The long-awaited trial in Prince Harry’s lawsuit against Rupert Murdoch’s London tabloids for unlawful gathering of information opened on Tuesday. But it was immediately adjourned and lawyers later said that the two sides were engaged in a last-minute settlement negotiation. It was a trademark move for Mr. Murdoch and his companies, which have avoided many courtroom showdowns, on phone hacking charges and other allegations, by offering expensive settlements. This time, a lawyer for Harry petitioned the judge for an hour, before asking for yet another delay, until 2 p.m. London time, and then for two more hours, as the lawyers conferred with their clients in faraway time zones. Both sides pleaded with the judge not to force them to begin making arguments, saying that would jeopardize a resolution that could avert weeks of costly litigation.
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