Erstellt am: 2. 8. 2013 - 13:08 Uhr

Silvio and Edward

Reality Check: Berlusconi's conviction and Snowden's asylum

Berlusconi

Silvio Berlusconi is livid.

EPA/ANSA / TG4

Because for the first time in decades of criminal prosecution, a conviction against former Italian prime minister has stuck. With all appeals exhausted, he’s left with a four-year prison sentence for tax fraud, but because of his age (76) he’s more likely to be confined to his home or do public service. Berlusconi broadcast an angry video message, saying he was an innocent victim of “incredible accusations”. There are also questions about how this will affect Prime Minister Enrico Letta’s fragile coalition government, which includes Berlusconi’s People of Freedom Party. So where do Berlusconi and Italian politics go from here? Jo McKenna reports from Rome.

Snowden

The US is livid.

Because Russia has granted asylum to former intelligence agency contractor Edward Snowden, who has in the meantime left the airport in Moscow where he’d been living in limbo for more than five weeks. Washington wanted the Russian government to send Snowden home to face criminal charges including espionage for disclosing secret American internet and telephone surveillance programs. Snowden managed to evade the hordes of reporters at the airport, and has now apparently found shelter at the home of American expatrates. But what will his life be like now? Charles Maynes reports from Moscow.