Beijing, China — More than 10,000 students at a university in China were surprised to find that the school had used their personal information to apply for credit cards and activate online banking services for them without their knowledge or consent.

New York, NY, United States — The nomination of Steven Chu, a Nobel Prize-winning physicist, by U.S. President-elect Barack Obama for the position of energy secretary is to be applauded. Chu will be the first professional scientist to run the Department of Energy. He will also help encourage U.S.-China cooperation on global warming.

Seoul, South Korea — Stunning outsiders, North Korea introduced a third generation mobile network last week, embracing the global symbol of personal freedom, which earlier was never tolerated. However, analysts believe that the show of openness is only a strategy to win foreign investment.

West Lafayette, IN, United States — Serving in the military is unlike any other job in the world. No other job or career requires one to promise to give up life and limb if one’s country requires it. Therefore, it is especially painful to see the way the British have treated the Gurkha soldiers, who served them for nearly 200 years.

Wuhan, China — French President Nicolas Sarkozy, in granting an audience to the Dalai Lama, has seriously hurt the feelings of the Chinese people as well as Sino-French relations, according to China’s official media. Many Chinese have called for a boycott of French goods; but this is neither “cool” nor effective.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — The open house is a unique Malaysian tradition held during major festivals where people “open” their doors and welcome friends, relatives and even strangers into their homes. In recent times, unwise policies and activities has impaired inter-racial understanding putting the tradition in decline.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — In Malaysia, more learning opportunities should be offered in English, as it is both a universal language and the language of commerce. Also, quality education for students of all backgrounds should be a goal of the Education Ministry. The present system is working against national unity.

West Lafayette, IN, United States — The pain caused by the recent terrorist attacks in Mumbai, India, is still raw. But as the days go by and raw emotions settle down, it is time to sit down and take a hard look at the factors that contributed to the massacre. These include widespread poverty and also the arms trade.

Nanjing, China — Sun Yat-sen, the founder of modern China, remains a contemporary figure in the collective memory of the Chinese people, even though he passed away more than 80 years ago. In a sense, he is the only legitimate bridge between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.

Beijing, China — China can be a country of contradictions. Take counterfeit goods for example. They have been the victim of numerous official crackdowns over the years, yet they continue to flourish and reappear in ever greater quantity, variety and range.

New York, NY, United States — Last week a delegation from China visited NASA, signaling closer cooperation between the United States and China in science and technology. It remains to be seen if U.S. fears and suspicions can be overcome to allow the two sides to cooperate substantially.

Beijing, China — As China celebrates the 30th anniversary of its reform and opening, many Chinese are still struggling to attain basic rights and freedoms. Among them is a law professor whose students reported him to the authorities as a “counterrevolutionary” for making controversial comments in class.

New York, NY, United States — While the China issue was not at the forefront during the recent U.S. presidential election, there is no doubt that these two countries – the largest developed and developing economies – have many shared interests, especially concerning cooperation in the areas of science and technology.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — As a citizen of Malaysia, I am disturbed to learn that yoga has recently been deemed an unsuitable activity. The National Fatwa Council has declared yoga “haram” – forbidden – for Muslims, as it said the Indian system of exercise contained unsuitable physical movements, chanting and worship.

Tokyo, Japan — The Catholic Church recognized 188 Japanese martyrs, who died for their faith under the religious persecution of the 17th century, in a beatification ceremony Monday in southern Japan. It was the first such ceremony to be held in the country.

New York, NY, United States — In recent weeks, several leading Chinese universities changed their presidents. They were not selected, but appointed by the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council. Presidents are rotated from one school to another as a form of promotion – but this goes against the schools’ quest for excellence.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — There are millions of people all over the world who every day, in ways big and small, give of their time, resources, ingenuity and creativity to help build a better, more sustainable future with peace and harmony as the cornerstones. What is more important than this?

Beijing, China — Railway construction is one of the items to be funded under the Chinese government’s economic stimulus package of US$585.6 billion. Yet the cave-in of a subway construction site in Hangzhou last Saturday has raised questions as to how government funds are being spent, with regard to quality and safety.

