Italian Senate panel recommends Berlusconi expulsion

A cross-party panel of the Italian Senate has recommended the expulsion from the chamber of Silvio Berlusconi over his conviction for tax fraud. The call to expel the ex-premier who dominated politics for nearly two decades in Italy is expected to go before the Senate within three weeks. Berlusconi threatened to topple the coalition government over the issue but backed down during a confidence vote. He accused the Senate panel of bias and stayed away from its deliberations.