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Ladybbird · 07-07-11, 16:54

News of the World axed by News International

The Guardian UK
7th July 2011

Sunday edition of Murdoch's tabloid to be last in the aftermath of political and commercial fallout from phone-hacking scandal

News of the World: to be closed after 168 years.

News International announced on Thursday that it is closing the News of the World after this Sunday's edition, with no end in sight to the political and commercial fallout from the phone-hacking scandal after 72 hours of mounting crisis.

Sunday's edition of the paper will be the last, News International chairman James Murdoch told News of the World staff on Thursday afternoon.

Murdoch told employees at the 168-year old title: "The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed to when it came to itself".

Murdoch said in a statement: "Wrongdoers turned a good newsroom bad and this was not fully understood or adequately pursued."

Murdoch also conceded the company had "made statements to parliament without being in full possession of the facts. This was wrong".

He said: "The News of the World and News International wrongly maintained that these issues were confined to one reporter" but that was untrue, and that the company had passed information to the police which would demonstrate this.

"Those who acted wrongly will have to face the consequences", he said.

Murdoch also said in his statement to staff that he had authorised out-of-court payments to victims of hacking and that: "I now know that I did not have a complete picture when I did so."

He added: "That was wrong and is a matter of serious regret."

It is the first national newspaper to close since Rupert Murdoch shut Today in 1995.

A spokesman for the company would not comment on whether News International will continue to publish a tabloid title on a Sunday.

The News of the World has been News International's most profitable title for many years.

There are already industry rumours that the News of the World's stablemate the Sun could be turned into a seven-day operation.

Murdoch told staff some of them would be leaving the company and said that was a matter of regret. He paid tribute to their "good work".

There will be no adverts in Sunday's edition and any money already received will be donated to good causes

To be continued

Ladybbird · 07-07-11, 17:05

News of the World closure: News International's full statement

How NI announced that this Sunday will be the last issue of the News of the World

The Guardian UK 7thJuly 2011

News of the World: the statement from NI. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA

News International today announces that this Sunday, 10 July 2011, will be the last issue of the News of the World.

Making the announcement to staff, James Murdoch, Deputy Chief Operating Officer, News Corporation, and Chairman, News International said:

Quote:

"I have important things to say about the News of the World and the steps we are taking to address the very serious problems that have occurred.

It is only right that you as colleagues at News International are first to hear what I have to say and that you hear it directly from me. So thank you very much for coming here and listening.

You do not need to be told that The News of the World is 168 years old. That it is read by more people than any other English language newspaper. That it has enjoyed support from Britain's largest advertisers. And that it has a proud history of fighting crime, exposing wrong-doing and regularly setting the news agenda for the nation.

When I tell people why I am proud to be part of News Corporation, I say that our commitment to journalism and a free press is one of the things that sets us apart. Your work is a credit to this.

The good things the News of the World does, however, have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong. Indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our Company.

The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed when it came to itself.

In 2006, the police focused their investigations on two men. Both went to jail. But the News of the World and News International failed to get to the bottom of repeated wrongdoing that occurred without conscience or legitimate purpose.

Wrongdoers turned a good newsroom bad and this was not fully understood or adequately pursued.

As a result, the News of the World and News International wrongly maintained that these issues were confined to one reporter. We now have voluntarily given evidence to the police that I believe will prove that this was untrue and those who acted wrongly will have to face the consequences.

This was not the only fault.

The paper made statements to Parliament without being in the full possession of the facts.

The Company paid out-of-court settlements approved by me. I now know that I did not have a complete picture when I did so. This was wrong and is a matter of serious regret.

Currently, there are two major and ongoing police investigations. We are cooperating fully and actively with both. You know that it was News International who voluntarily brought evidence that led to opening Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden. This full cooperation will continue until the Police's work is done.

We have also admitted liability in civil cases. Already, we have settled a number of prominent cases and set up a Compensation Scheme, with cases to be adjudicated by former High Court judge Sir Charles Gray. Apologising and making amends is the right thing to do.

Inside the Company, we set up a Management and Standards Committee that is working on these issues and that has hired Olswang to examine past failings and recommend systems and practices that over time should become standards for the industry. We have committed to publishing Olswang's terms of reference and eventual recommendations in a way that is open and transparent.

We have welcomed broad public inquiries into press standards and police practices and will cooperate with them fully.

So, just as I acknowledge we have made mistakes, I hope you and everyone inside and outside the Company will acknowledge that we are doing our utmost to fix them, atone for them, and make sure they never happen again.

Having consulted senior colleagues, I have decided that we must take further decisive action with respect to the paper.

This Sunday will be the last issue of the News of the World.

Colin Myler will edit the final edition of the paper.

In addition, I have decided that all of the News of the World's revenue this weekend will go to good causes.

While we may never be able to make up for distress that has been caused, the right thing to do is for every penny of the circulation revenue we receive this weekend to go to organisations – many of whom are long-term friends and partners – that improve life in Britain and are devoted to treating others with dignity.

We will run no commercial advertisements this weekend. Any advertising space in this last edition will be donated to causes and charities that wish to expose their good works to our millions of readers.

These are strong measures. They are made humbly and out of respect. I am convinced they are the right thing to do.

Many of you, if not the vast majority of you, are either new to the Company or have had no connection to the News of the World during the years when egregious behaviour occurred.

I can understand how unfair these decisions may feel. Particularly, for colleagues who will leave the Company. Of course, we will communicate next steps in detail and begin appropriate consultations.

You may see these changes as a price loyal staff at the News of the World are paying for the transgressions of others. So please hear me when I say that your good work is a credit to journalism. I do not want the legitimacy of what you do to be compromised by acts of others. I want all journalism at News International to be beyond reproach. I insist that this organisation lives up to the standard of behaviour we expect of others. And, finally, I want you all to know that it is critical that the integrity of every journalist who has played fairly is restored.

Thank you for listening."

.

Ladybbird · 07-07-11, 17:17

HISTORY why the newspaper had to close from The Guardian UK;

Quote:

The News of the World illegally targeted the missing schoolgirl Milly Dowler and her family in March 2002, interfering with police inquiries into her disappearance, an investigation by the Guardian has established.

Scotland Yard is investigating the episode, which is likely to put new pressure on the-then editor of the paper, Rebekah Brooks, now Rupert Murdoch's chief executive in the UK; and the- then deputy editor, Andy Coulson, who resigned in January as the prime minister's media adviser.

The Dowlers' family lawyer this afternoon issued a statement in which he described the News of the World's activities as "heinous" and "despicable". Milly Dowler disappeared at the age of 13 on her way home in Walton-on-Thames, Surrey on 21 March 2002.

Detectives from Scotland Yard's new inquiry into the phone hacking, Operation Weeting, are believed to have found evidence of the targeting of the Dowlers in a collection of 11,000 pages of notes kept by Glenn Mulcaire, the private investigator jailed for phone hacking on behalf of the News of the World.

In the last four weeks the Met officers have approached Surrey police and taken formal statements from some of those involved in the original inquiry, who were concerned about how News of the World journalists intercepted – and deleted – the voicemail messages of Milly Dowler.

The messages were deleted by journalists in the first few days after Milly's disappearance in order to free up space for more messages. As a result friends and relatives of Milly concluded wrongly that she might still be alive. Police feared evidence may have been destroyed.

The Guardian investigation has shown that, within a very short time of Milly vanishing, News of the World journalists reacted by engaging in what was then standard practice in their newsroom: they hired private investigators to get them a story.

Their first step was simple, albeit illegal. Paperwork seen by the Guardian reveals that they paid a Hampshire private investigator, Steve Whittamore, to obtain home addresses and, where necessary, ex-directory phone numbers for any families called Dowler in the Walton area. The three addresses that Whittamore found could be obtained lawfully, using the electoral register. The two ex-directory numbers, however, were "blagged" illegally from British Telecom's confidential records by one of Whittamore's associates, John Gunning, who works from a base in Wiltshire. One of the ex-directory numbers was attributed by Whittamore to Milly's family home.

Then, with the help of its own full-time private investigator, Glenn Mulcaire, the News of the World started illegally intercepting mobile phone messages. Scotland Yard is now investigating evidence that the paper hacked directly into the voicemail of the missing girl's own phone. As her friends and parents called and left messages imploring Milly to get in touch with them, the News of the World was listening and recording their every private word.

But the journalists at the News of the World then encountered a problem. Milly's voicemail box filled up and would accept no more messages. Apparently thirsty for more information from more voicemails, the News of the World intervened – and deleted the messages that had been left in the first few days after her disappearance. According to one source, this had a devastating effect: when her friends and family called again and discovered that her voicemail had been cleared, they concluded that this must have been done by Milly herself and, therefore, that she must still be alive. But she was not. The interference created false hope and extra agony for those who were misled by it.

The Dowler family then granted an exclusive interview to the News of the World in which they talked about their hope, quite unaware that it had been falsely kindled by the newspaper's own intervention. Sally Dowler told the paper: "If Milly walked through the door, I don't think we'd be able to speak. We'd just weep tears of joy and give her a great big hug."

The deletion of the messages also caused difficulties for the police. It confused the picture at a time when they had few real leads to pursue. It also potentially destroyed valuable evidence.

According to one senior source familiar with the Surrey police investigation: "It can happen with abduction murders that the perpetrator will leave messages, asking the missing person to get in touch, as part of their efforts at concealment. We need those messages as evidence. Anybody who destroys that evidence is seriously interfering with the course of a police investigation."

The paper made little effort to conceal the hacking from its readers. On 14 April 2002, it published a story about a woman allegedly pretending to be Milly Dowler who had applied for a job with a recruitment agency: "It is thought the hoaxer even gave the agency Milly's real mobile number … The agency used the number to contact Milly when a job vacancy arose and left a message on her voicemail … It was on March 27, six days after Milly went missing, that the employment agency appears to have phoned her mobile."

The newspaper also made no effort to conceal its activity from Surrey police. After it had hacked the message from the recruitment agency on Milly's phone, the paper informed police about it. It was Surrey detectives who established that the call was not intended for Milly Dowler. At the time, Surrey police suspected that phones belonging to detectives and to Milly's parents also were being targeted.

One of those who was involved in the original inquiry said: "We'd arrange landline calls. We didn't trust our mobiles."

However, they took no action against the News of the World, partly because their main focus was to find the missing schoolgirl and partly because this was only one example of tabloid misbehaviour. As one source close to the inquiry put it: "There was a hell of a lot of dirty stuff going on."

Two earlier Yard inquiries had failed to investigate the relevant notes in Mulcaire's logs.

In a statement today, the family's lawyer, Mark Lewis of Taylor Hampton, said the Dowlers were distressed at the revelation. "It is distress heaped upon tragedy to learn that the News of the World had no humanity at such a terrible time. The fact that they were prepared to act in such a heinous way that could have jeopardised the police investigation and give them false hope is despicable," he said.

Lewis told the BBC this afternoon the Dowler family was pursuing a damages claim against the News of the World.

