Rupert Murdoch's grip on UK newspapers is loosening "finger by finger", as he resigns string of directorships.
Rupert Murdoch has resigned as a director of a string of companies behind The Sun, The Times and The Sunday Times, fuelling expectations that he is preparing to sell the newspaper group.
Companies House filings show that Mr Murdoch stepped down from the boards of the NI Group, Times Newspaper Holdings and News Corp Investments in the UK last week. He also quit a number of News Corp’s US boards, the details of which have yet to be disclosed by the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
News Corporation played down the significance of the resignations as “nothing more than a corporate housecleaning exercise prior to the company split”.
The media giant took a similar line when James Murdoch resigned a string of directorships at News International last November, pouring cold water on suggestions that he was walking away from the UK newspaper arm. He quit as chairman three months later.
News Corporation has already said it will split into two separately listed companies, distancing its embattled newspaper and book publishing interests from its rapidly growing film and television operations, which account for nearly 90pc of News Corp’s $4.2bn (£2.7bn) annual revenues.
Mr Murdoch has repeatedly insisted that he remains committed to the UK newspaper business. He vowed at the time of the announcement to remain a “very active chairman” of the publishing business. But his surprise resignation of directorships on both sides of the Atlantic has raised expectations that he is gearing up to sever all ties with the company.
Splitting News Corp would also put some much-needed distance between its film and television assets and the newspaper business, whose reputation is threatening the whole News Corp empire.
Claire Enders at Enders Analysis said Mr Murdoch’s resignations were part of the “slow fade of Rupert and James from the UK” that began last year and will be “complete and permanent”. “The grip of the Murdochs, finger by finger, has been loosened and it’s not in order to return triumphantly. It’s a permanent shift.
“James and Rupert have decided that they are not welcome in the UK, and they’re right. there is an enforced emotional withdrawal from these assets because they are no longer useful [in terms of influence]," she said.
Sources close to News Corp say that its executives have discussed the possibility that, after the split, the Murdochs could sell down their stake in the publishing division altogether and use the equity to help fund a leveraged buyout of the film and entertainment division.
It is unclear whether the business still plans to pursue this course of action, but doing so would allow Mr Murdoch to shake off shareholder pressures and revive a long-held plan eventually to appoint his son James Murdoch as his successor.
However, some analysts claim that News Corp investors want the Murdochs to buy the publishing assets outright
By Brent Bozell | July 20, 2012 | 17:56 This morning, in the aftermath of the unspeakable Colorado massacre that claimed at least 12 innocent American lives and injured dozens more, ABC "news" investigative reporter Brian Ross appeared on ABC's Good Morning America and made the outrageous, irresponsible, and completely unfounded claim that the alleged gunman, 24-year-old Jim Holmes, is a member of the Tea Party. Apparently Ross has learned absolutely nothing from the media's disgraceful rush to judgment and dissemination of misinformation following the shooting of Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in January 2011. That's twice now that the "news" media have falsely implicated the Tea Party in murder.
In his brazen attempt to smear the Tea Party, Ross speculated on national television to millions of viewers that Holmes was a member of the Tea Party based on a social media webpage. When it became apparent that this accusation was false, ABC offered an apology, but they chose to release it online where only a fraction of Good Morning America's misinformed viewers would see it. In addition, Ross had the gall to appear on ABC News to correct himself without offering an on-air apology. Ross slandered every American even loosely associated with the Tea Party, and he owes them an apology. He must also apologize to Good Morning America's audience, the James Holmes he falsely implicated of mass murder, and, most of all, to each and every person in Colorado directly or indirectly affected by this horrific tragedy. In a moment that demanded clarity of thought and purpose, Ross rushed to slander those with whom he does not agree politically, exposing the depths and darkness of his political prejudices. Shame on Brian Ross, and shame on ABC News for not yet demanding he look directly into the camera and beg forgiveness for politicizing this terrible event. Ross' meek Twitter apology is a cynically insincere slap in the face to us all.
The Freeh report accused the former coach and other university officials of “repeatedly” concealing “critical facts relating to Sandusky’s child abuse” in order to avoid bad publicity.
Many have since called for the removal of Paterno’s likeness in front of Beaver Stadium. A banner even flew above Penn State this week with the message, “Take the statue down or we will.”
