The New York Times Company has settled a claim made by leaders in Singapore, who contend an Op-Ed in the International Herald Tribune smeared them. The newspaper company reports it paid $114,000 to end the dispute, while also publishing an apology in the IHT.

“Last month, The Herald Tribune, wholly owned by the Times Company, published a column by Philip Bowring that referred to 'dynastic politics' and listed the leaders of many countries, including Lee Hsien Loong, the prime minister, and his father, Lee Kuan Yew, a former prime minister," the story reported. “That column has been removed from the paper's Web site.”

It also stated: “Singaporean leaders have a history of taking the offensive against news organizations for language that would be legally protected - or even considered relatively innocuous - in the United States, threatening legal action or restricting the sales of publications. They have won apologies and monetary payments in several of those cases.”