Spain's Rash in concert
Madrid pop rockers with a dab of flamenco, 7 p.m., Spanish Cultural Center, Av.13, Ca. 31, 257-2919, ext. 118.

Human Forum: Editus, Manuel Obregón and reading by Deepak Chopra
With additional performances by Lisa Sokolov, Eric Benet, Daniel Kelly, MoZella, Salman Ahmed, the Youth Symphony Orchestra, 8 p.m., National Theater. 

Women's Club March luncheon
Music by Sheila Morrison, Sally O'Boyle and Shirley Amack, 11 a.m., Aurola Holiday Inn, San José, 17th floor. Info: 268-6130, 244-6683.

The renowned Indian-American physician and writer Deepak Chopra has arrived in the country to participate in the Human Forum at the Real Intercontinental hotel in Escazú.

This is the first time the conference has been held outside Puerto Rico since its founding in 2002.

“This country is making progress. It is a model,” said Chopra at a press conference yesterday, explaining the decision to move the event to Costa Rica. He cited the country's environmental awareness and lack of an army as part of the reasoning.

He also said the decision was intended as an act of “homage” to President Oscar Arias, a founding member of the alliance. The Arias Foundation for Peace and Human Development is co-hosting the conference. The two men were scheduled to officially open the conference together at the National Museum in downtown San José yesterday evening.

At the press conference, Chopra laid out the vision of the Alliance for a New Humanity, the organization that is hosting the conference and of which he is president. He explained that the alliance encourages three activities that it hopes will lead to a “critical mass” of people who act as a catalyst for positive change in the world: “personal transformation,” or becoming a truly responsible citizen; “social transformation,” or taking positive action for the benefit of society; and the desire and will to share positive experiences of transformation.

The event is specifically looking to counter five “myths” said to dominate human relationships and interaction with nature: money brings happiness; technology yields well-being; weapons provide security; natural resources are unlimited; and somebody else will solve society's problems.

Answering criticism of the organization's lack of impact at a global level, Chopra acknowledged that “No, we have not seen any results in global politics.” But, he added, “to see a transformation in global politics, we need to reach a critical mass,” and he insisted that he was satisfied with the progress of the organization.

The event will take the form of thematic workshops and roundtable discussions on relevant topics. The aim is to encourage dialogue among all nationalities and across all disciplines and political affiliations. Those attending will be able to network, exchange ideas and open new channels of communication to further the cause of sustainable global development and the commitment to non-violence.

Approximately 560 people are attending the conference, which will run until Friday. In addition to Chopra, many other leading international figures will be attending the conference, including Indian Ashok Khosla, president of the Club of Rome; Italian journalist and communications expert Roberto Savio; American concert pianist Lorin Hollander and Spanish judge and academic Baltasar Garzón.

For more information go to the Alliance's website: http://www.anhglobal.org/. Alternatively, contact the Arias foundation at 224-1919.

Iran is set to help finance energy projects in Nicaragua, announcing a €150 million (about $230 million) loan for the Central American nation, according to Iranian news service IRNA.

The projects will include a dam and a power plant, the report said, without offering further details.

The news emerged following a meeting last weekend between Nicaraguan and Iranian government officials in Tehran, Iran's capital.

The Export Development Bank of Iran will be the acting bank in the transaction, Iran's Ministry of Economic Affairs and Finance told the state news agency.

The project is expected to take five years to complete, IRNA reported, and the loan is to be repaid in 22 installments within 10 years, at 5% interest.

The Escazú Jazz Café opened its doors to the public last night and announced a program of live concerts by the likes of Las Tortugas through the week.

Early in February, a titillating wave rippled through Escazú when the owners of a popular music club across town announced they were opening a new live venue in this suburb southwest of San José.

But the thrill was almost gone when more than a month went by and no news, no program. Last night, after the completion of a licensing procedure that had slowed the process, the new Jazz Café Escazú was scheduled to finally open with a show by electronic band Santos y Zurdos.

Next up, tonight sees a concert by Tico composer Manuel Obregón, whose contemporary solo piano has graced stages in Europe and the United States, and can be heard on recordings such as “Simbiosis,” “Trance Submarino” and his latest “Piano Malango.” Obregón starts up at 10 p.m., which according to venue spokeswoman Ana Beatriz Fernández is the time all the concerts will begin.

Tomorrow, smooth jazz group Jazz Expresso take to the stage.

Friday will see a concert by Tico rock band Las Tortugas and, for Saturday, the club is waiting for confirmation to promote a show by popular Costa Rican band Malpaís.

This weekend's tentative list is similar to the lineup that inaugurated the club, with its multicolored corrugated-zinc sheeted facade – a project that cost about $900,000 – on Feb. 6. Inside the standout venue was a spectacle-filled opening celebration with mimes, performance artists and musicians to entertain a crowd of news media and invited guests. It was no surprise that Malpaís played. In addition to showing up at a host of the country's festivities, the band's violinist, Iván Rodríguez, is also one of Jazz Café's co-owners.

The new Jazz Café is located alongside the Próspero Fernández highway to Guachipelín near CIMA hospital and Confort Suizo hotel. It will be closed on Sunday. Admission is ¢4,000 (about $8), according to a press release, though in the future expect it to vary – as happens for tickets for club's namesake in San Pedro – depending on the gig.

To reserve a table, call 253-8933.