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| Bush in Italy for talks with Pope | Bush in Italy for talks with Pope |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| US President George W Bush has arrived in Italy, for his first meeting with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. | |
| The pontiff is expected to raise the war in Iraq and the plight of Christians there, as well as abortion. | The pontiff is expected to raise the war in Iraq and the plight of Christians there, as well as abortion. |
| Mr Bush will also meet Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and his predecessor, Silvio Berlusconi. | Mr Bush will also meet Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi and his predecessor, Silvio Berlusconi. |
| The visit is the latest leg of Mr Bush's European tour. On Friday he visited Poland after three days at the summit of G8 leaders in Germany. | The visit is the latest leg of Mr Bush's European tour. On Friday he visited Poland after three days at the summit of G8 leaders in Germany. |
| During Mr Bush's one-day visit to Rome, thousands of people are expected to demonstrate against the Iraq war. | During Mr Bush's one-day visit to Rome, thousands of people are expected to demonstrate against the Iraq war. |
| Police fear protesters may turn violent and the US embassy has warned Americans to avoid the demonstrations. | Police fear protesters may turn violent and the US embassy has warned Americans to avoid the demonstrations. |
| Security warning | Security warning |
| The Pope has been a long-time critic of the US-led invasion of Iraq. | The Pope has been a long-time critic of the US-led invasion of Iraq. |
| In his Easter address, he said: "Nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civilian population flees." | In his Easter address, he said: "Nothing positive comes from Iraq, torn apart by continual slaughter as the civilian population flees." |
| Two large ant-war protests are planned for Mr Bush's visit | Two large ant-war protests are planned for Mr Bush's visit |
| The pontiff is expected to raise the plight of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Christians who have been forced into exile during the conflict. | The pontiff is expected to raise the plight of the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi Christians who have been forced into exile during the conflict. |
| But the Pope and Mr Bush hold similar views on such topics as abortion and gay marriage, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome. | But the Pope and Mr Bush hold similar views on such topics as abortion and gay marriage, says the BBC's David Willey in Rome. |
| Mr Bush has also said he hopes to discuss changes in China and the future of post-Castro Cuba, but intends mainly to listen to the pontiff. | Mr Bush has also said he hopes to discuss changes in China and the future of post-Castro Cuba, but intends mainly to listen to the pontiff. |
| Mr Bush was also due to meet leaders of the Sant'Egidio Roman Catholic community in the Trastevere neighbourhood but the talks were moved to the US embassy. | Mr Bush was also due to meet leaders of the Sant'Egidio Roman Catholic community in the Trastevere neighbourhood but the talks were moved to the US embassy. |
| Security officials feared the location would be too risky as it was a largely pedestrian area, Italian news agency ANSA reported. | Security officials feared the location would be too risky as it was a largely pedestrian area, Italian news agency ANSA reported. |
| Mr Berlusconi, who leads the centre-right opposition to Mr Prodi's government, accused the authorities of not being able to guarantee adequate security. | Mr Berlusconi, who leads the centre-right opposition to Mr Prodi's government, accused the authorities of not being able to guarantee adequate security. |
| CIA trial | CIA trial |
| Hours before Mr Bush arrived in Rome, the first criminal trial over the CIA's "extraordinary rendition" of terror suspects opened in Milan. | Hours before Mr Bush arrived in Rome, the first criminal trial over the CIA's "extraordinary rendition" of terror suspects opened in Milan. |
| Twenty-six Americans and six Italians are accused of kidnapping a Muslim cleric from Italy and sending him to Egypt, where he was allegedly tortured. Mr Prodi has already said that the case will not be on the agenda when he meets Mr Bush. | Twenty-six Americans and six Italians are accused of kidnapping a Muslim cleric from Italy and sending him to Egypt, where he was allegedly tortured. Mr Prodi has already said that the case will not be on the agenda when he meets Mr Bush. |
| On Friday, Mr Bush met Polish President Lech Kaczynski at his retreat on the Baltic Sea coast, where they discussed his plans for a European anti-missile defence system. | On Friday, Mr Bush met Polish President Lech Kaczynski at his retreat on the Baltic Sea coast, where they discussed his plans for a European anti-missile defence system. |
| Mr Kaczynski said Poland supported the system and reiterated Mr Bush's statement that the missile shield would not threaten Russia. | Mr Kaczynski said Poland supported the system and reiterated Mr Bush's statement that the missile shield would not threaten Russia. |
| Earlier on Friday, a stomach upset forced Mr Bush to skip some meetings on the final day of the G8 summit. | Earlier on Friday, a stomach upset forced Mr Bush to skip some meetings on the final day of the G8 summit. |
| The leaders said they had made clear progress on fighting poverty in Africa and global warming. | The leaders said they had made clear progress on fighting poverty in Africa and global warming. |