Ex-No 10 chief Coulson arrested

Former News of the World editor Andy Coulson and one of his former top reporters are being questioned about alleged corruption after a dramatic double arrest by Scotland Yard.
Former royal editor Clive Goodman - who was jailed in January 2007 over the scandal - had been rearrested in connection with alleged payments to police and Mr Coulson, the ex-Downing Street communications chief, is also being questioned over phone hacking during his time at the paper.
The 43-year-old ex-editor of the News of the World was held at a south London police station, sources said.
The arrest piles further pressure on the Prime Minister, who gave him a job at No 10 despite his association with the scandal.
The widely-anticipated arrest is the latest bombshell in a catastrophic week for News International chiefs, who announced they were shutting the Sunday tabloid because it had betrayed its readers' trust.

Continued here:
http://www.sthelensreporter.co.uk/news/national/ex_no_10_chief_coulson_arrested_1_3560581

Charities reject News of the World advertising offer

A number of charities have rejected an offer to advertise for free in the final edition of the News of the World.

News International is shutting the tabloid amid the row over phone-hacking and advertising space for Sunday's paper has been offered to good causes.

The Salvation Army and the RSPCA said they had declined the offer.

The Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC), which launched a drought appeal for East Africa on Friday, said it had yet to take a decision.

The Institute of Fundraising urged caution among its members when deciding whether to accept the offer of free advertising space from News International.

"The decision as to whether a charity ought to accept a donation or not should be grounded in its mission and policy objectives," it said, in a statement on its website.
"A clear policy on the acceptance or refusal of donations is important for all charitable organisations.
"Such a policy needs to be acceptable to all those associated with the charity and agreed formally by a charities' trustees."

A spokeswoman for regulatory body, the Charity Commission, said: "Ultimately it is the responsibility of a charity's trustees to ensure that any fundraising, including the acceptance of donations, is in the best interests of the charity.

"We encourage trustees to assess the advantages and disadvantages of new opportunities to fundraise, including any potential risks to the charity and its beneficiaries."
In the lead up to the announcement of its closure, a string of businesses suspended or cancelled advertising with the NoW.  Among them were Co-operative Group, Lloyds, Halifax, Vauxhall, Virgin Holidays, Sainsbury's, O2, car-maker Ford and the government.

The Royal British Legion also cut its ties with the paper as its campaigning partner and put its advertising with News International under review. Among the other charities to reject the offer were Care International, homelessness charity Thames Reach and Water Aid.

Continued at:   http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14087518

Judge to head News of the World hacking inquiry - Cameron

 A judge will lead a public inquiry into the phone hacking scandal at the News of the World, the prime minister said. 

David Cameron defended his decision to appoint Andy Coulson, the former News of the World editor, as director of communications, a job he later quit.

Labour leader Ed Miliband had called on the PM to apologise for the "appalling error of judgement" in employing Mr Coulson, editor from 2003 to 2007.Mr Coulson is being held over hacking - he denies knowing it was happening.

Mr Coulson, 43, was arrested by detectives investigating allegations of hacking the phones of various people in the news and is also being questioned about corruption allegations.Mr Cameron said: "I became friends with him and I think he did his job for me in a very effective way. He became a friend and he is a friend."
On Thursday News International shut down the News of the World following a spate of fresh revelations.
The 168-year-old tabloid is accused of hacking into phones of crime victims, celebrities and politicians. Police have identified 4,000 possible targets.

Mr Cameron said a second inquiry would look at the ethics and culture of the press and he also said the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) would be scrapped, adding: "I believe we need a new system entirely."
He also questioned the tenability of Rebekah Brooks as News International chief executive considering she was editor of the News of the World at the time of Milly Dowler's phone being hacked.

Continued at  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14081817

Rebekah Brooks: News of the World brand is 'toxic'

Rebekah Brooks apologised to gathered News of the World staff today, telling them the paper had become "toxic" and promising to try to find them jobs elsewhere in the company. 

 

The embattled News International executive told around 200 journalists, all of whom have been told that they will lose their jobs, that there was no way the paper could recover from the damage of the phone hacking scandal.

Mrs Brooks said the company would try to find them new jobs, adding to speculation that News International may launch a new Sunday tabloid to replace the News of the World.

