European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 23, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Coming soon. In stars and stripes sunday Magazine Ike St Gsand it Pes authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces Good morning vol. 49, no. 9 monday april 23, 1990 a a 25 daily and sunday d 8693 american hostage freed after More than 3 years Damascus Syria apr pro iranian kidnappers freed american hostage Robert Polhill in Beirut on sunday after nearly 39 months of Captivity. He was the first american hostage to be released in nearly 3 a years. The White House said a . Plane would take Polhill to West Germany for de beefing and a medical exam before he returns to the United states. Spokesman Marlin Fitzwater thanked Iran and Syria for their roles in the release. A a in a very Happy and grateful to All the people who spent time on my Case Polhill said in a syrian to interview. But he added a pm still deeply concerned about my two friends and others who Are still held in the conditions i was held  seventeen Western hostages remain in Lebanon including seven americans. Polhill 53, of new York was freed near the Seaside Summerland hotel in moslem West Beirut at 5 15 . And driven immediately to Damascus. He was to be handed Over to . Ambassador Edward Djerejian at the syrian foreign ministry syrian sources said. Terms of the release which followed a series of communiques from the shiite moslem kidnappers were not known. Polhill smother Ruth Polhill of Fishkill n.y., was overjoyed at the release and said she Hopes to see her son when he returns to the United states. A maybe ill have control of myself by that time a she told can. The syrian to footage showed Polhill being driven through Beirut sitting in the Back of a car and puffing Robert Polhill Speaks on television in Damascus Syria after his release sunday in Beirut  Days global warning spurs millions to the cause Washington up a Earth Day 1990 dawned sunday with a flowering of a a Green celebrations worldwide ranging from a mass Sunrise hike up a Maine Mountain to a reef Protection plan by president Bush to a Kite Fly in in the embattled lithuanian capital of Vilnius. Around the Globe millions took to the outdoors to Plant Trees clean up garbage and attend mass rallies to Mark the 20th anniversary of the first Earth Day on april 22,1970, and pledge a continuing commitment to protecting the environment into the 21st Century. See photos Page 3. One of the largest gatherings took place on the Steps of the . Capitol in Washington where an estimated 200,000 people chanted a save the Earth a Boogie to Rock bands listened to celebrities and wandered through a nearby eco fair featuring a huge inflated whale and a towering wind Power Turbine. A i know that Mother nature must be feeling Good because she gave us such a Beautiful Day a Singer Olivia Newton John told the unbaked mostly Youthful crowd some of whom stayed up All night to get front Row seats for the Star studded affair. Later John Denver Sang his environmental Anthem a Rocky Mountain High a and actor Tom cruise wearing a sober Black suit delivered an impassioned speech saying the . People had to change the Way they lived to protect the environment. A if we make the environment sick it s going to make us sick a said cruise who repeatedly Drew screams from some female fans. A we must demand changes of ourselves first. Do you Recycle if not Start. Have you planted a tree do it. You can change things. We must change  out in the sea of blankets and Beach chairs Kate Perkins a self professed Flower child of the �?T60s, recalled taking part in Earth Day events in new Yorkus Central Park 20 years ago. A a in be been interested in nature since i was a child a Perkins said wearing a Flower in her Straw hat and asking people not to step on her Bare feet in the tightly packed grounds. Some celebrants became too exuberant and walked across the Capitol a Flower Beds drawing this rebuke from one speaker a please done to step on the tulips. This is Earth Day not trample  tens of thousands thronged times Square in new York City where a huge Globe was lofted above the crowd As american indians in traditional costume performed dances on a huge stage in Honor of Mother Earth. More than 100,000 people jammed Chicago a see Earth on Back Page on a cigarette. He appeared tired after his Long ordeal and smiled wanly several times. Polhill a professor of business studies and accounting at Beirut University College was one of three american educators held by the pro iranian islamic jihad for the liberation of Palestine since Jan. 24, 1987. The other two Are Alann Steen a native of Boston who turned 51 on sunday and Jesse Turner 42, of Boise Idaho. The three were kidnapped from the Beirut University College Campus by gunmen disguised As police officers. The last american hostage to be freed was David Jacobsen former director of the american University Hospital in Beirut. He was kidnapped in Beirut on May 28, 1985, and was released nov. 2, 1986. Indian born . Resident Mith Eleshwa Singh was released oct.3, 1988. Polhill a lebanese wife Feryal went to Damascus from Beirut after the kidnappers said wednesday that they would release one hostage. It was not known whether they had been reunited. In Libya on sunday col. Moa mar Qadhafi called for the release of hostages in an Appeal to moslem around the world the official libyan news Agency Jana said in a dispatch about an hour after the reported release. President Bush expressed satisfaction sunday with the release of Polhill but said it was a substantially tempered by the knowledge that seven other americans and other westerners Are still captive. Bush was literally out fishing when he got word that see hostage on Back Page pontiff orders Europe wide Bishops Synod Bratislava Czechoslovakia apr Pope John Paul ii on sunday called an unprecedented Europe wide Synod of Bishops on spreading the churches message across the continent after the fall of communist regimes in the East. The Pope made the announcement in Belehrad As he visited a moravian shrine dedicated to Cyril and Methodius two Patron saints of Europe near the end of his whirlwind two Day tour of Czechoslovakia. A we could find no better occasion for an announcement that intimately concerns this continent which throughout the centuries has been Tom by wars but also has been blessed with the presence and work of countless saints who sowed the gospel seeds far and wide a the Pope said. John Paul said the Synod a deliberative body will be held a at a not too Distant  papal spokesman Joaquin Navarro said he does not expect that it will be held this year. He said details will be announced in Rome on tuesday. A to my mind the Agenda for the Synod will be huge. It will be the first such european Church Summit bringing together Bishops from every country on the continent a Navarro said. Europe has about 1,000 of the worlds 3,000 roman sea pontiff on Back Page