it did not have much to do at the murdoch press? >> the mud -- murdoch press and the majority of the media would have been in favor of a referendum on the constitution. jack straw wrote me a memo saying it's going to happen. i thought the right thing was to take the initiative. >> i'm sure you want to draw a explicit attention to 0575, where you have six examples where the government turned down the positions of the murdoch media. the increase in the license fee, [unintelligible] you say that is clear evidence of a lack of any sort of express deal. >> yes. i am on very sound ground on this. when it came as opposed to the more general issue with the media and regulation i think is very clear the communications act is an example of that. but we supported -- i continue to think a strong bbc is a very important part of our democracy, particularly -- none of these things -- all the commercial interests of these organizations are always important, i say in my statement, looking at their influence solely through that paradigm is a mistake.

murdoch didn't press the matter at that point, is that it? >> so i don't think that's unreasonable for that to be asked or -- you know, as i say, if another media group had been interested in the possible acquisition, i would have done the same. >> with perhaps an issue of more substance, the human rights act, mr. blair, which was one i suppose of the -- certainly the most significant achievements of your first term and one which you had been committed in opposition for some significant period of time and so that, therefore, a lot of time was devoted to it, was it the position that news international, i suppose together with everybody else, were lobbying for complete press immunity from the human rights act? >> yes, that's right. and they wanted no suggestion that you would move outside the bounds of the pcc and self regulation. >> and were you generally supportive of that position? >> yes, that was -- i mean my -- my view is that if you were to deal with this, you had to deal with it head on, as it were, not through the human rights act, whi

had you kept to the original policy it would have been a problem for the murdoch press. then you say there were sound reasons for changing it. is that a fair summary of your evidence? >> absolutely. can i ask you what were the sound objectives to changing the policy? >> they were twofold. i didn't and don't believe the issue of the ownership is what is important. in other words, i think that -- and i thought this particularly as we get later to the 2003 communications act. i think prejudices against foreign owners or saying this particular onner we like or we don't like, it is better to deal with these issues on the basis of concentration for media ownership. if you don't change the culture or the rules, then you won't -- you won't actually improve the situation. and also as i said to you earlier, i've taken the view i was not going to have the labor party coming back into power after 18 years with a program of change for the country in having the center piece of the program being, you know, issues to deal with media ownership. i thought that would have been a distractio

you wanted the murdoch press to support the labor party. understandable reasons. and does that not come out in something else that appears mr. campbell's diaries where you've got somebody to go through the speech from a murdoch angle thought and this is page six. there was enough in it for the news corp. lot and enough for the anti-murdoch neuroal jiks. >> absolutely. i wouldn't have been going all the way around the world i remember i had to go up to one prime minister's questions and return for the next if it hadn't been a very deliberate and again very strategic decision that i was going to go and try to persuade them. i had a minimum and maximum objective. the minimum objective was to stop them tearing us to pieces. the maximum objective was if possible to open the way to support. actually the speech i gave, of course, you had to balance it very carefully. so the policy position side changed. in the speech i went out of my way and we were very careful about this to make sure we emphasized support for minimum wage, junior recognition. proeuropean position. incre

labor party had always advocated this was partly because they'd fallen out very badly with the murdoch press. and this was in a sense aimed at them. this is absolutely correct. i didn't then and don't think now that's quite apart from the fact of what you should do or taking on these border issues to deal with the press. consistently my view is that it was not ownership that was the issue. i held that all the way through and still do by the way, the question is not a whether you have foreigner owners or british owners, or b, subject to competition and monopolies issues and trust issues about media ownership, the issue is the culture and rules under which people play. so, you know, that's -- it was, of course, i wasn't unaware of the fact that the murdoch media group would have been worried had we decided to launch some great inquiry into cross media ownership or media ownership. on the other hand, that's not actually the reason why we took the position we did. >> in terms of this schedule, which you compiled i think with assistance in the cabinet office to corroborate various meetings. i thi