Sandusky was convicted in June on 45 of 48 counts of sexual abuse against 10 boys, some within PSU’s athletic facilities.
The Paterno family plans to launch its own investigation in the wake of the Freeh report.
“The announcement of the findings by the Freeh Group is yet another shocking turn of events in this crisis,” the family said in a statement Monday. “We are dismayed by, and vehemently disagree with, some of the conclusions and assertions and the process by which they were developed. Mr. Freeh presented his opinions and interpretations as if they were absolute facts. We believe numerous issues in the report, and his commentary, bear further review.
“Our interest has been and remains the uncovering of the truth.”
Veteran sportscaster Bonnie Bernstein tweeted that Penn State’s board of trustees voted to remove the statue during a conference call Thursday night. “We did no such thing,” board member Ryan McCombie told Laura Nichols of StateCollege.com.
Joe Paterno photo by Ray Tharaldson al rights reserved 2012
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) – A terrifying shooting at an Aurora movie theater overnight left 13 people dead and about 38 people hurt.
The shooting happened at about 12:30 a.m. at the Town Center in Aurora at the Century 16 theater on East Alameda Avenue. Reports first came in that there were explosions in the theater showing the new Batman movie “The Dark Knight Rises.” Shots then rang out, and a frantic scene followed.
Police said a gunman with a gas mask on and dressed in black shot and killed dozens and dozens of people. Authorities say the suspect, James Holmes, 24, killed 10 people inside the theater complex and that three others died after they were taken from the scene. A three-month-old was among the dozens who were hurt, but the baby was treated and released from the hospital.
“Witnesses tell us he released some sort of canister. They heard a hissing sound and some gas emerged and the gunman opened fire,” Chief Dan Oates said.
Officials at The Medical Center of Aurora confirmed that some of their patients had to be treated for chemical exposure. They went through that hospital’s decontamination process and were released.
The midnight showing of the movie had just started when the violence began. Donovan Tate and his girlfriend escaped from the packed theater.
“There was this one guy on all fours crawling. There was this girl spitting up blood. There were bullet holes in some people’s backs, in some people’s arms. There was one guy who was just stripped down to his boxers. It looked like he had been shot in the back or something,” Tate told CBS4.
Aurora police said victims have been taken to six different hospitals, with 23 going to University of Colorado Hospital and 15 to The Medical Center of Aurora. They wrote in a news release that “many were rushed immediately to hospitals in police cars by responding officers. The injured and dead include a wide age range.”
University of Colorado Hospital spokeswoman Comilla Sasson said nine people were critical condition in their emergency room.
“At 1 a.m. we received notice that there had been a shooting in the area and then at about 1:15 a.m. we started having patients pouring in via police cars, ambulances private car,” Sasson said. “Then we activated our disaster protocol. So we had folks from all parts of the hospital coming in to help us, coming in specifically for this tragedy.”
The Medical Center of Aurora took in 15 patients after the shooting, 12 of whom had gunshot wounds. Those people ranged in age from 17 to 31. Six patients were taken to Denver Health Medical Center and three of those patients were treated and released.
Holmes was recently a graduate student at the medical school at the University of Colorado and withdrew in June.
Witnesses and people who were evacuated from apartments nearby were being taken to Gateway High School at 1300 S. Sable Blvd. for interviews and also to reunite with friends and family. RTD provided buses that were used to move those people back and forth from the scene of the shooting to the school.
“This is not only an act of extreme violence, it is also an act of depravity,” Gov. John Hickenlooper said in a prepared statement. “It is beyond the power of words to fully express our sorrow this morning. Our prayers and condolences go first to the families of those killed, and we share the grief of everyone affected by this senseless event. We appreciate the swift work by local, state and federal law enforcement. Coloradans have a remarkable ability to support one another in times of crisis. This one of those times.”
The incident is one of the worst mass shootings in the United States since 32 people were killed in 2007 on the Virginia Tech campus in Blacksburg, Va. In 1999, 13 people were killed in the Columbine High School massacre that happened about 25 miles southwest of Friday morning’s attack.
Warner Bros., the production company behind “The Dark Knight Rises,” released a statement saying they were “deeply saddened” by the shooting.
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT!
