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Rome (CNN) -- Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi has survived political, corruption and sex scandals over the years,
but on Friday, a Milan court sentenced the flamboyant politician to four years
in prison for tax evasion.
Berlusconi, who is likely to
appeal, called it an "unacceptable political sentence" in an interview that
aired on CNN affiliate TGCOM24.
"I was convinced that I would get
acquitted of an accusation that is far from the truth," he said. "This is a
conviction I can easily define as political, incredible and even
intolerable."
His trial, which also involved executives from Berlusconi's Mediaset television
group and the head of a Swiss bank, concerned the purchase of TV rights for
films that were then resold within the group at inflated prices.
Prosecutors said the scheme,
involving about 3,000 American films, allowed those involved to avoid a major
tax bill. They may have to pay a fine of up to €10 million ($12.9 million) if
the court's ruling is upheld.
Under the Italian legal system,
Berlusconi and his fellow defendants have the right to appeal their sentence
twice, in the appeals court and a higher court.
Also, because the case dates to
July 2006, the statute of limitations will expire next year, meaning there is a
good chance none of the defendants will serve any prison time.
Berlusconi, 76, resigned as prime
minister in November amid his country's debt crisis, bringing to an apparent end
an 18-year era in which he dominated Italian politics.
Through the years, he was
accused of embezzlement, fraud and bribery, but he was never convicted until the
tax evasion case.
He also faces trial on charges
that he hired an underage prostitute and later tried to pull strings to get her
out of jail when she was accused of theft.
The woman involved in the
long-running case is the Moroccan dancer Karima el Mahroug, nicknamed "Ruby the
Heart-stealer."
American movie star George
Clooney had been expected to appear Friday as a defense witness in that case but
did not show up. The actor's representative said he would not be serving as a
witness for Berlusconi.
He added: "I'm a victim of
judicial harassment."
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/26/world/europe/italy-berlusconi-convicted/index.html?hpt=ieu_c1
Rome (CNN) -- Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio
Berlusconi has survived political, corruption and sex scandals over the years,
but on Friday, a Milan court sentenced the flamboyant politician to four years
in prison for tax evasion.
Berlusconi, who is likely to
appeal, called it an "unacceptable political sentence" in an interview that
aired on CNN affiliate TGCOM24.
"I was convinced that I would get
acquitted of an accusation that is far from the truth," he said. "This is a
conviction I can easily define as political, incredible and even
intolerable."
His trial, which also involved executives from Berlusconi's Mediaset television
group and the head of a Swiss bank, concerned the purchase of TV rights for
films that were then resold within the group at inflated prices.
Prosecutors said the scheme,
involving about 3,000 American films, allowed those involved to avoid a major
tax bill. They may have to pay a fine of up to €10 million ($12.9 million) if
the court's ruling is upheld.
Under the Italian legal system,
Berlusconi and his fellow defendants have the right to appeal their sentence
twice, in the appeals court and a higher court.
Also, because the case dates to
July 2006, the statute of limitations will expire next year, meaning there is a
good chance none of the defendants will serve any prison time.
Berlusconi, 76, resigned as prime
minister in November amid his country's debt crisis, bringing to an apparent end
an 18-year era in which he dominated Italian politics.
Through the years, he was
accused of embezzlement, fraud and bribery, but he was never convicted until the
tax evasion case.
He also faces trial on charges
that he hired an underage prostitute and later tried to pull strings to get her
out of jail when she was accused of theft.
The woman involved in the
long-running case is the Moroccan dancer Karima el Mahroug, nicknamed "Ruby the
Heart-stealer."
American movie star George
Clooney had been expected to appear Friday as a defense witness in that case but
did not show up. The actor's representative said he would not be serving as a
witness for Berlusconi.
He added: "I'm a victim of
judicial harassment."
http://edition.cnn.com/2012/10/26/world/europe/italy-berlusconi-convicted/index.html?hpt=ieu_c1
News story 2
At least 14 passengers on a Spain-bound vessel died when
the craft sunk off the coast of Morocco, a Moroccan official said Friday.
Mustapha Khalfi, Moroccan minister of communication, said the sinking took
place Thursday in the Mediterranean Sea off the Moroccan city of Alhucemas.
The ship was headed from Morocco to Spain, Khalfi said. Spain's Maritime
Rescue Service said a Spanish air force plane aided by rescue ships found the
boat 18 miles from the Moroccan coast.
At least 70 people were on board, Khalfi said, and 17 have been rescued.
Spanish authorities transported the survivors back to Morocco.
A search is under way for more survivors, Khalfi said.
The people on the ship are thought to be migrants escaping to Europe. Many
Africans looking to flee their homelands have tried to reach Europe by boat.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/26/14-dead-in-sinking-off-moroccan-coast/?hpt=ieu_c2
At least 14 passengers on a Spain-bound vessel died when
the craft sunk off the coast of Morocco, a Moroccan official said Friday.
Mustapha Khalfi, Moroccan minister of communication, said the sinking took
place Thursday in the Mediterranean Sea off the Moroccan city of Alhucemas.
The ship was headed from Morocco to Spain, Khalfi said. Spain's Maritime
Rescue Service said a Spanish air force plane aided by rescue ships found the
boat 18 miles from the Moroccan coast.
At least 70 people were on board, Khalfi said, and 17 have been rescued.
Spanish authorities transported the survivors back to Morocco.
A search is under way for more survivors, Khalfi said.
The people on the ship are thought to be migrants escaping to Europe. Many
Africans looking to flee their homelands have tried to reach Europe by boat.
http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2012/10/26/14-dead-in-sinking-off-moroccan-coast/?hpt=ieu_c2
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