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.”

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)