PUBLICIST Max Clifford said the News of the World was closed to protect the reputation of Rupert Murdoch’s wider media empire, which includes newspapers and TV stations around the world.

Labour veteran Margaret Hodge was victorious today in her battle with the leader of the British National Party.

Government officials in the North are to compile an urgent report on the death of a pensioner who was hit by a motorbike at the Armoy road races in Co Antrim, it emerged today.

Egypt’s culture minister vowed to ban the film The Da Vinci Code for insulting religion and said in comments published today that he would pull the Arabic translation of the novel from store shelves.

A Finnish visual artist and film maker was tonight crowned the winner of one of the world’s most lucrative arts prizes.