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SOUTH AFRICA

Effort to cut poverty seen behind schedule

JOHANNESBURG -- The world will miss its targets for reducing poverty, and millions of people will die needlessly during the next decade unless drastic measures are taken soon, according to a major U.N. report released yesterday.

Despite progress globally, many countries are falling behind, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, where the HIV/AIDS pandemic is slashing life expectancy and creating financial and social burdens that slow development.

The stark findings contained in the 2005 Human Development Report were presented to world leaders a week before they meet in New York for a U.N. summit to review progress toward the Millennium Development Goals. The goals include halving extreme poverty, reducing child deaths by two-thirds and achieving universal primary education by 2015.

ISRAEL

Rabbi sees Katrina Bush's punishment

JERUSALEM -- Hurricane Katrina was God's punishment to President Bush for supporting Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's pullout from Gaza, one of the country's most influential rabbis said in an interview broadcast yesterday.

"This is [Mr. Bush's] punishment for what he did to [Gaza]," said Rabbi Ovadia Yosef, spiritual leader of Israel's biggest religious party, Shas. "The time will come, and he will receive a pounding on his head."