Hacking scandal: Key dates for Rupert and James Murdoch

MPs questioned Rupert and James Murdoch about phone-hacking in July 2011

News Corporation bosses Rupert Murdoch and his son James are set to give evidence for the first time to the Leveson Inquiry into press standards.

They will be questioned about practices at British newspapers published by News International, the UK arm of News Corporation, in light of the phone-hacking scandal.

Here are some of the key dates of that have led to this moment.

<bold>7 July 2011</bold> - James Murdoch announces closure of News of the World - following allegations the paper hacked voicemails of murdered schoolgirl, Milly Dowler.

<bold>13 July 2011 -</bold> News Corporation withdraws bid to take over BSkyB, saying it has become "too difficult".

<bold>19 July 2011 - </bold>Rupert and James Murdoch are questioned by MPs on the Commons culture media and sport select committee, but they insist they were not aware of the extent of phone-hacking at NoW, and were misled by staff.

<bold>10 November 2011 - </bold>James Murdoch appears again before MPs. He denies allegations from former NoW executives that he saw emails discussing widespread hacking at the paper.

<bold>11 February 2012 - </bold>Five Sun employees are arrested over alleged corrupt payments to public officials. Four former and current Sun journalists were held in January. Rupert Murdoch is said to be "committed" to the paper.

<bold>29 February 2012 -</bold> James Murdoch resigns as executive chairman of News International - the UK publisher of the Sun and the Times titles. He continues as deputy chief operating officer of parent company, News Corporation.

<bold>13 March 2012 -</bold> Former News International chief executive, Rebekah Brooks, is arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Five others are also held. Mrs Brooks was previously arrested in July 2011.

<bold>27 March 2012 -</bold> BBC's Panorama accuses NDS - a subsidiary of News Corporation - of involvement in sabotaging a rival of Sky TV. NDS denies the claims and 81-year-old Rupert Murdoch attacks the allegations on Twitter.

<bold>3 April 2012 -</bold> James Murdoch steps down as BSkyB chairman. It follows the launch of an Ofcom inquiry into whether it is a "fit and proper" owner of a broadcasting licence, earlier in the year.

<bold>5 April 2012 -</bold> Sky News admits illegally hacking emails accounts, including that of convicted canoe fraudster, John Darwin. It argues this was in the public interest.

<bold>19 April 2012 - </bold>A lawyer at the centre of phone-hacking litigation says News Corporation could face fresh lawsuits in the US, related to the 9/11 attacks.

<bold>20-21 April 2012 -</bold> Dozens of civil claims are brought against News Group Newspapers in the UK. Hugh Tomlinson QC said there were 4,791 potential victims in total, of whom the police had contacted 1,892 people. Another Sun journalist is arrested.