Silvio bribe

Milan, March 1 (Reuters): Silvio Berlusconi accused Italian prosecutors today of threatening a senator with jail to force him to say the former Premier paid him to join his Centre-Right party.

Sergio De Gregorio, a senator formerly with the Italy of Values party, joined Berlusconi’s party in 2006, forcing the collapse of a coalition supporting then Prime Minister Romano Prodi.

Naples prosecutors are investigating accusations that Berlusconi paid De Gregorio 3 million euros to change sides.

PM pull out

Ramallah,West Bank (AP): Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad was evacuated after inhaling tear gas on Friday during a demonstration in the West Bank against Israel’s security barrier.

Iraq minister

Ramadi, Iraq (Reuters): Iraq’s finance minister told crowds of Sunnis on Friday that he was resigning, after two months of protests demanding an end to marginalisation of their minority sect.

US sinkhole

Washington (AFP): A US man lying in his bed was swallowed up by a gaping sink hole that opened up under his room in a Florida town.