Hours before Mr Berlusconi's address, the yield on Italy's benchmark ten-year treasury bonds hit 6.25%, before slipping back fractionally.

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In New York, the Dow Jones index jumped above the 15, 000 level for the first time in history before slipping back slightly.

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United went close to a second when a low drive from Morgaro Gomis struck the near post and rebounded off the back of Langfield before slipping wide.

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She even stopped the tour at one point to back track down a hallway and sneak into a jazz rehearsal, smiling broadly before slipping inside the room for a few moments to listen.

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