Venezuelan gov't approves humanitarian aid to Grenada
The Venezuelan government approved on Saturday 1 million US dollars in humanitarian relief for Grenada, where at least 24 people were killed and 90 percent of houses damaged by Hurricane Ivan.

Minister of Communication and Information Andres Izarra said the Venezuelan government will provide, in cooperation with Jamaica and Cuba, possible humanitarian assistance depending on the effects of Ivan in those Caribbean countries.

Izarra indicated that the government will send rescue and first-aid teams to Grenada soon.

Within 24 hours, a technical-evaluation team aboard a ship of the Venezuelan navy will sail to Grenada with food, water, blankets, tents and construction material, the minister said.

Two other naval vessels loaded with relief aid are ready to join the rescue work in the Caribbean, especially in Jamaica and Cuba.

"Depending on the effects of the hurricane, Venezuela will extend its humanitarian help," to be financed by the "Special Fundof Aid for the Caribbean, which seeks to support development in the Caribbean, a strategic zone to us," Izarra added.

Ivan passed through the Venezuelan coast on Tuesday and Thursday, leaving five people dead, more than 80 injured and 1,770homeless, the Civil Protection Organization said.

Izarra said the government approved 3.12 million dollars to help Venezuelans affected by the hurricane.
 

Salvadorian troops to move from Najaf to Hilla in Iraq
The third contingent of 380 soldiers from El Salvador will be stationed soon in the southern Iraqi city of Hilla, Vice Defense Minister of the central American country said Friday.

According to reports from San Salvador, General Ricardo Abrego said Hilla, south of Baghdad, is a zone "we expect to be more peaceful than the previous one, Najaf, because of the religious ingredient of the latter."

The 380-strong contingent departed from home country in August to replace the second contingent of 374 soldiers in Iraq, which had served there since February.

Until now the Salvadorian troops have stayed in Najaf, where the first Salvadorian contingent arrived in August 2003, as part of the Spain-led Plus Ultra Brigade.

Hilla is considered a stronghold of the Shiite Muslim militia loyal to rebel cleric Moqtada al-Sadr, whose followers constantly clash with the Iraqi police and the occupation forces.

El Salvador is the only country of the Plus Ultra Brigade that kept its forces in Iraq after the withdrawal in April of the troops from Spain, Honduras, Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.El Salvador has been under the command of Polish troops since then.