09/07/2011 BBC Weekend News

The News of the World is consigned to history following the phone

hacking scandal. Thank you and goodbye - the words chosen for its

last front page, 168 years after its creation. As the paper's staff

leave their offices for the last time, Rupert Murdoch pledges

complete support for News International chief executive

Rebekah Brooks. You have been let down by people. We were wondering

if Rebekah Brooks still has your support? Total. An official review

into the Mull of Kintyre helicopter crash 17 years ago concludes the

pilots should not have been blamed for gross negligence.

Birth of a nation - celebrations as South Sudan formally declares its

independence. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

arrive in California as they continue their royal tour.

And heartache for England's women as they crash out of the World Cup

Good evening. 168 years after it was first published, the last ever

copies of the News of the World are being printed tonight. The front

page of Britain's best selling tabloid reads simply "thank you and

goodbye". Speaking to reporters earlier today, Rupert Murdoch said

it had been a "collective decision" to close the paper because of the

phone hacking scandal. He also said the News International chief

executive Rebekah Brooks had his total support. Mr Murdoch is

expected to arrive in the UK tomorrow to deal with the crisis.

Colette McBeth is at News International headquarters in

Wapping tonight. Just about half-an-hour ago, staff

left here for the last time. They were led out by their former editor,

Colin Myler. As they headed to the pub, Rupert Murdoch is due to fly

into the UK, hoping no doubt that by closing this best-selling

newspaper he may have taken some heat out of the fire. This report

contains a flash photography. This is it, no scoop, no scandal on the

front page, just a simple thank you and goodbye. As the final edition

of the News of the World was printed, staff left the building

following a pep-talk and pizza with the editor. I said to the staff

this morning, this is not where we wanted to be and it is not where we

deserve to be, but as a final tribute to 7.5 million readers,

this is for you, and for the staff. Thank you. As they go, Rupert

Murdoch will fly in to take charge of the crisis. Today, still in the

United States, he made his feelings clear. We have already apologised.

You have been let down by people, the result was the paper let down

its readers. He said he still has faith in Rebekah Brooks. I was

wondering if Rebekah Brooks still has your support? Total. When he

arrives here, Rupert Murdoch will have a lot to wrestle with. The

Prime Minister has announced two inquiries. One will be judged lead,

investigating why phone hacking spread and why the police failed to

uncover it. The other will look into the ethics and regulation of

the media, but Labour has demanded a judge should be appointed today

in case key evidence is destroyed. We need to have a proper inquiry

and it would be immeasurably more difficult for the judge if the

staff have all been dispersed and he can't get in touch with them to

give evidence to the inquiry, and the computers have disappeared.

government have said they are doing all they can. There it is pretty

rich coming from Labour, who for five years did nothing about these

phone hacking allegations. David Cameron has already arranged to

meet Ed Miliband next week to discuss finalising the inquiries.

News International has denied allegations that vital e-mails have

been destroyed. Rebekah Brooks has written to the Home Affairs Select

Committee stressing she knew nothing about the hacking of Milly

Dowler's phone or any others. But tonight in Wapping, a chapter in

newspaper history is closing, as a tabloid that uncovered many

scandals is brought down by its own making.

Tonight Ed Miliband said next week he would force a Commons vote on

News Corporation's bid to take full control of BSkyB. The Labour leader

says that should be put on hold until the police investigation is

complete. Well in another development tonight

Scotland Yard Assistant Commissioner John Yates has said he

regrets not having done more when he reviewed the initial

investigation into phone hacking. He was speaking to the Sunday

Telegraph. Our home affairs correspondent June Kelly is here.

An interesting new twist? Yes, he didn't do the initial investigation

but he looked at the scope of it and decided there was not

sufficient evidence to reopen it in 2009. Now he says it is his

greatest regret. He says he would never have reached the conclusion

not to reopen the investigation. He says I am accountable, it happened

on my watch and I could have done more. I regrettably said the

initial inquiry was a success. He said the revelation that Milly

Dowler's phone had been hacked was awful for him. It has emerged

tonight that Milly Dowler's mother and sister will be meeting Nick

Clegg on Monday. They have also requested a meeting with David

Cameron and we are told that is likely.

The BBC has learned that an official review into an RAF

helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre 17 years ago, which killed

all 29 people on board, is expected to say that the two pilots should

not have been accused of gross negligence. The independent report,

chaired by retired Scottish judge Lord Philip, is due out next week.

It was the RAF's worst peacetime accident. In 1994, the RAF Chinook

Special Forces crew were taking senior intelligence officers from

Northern Ireland to Inverness. The helicopter hit a cloud covered Mull

of Kintyre. The two pilots flying the to knock helicopter, Jonathan

Tapper and Richard Cook. In 1995, an inquiry found no conclusive

evidence to determine the cause of the crash but a review by two RAF

air marshals found the pilot grossly negligent for flying too

fast and low in pick fog. In 1996 a fatal accident inquiry left open

the question of blame and in 2000 a report said pilot error could not

be proved beyond doubt. Last year, the current inquiry opened and the

Defence Secretary Liam Fox asked Lord Philip to conduct a review of

the evidence. A to his right to say that gross negligence was the wrong

verdict, but I do believe there is some culpability by the aircraft

crew. They did after all fly in to help. They campaign for a new

inquiry was supported by the families of the pilots, as well as

some senior politicians. These pilots were skilful, honourable

young men doing their duty. That is what the test pilot on the Squadron

things, what most of the experts think, just not what the old air

marshals thought. Susan lost her husband Ian in the crash. I am

delighted for the families of those pilots that they have had their

names cleared today finally, but we all knew this should have happened.

