9:47pm UK, Friday July 15, 2011
Tadhg Enright, business reporter
Eight European banks have failed a so-called stress test designed to show their ability to cope with economic shocks such as a sharp drop in economic growth or a decline on the stock markets.
The tests, which have been applied to Europe's 91 biggest banks, are designed to win back the confidence of investors and markets from which they borrow.
The four UK banks subjected to the tests - Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds Banking Group and Royal Bank of Scotland - were shown to have passed the threshold of having reserves worth more than 5% of the value of their liabilities.
A further 16 banks were shown to have barely passed - having reserves worth between 5% and 6% of their liabilities - and have been encouraged to raise their capital ratios to more healthy levels.
Five of the failing banks are in Spain where the solvency of local savings banks, known as Cajas, have been in doubt throughout the financial crisis.
Two banks failed in Greece, where the bailed-out economy remains in recession as it struggles to escape from a mountain of debt.
One Austrian bank failed the test while a German bank withdrew from the process when it learned that it would also fail.
Like all testing processes, there need to be enough failures to make the success of others appear suitably difficult to achieve.
Tadhg Enright
The London based European Banking Authority (EBA) estimates that the failing banks need to raise a total of 2.5bn euros to meet capital requirements.
Bank officials will spend the weekend devising fundraising plans to win back the confidence of the markets before trading resumes on Monday.
Among their options are sell-offs of non-core assets, issuing new shares to raise money from private investors or negotiating government bailouts.
Banks that cannot raise new funds could lose the confidence of their customers, have their shares dumped by investors and be refused credit from debt markets, leading to their eventual collapse.
It is the second time that European banks have been subjected to the stress test and the EBA has applied tougher criteria after last year's test was seen by many as having been too lenient.
This year, banks were asked to demonstrate their ability to cope with a 0.5% drop in economic growth in the Eurozone and a 15% drop in stockmarkets.
They have also been asked to reveal how much debt they hold in troubled eurozone countries, such as Greece and Ireland.
Critics have argued that the criteria should have included a bank's ability to withstand a default by Greece on its debts, which many believe is an inevitable outcome to its financial crisis.
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===
Reuters
Europe's banks could cope with a Greek haircut
(Refiles to replace repeated "Italian" with "Irish" in third paragraph)
(The authors are Reuters Breakingviews columnists. The opinions expressed are their own)
Banks could cope with a Greek haircut
By George Hay and Peter Thal Larsen
LONDON, July 18 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Europe's banks can mostly deal with a fat haircut on their holdings of Greek sovereign debt. That's the conclusion of a Breakingviews analysis of data disclosed by lenders under the European Union's latest stress tests.
Officially, just eight banks failed this year's stress tests, with a capital shortfall of 2.5 billion euros. But the exam had a major flaw: it did not require banks to apply a haircut to the majority of their holdings of euro zone peripheral debt. That's at odds with reality: any revised bailout package for Greece is likely to force banks to recognise at least some losses on their debt.
The Breakingviews test shows what would happen under such a scenario. It takes the banks' holdings of sovereign debt in their banking books and applies a haircut to Greek, Portuguese, Italian, Spanish and Irish bonds based on where the countries' 5-year bonds were trading last Friday. The value of Greek bonds, for example, is slashed in half.
As a result, the Breakingviews test shows 27 banks failing the test, with an overall capital hole of around 25 billion euros -- 10 times the official number.
That sounds scary. But the biggest problem is in Greece itself, where the resulting capital hole is 13.6 billion euros. This is not much more than the 10 billion euros that Greece has already set aside to recapitalise failing banks.
There's also a knotty problem for Cyprus. The two Cypriot banks covered by the test would face a capital hole of 2 billion euros. Although that's 11 percent of GDP, the government's own debt is 61 percent of GDP so it could stump up the cash if it had to.
Portugal and Spain also take a hit under the Breakingviews test, with capital shortfalls of 3.3 billion euros and 6 billion euros respectively. But in the context of those countries' economies, that is not a huge amount.
Investors may quibble with some of Breakingviews' assumptions. In particular, some may feel the pass mark core Tier 1 ratio of 5 percent is too low. Raise it to 6 percent, and the number of failing banks jumps to 38, and the capital hole goes up to 45 billion euros.
The tests do not mean that euro zone leaders can just merrily let Greece default. They need to recapitalise their banks sufficiently to deal with such an event -- not merely to deal with the stresses envisaged in the official tests. And they need to put in other firewalls to deal with the second-order impact of a default.
But if they do that, a Greek default need not be a disaster.
CONTEXT NEWS
-- Twenty-seven European banks would have to raise 25.7 billion euros of fresh capital according to a Breakingviews stress test of the sector's sovereign debt exposures.
-- Results of the official stress tests revealed by the European Banking Authority on July 15 found that eight lenders had failed to maintain a core Tier 1 capital ratio of 5 percent under a stressed scenario. The capital shortfall was 2.5 billion euros. An additional bank from Germany, Helaba, pulled out of the tests last week and is thought to have also failed.
-- The EBA test subjected banks' exposures of sovereign debt held in their trading books to a haircut based on a market shock. However, most banks hold government bonds in their banking books, which are not marked to market. Instead, the EBA required banks to set aside some provisions for lowly-rated sovereign debt in their banking books.
-- The Breakingviews test applied a haircut to banking book exposures for banks' holdings of Greek, Portuguese, Irish, Italian and Spanish sovereign debt. The haircut is based on the market price of 5-year bonds on July 15.
-- Greek debt is therefore haircut by 52.8 percent, Portuguese debt by 33.3 percent and Irish debt by 38.5 percent. Italian and Spanish bonds are haircut by 5.7 percent and 8.6 percent, respectively.
-- The aggregate haircut was then deducted from the banks' stressed Core Tier 1 capital ratio, after adding back provisions banks had set aside to cover potential sovereign losses. The calculation does not factor in any tax benefits from greater losses.
-- Under the Breakingviews scenario, all six Greek banks fall short of a 5 percent core Tier 1 capital ratio, with a capital requirement of 13.6 billion euros. Marfin and Bank of Cyprus would also fail and need 2 billion euros of extra capital.
-- Thirteen Spanish lenders fail the Breakingviews tests, up from 5 in the official exam, with a combined capital shortfall of almost 6 billion euros. Portugal's four lenders would require a total capital injection of3.3 billion euros.
-- EBA results: http://stress-test.eba.europa.eu/
((george.hay@thomsonreuters.com; peter.thal.larsen@thomsonreuters.com))
(Editing by Hugo Dixon and David Evans)
===
Reuters
EU banks' stress test hangovers aren't equally bad
(The author is a Reuters Breakingviews columnist. The opinions expressed are his own)
By George Hay
LONDON, July 20 (Reuters Breakingviews) - Europe's banks have had their exam results, and they were hardly prize winning. Although only eight of the 90 banks that sat the European bank stress tests failed even to muster 5 percent core Tier 1 ratios, a further 16 did not get above 6 percent. The good news is that over half of the candidates tested can point to actions they are taking to recapitalise. The bad news is that some of these plans are more credible than others.
The teacher's pets are, for the most part, the Spanish banks. Although 5 of the country's 25 lenders participating in the test failed, they have an excuse. The European Banking Authority, which set the test rules, did not allow them to include generic provisions -- cash they have set aside to cover non-specific future losses -- towards capital. That looks harsh.
Adding back these provisions does wonders for Spanish banks' capital strength. Banca Civica came close to failing the test with a core Tier 1 capital ratio of 5.6 percent under stress. Include generic provisions and the ratio leaps to 9.4 percent. Mandatory contingent convertible notes issued by the Cypriot lenders, Bank of Cyprus and Marfin, are in a similar category. Though they did not meet the EBA's strict criteria, they boost each bank's capital ratio by over 3 percentage points.
HSH Nordbank's plans don't look nearly as robust. The German landesbank's 5.5 percent capital ratio under the test is improved by a 3.6 percent uplift from mitigating factors. But this comes from so-called "disinvestments and restructuring measures". Achieving these depends on HSH selling assets at the right price. National Bank of Greece's planned 2 percent uplift similarly hinges on disposals.
Shaky mitigation schemes are bad enough. But if euro zone peripheral government bonds had been marked to market prices, 27 of the 90 banks tested would fall below 5 percent, according to Reuters Breakingviews' own stress test. The problem may then be then not just be that banks' contingency plans aren't very robust, but that some of the lenders in trouble do not have any such plans at all.
-- Graphic: Effect of mitigating measures: http://r.reuters.com/tad72s
-- Breakingviews euro zone bank stress tests calculator: http://r.reuters.com/jyw62s
CONTEXT NEWS
-- Just over half the banks stress-tested by the European Banking Authority on July 15 announced measures to increase their capital strength by the end of 2012.
-- The EBA's disclosure for each of the 90 banks tested shows that 47 assume that their capital position after a macro and sovereign shock would be augmented by various measures. These include generic provisions already booked, convertible bonds, and disposal programmes that have not yet been completed.
-- ATE Bank of Greece assumes the highest uplift from these mitigating factors, with a 6.8 percent benefit from provisions and equity-raisings. Oesterreichische Volksbank assumes a 5.3 percent increase, while Spain's Banca March envisages a 4.3 percent uplift.
((george.hay@thomsonreuters.com))
(Editing by Peter Thal Larsen and David Evans)
===
No bank tax in Franco-German deal on Greece
Options on the table to address euro zone crisis
3:45am EDT
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By Gernot Heller and Luke Baker
BERLIN/BRUSSELS | Thu Jul 21, 2011 4:44am EDT
(Reuters) - Germany and France have ruled out a bank tax after reaching a common position on a second bailout of Greece to prevent the country's debt crisis spreading through Europe, EU sources said on Thursday.
The accord came after seven hours of talks late into Wednesday night between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy in Berlin, sources in both governments said.
European Central Bank President Jean-Claude Trichet joined Merkel and Sarkozy for part of their talks and one source said their agreement, kept secret to avoid offending other euro group leaders at a summit on Thursday, had his blessing.
"You should assume that there will not be a banking tax," the source told Reuters.
Another source involved in preparatory talks for the emergency summit of the 17-nation currency area confirmed that the banking tax proposal, raised last week, had been dropped.
While few details of the Franco-German deal emerged, the sources said it would include private sector involvement that should not cause either a default or selective default of Greek debt, a red line for the ECB.
The risk premium investors demand to hold peripheral euro zone government bonds rather than benchmark German Bunds fell on Thursday on news of the Franco-German agreement.
"There are huge expectations something will be done... the big disappointment could come from how quickly they can implement things. They can agree principles but implementation will take a long while," said Peter Schaffrik, a strategist at RBC Capital Markets.
The 115 billion euro second Greek rescue package would involve both more official funding from the euro zone rescue fund and the IMF and a contribution by private sector bondholders on which two senior bankers will make a presentation to leaders on Thursday, the sources said.
Baudoin Prot of BNP Paribas, the French bank with the biggest exposure to Greek debt, and Deutsche Bank chief executive Josef Ackermann, chairman of the International Institute of Finance, a banking lobby that has led talks among bankers, will attend, banking sources said.
The leaders are due to meet at 1100 GMT but the start could well be delayed as euro zone sherpas work to thrash out details of an agreement, officials said.
The aim is to make Greece's debt more sustainable and prevent fears of a disorderly default from poisoning access to the bond market for bigger states such as Italy and Spain.
SUPPLEMENT
The new bailout would supplement a 110 billion euro ($156 billion) rescue plan for Greece launched in May last year. Ireland and Portugal have since received similar rescues and Italian and Spanish debt has come under attack this month, spreading the crisis to countries that are too big to save with the EU's current fire-fighting instruments.
Worried about the impact on financial markets and wary of angering their own taxpayers, euro zone governments have struggled for several weeks to agree on major aspects of the plan, especially a contribution by private sector investors.
The euro rose moderately against the dollar in response to the Franco-German announcement. Providing fresh money to Greece and arranging for commercial banks to participate could face legal and technical obstacles.
The head of the European Commission, Jose Manuel Barroso, warned on Wednesday that the global economy would suffer if Europe could not summon the political will to act decisively on Greece.
"Nobody should be under any illusion: the situation is very serious. It requires a response, otherwise the negative consequences will be felt in all corners of Europe and beyond," Barroso told a news conference.
Britain's finance minister George Osborne, in an interview with the Financial Times published on Thursday, said failure could produce an economic crisis as serious as the recession which followed the global credit crash of 2008.
NOT CLEAR
Barroso said a solution to Greece's problems must include steps to ensure the sustainability of Greek public finances, private sector involvement in funding for Athens, more flexible use of the euro zone's bailout fund, repair of the region's banking system, and liquidity to keep the Greek economy going.
It was not clear how many of these steps were included in the Franco-German accord.
