More arrests in Italian inquiry

MILAN - Italian magistrates ordered the arrest of two executives of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's Fininvest SpA holding company, after the media tycoon dropped an attempt to limit judiciary powers. There was no immediate statement from Fininvest, one of Europe's largest media companies which controls three national television channels, publishing and retailing interests. Judicial sources in Milan named the two managers as the group tax director, Salvatore Sciascia, and his assistant, Gianmarco Rizzi. Those held in a wave of arrests of political and business figures around the country yesterday included Salvo Ando, a former health minister, accused of illegally awarding a 48bn lire ( pounds 20m) catering contract for a hospital in Sicily. The arrests came a day after Mr Berlusconi's cabinet agreed a new draft law reinstating magistrates' rights to hold corruption suspects in custody. Agencies