Although the airline industry has taken a heavy hit in the last couple of years, the war in Iraq, which started Wednesday, won’t have an immediate effect, at least in Latin America.

Most of the top airlines reported that schedules were running as normal, and for the time being no major changes are anticipated here.

Latin America services especially seem as if they will operate along similar lines as in peacetime. Spanish airline Iberia and U.S. airlines American, Continental, Delta and United all seem to be offering their usually available flights. 

But United Airlines spokeswoman Carmen Martinez said seven flights per day have been cut from the company’s schedule for Atlantic crossings.

American Airlines spokeswoman Martha Pantín said as of Thursday afternoon there were no cancellations to announce. "We will continue to monitor the situation and make changes as necessary," she said.

The other major airlines contacted also said they would be closely monitoring the war and make changes as necessary.

Meanwhile, Delta Airlines updated its flexible ticketing policy in response to the war in Iraq. The policy allows customers to make changes to travel plans without incurring penalties, said a Delta release. 

The whole airline industry is in precarious times, say representatives of carriers. "American Airlines is a company in crisis in an industry in crisis. That is why we have been working on a cost reduction plan of $4 billion annually," said Ms. Pantín.

And Continental Airlines Wednesday announced it would introduce cost-cutting measures to the tune of $500 million to improve its future predicament. The airline plans to cut its staff by 1,200, including 125 pilots, by the end of the year, said a Continental release.

"These measures come as the weak revenue environment and increased taxes, fuel, security and insurance costs continue to burden the U.S. airline industry, which has lost $19 billion and eliminated 100,000 jobs since Sept. 11, 2001," said the company.

A robber stabbed his victim to death about 8:30 p.m. on heavily traveled Avenida 2 in the downtown Wednesday night.

The victim, Alejandro Peinador Brolato, in his 40s, was near the downtown office of the Instituto Costarricense de Electricidad opposite the Roman Catholic Cathedral when he was attacked, said the Judicial Investigating Organization. 

The Ministerio de Gobernación, Policía y Seguridad Pública said the suspected assailant was arrested soon after the attack by officers of Fuerza Pública. 

He was carrying what was the dead man’s cellular telephone and a knife, the presumed murder weapon, said the ministry. The ministry identified the suspect by the last names of Orozco Ramírez.

Peinador was pronounced dead at the scene around half an hour after the crime is said to have occurred.

The ministry said the suspect, now jailed, is a 19-year-old male and someone who has been arrested frequently for crimes downtown.

While the war with Iraq continued to grow, the United Nations-backed University for Peace here in Costa Rica presented one of its founding fathers with an award Thursday.

The man, Rodrigo Carazo, suggested to the United Nations that Costa Rica would be an ideal location for a United Nations-backed university that promotes and educates for peace, He did so during his term as Costa Rican president. His effort is part of the reason the University for Peace started here in 1980. Martin Lees, university rector, presented Carazo with a framed script marking his achievements. 

President Abel Pacheco was in attendance to also say a few words on the contribution Carazo has made to the university and world peace, congratulating him for his perseverance in getting the institution in place.

With the war in the background and television screens out of view at the San José Palacio ceremony, Carazo and university students shared their views on the conflict.

Carazo said with the current situation of the world, violence and conflict will never solve problems.

Martin Nkuna, 34, a human rights student at the university from Malawi, said: "War is a bad thing. War should always be avoided. When the mechanisms break down, it’s a sad thing for international law itself."

Four people were killed in two separate automobile accidents Wednesday night.

One of the accidents occurred in Purisil de Orosi, where a 34-year-old man was killed when his vehicle collided with a wall, said the Judicial Investigating Organization. The man was identified by the surname Torres.

The other accident happened in el Roble de Puntarenas and involved a bicycle and a truck, said the organization. The driver of the truck was killed instantly by an explosion, which occurred after the two vehicles collided. He was identified as a male with the name Erick Alfaro. His age was 31.

The accident happened as the truck hit the dividing wall between the road’s two lanes. It then spun out of control, initiating the fatal collision.

The two victims on the bicycle were identified as a 22-year-old with the surname Lizano and a 14-year-old cousin Lizano also died at the scene, while the youth died later in hospital

Man wounds himself 
in Chile in protest

SANTIAGO, Chile — A man here has cut himself with a knife to protest the war against Iraq. 

The man identified as Ernesto Ruiz Valdez, 29, made cuts to his abdomen, arms and his tongue. He was protesting outside the U.S. Embassy. 

Authorities say he was taken to the El Salvador Hospital for treatment of his injuries, which were not life threatening.
 

Suspected highjackers
face air piracy charges

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. authorities say six Cubans who hijacked an airliner to Florida late Wednesday face air piracy charges. 

Federal officials say the knife-wielding hijackers surrendered peacefully after the DC-3 propeller plane landed safely at the airport on Florida's resort island of Key West. 

