*Jens Erik Gould* reports on a tragedy that helped change the law on abortion in Colombia. Martha Solay spent Mother's Day in pain, knowing her life would soon be over. As her eldest daughter Yenny injected her with painkillers, she coiled into a fetal position, cupped her face in her hands and screamed.

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Chávez seeks to strip the central bank formally of its autonomy, giving him the power to dictate monetary policy and the spending of excess foreign reserves. Another measure would eliminate an already neglected rainy-day fund. Polls released in the past week have found support for Chávez's proposal tied or trailing opposition among likely voters, after months of surveys showing it was likely to pass.

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Still, the banks may be thriving too much for the government's liking. Chávez warned last month that the state could take over the sector if it did not offer low-cost financing to domestic industries. Among the institutions that would be affected by such a move are Citigroup, which is based in the United States, and the Spanish banks Santander and BBVA, which control lucrative outlets here.

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If it weren't for the modern-day logos on some of the men's T-shirts, a snapshot of the Colombian village of La Balsa could be easily mistaken for a print taken a century ago. Rickety wooden homes that evoke images of an old Deep South backwater line the town's avenue -- which is no more than a grassy pathway.

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Venezuelan players will have a chance to prove they are on par with the Dominicans when the two teams meet in the first round of the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday in Orlando, Fla. "This is the best moment to let the world know about Venezuela," Detroit Tigers shortstop Carlos Guillen said during the Caribbean Series.

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