Four competing proposals have been circulating for private sector involvement: a rollover of Greek government bonds as they mature, a swap of bonds for debt with longer maturities, a buy-back of Greek debt at a discount to its face value, and a tax on European banks.
Germany and France had been at odds on these proposals, with Berlin promoting a bond swap and France suggesting a rollover or a tax. The ECB had complicated the argument by opposing any step that might cause credit rating agencies to declare Greek debt in default.
The IMF, whose new head Christine Lagarde will also attend, has told euro zone leaders they should put more money into their bailout fund, the 440 billion euro European Financial Stability Facility, and let it buy government bonds of weak states on the secondary market. Investors also hope it will be permitted to extend precautionary credit lines to countries at risk.
Germany has previously blocked allowing the EFSF to buy bonds, which would require changes in the fund's rules that would have to be ratified by national parliaments, and could fall foul of critics in Germany, the Netherlands and Finland.
Regardless of the details of the Franco-German accord, Thursday's summit is very unlikely to mark a complete resolution of the crisis, as Merkel herself acknowledged earlier this week.
A second bailout may simply keep Greece afloat for a number of months before a tougher decision has to be made on writing off more of its debt.
In any case, many economists believe the only way out of the euro zone's debt crisis in the long run may be closer integration of national fiscal policies -- for example, a joint euro zone guarantee for countries' bonds, or issuance of a joint euro zone bond to finance all countries.
Germany has firmly ruled out such steps, but Osborne said the second Greek bailout would only be a step toward a necessary fiscal union in the euro zone.
(additional reporting by Emmanuel Jarry in Berlin, Philipp Halstrick in Frankfurt, Emilia Sithole-Matarise in London; writing by Andrew Torchia and Paul Taylor, editing by Janet McBrde)
==============================
EU bank stress-test winners still short of capital Most European banks passed the exam, at least on a headline level. But the accompanying disclosures make them look less robust up close. Investors can use the new clarity to push for extra capital buffers. These would help lenders cope with the risks of euro zone deflation.
Italy’s bank debacle could be useful for Renzi Italian banks’ poor showing in Europe’s stress test has sparked protest from the Bank of Italy. But for reforming Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, shocks to the system aren’t unhelpful. He can use the mess to reform ailing lenders so they can support the shaky economy.
Breakingviews TV: Stressed out?
Dominic Elliott and George Hay say Europe’s bank review has done just enough to avoid looking like a whitewash.
Watch the view
Europe's bank stress test warrants a narrow pass The analysis has enough nasties to avoid appearing a whitewash. And it has a big loser: Monte dei Paschi is a massive 2 bln euros short, amid other predicted failures. But while the bigger lenders passed and the air has been cleared, it may yet fail to spur credit supply.
World's oldest bank faces radical treatment Monte dei Paschi will struggle to plug its 2 bln euro stress-test hole and stay independent. Investors in the last cash call got burned. The clean solution would be a takeover. But with buyers in short supply, a breakup may be required. It’s a big setback for the Bank of Italy.
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===============================
ECB fails 25 banks in health check but problems largely solved
Sun, Oct 26 16:18 PM EDT
image
1 of 2
By Laura Noonan and Eva Taylor
FRANKFURT (Reuters) - Roughly one in five of the euro zone's top lenders failed landmark health checks at the end of last year but most have since repaired their finances, the European Central Bank said on Sunday.
Painting a brighter picture than had been expected, the ECB found the biggest problems in Italy, Cyprus and Greece but concluded that banks' capital holes had since chiefly been plugged, leaving only a modest 10 billion euros ($12.7 billion) to be raised.
Italy faces the biggest challenge with nine of its banks falling short and two still needing to raise funds.
The test, designed to mark a clean start before the ECB takes on supervision of the banks next month, said Monte dei Paschi (BMPS.MI) had the largest capital hole to fill at 2.1 billion euros.
The exercise provides the clearest picture yet of the health of the euro zone's banks more than seven years after the eruption of a financial crisis that almost bankrupted a handful of countries and threatened to fracture the currency bloc.
While 25 of the euro zone's 130 biggest banks failed the health check at the end of last year with a total capital shortfall of 25 billion euros, a dozen have already raised 15 billion euros this year to make repairs.
A recent investor survey by Goldman Sachs found they believed the ECB ought to ask lenders to raise an additional 51 billion euros of capital for the tests to be credible.
Although investors may take heart, it remains to be seen whether the exercise can spur banks to lend more as the region's economic growth stutters to a virtual halt. (Spur: A short or stunted branch of a tree.1. To ride quickly by spurring a horse.
2. To proceed in haste.)
European Central Bank Vice President Vitor Constancio said the results could encourage banks to lend.
"There is some pick up (in demand), but it is still slight," Constancio told Reuters. "All this now can really start to change the environment and we hope it will also change the reality."
Alongside Italy, regulators said three Greek banks, three Cypriots, two from both Belgium and Slovenia, and one each from France, Germany, Austria, Ireland and Portugal had also missed the grade as of end-2013.
Analysts generally gave the results a cautious welcome, saying they marked the beginning rather than the end of a banking clean-up in Europe.
"I consider the stress test as an important partial success, which will help reduce uncertainty," said Marcel Fratzscher, president of Germany's DIW economic institute.
"However, important challenges remain unsolved. The stress test alone will not end the credit crunch for small and mid-sized companies in Southern Europe."
Some were more critical. "This seems as if it has been pretty unstressful," said Karl Whelan, an economist with University College Dublin.
"The real issue is the size of the capital shortfall and that is very, very small. I don't feel a whole lot more reassured about the health of the banking system today than last week."
The exercise nonetheless provided a snapshot of banks' vital statistics and forced them, for example, to revise the amount of risky loans - which have not been serviced in 90 days - upwards by 136 billion euros to 879 billion.
CLEAN-UP AHEAD
The exercise, which saw officials trawl through more than 40 million individual bank figures, had two parts – a strict review by the ECB of assets such as loans, followed by a wider test of how banks would cope with a new economic crash.
It is the fourth attempt by Europe to clean the stables of its financial sector and has been billed as much the most rigorous.
Previous efforts failed to spot problems, giving lenders in Ireland a clean bill of health shortly before a banking crash drove the country to the brink of financial collapse.
"It is credible," said Nicolas Veron of Brussels think tank Bruegel. "But it is only the start of a longer sequence of cleanup that will extend well into 2015."
The ECB's passmark was for banks to have high-quality capital of at least 8 percent of their risk-weighted assets, a measure of the riskiness of a banks' loans and other assets, if the economy grows as expected over the next three years, and capital of at least 5.5 percent if it slides into recession.
Banks with a capital shortfall will have to say within two weeks how they intend to close the gap. They will then be given up to nine months to do so.
UNBLOCKING LENDING
The ECB staked its reputation on delivering a thorough assessment in an attempt to draw a line under years of financial and economic strife in the bloc.
For many banks, the biggest impact of the tests was not in identifying capital holes but in finding that their assets, such as loans, had been overvalued.
In total, the ECB said banks had been valuing their loans and assets at 48 billion euros more than they are really worth. This was because they had not recognised 136 billion euros of bad loans.
That accounted for 11 billion of the 25 billion euros banks were collectively short of at the end of last year. It also eroded 37 billion euros of capital amongst the banks that passed.
Among the major listed banks, the biggest hits were to Greece's Piraeus bank, whose core capital fell by 3.7 percentage points after the ECB adjusted the bank's capital to reflect the new asset valuations.
Monte dei Paschi's capital was reduced by almost a third. There was also a big impact on Austria's Erste Bank.
The adjustments put many banks in an uncomfortable position. Thirty-one had core capital below the 10 percent mark viewed by investors as a safety threshold, while a further 28 were had ratios just 1 percentage point above.
The ECB will not immediately force lenders with overvalued assets to take remedial action but they will have to hold more capital eventually, leaving less room to expand, lend or pay dividends.
For overall lending, the more fundamental question is whether the demand for credit is there in a moribund euro zone economy. (Moribund: 1. Approaching death; about to die.
2. On the verge of becoming obsolete: moribund customs; a moribund way of life.)
(Additional reporting by John O'Donnell and Paul Carrel in Frankfurt, Huw Jones, Steve Slater and Clare Hutchison in London, Carmel Crimmins in Dublin and Michelle Martin in Berlin. Writing by Mike Peacock and John O'Donnell, editing by Alexander Smith and David Evans)
======================================
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Friday, July 15, 2011
Hacking fallout continues as Dow Jones chief quits
Phone hacking: Les Hinton, CEO of Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones, resigns
Les Hinton, the head of News Corp's flagship American newspaper and a trusted, long-serving executive, resigned on Friday over his role in the phone-hacking scandal that has rocked Rupert Murdoch's global media company.
Rupert Murdoch sits alongside Les Hinton (left)
Rupert Murdoch sits alongside Les Hinton (left) Photo: GETTY
Alex Spillius
By Alex Spillius, Washington
11:13PM BST 15 Jul 2011
Comments39 Comments
He became the first high profile casualty of the controversy in the United States, where he had been chief executive of the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones, a financial news service, since Mr Murdoch's takeover in late 2007.
In his resignation letter, Mr Hinton, 67, apologised for the "pain caused to innocent people" by repeated illegal intrusions by News of the World reporters and private detectives.
Mr Hinton was in charge of News International, Mr Murdoch's British newspaper division, from 1997 to 2007, when most of the egregious cases of phone tampering that have come to light occurred.
Maintaining his insistence that he believed one reporter had been acting alone, he said: "That I was ignorant of what apparently happened is irrelevant and in the circumstances I feel it is proper for me to resign."
He continued: "When I left News International in December 2007, I believed that the rotten element at the News of the World had been eliminated, that important lessons had been learned and that journalistic integrity was restored.
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"There had never been any evidence delivered to me that suggested the conduct had spread beyond one journalist. If others had evidence that wrongdoing went further, I was not told about it."
His resignation came hours after Rebekah Brooks, his successor as head of NI and a former News of the World editor, also stood down after intense pressure. The scandal earlier forced Mr Murdoch to drop his bid for total control of BSkyB, the pay-TV service.
Mr Murdoch said in a statement that he had accepted Mr Hinton's resignation with "much sadness" and that the two of them had "been on a remarkable journey together for more than 52 years". "That this passage has come to an unexpected end, professionally, not personally, is a matter of much sadness to me," he said.
"I vividly recall an enthusiastic young man in the offices of my first newspaper in Adelaide, where Les joined the company as a 15-year-old and had the rather unenviable task of buying me sandwiches for lunch."
Mr Murdoch added that "News Corporation is not Rupert Murdoch. It is the collective creativity and effort of many thousands of people around the world, and few individuals have given more to this company than Les Hinton."
Mr Hinton had worked continuously for Mr Murdoch since joining one of the Australian newspapers that were the foundation of the News Corps operation as at the age of 15.
Few people were closer to the tycoon, and he held a variety of senior posts, including leading the Fox television station network and the American newspaper division, which includes The New York Post, before the highly prized capture of the Wall Street Journal.
Given the industrial scale of phone-tapping, bribery and other misconduct now acknowledged by the company, media experts questioned how Mr Hinton did not know what was going on.
There was a risk that his continued presence at the Journal, which built its reputation on arduously researched news stories, would become a detriment to the 122-year-old title.
His departure will be designed to limit the damage to the US-based News Corps, which accounts for most of Mr Murdoch's business and profits.
===
Murdoch apologizes over scandal; two lieutenants out
Reuters
By Yinka Adegoke and Georgina Prodhan – 1 hr 36 mins ago
NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Rupert Murdoch apologized to victims of criminal phone hacking by one of his tabloids and accepted the resignations of News Corp's top two newspaper executives, Rebekah Brooks and Les Hinton.
Moving to gain control of a scandal washing over his global business, the U.S.-based magnate made a personal apology to the parents of a murdered schoolgirl in what appeared to be an admission that the News of the World, then edited by Brooks and overseen by Hinton, had in 2002 hacked into the voicemails of their missing daughter.
It was that damning allegation, in a rival newspaper 10 days ago, which reignited a 5-year-old scandal that has forced Murdoch to close the News of the World, Britain's best-selling Sunday paper, and drop a $12 billion plan to buy full control of highly profitable pay-TV operator BSkyB.
The crisis has broken the grip that Murdoch, 80, had over British politics for three decades as leaders from Margaret Thatcher, through Labor's Tony Blair to current Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron sought his support.
It has also forced him to make concessions to public calls that the executives who were in charge at the time of the scandal be held accountable.
Known for his loyalty to those close to him, Murdoch backed down on Friday and accepted the resignations of confidants Brooks and Hinton, a 52-year veteran of the company and the top executive of Dow Jones, publisher of the Wall Street Journal.
With these departures, attention will now turn to Murdoch's son and presumed successor, James, who took over the European operations of News Corp just as the crisis was beginning. He has admitted to approving the payment of out-of-court settlements when he did not have a complete picture of what had happened.
