Americas

Abortion funding row
A MEASURE to overturn President Bush's decision to ban funding to agencies which promote abortions has been passed.
The llS House International Relalions Committee passed a measure by 26-22 to stop Bush's prohibition of US funding to abortion agencies going ahead. The measure now has to be passed by the full House to be implemented.
henry Hyde, the Committee Chairman, criticised the measure, saying: "Don't exterminate unborn children."
Guatemalan army on trial
THE "GERARD! TRIAL'. is being seen as an attack on the previous impunity of the military.
So far threats have forced eight people connected to the case to leave the country. Nonetheless, observers at the first five weeks of the trial of those accused of murdering Bishop Juan Gerardi Condera of Guatelmala City have described it as an assault on the army's belief that it could not be touched.
Mynor Melgar, an attorney for the Archbishop's Human Rights Office, said: "Ten years ago it would be unheard of to see those guys sitting there, having to answer questions in open court."
Meanwhile, Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Tegucigalpa, Honduras, called for reform of the Guatemalan justice system. He said: "The judicial system must be reformed, so that truth can no longer he hidden or manipulated and so that impunity can end."
Attack on sects'
'industry'
A tioNot RAN cardinal has denounced evangelical sects. Cardinal Oscar Andres
Rodriguez Maradiaga expressed his concern about the proliferation of the sects and their means of funding. He described them as an "industry, obsessed with gaining their tithes. He warned. however, that "faith cannot become an industry".
He said: "These types of Protestants are an industry, because any person who is accredited as pastor, receives a tithe from his followers, just because he is anti-Catholic."
Bishops push for peace
MEXICAN bishops have been working to ensure that the country's fragile peace process is continued.
The bishops have called on the Zapatista rebels to accept an Indian rights law recently offered by the Government. The bishops have urged the rebels to reconsider their rejection of the proposals and to view them as the first stage on the road to peace.
Bishop Felipe Arizamendi of San Cristobal de las Casas in Chiapas said: "It is legitimate to continue to foster greater progress, but always by peaceful means, never again by military endeavours."
Puerto Rico enlists Pope
THE GOVERNOR of Puerto Rico has asked for the Pope's help against the USA.
The 1.1S Navy carries out exercises in the island of Vieques, which they describe as of crucial importance to their Atlantic fleet. Puerto Rico, however, has asked them to leave after a bomb explosion in 1999 left a Puerto Rican guard dead.
Governor Sila Calderon of Puerto Rico has now asked Pope John Paul I.1 to help to solve the conflict.
Cathedral 'killers' charged
Two MEN accused of murder in an attack on a St Lucia cathedral have been charged with another murder.
Francis Phillip and Kim John are accused of the attack on St Lucia's cathedral in December, in which parishioners were set on fire with kerosene. The attack left Sr Theresa Egan, 72, dead and now Fr Charles Gifford has died of his wounds. The two men will now also be charged with the killing of the priest.
Bishops 'close' to farmers
THE URUGUAYAN bishops' conference has given a message of solidarity to those affected by the country's foot and mouth crisis.
About a quarter of the country's annual GNP, is derived from the sale of meat. Their foot and mouth crisis is therefore endangering this $1 billion business. The bishops called for people to pray for those most affected by the disaster.
They said: "We want to express our special closeness and solidarity with the cattle farmers, their families and all the sectors affected by the disease."