election, it was suggested to me that i had to train makes an effort effort to get closer to the murdoch press. and i agree that i would invite mr. murdoch to dinner. we had a dinner in february february 1997. the dinner would have contained the usual amount of cortical casa to think that these occasions tend to have. but in the dinner became apparent and discussion that mr. murdoch said he really liked the european policies. this is no surprise to me. he didn't like a european policies and he wished me to change our european policies. if we could change our european policies, his watchers would not describe the governor. use the word we went referring to his newspapers. he didn't make the usual not towards editorial and dependent. there is no question as needs change he policies. read a great deal of this from goldsmith who set up a political party because he disagreed and wish to have a referendum on leaving the european union. said mr. murdoch and i did not pursue that. we did not pursue that matter. my feeling, and he did not say this. my feeling was what he was edging towards was a refere

press never touched the royals. they were out-of-bounds, as it were. then along came rupert murdochhe bought the "news of the world" and changed the whole name of the game. and that's when all the kind of scandal stuff started with the royals. when in a sense the murdoch press decided that the gloves were off and it was time to treat them like scandal fodder which helped to destroy them for a time. so when you say they made a foustian bargain they were like deers in the headlights, they didn't know how to cooperate or not cooperate. they tried to play the old game and it wasn't getting them anywhere. and diana%q#÷ was beating them t their game by manipulating them with the press and finally it also helped to destroy her. and i think the death of diana there was a feeling of guilt in the british press. there was definitely a feeling that they knew they had driven her to her death is the truth and the queen and prince william have been extremely tough on the press about invasion ever since. and actually william was given a hands-off treatment while he was at cambridge. they did sort o

before the 1997 election, it was suggested to me that i had to try and make to get closer to the murdoch press. and i agreed that i was inviting to mr. murdoch to dinner. then i had a dinner in february february 1997. it became apparent and discussion mr. murdoch said this is no surprise to me that he didn't like public policies. he wishes to change public policies. if i couldn't change policies, his papers could not and would not support the conservative government. as i recall, he used the word we went referring to his newspapers he didn't make the usual nod towards editorial independence. there was no question of me changing our policies. we had a great deal from sir james goldsmith to set up the referendum party because he disagreed with our political publicized and wish to have a referendum on leaving the european union. so mr. murdoch and i did not perceive that. we did not pursue that matter. my feeling, and he did not say this. my feeling is that what he was edging towards was a referendum on leaving the european union. but i made clear that was where i thought he was going by what he

the 1997 election, it was suggested to me that i should make some effort to get closer to the murdoch press. and i agreed that i would invite mr. murdoch to dinner. i did invite him to dinner. i had invited him in february of 1997. the dinner would have contained the little -- the usual amount of political gossip that these locations tend to have. then in the dinner it became apparent in discussion that mr. murdoch said that he really did not like european policies. this was no surprise to me. that he did not like our european policies, and wished he could change our european policies. if we could not change them, hit pay -- his papers could not and would not support the conservative government. as i recall, he used the word we it when referring to the newspapers. he did not make the usual mob towards editorial independence. hoss there was no question of me changing policies. we have talked about this a great deal because he disagreed with political policies and wished our referendum on leaving the union. i did not pursue that. i did not pursue that matter. my feeling, and he did not say th

