Panama has begun flying more than 1,000 U.S.-bound Cubans to northern Mexico. The Cubans were trapped after Central American countries closed their borders to them. They are trying to reach the United States amid fears thawing relations between the U.S. and Cuba could end U.S. asylum rights for Cubans. Costa Rica has launched similar flights for some 8,000 Cubans trapped there. Next month President Obama plans to become the first sitting U.S. president to visit Cuba since Calvin Coolidge in 1928.