Cell phone video shot immediately after the shooting:
Celebraties reactions:
Olivia Munn: "My sincerest condolences to the victims and families in Colorado. So sad, so mindless."
Kaley Cuoco: "Colorado omg.. Praying for the families...this is sick."
Alyssa Milano: "No. Colorado shooting. My heart aches. Prayers for the victims and families."
Russell Simmons: "Praying for the people of Aurora, Colorado."
Ryan Seacrest: "Thinking about the families who were affected by this horrible incident in Colorado. My thoughts and prayers are with you all."
Eva Longoria: "My heart goes out to all the people affected in the Aurora, CO shooting. May God be with that town and their families... "
Ashley Tisdale: "Saying a prayer for #Aurora. So sad to hear the news, u r all in my thoughts."
Jessica Simpson: "Praying for the victims and families of those involved in the shooting in Colorado. My heart is broken. So awful. God Bless..."
Giuliana Rancic: "Chills & tears watching coverage of #Aurora shootings. Praying for the innocent lives lost & those in hospital. What a tragedy."
J.R. Martinez: "Waking up to the #tragic news of the # #theatershooting in #aurora CO. Sickening to say the least. No excuses or trial~max penalty for him."
Kevin Smith: "Heartbreaking to read witnesses in Aurora say they first thought the shooting and gas was an elaborate, in-theater extension of the movie." Snooki: "My prayers go out to the victims and families of the Colorado theater shooting."
Mark Ballas: "Just heard about the Denver shootings.. My prayers go out to all the families..."
Donald Trump: "At least 12 dead and 50 wounded in Colorado--bring back fast trials & death penalty for mass murderers & terrorists."
Billy Ray Cyrus: "Oh no ! Just woke up and turned on the news "14 dead 50 hurt in Batman movie shooting". Praying for victims. So sorry and sad."
LuAnn de Lesseps: "What a tragedy in Colorado. Prayers to all the families."
Dot-Marie Jones: "MY HEART AND PRAYERS GO OUT TO ALL OF THE FAMILIES IN AURORA CO. ITS A SENSELESS ACT , SENDING STRENGTH AND LOVE!"
Paula Deen: "My heart and prayers go out to all the victims and families in Aurora, Colorado this morning."
Kurt Warner: "My heart goes out 2 families effected by tragedy in Denver! Why must the world have so much hate & violence? We need more Love & Jesus!"
Julie Benz: "in tears watching news footage of the mass shooting in Aurora, Colorado. My thoughts and prayers go out to the victims & their families."
Lisa Rinna: "My heart and prayers goes out to the people of Aurora colorado. Senseless violence and killing has to stop. Tragic."
Jon M. Chu: "Just came out of the Dark Knight screening to find out about the shooting in Denver. So sad and senseless. Praying for families and victims."
Melissa Gilbert: "Just saw news about shooting in Colo. stunned and saddened. Prayers to all."
On a vacant parcel of land near the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, a group led by a musician-turned-financier-turned-fundraiser envisions an interactive museum that would, for the first time, honor veterans.
The plan, expected to cost about $350 million for the first of its four stages, started about seven years ago when Joe Cantafio – a musician who started performing concerts to raise funds for firefighters and U.S. troops – was approached by someone who runs other museums, commenting on how there isn’t one facility in the country that honors only veterans.
“It’s a shame,” said Cantafio, who decided to try to recruit members of the military, architects and designers to help him build such a place. Cantafio said he started researching the idea and eventually set up a non-profit corporation last year, called National Veterans Museum, to help execute his plan to privately fund the mammoth project set in the northwest suburbs.
The National Veterans Museum Board of Directors is now focused on raising funds for the 325,000-square-foot museum, and hopes to later add an adjacent library, hotel and convention center, gardens, a cemetery and other features to fill more than 100 acres of now-vacant land on Beverly Road between Stone and Sears parkways.
Cantafio said he also wants to build a “patriot village” that would house disabled veterans and their families, as well as an apartment complex for homeless veterans. That part of the project would not be located at the Hoffman Estates site, he said, but added there is no timeline identified beyond the initial museum phase of the project.
With their sights set on a 2016 grand opening for the museum, Cantafio and members of the board say they are confident they’ll reach their lofty fundraising goals. However the group remain mum on any support from large corporations or other significant donors.
