REPORTS: CRIMINAL CHARGES IN U.K. HACKING SCANDAL ABOUT TO BE FILED

Although some 43 arrests have been conducted in connection with the voicemail-hacking scandal that has rocked Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, no criminal charges against anyone have yet been filed. However, published reports on Tuesday indicated that several of the suspects are about to be charged, possibly as early as this week. Keir Starmer, head of Britain’s Crown Prosecution Service, indicated that at least 11 people will be tried, including four reporters, one police officer and six “others.” One of the cases, Starmer disclosed, involves a journalist and six others who have been accused of perverting the course of justice — presumably meaning attempting to cover up wrongdoing.