A direct apology from Rupert Murdoch, who has been summoned to answer questions before a parliamentary committee next Tuesday, will be carried in all national newspapers this weekend under the headline "We are sorry." The text was released by News International.
"The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself," Murdoch wrote in the article, which was signed off "Sincerely, Rupert Murdoch."
"We are sorry for the serious wrongdoing that occurred. We are deeply sorry for the hurt suffered by the individuals affected," he added.
"In the coming days, as we take further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused, you will hear more from us."
He also met parents of Milly Dowler, a 13-year-old abducted in 2002 and found murdered six months later. Police are investigating whether someone engaged by the News of the World not only listened in to the missing teenager's cellphone mailbox but deleted some messages to make room for more.
That misled police hunting for her and gave her parents false hope that their daughter might still be alive. Brooks, now 43, was then editor of the News of the World and has denied knowing of any such practices at the time.
"He apologized many times," said Mark Lewis, the Dowler family lawyer. "I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times to say that they were sorry."
BRITISH PM UNDER FIRE
The resignation of Hinton, 67, was greeted by gasps and a stunned silence at the Wall Street Journal, where he served as publisher, despite mounting speculation that Hinton could be toppled by transgressions that occurred when he ran News International prior to Brooks.
"I have watched with sorrow from New York as the News of the World story has unfolded," Hinton wrote in his resignation letter.
"That I was ignorant of what apparently happened is irrelevant and in the circumstances I feel it is proper for me to resign from News Corp, and apologize to those hurt by the actions of the News of the World," he added.
Brooks had resisted pressure to quit, but finally resigned as chief executive of News International after a top News Corp shareholder, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, said she had to go.
The former editor of the News of the World and of flagship daily tabloid The Sun, was a favorite of Rupert Murdoch, who described her as his first priority just days ago.
In her place, he named News Corp veteran Tom Mockridge, who has spent the past eight years running Sky Italia.
Speaking before Friday's resignation Murdoch had defended the way his managers had handled the crisis in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
He spoke of "minor mistakes" and dismissed suggestions, floated by some shareholders, that he should sell off the troubled newspaper businesses on which his empire was founded but which bring in only limited profits.
Yet within a day of what sounded like an effort to play down the scandal, his abrupt change of tack into a hand-wringing mea culpa appeared aimed at shoring up the wider company.
The scandal has shaken Prime Minister Cameron, who is under fire for his personal relationship with Brooks and for hiring another ex-editor of the News of the World as his spokesman.
Cameron suffered another blow on Friday when an aide said he had hosted a visit from his former spokesman Andy Coulson in March this year -- two months after Coulson quit his job.
He now faces a showdown with parliament on Tuesday when lawmakers on the media committee grill him, his son James and Brooks. During an angry debate this week, one legislator called him a "cancer on the body politic."
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===
トム・ワトソン told (about James Murdoch): "Because she has taken so long to go I think the focus will very swiftly move on to James Murdoch now and what he knew and what he was involved in,"
smh Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:13:00 AM CEST
Claire Enders said: "It is obvious that the company is finally listening fully to the political noise around it and is finally taking seriously the issues that have emerged around alleged offences at News International,"
smh Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:13:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
chinadaily Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:05:00 AM CEST
James Murdoch said: "We will follow this up in the future with communications about the actions we have taken to address the wrongdoing that occurred,"
chinadaily Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:05:00 AM CEST
Michael Wolff said (about Мердок Руперт): "One of Murdoch's central executives in the US has been fired," "This is yet another dramatic move designed to quell the rising tide of opprobrium against News Corporation , but the problem is it is just going to increase the opprobrium"
guardian Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:01:00 AM CEST
Michael Wolff said (about Les Hinton): "Hinton's strategy has been to keep his head down,"
guardian Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:01:00 AM CEST
Мердок Руперт wrote: "The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself,"
news-yahoo Saturday, July 16, 2011 1:57:00 AM CEST
Les Hinton wrote: "I have watched with sorrow from New York as the News of the World story has unfolded,"
news-yahoo Saturday, July 16, 2011 1:57:00 AM CEST
Мердок Руперт promised: "further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused"
smh Saturday, July 16, 2011 1:22:00 AM CEST
Marc Levis said: "I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times and said that they were sorry,"
smh Saturday, July 16, 2011 1:22:00 AM CEST
Max Cliford said: "This will be crushing for her,"
CBC Saturday, July 16, 2011 12:50:00 AM CEST
Мердок Руперт added: "News Corporation is not Rupert Murdoch. It is the collective creativity and effort of many thousands of people around the world, and few individuals have given more to this company than Les Hinton"
telegraph Saturday, July 16, 2011 12:39:00 AM CEST
Мердок Руперт said (about Les Hinton): "Les and I have been on a remarkable journey together for more than 52 years," "That this passage has come to an unexpected end, professionally, not personally, is a matter of much sadness to me"
abc-au Saturday, July 16, 2011 12:04:00 AM CEST
Les Hinton said: "I have watched with sorrow from New York as the News of the World story has unfolded,"
abc-au Saturday, July 16, 2011 12:04:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "At News International we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones. The reputation of the company we love so much, as well as the press freedoms we value so highly, are all at risk. As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place"
todayonline Friday, July 15, 2011 11:57:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт commented (about Les Hinton): "Les and I have been on a remarkable journey together for more than 52 years. That this passage has come to an unexpected end, professionally, not personally, is a matter of much sadness to me,"
finanznachrichten-en Friday, July 15, 2011 11:49:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis says: "He apologised many times. I don't think somebody could've held their head in their hands so many times to say that they were sorry"
australianetworknews Friday, July 15, 2011 11:39:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт said (about Les Hinton): "Les and I have been on a remarkable journey together for more than 52 years,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:26:00 PM CEST
Les Hinton said: "I have watched with sorrow from New York as the News of the World story has unfolded,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:26:00 PM CEST
Les Hinton said: "the pain caused to innocent people (by hacking) is unimaginable" "That I was ignorant of what apparently happened is irrelevant, and in the circumstances I feel it is proper for me to resign from News Corp. and apologize to those hurt by the actions of News of the World,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 11:07:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said: "I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times and said that they were sorry,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 11:07:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт writes (about Les Hinton): "I, with the heaviest of hearts, have accepted the resignation of Les Hinton. It is a measure of his integrity and the quality of his character that he felt compelled to take responsibility even though he is far from the serious issues in London"
usaToday Friday, July 15, 2011 11:07:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт commented (about Les Hinton): "Les and I have been on a remarkable journey together for more than 52 years. That this passage has come to an unexpected end, professionally, not personally, is a matter of much sadness to me,"
guardian Friday, July 15, 2011 11:01:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: “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,”
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 11:01:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said:
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 10:59:00 PM CEST
Al Walid bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz al Saud told: "For sure she has to go, you bet she has to go,"
aljazeera-en Friday, July 15, 2011 10:22:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said: "He apologised many times. I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times to say that they were sorry,"
abc-au Friday, July 15, 2011 10:09:00 PM CEST
トム・ワトソン told (about James Murdoch): "Because she has taken so long to go I think the focus will very swiftly move on to James Murdoch now and what he knew and what he was involved in,"
abc-au Friday, July 15, 2011 10:09:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "Therefore I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 9:56:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch promised: "further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 9:26:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said: "I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times and said that they were sorry,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 9:26:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As Chief Executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place. "
channel4news Friday, July 15, 2011 8:43:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said: "He was very humbled and very shaken and very sincere,"
guardian Friday, July 15, 2011 8:30:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said (about Marc Levis): "It has been a big week for the Dowlers to hear people say they are sorry. Both on a political front – the deputy prime minister, the prime minister and the leader of the opposition – [and now] Asked by journalists if the family forgave Murdoch for the hacking of their dead daughter's mobile phone, Lewis said: "
guardian Friday, July 15, 2011 8:30:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "Therefore I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 8:25:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: “We will apologize to the nation for what has happened,”
ChinaPost Friday, July 15, 2011 8:24:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
nzherald Friday, July 15, 2011 8:19:00 PM CEST
Larry Haverty said (about Chase Carey): “I’m a big fan of Chase. He’s a very skilled financial guy,”
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 8:16:00 PM CEST
Larry Haverty said: “If James has to do something else, which I hope doesn’t happen, I have tremendous confidence in Chase running the company,”
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 8:16:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch promised: "further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 8:01:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said: "I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times and said that they were sorry,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 8:01:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 7:42:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 7:42:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 7:30:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said: "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone. No one in this country should exercise power without responsibility”. Struggling to quell the crisis, News International chairman James Murdoch, 38-year-old son of the founder, said the company would take out adverts in rival newspapers this weekend to say sorry. "
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 7:29:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт wrote: "The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself,"
abs-cbnnews Friday, July 15, 2011 7:21:00 PM CEST
トム・ワトソン told (about James Murdoch): "Because she has taken so long to go I think the focus will very swiftly move on to James Murdoch now and what he knew and what he was involved in,"
ibtimes-cn Friday, July 15, 2011 7:18:00 PM CEST
Claire Enders said: "It is obvious that the company is finally listening fully to the political noise around it and is finally taking seriously the issues that have emerged around alleged offences at News International,"
ibtimes-cn Friday, July 15, 2011 7:18:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 7:13:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 7:13:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "At News International, we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones,"
CBC Friday, July 15, 2011 7:10:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
montrealgazette Friday, July 15, 2011 7:05:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "At News International we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones,"
montrealgazette Friday, July 15, 2011 7:05:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 6:59:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 6:59:00 PM CEST
トム・ワトソン told (about James Murdoch): "Because she has taken so long to go I think the focus will very swiftly move on to James Murdoch now and what he knew and what he was involved in,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 6:55:00 PM CEST
Claire Enders said: "It is obvious that the company is finally listening fully to the political noise around it and is finally taking seriously the issues that have emerged around alleged offences at News International,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 6:55:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said (about James Murdoch): "He (Mr Murdoch) was humbled to give a full and sincere apology to the Dowler family. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 6:55:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch wrote: "We are deeply sorry for the serious wrongdoing that occurred. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 6:55:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said: "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone," "But as I said when I called for her resignation 10 days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organisation. "Rupert Murdoch says that News Corp has handled these allegations 'extremely well'. He still hasn't apologised to the innocent victims of hacking. He clearly still doesn't get it"
bbc Friday, July 15, 2011 6:44:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said: "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone," "But as I said when I called for her resignation 10 days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organisation. "Rupert Murdoch says that News Corp has handled these allegations 'extremely well'. He still hasn't apologised to the innocent victims of hacking. He clearly still doesn't get it"
bbc Friday, July 15, 2011 6:44:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 6:42:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 6:42:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 6:36:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 6:36:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт wrote: "The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 6:28:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "We will apologize to the nation for what has happened,"
ibtimes-cn Friday, July 15, 2011 6:18:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 6:14:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 6:12:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 6:12:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote (about James Murdoch): "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
MailGuardian Friday, July 15, 2011 5:58:00 PM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been serious allegations raised in that regard in Great Britain and there is an ongoing investigation there,"
MailGuardian Friday, July 15, 2011 5:58:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote (about James Murdoch): "Therefore I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 5:55:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт says: "But as I said when I called for her resignation 10 days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organisation. "
telegraph Friday, July 15, 2011 5:52:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт wrote: "The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself,"
thetimes-za Friday, July 15, 2011 5:47:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 5:27:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 5:27:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 5:25:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 5:25:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said (about Rebekah Brooks): "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 5:24:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "I want to thank her for her 22 years of service to the company. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 5:24:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said: "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone. No one in this country should exercise power without responsibility”. Struggling to quell the crisis, News International chairman James Murdoch, 38-year-old son of the founder, said the company would take out adverts in rival newspapers this weekend to say sorry. "
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 4:58:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт said: ''We have a reputation of great, good works in this country [Britain].''
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 4:33:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт said: ''When I hear something going wrong I insist on it being put right.''
