Chile, Brazil and Colombia are the most attractive countries for private infrastructure investment in Latin America, said a report published on Wednesday.

Chile topped the list with 5.43 points, for "an extremely auspicious atmosphere for private investment", according to the Comparative Analysis of Private Infrastructure Investment report.

Brazil followed with 4.4 points, Colombia 4.33, Peru 4.23, Mexico 4.04, Uruguay 4.02, El Salvador 3.97, Argentina 3.41, Venezuela 3.37, Bolivia 3.34 and the Dominican Republic 3.33.

The study, presented at the second World Economic Forum for Latin America, attracted more than 400 business, social and political leaders.

Economist Irene Mia, one of the report's authors, told a press conference that the study came to its conclusion after taking into consideration the macro-economic environment, the legal framework, political risks, access to information and financial market development in each country.

The report divided the nations into four groups: Brazil, Peru, Chile and Colombia were showing good development in all key values.

Mexico and El Salvador were attractive for investment with good financial markets, but had poor civil society-government relationships.

Uruguay and the Dominican Republic had acceptable investment environments but lacked the basic infrastructure which opened the door to more complex private-sector infrastructure.

The final group, including Argentina, Bolivia and Venezuela, had poor investment conditions and needed to adopt extensive reforms.

The Italian Gazzetta dello Sport newspaper reports that Mauro Iacconi and Angelo Santini were found guilty by a Modena court in a case in which they charged with espionage, including gaining unauthorised access to Ferrari's computers and the misappropriation of files.

Santini and Iacconi, who were dismissed by Toyota before the case was made public, have both appealed against their sentences.

Abramoff assisted Zachares in obtaining his committee post. Zachares left Young's staff in 2005. Young's office declined to comment Tuesday.

"Guilty, your honor," Zachares told U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle, who had asked what plea he would enter to a single count of conspiracy. He faces a maximum of five years in prison, but under federal sentencing guidelines will probably face two years or less.

After the court appearance, defense attorney Edward MacMahon declined to say whether Young knew what Zachares was doing on behalf of Abramoff.

Zachares agreed to cooperate with the government's continuing investigation and, outside the courthouse, MacMahon reinforced that point.

The former Republican aide is the fifth congressional staffer to plead guilty in the Abramoff scandal, including two former aides to former House Majority Leader Tom DeLay, R-Texas.

Zachares provided information to Abramoff about pending congressional actions on the reorganization of federal agencies into the Homeland Security Department.

Zachares said in court that Abramoff and his lobbying team supplied him with $30,000 worth of tickets to sporting events and concerts on more than 40 occasions in the 18 months from mid-2002 to early 2004.

Zachares accompanied Abramoff and six others, including Rep. Tom Feeney, R-Fla., on a $160,000 golf junket to Scotland in 2003, according to the conspiracy count to which Zachares pleaded guilty.

Feeney's office said the Justice Department has contacted the congressman to request more information and that Feeney is cooperating.

Early this year, Feeney agreed to reimburse the government $5,643 for the Scotland trip.

According to a statement of facts that Zachares signed on March 14, he "falsely reported the cost of transportation, lodging and meals as only $5,643, a figure coordinated with Abramoff to be substantially identical as the figures other attendees, including Representative .3, would report."Representative .3" refers to Feeney. After Tuesday's guilty plea, Feeney's office said only that the congressman "is anxious to discuss this matter at the appropriate time."

Stewart has insisted that she "is not a traitor" and has said that she was only advocating for her client. She remains free pending appeal of her conviction.

Mexico City legislators Tuesday passed a bill 46-19 that would legalize abortion within the city. The bill, proposed by the Democratic Revolution Party (PRD), will require city hospitals to provide the procedure in the first trimester, although abortions after 12 weeks would still be illegal. Girls under 18 would have to get their parents' consent. The bill now goes to the city's mayor, Marcelo Ebrard, who is expected to sign it. Abortion opponents will probably appeal the law to the Supreme Court.

Abortion is generally illegal throughout the heavily Roman Catholic country, with exceptions only for cases of rape. Mexico City previously loosened the country's restriction to allow abortions when the health of the mother was in danger. Conservatives in the country, including Mexican President Felipe Calderon [official website] and his National Action Party (PAN) are strongly opposed to any change of abortion law, and have vowed to appeal the law to the Supreme Court. Supporters of the bill say that the current laws endanger poor women who, unlike wealthier Mexicans, cannot afford to travel to the United States for the surgery and so must resort to unsafe back-alley abortions. Last year Human Rights Watch (HRW) conducted an extensive study of abortion availability for rape victims in Mexico, finding that those seeking legal abortions often are intimidated with insults and threats of legal retaliation by both prosecutors and health workers.

The former Brighton Charter Academy teacher accused of fondling one of her students and providing him with alcohol during an overnight trip to Estes Park pleaded guilty Tuesday to three charges.

Carrie McCandless, 29, pleaded to tampering with physical evidence, contributing to the delinquency of a minor and unlawful sexual contact.

Under the plea agreement, McCandless avoids prison, but will serve 45 days in the Larimer County jail. She also will serve a 5 year deferred sentence and will spend time in a sex offender program with intensive supervised probation. A sentencing hearing for McCandless is scheduled for June 8.

"Due to the possible consequences of going to trial and being unsuccessful, Ms. McCandless felt like she was in a position that she had to accept the plea bargain," defense attorney Trent Trani said.

McCandless was charged with sexual assault on a child by one in a position of trust and contributing to the delinquency of a minor.

"There was never any kind of sexual intercourse or anything other than Mr. Clay fondling her," Trani said. "It's ridiculous to assert that she subjected him to this contact and I think that's what should have been heard by a jury."

The victim, Tommy Clay, appeared on national TV last month. Clay said he and McCandless became friends during a summer school session because he found it easy to talk with her.

Clay said when another teacher discovered the relationship, "I told Mrs. McCandless that I would take the fall for it. I didn't want her ending up losing her job and I figured I had a lot less to lose than she did."

She was 29 and Clay was 17 at the time, authorities said. McCandless was fired. Her husband, Chris, is principal of the school in Brighton, on the northeast edge of the Denver area.