The News of the World's investigation was part of a long campaign against paedophiles championed by the then editor, Rebekah Brooks. The Labour MP Tom Watson last week told the House of Commons that four months after Milly Dowler's disappearance the News of the World had targeted one of the parents of the two 10-year-old Soham girls, Jessica Chapman and Holly Wells, who were abducted and murdered on 4 August 2002.

The behaviour of tabloid newspapers became an issue in the trial of Levi Bellfield, who last month was jailed for life for murdering Milly Dowler. A second charge, that he had attempted to abduct another Surrey schoolgirl, Rachel Cowles, had to be left on file after premature publicity by tabloids was held to have made it impossible for the jury to reach a fair verdict. The tabloids, however, focused their anger on Bellfield's defence lawyer, complaining that the questioning had caused unnecessary pain to Milly Dowler's parents.

Surrey police referred all questions on the subject to Scotland Yard, who said they could not discuss it.

News of the World's parent company News International, part of Murdoch's media empire, said the revelations were: "A development of great concern". It issued a statement saying: "We have been co-operating fully with Operation Weeting since our voluntary disclosure in January restarted the investigation into illegal voicemail interception. This particular case is clearly a development of great concern and we will be conducting our own inquiries as a result. We will obviously co-operate fully with any police request on this should we be asked."

.

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ratchetjaw666 · 08-07-11, 00:21

Too bad the rest of Murdocks news agencies wouldn't go broke.

Ladybbird · 08-07-11, 00:37

That made me really laugh, I want not only his media to go bust but his Sky TV, he put a lot of small businesses out of business when stopped them selling TV receivers

Ladybbird · 14-07-11, 21:41

Murdoch media dynasty descends from deal to disaster

Political and public backlash raises doubts over the family's hold on its empire

Guardian UK

News Corp’s hopes of taking full control of BSkyB have, in effect, been dashed in the space of a few days. Photograph: Akira Suemori/AP

A family meal on a Sunday night is a traditional event. Yet when Rupert Murdoch gathered his clan together earlier this week it was to discuss a crisis and the only thing on the menu was how to save the bid for BSkyB, the fast-growing satellite business and jewel in the crown of the Murdoch empire.

Just a few days later, that effort has proved futile.

By the time David Cameron stood up at midday on Wednesday to say that the Murdochs should "stop talking about mergers when there is such a mess to sort out", the family had already decided to ditch its offer for the 61% of BSkyB it did not already own.

Yet instead of stemming criticism of the company and its management of the phone hacking scandal, the failure of the bid has instead raised serious questions about the ageing media mogul and his desire to hand control of one of the world's biggest media companies to his youngest son, James.

"These guys are on the run," said Michael Wolff, biographer of the Murdochs. "They had no option but to drop the bid. But now the real issue is how to avoid further humiliation. They are in retreat with no real business in the UK anymore, just a set of disintegrating assets."

For the first time in years, questions about the younger Murdoch's position as the chairman of BSkyB are being asked by analysts and shareholders of the £12bn satellite business.

Even close observers of the Murdochs and News Corporation were surprised at the speed of this week's events. How could a bid that was so prized and that had seemed so inevitable a few days earlier have been dumped in such ignominious circumstances?

It was a little over three weeks ago that David Cameron and Ed Miliband mingled with senior News Corp executives and industrial leaders in a grand party at the Orangery in Kensington, west London. At the time the only barrier to a successful takeover seemed to be the price likely to be offered by News Corp.

As champagne and oysters were served, one attendee said it now seems like "an orgy at the end of the Roman empire". As thunder and lightning interrupted the event, few of those in attendance could have known what a storm lay ahead of them.

The story of the past year will make a great film of course – Hugh Grant, the de facto spokesman for the Hacked Off pressure group, could even play himself. Two key scenes have played out over the past 10 days – events that led the Murdochs to decide that too much was at stake in pursuing a bid that had seemed theirs for the taking.

The first deeply affected public opinion and therefore galvanised parliament and even a government that had seemed so sanguine about the bid. The second galvanised the Murdochs themselves, who realised that not only was the takeover at risk but also their existing stake in the highly lucrative satellite business.

The endgame began with the Guardian story on 4 July about the News of the World hacking into the phone of the murdered teenager Milly Dowler. Some messages may have been deleted, to make room for more messages, misleading police and her family.

Police later said other victims of crime such as the two girls killed in Soham could also have been targeted by phone hackers at the paper. The revelations and the link to Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News International who was editor of the Sunday tabloid at the time of Dowler's death, shocked millions of people who had previously been unaware of the hacking scandal.

After months in which he and his senior ministers had referred to the letter of the law when asked about BSkyB, the prime minister finally snapped that he was "revolted" by allegations. News International stressed its co-operation with police – handing over evidence of payments to police and removing Brooks from the chain of command for the clean-up operation – but this failed to stem the stream of stories about hacking soldiers and others.

James Murdoch's apology and decision to close the UK's biggest-selling paper, the News of the World, as well as the departure of several key executives, including legal managers John Chapman and Tom Crone and editor Colin Myler, did little to stop the criticism from parliament and public opinion. It was simply considered too little, too late.

"It's a bit like discovering gangrene," said someone close to the situation. "If you wait too long to cut off an arm you end up having to cut a bit more off and then a bit more. Wait too long and you could die."

By the time the last edition of the tabloid was printed on Sunday – trumpeting itself as "The world's greatest newspaper" – the coup de grace to Murdoch's ambitions had already been delivered.

On Friday Ofcom announced a review of whether News Corp and its beleaguered executives would pass the "fit and proper" person test which governs the ownership of broadcast licences. Ed Richards, the Ofcom head who has proved himself no friend to the Murdochs in the past, said the regulator would "consider any relevant conduct of those who manage and control such a licence" once the criminal investigation into the News of the World had been completed.

The impact of this statement cannot be overstated. Before then, the regulatory authorities had only been asked to consider whether the owner of two of the country's biggest selling tabloids as well as the Times and Sunday Times should be allowed to take over its biggest satellite business on the grounds of media diversity, or plurality. By raising questions about whether company directors were "fit and proper" the new test could endanger Murdoch's existing 39% stake, let alone the takeover.

The Murdochs would be furious at any suggestion that they could fail a test passed by Richard Desmond in buying Channel Five. Yet the very fact that it was raised by Ofcom saw shares in Sky fall even further.

By the time details of further intrusions into the private affairs of former prime minister Gordon Brown emerged on Monday, the writing was on the wall.

The timing of the decision to drop the BSkyB bid, coming so soon after the prime ministerial statement and special debate on an issue that united all three main political parties, made it appear to be a straightforward victory for the people and their elected representatives against the most powerful media baron in the land. "It stopped being about the process and became about politics," said someone close to the deal.

The political angle to this has seen a belated but effective intervention by the Labour leader, Ed Miliband. He can legitimately claim some kudos for helping to force the country's most powerful media mogul to backtrack, but it has not always been as straightforward inside his office. In a memo written in January Tom Baldwin, the director of strategy, had requested that "any front-bench spokespeople use the following line when questioned on phone hacking. BSkyB bid and phone-tapping … these issues should not be linked. One is a competition issue, the other an allegation of criminal activity."

It went on: "Downing Street says that Cameron's dinners with Murdoch will not affect Hunt's judgment. We have to take them at their word."

Yet as the evidence of a cover-up started to accumulate and a slow trickle of arrests started, Miliband wanted to intervene. In late April, ahead of the local elections on May 6, he conducted an interview with the Guardian, and his aides indicated he would be willing to say something about the phone-hacking drama being pursued by the newspaper. In the back of a campaign car, he said: "I think there does need to be a review after the police inquiries have been completed and any criminal cases that flow from it. I think it is in the interests of protecting the reputation of the British press that these matters should not simply be left to rest, and lessons have to be learned."

Privately some of Miliband's advisers were arguing that he should be willing to confront Murdoch as it fitted with his wider responsibility agenda, the leitmotif demand that there had to be responsibility at the top as well as the bottom. But caution remained rife in his office.

In a sign of the pull Murdoch held, Miliband agreed at short notice in June to speak at a meeting of Murdoch's chief executive conference, filling in for the Chancellor, George Osborne, who had cancelled at short notice.

Once the Dowler revelations emerged, Tom Watson, the dogged campaigner against News International and a political ally of Miliband, vented his frustration at the silence of the political leaders at Westminster.

"Surely now we should hear from David Cameron and Ed Miliband," he said. "It's utterly disgraceful that they've let this scandal run on for as long as it has. No more cowardice – we want action."

At his regular Tuesday morning meeting Miliband asked his aides how to react. The meeting is now known in Labour circles as the "sod it" meeting. Even then some of his aides counselled caution, arguing he might alienate News International irretrievably. Miliband just found the whole story so shocking, he said he could not hold back. He decided to cross a potentially dangerous line by calling on Rebekah Brooks to consider her position. He also explicitly called for a public inquiry, rather than a simple review. Once he had crossed this line, there was no turning back.

The other surprise element was the willingness of the Speaker, John Bercow, to grant an emergency debate last Wednesday to the backbencher Chris Bryant. By the end of the debate, the scale of the cover-up by News International had become as important as the scale of the phone hacking. As well as Cameron's disgust, it was also becoming clear support for the Murdoch organisation was evaporating on Tory benches.

Miliband then decided he could use yesterday's Opposition debate to press the issue of the BSkyB takeover. On Monday, through Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Don Foster, Miliband consulted the Lib Dems on the wording of the motion.

Late on Monday Miliband agreed the wording should simply state that News Corp should withdraw the bid. That won the consent of figures such as Tim Farron, the party president, and Foster. Miliband then went to the leaders of other political parties, so that by Tuesday lunchtime cross-party support was clear. Cameron knew he had no choice but to support the motion, meaning parliament was united against BSkyB. The Guardian splash headline read "Parliament versus Murdoch".

Claire Enders from Enders Analysis welcomed the news and praised the early involvement of Vince Cable, the business secretary, who lost his responsibility for the proposed merger after being recorded as saying that he was "waging war" on the Murdochs. "He was the first person to really see the importance of this," she said.

Interestingly, it was left to Chase Carey, the extravagantly moustachioed number two to Rupert Murdoch, to announce in a statement that "it has become clear that it is too difficult to progress in this climate". He went on to stress that News Corp "remained a committed long-term shareholder in BSkyB."

The failure of the bid after a tumultuous 11 months could have left Sky's shareholders less committed to a family that had previously seemed infallible. Sky's independent directors, led by Nicholas Ferguson, are understood to be keen to show their strength to investors who are understandably concerned about events. Some rue the Murdochs' refusal to offer a higher price, which could have seen the deal done by now. "If they'd offered 800p at the beginning of all this, the deal would have been done before any of us knew about Milly Dowler's phone," sniffed one financial adviser.

As it is, James Murdoch's involvement in the scandal has led the FT's influential Lex column to write of a "Murdoch Jr discount" at Sky.

Insiders suggest all key decisions have been taken by family members in recent days, yet Wolff senses a difficult changing of the guard. "This is like a collapsing House of Cards, and I'm just not sure if Rupert is in a leadership position."