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 4:33:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "Rupert's wisdom, kindness and incisive advice has guided me throughout my career,"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 4:25:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks admitting: "we have paid the police for information in the past"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 4:25:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт said: "I think he acted as fast as he could, the moment he could,"
upi Friday, July 15, 2011 3:11:00 PM CEST
Nik Clegg said (about Rebekah Brooks): "This is the right thing for Rebekah Brooks to have done. It is an important first step in cleaning up this mess. People will, rightly, expect Ms Brooks to come to the select committee next week to give evidence. "
guardian Friday, July 15, 2011 2:57:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
abc-au Friday, July 15, 2011 2:43:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said (about Tom Mockridge): "Tom is an outstanding executive with unrivalled experience across our journalism and television businesses,"
abc-au Friday, July 15, 2011 2:43:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As Chief Executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
trendnews-az Friday, July 15, 2011 2:41:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch added: "We will follow this up in the future with communications about the actions we have taken to address the wrongdoing that occurred,"
trendnews-az Friday, July 15, 2011 2:41:00 PM CEST
John Whittingdale said: "We felt that to wait until August was unjustifiable,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 2:40:00 PM CEST
Nik Clegg said: "If they have any shred of sense of responsibility or accountability for their position of power, then they should come and explain themselves before a select committee,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 2:40:00 PM CEST
Nik Clegg said: "It clearly goes beyond News International,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 2:40:00 PM CEST
Nik Clegg said (about Rebekah Brooks): "It is clearly something much more systemic," "I don't think we should allow ourselves to believe that it is just because of the Murdochs, or Rebekah Brooks, or it's all about one commercial transaction, however significant"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 2:40:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 1:58:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт says: "No-one in this country should exercise power without responsibility. But as I said when I called for her resignation 10 days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organization. "
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 1:58:00 PM CEST
Gary Gibbon writes (about Rebekah Brooks): "Too little, too late? Hard to see what Rebekah Brooks' resignation achieves now - it's come so late in the day. Advertisers might have slowed the stampede from the News of the World if it had come last wee - a scalp proving that the Murdochs "
channel4news Friday, July 15, 2011 1:53:00 PM CEST
John Prescott said (about Rebekah Brooks): "Just heard Rebekah Brooks has resigned. Thank God! It's another step closer to getting more responsible press in this country"
channel4news Friday, July 15, 2011 1:53:00 PM CEST
Michael Wolff said: "His newspapers in England are far more directly involved in politics than anything he owns in the U.S,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 1:39:00 PM CEST
David William Donald Cameron said: "He's had very close relationships with every prime minister for the last 30 years,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 1:39:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote (about James Murdoch): "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 1:23:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
nzherald Friday, July 15, 2011 1:15:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said: "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 1:14:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "I want to thank her for her 22 years of service to the company. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 1:14:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 1:12:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "We will follow this up in the future with communications about the actions we have taken to address the wrongdoing that occurred,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 1:12:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch wrote: "I hope that it is clear that we are committed to ensuring that the issues that have affected the News of the World are fully investigated and dealt with appropriately and robustly"
bbc-news Friday, July 15, 2011 1:09:00 PM CEST
John Whittingdale said: "It will be the first time that Rupert Murdoch and James Murdoch, and indeed, Rebekah Brooks will have answered questions about this. "
bbc-news Friday, July 15, 2011 1:09:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt"
australianetworknews Friday, July 15, 2011 1:08:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As Chief Executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
trendnews-az Friday, July 15, 2011 1:07:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: “I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,”
irishsun Friday, July 15, 2011 1:00:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said (about Rebekah Brooks): "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone" "No one in this country should exercise power without responsibility,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 12:52:00 PM CEST
Eric H Holder told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 12:52:00 PM CEST
Dominic Grieve said: "We don't wish to end up, whatever may have happened in this particular case, with a press which is regulated in a manner which is incompatible with freedom of expression,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 12:52:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to re-iterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
iafrica Friday, July 15, 2011 12:47:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "At News International, we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones,"
CBC Friday, July 15, 2011 12:47:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт says: "But as I said when I called for her resignation ten days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organisation. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 12:44:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:39:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "We will follow this up in the future with communications about the actions we have taken to address the wrongdoing that occurred,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:39:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:32:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "We will follow this up in the future with communications about the actions we have taken to address the wrongdoing that occurred,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:32:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 12:31:00 PM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 12:31:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт says: "But as I said when I called for her resignation ten days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organisation. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 12:21:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said (about Rebekah Brooks): "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has resigned. No one should exercise power without responsibility"
timesofmalta Friday, July 15, 2011 12:18:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
latimes Friday, July 15, 2011 12:17:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "At News International we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones,"
latimes Friday, July 15, 2011 12:17:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "As Chief Executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place," "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 12:17:00 PM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been serious allegations raised in that regard in Great Britain and there is an ongoing investigation there,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 12:17:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:07:00 PM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:07:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 12:07:00 PM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 12:07:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote (about James Murdoch): "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
iafrica Friday, July 15, 2011 11:59:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "The reputation of the company we love so much, as well as the press freedoms we value so highly, are all at risk,"
register Friday, July 15, 2011 11:56:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: “I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis,”
rian-en Friday, July 15, 2011 11:54:00 AM CEST
Michael Wolff said: "His newspapers in England are far more directly involved in politics than anything he owns in the US,"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 11:53:00 AM CEST
David William Donald Cameron said: "There is a firestorm, if you like, that is engulfing parts of the media, parts of the police, and indeed our political system's ability to respond,"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 11:53:00 AM CEST
David William Donald Cameron said: "He's had very close relationships with every prime minister for the last 30 years,"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 11:53:00 AM CEST
Eric H Holder told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 11:52:00 AM CEST
Dominic Grieve said: "We don't wish to end up, whatever may have happened in this particular case, with a press which is regulated in a manner which is incompatible with freedom of expression,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 11:52:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote (about James Murdoch): "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:46:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:46:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:46:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 11:43:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
abc-au Friday, July 15, 2011 11:43:00 AM CEST
МакКейн Джон said: “I have heard of no evidence of allegations yet of anything being done in the United States of America. If there is, then obviously it should be investigated, but I have (heard of) no allegation of that,”
stabroeknews Friday, July 15, 2011 11:19:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There has been members of Congress in the US who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:15:00 AM CEST
Michael Wolff said: “His newspapers in England are far more directly involved in politics than anything he owns in the U.S,”
japantoday Friday, July 15, 2011 10:21:00 AM CEST
David William Donald Cameron said: “There is a firestorm, if you like, that is engulfing parts of the media, parts of the police, and indeed our political system’s ability to respond,”
japantoday Friday, July 15, 2011 10:21:00 AM CEST
David William Donald Cameron said: “He’s had very close relationships with every prime minister for the last 30 years,”
japantoday Friday, July 15, 2011 10:21:00 AM CEST
John Whittingdale said: "I hope very much that the Murdochs will respond similarly,"
sundaymail Friday, July 15, 2011 10:12:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 said: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 10:11:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 said: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 10:11:00 AM CEST
Claire Enders said: "The politicians want the Murdochs' role in public life to be greatly diminished,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 10:11:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There has been members of Congress in the US who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies,"
hurriyetdailynews Friday, July 15, 2011 10:02:00 AM CEST
Chris Briant told: "The next thing is, I'm writing to all the non-executive directors, including the former Spanish Prime Minister Mr. Assn. and others of News Corp, to ask them what they knew, when they knew it, what actions they took to ensure that their newspaper was complying with police investigations,"
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 9:02:00 AM CEST
Chris Briant said: "What did the directors do to check on what Rebecca Brooks and Andy Cousin said about phone hacking back in 2003 and did they know about hush money that was paid?"
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 9:02:00 AM CEST
Chris Briant said: "This company has shown itself completely unable to act within the law, and if it's not able to do that, if it's true as the police said on Tuesday that they had deliberately thwarted the police investigation, then I think they shouldn't have any share in a British media organization,"
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 9:02:00 AM CEST
Chris Briant said (about James Murdoch): "Rebecca Brooks and James Murdoch .... I hope that they will both appear the select committee and they may well end up facing criminal charges, because the police say News International deliberately thwarted a police investigation. That's a much more serious charge than actually hacking a phone,"
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 9:02:00 AM CEST
Chris Briant said (about James Murdoch): "Yes I think that barrier has been broken. They used the newspapers to bully and intimidate people," "I don't think Murdoch's empire has the grip on British politics it once had"
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 9:02:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 said: “There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,”
eecho Friday, July 15, 2011 8:54:00 AM CEST
Eric H Holder told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 8:00:00 AM CEST
Dominic Grieve said: "We don't wish to end up, whatever may have happened in this particular case, with a press which is regulated in a manner which is incompatible with freedom of expression,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 8:00:00 AM CEST
Peter King said: "We are aware of the allegations and are looking into it,"
telegraph Friday, July 15, 2011 7:57:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 said: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
belfasttelegraph Friday, July 15, 2011 7:02:00 AM CEST
John Whittingdale said: "If that is not obeyed, then it becomes a matter of contempt of parliament and there are penalties," "I understand that it can include imprisonment"
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 6:38:00 AM CEST
====
FACTBOX-Rebekah Brooks is arrested
17 Jul 2011 13:05
Source: reuters // Reuters
July 17 (Reuters) - Rebekah Brooks, former chief executive of News Corp's News International, was arrested on Sunday, a source familiar with the situation reported.
Here are some key facts about Brooks:
* Brooks, 43, became the focus of widespread anger over the phone-hacking scandal at News International.
* Born Rebekah Wade in May 1968, she was educated at a grammar school in the northwest England county of Cheshire. She joined the News of the World at the age of 20 as a feature writer and rose to become deputy editor.
* In 1998 she transferred to sister tabloid The Sun, a daily, spending two years as deputy editor there before returning to the News of the World as editor in 2000, where she ran a controversial campaign to name and shame child sex offenders.
-- It was under her editorship that an investigator working for the News of the World hacked into the voicemail of missing schoolgirl Milly Dowler, later found murdered. Brooks says she did not know about the hacking.
* She became The Sun's first female editor three years later in 2003.
-- It was during this period that Brooks separated from her first husband Ross Kemp, best known for his role as hard man Grant Mitchell in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders.
* In June 2009, Wade became CEO of News International. She also married for the second time, becoming Rebekah Brooks.
* She became a favourite of Rupert Murdoch, moving the Australian-born magnate to issue a rare statement of personal support as she came under increasing fire last week. She was also a friend and neighbour of Prime Minister David Cameron.
* News Corp had repeatedly backed Brooks to remain as chief executive of its British newspaper arm, but on July 15 she resigned after mounting pressure.
* Brooks was arrested on Sunday in connection with allegations of phone hacking and corruption.
* Brooks is due to appear before parliament's culture, media and sports committee on July 19, with Rupert and James Murdoch, to answer questions on the alleged criminality at the paper.
(Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit)
==
Daily Market Commentary for July 19, 2011
Wall Street seemed to be intently focused on News Corporation (NasdaqGS:
NWS) Chairman Rupert Murdoch testified before a British parliamentary.
(read more at Millennium-Traders.Com)
http://www.millennium-traders.com/news/newscommentary.aspx
Comments from James Murdoch: Surprised To Find Some Mulcaire's Legal
Fees Paid; Allegations Of Hacking Were More Serious; News Of The World
Closure Serious Matter Of Regret; Brooks Resignation And News Of World
Closure Unrelated; Size Of Hinton, Brooks Payments Are Confidential;
Surprised That Clive Goodman Paid After Court Case; Perhaps I Lost Sight
Of News Of The World; : No Knowledge Of Coulson's Wages After He Left
News International; Will Leave Option Open On New UK Sunday Paper; No
Decision To Launch New UK Sunday Tabloid; Set Up Independent Committee
To Set UK Code Of Conduct; Welcomes UK Review Into Media Industry; All
UK Paper Industry Needs To Consider Journalistic Ethics; Managers Should
Record Cash Payments; Reiterates Apology For News Of The World Hacking;
Many Of The Guilty People Had Already Left Company; Have To Find And
Deal With Guilty People; Told Father After Settlement With Gordon Taylor
Made In 2009; No Evidence That Brooks, Hinton Had Knowledge Of Hacking;
Established A Group To Cooperate With Police; Aim Of Group Is To Be
Proactive, Transparent; Will Ensure It Doesn't Happen Again; News Corp
Will Put Things Right; Actions Do Not Live Up To News Corp Standards;
Apologies To Victims Of Phone Hacking; Hacking, Police Payments Have No
Place In Our Business; Not Aware Of Phone Hacking Allegations In Other
Countries; Became Aware That Dowler's Phone Hacked When Reported In
Press Conference.
InterDigital (NasdaqGS: IDCC) shares surged by 22% after announcing that
the board was reviewing options including a sale of patents or the whole
company.
F5 Networks (NasdaqGS: FFIV) was hosting a gain on the session, into
early afternoon of almost 6 points, ahead of earnings release on
Wednesday.
Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY) shares were down sharply by 12% after
reporting that company expects lower Q2 sales and trimmed its full-year
profit outlook.
Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE: GS) was trading at a new 52 week low after
reporting earnings that missed Wall Street expectations.
Lincare Holdings (NasdaqGS: LNCR) shares were off by 7% into early
afternoon trading when company reported income fell in Q2.
Economic data released today:
U.S. ICSC/Goldman Sachs Chain Store Sales: +0.4% in week of July 16 and
U.S. ICSC/Goldman Sachs Chain Store Sales +4.5% on year.
Building Permits: Building Permits +2.5% to 624K Rate in June.
Housing Starts: U.S. May Housing Starts Revised to Unchanged from +3.5%;
U.S. June Housing Starts +14.6% to 629K vs. Consensus +2.0%.
