N. Korea to Blow Up Nuke Facility Tower - Glenn Kessler, Washington Post
Bush Unveils New Burma Sanctions - BBC News
Burmese Urged to Support Charter - BBC News
Timor Troops Party with Rebels - The Australian
Fiji Arrests Newspaper Chief - Mark Dodd, The Australian
We Must Not be Alarmist about China - London Daily Telegraph editorial
Is China Our Enemy? - Gordon Chang, Contentions
Engaging the East - Michael Auslin, Weekly Standard opinion
N. Korea: Foggy Policy - Frank Gaffney Jr., National Review opinion

Ideology's Rude Return - Robert Kagan, Washington Post opinion

China runs at its own pace
As part of the original understanding that brought the Olympics to Beijing, the Chinese government promised democratic reforms and human-rights improvements. Seven years later, it is fair to say the pledge has not met Western expectations, but that does not mean there have not been reforms in China's "own way". - Fong Tak-ho

N. Korea Policy Draws Right Jab - David Sands, Washington Times
China Renews Dalai Lama Criticism - BBC News
Dalai Lama Aide Optimistic Over Talks with China - Anita Chang, Associated Press
China Slams Dalai Lama, Talk to Envoys - John Ruwitch, Reuters
Letter from Lhasa - Richard Halloran, Washington Times opinion
Middlemen Take Millions in Taiwan Funds - Jane Rickards, Washington Post
Democracy, Burma-Style - Washington Post editorial

Beijing Opens Window for Dalai Lama - Rowan Callick, The Australian
Dalai Lama Aides Hold China Talks - BBC News
The Facets Of Chinese Nationalism - Yang Jianli, Washington Post opinion
China's Naval Secrets - Richard Fisher Jr., Wall Street Journal opinion
US State Department Official to Visit North Korea - Associated Press
N. Korea Six-party Talks Could Come this Month - Reuters
Pyongyang Moonshine - Washington Times editorial
Tropical Cyclone Kills Hundreds in Burma - Amy Kazmin, Washington Post
Burma Cyclone Death Toll 'at 351' - BBC News
Reporters 'Being Intimidated in Fiji' - The Australian
Philippine Rebel Ambush Kills 3 Troops - Reuters
Clan Fight Displaces Hundreds in S. Philippines - Reuters
Philippines: The Starvation Jihad - Abe Greenwald, Contentions
Indonesia Extradites East Timor Army Rebels - Reuters

State Department Official to Visit N. Korea this Week - Associated Press
Burma Says Storm Killed 15,000 - Amy Kazmin, Washington Post
Death Toll in Burma Storm Could Reach 10,000 - Seth Mydans, New York Times
Burma Aid Rushed After Deadliest Storm - Richard Ehrlich, Washington Times
Burmese Storm Toll 'Tops 10,000' - BBC News
Burma Junta Frustrates Aid - Graeme Jenkins, London Daily Telegraph
Burma Unlocks Aid as Toll Hits 4000 - The Australian
Burmese Days - London Times editorial
Taiwan Vice Premier Suspected of Corruption - Jane Rickards, Washington Post
Indonesia Returns E Timor Rebels - BBC News
Region Notices Rudd Bias for Beijing - Greg Sheridan, The Australian opinion
China's Next-generation Nationalists - Joshua Kurlantzick, Los Angeles Times opinion

Myanmar courts political disaster

Myanmar's military rulers are playing with fire through their response - or deliberate lack of one - to the cyclone calamity that has claimed over 22,000 lives and damaged huge swathes of premier rice-growing areas. The generals fear that diverting the military to relief operations will compromise security in a country already on the edge of an abyss, but even then, this is a prime time for the urban-based population to revolt and for simmering ethnic insurgencies to explode. - Brian McCartan (May 7, '08)

Beijing treads a Tibetan tightrope
China's state-run media are gushing over the government's first face-to-face talks with representatives of the Dalai Lama since the March 14 riots in Lhasa, painting a rosy picture of rapprochement and progress. What is not mentioned is Beijing's dilemma, caught between Western pressure, Olympic apprehension and internal hawks who have branded the Dalai Lama "a wolf in monk's robes". - Fong Tak-ho (May 7,