2000, he recorded as having said you were quote, provoked by the continual attacks on you by the murdoch press and in the telegraph. but you set out in paragraph 61 your recollection of that conversation. but more importantly, your view of mr. murdoch a generally. can ask you, please, to address that? >> i don't remember the conversation with chris mullin. but he's a pretty honest guy. and what he writes that i said something much to me as though i might have said it to them. although he said the other side of the political fence, he was something of a distant friend to i don't mean a thing in the sense that a state of my house, but he had a -- which i rather admire. so i did talk to mr. mole. i think it's entirely likely that i said what he reports he is saying. sorry, he reported it as a private conversation but i think it is probably entirely accurate. as to my view of mr. murdoch, i was not an especially admirer of mr. murdoch's activities as a proprietor. i did recognize his enormous skill as a businessman, that he built up sky, that he had rescued the times and the "sunday times" when th

rupert murdoch reported in the press he had a conversation with bloomberg in which he described obaman he had ever met. this is no secret there's tension between these two camps. i think this quote is revealing of the sort of frustration in the bloomberg world that here's a man who has achieved so much and yet his limit is -- he's reached his limit politically as a mayor, and the office of the presidency is sort of out of bounds. so what does someone with that money, that media power, and that ambition do? >> can i also say, that quote to me, i thought it was a really well reported piece, really great piece, and i thought that quote also stuck out as a certain level of self-delusion to say the president is a supplicant. he's not writing huge checks to everybody that he needs to get on his side. to sort of casually toss this off, a huge part of the political strategy of this mayor, as you know, has been to use his personal fortune to curry favor with people he needs to curry favor with. that is not an option for the president of the united states. >> i don't think they see it that way.

tony blair defended his relationship with rupert murdoch this week before a british panel examining the relationships between politicians and the press. he told the panel that he had a working relationship with mr. murdoch during his time as prime minister, but added that they became personal friends after his time in office. later during the hearing a protester interrupted the proceedings, calling the former prime minister a war criminal. tony blair served as prime minister from 1997 to 2007. this is about four hours. >> the witness today is the honorable tony blair. >> thank you very much indeed. >> i swear by all mighty god that the evidence i shall give will be the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. >> your full name please, mr. blair. >> anthony charles lindon blair. >> you've kindly provided us with a witness statement. i haven't seen a signed copy but it doesn't matter. are you happy to confirm the truth of your statements to the inquiry? >> absolutely. >> i'll deal with some general matters first. before we do, mr. blair, thank you very much for providing the inquiry with the assistance that you have. you comme

murdoch will come on and talk about regulations of the press. i would say there's a very important check in the system which these are commercial products that need to be extolled to the public. if they're not affecting any of these soft views held by some part of the public than they may not sell the newspaper. so it is up to them to judge whether their correctly reflecting the views of the newspaper, but they certainly think they are. >> you feel about politicians get disproportionate weight of views -- may be claiming to represent? >> well, i think it's up to the individual politician, frankly. i think politicians are also held to account through the ballot box in this country. and if politicians are seen to be craving to newspapers, i think the public senses that and i think the public are much smarter than sometimes they're given credit for. and i would say there are moments when newspapers have full campaigns which are not obviously of the highest interest of the readers, but which they nevertheless think is very important. i could give yo

let's face it for murdoch he did support the press and the "times" in the uk is a good example if it. >> you wouldn't need to put a dividend on the growth stocks because it's all about growth. i want would enable two, three years down the line to come back. >> how does it impact other companies in the sector? >> i think all conglomerates are up for grabs. we saw last year mcgraw-hill, standard & poor is breaking itself up. others will follow. >> you mentioned bskyb. you think the long term area, the bid for them trying to buy bskyb. this will enable home to come back and get their asset. >> that's right. assuming all the investigations show no serious wrongdoing, yes. you're distancing the current management and distancing the audit trails. >> that could have a significant impact on the uk media landscape. >> the regulator in the uk here isn't that silly. time heals all wouldn't. >> who end up owning the british titles? >> newspaper titles. >> they have them in a separate company. is somebody else coming into the snap up those titles will we see a sea change of ownership. >> absolute

