Figures released by News Corp today reveal the enormous ongoing financial impact of the News of the World phone-hacking scandal. In the three months to 31 December the company incurred $56m (£35.7m) in costs relating to phone-hacking – bringing the total figure to more than $340m (£216.9m). Lawyers at News Corp’s UK publishing arm News International have been settling claims with phone-hacking victims since the Sunday tabloid was closed in July 2012.