A delegation of U.S. senators is set to visit the Middle East with the aim of encouraging Israel and Saudi Arabia to continue their discussions on normalizing relations, according to South Carolina Senator Lindsey Graham. He mentioned during an appearance on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he, along with a group of fellow senators, will be traveling to Saudi Arabia and Israel in the upcoming days to promote the progress of the U.S.-backed agreement, which had faced disruptions due to a recent Hamas attack on Israel.
Graham emphasized that both parties involved have expressed a strong desire to advance with the normalization plan, highlighting the importance of these diplomatic efforts in the region.
The Trust Principles were established in 1941, during the tumultuous period of World War II, through an agreement between The Newspaper Proprietors Association Limited and The Press Association Limited, who were shareholders in Reuters at the time. These principles laid out clear obligations for Reuters and its employees, emphasizing the values of integrity, independence, and freedom from bias in all their actions.
As Reuters transitioned into a publicly traded company on the London Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, the company and its shareholders were committed to preserving the Trust Principles. To safeguard these principles, a unique entity called the ‘Reuters Founders Share Company Limited’ was created, with the sole purpose of holding a ‘Founders Share’ in Reuters. Over time, the legal structure evolved to grant the Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company specific rights. These rights include enhanced voting authority in situations where a significant shareholding in or control of Thomson Reuters is at stake, as well as requiring prior consent from the Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company for significant sales or transactions involving the Reuters news business unit.
Thomson Reuters, as a corporation, is bound to adhere to the Trust Principles within its operations. The charter documents of Thomson Reuters Corporation contain provisions that ensure the application of these principles to the Thomson Reuters business. They also mandate that Thomson Reuters Directors, in the performance of their duties, must consider the Trust Principles in conjunction with their other responsibilities.
The core Trust Principles are as follows:
- Reuters shall never come under the control of any single interest, group, or faction.
- The integrity, independence, and freedom from bias of Thomson Reuters shall be consistently upheld.
- Reuters is committed to delivering impartial and dependable news services to various media subscribers, businesses, governments, institutions, individuals, and others with whom Reuters holds or may form contracts.
- Thomson Reuters must take into account the numerous interests it serves in addition to the media.
- Every effort must be made to expand, develop, and adapt Thomson Reuters’ news and other services and products to maintain its leading position in the international news and information industry.
The Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company was established in 1984, coinciding with Reuters’ transition to a publicly traded company. The directors of this company, known as ‘Trustees,’ bear the responsibility of ensuring, to the best of their ability, compliance with the Trust Principles.
Trustees are individuals with vast experience and prominence in diverse fields, encompassing politics, diplomacy, media, public service, and business. The nomination committee selects Trustees and presents them for appointment to the board of the Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company. This committee assists in evaluating candidates for suitability, including members appointed by the chairman following consultation with the European Court of Human Rights and representatives of certain press associations. Additionally, two representatives of the Thomson Reuters Corporation board sit on the nomination committee. The Chairman and Deputy Chairman of the Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company Board are also members of the nomination committee, with the Chairman serving as its head.
The number of Trustees ranges from a minimum of 14 to a maximum of 18, and they convene at least twice a year. They receive reports on various aspects of the company’s operations, including Reuters news. The Trustees maintain regular contact with the company through the Chairman of the Thomson Reuters Founders Share Company, fostering a relationship based on trust and confidence.
The independence of Thomson Reuters is of paramount importance, as customers worldwide rely on the company to provide them with trustworthy and unbiased news and information. To uphold this independence and prevent any bias stemming from specific individuals or interests, the Thomson Reuters Trust Principles, adopted in 1941, continue to be fundamental to the entire business.
