Special report: Israel, Lebanon agree on ceasefire    

                            Italian troops head for Lebanon

BEIJING, Aug. 31 -- The first contingent of an Italian peacekeeping force set sail for Lebanon on Tuesday, on board the aircraft carrier Garibaldi.

    A grand send-off ceremony was held at the Mediterranean port of Brindisi for the 803 soldiers, the first of 3,000. Italy is the biggest contributor to a 15,000-strong force authorized by the United Nations.

    Prime Minister, Romano Prodi, and Defense Minister, Arturo Parisi, were flown aboard the aircraft carrier to address the troops. Prodi thanked the soldiers for taking up the very difficult task. The convoy should reach Lebanon by Friday, when the Italian soldiers are expected to trade their camouflage helmets for U.N. blue.

(Source: CCTV)