News of the World Staff Takes Shots at Rebekah Brooks in Final Paper, Reports Suggest

Did the News of the World staff take some parting shots at Rebekah Brooks in the final installment of the paper Sunday?

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Several published reports insinuate that Brooks, the CEO of News International who has come under fire amid the NOTW's phone-hacking scandal and subsequent closure, was referenced in a slew of clues in the crossword section.

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Among the clues in the "general knowledge crossword" puzzle were "brook," "stink," "catastrophe," "digital protection," "cease," ‘"lamented," "servant" and "prestige," which the U.K.'s Daily Mail and others claim were digs at Brooks.
 
Meanwhile, the "cryptic crossword" puzzle featured such clues as "criminal enterprise," "mix in prison," "string of recordings," "woman stares at calamity" and "will fear new security measure."

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Among the anwers were "deplored," "stench," "stir," "disaster," "menace," "desist," "racket" and "tart."
 
Brooks has refused to bow to immense public pressure, telling a tense Town Hall meeting at News International’s Wapping headquarters that she would not step down.

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“You may be angry with me and that I understand, but I am angry with the people who did this and I feel bitterly betrayed,” she told the meeting, according from Tweets from within the meeting.
 
James Murdoch has staunchly defended Brooks, who had done the right thing and was “right for the company,” he said.

“I am satisfied that Rebecca’s leadership and standard of ethics and standard of conduct throughout her career are very good,” Murdoch told Sky News.


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He and Brooks are expected to face police questioning over the illegal phone-hacking activities.

Former NOTW editor Andy Coulson was arrested Friday in relation to the incident.

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NOTW published its final edition Sunday after 168 years.