Head of Murdoch's British operations quits

Reuters - Rebekah Brooks resigned as chief executive of News Corp's British newspaper unit on Friday, yielding to political and investor pressure over a phone hacking scandal undermining Rupert Murdoch's media empire on both sides of the Atlantic.

LONDON (Reuters) - Rebekah Brooks resigned as chief executive of News Corp's British newspaper unit on Friday, yielding to political and investor pressure over a phone hacking scandal undermining Rupert Murdoch's media empire on both sides of the Atlantic.

At the heart of the phone-hacking scandal threatening Rupert Murdoch's empire, is a woman who's been described as a "tough social climber" with "long flame-red hair." The woman is Rebekah Brooks, head of the British arm of News Corp. Andy McSmith wrote a profile of Brooks for Britain's Independent newspaper, and he talks to Mary Louise Kelly about it.

Rebekah Brooks, chief executive of Rupert Murdoch's News International, resigned on Friday amid the phone-hacking scandal engulfing the British newspaper group, she said in a message to staff.The parent company, Murdoch's New York-based News Corp., also confirmed her resignation."I can confirm that she has resigned," a News Corp. spokeswoman told AFP. "I can confirm an internal release has just gone to News International employees."

Rebekah Brooks, former News of the World editor and chief executive of News International, resigns amid phone hacking scandal.