{"article":{"id":43463,"heading":"Italy: Berlusconi declares the state of national emergency","author":"flopserver","created":"2003-03-30 00:14:58","modified":"2003-03-30 00:14:58","last_modified":"Sun, 30 Mar 2003 07:14:58","article":"<p>Italy declares state of emergency over Iraq war <br><br> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- <br>  <br>   <br><br>  <br>  <br> ROME, March 28 (Reuters) - Italy declared a state of national emergency on Friday in response to the war in Iraq, civil protection authorities said in a statement. <br><br> \"Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has today signed a decree declaring a state of national emergency...in relation to the delicate international situation that has resulted from the conflict in Iraq,\" the statement said. <br><br> A civil protection spokeswoman said no particular threat had prompted the decision to declare the state of emergency, which was purely a precautionary measure. <br><br> \"What it means is that preventively, already existing security controls will be intensified and improved,\" she said. <br><br> Berlusconi has been one of Washington's staunchest allies over Iraq. <\/p>\n","contact":"","link":"http:\/\/www.alertnet.org\/thenews\/newsdesk\/L2865602.htm","address":"","phone":"","parent_id":0,"mime_type":"text\/plain","summary":"An attempt to stop big protest marches today in italy: Berlusconi declares the state of national emergency","numcomment":0,"fileurl":"\/uploads\/","filesize":null,"article_url":"\/news\/2003\/03\/43463.php"},"attachments":[],"comments":[]}