Manipal, India — On Nov. 7 this columnist wrote that Pakistani politician Benazir Bhutto's election plans were likely to fail "if she survives." The skepticism over her longevity was because of the threat she represented to both the Punjabi component in the Pakistan army and to the continuation of the military's monopoly over state power.

Manila, Philippines — Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo plans to revive her campaign to amend the 1987 Constitution through a people's initiative, analysts predict. This would change the presidential system to a parliamentary system and allow her re-election as prime minister.

BEIJING, China — The term "democracy" as used by China's state leaders has a different meaning from that understood in the West. This is thanks to the work of China's "imperial" scholars, who are able to concoct new meanings for old terms to meet the leaders' needs.

Colombo, Sri Lanka — In ethnically divided democracies, obtaining the support of the ethnic majority, by hook or by crook, has been a long-proven recipe for electoral success. Morality and principles of good governance, although spoken from the lectern for public consumption, are of little consequence in the pursuit of power.

Manipal, India — Central policy in India has long discriminated against the Hindu majority within the country. This has led to a Hindu backlash across India, especially in Gujarat state, where the predominantly Hindu BJP Party's Narendra Modi was re-elected this week despite a concerted effort to oust him.

Hong Kong, China — A series of corruption scandals that have afflicted the Philippines, involving inappropriate government contracts, bribery of congressmen and officials, and the pardoning of convicted former President Joseph Estrada, show an absence of ethical leadership.

Seoul, South Korea — Japan is deadlocked on its path toward "normal state" status, which would match its economic power with political and military power, because of its failures in domestic politics and international diplomacy.

Tokyo, Japan — Many Japanese welcomed the election of conservative candidate Lee Myung-bak in South Korea's presidential election Wednesday. Lee is expected to improve relations between Japan and South Korea, which had worsened under the Roh Moo-hyun administration.

Tokyo, Japan — The Chinese government is taking every opportunity to upgrade political relations with Japan, as indicated by President Hu Jintao's meetings with the top leaders of both Japan's ruling and opposition parties within one month.

Manila, Philippines — Last week, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo announced her support for the revival of an Anti-Subversion Law that seeks to punish membership in the Communist Party of the Philippines, in an effort to defeat the country's 38-year-old Maoist insurgency.

Seoul, South Korea — Conservative icon Lee Myung-bak was elected South Korea's next leader on Wednesday, ending a 10-year period of liberal rule, on a platform of a tougher stance toward North Korea and top priority on rapid economic growth.

Tokyo, Japan — Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is set to visit Beijing on Dec. 27, following an extension of the current Diet session that will allow passage of a bill to resume Japan's naval mission in the Indian Ocean in line with the U.S.-led War on Terror.

Colombo, Sri Lanka — The attention of Sri Lankans in the past week was riveted upon a crucial budget vote in Parliament. A defeat of the budget, which substantially raised military spending, could have led to the downfall of the government; its passage will add impetus to escalated warfare.

Chongqing, China — A Chinese provincial court has passed regulations outlining a code of conduct for judges, in response to public complaints about rude and officious behavior in the courtroom. The problem now lies in how to implement the rules.

Hong Kong, China — General Pervez Musharraf, acting as chief of the Pakistani army, on Nov. 3 issued a Proclamation of Emergency stating that "some judges, by overstepping the limits of judicial authority, have taken over the executive and legislative." At that time the Supreme Court was hearing a petition challenging Musharraf's eligibility to run as a presidential candidate for a second five-year term.

Seoul, South Korea — With South Korea's presidential election just five days away, voters remain unfazed as a conservative candidate is largely expected to win a landslide victory, ending a decade of liberal rule. Final opinion polls conducted ahead of the Dec. 19 election showed Thursday that South Koreans have rapidly gone conservative.

Seoul, South Korea — Since former Seoul mayor Lee Myung-bak was nominated as the presidential candidate of the Grand National Party in August, expectations have been high that he will be elected South Korea's next president on Dec. 19 with unprecedented public support.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates — If gold statues of George W. Bush have yet to sprout up across the Middle East, it is not because his contribution to the region's economy is not recognized. The 2003 occupation of Iraq crippled the already-gasping oil industry in that country, thus more than trebling international oil prices.

Colombo, Sri Lanka — Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has ordered the dismantling of permanent security checkpoints to facilitate the movement of traffic on public roads, suddenly changing the landscape of Colombo. The abandoned checkpoints at various entry points to the city have a desolate look.

Hong Kong, China — In Hong Kong's by-election for the Legislative Council last week, pro-democracy candidate Anson Chan was proclaimed the winner with 170,000 ballots, while pro-Beijing candidate Regina Ip received some 30,000 fewer votes. The gap was wider than expected.

Shanghai, China — Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda will very likely visit China this month or early next month, and China is also preparing for President Hu Jintao's visit to Japan next year. These planned top-level visits show that both China and Japan have realized the importance of developing a healthier relationship.

Hong Kong, China — The by-election for Hong Kong's Legislative Council held on Dec. 2 should not be ignored; it was significant in terms of the territory's future democratic development.