After leaving the restaurant on Sunday night, the waiting photographers caught James helping his increasingly frail 80-year-old father across the road. His failure to get to grips with the phone-hacking scandal at News International has called into question his place at the head of his father's business, and no amount of hand-holding is going to change that.

Ladybbird · 14-07-11, 21:45

Phone hacking: former NoW executive editor Neil Wallis arrested in London

Neil Wallis taken for questioning at local police station, the ninth person to be arrested over phone hacking at News of the World

Guardian UK Thursday 14 July 2011 10.16 BST

Wallis taken for questioning at his local police station. Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Neil Wallis, the former News of the World executive editor, has become the ninth person to be arrested over alleged phone hacking and payments to police officers by the paper.

Detectives from Operation Weeting, the Metropolitan police investigation into mobile interceptions by News International, are understood to have raided an address in west London on Thursday.

Wallis was taken for questioning at a local police station on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

He is the ninth arrest Scotland Yard has made since the fresh investigation into phone hacking was launched in January.

A Scotland Yard statement confirmed the arrest was carried out at 6.30am. "The man is currently in custody at a west London police station," the Met said. "It would be inappropriate to discuss any further details at this time."

Wallis joined the News of the World from the People in 2003 as deputy to then editor Andy Coulson. In mid-2007 he became executive editor and left the News International title in 2009. He is now a senior consultant at PR firm Outside Organisation.

Coulson and former NoW royal editor Clive Goodman, who was jailed in January 2007 for intercepting the voicemail messages of members of the royal household, were arrested and bailed on Friday as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden, the separate Scotland Yard investigation into alleged illegal payments to police officers.

Coulson resigned as NoW editor in January 2007 after Goodman was jailed, saying he accepted responsibility. He has always maintained that he was unaware of phone hacking at the paper.

On the same day a 63-year-old man, who has not been named, was arrested and bailed as part of the phone hacking and police payments investigations.

The others arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting are Laura Elston, Press Association's royal correspondent, freelance journalist Terenia Taras, senior News of the World journalists James Weatherup and Neville Thurlbeck, and former NoW assistant editor (news) Ian Edmondson.
continued.....

Ladybbird · 14-07-11, 21:48

Timeline of phone-hacking arrests

The list of people who were arrested as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden

Andy Coulson was arrested on 8 July Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA

Ian Edmondson

5 April 2011: Former News of the World assistant editor (news) arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting, the Metropolitan police investigation into alleged phone hacking
Neville Thurlbeck

5 April 2011: News of the World chief reporter arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting
James Weatherup

14 April 2011: News of the World assistant news editor arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting
Terenia Taras

23 June 2011: freelance journalist arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting
Laura Elston

28 June 2011: Press Association royal correspondent arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting
Clive Goodman

8 July 2011: Former News of the World royal editor, jailed in January 2007 for intercepting voicemail messages of members of the royal household, arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden, the Met investigation into alleged illegal payments to police officers
Andy Coulson

8 July 2011: Former News of the World editor arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden
63-year-old man

8 July 2011: Man who's identity is unknown arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden
Neil Wallis

14 July 2011: Former News of the World executive editor arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting.

Ladybbird · 14-07-11, 21:51

Rupert Murdoch gives up BSkyB takeover bid

After the biggest single reverse of his career, the News Corp chief faces an appearance before a judicial inquiry and a fight for the right to broadcast in the UK

Guardian UK 14 July 2011

News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch leaves the offices of News International in London after withdrawing his bid to take over BSkyB. Photograph: Luke MacGregor/Reuters

Rupert Murdoch has capitulated to parliament and abandoned News Corporation's £8bn bid for BSkyB, as he faced the prospect of appearing in front of a judicial public inquiry to salvage his personal reputation and the right for his company to continue to broadcast in the UK.

After 10 days of sustained public outcry over phone hacking, and facing the prospect of a unanimous call by MPs to withdraw his bid for total ownership of the broadcaster, Murdoch succumbed at a morning board meeting in Wapping.

Company insiders indicated Murdoch was not making a tactical retreat and that a future bid for total control of BSkyB was now unlikely. The media giant said it was likely to "deploy our capital elsewhere" to avoid any more damaging battles in the UK. The News Corp deputy chairman, Chase Carey, said the bid had become "too difficult to progress in this climate".

The withdrawal represents the biggest single reverse of Murdoch's mercurial career, but may presage even further commercial damage not just in the UK, but worldwide. News Corp's current 39% stake in BSkyB could also still be at risk from the "fit and proper" test for ownership being conducted by regulator Ofcom.

On a cathartic day at Westminster in which politicians acted as if they had been liberated from the thrall of the Murdoch empire, David Cameron announced a sweeping public inquiry into widespread lawbreaking by the press, alleged corruption by police, and the failure of the initial police investigation into phone hacking. The prime minister said: "What has happened here is a massive firestorm of allegations that have got worse and worse."

The inquiry will also look at a new system of independent regulation of the press, the inadequacies of the previous Labour government to investigate newspaper malpractice, and the potentially critical issue of future cross-ownership between press and television stations.

There is certain to be renewed pressure to reduce the number of foreign owners of the British media, as well as a big Liberal Democrat push to impose stricter rules to prevent market domination.

The public inquiry will be led by Lord Justice Leveson, and will have the power to summon witnesses, including proprietors, Cameron, past prime ministers and senior newspaper executives, even if some of them are in jail.

In the first instance the judge, advised by a panel of experts, will look at future regulation before turning to specific allegations of corruption or lawbreaking.

Cameron, regaining some of the political initiative after 10 days on the back foot, made it clear he expected Rupert Murdoch to give evidence, saying: "If you own the media in this country, you should be able to be called under oath."

The prime minister also vowed that he was willing to see those found guilty in any future court cases stripped of the right to run a media company. He said: "The people responsible – whether they are directly responsible for the wrongdoing, whether they sanctioned it or whether they covered it up, and however high or low they go – must not only be brought to justice; they must have no future role in running a media company in our country."

Cameron also announced that he will be rewriting the ministerial code so that ministers, permanent secretaries and special advisers will be required quarterly to record meetings with senior media executives, including social meetings.

Cameron admitted the relationship between media executives and the politicians had become unhealthy. He said: "It was too close. Too much time was spent courting the media and not enough time confronting the problems."

He also revealed a new anger towards his former No 10 communications director, Andy Coulson, the former News of the World editor who has always insisted he knew nothing of phone hacking during his editorship of the paper.

As Ed Miliband described his appointment as a catastrophic misjudgment, Cameron said: "If it turns out he lied, it won't just be that he shouldn't have been in government, it will be that he should be prosecuted." The Guardian has published fresh details of warnings the paper's executives had given to Cameron's chief of staff, Ed Llewellyn, over Coulson. Downing Street said Llewellyn could not recall an additional warning in October 2010.

In an extraordinary speech during the truncated Commons debate on BSkyB, a passionate and sometimes raw Gordon Brown defended himself from the charge that he had been complicit in acceding to the regulatory demands of News International during his premiership.

He rounded on the cabinet secretary, Sir Gus O'Donnell, for opposing his plan to set up a judicial inquiry into phone hacking when he was in office. Quoting the confidential advice, he said O'Donnell admitted "there was a media culture permissive of unlawful activities and deliberate obfuscation by News International" but that "targeting the News of the World would have been deemed to be politically motivated because it was too close to the general election".

Brown branded News International "a criminal media nexus" which "claimed to be on the side of the law-abiding citizen" but in fact stood "side by side with criminals against our citizens". He added: "Others have said that in the behaviour towards those without a voice of their own, News International descended from the gutter to the sewer. The tragedy is that they let the rats out of the sewer."

O'Donnell is understood to be seeking an urgent consultation with Brown to release the full memorandum. Some Labour sources said Brown lacked political support within his cabinet to set up the inquiry so close to a general election. Faced by its rout on Wednesday, News Corp and the Murdoch family now face a battle to ensure that Rupert's son James, who was in charge of the British newspapers, can remain as BSkyB chairman in the face of City unrest. "James Murdoch's position is a concern," one investor said.

Pension funds were being urged to call for him to go. Alan MacDougall, managing director of PIRC, which advises pension funds and councils, said: "In light of current events it is time for the board to review whether BSkyB and its shareholders would benefit from a new, independent chair. And if shareholders agree it is time for reform, they should say so."

Murdoch's move capped a disastrous 10 days for a company that had been poised to win approval for the BSkyB takeover until the Guardian revealed that the News of the World had targeted the mobile phone of Milly Dowler, listening to and deleting messages left for her and giving her family false hope that she was alive when she had in fact been murdered. That triggered widespread public revulsion and adverse media coverage, forcing Murdoch to close the News of the World.

Mark Lewis, the lawyer who represents the Dowler family, and also brought the first phone-hacking cases, said: "This shows the power of the public to stand up to something – however big an organisation is, however far-reaching, however worldwide – and say 'No, something isn't right.'"

Murdoch agreed to give up on the BSkyB bid before Cameron's appearance at prime minister's questions at noon, but no attempt was made to inform No 10. The announcement did not emerge until shortly after 2pm, when it was leaked to Sky News, a couple of hours before MPs were due to debate and vote.

Shares in BSkyB fell 4% after the announcement, but rebounded as uncertainty about the company's immediate future was lifted and closed 2% higher, at 705p. News Corp lost several billion dollars in market value after the scandal broke last week but its shares rallied after the company said on Tuesday that it was buying back $5bn (£3.1bn) of its own shares. On Wednesday shares rose 71 cents, or 4.6%, to $16.06 in afternoon trading in New York.

Ladybbird · 14-07-11, 21:54

Former Wall St Journal owners: 'We wouldn't have sold if we had known'

Bancroft family members, who controlled Dow Jones & Company, say they would have resisted Murdoch bid in 2007

Christopher Bancroft in 2007, leaving a Boston hotel where members of the Bancroft family discussed Rupert Murdoch's five billion dollar bid for Wall Street Journal publisher Dow Jones & Co. Photograph: Stephan Savoia/AP

A number of key members of the family that controlled the Wall Street Journal say they would not have agreed to sell the prestigious daily to Rupert Murdoch if they had been aware of News International's conduct in the phone-hacking scandal at the time of the deal.

"If I had known what I know now, I would have pushed harder against" the Murdoch bid, said Christopher Bancroft, a member of the family that controlled Dow Jones & Company, publishers of the Wall Street Journal.

Bancroft said the breadth of allegations now on the public record "would have been more problematic for me. I probably would have held out.'' He had sole voting control of a trust that represented 13% of Dow Jones shares in 2007 and served on the Dow Jones board.

Lisa Steele, another family member on the board, said "it would have been harder, if not impossible'' to have accepted Murdoch's bid had the facts been known. "It's complicated," she added, and "there were so many factors" in weighing a sale. But she said: "The ethics are clear to me – what's been revealed, from what I've read in the Journal, is terrible. It may even be criminal."

Elisabeth Goth Chelberg, a Bancroft family member not on the board who had long advocated change at Dow Jones, expressed similar sentiments. Asked if she would have favoured a sale to Murdoch in 2007 knowing what she now does, she said: "My answer is no."

