World highlights

• Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he may have to slow down after a heart scare that has kept him in hospital for three days and prompted speculation about his political future. The 70-year-old centre-right leader was released from...

• Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he may have to slow down after a heart scare that has kept him in hospital for three days and prompted speculation about his political future. The 70-year-old centre-right leader was released from hospital yesterday after he fainted on Sunday while delivering a speech at a rally of his Forza Italia party.

• The European Commission dealt a sharp blow to Turkey's hopes of joining the EU, recommending a partial suspension of entry talks after Ankara refused to open its ports to Cyprus. The EU executive proposed freezing eight of the 35 policy areas or "chapters" into which the negotiations are divided and said no chapter should be concluded until the Cyprus trade dispute was resolved.

• Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice embarked on a new push to revive peace moves between Israel and the Palestinians with the US under pressure from Arab allies to make it a priority. Ms Rice is due to meet Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the West Bank and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in Jerusalem for talks today.

• Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad lambasted President George W. Bush's Middle East strategy at a time the US leader has come under pressure to open direct contacts with Tehran. Mr Ahmadinejad, in a five-page letter to the American people, called on Washington to pull out of Iraq and recognise a Palestinian state.

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