> ENGLISH
> http://www.italy-news.net/index_eng.php3
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> 56 ITALIAN WORLD TRADE CENTER EMPLOYEES REPORTED MISSING
> The crisis center of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs reported that the number of missing Italians who worked in the towers of the World Trade Center went down to 56. Six Italian nationals thought to be missing contacted the Italian Consulate General in New York reporting that they had not been able to report to the consulate earlier because of the chaos after last Tuesday's disaster. Several New York hospitals house a total of 29 people with Italian names. They may be tourists or residents not registered at the Italian consulate, or Italo-American citizens.
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> VENTIMIGLIA BORDER POLICE ARREST TWO AFGHAN NATIONALS
> The daily newspaper Secolo XIX (19th century) reported that two Afghan nationals suspected of being terrorists were arrested by Italian police close to the French border in the town of Ventimiglia. They are being held for questioning in a detention house in nearby Imperia until secret service agents have established what brought them to Europe. Their luggage contained codes and coded documents, photographs and address books with names of contacts. They traveled in Greece before entering Italy without a visa and were traveling on a train originating from Rome. French police arrested two Afghan nationals in Nice.
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> LEFT-AND RIGHT-WING LEADERS PREPARED TO SUPPORT PRESIDENT BUSH
> Former premiers and center-left leaders Massimo D'Alema and Giuliano Amato defended the decision of US President George Bush to combat terrorism, and added that he could count on their support as long as involvement did not mean a blind following of Washington's orders. Representative D'Alema stated that the president's intention to hit the very nerve centers of the terrorists in a long and implacable action was right. Senator Amato commented that deterrence of terrorist acts starts with stopping the money flow to those who profit from terrorist acts and agreed that military action against financial and logistics networks was called for, adding that Europe should prepare itself and determine its position in this global campaign against terrorism. Reforms minister Umberto Bossi, leader of the right-wing Lega Nord (Northern League) party pledged his solidarity with America in case the United States goes to war.
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> POPE EMPHASIZES FORGIVENESS AND RECONCILIATION
> Pope John Paul II conducted a mass at a make-shift altar set up on a platform at the Piazzale Vienna in Frosinone. The Holy Father announced that he came with a message of reconciliation and peace. "A message," he emphasized, "the world is in great need of." In his homily he reminded the faithful of the hope that springs from forgiveness and the joy brought about through reconciliation. The pontiff alluded to divine compassion and declared, "God is greater than our hearts."
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> FEARFUL PASSENGERS CANCEL AND DELAY FLIGHTS
> After last Tuesday's tragedy in which four hijacked planes were involved, Italians are fearful and reluctant to fly. They have canceled or postponed their planned flights en masse. Tour operators quote a loss amounting to 3 billion lire because of widespread cancellations. In an emergency conference, the National Tourist Board asked the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to intercede by issuing a statement to Italian citizens encouraging them to travel again and emphasize that high risk travel is limited to a very specific geographic area.
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> TWO VESSELS WITH ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS LAND AT CROTONE
> In a time span of less than 24 hours, the port town of Crotone, which is on the Ionian coast in the region of Calabria, saw the arrival of two vessels carrying illegal immigrants. The first, a 23-meter (75 foot) fishing craft, held 307 Kurds, among whom were 84 minors. The second one, a 38-meter (120 foot) vessel that left Smyrna in Turkey five days ago, held people of various nationalities and ethnic groups. Nobody needed hospital care and all were transferred to the take-in center south of Crotone in the town of Isola di Capo Rizzuto.