According to Sky News, she told employees: "You may be angry with me, I understand, but I'm angry with the people who did this [hacking] and feel bitterly betrayed".

In the hours before her address there was strong speculation that the former News of the Editor might announce her resignation but Mrs Brooks seemed determined to remain in post.

Staff at the Wapping office said they were being "hung out to dry" after security guards appeared on the doors of the newsroom and their internet access was blocked.

Continued at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/phone-hacking/8626204/Rebekah-Brooks-News-of-the-World-brand-is-toxic.html by Raf Sanchez

Murdoch closes the News of the World

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

It is only right that you as colleagues at News International are first to hear what I have to say and that you hear it directly from me.
You do not need to be told that the News of the World is 168 years old. That it is read by more people than any other English language newspaper. That it has enjoyed support from Britain's largest advertisers. And that it has a proud history of fighting crime, exposing wrong-doing and regularly setting the news agenda for the nation.
When I tell people why I am proud to be part of News Corporation, I say that our commitment to journalism and a free press is one of the things that sets us apart. Your work is a credit to this.
The good things the News of the World does, however, have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong. Indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our Company.
The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed when it came to itself.
In 2006, the police focused their investigations on two men. Both went to jail. But the News of the World and News International failed to get to the bottom of repeated wrongdoing that occurred without conscience or legitimate purpose. Wrongdoers turned a good newsroom bad and this was not fully understood or adequately pursued.
As a result, the News of the World and News International wrongly maintained that these issues were confined to one reporter. We now have voluntarily given evidence to the police that I believe will prove that this was untrue and those who acted wrongly will have to face the consequences.
This was not the only fault.
The paper made statements to Parliament without being in the full possession of the facts. This was wrong.
The Company paid out-of-court settlements approved by me. I now know that I did not have a complete picture when I did so. This was wrong and is a matter of serious regret.
Currently, there are two major and ongoing police investigations. We are cooperating fully and actively with both. You know that it was News International who voluntarily brought evidence that led to opening Operation Weeting and Operation Elveden. This full cooperation will continue until the Police's work is done.
We have also admitted liability in civil cases. Already, we have settled a number of prominent cases and set up a Compensation Scheme, with cases to be adjudicated by former High Court judge Sir Charles Gray. Apologising and making amends is the right thing to do.
Inside the Company, we set up a Management and Standards Committee that is working on these issues and that has hired Olswang to examine past failings and recommend systems and practices that over time should become standards for the industry. We have committed to publishing Olswang's terms of reference and eventual recommendations in a way that is open and transparent.
We have welcomed broad public inquiries into press standards and police practices and will cooperate with them fully.
So, just as I acknowledge we have made mistakes, I hope you and everyone inside and outside the Company will acknowledge that we are doing our utmost to fix them, atone for them, and make sure they never happen again.
Having consulted senior colleagues, I have decided that we must take further decisive action with respect to the paper.
This Sunday will be the last issue of the News of the World.
Colin Myler will edit the final edition of the paper.
In addition, I have decided that all of the News of the World's revenue this weekend will go to good causes.
While we may never be able to make up for distress that has been caused, the right thing to do is for every penny of the circulation revenue we receive this weekend to go to organisations - many of whom are long-term friends and partners - that improve life in Britain and are devoted to treating others with dignity.
We will run no commercial advertisements this weekend. Any advertising space in this last edition will be donated to causes and charities that wish to expose their good works to our millions of readers.
These are strong measures. They are made humbly and out of respect. I am convinced they are the right thing to do.
Many of you, if not the vast majority of you, are either new to the Company or have had no connection to the News of the World during the years when egregious behaviour occurred.
I can understand how unfair these decisions may feel. Particularly, for colleagues who will leave the Company. Of course, we will communicate next steps in detail and begin appropriate consultations.
You may see these changes as a price loyal staff at the News of the World are paying for the transgressions of others. So please hear me when I say that your good work is a credit to journalism. I do not want the legitimacy of what you do to be compromised by acts of others. I want all journalism at News International to be beyond reproach. I insist that this organisation lives up to the standard of behaviour we expect of others. And, finally, I want you all to know that it is critical that the integrity of every journalist who has played fairly is restored.

From: http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/notw/public/nol_public_news/1347103/News-International-today-announces-that-this-Sunday-10-July-2011-will-be-the-last-issue-of-the-News-of-the-World.html