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A Dumb Abuse of Power

Sigh.

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South Koreans Getting New Birthdays

A move away from a centuries old Asian practice.

Mass Protests Across China

Anger over COVID lockdowns has activated myriad frustrations.

China’s Worrisome Behavior

The competition is slowly ratcheting up.

Shinzo Abe Murdered

Japan’s longest-serving prime minister was killed at a campaign rally. He was 67.

US and UK Intelligence Leaders Warn of Increasing Chinese Threat

They’re stealing our secrets and working to undermine our elections.

President Ghani Flees as Taliban Reach Kabul

The mirage of semi-order faded quickly.

The Ivies=NK?

Or, you know, not.

The Pandemic in India

The numbers are staggering and getting worse.

Burma Military Coup Ousts Suu Kyi

Aung San Suu Kyi and her top officials are under house arrest.

Your Headline of the Week

A little comparative politics.

Rethinking Chinese Investment

Several trends are pointing in a new direction.

Trump and Hong Kong

Trump takes credit for stopping his “friend” Xi from attacking Hong Kong protesters.

Houston Rockets Kissing China’s Ass

A star NBA general manager may lose his job for expressing American values.

Japan To Return To Traditional Name Order

At least in official government documents, Japan will return to the tradition Asian style of placing the surname before an individuals given name.

Indonesia Moving Its Capital, Because Jakarta Is Sinking

Indonesia is beginning an ambitious program to move its capital city. Because the current capital of Jakarta is sinking.

China Warns Hong Kong Protesters, But It Has Few Realistic Options

Beijing is warning protesters in Hong Kong that it’s restraint in the face of protests is not without limit. However, it has few realistic options when it comes to how far it can go.

Hong Kong’s Leader Declares Controversial Bill ‘Dead,’ Protesters Aren’t Satisfied

The government in Hong Kong keeps conceding ground to the protests that have taken hold in the city, but the protesters have more fundamental objections.

Hong Kong Protests Turn Violent

The ongoing protests in Hong Kong over controversial extradition legislation have taken a violent turn.

Not Mollified By Concessions, Hong Kong Protests Expand

If Hong Kong’s leaders thought protesters would be satisfied with relatively minor concessions, they have significantly miscalculated the situation.

Hong Kong Leaders Suspend Consideration Of Controversial Extradition Bill

In the wake of massive protests, Hong Kong’s government begins to back away from support for a controversial extradition bill.

Hong Kong Protests Turn Violent, Authorities Delay Extradition Vote

Protests in Hong Kong as police unleashed tear gas on protesters and authorities delayed a vote on a controversial extradition law.

Hundreds Of Thousands In Hong Kong Protest Proposed Changes To Extradition Law

Protesters flooded the streets of Hong Kong on Sunday over proposed change to the city’s extradition laws.

Meanwhile, In Russia….

While the American media was paying attention to President travels and travails in Europe, there was another meeting taking place.

Japanese Emperor Officially Yields The Chrysanthemum Throne

Emperor Akihito became the first Japanese Emperor to abdicate the throne in 200 years today.

Sri Lanka Attacks Prove That ISIS Has Not Been Defeated

Sunday’s attacks in Sri Lanka make it clear that the claim that ISIS has been defeated are nowhere close to being true.

Mosque Officials Say They Warned Sri Lankan Authorities About Attacks

Further evidence that Sri Lankan authorities failed to act on warnings of rising Jihadism in their country.

Japan’s Y2K

Japan will be getting a new Emperor on May 1st. That means a new calendar and a whole lot of headaches.

ISIS Claims Responsibility For Sri Lanka Church Terror Attacks

ISIS is claiming responsibility for Sunday’s attacks in Sri Lanka, a strong sign that the claims by the Trump Administration that it had largely defeated the group were not true.

Sri Lanka Ignored Warnings Of Potential Terror Attack

Evidence is emerging that the Sri Lankan government had advance warning regarding potential terror attacks but failed to act on the information.

Modi Brags About Deflating Pakistan Nuclear Threat

A very strange campaign trail gambit from India’s prime minister.

Line of the Day: NK Denuclearization Edition

And a link to a worthwhile read.

The Hanoi Summit Failed Because Trump Is Pursuing The Wrong Goal

In the end, the reason the Hanoi Summit failed is because the Trump Administration is pursuing an unattainable goal.

Tensions Flare Between India And Pakistan

While the rest of the world looks at other events, tensions are flaring in a long-standing global hot spot.

The Complexity of Korea

Not one war, but five.

The North Korean Deception

As expected, the North’s nuclear development continues.

Trump’s Trade War Making China Great Again

Donald Trump’s trade war is helping China expand its diplomatic influence.

Naomi Osaka And The Changing Definition Of What It Means To Be ‘Japanese’

Lost in all the news about Serena Williams and her arguments with an umpire during last night’s match is the fact that Naomi Osaka represents the face of what appears to be a Japan that is changing for the better.

India’s Supreme Court Strikes Down Colonial Era Anti-Gay Law

A significant advance for LGBT rights in the world’s most populous democracy.

Myanmar Sentences Reporters To Prison For Reporting On Rohingya Muslims

The military regime in Myanmar has sentenced two reporters to prison for reporting on the repression of the Rohingya Muslims.

Trump Acknowledges Problems with North Korea

Who could have seen this coming?

The Art of those Deals

Trump’s deal-making prowess in NK and Iran isn’t too impressive.

Ahead Of Singapore Summit, The U.S. And North Korea Still Seem Very Far Apart

With the start of the Singapore Summit just hours away, it’s not at all clear what the respective parties can possibly agree to other than what amounts to a photo opportunity.

Some Questions for Trump Supporters

Trump’s suggestion to include Russia again in a new G-8 makes me wonder about a couple of things.

Destruction Of North Korean Nuclear Test Site Apparently Just For Show

A couple weeks ago, the North Koreans made a big deal about destroying their nuclear test site. It now appears that the event the media witnessed was less than meets the eye.

North Korea Rich Enough for Nukes, Too Poor to Pay for Hotels

Among the stumbling blocks to a DPRK nuclear summit: who’s going to pay for Kim Jong Un’s hotel room?

US-China Tensions Escalating

Clashes between the US and Chinese navies in the South China Sea have intensified.

Don’t Buy The Hype About North Korea Agreeing To ‘Denuclearization.’

South Korea’s President is saying that Kim Jong Un has renewed his supposed commitment to ‘denuclearization,’ but it isn’t at all clear what that means.