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| Italy mourns earthquake victims | Italy mourns earthquake victims |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A mass funeral for victims of the Abruzzo earthquake is taking place as Italy holds a day of national mourning for its 289 dead. | |
| The families of those who died and senior politicians are among those who are attending the state funeral near the shattered city of L'Aquila. | |
| At least 150 victims are being buried on Friday, local reports say. | At least 150 victims are being buried on Friday, local reports say. |
| Meanwhile, Italy's president said poor construction was to blame for many of the deaths in Monday's disaster. | Meanwhile, Italy's president said poor construction was to blame for many of the deaths in Monday's disaster. |
| Visiting the region on Thursday, Giorgio Napolitano said there had been "widespread irresponsibility" in the design and construction of modern buildings. | Visiting the region on Thursday, Giorgio Napolitano said there had been "widespread irresponsibility" in the design and construction of modern buildings. |
| FUNERAL SERVICE To last an hour-and-a-half1,600 relatives expected4,000 media100 priests, 20 choristers and an organistConducted by Archbishop MolinariHomily by Cardinal Bertone, Vatican Secretary of State In pictures: Italy quake funeral Quake buildings 'below standard' In pictures: Damage in L'Aquila | FUNERAL SERVICE To last an hour-and-a-half1,600 relatives expected4,000 media100 priests, 20 choristers and an organistConducted by Archbishop MolinariHomily by Cardinal Bertone, Vatican Secretary of State In pictures: Italy quake funeral Quake buildings 'below standard' In pictures: Damage in L'Aquila |
| The government has extended the search for people who could still be alive under the rubble until Sunday. | The government has extended the search for people who could still be alive under the rubble until Sunday. |
| But rescue workers believe the chances of finding anyone alive are remote and so will focus on recovering bodies and assessing the extent of the damage. | But rescue workers believe the chances of finding anyone alive are remote and so will focus on recovering bodies and assessing the extent of the damage. |
| Aftershocks are continuing to hamper rescue efforts. On Thursday evening a tremor measuring 4.9, the fourth-largest since the earthquake, brought down a badly damaged four-storey building in the centre of L'Aquila. | Aftershocks are continuing to hamper rescue efforts. On Thursday evening a tremor measuring 4.9, the fourth-largest since the earthquake, brought down a badly damaged four-storey building in the centre of L'Aquila. |
| The death toll was raised to 289 on Friday morning. | The death toll was raised to 289 on Friday morning. |
| Christian message | Christian message |
| The earthquake victims are being honoured in a two-hour, open-air service at a police training base outside L'Aquila, beginning at 1100 local time (0900 GMT). | |
| The clock on this church was stopped at the time of the quake, 0332 | The clock on this church was stopped at the time of the quake, 0332 |
| The Mass is being celebrated by the Archbishop of L'Aquila, Giuseppe Molinari, and a senior representative of the Pope, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone. | |
| At the end of the Christian service, an imam will pray at the coffins of six Muslim victims. | At the end of the Christian service, an imam will pray at the coffins of six Muslim victims. |
| President Napolitano and Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi are also attending. | |
| Visibly overcome with emotion, Archbishop Molinari spoke earlier to about 300 worshippers in one of the large tent camps for the homeless. | Visibly overcome with emotion, Archbishop Molinari spoke earlier to about 300 worshippers in one of the large tent camps for the homeless. |
| "I can't say any learned words to explain what happened but I can say that Christ has risen," he said, speaking just before Easter. | "I can't say any learned words to explain what happened but I can say that Christ has risen," he said, speaking just before Easter. |
| Pope Benedict celebrated a Holy Thursday Mass that included the traditional blessing of holy oils, some of which the Church will send to the earthquake zone as a sign of solidarity. | Pope Benedict celebrated a Holy Thursday Mass that included the traditional blessing of holy oils, some of which the Church will send to the earthquake zone as a sign of solidarity. |
| The Italian government has also moved to ease financial pressures on the survivors. | The Italian government has also moved to ease financial pressures on the survivors. |
| It has approved a package of emergency financial measures providing money to pay rents, and suspending gas and electricity bills for two months. | It has approved a package of emergency financial measures providing money to pay rents, and suspending gas and electricity bills for two months. |
| Building standards | Building standards |
| On Thursday, Mr Napolitano visited both L'Aquila and the devastated nearby village of Onna, as well as one of the camps sheltering some of the 28,000 people left homeless by the quake. | On Thursday, Mr Napolitano visited both L'Aquila and the devastated nearby village of Onna, as well as one of the camps sheltering some of the 28,000 people left homeless by the quake. |
| He called for an investigation to find out how it was possible that essential buildings standards had not been applied. | He called for an investigation to find out how it was possible that essential buildings standards had not been applied. |
| Live interactive map Historic L'Aquila reels | Live interactive map Historic L'Aquila reels |
| Modern buildings that suffered partial or total collapse in the quake include a hospital, city buildings, the provincial seat and university buildings, AFP news agency reports. | Modern buildings that suffered partial or total collapse in the quake include a hospital, city buildings, the provincial seat and university buildings, AFP news agency reports. |
| "No one should shut their eyes," President Napolitano said. | "No one should shut their eyes," President Napolitano said. |
| Franco Barberi, a member of the parliamentary committee on major risk prevention, told the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera: "The same earthquake in California would not have killed a single person." | Franco Barberi, a member of the parliamentary committee on major risk prevention, told the Italian daily newspaper Corriere della Sera: "The same earthquake in California would not have killed a single person." |
| About 1,000 damage assessors have begun to check premises to see which ones are safe. | About 1,000 damage assessors have begun to check premises to see which ones are safe. |
| Early on Thursday, three bodies were pulled by rescue workers from the ruins of a four-storey university dormitory in L'Aquila. In all, seven students were killed when the building collapsed. | Early on Thursday, three bodies were pulled by rescue workers from the ruins of a four-storey university dormitory in L'Aquila. In all, seven students were killed when the building collapsed. |
| At least 16 children, including a five-month-old baby, were killed by Monday's 6.3-magnitude earthquake. | At least 16 children, including a five-month-old baby, were killed by Monday's 6.3-magnitude earthquake. |
| "As long as we know that there are people under the rubble, we will keep searching even if we're sure they're dead," one fireman told the Reuters news agency. | "As long as we know that there are people under the rubble, we will keep searching even if we're sure they're dead," one fireman told the Reuters news agency. |
| "Families need to know what happened to their loved ones." | "Families need to know what happened to their loved ones." |
| Aftershocks have been complicating rescue efforts. | Aftershocks have been complicating rescue efforts. |
| One 5.2-magnitude tremor at 0253 (0053 GMT) on Thursday caused damage to buildings in L'Aquila and several nearby villages, but there were no reports of further victims. | One 5.2-magnitude tremor at 0253 (0053 GMT) on Thursday caused damage to buildings in L'Aquila and several nearby villages, but there were no reports of further victims. |
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