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CNN Sunday Morning
Power Outage in Italy
Aired September 28, 2003 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: An extraordinary event in Italy. Almost the entire country losing electrical power earlier today. Also in Rome today, Pope John Paul II announcing the list of church leaders who will become cardinals. Two big stories. And our Alessio Vinci is in Rome to shed some light on both of these. Good morning, Alessio. How are things? First, let's talk about the power.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, Sean, the power has been restored in much part -- in much proportions of the country. Really, first it came back in northern Italy, then it came in some areas of the south, and now within the last hour, also here in the capital of Rome.
Now, because this power outage took place at 3:30 in the morning, most people around the country, of course, were asleep, except here, in Rome, where there was a large overnight festival that the city had to organize, White Nights, called, and so there were hundreds of thousands of people, some even say one million were out there when the power outage took place. But there was no major disruption if you want, except for the part that some people remained stuck in the subways and in elevators. But overall, given the fact that the entire country was in the darkness, there was really no report of any major problems.
Now, power officials are telling us that the reason of this blackout was that the two main lines bringing power from France into Italy went down at the same time, simultaneously, an event that is really rare, power officials are telling us, and within a few hours, one of those lines was partially restored, while the other one remains still down, and now power officials are trying to establish whether the breakdown occurred in Italy or on the French side of the border. There is a little bit of a debate on that issue there.
Now, all this power outage did not deter Pope John Paul II here in the Vatican behind me, earlier today, doing the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) prayer here in St. Peter, announced the name of 31 new cardinals, which will be made cardinals on October the 21st here in St. Peter. Among them is the archbishop of Philadelphia, Justin Rigali. Perhaps a bit of a disappointment in Boston, because cardinal -- Archbishop O'Malley from Boston was not on that list.
Now, there was some speculation, of course, that this list of cardinals and this consistery (ph), as it is known, the making of new cardinals, was going to take place in October because of the pope's frail health. As a matter of fact, there has been a lot of talk about a consistery (ph) already months ago before even the pope felt worse in the last few weeks, and of course all the cardinals are coming anyway here to Rome on October 16 to celebrate the pope's 25th anniversary as (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So Pope John Paul II basically putting two things together, celebrating his 25th anniversary and making 31 new cardinals. Sean, back to you.
CALLEBS: OK. Alessio Vinci, in Rome, thanks very much for that information.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired September 28, 2003 - 07:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
SEAN CALLEBS, CNN ANCHOR: An extraordinary event in Italy. Almost the entire country losing electrical power earlier today. Also in Rome today, Pope John Paul II announcing the list of church leaders who will become cardinals. Two big stories. And our Alessio Vinci is in Rome to shed some light on both of these. Good morning, Alessio. How are things? First, let's talk about the power.
ALESSIO VINCI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, first of all, Sean, the power has been restored in much part -- in much proportions of the country. Really, first it came back in northern Italy, then it came in some areas of the south, and now within the last hour, also here in the capital of Rome.
Now, because this power outage took place at 3:30 in the morning, most people around the country, of course, were asleep, except here, in Rome, where there was a large overnight festival that the city had to organize, White Nights, called, and so there were hundreds of thousands of people, some even say one million were out there when the power outage took place. But there was no major disruption if you want, except for the part that some people remained stuck in the subways and in elevators. But overall, given the fact that the entire country was in the darkness, there was really no report of any major problems.
Now, power officials are telling us that the reason of this blackout was that the two main lines bringing power from France into Italy went down at the same time, simultaneously, an event that is really rare, power officials are telling us, and within a few hours, one of those lines was partially restored, while the other one remains still down, and now power officials are trying to establish whether the breakdown occurred in Italy or on the French side of the border. There is a little bit of a debate on that issue there.
Now, all this power outage did not deter Pope John Paul II here in the Vatican behind me, earlier today, doing the (UNINTELLIGIBLE) prayer here in St. Peter, announced the name of 31 new cardinals, which will be made cardinals on October the 21st here in St. Peter. Among them is the archbishop of Philadelphia, Justin Rigali. Perhaps a bit of a disappointment in Boston, because cardinal -- Archbishop O'Malley from Boston was not on that list.
Now, there was some speculation, of course, that this list of cardinals and this consistery (ph), as it is known, the making of new cardinals, was going to take place in October because of the pope's frail health. As a matter of fact, there has been a lot of talk about a consistery (ph) already months ago before even the pope felt worse in the last few weeks, and of course all the cardinals are coming anyway here to Rome on October 16 to celebrate the pope's 25th anniversary as (UNINTELLIGIBLE). So Pope John Paul II basically putting two things together, celebrating his 25th anniversary and making 31 new cardinals. Sean, back to you.
CALLEBS: OK. Alessio Vinci, in Rome, thanks very much for that information.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
