Berlusconi colleague on Mafia charge

One of Silvio Berlusconi's closest associates and parliamentary colleagues, Marcello Dell'Utri, was formally accused of criminal collusion with the Sicilian mafia as prosecutors in Palermo deposited more than 500 pages of evidence against him.

Mr Dell'Utri, who ran the Italian former prime minister's advertising company, Publitalia, until last year and is a deputy for the media tycoon's party Forza Italia, will face a hearing next month to determine whether he should stand trial Andrew - Gumbel Rome