Some Aid Canceled for Gondola Deaths

Congress has decided not to provide $40 million in compensation for last year’s accident in which a U.S. Marine jet killed 20 skiers in an Italian cable car, a move an Italian official derided as “another insupportable slight.” Senate and House negotiators dropped the provision from a wide-ranging package financing the air campaign against Yugoslavia, aid to hurricane-ravaged Central America and other items. It had been approved in March by the Senate but ran into opposition in the House and from the Defense Department. In addition to the now-canceled congressionally mandated compensation, the United States is paying other money to the Italian government to help the victims’ families. The accident prompted calls in Italy for the expulsion of U.S. forces from bases there. The bases are now used for the airstrikes on Yugoslavia. “They have made fools of us for the second time,” Italian Justice Minister Oliviero Diliberto said.