May 3, 2002

Swiss central bank, concerned over runup in Swiss franc's value, reduces its benchmark interest rate by half percentage point, to 1.25 percent; franc falls to 1.4583 to euro and 1.6097 to dollar; central bank says strong franc has threatened to dampen economi growth; European Central Bank leaves its rates unchanged (S)

World Trade Organization says world trade, which contracted sharply in 2001, will resume growing in 2002, though only at 1 percent pace (S)

New York Times/CBS News Poll finds most American Roman Catholics think priests who sexually abuse children and teenagers should be barred from participating in parish life and that any accusations of abuse should be investigated by local law enforcement rather than church; nearly 80 percent of them say past abuser should be barred from 'parish life' even if church leaders believe he is truly sorry for what happened; 70 percent say Catholic lay people should be involved in decisions about cases of abuse by priests; nearly half of Catholics polled see 'some' progress in meeting of American cardinals at Vatican, but there are signs of continuing, deep discontent; poll indicates striking breach between American Catholics and their leadership on these issues; it also shows 53 percent of them have favorable view of pope, drop of 16 percentage points from poll conducted two weeks earlier, before Vatican meeting was called; poll was conducted in aftermath of two-day emergency meeting at Vatican on question of sexual abuse, at which American cardinals and leaders of bishops conference said they would move toward policy of zero tolerance for future offenders, but appeared to be divided over whether all past offenders should also be automatically removed; on many questions in poll Catholic opinion matches or parallels that of total American public; chart (L)

Rob Walker article on weekend visit to Seaside, Fla; beachfront resort is living laboratory of New Urbanism design movement, which tries to create livable places, guided by careful planning and rigorous aesthetic sense; map; photos (M)

Analysis; talks aimed at settling securities lawsuits against Arthur Andersen by Enron Corp shareholders came down to decision by Wall Street to try to limit its own liability for Enron's collapse; several big banks are in curious position of being both defendants and potential plaintiffs in Andersen litigation, which is seeking billions of dollars for losses of Enron investors, lenders and retirees; banks, including J P Morgan Chase and Citigroup, are defendants because shareholders' lawyers say they contributed to Enron's downfall; they are potential plaintiffs because they lent money to company (M)