. >> was your strategy then, as your then press secretary george eustis has said, to create distance between yourself and mr. murdoch? >> i wouldn't put it like that. i'd won the leadership of the conservative party without the support of any newspapers practically. i think i won the leadership basically up through what i'd say the conservative party conference, and it was television that had helped me to get my message across. i wanted us to have a good relationship with newspapers. i knew we needed to win over more support, but to start with there were certainly some in my office content on doing things completely differently and operate more tlurp the internet and what have you. i was more cautious thinking about that thinking we wanted to work hard on television. we should do what we could with the newspapers, but i think that's the way it was. it wasn't quite sort of one set of circumstances after 2005, and then another set later on. >> well, mr. eustis has said -- i would invite you to comment on this -- which i was his press secretary we pursued a -- punctuating the editors and proprietors and raising the sta

have been giving evidence at the inquiry into press standards the inquiry last gordon brown and george was born about their relationship with rupert murdoch's media empire. over the past two decades, somalia has been characterized by lawlessness and turmoil. now the country is close to forming a new government. african union troops have fought to drive the militants group from the capital and restore normalcy to the country. gabriel is inside somalia and sent us this report. >> life is returning to this scarred city. the effects of war have been devastating. last august, a force of african union soldiers drove al shabob out of mogadishu. for the moment, the momentum is on their side. these you got interested in pursuing islamists -- these you gotta troops have been pursuing the islamists. they captured one of a strategic stronghold and a center of the bomb making. the yukon than -- ugandans have been helped. he absconded and made a phone on his mobile. the former al shabob commander. the punishment for desertion is harsh. if they catch him, he will slaughter him with his own hands. what was the mood amongst the fighters you were with? >> th

media ethics inquiry saying press regulations needed to improve cameron came under fire following the phone hacking scandal that rupert murdoch's now defunct news of the world's tabloid british officials were accused of helping the media giant of void investigation cameron was criticised for appointing disgraced tabloid editor andy colson as his communications director. torrential rains have swamped large areas of central china triggering mudslides and forcing hundreds from their homes officials have set up shelters to house those displaced by flooding villagers also have worked to save one man trapped amid the raging waters he was successfully pulled ashore after an hour of rescue efforts emergency repairs are underway with several highways being destroyed by landslides and cave ins. back to egypt now as the country waits to vote for a new president and parliament is ordered to be dissolved concern is building that the military is not prepared to completely give up political control policy or found out for many of the country's women it is limited domination that is their country the country's greatest worry. she's young and a

media ethics inquiry thank press regulation need to improve cameron came under fire following the phone hacking scandal at rupert murdoch's now defunct news of the world com white british officials were accused of helping the media giant avoid investigation cameron has also been criticized for the way he handled murdoch's bid to take over british sky broadcasting. toronto rains have swamp large areas of central time triggering mudslides and forcing hundreds from their homes officials have set up shelters to house those displaced by fighting emergency repairs are under way with several highways being destroyed by landslides and gave it. back to egypt now ahead of the presidential run off the muslim brotherhood is warning that the military could effectively take control of the country even after the election but if this woman is domination but some fear most especially the country's women as are accused policy or discover. she's young and ambitious and planning to become egypt's next president but she needs to wait ten years until she turn forty so she can run not for the sake of you know winning the seat or so but for the

six inquiries saying press regulations need to improve cameras come under fire after the phone hacking scandal at rupert murdoch's now defunct news of the world tabloid but officials were accused of helping the media giant avoid investigation cameras also been criticised for the way he handled murdoch's bid to take over pretty sky broadcasting. to ensure a range of large areas of central china is triggered mudslides and forced hundreds from their homes one person is missing and officials have set up shelters to house those displaced by the flooding villages also work to save one man trapped submitted raging waters they were successful thankfully sure after an hour of rescue efforts emergency repairs are underway with several highways had to be destroyed by landslides and cave ins. right bad weather bad economic news oh dear dimitris here next let's start with spain a downgrade now into near junk status today that is absolutely correct but i have to tell you that on the market i don't see much of a much of a negative reaction release everything is within one percent or drops that we're seeing on the stock market e