Viewers may opt-in to our free Weekly Market News sent via email on the
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Les Hinton, the head of News Corp's flagship American newspaper and a trusted, long-serving executive, resigned on Friday over his role in the phone-hacking scandal that has rocked Rupert Murdoch's global media company.
Rupert Murdoch sits alongside Les Hinton (left)
Rupert Murdoch sits alongside Les Hinton (left) Photo: GETTY
Alex Spillius
By Alex Spillius, Washington
11:13PM BST 15 Jul 2011
Comments39 Comments
He became the first high profile casualty of the controversy in the United States, where he had been chief executive of the Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones, a financial news service, since Mr Murdoch's takeover in late 2007.
In his resignation letter, Mr Hinton, 67, apologised for the "pain caused to innocent people" by repeated illegal intrusions by News of the World reporters and private detectives.
Mr Hinton was in charge of News International, Mr Murdoch's British newspaper division, from 1997 to 2007, when most of the egregious cases of phone tampering that have come to light occurred.
Maintaining his insistence that he believed one reporter had been acting alone, he said: "That I was ignorant of what apparently happened is irrelevant and in the circumstances I feel it is proper for me to resign."
He continued: "When I left News International in December 2007, I believed that the rotten element at the News of the World had been eliminated, that important lessons had been learned and that journalistic integrity was restored.
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"There had never been any evidence delivered to me that suggested the conduct had spread beyond one journalist. If others had evidence that wrongdoing went further, I was not told about it."
His resignation came hours after Rebekah Brooks, his successor as head of NI and a former News of the World editor, also stood down after intense pressure. The scandal earlier forced Mr Murdoch to drop his bid for total control of BSkyB, the pay-TV service.
Mr Murdoch said in a statement that he had accepted Mr Hinton's resignation with "much sadness" and that the two of them had "been on a remarkable journey together for more than 52 years". "That this passage has come to an unexpected end, professionally, not personally, is a matter of much sadness to me," he said.
"I vividly recall an enthusiastic young man in the offices of my first newspaper in Adelaide, where Les joined the company as a 15-year-old and had the rather unenviable task of buying me sandwiches for lunch."
Mr Murdoch added that "News Corporation is not Rupert Murdoch. It is the collective creativity and effort of many thousands of people around the world, and few individuals have given more to this company than Les Hinton."
Mr Hinton had worked continuously for Mr Murdoch since joining one of the Australian newspapers that were the foundation of the News Corps operation as at the age of 15.
Few people were closer to the tycoon, and he held a variety of senior posts, including leading the Fox television station network and the American newspaper division, which includes The New York Post, before the highly prized capture of the Wall Street Journal.
Given the industrial scale of phone-tapping, bribery and other misconduct now acknowledged by the company, media experts questioned how Mr Hinton did not know what was going on.
There was a risk that his continued presence at the Journal, which built its reputation on arduously researched news stories, would become a detriment to the 122-year-old title.
His departure will be designed to limit the damage to the US-based News Corps, which accounts for most of Mr Murdoch's business and profits.
===
Murdoch apologizes over scandal; two lieutenants out
Reuters
By Yinka Adegoke and Georgina Prodhan – 1 hr 36 mins ago
NEW YORK/LONDON (Reuters) – Rupert Murdoch apologized to victims of criminal phone hacking by one of his tabloids and accepted the resignations of News Corp's top two newspaper executives, Rebekah Brooks and Les Hinton.
Moving to gain control of a scandal washing over his global business, the U.S.-based magnate made a personal apology to the parents of a murdered schoolgirl in what appeared to be an admission that the News of the World, then edited by Brooks and overseen by Hinton, had in 2002 hacked into the voicemails of their missing daughter.
It was that damning allegation, in a rival newspaper 10 days ago, which reignited a 5-year-old scandal that has forced Murdoch to close the News of the World, Britain's best-selling Sunday paper, and drop a $12 billion plan to buy full control of highly profitable pay-TV operator BSkyB.
The crisis has broken the grip that Murdoch, 80, had over British politics for three decades as leaders from Margaret Thatcher, through Labor's Tony Blair to current Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron sought his support.
It has also forced him to make concessions to public calls that the executives who were in charge at the time of the scandal be held accountable.
Known for his loyalty to those close to him, Murdoch backed down on Friday and accepted the resignations of confidants Brooks and Hinton, a 52-year veteran of the company and the top executive of Dow Jones, publisher of the Wall Street Journal.
With these departures, attention will now turn to Murdoch's son and presumed successor, James, who took over the European operations of News Corp just as the crisis was beginning. He has admitted to approving the payment of out-of-court settlements when he did not have a complete picture of what had happened.
A direct apology from Rupert Murdoch, who has been summoned to answer questions before a parliamentary committee next Tuesday, will be carried in all national newspapers this weekend under the headline "We are sorry." The text was released by News International.
"The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself," Murdoch wrote in the article, which was signed off "Sincerely, Rupert Murdoch."
"We are sorry for the serious wrongdoing that occurred. We are deeply sorry for the hurt suffered by the individuals affected," he added.
"In the coming days, as we take further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused, you will hear more from us."
He also met parents of Milly Dowler, a 13-year-old abducted in 2002 and found murdered six months later. Police are investigating whether someone engaged by the News of the World not only listened in to the missing teenager's cellphone mailbox but deleted some messages to make room for more.
That misled police hunting for her and gave her parents false hope that their daughter might still be alive. Brooks, now 43, was then editor of the News of the World and has denied knowing of any such practices at the time.
"He apologized many times," said Mark Lewis, the Dowler family lawyer. "I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times to say that they were sorry."
BRITISH PM UNDER FIRE
The resignation of Hinton, 67, was greeted by gasps and a stunned silence at the Wall Street Journal, where he served as publisher, despite mounting speculation that Hinton could be toppled by transgressions that occurred when he ran News International prior to Brooks.
"I have watched with sorrow from New York as the News of the World story has unfolded," Hinton wrote in his resignation letter.
"That I was ignorant of what apparently happened is irrelevant and in the circumstances I feel it is proper for me to resign from News Corp, and apologize to those hurt by the actions of the News of the World," he added.
Brooks had resisted pressure to quit, but finally resigned as chief executive of News International after a top News Corp shareholder, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, said she had to go.
The former editor of the News of the World and of flagship daily tabloid The Sun, was a favorite of Rupert Murdoch, who described her as his first priority just days ago.
In her place, he named News Corp veteran Tom Mockridge, who has spent the past eight years running Sky Italia.
Speaking before Friday's resignation Murdoch had defended the way his managers had handled the crisis in an interview with the Wall Street Journal.
He spoke of "minor mistakes" and dismissed suggestions, floated by some shareholders, that he should sell off the troubled newspaper businesses on which his empire was founded but which bring in only limited profits.
Yet within a day of what sounded like an effort to play down the scandal, his abrupt change of tack into a hand-wringing mea culpa appeared aimed at shoring up the wider company.
The scandal has shaken Prime Minister Cameron, who is under fire for his personal relationship with Brooks and for hiring another ex-editor of the News of the World as his spokesman.
Cameron suffered another blow on Friday when an aide said he had hosted a visit from his former spokesman Andy Coulson in March this year -- two months after Coulson quit his job.
He now faces a showdown with parliament on Tuesday when lawmakers on the media committee grill him, his son James and Brooks. During an angry debate this week, one legislator called him a "cancer on the body politic."
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===
トム・ワトソン told (about James Murdoch): "Because she has taken so long to go I think the focus will very swiftly move on to James Murdoch now and what he knew and what he was involved in,"
smh Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:13:00 AM CEST
Claire Enders said: "It is obvious that the company is finally listening fully to the political noise around it and is finally taking seriously the issues that have emerged around alleged offences at News International,"
smh Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:13:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
chinadaily Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:05:00 AM CEST
James Murdoch said: "We will follow this up in the future with communications about the actions we have taken to address the wrongdoing that occurred,"
chinadaily Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:05:00 AM CEST
Michael Wolff said (about Мердок Руперт): "One of Murdoch's central executives in the US has been fired," "This is yet another dramatic move designed to quell the rising tide of opprobrium against News Corporation , but the problem is it is just going to increase the opprobrium"
guardian Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:01:00 AM CEST
Michael Wolff said (about Les Hinton): "Hinton's strategy has been to keep his head down,"
guardian Saturday, July 16, 2011 2:01:00 AM CEST
Мердок Руперт wrote: "The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself,"
news-yahoo Saturday, July 16, 2011 1:57:00 AM CEST
Les Hinton wrote: "I have watched with sorrow from New York as the News of the World story has unfolded,"
news-yahoo Saturday, July 16, 2011 1:57:00 AM CEST
Мердок Руперт promised: "further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused"
smh Saturday, July 16, 2011 1:22:00 AM CEST
Marc Levis said: "I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times and said that they were sorry,"
smh Saturday, July 16, 2011 1:22:00 AM CEST
Max Cliford said: "This will be crushing for her,"
CBC Saturday, July 16, 2011 12:50:00 AM CEST
Мердок Руперт added: "News Corporation is not Rupert Murdoch. It is the collective creativity and effort of many thousands of people around the world, and few individuals have given more to this company than Les Hinton"
telegraph Saturday, July 16, 2011 12:39:00 AM CEST
Мердок Руперт said (about Les Hinton): "Les and I have been on a remarkable journey together for more than 52 years," "That this passage has come to an unexpected end, professionally, not personally, is a matter of much sadness to me"
abc-au Saturday, July 16, 2011 12:04:00 AM CEST
Les Hinton said: "I have watched with sorrow from New York as the News of the World story has unfolded,"
abc-au Saturday, July 16, 2011 12:04:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "At News International we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones. The reputation of the company we love so much, as well as the press freedoms we value so highly, are all at risk. As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place"
todayonline Friday, July 15, 2011 11:57:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт commented (about Les Hinton): "Les and I have been on a remarkable journey together for more than 52 years. That this passage has come to an unexpected end, professionally, not personally, is a matter of much sadness to me,"
finanznachrichten-en Friday, July 15, 2011 11:49:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis says: "He apologised many times. I don't think somebody could've held their head in their hands so many times to say that they were sorry"
australianetworknews Friday, July 15, 2011 11:39:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт said (about Les Hinton): "Les and I have been on a remarkable journey together for more than 52 years,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:26:00 PM CEST
Les Hinton said: "I have watched with sorrow from New York as the News of the World story has unfolded,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:26:00 PM CEST
Les Hinton said: "the pain caused to innocent people (by hacking) is unimaginable" "That I was ignorant of what apparently happened is irrelevant, and in the circumstances I feel it is proper for me to resign from News Corp. and apologize to those hurt by the actions of News of the World,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 11:07:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said: "I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times and said that they were sorry,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 11:07:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт writes (about Les Hinton): "I, with the heaviest of hearts, have accepted the resignation of Les Hinton. It is a measure of his integrity and the quality of his character that he felt compelled to take responsibility even though he is far from the serious issues in London"
usaToday Friday, July 15, 2011 11:07:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт commented (about Les Hinton): "Les and I have been on a remarkable journey together for more than 52 years. That this passage has come to an unexpected end, professionally, not personally, is a matter of much sadness to me,"
guardian Friday, July 15, 2011 11:01:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: “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,”
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 11:01:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said:
"It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone. No one in this country should exercise power without responsibility”. Struggling to quell the crisis, News International chairman James Murdoch, 38-year-old son of the founder, said the company would take out adverts in rival newspapers this weekend to say sorry. "
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 10:59:00 PM CEST
Al Walid bin Talal bin Abdul Aziz al Saud told: "For sure she has to go, you bet she has to go,"
aljazeera-en Friday, July 15, 2011 10:22:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said: "He apologised many times. I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times to say that they were sorry,"
abc-au Friday, July 15, 2011 10:09:00 PM CEST
トム・ワトソン told (about James Murdoch): "Because she has taken so long to go I think the focus will very swiftly move on to James Murdoch now and what he knew and what he was involved in,"
abc-au Friday, July 15, 2011 10:09:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "Therefore I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 9:56:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch promised: "further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 9:26:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said: "I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times and said that they were sorry,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 9:26:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As Chief Executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place. "
channel4news Friday, July 15, 2011 8:43:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said: "He was very humbled and very shaken and very sincere,"
guardian Friday, July 15, 2011 8:30:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said (about Marc Levis): "It has been a big week for the Dowlers to hear people say they are sorry. Both on a political front – the deputy prime minister, the prime minister and the leader of the opposition – [and now] Asked by journalists if the family forgave Murdoch for the hacking of their dead daughter's mobile phone, Lewis said: "
guardian Friday, July 15, 2011 8:30:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "Therefore I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 8:25:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: “We will apologize to the nation for what has happened,”
ChinaPost Friday, July 15, 2011 8:24:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
nzherald Friday, July 15, 2011 8:19:00 PM CEST
Larry Haverty said (about Chase Carey): “I’m a big fan of Chase. He’s a very skilled financial guy,”
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 8:16:00 PM CEST
Larry Haverty said: “If James has to do something else, which I hope doesn’t happen, I have tremendous confidence in Chase running the company,”
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 8:16:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch promised: "further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 8:01:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said: "I don't think somebody could have held their head in their hands so many times and said that they were sorry,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 8:01:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 7:42:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 7:42:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 7:30:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said: "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone. No one in this country should exercise power without responsibility”. Struggling to quell the crisis, News International chairman James Murdoch, 38-year-old son of the founder, said the company would take out adverts in rival newspapers this weekend to say sorry. "
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 7:29:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт wrote: "The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself,"
abs-cbnnews Friday, July 15, 2011 7:21:00 PM CEST
トム・ワトソン told (about James Murdoch): "Because she has taken so long to go I think the focus will very swiftly move on to James Murdoch now and what he knew and what he was involved in,"
ibtimes-cn Friday, July 15, 2011 7:18:00 PM CEST
Claire Enders said: "It is obvious that the company is finally listening fully to the political noise around it and is finally taking seriously the issues that have emerged around alleged offences at News International,"
