‘Inhuman’ actions lead to closure of newspaper

THE News of the World has been sensationally closed down in a bid by Rupert Murdoch’s News International to contain the phone hacking scandal — but the closure has been seen as a stunt to pave the way for a new Sunday tabloid title untainted by the claims.

The last edition in a 168-year print run will hit the shelves on Sunday after advertisers refused to be associated with the hacking of mobile phones.

Mark Stephens, head of media with Finers Stephens Innocent law firm, told Reuters that under British law, the paper “may not be obliged to retain documents that could be relevant to civil and criminal claims against the newspaper — even in cases that are already under way”.