West Lafayette, IN, United States — Nepal’s Maoist- led government has decided to curb the unrestricted sale of alcohol in the country. Starting last Tuesday, businesses can sell alcohol only until 10 p.m. and only to customers 18 or older. In a society that has been very liberal about drinking, this move is sure to raise eyebrows.

Tokyo, Japan — Only through restoring a relationship with God can humankind resolve all the problems it is facing, such as regional and religious conflicts, poverty and hunger, a leader of the Global Peace Festival said in Tokyo Saturday.

Perth, Australia — The greatest threat to marriage and family is the attempt to legalize same-sex marriage, U.S. Law Professor Lynn Wardle told a family organization in Fremantle, Australia. He said that clashes would be inevitable if the core definition of marriage was changed to accommodate the whims of social activists.

Nakhonratchasima, Thailand — Thailand’s highest Buddhist organization, the Supreme Sangha, is one of the three jewels described in Buddhism, which practicing Buddhists found their faith upon. That is, they used to.Today, as Buddha warned over 2,000 years ago, “enemies” of Buddhism are creeping in from the inside.

Taipei, Taiwan — Taiwanese President Ma Ying-jeou spoke glowingly of the late entrepreneur Wang Yung-ching at a memorial service in Taipei Saturday. “His words and actions are the glory of Taiwan, and he definitely deserved to be praised as the son of Taiwan,” the president said. Yet there is one issue Wang never explained.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — A look through the pages of local newspapers on any given day will reveal major news items with specific ethical implications for society. Ethics are not a matter for academic discussion – they must be taught, respected and followed, and the people best positioned to do this are the faith leaders.

West Lafayette, IN, United States — Nepali websites show happy faces celebrating the festival of “Chaat,” when it is customary to visit rivers, ponds and lakes to offer prayers, flowers and food to the sun and the festival’s goddess. But people fail to clean up afterward, and rivers and water bodies are being damaged beyond repair.

New York, NY, United States — China’s open-door policy of the 1970s stirred an unprecedented “overseas study fever.” It is estimated that, as of 2007, some 1.21 million Chinese have gone abroad as students and scholars. However, only a quarter returned upon finishing their overseas experience, constituting a “brain drain” for China.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Integrity can be defined as entireness, wholeness, an unimpaired state, uprightness, honesty or purity. The Malaysian National Integrity Plan sees Malaysian ethnic and religious diversity as an asset in striving to build a fully developed nation, as well as a moral and ethical society.

Nakhonratchasima, Thailand — Thailand’s authorities are ambivalent about the country’s reputation and image. On one hand, the government cultivates a positive, upbeat, friendly image that sells thousands of tour packages. On the other hand, Thailand undermines its image by ignoring human rights and acting as it pleases internally.

Beijing, China — A seemingly endless series of food safety issues continues to plague the Chinese public. Last month it was milk products; now affected food items have expanded to include oranges and eggs. And once again Chinese authorities are presenting only limited information, driving the public to greater panic.

New York, NY, United States — Last week, the screens suddenly went black on an unknown number of computers in China, as Microsoft sent a warning to users of pirated copies of its products – the Windows operating system and Office suite. However, Microsoft’s anti-piracy crackdown has raised a frenzy of opposition against the company.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — The United Nations has declared Oct. 2 as the International Day of Nonviolence every year. This UN-sanctioned Day of Nonviolence is all about the fact that one should not injure, subjugate, enslave, torture or kill any human being, or animal. This doctrine of nonviolence is immaculate, immutable and eternal.

Nakhonratchasima, Thailand — Thailand’s well-known Assumption University has come out with a new poll that indicates Thais are overly willing to accept corruption in government. All they want in return is, according to the ABAC poll, a “good life.”

Tokyo, Japan — In the midst of the current global crisis, I am reminded of the words of Plato of ancient Greece to the effect that, to better the world, kings should become philosophers; otherwise the unhappiness of humanity will not disappear. It is time to abandon the supremacy of the economy and build a global culture.