The comments in interviews with the non-profit news organisation ProPublica came as the crisis engulfing Murdoch's News Corporation threatened to spread to the US. Two senators called for an investigation into whether the company broke US laws over the phone-hacking scandal.

Asked for his reaction to a report in the Guardian that Les Hinton, Murdoch's appointee as Dow Jones CEO and Journal publisher, may have testified untruthfully to a parliamentary committee, Christopher Bancroft replied that if the report proved accurate, Hinton "probably ought to be moved aside, but that's not my business any more''.

News Corporation's deal to buy the Journal was sealed in August 2007, six months after the royal editor of the News of the World, Clive Goodman, was jailed for using a private detective to access voicemails left for members of the royal household. News International insisted that hacking was a problem confined to a single "rogue reporter" at the paper. It was not until July 2009 that the Guardian revealed the practice was more widespread and that Murdoch had secretly paid out more than £1m to settle cases brought by other hacking victims.

The Wall Street Journal is the top-selling daily newspaper in the United States and a brand with global prominence. Founded in 1889, it long dominated American business publishing, becoming the country's first national newspaper. It routinely ranked in surveys as America's most trusted print publication.

The Bancroft family owned Dow Jones from 1902 and controlled it as a publicly traded company from 1963. Murdoch's bid was attractive. He offered $60 a share, a 67% premium, $2.25bn above the market price the day his offer was announced, at a time when newspaper share prices had been flagging for more than two years. Moreover, 14 months after the deal closed, in early 2009, News Corp had to write down the value of its $5.6bn purchase by $2.8bn.

The sale was contentious. Family members questioned Murdoch's journalistic practices and insisted on appointment of an independent panel to help safeguard the paper's ethics. There was negative press in the US about Murdoch at the time of the deal in 2007, although nothing to compare with the recent revelations.

Michael Elefante, a partner at the Boston law firm Hemenway & Barnes, longtime counsel to the family, trustee of numerous trusts and also then a member of the Dow Jones board, did not return messages seeking comment. The fourth family representative on the Dow Jones Board, Leslie Hill, consistently opposed the Murdoch bid, and resigned from the board in protest just before the deal was completed. (Hill has been a donor to ProPublica.)

Not all members of the Bancroft family believe the revelations would have changed the outcome. Bill Cox III, long allied with Chelberg within the family in seeking alternatives to management by Dow Jones, said in an interview that he "probably would have thought twice about it but probably would have sold".

He was "happy about the price we got" for Dow Jones. "I'm pretty happy being out of the newspaper business altogether." Asked if he would have accepted a lower price from another bidder given the phone hacking, he said: "I think $60 was the right price."

Cox did say he had been following the story closely in the Australian media during a trip there and that he was very concerned about what he had learned recently about the Journal's new owners.

"Reading all this makes me sick to my stomach," he said. In a subsequent email, he went even further: Rupert Murdoch, he wrote, "thinks he is completely above the law as he always has." Cox added: "We did a deal with the devil and it really saddens me [that] the editorial of this quasi public trust that has been on the vanguard of world journalism for years is not in good hands. That I am really struggling with."The Bancroft family continues to keep an eye on the Journal and Dow Jones. Asked for his reaction to a report in the Guardian that Les Hinton, Murdoch's appointee as Dow Jones CEO and Journal publisher, may have testified untruthfully to a parliamentary committee, Christopher Bancroft replied that if the report proves accurate, Hinton "probably ought be moved aside, but that's not my business anymore.''

Disclosure note: the author of this story was a long-time Dow Jones executive, before leaving the company in 2004 and wrote a book about former Wall Street Journal editor and Dow Jones CEO Barney Kilgore, which was published in 2009.

Ladybbird · 14-07-11, 21:57

US politicians demand phone-hacking investigation after 9/11 claims

Politicians call for felony charges if report that News of the World hacked voicemails of victims is found to be true

Senator Jay Rockefeller called for an investigation into whether News Corp had invaded the privacy of Americans. Photograph: Matthew Cavanaugh/EPA

Political pressure on Rupert Murdoch has spilled across the Atlantic with a growing number of senior politicians calling for a legal investigation into whether News Corporation broke American laws over the phone-hacking scandal.

Members of Congress from both major parties have waded in to the affair with warnings of "severe" consequences if a report in the Daily Mirror that the News of the World attempted to access the voicemails of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks or other Americans is true.

Two New York members of the US House of Representatives, Pete King and Louise Slaughter, demanded an immediate justice department investigation of whether US laws were broken, particularly in relation to any attempt to hack in to the phones of terrorist victims.

King, who is the Republican chairman of the House homeland security committee, said in a letter to the FBI director, Robert Mueller, that journalists should face felony charges if evidence is found.

"The 9/11 families have suffered egregiously, but unfortunately they remain vulnerable against such unjustifiable parasitic strains. We can spare no effort or expense in continuing our support for them," he said in the letter.

Slaughter called for the application of the "full force of the law".

Four Democratic senators have joined the demands for an investigation of whether US anti-graft laws were broken by News Corporation as well as the alleged hacking of Americans' phones.

The calls for an inquiry were backed by family members of people who died in the World Trade Centre. "Someone should look into it to see if their rights were violated – the family members I've talked to are appalled, they're disgruntled, they have to relive the pain all over again," Jim Riches, a former deputy chief in the New York fire department whose son died in the 9/11 attacks, told Politico: "I think they crossed the line. They're trying to get messages from loved ones in the last moments of their lives. It's horrible, and they should be held accountable."

The Guardian has so far been unable to verify the Daily Mirror story.

Rosemary Cain, who lost her firefighter son George, said that she did not know whether the Mirror report was correct or a foul rumour, but she wanted an investigation to ascertain the truth. "If it did turn out to be true it would be a despicable invasion of privacy and something that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent."

Sally Regenhard, whose son also died as a firefighter on 9/11, said she'd heard the Mirror story on local media in New York and wanted to know what had really happened. "I'm very concerned about the privacy of citizens whether it's in this country or others. If there's any suggestion that a paper had hacked into 9/11 victims' phone calls, that should be investigated."

The calls for an investigation come as Murdoch faces pressure from a group of American shareholders, including pension funds and banks, who have taken legal action saying it is "inconceivable" that the News Corp's board was unaware of the phone hacking and other illicit practices, and accusing him of using the company for "personal and political objectives".

Senator Frank Lautenberg has asked the securities and exchange commission and the justice department to investigate whether US laws against the payment of bribes abroad were broken by Murdoch's parent company.

In a letter to the attorney general, Eric Holder, Lautenberg said allegations that NoW journalists bribed UK police officers are potentially a breach of the US's Foreign Corrupt Practices Act which bars American companies from paying bribes abroad.

"The limited information already reported in this case raises serious questions about the legality of the conduct of News Corporation and its subsidiaries under the FCPA," the Democratic senator wrote. "Further investigation may reveal that current reports only scratch the surface of the problem at News Corporation."

Another senator, Jay Rockefeller – chairman of the commerce, science and transportation committee – has described the activities of Murdoch's newspapers in Britain as "offensive" and called for an investigation into whether Americans had their privacy invaded.

"I am concerned that the admitted phone hacking in London by the News Corporation may have extended to 9/11 victims or other Americans. If they did, the consequences will be severe," he said.

Senators Robert Menendez and Barbara Boxer have also publicly called for a justice department probe.

An investigation could threaten some of the most profitable parts of Murdoch's empire, including his TV networks that cover nearly half of the US and are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission which has the power to revoke licences over criminal convictions.

Murdoch, who became an US citizen in 1985, may also have personal legal responsibility.

Rockefeller's statement came in response to a letter from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) to the heads of four congressional committees appealing for the legislature to investigate whether Murdoch's papers in the UK or the US were involved in illegal actions against American citizens.

Melanie Sloan, executive director of Crew, described Rockefeller's comments as "heartening". She said that while there is not yet the same clamour for an investigation in the US as there is in Britain that could rapidly change if it is revealed that Americans were the target of illegal practices, particularly the victims of terrorist attacks.

"It's a pretty serious allegation for people in America. There's few people who get more respect and deference in America than 9/11 victims and their families," she said.

Most of the politicians leading the calls for an investigation are Democrats, whose party is regularly attacked by Murdoch-owned Fox News and his newspapers in New York.

"I think Murdoch is vulnerable in America because he's made so many enemies," said Sloan.

"By the same token he's still very powerful and I don't think you're going to see members of Congress rushing to take on somebody who's got Fox News, even liberals. They don't need Fox News railing against them on other issues. But on the other hand if it becomes a choice between supporting Murdoch or American citizens who've had their phones tapped, the calculus would change dramatically."

The Centre for American Progress Action Fund, headed by Bill Clinton's former chief of staff, John Podesta, is collecting signatures for a letter to the justice department demanding an investigation.

"Given the seriousness of these allegations, we ask that you immediately begin an investigation of all entities controlled by News Corp, including domestic subsidiaries such as Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post," it says.

Ladybbird · 14-07-11, 22:03

U.S. News

Reuters 14 July 2011

FBI to probe News Corp 9/11 hacking allegations

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation will investigate allegations that Rupert Murdoch's News Corp tried to hack into the phone records of victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, the agency said on Thursday.

NEW YORK | Thu Jul 14, 2011 4:00pm EDT

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation will investigate allegations that Rupert Murdoch's News Corp tried to hack into the phone records of victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, the agency said on Thursday.

"We're looking into allegations raised by the letter by Peter King yesterday," said an FBI source, asking not to be identified.

King, a Republican U.S. congressman from New York, called for the investigation after Britain's The Daily Mirror newspaper on Monday first reported the possible hacking.

News Corp declined to comment on the FBI probe.

The Daily Mirror reported that News of the World journalists offered to pay a New York police officer to retrieve the private phone records of victims of the September 11 attacks.

The Daily Mirror, citing an unidentified source, said journalists wanted the phone numbers of the dead as well as details of the calls they made and received in the days leading to the attacks.

News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch last week shut down the News of the World, Britain's top-selling Sunday tabloid, on a growing firestorm over allegations grew that its journalists had illegally accessed voicemails of thousands of people, from child murder victims to the families of Britain's war dead.

The Daily Mirror UK reported that the New York police officer, who now works as a private investigator, said at the time that he would turn down the request because of "how bad it would look," the newspaper's source was quoted as saying.

(Reporting by Mark Hosenball in London and Basil Katz in New York. Editing by Robert MacMillan)

Ladybbird · 14-07-11, 22:06

Phone hacking: Rupert Murdoch summonsed to appear before MPs

Rupert and James Murdoch have been summonsed to attend next week's select committee session on phone hacking

Rupert Murdoch and his son James, who have been summonsed top appear before MPs. Photograph: Sang Tan/AP

MPs have dispatched the deputy serjeant at arms of the House of Commons to Wapping to deliver a summons in person to Rupert Murdoch and his son James to insist they turn up to give evidence to a select committee over the phone- hacking scandal.

John Whittingdale, the chairman of the culture, media and sport committee, outlined the measures being taken to ensure the Murdochs face MPs to answer questions in light of allegations of illegal practices that have to come to light in recent days.

Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News International, agreed on Thursday morning to attend and face MPs at the session being held next Tuesday, though she warned in a letter to the committee that the police investigation into "illegal voicemail interception" meant that it would not be appropriate to discuss the details with MPs to avoid prejudicing the inquiry.

With just one out of three of the senior executives agreeing to appear before the committee session on 19 July MPs took the rare step of issuing a summons to compel the Murdochs to attend.

Whittingdale said select committees had taken such steps against individuals in the past, and they had complied.

"I hope very much that the Murdochs will respond similarly," Whittingdale said.

The Tory MP said he was particularly "anxious" that James Murdoch, who has offered to appear on 10 August, answers questions.

Whittingdale said: "He has stated that parliament has been misled by people in his employment," he said. "We felt that to wait until August was unjustifiable."

Earlier in the day, he explained that Brooks and the Murdochs were the key people to talk to following the allegations of illegal practices that took place in papers in the News International stable.

"We're decided that these three were the most appropriate," said the Tory chair. "If we wanted to talk to others then we might consider that in the future. Murdoch was the chairman of News International in this country until very recently. Rebekah Brooks is the chief executive. They are the people who are directly responsible."

Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, urged all three senior executives to "do the decent thing" and face MPs.

"If they have any shred of sense of responsibility or accountability for their position of power then they should come and explain themselves to the select committee," said Clegg.

Rupert Murdoch wrote a letter to the committee, declining to give evidence in person to next week's session.

"Unfortunately, I am not available to attend the session you have planned next Tuesday," he wrote. "However, I am fully prepared to give evidence to the forthcoming judge-led public inquiry and I will be taking steps to notify those conducting the inquiry of my willingness to do so. Having done this, I would be happy to discuss with you how best to give evidence to your committee."

His son James wrote a separate letter in which he said would not be available to attend the session planned for 19 July, but would be "pleased" to give evidence to the committee on either the 10 or 11 August. "Naturally, if neither of these proves suitable I would be willing to consider any alternative dates you suggest," he wrote.

Only Brooks, a British citizen, bowed to pressure from parliament to take responsibility by attending the parliamentary committee to account for events that took place under her watch.

In a letter confirming her attendance, she wrote: "As you are well aware, the Metropolitan police investigation into illegal voicemail interception continues and we are fully co-operating with that. Aspects of the work to which your committee may wish to refer are likely to be relevant to that investigation. Indeed, the police have already asked us specifically to provide information about those matters."

She went on: "I understand that various select committees have approached the police over time in relation to this and other cases. The police's position has been to co-operate where this did not directly impact on the investigation in question.

"In those cases where it did potentially impact, the police have historically declined to comment at that stage. Our understanding is that this approach has not been challenged.

"Given that we are in the midst of an investigation, and we do not want to prejudice it, I hope you will understand why we feel it would not be appropriate to respond to such questions at present in order to be consistent with [the] police's approach, and that as a result this may prevent me from discussing these matters in detail."

Ladybbird · 17-07-11, 19:17

Rebekah Brooks Arrested In Connection With Phone Hacking Scandal

Rebekah Brooks has been arrested, the Metropolitan Police confirmed on Sunday.
The former News International chief executive went to a London police station by appointment and was arrested on suspicion of corruption and phone hacking.
Brooks is the 10th person to be arrested in connection to the new investigation into allegations of phone hacking at the News of the World.
In a statement, police said: "The MPS has this afternoon, Sunday 17 July, arrested a female in connection with allegations of corruption and phone hacking.
"At approximately 12.00 hrs a 43-year-old woman was arrested by appointment at a London police station by officers from Operation Weeting together with officers from Operation Elveden and is currently in custody.
"She was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, contrary to Section1(1) Criminal Law Act 1977 and on suspicion of corruption allegations contrary to Section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906.
"The Operation Weeting team is conducting the new investigation into phone hacking.
Story continues below

"Operation Elveden is the investigation into allegations of inappropriate payments to police. This investigation is being supervised by the IPCC.
"It would be inappropriate to discuss any further details regarding these cases at this time."
Brooks is due to appear before Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday afternoon. The Chairman of that committee, John Whittingdale, says he doesn't know at this stage how the arrest of Mrs. Brooks will affect her planned evidence.
Media lawyer Mark Stephens said police were trying to get a grip on the scandal. He told Sky News: “I think the police are trying to move pretty quickly… One of those areas of concern is the suggestion that officers at all levels may have been the subject of receiving money as Rebekah Brooks told parliament when she last appeared before them.”
Rebekah Brooks has released a statement saying she is assisting police with her inquiries, and this was a pre-arranged appointment.
Huffington Post

07-07-11, 16:54	#1
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,633 Thanks: 27,644 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed News of the World axed by News International The Guardian UK 7th July 2011 Sunday edition of Murdoch's tabloid to be last in the aftermath of political and commercial fallout from phone-hacking scandal News of the World: to be closed after 168 years. News International announced on Thursday that it is closing the News of the World after this Sunday's edition, with no end in sight to the political and commercial fallout from the phone-hacking scandal after 72 hours of mounting crisis. Sunday's edition of the paper will be the last, News International chairman James Murdoch told News of the World staff on Thursday afternoon. Murdoch told employees at the 168-year old title: "The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed to when it came to itself". Murdoch said in a statement: "Wrongdoers turned a good newsroom bad and this was not fully understood or adequately pursued." Murdoch also conceded the company had "made statements to parliament without being in full possession of the facts. This was wrong". He said: "The News of the World and News International wrongly maintained that these issues were confined to one reporter" but that was untrue, and that the company had passed information to the police which would demonstrate this. "Those who acted wrongly will have to face the consequences", he said. Murdoch also said in his statement to staff that he had authorised out-of-court payments to victims of hacking and that: "I now know that I did not have a complete picture when I did so." He added: "That was wrong and is a matter of serious regret." It is the first national newspaper to close since Rupert Murdoch shut Today in 1995. A spokesman for the company would not comment on whether News International will continue to publish a tabloid title on a Sunday. The News of the World has been News International's most profitable title for many years. There are already industry rumours that the News of the World's stablemate the Sun could be turned into a seven-day operation. Murdoch told staff some of them would be leaving the company and said that was a matter of regret. He paid tribute to their "good work". There will be no adverts in Sunday's edition and any money already received will be donated to good causes To be continued __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

08-07-11, 00:21	#4
ratchetjaw666 Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2011 Posts: 20 Thanks: 127 Thanked 17 Times in 12 Posts	re: UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed Too bad the rest of Murdocks news agencies wouldn't go broke.

08-07-11, 00:37	#5
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,633 Thanks: 27,644 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	re: UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed That made me really laugh, I want not only his media to go bust but his Sky TV, he put a lot of small businesses out of business when stopped them selling TV receivers __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

