The US government’s star witness at former media mogul Conrad Black’s fraud trial testified that he consulted Black on every business deal he made on behalf of the Hollinger newspaper empire.

Former British media mogul Conrad Black’s defence lawyer grilled the US government’s first witness about hefty pay cheques he received from the Hollinger International newspaper empire.

A businessman who steered Conrad Black’s Hollinger newspaper empire through a storm of lawsuits and investigations told a court that the former media mogul “was very knowledgeable” about the finances of the company he is accused of swindling out of £44m (€65m).

As chairman of the far-flung Hollinger newspaper empire, tall, silver-haired, magnificently tailored Conrad Black reigned supreme as one of the world’s most powerful media moguls.

US government prosecutors have confirmed for the first time they are conducting a criminal investigation of former Daily Telegraph boss Conrad Black, his former top deputy David Radler and Black’s company, Hollinger Inc.

THE British billionaire businessmen the Barclay brothers are set to rejoin the battle for control of the Telegraph newspaper.

Three Chicago newspaper reporters have agreed to hand over taped recordings of interviews with a key witness in the trial of alleged Real IRA leader Michael McKevitt.

A judge in the United States has ordered three Chicago journalists to turn over tapes of interviews with an FBI mole.

R&B star R Kelly has been arrested in Florida after authorities filed child pornography charges alleging that he appears on a videotape having sex with an underage girl.