Now that the News of the World is closing, Reuters reports the paper may be able to destroy records relevant to pending litigation against the paper.

British solicitor Mark Stephens is quoted by Reuters as saying all of the news organization's assets could be destroyed by a liquidator, according to British law. He adds it may be "a stroke of genius—perhaps evil genius.”

That's bad news for the celebrities who believe the World hacked into their telephone accounts. It means they might not ever know what the tabloid knew about them, and how they found out.

Deputy Chief Operating Officer James Murdoch announced that the World was closing after 168 years.

The final straw for the paper came after news broke that the paper hacked the phone of an abducted teenage girl and may have tampered the police investigation into her disappearance.

The New Zealand Herald reports on speculation that the closing could be a "management stunt."

Commentators told the paper that the World brand had become untouchable and closing the paper allows the News Corp. owned Sun to move into the Sunday tabloid market.

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