[JURIST] An Italian court began hearings on Friday to decide if Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi [BBC News profile, JURIST news archive] will stand trial for fraud in connection with his business holdings [JURIST report]. Berlusconi has previously been cleared of charges of false accounting [JURIST report] and bribery [JURIST report] for separate incidents. If charges are approved, it could result in a trial that coincides with next April's general election. The most serious accusation against Berlusconi resulting from a four-year investigation into a TV rights deal involving Mediaset [corporate website in Italian], controlled by a holding company controlled by Berlusconi's family, is tax fraud. Berlusconi has denied any wrongdoing. Reuters has more.