Our editors will be looking ahead today to these developing stories ...
Murdoch future shadows News Corp meeting
News Corp holds its annual meeting in Los Angeles today amid speculation that rebellious shareholders may push for the ousting of chairman and chief executive Rupert Murdoch over this summer's phone-hacking scandal. But dissident shareholders may not be able to force boardroom change. Murdoch owns about 40 per cent of the voting shares, according to The Wall Street Journal. Saudi Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal, who owns 7 per cent, has publicly supported Murdoch during the scandal. And the company's shares have jumped about 10 per cent since the scandal broke in July, which may persuade some shareholders to keep the status quo.
Queen Elizabeth pays call to Aussie female leaders
Britain's Queen Elizabeth is holding a meeting with Australia's first woman prime minister today at the official residence of the country's first woman governor-general, Quentin Bryce. The meeting comes after Prime Minister Julia Gillard caused a stir in Australia on Wednesday for failing to curtsey when welcoming the monarch. The Welsh-born Gillard, who favours Australia becoming a republic, shook hands with the Queen instead, a permissible protocol but one that sparked controversy on television, radio and social media. The royal couple are spending most of their 10-day trip in Canberra before leaving for Perth, where the monarch will open the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting on October 28.
Trials and troubles left at door of Tsang's Legco lunch