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News of the World phone hacking scandal – live updates

• Andy Coulson to be arrested today • David Cameron to give press conference • Pressure on Rebekah Brooks to quit • NOTW staff angry at Murdoch’s decision to close paper 8.49am: Andy Coulson has arrived at West End Central Police Station, on Saville Row, to answer questions that he knew about, or had direct involvement in, phone hacking, according to the Times (paywall) . 8.33am: Milband has just finished speaking. Here are some key quotes. On politicians’ relationship with the press : For too long, political leaders have been too concerned about what people in the press would think and too fearful of speaking out about these issues. If one section of the media is allowed to grow so powerful that it becomes insulated from political criticism a nd scrutiny of its behaviour, the proper system of checks and balances breaks down and abuses of power are likely to follow. We must all bear responsibility for that. My party has not been immune from it. Nor has the current government and Prime Minister. All of this is difficult because of his personal relationships and the powerful forces here. On David Cameron’s relationship with Andy Coulson : Putting it right for the prime minister means starting by the appalling error of judgement he made in hiring Andy Coulson. Apologising for bringing him in to the centre of the government machine. Coming clean about what conversations he had with Andy Coulson before and after his appointment about phone-hacking. On the need for a judge-led inquiry : We need a judge-led inquiry to shine a light on the culture and practices which need to change. This should be established immediately with terms of reference agreed before the summer. The inquiry should cover the culture and unlawful practices of some parts of the newspaper industry, the relationship between the police and media, and the nature of regulation. On the BSkyB deal : Most immediately, the decision on BskyB has significant implications for media ownership in Britain. The public must have confidence that the right decisions are being made. That is why we have consistently said there should be a reference to the Competition Commission, the proper regulatory body. The government has chosen a different path which relies on assurances from executives at News Corporation. Given the doubts hanging over the assurances about phone hacking by News international executives, I cannot see, and the public will not understand, how this can provide the fair dealing that is necessary. On the culpability of News International executives : I welcome James Murdoch’s admission of serious errors. But closing the News of the World, possibly to re-open as the Sunday Sun, is not the answer. Instead those who were in charge must take responsibility for what happened. On Media regulation and the Press Complaints Commission : The PCC was established to be a watchdog. But it has been exposed as a toothless poodle. Wherever blame lies for this, the PCC cannot restore trust in self-regulation. It is time to put the PCC out of its misery. We need a new watchdog. There needs to be fundamental change. My instincts continue to be that a form of self-regulation would be the best way forward. That is a debate we should have. But it would need to be very different to work. Let me make some initial suggestions, drawing on many of the debates about the inadequacies of the system. A new body should have: far greater independence of its Board members from those it regulates; proper investigative powers; and an ability to enforce corrections. 8.23am: Ed Milband is giving a speech at Reuters. He says it “has been a tumultuous week for British journalism with allegations that have shocked the British public’s sense of decency”. 8.17am: Good morning. Welcome to the Guardian’s continued live coverage of the News of the World phone hacking scandal. • David Cameron’s former director of communications Andy Coulson has been told by police that he will be arrested this morning over suspicions that he knew about, or had direct involvement in, the hacking of mobile phones during his editorship of the News of the World. The Guardian understands that a second arrest is also to be made in the next few days of a former senior journalist at the paper. The Guardian knows the identity of the second suspect but is withholding the name to avoid prejudicing the police investigation. • The prime minister will hold a press conference at 9.30am at which he will be under pressure over the government’s handling of the phone hacking scandal and the BSkyB takeover deal, his hiring of Andy Coulson, who resigned in January, his friendship with Rebekah Brooks and his close links with the Murdochs. Phone hacking News of the World News International Rupert Murdoch Rebekah Brooks Andy Coulson James Murdoch David Cameron Ed Miliband Haroon Siddique guardian.co.uk

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News of the World phone hacking scandal – live updates

