From Holden:

Italy is paying a $1 million ransom to terrorists/kidnappers in Iraq.

Who will tell Georgie?

Captors of two Italian hostages in Iraq have agreed to free the women, as early as this week, for a $1 million (550,000 pound) ransom, a Kuwaiti daily says in a report splashed over the front pages of Italian newspapers.

In Rome, both the prime minister’s office and the foreign ministry said they had no immediate comment on the report, which also led all radio and television news bulletins.

Al-Rai al-Aam, one of Kuwait’s leading dailies, quoted sources “very close to Islamic factions” saying they expected a “happy ending” for Italian charity workers Simona Pari and Simona Torretta.

The report, which said half of the ransom had already been paid, could not be independently confirmed.

[snip]

The newspaper said the kidnappers had received $500,000 on Monday and the rest would be given to a mediator on Tuesday.

It said Italian representatives took part in the negotiations, but it was not clear if they were from the government.