ITALY: 23 Nov. UPDATE: Berlusconi Faces December Sex Trial...But Without Immunity; 214 And Actor Clooney On Witness List.

                                       GUARDIAN/ T. KINGTON

     Silvio Berlusconi is no longer Italian PM.
     Because of that...slippery Silvio has also lost immunity.
     Now...just simply a billionaire media mogul...he faces 3 trials before Christmas: for paying underage Moroccan dancer Karima "Ruby" El Mahroug for sex; bribery, and finally fraud.

     Judges in Milano have released a list of 214 witnesses...for the 2 December start of Silvio's sex trial...that includes actor George Clooney, Portugal footballer Cristiano Ronaldo and 32 starlets, showgirls and dancers...including the 'leading lady'... a now pregnant...Karima El Mahroug...aka "Ruby Heartstealer."

    "Berlusconi no longer enjoys the same right to avoid trials that he did as prime minister and we are expecting a very busy month," said an observer.
    Silvio no longer can postpone trials by simply claiming a PM's privilege. 
    "Now, if he doesn't show up, and we don't expect to see much of him, the trial simply proceeds without him."