Rupert Murdoch newspaper group offers full apology for intrusion into Prince Harry's private life
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This is the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service. I'm Valerie Sanderson, and at 1400 Hours GMT on Wednesday, January the 22nd, these are our main stories. Rupert Murdoch's News Group newspapers apologises to Prince Harry and agrees to pay substantial damages for intruding into his private life. Palestinian officials say at least 10 people have been killed as Israeli troops continue a major military operation in Jenin in the occupied West Bank. In a landmark ruling, a court in the Netherlands orders the government to slash harmful nitrogen pollution caused by farming and burning fossil fuels. Also in this podcast, we hear from the Mexican border on the mood among would-be migrants following Donald Trump's return to the White House. The extraordinary casualty rate reportedly among North Korean troops fighting for Vladimir Putin in Western Russia. And... The BBC's first football commentary, complete with handy hints for listeners to help visualise what's happening on the pitch.
Prince Harry has had a long and very troubled relationship with tabloid newspapers. He's accused them of hacking into his phone and intruding unlawfully into his private life, and said their behaviour towards him is partly why he left the UK. Now he's received a full and unequivocal apology from the owner of the newsgroup newspapers, which publishes The Sun. In an out-of-court settlement, they agreed to pay him substantial, undisclosed damages. Outside the High Court in London, Prince Harry's lawyer, David Sherborne, read out a statement on his behalf.
In a monumental victory today, News UK have admitted that the Sun, the flagship title for Rupert Murdoch's UK media empire, has indeed engaged in illegal practices. This represents a vindication for the hundreds of other claimants who were strong-armed into settling without being able to get the truth of what was done to them. After endless resistance, denials and legal battles by newsgroup newspapers, including spending more than a billion pounds in payouts and in legal costs, as well as paying off those in the know, in order to prevent the full picture from coming out, News UK is finally held to account for its illegal actions and its blatant disregard for the law.
The former Labour Party deputy leader Tom Watson, now Lord Watson, also received an apology for unwarranted intrusion from the newspaper group, which is owned by Rupert Murdoch. He's calling on the police and the British Parliament to investigate further. I spoke to our London correspondent Rob Watson. I put it to him that Prince Harry had taken a big gamble in pursuing the case.
He did take a big risk and I think for three reasons really, Val. Firstly, that there was always the danger that he'd be seen as a moaner. He couldn't stand the sort of scrutiny that goes with being a royal, being in the public limelight. Second, that actually just by complaining and trying to take the papers to court, it would just encourage... more tabloid coverage. And I guess thirdly, the most obvious one is, you know, just massively expensive. I mean, taking big corporations, including newspapers, like newspaper groups like NGN, owned by Rupert Murdoch, is a fabulously expensive enterprise, Val.
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