The publisher of the Daily Mail newspaper on Thursday refuted allegations of phone-tapping and other breaches of privacy by a group of individuals including Britain's Prince Harry and singer Elton John.
"We utterly and unambiguously refute these preposterous smears," a spokesman for the publisher, Associated Newspapers, said. "These unsubstantiated and highly defamatory claims - based on no credible evidence - appear to be simply a fishing expedition by claimants and their lawyers."
(Reporting by Sachin Ravikumar; editing by William James)