Italy judges order checks on hospitalised Berlusconi

MILAN (Reuters) - Italian judges ordered checks to be made on former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi on Monday to verify his claim that health problems meant he was unable to attend his trial on charges of paying for sex with a minor.

The 76-year-old media billionaire, who faces a series of court hearings in separate trials this month, has been in hospital since Friday because of an eye problem that he says has forced him to cancel a number of public appointments.