Daly City, CA, United States — Today the world seems flat. Poverty is everywhere. Homelessness is spreading. It seems that for a rare and fleeting moment, globalization has produced a more equal world. The once affluent societies of the United States and Europe are now grappling with Third World problems.

Beijing, China — Recently, a 74-year-old Chinese scholar named Yan Chongnian was slapped by a young man while signing and selling his books at a bookstore in the city of Wuxi in Jiangsu province. The reality in China’s society shows that some still find it difficult to tolerate opposing points of view.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Christians, Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists around the globe are facing what many are reluctant to accept, that interreligious dialogue is not just a matter of sweet chats between theologians and the highly learned. It is the key to the survival of communities the world over.

Brisbane, Australia — Food insecurity in the East Asian and Pacific regions is fast becoming a chronic problem, according to an Oxfam survey released in Australia on Thursday, World Food Day. The report focused on food shortages in Timor-Leste, where people face up to five months a year without enough to eat.

Beijing, China — The Beijing city government has reissued traffic restrictions, which took effect Monday, banning private vehicles from the roads one day per week. This measure once again brought to the forefront the ongoing debate over reforms regarding the misuse of official vehicles for private purposes.

Beijing, China — A young, controversial Chinese writer has been engaged in a war of words with the China Writers Association, as the Chinese media add fuel to the flames. The smell of gunpowder surrounds the battle, which has been described as an “incident” in Chinese literary circles.

New York, NY, United States — Every year in October, one week always generates an indescribable anxiety in China. This is the week when the Nobel Prizes for the year are announced. This year was no exception as, once again, no prizes were awarded to any mainland Chinese.

Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia — Economic crime in Asia is shifting from conventional corrupt practices to more subtle methods of fraud, according to Kuala Lumpur's Center for Fraud Management. It includes corruption and bribery, identity theft, money laundering, cyber crime, accounting and financial fraud, and affects nearly everyone.

Ningbo, China — The leadership of the Chinese Communist Party concluded a crucial meeting on Sunday, at which it put forth a roadmap for rural reform which, like the reform policy of 1978, is likely to shape rural development for years to come.

Toronto, ON, Canada — The Indian second-generation community in the United States and Canada has grown to roughly 3 million people. It has prospered through hard work and determination, while at the same time navigating the line between two very different cultural landscapes.

New York, NY, United States — Chinese victims of the baby formula scandal have taken their anger out on the bureaucrats in charge of the nation’s public health affairs, including Minister of Health Chen Zhu. It is a pity that he has to deal with this problem, which is not of his making and out of his range.

Nakhonratchasima, Thailand — How far should foreigners in Thailand go to let locals know they do not like being double or triple charged for things like food or beer? Fifty-one-year-old American tourist Dennis Leo Greenwood found out what can happen in the beach resort city – and tourist trap – of Pattaya.

West Lafayette, IN, United States — A masked robber walked into a convenience store last Sunday and shot and killed 21-year-old Ashok Bhattarai, a Nepali student who was working in the store in Missouri City, Texas. Bhattarai has become another statistic in the growing list of innocent lives lost to senseless gun violence in the United States.

Beijing, China — This has been a year of great glories and great sufferings for China; no wonder the Chinese people greeted National Day on Oct. 1 with mixed feelings. While many Chinese spent the holiday in the sunshine enjoying all kinds of activities, their compatriots online were inclined to be gloomy and critical.

Toronto, ON, Canada — Many countries could run out of groundwater within the next three decades. India's northwest regions are losing groundwater by switching to water-intensive rice cultivation while China's northeast has already run out of water. This will hurt agriculture and have catastrophic effects on life in general.

Kolkata, India — The Indian drug industry was rattled in mid-August when the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, one of the country’s premier medical research institutes, revealed that 49 babies had died while undergoing clinical trials of new drugs and therapies over the past two-and-a-half years.

Beijing, China — An online news video recorded the incident: a female bus driver being terribly beaten by two young men while a handful of passengers looked on. Such incidents are not infrequent, and have sparked a national debate as to why so many Chinese are rude, bad-tempered and prone to violence.