media ethics inquiry saying press regulations need to improve cameras come under fire after the phone hacking scandal at rupert murdoch's now defunct news of the world tabloid british officials were accused of helping the media giant avoid investigations think cameras are also being criticised for the way he handled murdoch's takeover sky broadcasting. bad weather here to wrenshaw rain in fact swamping large areas of central china as you can see it triggered mudslides and forced hundreds of people from the homes one person is missing tonight officials to set up shelters. involves a house or people that were displaced by the flooding villages also work to save one man who was trapped and made the raging waters these the pictures are not too clear we just see him there through the successfully pulled him ashore after an hour of rescue urgency repairs are underway with several highways being destroyed by landslides and cave ins the bad picture. right to me trees got the business news a bad picture of the weather is bad picture with the finances today is coming in from every which way isn't it data in the u.s. keep coming i

be inquiry saying press regulations need to improve cameras come under fire after the phone hacking scandal at rupert murdoch'snow defunct news of the world tabloid british officials who are accused of helping the media giant avoid investigation cameron is also being criticized for the way he handled murdoch's bid to take over pretty sky. treasury rates was large areas of said china is triggered mudslides and forced hundreds of people from the one person is missing and officials have set up shelters to house the people displaced by flooding but it is also work to try to save one man trapped amid the raging waters successfully though they did manage to pull them ashore one hour after of the rescue effort started their emergency repairs are underway to with several highways that have been destroyed by the landslides and cave ins. classified documents highlighting the obama administration's achievements in his war on terror have been leaked to the us media the white house is facing tough criticism for what some claim was a deliberate league for the sake of political gain one former foreign service officer at the

murdoch on the evening of the press awards. do you remember it? two issues i have been asked to raise with you. were others present on that occasion? >> i do not think so. >> the names listed here represent the relevant individuals there? >> to the best of m recollection. if we get further along, i will correct you. i do not remember anyone else there. >> was bskyb raised on that occasion? >> i do not think it was. >> can you tell us what was discussed in general terms? >> it was a general discussion about the political situation and what the government was up 2 at the time. >> ok. i will on then to issues of media regulation. mr. osborne. >> yes. >> the balance between freedom of the press, the responsibility of the rights of others. how important do you see the issue of individual harm and collective harm and harm heavily in the balance against the important rights of freedom of speech? >> my instinct is to err on the side of freedom of speech, just because i think that when you try to construct a test of some other public interest, you are at r

press ethics which he set up. he fielded questions about murdoch's news international and its ties to the government. friendship with former murdoch executive rebecca brooks. and the texas billionaire who defrauded thousands of investors in one of the largest ponzi schemes in u.s. history was sentenced to 110 years in prison today. allen stanford is convicted of selling $7 billion worth of fake deposits to an offshore bank in antigua. the financier is appealing the conviction. >>> the hailstorms that battered northern texas last night left damage, roofs, about baseball-sized dents in cars, adding up to $400 million in damage. the national weather service calls the storms the worst to hit the dallas area since 2003. three people were hurt. there's some kind of damage there. look at that. unbelievable. >> i've seen hail before, but nothing like that. tonight's moment you may have missed. there we go. >> 3, 2, 1. >> that's the sweet sound of cupcake ammo being launched from a cannon. cupcake tank. celebrating the army's 237th birthday. you're looking at 5,000 cupcakes, 200 pounds of camouflage frosting

media ethics and court inquiry saying pressed regulations need to improve cameron has come under fire following the phone hacking scandal that report murdoch's now defunct news of the world tabloid british officials were accused of helping the media giant ovoid investigation cameron has also been criticised for the way he handled murdoch's to take over british sky broadcasting. to rental rains have large areas of central china triggering mudslides and forcing hundreds from their homes one person is missing and officials have set up shelters to house was displaced by flooding villagers also work to save one man trapped amid the raging waters he was successfully polder sore after an hour of rescue efforts emergency repairs are underway with several highways being destroyed by landslides and cave ins. back to egypt now ahead of the presidential runoff the muslim brotherhood is warning that the military could have effectively taken troll of the country even after the election but it's islamist domination that some poor most especially the country's women as artie's polis they are discovered. she's young and in vicious and planning to become egyp

