I haven’t dropped the ball or had a puncture. The Women’s World Cup semi-final games don’t happen until the 13^th, and it’s a rest day on the Tour de France.

The BBC reports on Rupert’s first move after arriving in London: News Corp’s BSkyB bid referred to regulator

The Culture Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has referred News Corporation’s bid for BSkyB to the Competition Commission.

The move follows News Corp’s withdrawal of its proposed undertaking to spin off Sky News as part of its attempt to take over the broadcaster.

The spin-off of Sky News had initially been the key condition if News Corp was to be allowed to take over BSkyB.

But in light of the phone-hacking scandal, Mr Hunt had said he was seeking fresh advice from regulators.

BBC business editor Robert Peston said that by withdrawing its plan to spin off Sky News, News Corp was effectively asking for its bid to be referred to the Competition Commission.

News Corp already owns 39% of BSkyB but wants to take full control of the firm.

The Culture Secretary is buried under negative comments about the merger, so Rupert’s withdrawal of the ‘undertaking’ severing ties between BSkyB and Sky News provided him with the opportunity to pass the problem to the Competition Commission.

Rupert would expect this, and probably feels that the Competition Commission is a good deal ‘friendlier’ than other government organs at the moment. He has to feel pressure from his corporate board to do something to calm shareholders.

In other news:

• ABC: Police linked to royal phone hacking scandal
• BBC: Gordon Brown ‘targeted by Sunday Times’
• CBC: Phone hacking allegedly targeted 9/11 victims

Jeremy Kinsman of the CBC says: Don’t cry for Rupert Murdoch [Canadians don’t usually get shrill about anything but hockey].