ibtimes-cn Friday, July 15, 2011 7:18:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 7:13:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 7:13:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "At News International, we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones,"
CBC Friday, July 15, 2011 7:10:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
montrealgazette Friday, July 15, 2011 7:05:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "At News International we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones,"
montrealgazette Friday, July 15, 2011 7:05:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 6:59:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 6:59:00 PM CEST
トム・ワトソン told (about James Murdoch): "Because she has taken so long to go I think the focus will very swiftly move on to James Murdoch now and what he knew and what he was involved in,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 6:55:00 PM CEST
Claire Enders said: "It is obvious that the company is finally listening fully to the political noise around it and is finally taking seriously the issues that have emerged around alleged offences at News International,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 6:55:00 PM CEST
Marc Levis said (about James Murdoch): "He (Mr Murdoch) was humbled to give a full and sincere apology to the Dowler family. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 6:55:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch wrote: "We are deeply sorry for the serious wrongdoing that occurred. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 6:55:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said: "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone," "But as I said when I called for her resignation 10 days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organisation. "Rupert Murdoch says that News Corp has handled these allegations 'extremely well'. He still hasn't apologised to the innocent victims of hacking. He clearly still doesn't get it"
bbc Friday, July 15, 2011 6:44:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said: "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone," "But as I said when I called for her resignation 10 days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organisation. "Rupert Murdoch says that News Corp has handled these allegations 'extremely well'. He still hasn't apologised to the innocent victims of hacking. He clearly still doesn't get it"
bbc Friday, July 15, 2011 6:44:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 6:42:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 6:42:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 6:36:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 6:36:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт wrote: "The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 6:28:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "We will apologize to the nation for what has happened,"
ibtimes-cn Friday, July 15, 2011 6:18:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 6:14:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 6:12:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 6:12:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote (about James Murdoch): "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
MailGuardian Friday, July 15, 2011 5:58:00 PM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been serious allegations raised in that regard in Great Britain and there is an ongoing investigation there,"
MailGuardian Friday, July 15, 2011 5:58:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote (about James Murdoch): "Therefore I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 5:55:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт says: "But as I said when I called for her resignation 10 days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organisation. "
telegraph Friday, July 15, 2011 5:52:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт wrote: "The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself,"
thetimes-za Friday, July 15, 2011 5:47:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 5:27:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 5:27:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 5:25:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks agreed: "for sure she has to go. "
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 5:25:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said (about Rebekah Brooks): "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 5:24:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "I want to thank her for her 22 years of service to the company. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 5:24:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said: "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone. No one in this country should exercise power without responsibility”. Struggling to quell the crisis, News International chairman James Murdoch, 38-year-old son of the founder, said the company would take out adverts in rival newspapers this weekend to say sorry. "
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 4:58:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт said: ''We have a reputation of great, good works in this country [Britain].''
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 4:33:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт said: ''When I hear something going wrong I insist on it being put right.''
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 4:33:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "Rupert's wisdom, kindness and incisive advice has guided me throughout my career,"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 4:25:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks admitting: "we have paid the police for information in the past"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 4:25:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт said: "I think he acted as fast as he could, the moment he could,"
upi Friday, July 15, 2011 3:11:00 PM CEST
Nik Clegg said (about Rebekah Brooks): "This is the right thing for Rebekah Brooks to have done. It is an important first step in cleaning up this mess. People will, rightly, expect Ms Brooks to come to the select committee next week to give evidence. "
guardian Friday, July 15, 2011 2:57:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
abc-au Friday, July 15, 2011 2:43:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said (about Tom Mockridge): "Tom is an outstanding executive with unrivalled experience across our journalism and television businesses,"
abc-au Friday, July 15, 2011 2:43:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As Chief Executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
trendnews-az Friday, July 15, 2011 2:41:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch added: "We will follow this up in the future with communications about the actions we have taken to address the wrongdoing that occurred,"
trendnews-az Friday, July 15, 2011 2:41:00 PM CEST
John Whittingdale said: "We felt that to wait until August was unjustifiable,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 2:40:00 PM CEST
Nik Clegg said: "If they have any shred of sense of responsibility or accountability for their position of power, then they should come and explain themselves before a select committee,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 2:40:00 PM CEST
Nik Clegg said: "It clearly goes beyond News International,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 2:40:00 PM CEST
Nik Clegg said (about Rebekah Brooks): "It is clearly something much more systemic," "I don't think we should allow ourselves to believe that it is just because of the Murdochs, or Rebekah Brooks, or it's all about one commercial transaction, however significant"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 2:40:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 1:58:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт says: "No-one in this country should exercise power without responsibility. But as I said when I called for her resignation 10 days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organization. "
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 1:58:00 PM CEST
Gary Gibbon writes (about Rebekah Brooks): "Too little, too late? Hard to see what Rebekah Brooks' resignation achieves now - it's come so late in the day. Advertisers might have slowed the stampede from the News of the World if it had come last wee - a scalp proving that the Murdochs "
channel4news Friday, July 15, 2011 1:53:00 PM CEST
John Prescott said (about Rebekah Brooks): "Just heard Rebekah Brooks has resigned. Thank God! It's another step closer to getting more responsible press in this country"
channel4news Friday, July 15, 2011 1:53:00 PM CEST
Michael Wolff said: "His newspapers in England are far more directly involved in politics than anything he owns in the U.S,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 1:39:00 PM CEST
David William Donald Cameron said: "He's had very close relationships with every prime minister for the last 30 years,"
CBSnews Friday, July 15, 2011 1:39:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote (about James Murdoch): "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 1:23:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
nzherald Friday, July 15, 2011 1:15:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said: "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 1:14:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "I want to thank her for her 22 years of service to the company. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 1:14:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 1:12:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "We will follow this up in the future with communications about the actions we have taken to address the wrongdoing that occurred,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 1:12:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch wrote: "I hope that it is clear that we are committed to ensuring that the issues that have affected the News of the World are fully investigated and dealt with appropriately and robustly"
bbc-news Friday, July 15, 2011 1:09:00 PM CEST
John Whittingdale said: "It will be the first time that Rupert Murdoch and James Murdoch, and indeed, Rebekah Brooks will have answered questions about this. "
bbc-news Friday, July 15, 2011 1:09:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt"
australianetworknews Friday, July 15, 2011 1:08:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As Chief Executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
trendnews-az Friday, July 15, 2011 1:07:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: “I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,”
irishsun Friday, July 15, 2011 1:00:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said (about Rebekah Brooks): "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has finally taken responsibility for the terrible events that happened on her watch, like the hacking of Milly Dowler's phone" "No one in this country should exercise power without responsibility,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 12:52:00 PM CEST
Eric H Holder told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 12:52:00 PM CEST
Dominic Grieve said: "We don't wish to end up, whatever may have happened in this particular case, with a press which is regulated in a manner which is incompatible with freedom of expression,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 12:52:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to re-iterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
iafrica Friday, July 15, 2011 12:47:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "At News International, we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones,"
CBC Friday, July 15, 2011 12:47:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт says: "But as I said when I called for her resignation ten days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organisation. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 12:44:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:39:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "We will follow this up in the future with communications about the actions we have taken to address the wrongdoing that occurred,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:39:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:32:00 PM CEST
James Murdoch said: "We will follow this up in the future with communications about the actions we have taken to address the wrongdoing that occurred,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:32:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 12:31:00 PM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 12:31:00 PM CEST
Мердок Руперт says: "But as I said when I called for her resignation ten days ago, this is not just about one individual but about the culture of an organisation. "
skynews Friday, July 15, 2011 12:21:00 PM CEST
Ed Miliband said (about Rebekah Brooks): "It is right that Rebekah Brooks has resigned. No one should exercise power without responsibility"
timesofmalta Friday, July 15, 2011 12:18:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
latimes Friday, July 15, 2011 12:17:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "At News International we pride ourselves on setting the news agenda for the right reasons. Today we are leading the news for the wrong ones,"
latimes Friday, July 15, 2011 12:17:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "As Chief Executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place," "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 12:17:00 PM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been serious allegations raised in that regard in Great Britain and there is an ongoing investigation there,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 12:17:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:07:00 PM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
AP Friday, July 15, 2011 12:07:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 12:07:00 PM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
newschannel5 Friday, July 15, 2011 12:07:00 PM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote (about James Murdoch): "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
iafrica Friday, July 15, 2011 11:59:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "The reputation of the company we love so much, as well as the press freedoms we value so highly, are all at risk,"
register Friday, July 15, 2011 11:56:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: “I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis,”
rian-en Friday, July 15, 2011 11:54:00 AM CEST
Michael Wolff said: "His newspapers in England are far more directly involved in politics than anything he owns in the US,"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 11:53:00 AM CEST
David William Donald Cameron said: "There is a firestorm, if you like, that is engulfing parts of the media, parts of the police, and indeed our political system's ability to respond,"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 11:53:00 AM CEST
David William Donald Cameron said: "He's had very close relationships with every prime minister for the last 30 years,"
news24 Friday, July 15, 2011 11:53:00 AM CEST
Eric H Holder told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 11:52:00 AM CEST
Dominic Grieve said: "We don't wish to end up, whatever may have happened in this particular case, with a press which is regulated in a manner which is incompatible with freedom of expression,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 11:52:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote (about James Murdoch): "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:46:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "I have believed that the right and responsible action has been to lead us through the heat of the crisis. However my desire to remain on the bridge has made me a focal point of the debate,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:46:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:46:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks said: "As chief executive of the company, I feel a deep sense of responsibility for the people we have hurt and I want to reiterate how sorry I am for what we now know to have taken place,"
cnn Friday, July 15, 2011 11:43:00 AM CEST
Rebekah Brooks wrote: "I have given Rupert and James Murdoch my resignation. While it has been a subject of discussion, this time my resignation has been accepted,"
abc-au Friday, July 15, 2011 11:43:00 AM CEST
МакКейн Джон said: “I have heard of no evidence of allegations yet of anything being done in the United States of America. If there is, then obviously it should be investigated, but I have (heard of) no allegation of that,”
stabroeknews Friday, July 15, 2011 11:19:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There has been members of Congress in the US who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 11:15:00 AM CEST
Michael Wolff said: “His newspapers in England are far more directly involved in politics than anything he owns in the U.S,”
japantoday Friday, July 15, 2011 10:21:00 AM CEST
David William Donald Cameron said: “There is a firestorm, if you like, that is engulfing parts of the media, parts of the police, and indeed our political system’s ability to respond,”
japantoday Friday, July 15, 2011 10:21:00 AM CEST
David William Donald Cameron said: “He’s had very close relationships with every prime minister for the last 30 years,”
japantoday Friday, July 15, 2011 10:21:00 AM CEST
John Whittingdale said: "I hope very much that the Murdochs will respond similarly,"
sundaymail Friday, July 15, 2011 10:12:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 said: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 10:11:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 said: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 10:11:00 AM CEST
Claire Enders said: "The politicians want the Murdochs' role in public life to be greatly diminished,"
news-yahoo Friday, July 15, 2011 10:11:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 told: "There has been members of Congress in the US who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies,"
hurriyetdailynews Friday, July 15, 2011 10:02:00 AM CEST
Chris Briant told: "The next thing is, I'm writing to all the non-executive directors, including the former Spanish Prime Minister Mr. Assn. and others of News Corp, to ask them what they knew, when they knew it, what actions they took to ensure that their newspaper was complying with police investigations,"
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 9:02:00 AM CEST
Chris Briant said: "What did the directors do to check on what Rebecca Brooks and Andy Cousin said about phone hacking back in 2003 and did they know about hush money that was paid?"
