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Berlusconi tells rally he is ready for fresh elections

March 23, 2013 12:15
Italy's Silvio Berlusconi told tens of thousands of supporters in Rome on Saturday that he was ready for fresh elections if attempts to form a new government fall through. "I see you're all ready for a new election campaign and this time we'll win big!" Berlusconi told the crowd, adding: "I'm ready too". Berlusconi's centre-right coalition came in a very close second in elections last month in which leftist leader Pier Luigi Bersani's coalition won the most votes but failed to get an overall parliamentary majority.

Berlusconi appeal trial delayed by a month

March 23, 2013 07:45
A court in Milan on Saturday delayed by a month the next hearing in former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi's appeal trial against a conviction for tax fraud after a request by his lawyers. Judges accepted Berlusconi's justification that he could not attend because he was meeting the leadership of his People of Freedom party on Saturday. The next hearing in the trial -- linked to his business empire Mediaset -- will be on April 20. A verdict is not expected before the end of April at the earliest.

Berlusconi trials face delay over move to transfer hearings

March 22, 2013 09:30
ROME (Reuters) - Silvio Berlusconi's appeal against a tax fraud conviction and a separate trial on sex charges will be suspended after Italy's highest appeals court agreed to consider a request to transfer the hearings from Milan, a legal source said on Friday. Berlusconi's lawyers asked last week for the trials to be moved to the northern city of Brescia from Milan, where the former prime minister says he cannot get a fair hearing because of judicial bias.

Italian judge rejects request for snap trial of Berlusconi

March 19, 2013 10:00
NAPLES, Italy (Reuters) - A Naples judge on Tuesday rejected a request by prosecutors to hold a snap trial of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi on bribery charges, the latest twist in the Italian centre-right leader's increasingly bitter legal battle. Allegations that Berlusconi gave 3 million euros (2.57 million pounds) to a former senator to switch sides in 2006 - undermining Romano Prodi's centre-left government of the time - will face a regular judicial process, according to a copy of the judge's ruling obtained by Reuters.

Berlusconi clashes with "stupid" protesters as tensions rise

March 16, 2013 14:30
ROME (Reuters) - Former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, facing trial on tax fraud and sex charges, abused protesters who whistled and jeered as he entered parliament on Saturday to vote in an election for speaker of the Senate. "You should be ashamed, you're poor, stupid fools," he said loudly as he made his way into the Senate.

Italy's Berlusconi seeks to move trials away from Milan

March 15, 2013 11:15
ROME (Reuters) - Silvio Berlusconi's lawyers are seeking to have trials where he is charged with tax fraud and having sex with a minor moved to the city of Brescia from Milan, where they say he cannot get a fair hearing, legal sources said on Friday. The sources said the former Italian prime minister's legal team based their request on a criminal code clause allowing a case to be transferred when there are serious grounds to suspect a fair decision cannot be reached by the judges handling it.

Sex trial hearing delayed over Berlusconi's health

March 14, 2013 14:33
Judges in Milan on Wednesday decided to postpone to Monday a hearing in Silvio Berlusconi's trial for having sex with an underage prostitute because of the former prime minister's health issues. The court had sent in medical experts to work out whether or not Berlusconi was exaggerating an apparent eye infection and hypertension in order to delay a trial in which the verdict is looming. The report on Berlusconi's health found that he was suffering from "jumps in blood pressure."

Italy's Berlusconi promises parliamentary battle against magistrates

March 13, 2013 14:03
By James Mackenzie ROME (Reuters) - Italy's former prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, facing trial on tax fraud and sex charges and under investigation for suspected political bribery, promised to take on prosecutors after parliament opens this week. The leader of the People of Freedom (PDL) party has often clashed with magistrates during his two decades in politics but problems have escalated this month as his trial on charges of paying for sex with an under-age prostitute has neared its end.

UPDATE 1-Italy's president raps Berlusconi party on judge attacks

March 12, 2013 20:15
* President criticises centre-right for courthouse protest * Berlusconi attacks "communist" centre-left * Centre-left meet 5-Star movement on parliament posts (Adds comments by Napolitano, Berlusconi, PD, 5-Star Movement) By Gavin Jones

Legal storm intensifies against Italy's Berlusconi

March 11, 2013 13:45
Italy's billionaire former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi was in legal trouble again on Monday, suspected of exaggerating an eye infection to delay one trial against him and facing fresh charges of bribery. The 76-year-old has been in hospital in Milan since Friday but prosecutors have said it is all a ruse to put off the onslaught as several cases finally begin to catch up with him. The drama intensified when lawmakers from Berlusconi's centre-right People of Freedom party marched into the Milan court building in protest.
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