14-07-11, 21:41	#6
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,633 Thanks: 27,644 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Re: UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed Murdoch media dynasty descends from deal to disaster Political and public backlash raises doubts over the family's hold on its empire Guardian UK News Corp’s hopes of taking full control of BSkyB have, in effect, been dashed in the space of a few days. Photograph: Akira Suemori/AP A family meal on a Sunday night is a traditional event. Yet when Rupert Murdoch gathered his clan together earlier this week it was to discuss a crisis and the only thing on the menu was how to save the bid for BSkyB, the fast-growing satellite business and jewel in the crown of the Murdoch empire. Just a few days later, that effort has proved futile. By the time David Cameron stood up at midday on Wednesday to say that the Murdochs should "stop talking about mergers when there is such a mess to sort out", the family had already decided to ditch its offer for the 61% of BSkyB it did not already own. Yet instead of stemming criticism of the company and its management of the phone hacking scandal, the failure of the bid has instead raised serious questions about the ageing media mogul and his desire to hand control of one of the world's biggest media companies to his youngest son, James. "These guys are on the run," said Michael Wolff, biographer of the Murdochs. "They had no option but to drop the bid. But now the real issue is how to avoid further humiliation. They are in retreat with no real business in the UK anymore, just a set of disintegrating assets." For the first time in years, questions about the younger Murdoch's position as the chairman of BSkyB are being asked by analysts and shareholders of the £12bn satellite business. Even close observers of the Murdochs and News Corporation were surprised at the speed of this week's events. How could a bid that was so prized and that had seemed so inevitable a few days earlier have been dumped in such ignominious circumstances? It was a little over three weeks ago that David Cameron and Ed Miliband mingled with senior News Corp executives and industrial leaders in a grand party at the Orangery in Kensington, west London. At the time the only barrier to a successful takeover seemed to be the price likely to be offered by News Corp. As champagne and oysters were served, one attendee said it now seems like "an orgy at the end of the Roman empire". As thunder and lightning interrupted the event, few of those in attendance could have known what a storm lay ahead of them. The story of the past year will make a great film of course – Hugh Grant, the de facto spokesman for the Hacked Off pressure group, could even play himself. Two key scenes have played out over the past 10 days – events that led the Murdochs to decide that too much was at stake in pursuing a bid that had seemed theirs for the taking. The first deeply affected public opinion and therefore galvanised parliament and even a government that had seemed so sanguine about the bid. The second galvanised the Murdochs themselves, who realised that not only was the takeover at risk but also their existing stake in the highly lucrative satellite business. The endgame began with the Guardian story on 4 July about the News of the World hacking into the phone of the murdered teenager Milly Dowler. Some messages may have been deleted, to make room for more messages, misleading police and her family. Police later said other victims of crime such as the two girls killed in Soham could also have been targeted by phone hackers at the paper. The revelations and the link to Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News International who was editor of the Sunday tabloid at the time of Dowler's death, shocked millions of people who had previously been unaware of the hacking scandal. After months in which he and his senior ministers had referred to the letter of the law when asked about BSkyB, the prime minister finally snapped that he was "revolted" by allegations. News International stressed its co-operation with police – handing over evidence of payments to police and removing Brooks from the chain of command for the clean-up operation – but this failed to stem the stream of stories about hacking soldiers and others. James Murdoch's apology and decision to close the UK's biggest-selling paper, the News of the World, as well as the departure of several key executives, including legal managers John Chapman and Tom Crone and editor Colin Myler, did little to stop the criticism from parliament and public opinion. It was simply considered too little, too late. "It's a bit like discovering gangrene," said someone close to the situation. "If you wait too long to cut off an arm you end up having to cut a bit more off and then a bit more. Wait too long and you could die." By the time the last edition of the tabloid was printed on Sunday – trumpeting itself as "The world's greatest newspaper" – the coup de grace to Murdoch's ambitions had already been delivered. On Friday Ofcom announced a review of whether News Corp and its beleaguered executives would pass the "fit and proper" person test which governs the ownership of broadcast licences. Ed Richards, the Ofcom head who has proved himself no friend to the Murdochs in the past, said the regulator would "consider any relevant conduct of those who manage and control such a licence" once the criminal investigation into the News of the World had been completed. The impact of this statement cannot be overstated. Before then, the regulatory authorities had only been asked to consider whether the owner of two of the country's biggest selling tabloids as well as the Times and Sunday Times should be allowed to take over its biggest satellite business on the grounds of media diversity, or plurality. By raising questions about whether company directors were "fit and proper" the new test could endanger Murdoch's existing 39% stake, let alone the takeover. The Murdochs would be furious at any suggestion that they could fail a test passed by Richard Desmond in buying Channel Five. Yet the very fact that it was raised by Ofcom saw shares in Sky fall even further. By the time details of further intrusions into the private affairs of former prime minister Gordon Brown emerged on Monday, the writing was on the wall. The timing of the decision to drop the BSkyB bid, coming so soon after the prime ministerial statement and special debate on an issue that united all three main political parties, made it appear to be a straightforward victory for the people and their elected representatives against the most powerful media baron in the land. "It stopped being about the process and became about politics," said someone close to the deal. The political angle to this has seen a belated but effective intervention by the Labour leader, Ed Miliband. He can legitimately claim some kudos for helping to force the country's most powerful media mogul to backtrack, but it has not always been as straightforward inside his office. In a memo written in January Tom Baldwin, the director of strategy, had requested that "any front-bench spokespeople use the following line when questioned on phone hacking. BSkyB bid and phone-tapping … these issues should not be linked. One is a competition issue, the other an allegation of criminal activity." It went on: "Downing Street says that Cameron's dinners with Murdoch will not affect Hunt's judgment. We have to take them at their word." Yet as the evidence of a cover-up started to accumulate and a slow trickle of arrests started, Miliband wanted to intervene. In late April, ahead of the local elections on May 6, he conducted an interview with the Guardian, and his aides indicated he would be willing to say something about the phone-hacking drama being pursued by the newspaper. In the back of a campaign car, he said: "I think there does need to be a review after the police inquiries have been completed and any criminal cases that flow from it. I think it is in the interests of protecting the reputation of the British press that these matters should not simply be left to rest, and lessons have to be learned." Privately some of Miliband's advisers were arguing that he should be willing to confront Murdoch as it fitted with his wider responsibility agenda, the leitmotif demand that there had to be responsibility at the top as well as the bottom. But caution remained rife in his office. In a sign of the pull Murdoch held, Miliband agreed at short notice in June to speak at a meeting of Murdoch's chief executive conference, filling in for the Chancellor, George Osborne, who had cancelled at short notice. Once the Dowler revelations emerged, Tom Watson, the dogged campaigner against News International and a political ally of Miliband, vented his frustration at the silence of the political leaders at Westminster. "Surely now we should hear from David Cameron and Ed Miliband," he said. "It's utterly disgraceful that they've let this scandal run on for as long as it has. No more cowardice – we want action." At his regular Tuesday morning meeting Miliband asked his aides how to react. The meeting is now known in Labour circles as the "sod it" meeting. Even then some of his aides counselled caution, arguing he might alienate News International irretrievably. Miliband just found the whole story so shocking, he said he could not hold back. He decided to cross a potentially dangerous line by calling on Rebekah Brooks to consider her position. He also explicitly called for a public inquiry, rather than a simple review. Once he had crossed this line, there was no turning back. The other surprise element was the willingness of the Speaker, John Bercow, to grant an emergency debate last Wednesday to the backbencher Chris Bryant. By the end of the debate, the scale of the cover-up by News International had become as important as the scale of the phone hacking. As well as Cameron's disgust, it was also becoming clear support for the Murdoch organisation was evaporating on Tory benches. Miliband then decided he could use yesterday's Opposition debate to press the issue of the BSkyB takeover. On Monday, through Liberal Democrat culture spokesman Don Foster, Miliband consulted the Lib Dems on the wording of the motion. Late on Monday Miliband agreed the wording should simply state that News Corp should withdraw the bid. That won the consent of figures such as Tim Farron, the party president, and Foster. Miliband then went to the leaders of other political parties, so that by Tuesday lunchtime cross-party support was clear. Cameron knew he had no choice but to support the motion, meaning parliament was united against BSkyB. The Guardian splash headline read "Parliament versus Murdoch". Claire Enders from Enders Analysis welcomed the news and praised the early involvement of Vince Cable, the business secretary, who lost his responsibility for the proposed merger after being recorded as saying that he was "waging war" on the Murdochs. "He was the first person to really see the importance of this," she said. Interestingly, it was left to Chase Carey, the extravagantly moustachioed number two to Rupert Murdoch, to announce in a statement that "it has become clear that it is too difficult to progress in this climate". He went on to stress that News Corp "remained a committed long-term shareholder in BSkyB." The failure of the bid after a tumultuous 11 months could have left Sky's shareholders less committed to a family that had previously seemed infallible. Sky's independent directors, led by Nicholas Ferguson, are understood to be keen to show their strength to investors who are understandably concerned about events. Some rue the Murdochs' refusal to offer a higher price, which could have seen the deal done by now. "If they'd offered 800p at the beginning of all this, the deal would have been done before any of us knew about Milly Dowler's phone," sniffed one financial adviser. As it is, James Murdoch's involvement in the scandal has led the FT's influential Lex column to write of a "Murdoch Jr discount" at Sky. Insiders suggest all key decisions have been taken by family members in recent days, yet Wolff senses a difficult changing of the guard. "This is like a collapsing House of Cards, and I'm just not sure if Rupert is in a leadership position." After leaving the restaurant on Sunday night, the waiting photographers caught James helping his increasingly frail 80-year-old father across the road. His failure to get to grips with the phone-hacking scandal at News International has called into question his place at the head of his father's business, and no amount of hand-holding is going to change that. __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

14-07-11, 21:45	#7
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,633 Thanks: 27,644 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Re: UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed Phone hacking: former NoW executive editor Neil Wallis arrested in London Neil Wallis taken for questioning at local police station, the ninth person to be arrested over phone hacking at News of the World Guardian UK Thursday 14 July 2011 10.16 BST Wallis taken for questioning at his local police station. Photograph: Oli Scarff/Getty Images Neil Wallis, the former News of the World executive editor, has become the ninth person to be arrested over alleged phone hacking and payments to police officers by the paper. Detectives from Operation Weeting, the Metropolitan police investigation into mobile interceptions by News International, are understood to have raided an address in west London on Thursday. Wallis was taken for questioning at a local police station on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, a Scotland Yard spokesman said. He is the ninth arrest Scotland Yard has made since the fresh investigation into phone hacking was launched in January. A Scotland Yard statement confirmed the arrest was carried out at 6.30am. "The man is currently in custody at a west London police station," the Met said. "It would be inappropriate to discuss any further details at this time." Wallis joined the News of the World from the People in 2003 as deputy to then editor Andy Coulson. In mid-2007 he became executive editor and left the News International title in 2009. He is now a senior consultant at PR firm Outside Organisation. Coulson and former NoW royal editor Clive Goodman, who was jailed in January 2007 for intercepting the voicemail messages of members of the royal household, were arrested and bailed on Friday as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden, the separate Scotland Yard investigation into alleged illegal payments to police officers. Coulson resigned as NoW editor in January 2007 after Goodman was jailed, saying he accepted responsibility. He has always maintained that he was unaware of phone hacking at the paper. On the same day a 63-year-old man, who has not been named, was arrested and bailed as part of the phone hacking and police payments investigations. The others arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting are Laura Elston, Press Association's royal correspondent, freelance journalist Terenia Taras, senior News of the World journalists James Weatherup and Neville Thurlbeck, and former NoW assistant editor (news) Ian Edmondson. continued..... __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

14-07-11, 21:48	#8
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,633 Thanks: 27,644 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Re: UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed Timeline of phone-hacking arrests The list of people who were arrested as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden Andy Coulson was arrested on 8 July Photograph: Lewis Whyld/PA Ian Edmondson 5 April 2011: Former News of the World assistant editor (news) arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting, the Metropolitan police investigation into alleged phone hacking Neville Thurlbeck 5 April 2011: News of the World chief reporter arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting James Weatherup 14 April 2011: News of the World assistant news editor arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting Terenia Taras 23 June 2011: freelance journalist arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting Laura Elston 28 June 2011: Press Association royal correspondent arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting Clive Goodman 8 July 2011: Former News of the World royal editor, jailed in January 2007 for intercepting voicemail messages of members of the royal household, arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden, the Met investigation into alleged illegal payments to police officers Andy Coulson 8 July 2011: Former News of the World editor arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden 63-year-old man 8 July 2011: Man who's identity is unknown arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden Neil Wallis 14 July 2011: Former News of the World executive editor arrested and bailed as part of Operation Weeting. __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