Manipal, India — Like the Pakistan army, which has jihad as its official motto, the rulers of Malaysia claim to represent the "moderate" face of Islam. However, ever since former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohammad introduced Wahabbism Lite into Malaysia in 1981, the practic

Seoul, South Korea — South Korea's presidential frontrunner and conservative flag-bearer Lee Myung-bak has seemingly cleared the final hurdle to becoming the country's next leader as he emerged from a longstanding fraud scandal.The candidate from the main opposition Grand N

Seoul, South Korea — French President Nicolas Sarkozy's three-day visit to China last month seemed designed to show the French president's appreciation of culture. He arrived first in the former imperial city of Xian -- which was his predecessor Jacques Chirac's last stop on

Seoul, South Korea — North Korea's spy master and point man on South Korea has made a surprise visit to Seoul, apparently in a last-minute effort to influence the South's upcoming presidential election and lock the incoming government into honoring accords on massive economic

New York, NY, United States — China's refusal to allow the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier group to berth in Hong Kong for Thanksgiving Day was a misunderstanding, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi reportedly told U.S. President George W.

Tokyo, Japan — "We need to reform the Security Council of the United Nations to reflect the reality of the world today," said Dr. Sukehiro Hasegawa, former Special Representative of the U.N.

Seoul, South Korea — South Korea's railroad union and transport workers had planned a strike for Nov. 16 to call for the reemployment of fired temporary workers and protest other labor issues.

Manila, Philippines — The Philippines was a colony of Spain for more than 300 years. Religion was the main weapon used by the Spaniards to subjugate the local population.

Seoul, South Korea — Seven years have passed since the last serious effort by the United States to broker Middle East peace. Will it be any different this time, after representatives from more than 40 countries met Tuesday in the historic waterfront city of Annapolis, east of

Colombo, Sri Lanka — It is becoming increasingly clear that the government's efforts to impose a military solution on the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in the north and east are having economic and political implications in the rest of Sri Lanka. The economic costs of th

Seoul, South Korea — The official campaign for South Korea's presidential election next month kicked off Tuesday, with a conservative flag-bearer widely projected to end a decade of liberal rule.Twelve candidates -- from former prime ministers to business tycoons -- have re

Qingdao, China — China made a successful public relations bid for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games at the U.N. General Assembly last month by introducing the Olympic Truce Resolution, which was unanimously adopted by the assembly.

Tokyo, Japan — There is a growing expectation in Japan that the United States will soon remove North Korea from its list of state sponsors of terrorism in exchange for Pyongyang disabling its nuclear facilities. This could put pressure on Japan to consider a policy chan

Hong Kong, China — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations signed a groundbreaking charter Tuesday in Singapore, designed to create a single market loosely resembling the European Union. The group's first charter in its 40-year history also aims to guarantee democracy an

Tehran, Iran — Less than 20 percent of Muslims worldwide follow Shiite Islam. It's about the same number as the Wahabbis -- a sect that has always been regarded by mainstream religious scholars as being outside the Muslim faith.

Manila, Philippines — A top official of the National Security Council of the Philippine government has been implicated in the Nov.13 bombing of the House of Representatives, which claimed the lives of one lawmaker and three congressional staff.Basilan Rep. Wahab Akbar and th

Seoul, South Korea — Chinese President Hu Jintao extended an olive branch to Taiwan in his speech at the 17th Communist Party Congress last month, adopting a far more conciliatory tone toward the island than he has used in the past. "On the basis of the one-China principle,

Washington, DC, United States — The Bush administration has kicked into high gear its diplomatic efforts to end the political crisis in Pakistan by dispatching John Negroponte, its seasoned and second-highest ranking diplomat, to Islamabad this weekend.Negroponte's blunt intervention

Hong Kong, China — Since General Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency and dismissed the Supreme Court of Pakistan on Nov. 3, appointing a mock bench in its place, over 3,000 lawyers have been taken into custody and many of the best known lawyers in the country are

Seoul, South Korea — North Korean Premier Kim Yong II concluded his visit to South Korea Friday, after meeting his counterpart Han Duck-soo in the first meeting of top ministers of the two countries in 15 years. The two agreed to quickly implement economic cooperation measure

Washington, DC, United States — Radical Islam, or Islamo-fascism as conservatives are prone to call it, conveys the impression of a political movement. It is no such animal.

Seoul, South Korea — Will North Korea follow in Vietnam's footsteps by gradually introducing market forces into its command economy? Seoul officials are hopeful that North Korea will move toward reforms and door-opening as it strives to rebuild its shattered economy on the b

Taipei, Taiwan — While the movie "Lust, Caution" was being shown in theaters in late September in Hong Kong, the topic of Chinese traitors suddenly become hot in the city. A second "traitor heat wave" followed soon after.

Manila, Philippines — To understand the impeachment complaints filed against Philippine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, it is necessary to review the political upheavals which rocked the nation last month. October is usually an uneventful month in Philippine politics.

New York, NY, United States — Pakistanis have learned to be cynical about the conduct of their politicians and about the promises of their generals. And they know the difference, having spent 32 of the 60 years since independence ruled by the men in uniform.But the curious events of

Qingdao, China — The Chinese Communist Party dreams of superpower status for China, but has not reflected deeply on what responsibilities this would entail. Theoretically speaking, the leaders of a country are responsible to pursue and maintain national security, economic

Qingdao, China — Chinese scholar Jiang Yong has claimed that the hidden purpose behind international calls for China to take up the responsibilities of a superpower is to increase China's development risks and slow China's rise. Jiang holds that this effort to impose supe

Taipei, Taiwan — The U.S. executive branch continues to oppose moves by the Republic of China on Taiwan to obtain a seat in the United Nations, saying that such membership is only open to sovereign nations.