Murdoch lieutenant at heart of scandal

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.

LONDON  — Former U.K. tabloid editor Rebekah Brooks, her husband and four close aides were charged Tuesday over alleged attempts to conceal evidence in Britain’s phone hacking scandal — the first prosecutions since police reopened inquiries 18 months ago into wrongdoing by the country’s scandal-hungry press.

Rupert Murdoch's former aide Rebekah Brooks was bailed Monday, hours after Britain's top police officer resigned as the phone hacking scandal finally tore into the heart of the British establishment.Metropolitan Police Commissioner Paul Stephenson said he was quitting due to speculation about his links to Murdoch's empire and the force's botched investigation into hacking at the now-defunct News of the World tabloid.

Has been under intense pressure to step down over scandal that has rocked Rupert Murdoch’s media empire

Has been under intense pressure to step down over scandal that has rocked Rupert Murdoch’s media empire

Police investigating Britain¿s phone-hacking scandal swooped down on a number of homes in an early-morning raid and arrested six people Tuesday, including a woman identified in media reports as Rebekah Brooks, the former head of Rupert Murdoch¿s British newspapers.