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Journalism of Courage
The angry prince
PLOVDIV: The Prince of Wales issued an astonishing rebuke to London Weekend Television LWT as his high-risk strategy of tacit cooperation with the media backfired spectacularly. In a statement from Bulgaria where he is on an official visit, the Prince denounced a documentary which will claim he would be 8220;delighted8221; if the Queen abdicated because he believes she is too old to modernise the monarchy. He described the suggestion as 8220;deeply offensive8221; and said he had telephoned his mother to express his distress on hearing the claim. The prince also attacked other allegations in the programme, Charles at 50.
Despite the prince8217;sprotestations, LWT stood firm and revealed details which suggested complicity between St James8217;s Palace and the producers. The denial by St James8217;s Palace was followed by the prince8217;s statement. 8220;I begin to tire of needing to issue denials of false stories about all manner of thoughts which I am alleged to be having,8221; it said. 8220;Some stories are so preposterous that they barely warrant a denial. However, others are both so outrageous and hurtful to my family, to the monarchy, and to me personally, that they demand a response.8221;
8220;The claims made in LWT8217;s notice are not only offensive but completely wrong. They in no way reflect my views. There is no one with a greater sense of duty and loyalty to the Queen. She is an example to us all and I find comments such as these abhorrent. The Queen will always have my admiration and affection and any suggestion that I wish Her Majesty to abdicate is utterly ridiculous.8221; The statement concludes: 8220;This is yet another example of people trying to create divisions inmy family where they do not exist. It may successfully boost viewing figures, but it is wrong.8221;
Blair backs gay minister Brown
LONDON: Britain8217;s agriculture minister Nick Brown admitted he was gay but denied paying for sex after a former lover tried to sell his story to a tabloid newspaper. Prime Minister Tony Blair, embroiled for the third time in a month in a public row over the sex lives of his cabinet, was quick to defend Brown and said there was no question of him being asked to resign. Brown8217;s admission last night came only days after Welsh secretary Ron Davies resigned after becoming the victim of an armed robbery when he befriended a stranger late one night in a London park known as a homosexual meeting place.
Clinton, Glenn exchange e-mail
WASHINGTON: President Bill Clinton exchanged e-mail messages with astronaut John Glenn, hours before the Discovery spacecraft completed a nine-day mission. 8220;We are very proud of you and the entire crew, and a little jealous,8221; Clinton saidin an e-mail to Glenn sent on Saturday from the White House to the shuttle in space. 8220;Back on earth, we8217;re having a lot of fun with your adventure,8221; Clinton told the 77-year-old Glenn, who in the early days of the space programme was the first American to orbit the globe.
8212; Observer News Service
