10/07/2011 BBC Weekend News

Tonight, more pressure on the Murdoch empire as e-mails emerge

raising questions of a cover-up at News International. Rupert Murdoch

arrives in London for crisis talks and a display of solidarity with

cheap executive Rebekah Brooks. The e-mail chain suggests

executives knew about widespread phone hacking and payments to

police as far back as 2007. Bosses insist they knew nothing.

There are caused by Labour for Rupert Murdoch to drop his bid to

take control of BSkyB. He should recognise that, with a cloud

hanging over his organisation, it is not possible for this bid to go

ahead at the current time. We will be asking if the takeover

will be blocked. Also, Washington withholds $800

million in military aid to Pakistan as relations between the countries

worsen. William and Kate wow the Hollywood

A-list as they continued their US tour.

And Fernando Alonso wins an action- packed British Grand Prix at

Good evening. There of fresh questions tonight

about a major cover-up at News International over phone hacking.

E-mails have emerged which show the company had information four years

ago indicating malpractices were more widespread that in acknowledge

at the time. Top executives insist they knew nothing. Rupert Murdoch

arrived in the UK today for crisis talks with News International chief

executive Rebekah Brooks. Ed Miliband has called on Mr Murdoch

to abandon his bid to buy back all of BSkyB. The deal now looks in

jeopardy. This report by Robert Peston contain some flash

photography. It is a media crisis like no other.

So tonight there was no time to hang about for the quintessential

media mogul Rupert Murdoch and his embattled News International cheap

executive Rebekah Brooks. The crisis deepened this afternoon when

the BBC learned that News International found e-mails as long

ago as 2007 that appeared to indicate that payments were being

made to the police by the News Of The World for information and that

hacking must -- hacking was more widespread than the company claimed

at the time. Four years ago News International gave the e-mails to a

firm of solicitors, Harbottle and Lewis, for review, which is what

this letter provided two of MPs confirms. Earlier this year, News

International retrieved the 300 odd e-mails and handed them over to the

Metropolitan Police inquiry into alleged hacking, so the big

question for News International tonight is why, if certain

executives all those years ago knew how widespread the malpractices at

the News Of The World were, some of its top bosses claim that they were

kept in the dark. Rupert Murdoch's San James Murdoch, chairman of News

International, said on Thursday that he did not have the complete

picture Until recently. They acted on the advice of executives and

lawyers with incomplete investigation by. Explaining why Mr

Murdoch was not told of all of the abuses by the News Of The World is

the kind of story that tabloid might have investigated prior to

today's last edition. Whether Rebekah Brooks and James Murdoch

knew or not, they are still responsible for what goes on on

their watch, so it only adds to the misery for Rupert Murdoch for what

he has to deal with this week. the e-mails had been passed to this

metropolitan police officer, Asst Commissioner John Yates, a few

years ago, he might not have refused to reopen the hacking broke

in 2009, for which he apologised today. Had they known then what I

know now, he told the Sunday Telegraph, all bets are off. In

hindsight, there is a shed load of stuff I wish I had known. James

Murdoch and his father tonight in central London. The other thing on

their minds is whether to press ahead for a bid for full control of

British Sky Broadcasting in the face of political pressure to

suspend the planned takeover. the public have seen the disgusting

revelations that we have seen this week, the idea that this

organisation which engaged in these terrible practices should be

allowed to take over BSkyB, to get 100% of the state, without the

criminal investigation having been completed and on the basis of

assurances from that organisation, that will not wash with the

public's. Today, the News Of The World said "Thank you and goodbye"

to its loyal readers. There are a growing number of investors who

think it may be "Thank you and goodbye" to the Murdochs big

ambitions to own all of Britain's biggest broadcaster, Sky.

Robert Peston is with me. How much damage will these e-mails do?

It is a hugely interesting question for Rupert Murdoch, who has been in

the media industry for more than 50 years. I don't suppose he has had a

night quite like tonight. We now know that in 2007 News

International uncovered e-mails which show that extent of abuses,

malpractices, at the News Of The World went far wider than they were

probably -- they were publicly saying. We need to know why it is

that James Murdoch, Rupert Murdoch's son, says he was kept in

the dark and only got the full picture comparatively recently, and

then there is the question for Mr Murdoch of the growing political

criticism of his desire to own all of British Sky Broadcasting. It now

looks likely there is going to be a possibly majority in the House of

Commons in a vote to try to block the deal, or postponed until, until

after a police investigation is completed. It is not clear whether

that would be binding, but can Rupert Murdoch really ignore the

perceived will of Parliament? If he goes along with what Parliament

once, it would mean a delay in the takeover for at least two years,

and if you are going to delay a bid for two years, most investors would

say that is the end of it. So a big 24 hours of decisions for Rupert

Murdoch's. Thank you.

