James Murdoch

Rupert Murdoch

• For those taking an interest in the ever-changing, continually developing News of the World hacking scandal, it’s a good time for a round-up of just what the situation is at the moment. 
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• Rupert Murdoch, his son James and the London-based head of News International Rebekah Brooks have been  summoned to appear before a powerful committee of MPs to answer allegations of phone hacking and other crimes at News International.

     . The former Prime Minister Gordon Brown has claimed Rupert Murdoch’s group has ‘links with the criminal underworld’ and has accused it of using ‘disgusting’ methods to gain access to personal information. 
  
    . The News of the World paid a Royal Protection Officer for private contact details for members of the royal family, it is claimed

• ‘Smoking gun’ emails pile pressure on News International chairman James Murdoch
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• Les Hinton, chief exec of News Corp firm Dow Jones, could be axed for ‘failing to get to grips’ with the scandal when in charge of NI’s UK newspaper group
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• BSkyB shares tumble by 6% to around 700p
• Shares have now fallen by 17% since the phone hacking scandal blew up, knocking nearly £2.5bn off value of the broadcast group
•  News of the World tried to hack 9/11 victims, ex-police officer claims

Les Hinton

• Journalism legend Carl Bernstein says scandal is ‘Murdoch’s Watergate’