Speedboat capsizes: one dead, three in hospital They were being pursued by the Italian police. The tragedy occurred when the boat struck a wave The incident occurred at around 23:00 on Saturday. The speedboat was spotted by Italian forces just 5 miles from Otranto. As it tried to escape, it capsized with 26 people on board VLORA - A death-defying journey for a speedboat carrying clandestine migrants. Just 5 miles from Otranto, while being pursued by the Italian Coast Guard, the vessel capsized along with its human “cargo”: 22 men, three women and a child. The grim toll: one dead and three in hospital, including the four-year-old girl. The speedboat’s two owners have been arrested: K. Ferdinandi, from Vlora but residing in Durrës, and D. Sinani from Fier. Both are charged with “intentional homicide and facilitating illegal emigration.” It all began at around 23:00 on Saturday. Italian forces monitoring the coast spotted the speedboat—a 12-metre-long, sky-blue vessel with two powerful Johnson engines—as it approached the beach with its lights off. After calling on it to stop, they gave chase. The Albanian speedboat immediately headed at speed toward Albania. Other forces were also called into the operation, while the vessels maneuvered in zigzags to evade pursuit. But colliding with a wave proved fatal. The speedboat capsized and everyone ended up in the water. A fight for life and death began. Scenes of terror and anguish. With the exception of a 35-year-old man, who was pulled from the water dead, everyone was rescued with the help of the Italian vessels. Only three people are in hospital: the little girl and her two parents. On page 5

Technical School, Prishtina . An era of peace begins in Kosovo! PRISHTINA - A very important step toward peace between Serbia and Kosovo has been taken. Yesterday, an agreement was signed for Kosovar teachers and pupils to return to their schools. The result of the peaceful policy of President Ibrahim Rugova and other progressive forces is highly gratifying: after six years of clandestine education under extremely difficult conditions, the Albanians of Kosovo will soon once again be able to enjoy their schools and universities. The agreement on integrating clandestine Albanian education into the public education system was signed by Serbian President Slobodan Millosheviç and the Albanian delegation of Kosovo, Ibrahim Rugova. The Sant Egidio community also played a role in this agreement between Kosovo and Serbia, as a third party in the negotiations. This year, too, Kosovar children began their lessons in private homes, but soon, after the joint working group is established, they will be able to move into actual schools. Yesterday, President Sali Berisha strongly welcomed this step between Kosovo and Serbia, describing it as very important for respecting human rights in Kosovo and for beginning to resolve the conflicts between Albanians and the Serbian administration. On page 2

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The meeting is on Wednesday. No reaction yesterday from the political forces: “We don’t know anything”

FINED 50,000 LEKË Lushnja victim

The new leadership is introduced yesterday TIRANA - The new PS leadership team introduced itself yesterday at a press conference. The party’s political strategy, its internal changes, the future of dialogue, and other issues were the focus of the explanations the party’s senior politicians gave to journalists. On page 3

The little girls got locked inside the electrical cabin FIER - Playing with fire; three girls risked being electrocuted in a high-voltage cabin. They were rescued entirely by chance by a passer-by who gave them first aid—he got them out of the cabin and also accompanied them to the hospital. Doctors say the girls’ health is in a serious condition, but there is no risk of complications. Three little girls from Fier, who were playing together on Sunday afternoon, went into the high-voltage cabin of the apartment building. The cabin door was open, and they were not afraid to venture as far as the electrical installations. But suddenly the unbelievable happened. The doll one of the girls was holding fell to the ground and caused a short circuit; that was enough—at least, that was the most plausible version—for flames to break out in the cabin. Only one of the girls managed to get out of the cabin as it caught fire and raise the alarm. Passers-by rushed to give the girl first aid—her hair had been burned, and she was very frightened. A citizen, Gramoz Musataj, went inside the cabin and tried to get the girls who were still inside out. The cabin was full of smoke, and it was difficult to see the girls. Finally—[repeated/unclear in original]—it was difficult to see the girls. At last he heard them crying and helped them get outside. The three girls were given first aid and are now out of danger. Iluma Rrudi

They talked without paying FOGGIA - They have been arrested for defrauding Telecom. This unusual story concerns young Albanians in Italy. In a strange way, they had managed to make calls to Albania without paying. Using a sequence of selected numbers, they were able to make phone calls that cost only one unit. The two young men from Durrës were not content to talk only for themselves; they turned their connection to Albania into a business to make money. They would go to various telephone booths, where the expatriates would pay them different amounts for the calls they arranged at a much more favourable price than the usual one. But their scheme did not remain undiscovered for long. Caught at the telephone booths [unclear in original], they ended up in prison cells. On page 2

FINED 50,000 LEKË TIRANA - A protracted meeting at the Albanian Football Federation. Its leaders have decided on the structure of next season’s championships in the first, second and third divisions. The position of the national team’s deputy director, Hito Hitaj, is in doubt. Reliable sources say the bonus for the opening match of France ’98 will be 5,000 dollars. Partizani is the last team to qualify for the Albanian Cup. Hill is leaving Williams, while he is very close to signing for the world title. England triumphs in its first match under Glenn Hoddle. Gascoigne is once again the protagonist, exposing Ince’s dirty tricks. On page 6

SPECTACLE It is expected to be shown in Montreal, Canada, on Sunday as well. On page 4 Colonel Bunker

CULTURE The story of the suffering under the dictatorship, told by its protagonist On page 7 Lezha, the city of Përjaku

One of the previous meetings of the parties with the president On page 3

Buses and postal services now cost more TIRANA - Since Sunday, buses and postal services have become more expensive. Thus, to travel by city bus in the capital you must pay 10 lekë instead of 7, while a monthly pass now costs 250 lekë instead of 160. These are the new fares that came into effect on 1 September. Postal services have also increased in price, by an average of 35 percent. On page 3