14-07-11, 21:51	#9
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,633 Thanks: 27,644 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Re: UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed Rupert Murdoch gives up BSkyB takeover bid After the biggest single reverse of his career, the News Corp chief faces an appearance before a judicial inquiry and a fight for the right to broadcast in the UK Guardian UK 14 July 2011 News Corp chairman Rupert Murdoch leaves the offices of News International in London after withdrawing his bid to take over BSkyB. Photograph: Luke MacGregor/Reuters Rupert Murdoch has capitulated to parliament and abandoned News Corporation's £8bn bid for BSkyB, as he faced the prospect of appearing in front of a judicial public inquiry to salvage his personal reputation and the right for his company to continue to broadcast in the UK. After 10 days of sustained public outcry over phone hacking, and facing the prospect of a unanimous call by MPs to withdraw his bid for total ownership of the broadcaster, Murdoch succumbed at a morning board meeting in Wapping. Company insiders indicated Murdoch was not making a tactical retreat and that a future bid for total control of BSkyB was now unlikely. The media giant said it was likely to "deploy our capital elsewhere" to avoid any more damaging battles in the UK. The News Corp deputy chairman, Chase Carey, said the bid had become "too difficult to progress in this climate". The withdrawal represents the biggest single reverse of Murdoch's mercurial career, but may presage even further commercial damage not just in the UK, but worldwide. News Corp's current 39% stake in BSkyB could also still be at risk from the "fit and proper" test for ownership being conducted by regulator Ofcom. On a cathartic day at Westminster in which politicians acted as if they had been liberated from the thrall of the Murdoch empire, David Cameron announced a sweeping public inquiry into widespread lawbreaking by the press, alleged corruption by police, and the failure of the initial police investigation into phone hacking. The prime minister said: "What has happened here is a massive firestorm of allegations that have got worse and worse." The inquiry will also look at a new system of independent regulation of the press, the inadequacies of the previous Labour government to investigate newspaper malpractice, and the potentially critical issue of future cross-ownership between press and television stations. There is certain to be renewed pressure to reduce the number of foreign owners of the British media, as well as a big Liberal Democrat push to impose stricter rules to prevent market domination. The public inquiry will be led by Lord Justice Leveson, and will have the power to summon witnesses, including proprietors, Cameron, past prime ministers and senior newspaper executives, even if some of them are in jail. In the first instance the judge, advised by a panel of experts, will look at future regulation before turning to specific allegations of corruption or lawbreaking. Cameron, regaining some of the political initiative after 10 days on the back foot, made it clear he expected Rupert Murdoch to give evidence, saying: "If you own the media in this country, you should be able to be called under oath." The prime minister also vowed that he was willing to see those found guilty in any future court cases stripped of the right to run a media company. He said: "The people responsible – whether they are directly responsible for the wrongdoing, whether they sanctioned it or whether they covered it up, and however high or low they go – must not only be brought to justice; they must have no future role in running a media company in our country." Cameron also announced that he will be rewriting the ministerial code so that ministers, permanent secretaries and special advisers will be required quarterly to record meetings with senior media executives, including social meetings. Cameron admitted the relationship between media executives and the politicians had become unhealthy. He said: "It was too close. Too much time was spent courting the media and not enough time confronting the problems." He also revealed a new anger towards his former No 10 communications director, Andy Coulson, the former News of the World editor who has always insisted he knew nothing of phone hacking during his editorship of the paper. As Ed Miliband described his appointment as a catastrophic misjudgment, Cameron said: "If it turns out he lied, it won't just be that he shouldn't have been in government, it will be that he should be prosecuted." The Guardian has published fresh details of warnings the paper's executives had given to Cameron's chief of staff, Ed Llewellyn, over Coulson. Downing Street said Llewellyn could not recall an additional warning in October 2010. In an extraordinary speech during the truncated Commons debate on BSkyB, a passionate and sometimes raw Gordon Brown defended himself from the charge that he had been complicit in acceding to the regulatory demands of News International during his premiership. He rounded on the cabinet secretary, Sir Gus O'Donnell, for opposing his plan to set up a judicial inquiry into phone hacking when he was in office. Quoting the confidential advice, he said O'Donnell admitted "there was a media culture permissive of unlawful activities and deliberate obfuscation by News International" but that "targeting the News of the World would have been deemed to be politically motivated because it was too close to the general election". Brown branded News International "a criminal media nexus" which "claimed to be on the side of the law-abiding citizen" but in fact stood "side by side with criminals against our citizens". He added: "Others have said that in the behaviour towards those without a voice of their own, News International descended from the gutter to the sewer. The tragedy is that they let the rats out of the sewer." O'Donnell is understood to be seeking an urgent consultation with Brown to release the full memorandum. Some Labour sources said Brown lacked political support within his cabinet to set up the inquiry so close to a general election. Faced by its rout on Wednesday, News Corp and the Murdoch family now face a battle to ensure that Rupert's son James, who was in charge of the British newspapers, can remain as BSkyB chairman in the face of City unrest. "James Murdoch's position is a concern," one investor said. Pension funds were being urged to call for him to go. Alan MacDougall, managing director of PIRC, which advises pension funds and councils, said: "In light of current events it is time for the board to review whether BSkyB and its shareholders would benefit from a new, independent chair. And if shareholders agree it is time for reform, they should say so." Murdoch's move capped a disastrous 10 days for a company that had been poised to win approval for the BSkyB takeover until the Guardian revealed that the News of the World had targeted the mobile phone of Milly Dowler, listening to and deleting messages left for her and giving her family false hope that she was alive when she had in fact been murdered. That triggered widespread public revulsion and adverse media coverage, forcing Murdoch to close the News of the World. Mark Lewis, the lawyer who represents the Dowler family, and also brought the first phone-hacking cases, said: "This shows the power of the public to stand up to something – however big an organisation is, however far-reaching, however worldwide – and say 'No, something isn't right.'" Murdoch agreed to give up on the BSkyB bid before Cameron's appearance at prime minister's questions at noon, but no attempt was made to inform No 10. The announcement did not emerge until shortly after 2pm, when it was leaked to Sky News, a couple of hours before MPs were due to debate and vote. Shares in BSkyB fell 4% after the announcement, but rebounded as uncertainty about the company's immediate future was lifted and closed 2% higher, at 705p. News Corp lost several billion dollars in market value after the scandal broke last week but its shares rallied after the company said on Tuesday that it was buying back $5bn (£3.1bn) of its own shares. On Wednesday shares rose 71 cents, or 4.6%, to $16.06 in afternoon trading in New York. __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

14-07-11, 21:54	#10
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,633 Thanks: 27,644 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Re: UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed Former Wall St Journal owners: 'We wouldn't have sold if we had known' Bancroft family members, who controlled Dow Jones & Company, say they would have resisted Murdoch bid in 2007 Christopher Bancroft in 2007, leaving a Boston hotel where members of the Bancroft family discussed Rupert Murdoch's five billion dollar bid for Wall Street Journal publisher Dow Jones & Co. Photograph: Stephan Savoia/AP A number of key members of the family that controlled the Wall Street Journal say they would not have agreed to sell the prestigious daily to Rupert Murdoch if they had been aware of News International's conduct in the phone-hacking scandal at the time of the deal. "If I had known what I know now, I would have pushed harder against" the Murdoch bid, said Christopher Bancroft, a member of the family that controlled Dow Jones & Company, publishers of the Wall Street Journal. Bancroft said the breadth of allegations now on the public record "would have been more problematic for me. I probably would have held out.'' He had sole voting control of a trust that represented 13% of Dow Jones shares in 2007 and served on the Dow Jones board. Lisa Steele, another family member on the board, said "it would have been harder, if not impossible'' to have accepted Murdoch's bid had the facts been known. "It's complicated," she added, and "there were so many factors" in weighing a sale. But she said: "The ethics are clear to me – what's been revealed, from what I've read in the Journal, is terrible. It may even be criminal." Elisabeth Goth Chelberg, a Bancroft family member not on the board who had long advocated change at Dow Jones, expressed similar sentiments. Asked if she would have favoured a sale to Murdoch in 2007 knowing what she now does, she said: "My answer is no." The comments in interviews with the non-profit news organisation ProPublica came as the crisis engulfing Murdoch's News Corporation threatened to spread to the US. Two senators called for an investigation into whether the company broke US laws over the phone-hacking scandal. Asked for his reaction to a report in the Guardian that Les Hinton, Murdoch's appointee as Dow Jones CEO and Journal publisher, may have testified untruthfully to a parliamentary committee, Christopher Bancroft replied that if the report proved accurate, Hinton "probably ought to be moved aside, but that's not my business any more''. News Corporation's deal to buy the Journal was sealed in August 2007, six months after the royal editor of the News of the World, Clive Goodman, was jailed for using a private detective to access voicemails left for members of the royal household. News International insisted that hacking was a problem confined to a single "rogue reporter" at the paper. It was not until July 2009 that the Guardian revealed the practice was more widespread and that Murdoch had secretly paid out more than £1m to settle cases brought by other hacking victims. The Wall Street Journal is the top-selling daily newspaper in the United States and a brand with global prominence. Founded in 1889, it long dominated American business publishing, becoming the country's first national newspaper. It routinely ranked in surveys as America's most trusted print publication. The Bancroft family owned Dow Jones from 1902 and controlled it as a publicly traded company from 1963. Murdoch's bid was attractive. He offered $60 a share, a 67% premium, $2.25bn above the market price the day his offer was announced, at a time when newspaper share prices had been flagging for more than two years. Moreover, 14 months after the deal closed, in early 2009, News Corp had to write down the value of its $5.6bn purchase by $2.8bn. The sale was contentious. Family members questioned Murdoch's journalistic practices and insisted on appointment of an independent panel to help safeguard the paper's ethics. There was negative press in the US about Murdoch at the time of the deal in 2007, although nothing to compare with the recent revelations. Michael Elefante, a partner at the Boston law firm Hemenway & Barnes, longtime counsel to the family, trustee of numerous trusts and also then a member of the Dow Jones board, did not return messages seeking comment. The fourth family representative on the Dow Jones Board, Leslie Hill, consistently opposed the Murdoch bid, and resigned from the board in protest just before the deal was completed. (Hill has been a donor to ProPublica.) Not all members of the Bancroft family believe the revelations would have changed the outcome. Bill Cox III, long allied with Chelberg within the family in seeking alternatives to management by Dow Jones, said in an interview that he "probably would have thought twice about it but probably would have sold". He was "happy about the price we got" for Dow Jones. "I'm pretty happy being out of the newspaper business altogether." Asked if he would have accepted a lower price from another bidder given the phone hacking, he said: "I think $60 was the right price." Cox did say he had been following the story closely in the Australian media during a trip there and that he was very concerned about what he had learned recently about the Journal's new owners. "Reading all this makes me sick to my stomach," he said. In a subsequent email, he went even further: Rupert Murdoch, he wrote, "thinks he is completely above the law as he always has." Cox added: "We did a deal with the devil and it really saddens me [that] the editorial of this quasi public trust that has been on the vanguard of world journalism for years is not in good hands. That I am really struggling with."The Bancroft family continues to keep an eye on the Journal and Dow Jones. Asked for his reaction to a report in the Guardian that Les Hinton, Murdoch's appointee as Dow Jones CEO and Journal publisher, may have testified untruthfully to a parliamentary committee, Christopher Bancroft replied that if the report proves accurate, Hinton "probably ought be moved aside, but that's not my business anymore.'' Disclosure note: the author of this story was a long-time Dow Jones executive, before leaving the company in 2004 and wrote a book about former Wall Street Journal editor and Dow Jones CEO Barney Kilgore, which was published in 2009. __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

