AP Photo/Mark Lennihan
Welcome to our live coverage of the Leveson Inquiry into the standards and ethics of the UK press, on the day when Rupert Murdoch, the chairman and chief executive of News Corp, will give evidence.
Bo Xilai with his wife Gu Kailai
Not so long ago, Bo Xilai was one of China’s “princelings”, a charismatic, high-flying politician who was apparently destined for its top leadership. From his power base in Chongqing he became known for smashing organised crime, increasing foreign investment and running “revolutionary” campaigns involving singing contests and the revival of Maoist symbols.
But when in February a mafia-busting former police chief called Wang Lijun walked into the US consulate in the western city of Chengdu, he set in train a series of events that brought scandal and infighting out of the secret confines of Chinese party politics and into the public eye. The result was Mr Bo’s spectacular fall from grace and the arrest of his wife Gu Kailai – herself the daughter of a top general – on suspicion of murdering the British citizen Neil Heywood.
Josef Ackermann, CEO of Deutsche Bank
European leaders have begun gathering in Brussels for their emergency summit to solve the Greek debt crisis, and though the formal session does not begin until after noon local time, several meetings-before-the-meeting are already underway.
One of the most closely watched is a session between European negotiators and the International Institute of Finance, the consortium that represents the eurozone’s major banks. According to a senior European official, German and French government negotiators are meeting with IIF officials, including Josef Ackermann, the chief executive of Deutsche Bank who also serves as IIF chairman.
Audio IMF post-DSK, Obama vs Israel, and Thai elections
In this week’s show, we look at the candidates to be head of the IMF; After president Obama’s speech calling for Israel to move out of territory it has occupied since 1967, where now for US-Israel relations? And our correspondent in Bangkok discusses the forthcoming elections in Thailand. Presented by James Blitz, with economics editor Chris Giles and Jerusalem bureau chief Tobias Buck in the studio, and Tim Johnston in Bangkok. Produced by Rob Minto
In this podcast: the Syrian government escalates its use of force against protestors; Pakistan’s prime minister calls for investigation into the army’s intelligence of bin Laden’s hideout; Germany’s chancellor Angela Merkel announces her backing for the next president of the European Central Bank.
Presented by James Blitz with Abigail Fielding-Smith in Beirut, Farhan Bokhari in Islamabad, Quentin Peel in Berlin and David Gardner in London.
Produced by LJ Filotrani.
World Weekly special: Osama bin Laden
As the world watched scenes of jubilation in Washington following the death of Osama bin Laden, we ask what does his killing mean for the war on terror.
Presented by Gideon Rachman with James Blitz and David Gardner in the studio and from Delhi, James Lamont. Produced by LJ Filotrani
As events unfold in Libya, and across the wider region, the FT will be running live coverage on Gideon Rachman’s blog.
By Josh Noble in Hong Kong, Esther Bintliff in London and Shannon Bond in New York.
All times are London time, Libya is 2 hours ahead.
21.53 Reuters quotes witnesses reporting more heavy shelling of Zintan in western Libya by pro-Gaddafi forces:
“Several houses have been destroyed and a mosque minaret was also brought down,” Abdulrahmane Daw told Reuters by phone from the town. “New forces were sent today to besiege the city. There are now at least 40 tanks at the foothills of the mountains near Zintan.”
21.38 Also on FT.com, Javier Blas, commodities editor, analyses the fight for control of Libya’s oil industry, which is “critical in the battle between Col Gaddafi’s forces and the rebels based in Benghazi.” The FT’s graphics team has drawn up this map of the crucial battlegrounds (click to enlarge):
As events unfold in Libya, the FT will be running live coverage on Gideon Rachman’s blog.
For the latest coverage, please go to our March 21st live blog.
By Shannon Bond in New York, Jack Farchy in London and Josh Noble in Hong Kong. All times are London time, Libya is 2 hours ahead.
23.23 Nato approved a military plan to enforce the UN’s arms embargo against Libya but has not yet agreed a plan to enforce the no-fly zone, the AP reports.
Diplomats said Turkey’s opposition to any Nato intervention in Libya stalled the approval of plans to launch aerial patrols over Libya to prevent the government air force from attacking civilian targets, which were drawn up by Nato’s military staff.
Both actions will require a separate ‘execute directive’ by the North Atlantic Council, which requires the consensus of all 28 alliance members. Diplomats said this could be issued on Tuesday at the earliest.
23.15 CNN’s Nic Robertson, reporting from inside Col Gaddafi’s compound in Tripoli, says a building there was damaged, possibly by cruise missiles, but that Gaddafi’s whereabouts are unknown.
As events unfold in Libya, the FT will be running live coverage on Gideon Rachman’s blog.
By Kiran Stacey in London and Anora Mahmudova in New York. All times are GMT, Libya is 2 hours ahead.
For the latest coverage, please go to our March 20th live blog.
23.40 Via Reuters: Libya has called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council after it was bombarded by a coalition of Western states, Al Jazeera and Al Arabiya reported without giving a source or details about the purpose of such a meeting.
We are borrowing Gideon’s blog to cover the aftermath of Japan’s earthquake and the country’s nuclear crisis. Please keep your comments coming and please send us any images you have to japan.quake.ft@gmail.com if you are in Japan. You can also get updates via @FTAsiaNews on Twitter.
By Helen Warrell and Kanupriya Kapoor in Hong Kong, Shannon Bond, Johanna Kassel and Anora Mahmudova in New York. All times are London time, Japan is 9 hours ahead.
1136 – The Hong Kong editing team is signing off for the evening. Thanks to all of our readers over the past nine days. Our London colleagues are picking up the blog, which is shifting over to focus on the situation in Libya for the time being.
Demetri Sevastopulo, FT Asia news editor, will continue to provide updates on the crisis in Japan via twitter @FTAsiaNews
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