Earlier, the hijackers took control of the aircraft, which departed from Cuba's Isle of Youth, and diverted it from a scheduled landing in Havana. Thirty-five people were onboard.  None of the passengers or crew was injured 

During the flight, Cuban air traffic controllers notified their U.S. counterparts of the hijacking. American military aircraft intercepted the plane over the Florida Straits and escorted it to Key West. The incident occurred amid heightened domestic security measures in the United States implemented in advance of war with Iraq. 

U.S. policy dictates that the vast majority of Cubans who reach U.S. soil may remain and eventually apply for residency. But U.S. officials indicate that many of the passengers and crew from the hijacked plane have expressed a desire to return to Cuba.

Those charged in connection with the hijacking face long-prison sentences if convicted. 

Dramatic escape attempts from Cuba are far from uncommon. Late last year, Cuban asylum-seekers flew a crop dusting plane to Florida. More recently, Cuban Coast Guard officers fled the island aboard a patrol boat and arrived in Key West without detection.
 

Bishop visits the courts

The bishop of San José, Hugo Barrantes, expressed his concern Thursday of the loss of human values and the lack of means to prevent family violence.

He made the comments in a visit to judges of the Poder Judicial where he met with magistrates of the Corte Suprema de Justicia and the family and domestic violence judges.

Pacheco woos investors

President Abel Pacheco asked Costa Rican and international investors to have faith in the country so that the effects of the war with Iraq could be confronted in a positive manner.

He spoke at the inaguaration of a new Hipermás supermarket in Curridabat, the 123rd outlet that the chain has opening here.

Pacheco asked Costa Ricans to maintain their investments in the country.

The new store means jobs for 350 persons and indirect employment for 250 more, said Pacheco. 

GENEVA, Switzerland — A U.N. official,  in a message to the international community to mark World Meteorological Day on March 23,  said all nations need to work together to prevent and mitigate the adverse impact of climate-related events such as floods, droughts and tropical cyclones.

The official, Godwin O.P. Obasi, is secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization. He called for a strengthening of the international framework for coordinating national and international efforts to address climate change. Obasi said this would allow research results, observational data and other resources to be used "to the greatest overall advantage."

As an example of areas that need improvement, Obasi said that while advances have been made in observations from meteorological and environment satellites, essential observational networks in many developing countries have deteriorated due to a lack of resources. He said more data are needed also from polar and oceanic areas for better quantitative assessments of climate extremes.

A first objective for their organization is to improve systematic weather and climate observations and to reconstruct past climate periods. Obasi said that advances have been made in observations from meteorological and environment satellites but essential observational networks in many developing countries have deteriorated due to a lack of resources. 

In addition, more data are needed also from polar 

A second major objective is to refine climate modeling in order to reduce the uncertainties inherent in long-term climate prediction, he said. The changes in climate observed over the last decades will continue, presenting urgent and growing challenges to many aspects of our lives, including health, said Obasi, adding: 

"The most immediate threats to humankind relate to increased variability in the intensity and frequency of storms and other extreme weather and climate-related events such as floods and droughts, heat waves in major urban areas and the impact of sea-level rise on low-lying coastal regions".

Over the last 10 years, the number of weather disasters has increased significantly. Worldwide, recurrent drought and desertification seriously threaten the livelihood of over 1.7 billion people who depend on the land for most of their needs. 

The 1997/1998 El Niño event, the strongest of the last century, is estimated to have affected 110 million people and cost the global economy nearly $100 billion. 

Statistics compiled from insurance companies for the period 1950-1999 show that the major natural catastrophes which are mainly weather, water and climate-related caused estimated economic losses of nearly $1 trillion. 

A leading reinsurance company estimates global warming impacts could cost $300 billion annually by 2050. 

This newspaper seeks the prompt return of two men who ran high-interest investment operations that have gone out of business.

Luis Enrique Villalobos Camacho, 62, was associated with Ofinter S.A., a money exchange house, and with his own private investment business that had about $1 billion in other people’s money on the books.

Villalobos closed his business Oct. 14 and vanished.

Louis Milanes operated Savings Unlimited and several casinos in San José. He left the country with other members of his firm the weekend of Nov. 23. He may have as much as $260 million in his possession. Both operations catered to North Americans.

Villalobos and Milanes are the subjects of international arrest warrants.  Associates of both men have been jailed.

A.M. Costa Rica has posted a $500 reward for information leading to the detention of either man with the hopes that others will make similar pledges. The newspaper believes that investors only will see some of their money when the two men are in custody.

Milanes has few supporters in San José. On the other hand, as the letters frequently on this page show, Villalobos still has supporters who believe that he will reappear and settle his debts. They believe he is in hiding because of a predatory Costa Rican government.