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Cameron faces Murdoch storm at UK media probe
Afghan neighbours sit together to tackle issues
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influencing judiciary
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Cameron faces Murdoch storm at UK media probe
London, June 14 Cameron's day-long appearance at the Leveson Inquiry comes after months of embarrassing revelations on his friendships with people at the heart of Murdoch's News Corp including two former newspaper editors now facing criminal charges. Cameron's judgment has also come under attack over his backing for a minister accused of discreetly championing News Corp's bid for full ownership of pay-TV firm BSkyB at a time when he was supposed to be an impartial overseer. One of the themes now dominating the inquiry is a widely held view that generations of British politicians cultivated powerful media figures, especially Rupert Murdoch, in a tacit agreement to look after each other's interests. "The idea of overt deals is nonsense. I also don't believe in this theory that was sort of a nod and a wink and some sort of covert agreement," Cameron told the inquiry. Cameron set up the inquiry into media standards himself last year after a phone-hacking scandal erupted at one of Murdoch's British tabloids, but he has found himself increasingly under its glare. His decision to agree to spend a whole working day at Leveson, at a time when he is under intense pressure over an economic recession, the euro zone crisis and other pressing matters, is a measure of how much the fallout from the Murdoch saga is dogging his premiership. He was well prepared and gave evidence fluently. He clasped his hands and frowned in concentration as he listened to questions from lawyer Robert Jay, and when speaking jabbed his hands left and right for emphasis. It contrasted with his usually relaxed, spontaneous style, reflecting the pressure on the prime minister to appear statesmanlike and authoritative. "I think this relationship (between politicians and journalists) has been going wrong for, you know, it's never been perfect. There have always been problems. You can point to examples of Churchill putting Beaverbrook as a minister," Cameron said. In what many will consider a flattering comparison, Britain's wartime leader Winston Churchill controversially appointed press baron Lord Beaverbrook to his cabinet in 1940. Cameron's own dangerous liaisons include a close friendship with Rebekah Brooks, a close confidante of Murdoch and former executive at his British business, and the hiring of Andy Coulson, also a Murdoch ex-editor, as his trusted spokesman. Cameron used to sign his frequent text messages to Brooks with an affectionate "LOL", which he thought stood for "lots of love", according to Brooks.
— Reuters
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Afghan neighbours sit together to tackle issues
Kabul, June 14 Any cooperation, however, is bound to share the stage with longtime neighborhood rivalries, the ongoing war in Afghanistan and a fragile effort to reach a peace accord with the Taliban. In opening the one-day conference, Afghan President Hamid Karzai said the head of the government-appointed peace council will travel soon to Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to seek the two nation's continued help in talking peace with the Taliban in hopes of ending decades of war. Karzai said that successful peace discussions with the Taliban are one of the most important elements in attaining harmony in the region. The Afghan leader, who has pushed neighboring Pakistan to do more to help further the peace process, thanked Saudi Arabia for the help it has given in trying to find a political resolution to the war. Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar said Pakistan stood ready to assist with the peace process, but that Afghanistan's various factions need to reach a consensus about a political resolution to the war. Only then, can it be supported by Afghanistan's neighbours, she said.
— PTI
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Fonseka vows to fight ‘corrupt’ govt
Sri Lanka's former Army chief Sarath Fonseka, who was released from prison about a month ago, said he had no intension of joining the government of President Mahinda Rajapaksa and would pursue his political career independently with an aim bring about a regime change.
I will continue to engage in politics to end the corrupt practices of this government, Fonseka said at his first post-release press conference in Colombo. He said he would work to topple the government which he said was suppressing the freedom of the people. I want to abolish the executive presidency which is a stepping time to dictatorship, he said. He invited the public to rally around him in the fight to rid the country of corruption. Fonseka, the man largely credited with the defeat of the Tamil Tigers in May 2009, fell out with the Rajapaksa's regime after he decided to politics and contested unsuccessfully against the incumbent President in the December 2010 presidential polls.
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Suu Kyi addresses ILO conference
London, June 14 Clad in traditional Myanmar dress with a green scarf, 66-year-old Suu Kyi is on her first tour of Europe since 1988. During the tour, she is due to receive the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, and later travel to Britain, Ireland and France. Looking embarrassed at the prolonged ovation after her address to the International Labour Conference of the ILO at the Palais de Nations in Geneva, Suu Kyi went up to the mike again to say: "I don't understand why people say I am full of courage. I am terribly nervous". Yesterday, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) decided to lift restrictions imposed on Myanmar since 1999, and readmitted the country into its fold. Myanmar has not been invited to ILO meetings or activities on various labour matters since then.
— PTI
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influencing judiciary
The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered stringent action against Arsalan Iftikhar, son of Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, and business tycoon Malik Riaz for exchanging money to influence the judiciary.
In a brief order, the two-member bench of the court ruled that Malik claimed having paid over Rs 340 million to Arsalan in return for promise to secure favourable verdicts from his father on several cases pending against Malik's company Bahria Town. The Supreme Court directed Attorney General Ifran Qadir to take strict action against Malik Riaz, Salman Ahmed (Riaz's son-in-law) and Arsalan Iftikhar. The court said the trio had the right to a transparent trial. Salman lives in London and delivered the money to Arsalan, according to Malik. The court ruled that Malik Riaz tried to buy justice, adding those giving bribes and those taking it were both sinners. The order further said that Malik Riaz had accepted that despite spending more than Rs 340 million he could not get relief. However, the documents submitted by Riaz only provided details of Arsalan's visits and not of monetary transfers. The court also rejected the plea of Malik Riaz's counsel Zahid Bukhari to form a commission or send the case to an investigation agency.
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London, June 14