Will Burma Let World Aid In? - David Montero, Christian Science Monitor
60,000 Dead or Missing in Burma - Amy Kazmin, Washington Post
Burma Cyclone Toll Passes 22,000 - Mark Dodd, The Australian
Aid for Burma Mobilizes, Mixed With Criticism - Mydans and CooperNew York Times
Delayed Visas Stall Cyclone Aid to Burma - Ehrlich and Pisik, Washington Times
Millions Homeless, Still No Call for Aid - Kenneth Denby, London Times
Red Tape Threatens Burma Relief Efforts - Olivia Ward, Toronto Star
Burma Drowns in Storm of Despair - Aung Hla Tun, Sydney Morning Herald
Toll Rises, Relief Effort Lags - Magnier and Chu, Los Angeles Times
Burma Says Storm Killed More Than 22,000 - Kazmin and Schneider, Washington Post
Burma's Cyclone Death Toll Soars - BBC News
Burma's Unnatural Disaster - Wall Street Journal editorial
Brutal Burma's Spy Games - Washington Times editorial
Burma's Desperate Situation - The Australian editorial
Catastrophe in Burma - Washington Post editorial
Disaster in Burma - New York Times editorial
After the Cyclone - Los Angeles Times editorial
Another Calamity for Burma - Boston Globe editorial
Junta Facing One Hell of a Challenge - Bronwen Maddox, London Times opinion
Debate Grows with Philippine Population - Bruce Wallace, Los Angeles Times
Dep Sec State Negroponte to visit Seoul, Tokyo, Beijing - Reuters
A Pushover for Pyongyang - Danielle Pletka, Washington Post opinion

Scant Aid Reaching Burma's Delta - Kazmin and Lynch, Washington Post
Burma Faces Pressure to Allow Major Aid Effort - Seth Mydans, New York Times
Victims of Cyclone Plead for Food and Money - Kenneth Denby, London Times
Cyclone toll feared above 100,000 - Betsy Pisik, Washington Times
Aid Begins to Trickle in to Burma - Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times
Disaster May Loosen Junta's Grip - David Montero, Christian Science Monitor
Aid Arriving in Cyclone-hit Burma - BBC News
Restoration a Challenge in Rangoon - Amy Kazmin, Washington Post
Keeping a Lid on Burma's Chaos - Paul Danahar, BBC News
A Changed Landscape in Burma - London Daily Telegraph editorial
Abetting Burma - Joseph Loconte, Weekly Standard opinion
US Embassy Helps Americans in Burma! - James Joyner, Outside the Beltway
US Envoy Returns to N. Korea to Extract Nuclear List - Reuters
3 killed, 10 Wounded by Bomb in Southern Philippines - Associated Press

China-bashing is a blind man's game
China's renaissance, arguably the most significant story of our time, offers to the world as much as the world brings to China. Yet some fail to grasp the big picture, and for them, China's re-emergence generates anxiety. The result is anti-Chinese rhetoric and behavior that can only generate anti-Western attitudes within China. Meanwhile Beijing and the West could join forces to solve global problems. - David Gosset (May 6, '08)

UN Aid Shipments Reach Burma - Kazmin, Lynch and Schneider, Washington Post
UN Pressures Burma to Allow Aid - Andy Newman, New York Times
US Threatens Food Aid Drops on Burma - The Australian
UN Blasts Burma Regime - Joanna Sugden, London Times
Aid Blockages Could be 'Catastrophic' - Richard Alleyne, London Daily Telegraph
Burma Businesses Gouge, More Rain Falls - Los Angeles Times
Myanmar Allows First UN Aid Flights but None from US - Associated Press
UN 'Disappointed' at Burma Access - BBC News
A Regime in Crisis? - Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times
Burma: Insult to Injury - London Times editorial
To Protect or Neglect in Burma - Boston Globe editorial
Burma: Aid before Politics, Please - Miliband and Kouchner, London Times opinion
A Silver Lining for Burma? - Maureen Aung-Thwin, Wall Street Journal opnion
China Urged to Halt Repression in Tibet - Edward Cody, Washington Post
N. Korea Gives US Nuclear Papers - Nicholas Kralev, Washington Times
N. Korea Hands Over Some Nuclear Documents - Reuters
5 Wounded in Philippine Bus Bombing - Associated Press
Fiji's Rulers May be Heading for Trouble - Chris Merritt, The Australian
PM Rudd's Foreign Fumbles - Dennis Shanahan, The Australian opinion

MARKET RAP
Shadows lighten
over Asia

The receding fear of an immediate downturn in the US has lightened the shadows over Asian markets. National issues such as inflation or the attraction of regional stocks to Chinese investors found room to assert themselves. Confidence, however, remains in short supply.
R M Cutler runs his eye over the ups and downs in the week's markets.

Burma Clears US Aircraft To Deliver Relief - Kazmin and Lynch, Washington Post
Burma Seizes UN Food, Blocks Foreign Experts - Seth Mydans, New York Times
Burma: 'I Stopped Counting the Bodies' - Kenneth Denby, London Times
UN Launches Appeal as Burma Refuses Aid - London Daily Telegraph
Burma Exports Rice as Cyclone Victims Struggle - Los Angeles Times
Burmese Junta Seizes UN Relief Aid - The Australian
Burma Warned Over Cyclone Delays - BBC News
UN Halts Burma Aid in Seizure Row - BBC News
Burma Presses on with Voting - Richard Ehrlich, Washington Times
Is it Time to Invade Burma? - Romesh Ratnesar, Time
Burma's Blockade - Washington Post editorial
Kick Burma Out of the UN - Wall Street Journal editorial
The Case for Invading Burma - Shawn Crispin, Asia Times opinion
Burma: No News Is Bad News - Roby Alampay, New York Times opinion
Time to Invade Burma? - Gordon Chang, Contentions
Re: Time to Invade Burma? - Abe Greenwald, Contentions
US Welcomes N. Korea Nuclear Move - BBC News
Malaysian Peacekeepers Leave Philippines - Associated Press
Malaysia Begins Pullout of Philippine Monitors - Reuters
Mr. Hu’s Peaceable Visit to Tokyo - New York Times editorial

