terrible campaign but Daniel Sturridge sent both shots wide.

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake shook Panama and Costa Rica, including the capital San Jose, early Tuesday but caused no casualties or damage, officials said.

The long-lasting quake -- which was followed by 16 aftershocks -- struck at 12:35 am (0635 GMT), and was felt in the Costa Rican capital and three major cities as well as western Panama.

A 6.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Nicaragua killed one person, left 33 injured and damaged more than 800 homes, the government said Friday.

President Daniel Ortega declared a state of emergency after Thursday's quake, centered in the Pacific coast region of the Central American nation.