Gary O'Donoghue is at Westminster for us now. Rupert Murdoch under

intense scrutiny, how will it play out in Westminster?

If Rupert Murdoch thought closing the News Of The World would turn

down the heat on him, he was wrong. There is a lot of pressure on

ministers now. The Milly Dowler family will be meeting the Deputy

Prime Minister tomorrow, questioning him about the inquiries.

On Tuesday, John Yates of the Metropolitan Police will be

questioned by MPs in the House of Commons, and on Wednesday, as

Robert pointed out, there will be a debate, sponsored by Labour,

calling for a delay. I understand from sources in Whitehall that all

of the options are still on the table in terms of the BSkyB

takeover, a lot of consultation to be looked. It is still possible it

could be referred back to the Competition Commission, which is

what Ed Miliband has called for, and if that were to happen it would

be embarrassing for the government, but it may be better than Jeremy

Hunt, the Culture Secretary, having to make a decision in the early

autumn. Thank you.

Washington has suspended $800 million of military aid to Pakistan

in a sign of worsening relations between the two countries. It

follows diplomatic tension over the killing of Osama Bin Laden by US

Navy SEALS in a Pakistani army garrison town and expulsion by

Islamabad of more than 100 US military trainers. Rajah smashing

Darnah reports. This was the bloody aftermath of

the secret raid in May when the US killed Osama Bin Laden. But the

fact that this was in Pakistan brought murmurs of complicity from

the US and anger at America's presence there. As the fall-out

continues, Washington has announced it is withholding military aid from

its uncomfortable ally. relationship is difficult, but it

must be made to work overtime. But until we get through these

difficulties, we will hold back some of the money that the American

taxpayers have committed. Every year, the US gives around $2

billion of military assistance to Pakistan. Now it says it is holding

back more than a third of that, $800 million. Some of the at sought

to be in the form of equipment and training by US personnel, the rest

payments for Pakistani troops deployed along the Afghan border.

America trains the troops at work here, but amid growing tension.

Pakistan expelled some US military trainers recently and has

threatened to close CAB says. If America is using military aid to

encourage co-operation, will it work -- close c I a basis. By doing

this, Washington is going to be left without any influence with the

Pakistan army and the people of Pakistan, because this will be seen

as a punitive action which is meant to punish Pakistan rather than

provide an incentive for corporation. Here, officials say

this is not a change in policy. It is a long-term relationship between

the countries which is important. Remember, America needs Pakistan to

help fight the Taliban. To do that, Pakistan needs America's money.

Aid agencies in East Africa are being urged to take their work into

Somalia as it suffers the worst drought in more than half a century.

The UN refugee agency says it wants charities to start work in the

south of the country where it is claimed militants are prevented

desperate families from leaving for aid camps. Mike Wooldridge is in

the Kobe camp near the town of Dolo Ado in Ethiopia, where around 10

people are said to be dying every day.

Somali refugees fleeing into Ethiopia all pass through here, a

transit camp close to the border. Cooked in great vats, there is a

meal here of meat, rice and potatoes for everyone for up to six

days. But the number of refugees has risen so rapidly that often now

they are here much longer. Those who are say they are going hungry.

It is a bottleneck, bad news for those who are weak and vulnerable

on reaching Ethiopia. Convoys of minibuses set off twice a day,

heading for the near-miss of the refugee camps. This one took

roughly 1,000 refugees to Cove Bay, already nearing its intended

capacity of 20,000 -- Kobe camp. That, it now emerges, is far from

being its only problem. These are the graves of children in a camp

that is so short of tents that many refugees are living among buckthorn

bushes. The mother of these four children had just died. The family

came to Ethiopia nearly three weeks ago. This family lost virtually all

of their livestock from drought in Somalia and came here because they

were told they would get relief aid. With many people here and too much

wind blowing, he says, it causes colds to get worse and stomach

upsets can mean a quick death. We estimate that around 10 children

die every day, he says, and aid officials agree. Does this mean

there is a disaster in the May King? I think the death rates and

mortality rates are extremely high and worry everyone -- is there

disaster in the making? If we do not respond quickly to this we will

have serious problems. For now, with each day that passes with more

refugees arriving, the challenge of staving off disaster here is

There was rioting in several towns in Northern Ireland last night.

