- Two Italian female aid workers held hostage in Iraq for
the last three weeks have been released.
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- They were handed over to the Italian Red Cross in Iraq's
capital, Baghdad, and are in good health, officials said.
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- Simona Pari and Simona Torretta, who were seized in their
Baghdad office on 7 September, are on their way to Italy.
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- Separately, an Egyptian telecoms company said four of
its six workers who had been held hostage in Iraq have also been set free.
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- The first one, Alaa Maqaar, was reported to have been
released on Monday, but his company Orascom Telecom only confirmed he was
free on Tuesday morning.
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- "The company is continuing its strenuous efforts
to free the remaining hostages as quickly as possible," a company
statement said.
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- Two French journalists, apparently captured by the same
group as the two Italians, are still being held while there is no news
of UK hostage Ken Bigley, who has been threatened with beheading.
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- On Monday, an Iranian diplomat kidnapped nearly two months
ago was freed.
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- About 30 other foreigners, including several from Arab
countries, are still being held.
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- Pope's thanks
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- Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said the two
women, both aged 29, were expected to return to Italy later on Tuesday.
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- The two Iraqi aid workers seized with the two women had
also been freed, Mr Berlusconi said.
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- Mr Berlusconi described the release of the two women
as a "moment of joy".
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- "The two girls are well and will be able to return
to their loved ones tonight," he said at a news conference in Rome.
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- Pope John Paul II expressed his "great joy"
at news of the release.
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- "His thoughts also go to the families and with them
all persons of good will, thanking God for this humanitarian gesture,"
a papal spokesman said.
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- 'Overwhelmingly happy'
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- Simona Torretta's family reacted swiftly on Italian television,
expressing their joy at the news she had survived her ordeal.
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- "We've spoken to the Baghdad ambassador. The information
is 100% certain and we are already celebrating," said Annamaria Torretta,
her mother, on Italian television.
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- "I'm so happy, overwhelmingly happy," said
Simona Pari's father, Luciano, from his home in Rimini on the Adriatic
coast.
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- "This was the news I had been hoping for,"
he added.
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- The two women were working for the aid agency A Bridge
to Baghdad and had been involved in school and water projects.
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- The fate of both aid workers captured the hearts of Italians
this month and over the last week itself there has been a rollercoaster
of emotions, says the BBC's Guto Harri in Rome.
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- Initial reports suggested they had both been killed,
followed by reports, first from Kuwait then from Jordan, suggesting they
were alive and well and would be released, our correspondent says.
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- © BBC MMIV http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3698196.stm
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