But now, maybe other recommendations need to be made.

MoD spokesperson said an announcement would be made to

Parliament shortly, but until that time it would be inappropriate to

comment. Tens of thousands of people have

attended a ceremony in South Sudan to mark its formal declaration of

independence. The birth of the world's newest nation comes after

two decades of civil war, which cost the lives of some 2 million

people. A peace deal signed in 2005 paved the way for autonomy, but

there are fears of renewed conflict between north and south. From Juba,

the new capital of South Sudan, Will Ross reports. The moment that

the clocks turned midnight, the party began. Euphoria on the

streets of Juba. Then for the official ceremony to mark the birth

of this new nation, they came in their tens of thousands. Every

vantage point was taken. Even the old enemy was here. Relations are

still strained between the north and the south, but President Omar

Al-Bashir came with a message of peace. As the President of South

Sudan was sworn in, he promised better days ahead for this troubled

country. Promote the unity of the people of South Sudan. Today was

all about celebrating the end of a long struggle for freedom. Well,

this is the moment that so many people have been waiting for, the

birth of a new nation. South Sudan has been waiting a long time for

this. I feel so happy, really! There are so many people who are

really very happy indeed. Dignitaries from around the world

were here. They want the aid money spent well. It will be tough love,

really, to use that expression. We are giving them a lot of help,

support, advice and expertise, but also saying it must be a

functioning state. This new nation faces great challenges, but today

people here were full of pride. British aid agencies say the public

is responding with "overwhelming generosity" to a joint fund-raising

appeal launched yesterday to help millions of people affected by

severe drought in eastern Africa. �6 million had been donated in the

past 24 hours. The crisis has prompted thousands of Somalis a day

to flee to Kenya and Ethiopia in search of food and medical

treatment. Our correspondent Ben Brown reports from the Dadaab camp

on the border between Kenya and Somalia. It is their first sight of

real food for weeks. These refugees have just arrived from Somalia, and

once they get a yellow wristband they are entitled to immediate

rations of food, enough to last them a fortnight. They are there

are the fortunate few. Beyond this camp, swathes of the -- East Africa

are suffering from malnutrition. It is expected 10 million others in

this corner of Africa will need help in the next few months. Those

who have not yet got their rations look on enviously. More people

arrive here every day to escape Somalia's drought and civil war.

The people are very weak, some of them have walked for days on the

road without food. They are arriving severely malnourished,

particularly the children. They are arriving in very bad condition.

most severely malnourished are brought here to the intensive

feeding centre. The world may have woken up to this emergency, and

more aid may be on its way, but for now these children are still

perilously thin. Some so weak they can barely eat. While some can

barely cry. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge

are in California, as they continue their first foreign tour since

their marriage in April. Tonight they're at a charity polo match.

Later the couple will attend a BAFTA dinner in Los Angeles. Our

royal correspondent Peter Hunt is at the Santa Barbara Polo and

Racquet Club. They have been called the USA's most famous tourist, they

are here for an exclusive polo match which has been made all the

more so by their presence. A suitably grand entrance for the

future of the British monarchy. It is an opportunity to mix pleasure

with serious fund-raising amongst the seriously rich. On a red carpet

which would not look out of place in a palace, a self-conscious

prince and his wife. This country got rid of the institution

centuries ago but remains endlessly fascinated by it. The Duke and the

Duchess are here for Paul -- a game of polo. The prospect of being able

to let loose this afternoon is wonderful for me, that is what

sport is all about, be it football, polo, or whatever your preferred

sport is. In a place awash with champagne and celebrities, William

and Kate offer something else to guess paying thousands of dollars

for the chance to rub shoulders with them. What is so important for

-- about this couple for California? They are young and

vital, and they have their great common touch. They are great

representatives of your great country. Willian is following in

the footsteps of his father and his mother. Diana captivated Americans

who treated her as a glamorous star. After lunch and more than 20 years

on, there will be a an echo of the past. William will play in the polo

competition, Kate will present the trophy. After the Polo, Hollywood

and royalty will collide at it after reception. It is being held

to promote young British talent to people working in the film industry.

Now, the sport. It's a familiar story. England knocked out of a

football World Cup on penalties. This evening it was the turn of

England's women to suffer that fate. Beaten by France, after their

quarter-final had finished one all at the end of extra time. Keith

York has the details. There was more than a hint of deja vu in

England's tearful exit from the world cup quarter-final in Germany.

A penalty shoot-out had once again scuppered English hopes of a semi-

final spot. France are one of women's football's rising powers

and looked the part as they dominated for long spells of the

game. It was very much against the run of play then when Everton's

Jill Scott gave England the lead just shy of the hour mark. But

France continued to press and broke English hearts with an equaliser

three minutes from time through Elisse Bussaglia, forcing the game

into extra-time. Hope Powell's exhausted troops battled to avoid

those dreaded penalties. But when captain Faye White needed to find

the net, her spot-kick rattled off the crossbar. It was a gallant

effort, some really tired legs out there today. They performed

tremendously and did their very best to get this far, to take it to

the wire. Unfortunately, when it came to penalties, you have to

applaud France. France's delight was England's misery. The French

head for the semis, England head for the airport.