An Italian court on Monday delayed until at least May 13 the resumption of a trial against former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi for allegedly paying for sex with a then 17-year old prostitute. The Milan court postponed the trial while it waits for a decision by Italy's supreme court on whether to consider an appeal by Berlusconi's defence team to move the trial to another city. The media magnate's lawyers have accused several Milan judges of "creating a hostile environment" around their client, and argue he will get a fairer trial in nearby Brescia.

The Moroccan woman at the center of ex-Premier Silvio Berlusconi's sex-for-hire trial has denounced what she says is psychological warfare being waged against her by Italian prosecutors.Karima el-Mahroug, better known as Ruby, read out a lengthy statement Thursday to a gaggle of reporters in front of Milan's courthouse denying she was a prostitute and insisting that prosecutors hear her side of the story.Berlusconi is accused of having paid for sex with el-Mahroug while she was a teen during the infamous "bunga-bunga" parties at his villa near Milan, and then trying to cover

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.

A court in Milan on Monday ordered medical checks for Silvio Berlusconi to verify whether the hospitalised former Italian prime minister is really unable to attend hearings in his trial for having sex with an underage prostitute and abuse of power. The trial had already been suspended on Friday because the 76-year-old Berlusconi said he was suffering from an eye infection. His lawyers have asked for Monday's hearing to be postponed too.