14-07-11, 21:57	#11
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,633 Thanks: 27,644 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Re: UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed US politicians demand phone-hacking investigation after 9/11 claims Politicians call for felony charges if report that News of the World hacked voicemails of victims is found to be true Senator Jay Rockefeller called for an investigation into whether News Corp had invaded the privacy of Americans. Photograph: Matthew Cavanaugh/EPA Political pressure on Rupert Murdoch has spilled across the Atlantic with a growing number of senior politicians calling for a legal investigation into whether News Corporation broke American laws over the phone-hacking scandal. Members of Congress from both major parties have waded in to the affair with warnings of "severe" consequences if a report in the Daily Mirror that the News of the World attempted to access the voicemails of victims of the 9/11 terrorist attacks or other Americans is true. Two New York members of the US House of Representatives, Pete King and Louise Slaughter, demanded an immediate justice department investigation of whether US laws were broken, particularly in relation to any attempt to hack in to the phones of terrorist victims. King, who is the Republican chairman of the House homeland security committee, said in a letter to the FBI director, Robert Mueller, that journalists should face felony charges if evidence is found. "The 9/11 families have suffered egregiously, but unfortunately they remain vulnerable against such unjustifiable parasitic strains. We can spare no effort or expense in continuing our support for them," he said in the letter. Slaughter called for the application of the "full force of the law". Four Democratic senators have joined the demands for an investigation of whether US anti-graft laws were broken by News Corporation as well as the alleged hacking of Americans' phones. The calls for an inquiry were backed by family members of people who died in the World Trade Centre. "Someone should look into it to see if their rights were violated – the family members I've talked to are appalled, they're disgruntled, they have to relive the pain all over again," Jim Riches, a former deputy chief in the New York fire department whose son died in the 9/11 attacks, told Politico: "I think they crossed the line. They're trying to get messages from loved ones in the last moments of their lives. It's horrible, and they should be held accountable." The Guardian has so far been unable to verify the Daily Mirror story. Rosemary Cain, who lost her firefighter son George, said that she did not know whether the Mirror report was correct or a foul rumour, but she wanted an investigation to ascertain the truth. "If it did turn out to be true it would be a despicable invasion of privacy and something that should be prosecuted to the fullest extent." Sally Regenhard, whose son also died as a firefighter on 9/11, said she'd heard the Mirror story on local media in New York and wanted to know what had really happened. "I'm very concerned about the privacy of citizens whether it's in this country or others. If there's any suggestion that a paper had hacked into 9/11 victims' phone calls, that should be investigated." The calls for an investigation come as Murdoch faces pressure from a group of American shareholders, including pension funds and banks, who have taken legal action saying it is "inconceivable" that the News Corp's board was unaware of the phone hacking and other illicit practices, and accusing him of using the company for "personal and political objectives". Senator Frank Lautenberg has asked the securities and exchange commission and the justice department to investigate whether US laws against the payment of bribes abroad were broken by Murdoch's parent company. In a letter to the attorney general, Eric Holder, Lautenberg said allegations that NoW journalists bribed UK police officers are potentially a breach of the US's Foreign Corrupt Practices Act which bars American companies from paying bribes abroad. "The limited information already reported in this case raises serious questions about the legality of the conduct of News Corporation and its subsidiaries under the FCPA," the Democratic senator wrote. "Further investigation may reveal that current reports only scratch the surface of the problem at News Corporation." Another senator, Jay Rockefeller – chairman of the commerce, science and transportation committee – has described the activities of Murdoch's newspapers in Britain as "offensive" and called for an investigation into whether Americans had their privacy invaded. "I am concerned that the admitted phone hacking in London by the News Corporation may have extended to 9/11 victims or other Americans. If they did, the consequences will be severe," he said. Senators Robert Menendez and Barbara Boxer have also publicly called for a justice department probe. An investigation could threaten some of the most profitable parts of Murdoch's empire, including his TV networks that cover nearly half of the US and are licensed by the Federal Communications Commission which has the power to revoke licences over criminal convictions. Murdoch, who became an US citizen in 1985, may also have personal legal responsibility. Rockefeller's statement came in response to a letter from Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (Crew) to the heads of four congressional committees appealing for the legislature to investigate whether Murdoch's papers in the UK or the US were involved in illegal actions against American citizens. Melanie Sloan, executive director of Crew, described Rockefeller's comments as "heartening". She said that while there is not yet the same clamour for an investigation in the US as there is in Britain that could rapidly change if it is revealed that Americans were the target of illegal practices, particularly the victims of terrorist attacks. "It's a pretty serious allegation for people in America. There's few people who get more respect and deference in America than 9/11 victims and their families," she said. Most of the politicians leading the calls for an investigation are Democrats, whose party is regularly attacked by Murdoch-owned Fox News and his newspapers in New York. "I think Murdoch is vulnerable in America because he's made so many enemies," said Sloan. "By the same token he's still very powerful and I don't think you're going to see members of Congress rushing to take on somebody who's got Fox News, even liberals. They don't need Fox News railing against them on other issues. But on the other hand if it becomes a choice between supporting Murdoch or American citizens who've had their phones tapped, the calculus would change dramatically." The Centre for American Progress Action Fund, headed by Bill Clinton's former chief of staff, John Podesta, is collecting signatures for a letter to the justice department demanding an investigation. "Given the seriousness of these allegations, we ask that you immediately begin an investigation of all entities controlled by News Corp, including domestic subsidiaries such as Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, and the New York Post," it says. __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. 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14-07-11, 22:03	#12
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,633 Thanks: 27,644 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Re: UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed U.S. News Reuters 14 July 2011 FBI to probe News Corp 9/11 hacking allegations NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation will investigate allegations that Rupert Murdoch's News Corp tried to hack into the phone records of victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, the agency said on Thursday. NEW YORK \| Thu Jul 14, 2011 4:00pm EDT NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Federal Bureau of Investigation will investigate allegations that Rupert Murdoch's News Corp tried to hack into the phone records of victims of the September 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, the agency said on Thursday. "We're looking into allegations raised by the letter by Peter King yesterday," said an FBI source, asking not to be identified. King, a Republican U.S. congressman from New York, called for the investigation after Britain's The Daily Mirror newspaper on Monday first reported the possible hacking. News Corp declined to comment on the FBI probe. The Daily Mirror reported that News of the World journalists offered to pay a New York police officer to retrieve the private phone records of victims of the September 11 attacks. The Daily Mirror, citing an unidentified source, said journalists wanted the phone numbers of the dead as well as details of the calls they made and received in the days leading to the attacks. News Corp chief Rupert Murdoch last week shut down the News of the World, Britain's top-selling Sunday tabloid, on a growing firestorm over allegations grew that its journalists had illegally accessed voicemails of thousands of people, from child murder victims to the families of Britain's war dead. The Daily Mirror UK reported that the New York police officer, who now works as a private investigator, said at the time that he would turn down the request because of "how bad it would look," the newspaper's source was quoted as saying. (Reporting by Mark Hosenball in London and Basil Katz in New York. Editing by Robert MacMillan) __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

14-07-11, 22:06	#13
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,633 Thanks: 27,644 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Re: UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed Phone hacking: Rupert Murdoch summonsed to appear before MPs Rupert and James Murdoch have been summonsed to attend next week's select committee session on phone hacking Rupert Murdoch and his son James, who have been summonsed top appear before MPs. Photograph: Sang Tan/AP MPs have dispatched the deputy serjeant at arms of the House of Commons to Wapping to deliver a summons in person to Rupert Murdoch and his son James to insist they turn up to give evidence to a select committee over the phone- hacking scandal. John Whittingdale, the chairman of the culture, media and sport committee, outlined the measures being taken to ensure the Murdochs face MPs to answer questions in light of allegations of illegal practices that have to come to light in recent days. Rebekah Brooks, the chief executive of News International, agreed on Thursday morning to attend and face MPs at the session being held next Tuesday, though she warned in a letter to the committee that the police investigation into "illegal voicemail interception" meant that it would not be appropriate to discuss the details with MPs to avoid prejudicing the inquiry. With just one out of three of the senior executives agreeing to appear before the committee session on 19 July MPs took the rare step of issuing a summons to compel the Murdochs to attend. Whittingdale said select committees had taken such steps against individuals in the past, and they had complied. "I hope very much that the Murdochs will respond similarly," Whittingdale said. The Tory MP said he was particularly "anxious" that James Murdoch, who has offered to appear on 10 August, answers questions. Whittingdale said: "He has stated that parliament has been misled by people in his employment," he said. "We felt that to wait until August was unjustifiable." Earlier in the day, he explained that Brooks and the Murdochs were the key people to talk to following the allegations of illegal practices that took place in papers in the News International stable. "We're decided that these three were the most appropriate," said the Tory chair. "If we wanted to talk to others then we might consider that in the future. Murdoch was the chairman of News International in this country until very recently. Rebekah Brooks is the chief executive. They are the people who are directly responsible." Nick Clegg, the deputy prime minister, urged all three senior executives to "do the decent thing" and face MPs. "If they have any shred of sense of responsibility or accountability for their position of power then they should come and explain themselves to the select committee," said Clegg. Rupert Murdoch wrote a letter to the committee, declining to give evidence in person to next week's session. "Unfortunately, I am not available to attend the session you have planned next Tuesday," he wrote. "However, I am fully prepared to give evidence to the forthcoming judge-led public inquiry and I will be taking steps to notify those conducting the inquiry of my willingness to do so. Having done this, I would be happy to discuss with you how best to give evidence to your committee." His son James wrote a separate letter in which he said would not be available to attend the session planned for 19 July, but would be "pleased" to give evidence to the committee on either the 10 or 11 August. "Naturally, if neither of these proves suitable I would be willing to consider any alternative dates you suggest," he wrote. Only Brooks, a British citizen, bowed to pressure from parliament to take responsibility by attending the parliamentary committee to account for events that took place under her watch. In a letter confirming her attendance, she wrote: "As you are well aware, the Metropolitan police investigation into illegal voicemail interception continues and we are fully co-operating with that. Aspects of the work to which your committee may wish to refer are likely to be relevant to that investigation. Indeed, the police have already asked us specifically to provide information about those matters." She went on: "I understand that various select committees have approached the police over time in relation to this and other cases. The police's position has been to co-operate where this did not directly impact on the investigation in question. "In those cases where it did potentially impact, the police have historically declined to comment at that stage. Our understanding is that this approach has not been challenged. "Given that we are in the midst of an investigation, and we do not want to prejudice it, I hope you will understand why we feel it would not be appropriate to respond to such questions at present in order to be consistent with [the] police's approach, and that as a result this may prevent me from discussing these matters in detail." __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

17-07-11, 19:17	#14
Ladybbird Join Date: Feb 2011 Posts: 47,633 Thanks: 27,644 Thanked 14,458 Times in 10,262 Posts Awards Showcase Total Awards: 8	Re: UPDATE-Rupert Murdoch Summonsed by British MPs-FBI Moves in-Newspaper Closed Rebekah Brooks Arrested In Connection With Phone Hacking Scandal Rebekah Brooks has been arrested, the Metropolitan Police confirmed on Sunday. The former News International chief executive went to a London police station by appointment and was arrested on suspicion of corruption and phone hacking. Brooks is the 10th person to be arrested in connection to the new investigation into allegations of phone hacking at the News of the World. In a statement, police said: "The MPS has this afternoon, Sunday 17 July, arrested a female in connection with allegations of corruption and phone hacking. "At approximately 12.00 hrs a 43-year-old woman was arrested by appointment at a London police station by officers from Operation Weeting together with officers from Operation Elveden and is currently in custody. "She was arrested on suspicion of conspiring to intercept communications, contrary to Section1(1) Criminal Law Act 1977 and on suspicion of corruption allegations contrary to Section 1 of the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906. "The Operation Weeting team is conducting the new investigation into phone hacking. Story continues below "Operation Elveden is the investigation into allegations of inappropriate payments to police. This investigation is being supervised by the IPCC. "It would be inappropriate to discuss any further details regarding these cases at this time." Brooks is due to appear before Parliament's Culture, Media and Sport Committee on Tuesday afternoon. The Chairman of that committee, John Whittingdale, says he doesn't know at this stage how the arrest of Mrs. Brooks will affect her planned evidence. Media lawyer Mark Stephens said police were trying to get a grip on the scandal. He told Sky News: “I think the police are trying to move pretty quickly… One of those areas of concern is the suggestion that officers at all levels may have been the subject of receiving money as Rebekah Brooks told parliament when she last appeared before them.” Rebekah Brooks has released a statement saying she is assisting police with her inquiries, and this was a pre-arranged appointment. Huffington Post __________________ PUTIN TRUMP & Netanyahu Will Meet in HELL ..................*SHARKS are Closing in on TRUMP*.......................... *TRUMP WARNS; 'There'll Be a Bloodbath* If I Don't Get Elected'..MAGA - MyAssGotArrested...IT's COMING** PLEASE HELP THIS SITE..Click DONATE & Thanks to ALL Members of ... 1.. THIS SITE IS MORE THAN JUST WAREZ...& TO STOP SPAM-IF YOU WANT TO POST, YOUR FIRST POST MUST BE IN WELCOMES

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