• Andy Coulson to be arrested today • David Cameron to give press conference • Pressure on Rebekah Brooks to quit • NOTW staff angry at Murdoch’s decision to close paper 8.49am: Andy Coulson has arrived at West End Central Police Station, on Saville Row, to answer questions that he knew about, or had direct involvement in, phone hacking, according to the Times (paywall) . 8.33am: Milband has just finished speaking. Here are some key quotes. On politicians’ relationship with the press : For too long, political leaders have been too concerned about what people in the press would think and too fearful of speaking out about these issues. If one section of the media is allowed to grow so powerful that it becomes insulated from political criticism a nd scrutiny of its behaviour, the proper system of checks and balances breaks down and abuses of power are likely to follow. We must all bear responsibility for that. My party has not been immune from it. Nor has the current government and Prime Minister. All of this is difficult because of his personal relationships and the powerful forces here. On David Cameron’s relationship with Andy Coulson : Putting it right for the prime minister means starting by the appalling error of judgement he made in hiring Andy Coulson. Apologising for bringing him in to the centre of the government machine. Coming clean about what conversations he had with Andy Coulson before and after his appointment about phone-hacking. On the need for a judge-led inquiry : We need a judge-led inquiry to shine a light on the culture and practices which need to change. This should be established immediately with terms of reference agreed before the summer. The inquiry should cover the culture and unlawful practices of some parts of the newspaper industry, the relationship between the police and media, and the nature of regulation. On the BSkyB deal : Most immediately, the decision on BskyB has significant implications for media ownership in Britain. The public must have confidence that the right decisions are being made. That is why we have consistently said there should be a reference to the Competition Commission, the proper regulatory body. The government has chosen a different path which relies on assurances from executives at News Corporation. Given the doubts hanging over the assurances about phone hacking by News international executives, I cannot see, and the public will not understand, how this can provide the fair dealing that is necessary. On the culpability of News International executives : I welcome James Murdoch’s admission of serious errors. But closing the News of the World, possibly to re-open as the Sunday Sun, is not the answer. Instead those who were in charge must take responsibility for what happened. On Media regulation and the Press Complaints Commission : The PCC was established to be a watchdog. But it has been exposed as a toothless poodle. Wherever blame lies for this, the PCC cannot restore trust in self-regulation. It is time to put the PCC out of its misery. We need a new watchdog. There needs to be fundamental change. My instincts continue to be that a form of self-regulation would be the best way forward. That is a debate we should have. But it would need to be very different to work. Let me make some initial suggestions, drawing on many of the debates about the inadequacies of the system. A new body should have: far greater independence of its Board members from those it regulates; proper investigative powers; and an ability to enforce corrections. 8.23am: Ed Milband is giving a speech at Reuters. He says it “has been a tumultuous week for British journalism with allegations that have shocked the British public’s sense of decency”. 8.17am: Good morning. Welcome to the Guardian’s continued live coverage of the News of the World phone hacking scandal. • David Cameron’s former director of communications Andy Coulson has been told by police that he will be arrested this morning over suspicions that he knew about, or had direct involvement in, the hacking of mobile phones during his editorship of the News of the World. The Guardian understands that a second arrest is also to be made in the next few days of a former senior journalist at the paper. The Guardian knows the identity of the second suspect but is withholding the name to avoid prejudicing the police investigation. • The prime minister will hold a press conference at 9.30am at which he will be under pressure over the government’s handling of the phone hacking scandal and the BSkyB takeover deal, his hiring of Andy Coulson, who resigned in January, his friendship with Rebekah Brooks and his close links with the Murdochs. Phone hacking News of the World News International Rupert Murdoch Rebekah Brooks Andy Coulson James Murdoch David Cameron Ed Miliband Haroon Siddique guardian.co.uk

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We won’t know for a while what, if any, deal will emerge on the debt ceiling. Or what, if anything, that might mean for Social Security and other entitlement programs. But this much is clear: Liberals are livid that President Obama even raised the possibility of touching them, reports the…

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Three men in court charged with teenagers’ murder

Three men will appear in court charged with the murder of two teenagers shot in an alleyway in Milton Keynes Three men will appear in court charged with the murder of two teenagers shot in an alleyway. Yahya Harun, 20, Sharmake Abdulkadir, 20 and Fuad Awale, 23, are due at Milton Keynes magistrates court on Friday. The men, who are all from Milton Keynes, are charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Mohammed Abdi Farah, 19, and Amin Ahmed Ismail, 18, on the town’s Fishermead council estate on 26 May. Abdulkadir has also been charged with possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life. A 17-year-old boy has been released without charge. Both victims were from the Somali community and were known to police for involvement in low-level crime. Superintendent Rob Mason said: “I still believe there are people who have crucial information, but who have not yet come forward and spoken about it. “I hope that the fact we have charged three people with this offence will encourage anyone who has been previously too afraid to come forward to find the courage to speak to the police. “It is still really important that anyone who has any evidence contacts us.” Anyone with information in connection with the incident should contact 0845 8505 505 or Crimestoppers, where information can be given anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Crime guardian.co.uk

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Michigan gunman kills seven during rampage

