Murdoch Group Pays Hundreds of Thousands in Phone-Hacking Suits

London (CNN) -- The publisher of Rupert Murdoch's now defunct News of the World tabloid paid out hundreds of thousands of pounds Wednesday to settle lawsuits over phone hacking from celebrities and politicians, including a former Tony Blair spokesman.

The publisher apologized for intercepting phone messages of Alastair Campbell, the Blair aide, and agreed to pay costs and damages, Campbell said in a statement. He did not say how much the settlement was worth.