Berlusconi stays away from trial
Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi did not attend a hearing in Milan yesterday in a case accusing him of bribing the husband of a British Government Minister to lie in evidence.
Prosecutors say Mr Berlusconi ordered the payment of $600,000 to lawyer David Mills, estranged husband of Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell, in exchange for his false testimony in two trials. Both Mr Berlusconi and Mills deny wrongdoing.