Nation briefs 10/07/02

Archdiocese begins abuse-prevention training

BOSTON -- The Archdiocese of Boston -- where the scandal shrouding the Roman Catholic Church first erupted -- is looking to education and training programs to prevent sex abuse by clergy and for healing, a church official said.

"The church family has been hurt," said Anthony P. Rizzuto, a deacon in the archdiocese. "When the family is hurt, you come together and work toward healing the hurt."

Rizzuto's comments Friday came as a commission created by Cardinal Bernard Law prepared to release its final report Monday on protecting children from sexual predators.

Training will begin this month for parishioners, priests, teachers and church staff. The programs come in response to the scandal, which exploded in January when it was revealed that the archdiocese allowed priests to remain in parishes despite allegations of abuse.

Law appointed the 15-person advisory commission after the scandal broke. He said the panel's recommendations will be studied from the viewpoint of church theology and canon law, then turned into guidelines.

FAA wants airlines to install safer seats

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Aviation Administration wants airlines to install new seats on their planes to improve passenger safety.

Under a proposed rule, airlines would have 14 years to install the new seats. The cost is estimated to be $519 million.

The agency estimates the new seats would avert 114 deaths and 133 serious injuries in the 20 years after the rule takes effect. The seats would have better seat belts, provide better head protection and be more firmly anchored to the aircraft.

The FAA said the new seats will help passengers survive plane accidents. The National Transportation Safety Board reported in February 2001 that more than 95 percent of passengers survive such accidents.

The FAA will accept public comment on the rule through Dec. 3.

Mormon church issues strong anti-war statement

SALT LAKE CITY -- The Mormon church issued a strong anti-war message at its semiannual General Conference, clearly referring to current hostilities in the Middle East, advocating patience and negotiation, and urging the faithful to be peacemakers.

"As a church, we must renounce war and proclaim peace," said Russell M. Nelson, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, which acts under the direction of church President Gordon B. Hinckley.

Nelson never directly referred to Iraq or current moves toward war, but he mentioned the conflict in the Middle East and said "resolution of present political problems will require much patience and negotiation."

The Golden Rule's prohibition of one interfering with the rights of others was equally binding on nations and associations and left no room for retaliatory reactions, Nelson said at the meeting Saturday.

E-mail worm 'Bugbear' infecting computers

NEW YORK -- An e-mail-borne computer virus that lets hackers control infected machines remotely continues to spread and constitutes the most severe attack this year, experts say.

The worm, known as W32.Bugbear or I-Worm. Tanatos, infects computers that use Microsoft's Windows operating systems. It was first spotted a week ago and has spread to dozens of countries.

Once a machine is infected, a hacker could steal and delete information from it.

Some subject lines for the e-mail are "bad news," "Membership Confirmation," "Market Update Report" and "Your Gift."

The worm replicates itself through a Windows machine's e-mail address book and can attach itself to previously sent e-mail messages. It also can spread through network systems and can allow hackers to intercept passwords and gain access to computers over the Internet.

It attempts to terminate various antivirus and firewall programs, according to Symantec Corp., which has posted a downloadable repair on its Web site. Symantec has rated Bugbear a severe threat.

-- From wire reports