Scandal-hit News of the World to close
Britain's ugly phone-hacking scandal has taken a shock twist by claiming the scalp of the 168-year-old News of the World newspaper. Rupert Murdoch's News International stunned Britain on Thursday afternoon by announcing the best-selling tabloid would be published for the last time on Sunday. The decision followed an extraordinary three days of revelations about intrusive phone hacking and alleged pay-offs to police from the newspaper. Advertisement: Story continues below The tabloid is renowned for using dubious, and sometimes illegal, techniques to titillate its readers with stories about the personal lives of celebrities and politicians. However the newspaper crossed the line in the eyes of the public when it was revealed this week that it had tapped into the phone messages of murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler and relatives of slain soldiers and 2005 London bombing victims. Murdoch's son, James, who heads the European operations for News International, said the newspaper w...