Italian judge drops Prodi court case

A judge in Italy has announced that he's dropping charges against the prime minister, Romano Prodi, relating to a sale made when he headed a large state holding company, IRI.

Mr Prodi had been charged with abuse of office when, as chairman of IRI in l993, he was involved in the privatisation of the food company Cirio Bertolli.

The judge said he had found no evidence of wrongdoing.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service