European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 22, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pontiff in Prague Pope John Paul ii stands with president Vaclav Havel upon the pontiffs arrival in Prague Czechoslovakia on saturday. Making his first visit to Eastern Europe since the wave of democratic Reform swept the Region last year the roman Catholic Leader was expected to draw millions of pilgrims during his two Day visit. The Pope heralded the Dawn of a new Era after the a tragic Utopia of the communist years. The so Kipes authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces Good morning vol. 49, no. 8 sunday april 22, 1990 a a 25 Dally and sunday d 8693 a hostage to be freed today report says Beirut Lebanon apr state run Beirut television reported saturday that pro iranian kidnappers will free a . Hostage today and he will be turned Over to the . Ambassador in Syria. The English language news bulletin quoted an unidentified syrian official As saying the hostage would be a freed sometime on sunday probably in the morning a by islamic jihad for the liberation of Palestine. A the hostage will be produced at the syrian foreign ministry and then handed Over to . Ambassador Edward Djerejian a said the station which is based in moslem West Beirut. It did not elaborate. Its sister station in Christian East Beirut later broadcast the same report. Earlier on saturday an iranian daily that usually reflects the thinking of Iran a president urged the lebanese kidnappers to keep their Promise to free an american hostage despite their claim that Washington was delaying the release. The Tehran times which has repeatedly called for the release of All Western hostages in Lebanon Over the last three months said in an editorial that the release could be a the prelude to the release of one More hostage by another  Daryl Penner spokesman for the . Embassy in Damascus Syria stressed saturday that Washington will not Send John Kelly an assistant Secretary of state to negotiate the release As demanded by the kidnappers. Syrian foreign ministry sources however said the see hostage on Back Page _ new Nubia be on Dack Pagi Earth Day around the world in 20 years by Paul Raeburn a science editor an estimated 200 million people in villages cities and state capitals in the United states and in 135 countries will wave the Green Flag for planet Earth today to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the first Earth Day. Related Story photo on Page 9. At last count demonstrations parades concerts and festivals were planned in some 3,600 american communities said Earth Day 1990, a coalition of groups helping to coordinate activities. A Earth Day 1990�?Ts Campaign clearly has struck a nerve in the american Public and in people around the world a Denis Hayes the groups chairman said in a statement. A ape opt a failure of leadership vials and corporate to Viro mental  polls have shown repeatedly that americans indicate they will make Sacri facies for a cleaner environment. More than eight in 10 americans say that they will separate their trash for recycling give up plastic fast food containers and needless packaging materials and get their cars inspected annually to Cut emissions according to one of the Kin to surveys a Wall Street journal Abc news poll released Friday. More than two thirds of the respond see Earth Day on Back Page e Are tired of the rom elected offi icy makers on in thai students paint an environmentally Friendly Uncle Sam mural on the . Embassy in Bangkok on saturday for Earth  finds nut cracks grounds chinooks staff and wire reports the army grounded its ch-47d helicopters Friday when cracks were found in the barrel nuts of a chopper undergoing routine maintenance. None of the 290 helicopters was to Fly again until each of its four barrel nuts is inspected. Inspections have begun on the 70 ch-47d Chinook helicopters in Europe but As of saturday afternoon no inc a keen found said staff sgt. Elayne Venema ? Usa eur spokeswoman. She said she did not know How Many had been inspected. The aircraft will be free to Fly again when the inspections have been completed Venema said. The Chinook is the army a Only medium lift helicopter. It has twin engines tandem rotors and is designed to move ammunition repair parts Petroleum troops artillery and special weapons about the Battlefield. The chopper built by Boeing Vertol was designed in the 1950s and put into use m 1962. A modernization program was begun in 1975 to upgrade three models to the newest a do version. The modernization included new fibreglass Rotor Blades new transmission and drive systems and improved Hydraulic and electrical systems. The army said in a written statement that the grounding was ordered because a cracks have been found in the barrel nuts associated with the aircraft a Forward  the four nuts secure the transmission to the Airframe the statement said. A it is estimated that approximately 300 of the suspect barrel nuts Are currently in the army a inventory a the statement said. Last August and again in october the army grounded most of its Chinook Fleet after problems were found in the transmission Oil Cooling fan