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 9:02:00 AM CEST
Chris Briant said: "This company has shown itself completely unable to act within the law, and if it's not able to do that, if it's true as the police said on Tuesday that they had deliberately thwarted the police investigation, then I think they shouldn't have any share in a British media organization,"
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 9:02:00 AM CEST
Chris Briant said (about James Murdoch): "Rebecca Brooks and James Murdoch .... I hope that they will both appear the select committee and they may well end up facing criminal charges, because the police say News International deliberately thwarted a police investigation. That's a much more serious charge than actually hacking a phone,"
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 9:02:00 AM CEST
Chris Briant said (about James Murdoch): "Yes I think that barrier has been broken. They used the newspapers to bully and intimidate people," "I don't think Murdoch's empire has the grip on British politics it once had"
msnbc Friday, July 15, 2011 9:02:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 said: “There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,”
eecho Friday, July 15, 2011 8:54:00 AM CEST
Eric H Holder told: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate federal law enforcement agencies,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 8:00:00 AM CEST
Dominic Grieve said: "We don't wish to end up, whatever may have happened in this particular case, with a press which is regulated in a manner which is incompatible with freedom of expression,"
irishtimes Friday, July 15, 2011 8:00:00 AM CEST
Peter King said: "We are aware of the allegations and are looking into it,"
telegraph Friday, July 15, 2011 7:57:00 AM CEST
埃里克霍尔德 said: "There have been members of Congress in the United States who have asked us to investigate those same allegations and we are progressing in that regard using the appropriate criminal law enforcement agencies in the United States,"
belfasttelegraph Friday, July 15, 2011 7:02:00 AM CEST
John Whittingdale said: "If that is not obeyed, then it becomes a matter of contempt of parliament and there are penalties," "I understand that it can include imprisonment"
smh Friday, July 15, 2011 6:38:00 AM CEST
====
FACTBOX-Rebekah Brooks is arrested
17 Jul 2011 13:05
Source: reuters // Reuters
July 17 (Reuters) - Rebekah Brooks, former chief executive of News Corp's News International, was arrested on Sunday, a source familiar with the situation reported.
Here are some key facts about Brooks:
* Brooks, 43, became the focus of widespread anger over the phone-hacking scandal at News International.
* Born Rebekah Wade in May 1968, she was educated at a grammar school in the northwest England county of Cheshire. She joined the News of the World at the age of 20 as a feature writer and rose to become deputy editor.
* In 1998 she transferred to sister tabloid The Sun, a daily, spending two years as deputy editor there before returning to the News of the World as editor in 2000, where she ran a controversial campaign to name and shame child sex offenders.
-- It was under her editorship that an investigator working for the News of the World hacked into the voicemail of missing schoolgirl Milly Dowler, later found murdered. Brooks says she did not know about the hacking.
* She became The Sun's first female editor three years later in 2003.
-- It was during this period that Brooks separated from her first husband Ross Kemp, best known for his role as hard man Grant Mitchell in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders.
* In June 2009, Wade became CEO of News International. She also married for the second time, becoming Rebekah Brooks.
* She became a favourite of Rupert Murdoch, moving the Australian-born magnate to issue a rare statement of personal support as she came under increasing fire last week. She was also a friend and neighbour of Prime Minister David Cameron.
* News Corp had repeatedly backed Brooks to remain as chief executive of its British newspaper arm, but on July 15 she resigned after mounting pressure.
* Brooks was arrested on Sunday in connection with allegations of phone hacking and corruption.
* Brooks is due to appear before parliament's culture, media and sports committee on July 19, with Rupert and James Murdoch, to answer questions on the alleged criminality at the paper.
(Writing by David Cutler, London Editorial Reference Unit)
==
Daily Market Commentary for July 19, 2011
Wall Street seemed to be intently focused on News Corporation (NasdaqGS:
NWS) Chairman Rupert Murdoch testified before a British parliamentary.
(read more at Millennium-Traders.Com)
http://www.millennium-traders.com/news/newscommentary.aspx
Comments from James Murdoch: Surprised To Find Some Mulcaire's Legal
Fees Paid; Allegations Of Hacking Were More Serious; News Of The World
Closure Serious Matter Of Regret; Brooks Resignation And News Of World
Closure Unrelated; Size Of Hinton, Brooks Payments Are Confidential;
Surprised That Clive Goodman Paid After Court Case; Perhaps I Lost Sight
Of News Of The World; : No Knowledge Of Coulson's Wages After He Left
News International; Will Leave Option Open On New UK Sunday Paper; No
Decision To Launch New UK Sunday Tabloid; Set Up Independent Committee
To Set UK Code Of Conduct; Welcomes UK Review Into Media Industry; All
UK Paper Industry Needs To Consider Journalistic Ethics; Managers Should
Record Cash Payments; Reiterates Apology For News Of The World Hacking;
Many Of The Guilty People Had Already Left Company; Have To Find And
Deal With Guilty People; Told Father After Settlement With Gordon Taylor
Made In 2009; No Evidence That Brooks, Hinton Had Knowledge Of Hacking;
Established A Group To Cooperate With Police; Aim Of Group Is To Be
Proactive, Transparent; Will Ensure It Doesn't Happen Again; News Corp
Will Put Things Right; Actions Do Not Live Up To News Corp Standards;
Apologies To Victims Of Phone Hacking; Hacking, Police Payments Have No
Place In Our Business; Not Aware Of Phone Hacking Allegations In Other
Countries; Became Aware That Dowler's Phone Hacked When Reported In
Press Conference.
InterDigital (NasdaqGS: IDCC) shares surged by 22% after announcing that
the board was reviewing options including a sale of patents or the whole
company.
F5 Networks (NasdaqGS: FFIV) was hosting a gain on the session, into
early afternoon of almost 6 points, ahead of earnings release on
Wednesday.
Avery Dennison (NYSE: AVY) shares were down sharply by 12% after
reporting that company expects lower Q2 sales and trimmed its full-year
profit outlook.
Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE: GS) was trading at a new 52 week low after
reporting earnings that missed Wall Street expectations.
Lincare Holdings (NasdaqGS: LNCR) shares were off by 7% into early
afternoon trading when company reported income fell in Q2.
Economic data released today:
U.S. ICSC/Goldman Sachs Chain Store Sales: +0.4% in week of July 16 and
U.S. ICSC/Goldman Sachs Chain Store Sales +4.5% on year.
Building Permits: Building Permits +2.5% to 624K Rate in June.
Housing Starts: U.S. May Housing Starts Revised to Unchanged from +3.5%;
U.S. June Housing Starts +14.6% to 629K vs. Consensus +2.0%.
Viewers may opt-in to our free Weekly Market News sent via email on the
first trading day of the week. Review market news and active stocks from
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117 casualties in Karbala blast
مصدر طبي: خمسة قتلى و23 جريحا حصيلة تفجير كربلاء
113 persons killed, injured in Karbala province
7/16/2011 2:36 PM
KARBALA / Aswat al-Iraq: The number of victims from the three explosions that took place in Karbala Province over the past 24 hours have reached 113 killed or injured.
Two medical teams arrived from Baghdad and Najaf to carry out surgical operations for the injured, Karbala’s Health Director General said on Saturday.
“The final result from the Karbala explosions have reached 133 persons, killed or injured,” Dr.
Alaa Hamoud Bidair told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
“The number of dead have reached about 13, including 3 security elements and a woman, whilst the number of injured had reached 100, including a number of security elements, 5 women and 3 children,” Dr.
Bidair said.
Karbala city, 108 km to the southwest of Baghdad, is presently witnessing thousands of visitors for the anniversary of the birthday of Imam Mohammed al-Mahdi, the 12th most prominent Imam of Shiite Muslims.
The city has witnessed three explosions over the past 24 hours, including one laid by a woman, who set up an explosive charge under a car in a garage north of the city, a booby-trapped car blast in Hindiya township, east of the city and a booby-trapped motorbike blast at the entrance of the city.
“There are some of the wounded persons that require major surgical operations,” Dr.
Bidear said, adding that two medical teams have reached in the city hospitals from Baghdad and Najaf, to help carry out surgical operations.
==
Al-Iraqiya Coalition says it shall have different attitude if the Arbil Agreement won’t be settled within 2 weeks
7/14/2011 4:12 PM
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Legislature of al-Iraqiya Coalition, led by Iyad Allawi, Nahida al-Dainy, has said on Thursday that her Coalition “shall have a different attitude if the Arbil Agreement won’t be settled within two weeks from now.”
Dainy told Aswat al-Iraq news agency that her Coalition had discussed on Wednesday the agreements with the State of Law Coalition, led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the recent meeting at the residence of Iraq’s President Jalal Talabani.
“Wednesday meeting had been one of the most important meetings by al-Iraqiya Coalition, aimed at discussing the recent developments, among its leaders,” Dainy said, adding that the meeting had discussed the current political situation and al-Iraqiya’s position, as well as the agreements with the State of Law and the meeting of the leaders of the political forces, held in President Talabani’s residence.
Iraq’s political leaders had met last Saturday, July 9th, at the residence of the Iraqi President, in a step to settle the differences among the political forces, most outstanding of which are al-Iraqiya and the State of Law Coalitions, and the most outstanding results of the meeting had been the assignment of the negotiation committees to resume their activity, with the extension of their authorities, in order to enable them to present their proposals within two weeks.
Dainy has also demanded the political blocs “to settle the issue of Arbil Agreement within the next two weeks, or else her al-Iraqiya Coalition would have another position towards the political process.”
As regards to the American troops withdrawal from Iraq, and whether the topic was discussed in the said meeting, Dainy said: “The issue of the American withdrawal was not settled by al-Iraqiya Coalition, due to the unclear attitude within the Coalition itself,” pointing out that the “position of al-Iraqiya towards the American withdrawal won’t be different from the position of other blocs.”
Noteworthy is that a meeting was held on Wednesday, attended by al-Iraqiya Coalition’s Leader, Iyad Allawi, Iraq’s Vice-President, Tareq al-Hashimy, along with other Leading Members of al-Iraqiya, with the presence of all its 91 Parliament Members, in which the recent political developments have been discussed.
==
UPDATE /
7/15/2011 6:13 PM
KARBALA / Aswat al-Iraq: The toll from the explosion in north Karbala has reached 17 casualties, in addition to two dead, provincial sources said today.
The source told Aswat al-Iraq that the explosion took place in a garage near a checkpoint in Oun area, 15 km north of the city.
The wounded were sent to hospitals in Baghdad, Najaf and Hilla provinces.
Earleir, Col.
Adnan al-Khafaji told Aswat al-Iraq that a bomb exploded this afternoon in a parked car inside a garage near one of the checkpoints north of the city.
Initial reports indicated that the blast resulted in two dead and three injured.
Starting from today, Karbala city will receive thousands of visitor to commemorate the birth of Imam Mehdi who was born on 15 Sha'ban in Samarra city.
The peak of the visit shall be tomorrow (Saturday).
===
U.S. turns Saddam's half-brothers over to Iraq
15 Jul 2011 12:12
Source: reuters // Reuters
* Saddam's half-brothers face execution
* U.S. prepares for withdrawal by year-end
BAGHDAD, July 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. military has delivered two of Saddam Hussein's half-brothers and his former defence minister into Iraqi custody along with nearly 200 other inmates at a Baghdad prison, a deputy justice minister said on Friday.
The men were transferred to Iraqi authorities on Thursday along with a final section of Cropper prison, a detention centre built in 2006 near the capital's international airport.
Saddam's half-brothers, Sabaawi Ibrahim al-Hassan and Watban Ibrahim al-Hassan, and former defence minister Sultan Hashim all face death sentences, Deputy Justice Minister Busho Ibrahim said.
They were among 55 people on the U.S. most wanted list after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that deposed Saddam and were later convicted of crimes against humanity.
"The sentences on those men are final. We will implement the sentence (execution) after a presidential decree is issued," Ibrahim said, adding he did not know when the decree would be issued.
U.S. forces are handing over bases, jails and prisoners to Iraqi authorities as they prepare for a full withdrawal at the end of the year, more than eight years after the invasion.
Saddam was executed in December 2006.
The U.S. military turned over most of what was then known as Camp Cropper to Iraq a year ago, ending an ignominious chapter of the invasion that saw thousands of people detained without charges and triggered outrage after disclosures of prisoner abuse.
At the time of the handover last July, U.S. wardens continued to guard about 200 of Cropper's 1,500 detainees, including al Qaeda militants and Saddam's henchmen. The camp was renamed Karkh prison.
The Iraqi Justice Ministry received 196 inmates from the Americans on Thursday, all of the remaining Cropper prisoners but for 10 whose paperwork had not been completed, Ibrahim said.
