World Scene: Italy

Premier's wife feels dignity hurt

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi's estranged wife believes her dignity has been besmirched in the fallout from a scandal that began with her suggestions that her husband had an inappropriate relationship with an 18-year-old model.

"In these weeks I have watched in silence, without reacting through the media, as my person, my dignity and my marital history has been brutally besmirched," she wrote. "What is certain is that there has been nothing near the truth (said) about my relationship," she said.