Measure to ease ban on Cuba travel in peril

Legislation that would relax the ban on travel to Cuba is headed for failure even though it passed both the House and Senate. Supporters of the bill conceded yesterday that Republican leaders would strip the provision from the transportation funding bill during House and Senate negotiations so President Bush would not have to veto an important appropriations bill. (AP)

State Dept. accused of HIV bias by 2d man

A second HIV-positive man has accused the State Department of illegal discrimination for refusing to hire him as a diplomat because of his condition, his lawyers said yesterday. Kyle Smith, 34, was approved for employment by the State Department pending medical approval but was not hired because he has the AIDS virus, the Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, a nonprofit group representing him, said in a statement. The State Department has a practice of not hiring people as diplomats who are HIV-positive but those already employed by the State Department and later become HIV-positive are allowed to keep their jobs. (Reuters)

Cats, ferrets seen able to carry SARS virus

Cats and ferrets can carry the SARS virus, raising the possibility that the pets could play a role in any new outbreaks of the deadly disease, researchers reported yesterday. Scientists infected both species in laboratory experiments and showed that animals could pass the virus to others, researchers reported in today's issue of the journal Nature. (Washington Post)

VIRGINIA

Muslim leader pleads not guilty in funds case

ALEXANDRIA -- A prominent US Muslim who has taken part in White House events pleaded not guilty yesterday to charges of trying to funnel Libyan money into the United States. He was ordered held without bail. Federal prosecutors also allege Abdurahman M. Alamoudi of Falls Church, Va., was involved with Muslim groups that finance terrorists. The government has placed in the public record a 23-page document depicting him as a supporter of terrorism, though he has not been charged in that respect. Alamoudi's lawyers argued the document was an attempt "to slam, slander" a Muslim community spokesman. (AP)