A top Italian court tonight confirmed the slim electoral victory of centre-left leader Romano Prodi in the lower house of parliament, although was not conceding defeat.

Romano Prodi moved a step closer to becoming the next Italian premier today when the Interior Ministry sharply lowered the number of contested ballots in the closely fought election, boosting the likelihood that his narrow victory will stand.

The Italian journalist who was wounded by American troops in Baghdad shortly after she was released by her Iraqi captors denied US allegations that the car she was in was speeding, and described how the agent who had rescued her died protecting her.