Police say fire officers were injured in Ballyclare in County

Antrim when a hijacked bus was crashed into a police vehicle.

Loyalists are being blamed for the violence.

A pleasure boat carrying more than 180 people has sunk in the Volga

river in central Russia. Authorities say 84 people were

rescued and one passenger is known to have died, but more than 90

people are still unaccounted for, many of them children. The search

is still continuing. It's not yet clear why the boat sank.

Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge have been visiting an

arts centre in a deprived area of Los Angeles and meeting army

veterans at the end of their tour of North America. Their itinerary

is in contrast to yesterday's events, when British royalty met

Hollywood glamour. Our royal correspondent is in Los Angeles.

That in the couple are here inside a vast film studio at a jobs fair

for American ex-service personnel seeking work.

Prince William has just praised the men and women who choose of their

own free will to lay their life on the line for their country. Last

night, as you say, was the glitziest part of this tour, a

covering of Hollywood's great and good.

Just three months ago, she was Kate Middleton. Now, having married her

prince, she is a future Queen being welcomed in a country which does

not have a monarchy, but which does have a celebrity culture.

Representatives of that culture where there last night and were

being upstaged in their own backyard at a BAFTA reception

promoting young British talent by a couple from an institution which is

meant to be a permanent fixture. Prince William, who is developing

as a royal and as a public speaker, talked about the actor who played

his great grandfather, George VI in the Oscar-winning film The King's

Speech. Before I start, I would like to thank Colin Firth for my

perfect opening line. I have a voice.

I am glad you got there in the end. This morning, a very different

location, an arts project for inner-city children living in one

of the poorest areas of the century's known as Skid Row.

William and Kate, a former history of art students with access to a

palace stuffed with old masters, put that and - if Mac put what they

had once learned into practice. William appeared less confident and

Kate. Neither needs to rely on these skills for future employment.

With their creative juices flowing, next stop, a pottery class. The

future king looks slightly out of his comfort zone. But such freshly

acquired skills may come in handy as and when they embrace family

life. They have not put on this rock soundtrack for me. In the

coming hours, the couple will leave at the end of an 11 date tour of

America and Canada which has reinforced the position of the

Duchess of Cambridge at the heart of the British monarchy.

Now the sport. Fernando Alonso has won an exciting

British Grand Prix. The championship leader Sebastian

Vettel finished second. It wasn't such a good day for some of the

British drivers. Jenson Button had to retire when a wheel fell off

after a pit stop. So, Formula One is boring, is it?

The sport had its critics recently, but you would not have found them

at Silverstone. 120,000 watching fans, one watching Royal in special

guest Prince Harry. It began with Sebastian Vettel edging ahead of

Mark Webber, but the real action they behind. Lewis Hamilton's

aggression has got him into trouble this season. Today it got him from

tenth place up to third, with an inspired start. But the race

ultimately hinged on a pit stop, Fernando Alonso sweeping past the

dithering Vettel. As for Jenson Button, the wheels came off his

race in literal style. Q1 rather sheepish mechanic. There was no

stopping Alonso. But behind him, what drama. Webber was challenging

his team-mate of Vettel for second, but to his anger was told to back

off. Meanwhile, Hamilton, who had slipped to 4th, battled wheel to

wheel with Massa, Hamilton clinging on to the crowd's delight. No

British winner for the British fans, but they have enjoyed a thrilling

race, thanks to the brilliant Fernando Alonso and a resurgent

Lewis Hamilton. For all their efforts, though, Vettel is now 80

points clear in the championship. If this was just a blip in his

title procession, it was a hugely entertaining one.

The race director of the Tour de France has described as a scandal

an accident involving a television vehicle during today's ninth stage,

which left a number of riders on the ground. The car, which was

filming the leading group, swerved across the road. The riders had no

chance to take evasive action. The worst affected was Johnny

Hoogerland, who you can see at the back being hurled into a barbed-

wire fence. Despite the blood which was pouring from his legs,

Hoogerland was bandaged up, got back on his bike and carried on.

England's Luke Donald has had the perfect warm-up for this week's

Open Championship at Sandwich. The world number-one shot the lowest

round of his European Tour career, a nine-under-par 63, to win the

Scottish Open. All this week, we will be bringing

you special coverage on the Arab uprising. Here is George Alagiah in

Cairo. Protest, crackdown and armed conflict. Six months after the

first leader was toppled, we will be reporting from across the region,