Massacre investigation to reopen
An investigation into the massacre of 800 unarmed peasants in El Salvador in 1981 will be reopened. The inquiry into the killings by Salvadoran armed forces will be based on forensic evidence found by anthropologists at the massacre site. International Herald Tribune

Salvadorans sue Romero conspirator
Relatives of Archbishop Oscar Romero have successfully sued a retired Salvadoran air force captain who helped to plot the assassination of Romero twenty five years ago. The unusual civil suit in a US court has lead to calls for the Salvadoran government to lift an amnesty from prosecution on those who perpetrated violence during El Salvador's war. Chicago Tribune

Call for action on Africa
An international action plan for Africa has called for foreign aid to the continent to be doubled, trade barriers removed and foreign debt cancelled. British Prime Minister Tony Blair has responded to the report by calling for immediate action. ABC

China can resort to "non-peaceful" action against Taiwan
China 's parliament has passed a bill mandating the use of military force against Taiwan if the island formally declares statehood. The anti-succession bill aims to deter Taiwan from seeking independence. The Age

Latin America and the Millennium Goals Challenge
The countries of Latin America and the Caribbean will have to rely on their own resources to reach the Millennium Development Goals in 2015, according to UN experts. The targets cannot be reached solely on the strength of economic growth because the income gap between rich and poor is too wide. Inter Press Service

Africa: How the world can help and why it must do so now
The Report of the Commission for Africa outlines how the world can help the continent on the development path. "... Africa's problems are not just down to weak governance. The continent's geography is often hostile in terms of transport, climate and disease. Many of those problems have been compounded by history with its colonial fragmentation and exploitation. Thus it requires strong investment and technical assistance from the outside world." Guardian (UK)

Queensland Bioethics Centre
This service provides regular briefings on current bioethical issues and an online resource service. Factsheets, resources and journal articles are available on such topics as euthanasia and beginning of life.
www.bne.catholic.net.au/qbc/

Sister Dorothy Stang
Catholic nun, Dorothy Stang, was murdered in February in the Brazilian rainforest in February while supporting peasant farmers to retain control over their land from the threat of developers. This program features Dorothy's story and looks at Catholic activism around the world. Here On Earth - internet radio broadcast

A church that doesn't provoke any crises,
a gospel that doesn't unsettle,
a word of God that doesn't get under anyone's skin,
a word of God that doesn't touch the real sin
of the society in which it is being proclaimed -
what gospel is that? Caritas