Mid-Term Blues – The U.K.’s two ruling coalition parties, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats, both suffered setbacks in local elections Thursday. The Guardian is live-blogging the results — including for the London …
U.K.
U.K.’s Spy in Bag Case: Coroner’s Verdict on Gareth Williams Raises More Questions than Answers
Gareth Williams—the MI-6 spy whose body was found naked and decomposing inside a padlocked bag in his bathtub—was probably “unlawfully killed,” but it is “unlikely” authorities will ever unwind the exact circumstances of his …
Must-Reads from Around the World: May 2, 2012
On the Defensive – China’s semi-official Global Times breaks the state silence over blind activist Chen Guangcheng’s escape from house arrest with its op-ed “US embassy in a quandary over Chen.” The most apt take: “The US embassy …
“For if austerity is allowed to run its course, and Berlin and Brussels continue to starve the beast, Europe could quickly become a hotbed of widespread social unrest.”
Britain’s Phone-Hacking Scandal and the Rise of Louise Mensch
The Conservative politician Louise Mensch attained a high public profile as a member of the parliamentary committee investigating phone hacking in Britain. An outspoken critic of the media, she nonetheless voted against the …
Must-Reads from Around the World, May 1, 2012
Conduct Report – British MPs tasked with investigating allegations of phone hacking at Rupert Murdoch’s now-defunct tabloid, News of the World, have released a long-awaited final report on the matter. The Daily Telegraph is …
Siobhan Benita: Is London’s Independent Mayoral Candidate Really Independent?
Siobhan Benita will not be the next mayor of London. The only independent candidate contesting the May 3 election, she’s currently polling at just 3%. That places her light years behind Boris Johnson, the loose-lipped incumbent, …
Blame Game: Rupert Murdoch Alleges Cover-Up At News of the World
There was a moment at the Leveson inquiry on Thursday when Rupert Murdoch actually sounded contrite. Appearing before the British inquiry into media ethics for the second day in a row, he apologized to the “innocent staff” of …
Must-Reads From Around the World: April 26, 2012
Life For Death? – The five-year trial of former Liberian president Charles Taylor, accused of 11 counts of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and other offenses, is finally coming to a close in The Hague on Thursday, with a …
After Murdochs Are Grilled At Inquiry, Media Scandal Shifts From Hacking to Politics
On April 25, News Corporation chairman Rupert Murdoch sat before the same media ethics inquiry his son and heir apparent, James Murdoch, had faced the previous day. And like his son, the elder Murdoch was grilled on his …
Must-Reads From Around the World: April 25, 2012
Why Voters in Europe Want a Change of Tactics in the Euro Crisis
Given the catastrophic mantra rising in media reports and from certain pundits, one contrarian point needs to be made clear: democracy can’t and won’t kill the debt-stricken euro. As Europeans at the ballot box are …
James Murdoch Grilled Over Phone-Hacking and Political Ties
James Murdoch endured an exhaustive day of testimony at an inquiry into British media ethics and defended his position as the head of News International, the U.K. arm of News Corporation. The appearance of Murdoch, the heir …