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8 July 2011
Last updated at 00:27 ET
Staff at the News of the World have reacted with shock to news that it will be closed after this Sunday's edition.
The paper's political editor, David Wooding, said the closure came as a "bombshell".
The 168-year-old tabloid is accused of hacking into phones of crime victims, celebrities and politicians. Police have identified 4,000 possible targets.
The Guardian reports Andy Coulson, formerly David Cameron's director of communications, will be arrested later.
It says Mr Coulson will be arrested over suspicions that he knew about, or had direct involvement in, the hacking of mobile phones during his time as editor of the News of the World (NoW).
He has insisted that he knew nothing about the practice.
Staff said they were stunned after News International chairman James Murdoch announced on Thursday that the NoW would shut, after days of increasingly damaging allegations.
The paper's editor Colin Myler said the news was "the saddest day of my professional career".
Mr Wooding, who joined the NoW 18 months ago, said the paper was "fantastic" and "decent, hard-working, distinguished journalists were all carrying the can for the sins of a previous regime".
Columnist Carole Malone added: "What's really tragic is that everyone in that room had nothing to do with what went on in the past."
In a statement made to staff, Mr Murdoch said the good things the paper did "have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong - indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our company".
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James Murdoch: "These allegations are shocking and hugely regrettable"
"The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed when it came to itself."
He said no advertisements would run in this weekend's paper - instead any advertising space, and the proceeds from sales, would be donated to good causes.
Mr Murdoch reiterated that the company was fully co-operating with the two ongoing police investigations.
Downing Street has said it had no role or involvement in the decision to close.
News International has declined to comment on reports that the Sun could now become a seven-day-a-week operation.
'Serious regret' The NoW, which sells about 2.8 million copies a week, is famed for its celebrity scoops and sex scandals.
There have been repeated calls for Rebekah Brooks - the former editor, now News International's chief executive - to resign.
But in an interview Mr Murdoch stood by her again, saying he was satisfied with her conduct.
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Actor Hugh Grant: "I think this is a cynical management manoeuvre"
The BBC's political editor, Nick Robinson, said that Rupert Murdoch has sacrificed the paper - or, at least, its title - instead of Ms Brooks.
"Team Murdoch must have realised that it would be referred to again and again over the next few months in connection with the alleged phone-hacking of a murdered girl, grieving parents and war widows," he said.
"The question now is whether this will make the government's dilemma about the takeover of BSkyB easier or harder."
'Scrap PCC' call Mark Pritchard, secretary of the influential Conservative backbench 1922 committee and vice-chairman of the parliamentary media group, wants the government to delay a decision on the BskyB takeover.
Labour leader Ed Miliband is expected to call for the Press Complaints Commission to be scrapped in a speech on Friday.
In April, the NoW admitted intercepting the voicemail messages of prominent people to find stories.
It came after years of rumours that the practice was widespread and amid intense pressure from those who believed they had been victims.
Royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed for hacking in January 2007 after it was found they targeted Prince William's aides.
Advertising withdrawn Detectives recovered files from Mulcaire's home which referred to a long list of public figures and celebrities.
The scandal widened this week when it emerged that a phone belonging to the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler had also been hacked into, and some messages deleted.
It is also emerged that bereaved military families and relatives of 7/7 bombing victims may have had their phones hacked.
Further revelations showed that the NoW has passed to police e-mails which allegedly show payments by it to the police were approved by the then editor Andy Coulson.
Leading brands pulled their newspaper advertising and shares in BSkyB fell on fears that the scandal could hinder parent company News Corp's bid for the broadcaster.
On Wednesday, the government promised an inquiry in the hacking allegations, but the nature of it is undecided.
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The paper's political editor, David Wooding, said the closure came as a "bombshell".
The 168-year-old tabloid is accused of hacking into phones of crime victims, celebrities and politicians. Police have identified 4,000 possible targets.
The Guardian reports Andy Coulson, formerly David Cameron's director of communications, will be arrested later.
It says Mr Coulson will be arrested over suspicions that he knew about, or had direct involvement in, the hacking of mobile phones during his time as editor of the News of the World (NoW).
He has insisted that he knew nothing about the practice.
Staff said they were stunned after News International chairman James Murdoch announced on Thursday that the NoW would shut, after days of increasingly damaging allegations.
The paper's editor Colin Myler said the news was "the saddest day of my professional career".
Mr Wooding, who joined the NoW 18 months ago, said the paper was "fantastic" and "decent, hard-working, distinguished journalists were all carrying the can for the sins of a previous regime".
Columnist Carole Malone added: "What's really tragic is that everyone in that room had nothing to do with what went on in the past."
In a statement made to staff, Mr Murdoch said the good things the paper did "have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong - indeed, if recent allegations are true, it was inhuman and has no place in our company".
Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.James Murdoch: "These allegations are shocking and hugely regrettable"
"The News of the World is in the business of holding others to account. But it failed when it came to itself."
He said no advertisements would run in this weekend's paper - instead any advertising space, and the proceeds from sales, would be donated to good causes.
Mr Murdoch reiterated that the company was fully co-operating with the two ongoing police investigations.
Downing Street has said it had no role or involvement in the decision to close.
News International has declined to comment on reports that the Sun could now become a seven-day-a-week operation.
'Serious regret' The NoW, which sells about 2.8 million copies a week, is famed for its celebrity scoops and sex scandals.
There have been repeated calls for Rebekah Brooks - the former editor, now News International's chief executive - to resign.
But in an interview Mr Murdoch stood by her again, saying he was satisfied with her conduct.
Please turn on JavaScript. Media requires JavaScript to play.Actor Hugh Grant: "I think this is a cynical management manoeuvre"
The BBC's political editor, Nick Robinson, said that Rupert Murdoch has sacrificed the paper - or, at least, its title - instead of Ms Brooks.
"Team Murdoch must have realised that it would be referred to again and again over the next few months in connection with the alleged phone-hacking of a murdered girl, grieving parents and war widows," he said.
"The question now is whether this will make the government's dilemma about the takeover of BSkyB easier or harder."
'Scrap PCC' call Mark Pritchard, secretary of the influential Conservative backbench 1922 committee and vice-chairman of the parliamentary media group, wants the government to delay a decision on the BskyB takeover.
Labour leader Ed Miliband is expected to call for the Press Complaints Commission to be scrapped in a speech on Friday.
In April, the NoW admitted intercepting the voicemail messages of prominent people to find stories.
It came after years of rumours that the practice was widespread and amid intense pressure from those who believed they had been victims.
Royal editor Clive Goodman and private investigator Glenn Mulcaire were jailed for hacking in January 2007 after it was found they targeted Prince William's aides.
Advertising withdrawn Detectives recovered files from Mulcaire's home which referred to a long list of public figures and celebrities.
The scandal widened this week when it emerged that a phone belonging to the murdered schoolgirl Milly Dowler had also been hacked into, and some messages deleted.
It is also emerged that bereaved military families and relatives of 7/7 bombing victims may have had their phones hacked.
Further revelations showed that the NoW has passed to police e-mails which allegedly show payments by it to the police were approved by the then editor Andy Coulson.
Leading brands pulled their newspaper advertising and shares in BSkyB fell on fears that the scandal could hinder parent company News Corp's bid for the broadcaster.
On Wednesday, the government promised an inquiry in the hacking allegations, but the nature of it is undecided.
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