Rodrick Shonte Dantzler shoots dead his own daughter before killing himself after hostage standoff in Grand Rapids A gunman opened fire in two homes in the US state of Michigan on Thursday, killing seven people, including two children, before leading police on a high-speed chase through a city centre and taking three hostages. The standoff ended when he killed himself with a gunshot to the head, authorities in Grand Rapids said. The hostages were released unharmed. Authorities did not have a motive for the suspect, 34-year-old Rodrick Shonte Dantzler. Police said Dantzler’s daughter and a former girlfriend were among the seven people killed, but that it had been some time since he had a relationship with his ex-girlfriend. The manhunt for Dantzler began after four people were found dead in one home and three were discovered in another across town. “We believe there were prior relationships with at least one person at each location, so we think there were some difficulties there,” the police chief, Kevin Belk, said. Following the discovery of the bodies, Dantzler led officers on a chase, crashed his car and then took the hostages, police said. Dozens of officers with guns drawn cordoned off a neighbourhood near a small lake and shut down a nearby interstate highway. Records show Dantzler was released from state prison in 2005 after serving time for assault. A spokesman for the prison system said he had not been under state supervision since then. At one point during the chase, the suspect crossed a wide grassy median on the highway and drove the wrong way down while more than a dozen squad cars pursued him. Belk said he crashed the vehicle while driving down an embankment into a wooded area of the highway, which remained closed hours later. Two other people were shot when the suspect fired at police during the chase, but their wounds were not considered life-threatening. One man was wounded in what Belk described as a “road rage” attack after the suspect fired through the rear window of the vehicle. A woman was hit in the arm in a separate shooting. The names of the dead were not immediately released. Postmortems were scheduled for Friday. Michigan United States US gun control Gun crime guardian.co.uk

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The Rupert Murdoch clan says it is closing News of the World because the phone hacking scandal “breached the trust” with the public. Maybe, but an expert on British media law smells a rat. Mark Stephens tells Reuters that the move could give News Corp the legal cover to destroy…

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Andy Coulson to be arrested over phone hacking

Second former senior News of the World journalist to also be arrested after leaks from NI force police to speed up plans Andy Coulson has been told by police that he will be arrested on Friday morning over suspicions that he knew about, or had direct involvement in, the hacking of mobile phones during his editorship of the News of the World. The Guardian understands that a second arrest is also to be made in the next few days of a former senior journalist at the paper. Leaks from News International forced police to speed up their plans to arrest the two key suspects in the explosive phone-hacking scandal. The Guardian knows the identity of the second suspect but is withholding the name to avoid prejudicing the police investigation. Coulson, who resigned as David Cameron’s director of communications in January, was contacted on Thursday by detectives and asked to present himself at a police station in central London on Friday, where he will be told that he will be formally questioned under suspicion of involvement in hacking. After being questioned by detectives from Operation Weeting – a process that could take several hours – the former rising star of News International is likely to be released on bail conditions that include appearing at court at a later date along with his three former colleagues who have already been arrested: Ian Edmondson, Neville Thurlbeck and James Weatherup. The arrest will be embarrassing for Cameron, who consistently defended his decision to hire the controversial former journalist amid mounting evidence of his involvement in the hacking scandal. Coulson was editor of the News of the World between 2003 and 2007. A close friend and deputy of the News International chief executive Rebekah Brooks when she edited the paper, Coulson resigned a few weeks before the paper’s royal correspondent, Clive Goodman, and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed after admitting intercepting messages on royal aides’ phones. In July of that year, he became the head of the Conservative party’s media operation and then communications chief for the prime minister after the formation of the coalition government in May 2010. He has always strenuously denied any knowledge of the illegal telephone hacking that is at the heart of the scandal rocking the Murdoch empire. When he resigned in January from his Downing Street role, he insisted he had done so because persistent allegations that he must have known that his reporters had been hacking into voice messages had made it impossible for him to continue. Coulson is one of three News of the World journalists whose evidence to the trial of Scottish MSP Tommy Sheridan is being examined after doubts were cast on his claim that he was unaware of any wrongdoing by News of the World journalists.Evidence leading to the two imminent arrests has come from a cache of emails recently uncovered during News International’s internal investigation into phone hacking. The arrests had been planned to take place before 8 August, when Operation Weeting had agreed to pass all the relevant material in their possession to lawyers acting in the civil cases against News International for victims of phone hacking – thereby giving suspects the opportunity to discover what evidence the police hold against them. The Guardian understands News International had promised police they would not make public the existence of evidence identifying Coulson and the other journalist, but that detectives began to fear the information would be leaked, after reports appeared suggesting that Coulson approved payments to police officers. Andy Coulson Phone hacking Conservatives David Cameron News of the World News International Amelia Hill guardian.co.uk

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The National Enquirer is ratcheting up the embarrassment factor on To Catch a Predator host Chris Hansen. The tabloid that exposed his alleged affair also says he sexted the woman involved, reports the Daily Mail . (The Enquirer piece itself isn’t online.) The DM describes two racy photos sent by…

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Michael Bloomberg isn’t wasting any time celebrating New York’s new marriage law. The day gay marriage becomes legal in the state, the mayor will officiate at the wedding of two city officials, NBC New York reports. Bloomberg will unite his chief policy adviser (John Feinblatt) and the city’s consumer affairs…

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They almost make it sound easy: Surgeons in Sweden removed a man’s cancerous windpipe and replaced it with an artificial one they had whipped up in the lab, reports the BBC . No more diseased windpipe, no more cancer. “He was condemned to die,” says one of surgeons of the 36-year-old…

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