(Reporting by Khalid al-Ansary; Editing by Matthew Jones)
===
Saddam's half-brothers face execution in Iraq
AFPBy Salam Faraj | AFP – 18 hrs ago
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Print
Related Content
A picture released by the Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST) shows Watban Ibrahim al-Hassan -- the half-brother of Iraq's executed dictator Saddam Hussein -- responding to questions from an Iraqi judge in 2005. Five Saddam-era officials, including two of his half-brothers, will be executed within a month after being handed over to Iraqi authorities by the US military
A picture released by the Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST) shows Watban Ibrahim al-Hassan …
Sabawi Ibrahim al-Tikriti -- Saddam Hussein's half-brother -- gives evidence during the late dictator's trial in 2006. Five Saddam-era officials, including two of the late dictator's half-brothers, will be executed within a month after being handed over to Iraqi authorities by the US military
Sabawi Ibrahim al-Tikriti -- Saddam Hussein's half-brother -- gives evidence during …
Iraq will execute two of Saddam Hussein's half-brothers within a month along with three other former regime officials, an official said on Friday, after the five were handed over by the US military.
The group, transferred to Iraqi custody on Thursday morning, were among 206 high-value detainees still being held by American forces ahead of a US military pullout due by the end of the year.
"We received the final 206 Iraqi prisoners being held by US forces, including five senior officials from the former regime," said justice ministry spokesman Haidar al-Saadi. "They (the five officials) will be executed within one month.
"They include Watban Ibrahim Hassan and Sabawi Ibrahim al-Tikriti," two half-brothers of former dictator Saddam Hussein.
Also among the group handed over and slated to be executed were former defence minister Sultan Hashem Ahmed and ex-generals Hussein Rashid al-Tikriti and Aziz Saleh Numan.
The five had been sentenced to death in different trials from 2007 to 2011.
"Justice Minister Hassan al-Shammari visited with the presidency council earlier this week and they agreed not to delay the ratification of their condemnation to death," he said.
"We believe that the council will sign the documents within days and they will be executed within one month."
Under Iraqi law, all death sentences must be formally approved by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, or by either of his two vice presidents.
The 206 prisoners transferred were being held by US forces at a detention facility on Baghdad's outskirts, formerly known as Camp Cropper. Although the site was handed over to Iraq on July 15, 2010, American soldiers were charged with holding the group of high-value detainees.
Saadi said that of the larger group, the paperwork for 10 had not yet been completed.
Saddam, who was deposed in a 2003 US-led invasion, himself spent three years in Camp Cropper until his execution on December 2006.
Watban Ibrahim Hassan, a former interior minister, was sentenced to death in March 2009 for his involvement in the 1992 execution of 42 merchants accused of food price speculation. He is the only senior Saddam-era official to have publicly apologised for wrongs committed by the dictator's Baath party.
Sabawi Ibrahim al-Tikriti, a former chief of Saddam's intelligence service, was condemned to death in the same trial.
Former defence minister Ahmed and ex-general Tikriti were sentenced to death in June 2007 in connection with the repression of Iraq's Kurds in the 1987-88 Anfal campaign in which 180,000 died.
Numan received his death sentence last month over the violent suppression of an uprising of Shiite Muslims in south Iraq following the 1991 Gulf War.
"As the Iraqi government gains the ability to hold prisoners requiring higher security standards, they are taking physical custody," said Colonel Barry Johnson, a US military spokesman.
"All detainees are and have been under their (Iraq's) legal custody. We only retained physical custody."
Around 47,000 US soldiers remain stationed in Iraq, with all set to withdraw by the end of the year under a bilateral security pact.
113 persons killed, injured in Karbala province
7/16/2011 2:36 PM
KARBALA / Aswat al-Iraq: The number of victims from the three explosions that took place in Karbala Province over the past 24 hours have reached 113 killed or injured.
Two medical teams arrived from Baghdad and Najaf to carry out surgical operations for the injured, Karbala’s Health Director General said on Saturday.
“The final result from the Karbala explosions have reached 133 persons, killed or injured,” Dr.
Alaa Hamoud Bidair told Aswat al-Iraq news agency.
“The number of dead have reached about 13, including 3 security elements and a woman, whilst the number of injured had reached 100, including a number of security elements, 5 women and 3 children,” Dr.
Bidair said.
Karbala city, 108 km to the southwest of Baghdad, is presently witnessing thousands of visitors for the anniversary of the birthday of Imam Mohammed al-Mahdi, the 12th most prominent Imam of Shiite Muslims.
The city has witnessed three explosions over the past 24 hours, including one laid by a woman, who set up an explosive charge under a car in a garage north of the city, a booby-trapped car blast in Hindiya township, east of the city and a booby-trapped motorbike blast at the entrance of the city.
“There are some of the wounded persons that require major surgical operations,” Dr.
Bidear said, adding that two medical teams have reached in the city hospitals from Baghdad and Najaf, to help carry out surgical operations.
==
Al-Iraqiya Coalition says it shall have different attitude if the Arbil Agreement won’t be settled within 2 weeks
7/14/2011 4:12 PM
BAGHDAD / Aswat al-Iraq: The Legislature of al-Iraqiya Coalition, led by Iyad Allawi, Nahida al-Dainy, has said on Thursday that her Coalition “shall have a different attitude if the Arbil Agreement won’t be settled within two weeks from now.”
Dainy told Aswat al-Iraq news agency that her Coalition had discussed on Wednesday the agreements with the State of Law Coalition, led by Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki and the recent meeting at the residence of Iraq’s President Jalal Talabani.
“Wednesday meeting had been one of the most important meetings by al-Iraqiya Coalition, aimed at discussing the recent developments, among its leaders,” Dainy said, adding that the meeting had discussed the current political situation and al-Iraqiya’s position, as well as the agreements with the State of Law and the meeting of the leaders of the political forces, held in President Talabani’s residence.
Iraq’s political leaders had met last Saturday, July 9th, at the residence of the Iraqi President, in a step to settle the differences among the political forces, most outstanding of which are al-Iraqiya and the State of Law Coalitions, and the most outstanding results of the meeting had been the assignment of the negotiation committees to resume their activity, with the extension of their authorities, in order to enable them to present their proposals within two weeks.
Dainy has also demanded the political blocs “to settle the issue of Arbil Agreement within the next two weeks, or else her al-Iraqiya Coalition would have another position towards the political process.”
As regards to the American troops withdrawal from Iraq, and whether the topic was discussed in the said meeting, Dainy said: “The issue of the American withdrawal was not settled by al-Iraqiya Coalition, due to the unclear attitude within the Coalition itself,” pointing out that the “position of al-Iraqiya towards the American withdrawal won’t be different from the position of other blocs.”
Noteworthy is that a meeting was held on Wednesday, attended by al-Iraqiya Coalition’s Leader, Iyad Allawi, Iraq’s Vice-President, Tareq al-Hashimy, along with other Leading Members of al-Iraqiya, with the presence of all its 91 Parliament Members, in which the recent political developments have been discussed.
==
UPDATE /
7/15/2011 6:13 PM
KARBALA / Aswat al-Iraq: The toll from the explosion in north Karbala has reached 17 casualties, in addition to two dead, provincial sources said today.
The source told Aswat al-Iraq that the explosion took place in a garage near a checkpoint in Oun area, 15 km north of the city.
The wounded were sent to hospitals in Baghdad, Najaf and Hilla provinces.
Earleir, Col.
Adnan al-Khafaji told Aswat al-Iraq that a bomb exploded this afternoon in a parked car inside a garage near one of the checkpoints north of the city.
Initial reports indicated that the blast resulted in two dead and three injured.
Starting from today, Karbala city will receive thousands of visitor to commemorate the birth of Imam Mehdi who was born on 15 Sha'ban in Samarra city.
The peak of the visit shall be tomorrow (Saturday).
===
U.S. turns Saddam's half-brothers over to Iraq
15 Jul 2011 12:12
Source: reuters // Reuters
* Saddam's half-brothers face execution
* U.S. prepares for withdrawal by year-end
BAGHDAD, July 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. military has delivered two of Saddam Hussein's half-brothers and his former defence minister into Iraqi custody along with nearly 200 other inmates at a Baghdad prison, a deputy justice minister said on Friday.
The men were transferred to Iraqi authorities on Thursday along with a final section of Cropper prison, a detention centre built in 2006 near the capital's international airport.
Saddam's half-brothers, Sabaawi Ibrahim al-Hassan and Watban Ibrahim al-Hassan, and former defence minister Sultan Hashim all face death sentences, Deputy Justice Minister Busho Ibrahim said.
They were among 55 people on the U.S. most wanted list after the 2003 U.S.-led invasion that deposed Saddam and were later convicted of crimes against humanity.
"The sentences on those men are final. We will implement the sentence (execution) after a presidential decree is issued," Ibrahim said, adding he did not know when the decree would be issued.
U.S. forces are handing over bases, jails and prisoners to Iraqi authorities as they prepare for a full withdrawal at the end of the year, more than eight years after the invasion.
Saddam was executed in December 2006.
The U.S. military turned over most of what was then known as Camp Cropper to Iraq a year ago, ending an ignominious chapter of the invasion that saw thousands of people detained without charges and triggered outrage after disclosures of prisoner abuse.
At the time of the handover last July, U.S. wardens continued to guard about 200 of Cropper's 1,500 detainees, including al Qaeda militants and Saddam's henchmen. The camp was renamed Karkh prison.
The Iraqi Justice Ministry received 196 inmates from the Americans on Thursday, all of the remaining Cropper prisoners but for 10 whose paperwork had not been completed, Ibrahim said.
(Reporting by Khalid al-Ansary; Editing by Matthew Jones)
===
Saddam's half-brothers face execution in Iraq
AFPBy Salam Faraj | AFP – 18 hrs ago
tweet3
Related Content
A picture released by the Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST) shows Watban Ibrahim al-Hassan -- the half-brother of Iraq's executed dictator Saddam Hussein -- responding to questions from an Iraqi judge in 2005. Five Saddam-era officials, including two of his half-brothers, will be executed within a month after being handed over to Iraqi authorities by the US military
A picture released by the Iraqi Special Tribunal (IST) shows Watban Ibrahim al-Hassan …
Sabawi Ibrahim al-Tikriti -- Saddam Hussein's half-brother -- gives evidence during the late dictator's trial in 2006. Five Saddam-era officials, including two of the late dictator's half-brothers, will be executed within a month after being handed over to Iraqi authorities by the US military
Sabawi Ibrahim al-Tikriti -- Saddam Hussein's half-brother -- gives evidence during …
Iraq will execute two of Saddam Hussein's half-brothers within a month along with three other former regime officials, an official said on Friday, after the five were handed over by the US military.
The group, transferred to Iraqi custody on Thursday morning, were among 206 high-value detainees still being held by American forces ahead of a US military pullout due by the end of the year.
"We received the final 206 Iraqi prisoners being held by US forces, including five senior officials from the former regime," said justice ministry spokesman Haidar al-Saadi. "They (the five officials) will be executed within one month.
"They include Watban Ibrahim Hassan and Sabawi Ibrahim al-Tikriti," two half-brothers of former dictator Saddam Hussein.
Also among the group handed over and slated to be executed were former defence minister Sultan Hashem Ahmed and ex-generals Hussein Rashid al-Tikriti and Aziz Saleh Numan.
The five had been sentenced to death in different trials from 2007 to 2011.
"Justice Minister Hassan al-Shammari visited with the presidency council earlier this week and they agreed not to delay the ratification of their condemnation to death," he said.
"We believe that the council will sign the documents within days and they will be executed within one month."
Under Iraqi law, all death sentences must be formally approved by Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, or by either of his two vice presidents.
The 206 prisoners transferred were being held by US forces at a detention facility on Baghdad's outskirts, formerly known as Camp Cropper. Although the site was handed over to Iraq on July 15, 2010, American soldiers were charged with holding the group of high-value detainees.
Saadi said that of the larger group, the paperwork for 10 had not yet been completed.
Saddam, who was deposed in a 2003 US-led invasion, himself spent three years in Camp Cropper until his execution on December 2006.
Watban Ibrahim Hassan, a former interior minister, was sentenced to death in March 2009 for his involvement in the 1992 execution of 42 merchants accused of food price speculation. He is the only senior Saddam-era official to have publicly apologised for wrongs committed by the dictator's Baath party.
Sabawi Ibrahim al-Tikriti, a former chief of Saddam's intelligence service, was condemned to death in the same trial.
Former defence minister Ahmed and ex-general Tikriti were sentenced to death in June 2007 in connection with the repression of Iraq's Kurds in the 1987-88 Anfal campaign in which 180,000 died.
Numan received his death sentence last month over the violent suppression of an uprising of Shiite Muslims in south Iraq following the 1991 Gulf War.
"As the Iraqi government gains the ability to hold prisoners requiring higher security standards, they are taking physical custody," said Colonel Barry Johnson, a US military spokesman.
"All detainees are and have been under their (Iraq's) legal custody. We only retained physical custody."
Around 47,000 US soldiers remain stationed in Iraq, with all set to withdraw by the end of the year under a bilateral security pact.
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