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[edit] Press Release April 20, 1989

The Sunday Times of London, owned by publisher Rupert Murdoch, has agreed to pay damages, all legal fees and to issue a public statement of retraction and apology to the Trustees of The Hunger Project Trust in the United Kingdom in resolution of a libel action initiated more than two years ago.

In the statement read before the High Court of Justice, Queens Bench division, in London last week, The Sunday Times acknowledged that allegations about The Hunger Project made in an artgicle published in 1986 were "untrue and misleading," and "unfounded." The Sunday Times also acknowledged that the article contained "damaging falsehoods and innuendos."

In a statement before the court agreed to by The Sunday Times, counsel for the Trustees of The Hunger Project stated:

"The Hunger Project... is primarily an educational charity dedicated to generating a commitment from individuals to ending hunger and starvation by the end of the century. It seeks to do this by educating and informing people about famine and starvation throughout the world and by encouraging people to take effective action which will contribute to the solution of world hunger.

"Most of the charity's funds are expended on its education programme but it has also funded relief work and direct aid and has provided assistance to organisation which work in the field of famine relief.

"In the issues of The Sunday Times for the 15th of June 1986... the Defendant.. suggested that The Hunger Projec Trust was misleading members of the public both in the purpose of their donations and in their relationship with Sport Aid. They also suggested that the charity was a front for something which they described as a Californian sect. This is untrue and misleading. These unfounded attacks had a very serious effect upon the charity's good name and the reputations of the Plaintiffs.

"The Defendants now accept and are here by Counsel publicly to acknowledge that there is no truth in the allegations made against the Plaintiffs. They acknowledge that The Hunger Projec Trust is a bona fide charity dedicated to fulfilling its aims of educating people in methods of eradicating hunger, and they also withdraw any allegation that The Hunger Project Trust is a front for any other organisation or is a sham."

In response, counsel for The Sunday Times said: "... the Defendants entirely accept what my learned friend has just said. The Defendants regret their publication of an article containing damaging falsehoods and innuendos about the Plaintiffs and The Hunger Project Trust of which they are trustees. They wish to apologise to the Plaintiffs for the embarrassment, upset and distress which they have been caused."

On behalf of The Hunger Project, Mr Alastair Service, a Trustee of The Hunger Project Trust, said that he:

"... very much welcomes the Statement in Open Court today that publishes The Sunday Times withdrawla of its attack on The Hunger Project.. The Sunday Times will pay damages to the Trustees of The Hunger Project amounting to £15,000 to be given to charity and The Sunday Times will pay their costs. On behalf of the Trustees, I would like to say how delighted we are that The Hunger Project has been vindicated."