Phone-hacking whistleblower found dead

LONDON — One of the first voices to blow the whistle on the phone hacking — former News of the World journalist Sean Hoare — was found dead Monday at his home in Watford, about 25 miles northwest of London. Police said Hoare’s death was not considered to be suspicious, according to Britain’s Press Association news agency. Hoare was quoted by the New York Times as saying that phone-hacking was widely used and even encouraged at the News of the World tabloid under then-editor Andy Coulson. Coulson — who most recently served as Prime Minister David Cameron’s communications chief, was arrested as part of the widening investigation into phone hacking and police corruption.