The New York Times, also citing unidentified people briefed on the negotiations, said in Wednesday's edition that Clear Channel and its private equity buyers may go to court to force the banks to complete the buyout.

FORBES: Magazine Article

The suit, filed in High Court in London, also names as defendants Alex Marunchak, who was editor of the News of the World's Irish edition until 2006, as well as private investigators he alleged were hired to conduct the email interception, Jonathan Rees and Phillip Smith.

WSJ: Singer Charlotte Church Alleges Trade-Off With Murdoch Papers

They were discovered in a first edition copy of Gaskell's two-volume biography, from a private collection, which was also included in the auction lot.

BBC: Bronte letters returning to Haworth after ?185,000 sale

Panorama claimed the paper's then-Irish edition editor Alex Marunchak was sent ex-British intelligence officer Ian Hurst's private emails in 2006.

BBC: Metropolitan Police starts computer hacking probe