Berlusconi writing love songs as he recovers from attack

Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi, second from right, his face bandaged, leaves a Milan hospital Thursday, Dec. 17, 2009 four days after being attacked by a mentally ill man at a political rally. (AP / Antonio Calanni)

Text:

The Associated Press
Published Friday, January 1, 2010 12:18PM EST

ROME - Italian news reports say Premier Silvio Berlusconi is working on a CD of love songs as he recovers from the attack he suffered at a rally.

Corriere della Sera and other reports also said Friday that Berlusconi made his first public appearance since the Dec. 13 attack, going to a shopping mall close to his villa in Milan on Thursday afternoon.

During the attack, a mentally unstable man threw a souvenir statuette of Milan's cathedral at Berlusconi's face, breaking his nose and two of his teeth. The 73-year-old leader was hospitalized for a few days and was recovering in private.

Berlusconi is writing the songs with Neapolitan composer Mariano Apicella, according to newspaper La Stampa and other reports.

The reports could not be immediately confirmed.