“Do I think it’s going to be easy? No,” Cantafio said. “Do I think it’s going to be completed? Yes.”
Retired U.S. Army Lt. General Randall Rigby, who lives in Lake Barrington, serves as vice-chairman of the board and heads up a financial subcommittee.
“We hope to do this all without government contributions,” he said. “We think there’s a pretty good market out there. None of us are blinking at the challenge.”
To help raise funds, the board will soon embark on an advertising campaign, he said.
So far, board members say they’ve received positive feedback on the museum-portion of the project, and its location in Hoffman Estates.
Rigby noted the travel convenience of the Chicago area – how it’s centrally located in the country and easily accessed by O’Hare International Airport and Interstate 90.Hoffman Estates Village President Bill McLeod said he met with Cantafio and others involved with the project and was excited by the prospect.
“We’d obviously love to have it in Hoffman Estates. It would put the community on the map,” he said, adding the draw would be good for the village’s bottom line, bringing in tourists and tax revenue.
Cantafio won’t say how close he is to buying the land, nor if he’s secured the funds for the purchase that would kick off the project.
Ryan Trottier, vice president of East Dundee-based Plote Homes, which has owned the parcel of land for decades, said his company has been in talks with Cantafio and the National Veterans Museum board.
“We’re working in good faith with them,” he said. “We’re moving toward an agreement for them to purchase the land from us. They’ve showed us that they have a very impressive project team and a very impressive board of directors.”
Trottier wouldn’t say if the parties have worked out a price, but said there was no formal agreement as of late last week. He added he anticipates an agreement in the “coming months.”
Board members said they plan to meet in the Hoffman Estates-area later this month, and have already hired banks to manage funds, a designer, an architect and others who will work on the project.
Retired U.S. Marine Gen. Jim Conway serves as chairman of the board of directors for the group.
“The thought is golden,” he said of the project. “One of the great things about this museum is that it’s not static. It’s not just passive in its design.”
Conway said he realizes what a massive feat building a museum is after watching the planning and lengthy fundraising that went into building the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virgina.
“After hearing figures tossed around for just the first phase, I thought, how are we going to do that?” he said.
But after learning more about the plan and meeting with Cantafio and others involved, Conway said he developed confidence in the project, and in the desire of citizens.
“There’s a love affair taking place right now between the citizens of this country and their veterans,” he said. “We’re hoping to capitalize on that.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) -- Country Music Hall of Fame performer Glen Campbell is canceling his tour of Australia and New Zealand with Kenny Rogers next month for health reasons.
A spokeswoman says Campbell is not up for "the very long flight that it would require." The 76-year-old is battling Alzheimer's disease.
It would have been Campbell's last international stop on his Goodbye Tour.
Rogers is continuing the month-long tour, kicking off Aug. 10 in Christchurch, New Zealand. Australian country artists will fill in as special guests. Campbell was also scheduled to do a solo show in Brisbane, Australia.
Campbell received the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award this year. He is known for dozens of hits such as "Gentle on My Mind," "Wichita Lineman," and "Rhinestone Cowboy."
WASHINGTON, D.C. - An Iowa soldier recovering from his injuries in a Washington, D.C., hospital got quite a surprise on Thursday.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Taylor Morris, of Cedar Falls, was wounded May 3 in Afghanistan. He is now at Walter Reed Military Medical Center in Washington, D.C.
Morris lost both of his arms and both legs in an explosion.
During a talk with supporters, Morris and his girlfriend, Danielle, mentioned Casey's pizza. The talk spurred Hope For The Warriors into action. The group supports military members and their families that have suffered injuries.
The group called Casey's President and CEO Bob Myers for help.
A volunteer was found to carry the freshly-made and packed in ice pizzas on a flight to D.C. Wednesday. Then Thursday, the pizzas were baked.
Morris, Danielle and other friends from the Midwest were presented with the surprise.
Hope For The Warriors said it didn't take long for all the pizzas to disappear.
The group praised Casey's for their help.
"Many would have received that phone call and not completely understood how wonderful a piece of home can be in a service member's recovery," said the Hope For The Warriors group.
In June, Casey’s General Stores also donated more than $355,000 to Hope For The Warriors. The money was part of a Memorial Day promotion held throughout May where $1 from every large specialty pizza was donated to cause.