media ethics inquiry saying press regulations need to improve cameras come under fire of self after the phone hacking scandal that rupert murdoch's now defunct news of the world tabloid british officials were accused of helping the media giant avoid investigation is also being criticised for the way he handled murdoch's paid the takeover of british sky broadcasting. trencher rain swan large areas of central china is triggered mudslides and forced hundreds of people from their homes one person is missing officials have set up shelters to house the people displaced by the flooding and take a look at this village is also working to save one man trapped amid the raging waters is a quick shot we can see the peril he was in may thankfully he was pulled ashore after an hour of those frantic rescue efforts we think he's alive and well tonight emergency repairs are underway with several highways being destroyed by landslides and caves. the ongoing dispute over the falkland islands between britain and argentina will be discussed by u.n. committee later today in new york it's thirty years now to the day since the war over the british territ

press needs to be improved. he's scheduled to testify all day answering questions about his relationship with rupert murdoch's news corporation. >>> "the new york times" looks at jpmorgan's ceo testifying to congress about his bank's multibillion dollar trading loss. jamie dimon apologized to a senate committee but also pointed out that no client, customer or taxpayer money was affected. dimon says some chase executives may have their pay taken back. >>> the buffalo news reports police are searching for a suspected surgeon suspected of fatally shooting his ex-girlfriend. the victim told friends that dr. timothy jordan had abused her and was stalking her. >> san francisco has a serious problem with panhandle letters. city official rs starting a new program, paying them to be foster parents for homeless dogs. the goal is to teach them people skills so they can get jobs working with animals. >>> in dallas this morning, they are cleaning up after one of the worst hail storms there in recent history. >> this is the biggest hailstorm i have ever witnessed in my life. >> baseball-sized hail, look at the damage from that.

murdoch was there. [inaudible] >> certainly. prime minister, we have a break. >> very good. >> all lives. >> british prime minister david cameron answered questions yesterday from the levinson include looking into the connection between politicians and the pressluence on british politicians and in the next hour and half portion, mr. chairman goes into detail about his friendship with former news international executive rebekah brooks. >> mr. cameron, may we look at some individual entries into your schedule d.c. 2. i'm not going to look at that many. first of all, the 16th of december, 2005, which is our page -- that the and elizabeth freud. says the social. spent yesterday and matthew freud i must have known for some 20 years. he married someone i was just university with. so i have known him since then. i'm trying to find the page but i think it was a social occasion. >> now elizabeth freud, how long have you known her? >> i suppose since they got married but i can't put a date on it. >> your first meeting here with rupert murdoch as your witness statement made earlier account before your leader. the first of february, '06 drinks. is it unfair to ask you one particular case which was six years ago, do you think that was a one on one as a wo

murdoch tabloid that she once ran. we have a report from gary gibbon of independent television news. >> reporter: last summer, david cameron said politicians got too close to the press bosses. the court room today got a flavor of how close. with rebekah brooks, the news >> i think what it means was that as she put, we're friends but professionally-- me as leader of the conservative party and her in newspapers-- we were going to be pushing the same political agenda. >> reporter: david cameron rubbished gordon brown's claim that to win murdoch newspapers' support, david cameron had switched policies on media regulation and the bbc. there was, he insisted, no pre- election grand bargain with the murdochs. >> there was no overt deal for support. there was no covert deal. there was no nods and winks. there was a conservative politician-- me-- trying to win over newspapers, trying to win over television, trying to win over proprietors, but not trading policies for that support. mr. cameron claimed he was more >> reporter: lord justice leveson wanted to know just how far down the track of new rules for the press the prime minister is willing to go. >> sreenivasan: cameron