Burma’s Cyclone Children Facing Wipeout - Harry McKenzie, London Times
Aid to Burma to Increase - The Australian
Burma Starts Vote As Aid Trickles In - Washington Post
Bodies Flow Into Hard-Hit Area of Burma - New York Times
Less Aid, More Show for Burma's Junta - Graeme Jenkins, London Daily Telegraph
Children Starve as Aid is Blocked - Sydney Morning Herald
Burma Set for Political, Economic Shocks - Associated Press
Sporadic Aid Trickles into Burma - BBC News
Risks Stop US Riding Roughshod Over Junta - Swain and Baxter, London Times
Burma's Generals Take Aid Credit - Richard Ehrlich, Washington Times
Voting Proceeds in Myanmar - Los Angeles Times
Referendum in Burma Likely to Solidify Junta's Power - Associated Press
Junta Hands Out Aid Boxes with Generals' Names - Associated Press
No Time to Hesitate - We Must Get Aid to Burma - London Times editorial
'Flexible' Aid for Burma - Toronto Star editorial
Shared History of Britain and Burma - Thant Myint-U, London Daily Telegraph opinion
Why Can't UN Be More Forceful? - Trudy Rubin, Philadelphia Inquirer opinion
Burma’s Dying Cry Out to be Saved - Simon Jenkins, London Times opinion
Invasion Burma - Richard Fernandez, The Belmont Club
US Welcomes N. Korea Nuclear Move - BBC News
US Receives 18,000 Nuclear Documents From N. Korea - Voice of America
Law Chnage Launches Japanese Military into Space - Leo Lewis, London Times
All Eyes on Price of Rice - Bill Schiller, Toronto Star
New Allies In Asia? - Jim Hoagland, Washington Post opinion

US to Mine N. Korea Papers for Answers - Donald Kirk, Christian Science Monitor
Relief Stuck on Wrong Side of Burmese Border - Lewis and Baldwin, London Times
Unbending Regime Blocks Aid - Simon Montlake, Christian Science Monitor
When Burmese Offer a Hand, Rulers Slap It - New York Times
Burma Eases Restrictions on Aid - BBC News
First US Relief Airlift Heads to Burma - Associated Press
Tear Down Burma's Bamboo Curtain - The Australian editorial
In Burma, a U.N. Promise Not Kept - Fred Hiatt, Washington Post opinion
Burma: Test of UN's Moral Authority - Rosemary Righter, London Times opinion

Quake Kills Thousands in W. China - Hooker and Yardley, New York Times
Quake in China Kills Thousands - Jill Drew, Washington Post
Death Toll in China Put at 10,000 - Magnier and Demick, Los Angeles Times
At Least 10,000 Dead in China - Jane Macartney, London Times
Deadly quake strikes China - Chris O'Brien, Washington Times
China: 'Tens of Thousands' Dead - Spencer and Moore, London Daily Telegraph
‘No Hope’ for Children Buried in Earthquake - Edward Wong, New York Times
Death Toll Rises in China Quake - BBC News
UN Leader Tells Burma to Hurry on Aid - Hoge and Mydans New York Times
American Admiral Takes Plea To Burma - Kazmin and Lynch, Washington Post
Burma Accused of 'Crime' Against Its People - Leo Lewis, London Times
UN Frustrated at Burma Response - BBC News
Burma Crisis: UN Must Step Up - London Daily Telegraph editorial
The United Nations Can Save Burma - Daadler and Stares, Boston Globe opinion
Burma: Case for Intervention - David Aaronovitch, London Times opinion
Gunboat Diplomacy for Burma? - James Kirchick, Contentions
Ghost of Macarthur Lands in Burma - Galrahn, Information Dissemination
Dalai Lama Expects Talks to Resume - Somini Sengupta, New York Times
Who's Afraid of Big Bad China? Why? - Chris Patten, London Times opinion
The Challenge From China - Mark Helprin, Wall Street Journal opinion
The Right Path With N. Korea - Hecker and Perry, Washington Post opinion
Hanoi on Trial - Wall Street Journal editorial

China: 19,000 Buried, 13,000 Dead - Macartney and Naughton, London Times
Toll Rises; China Struggles to Reach Victims - Wong and Hooker, New York Times
Amid the Tragedy Lies Opportunity - Barbara Demick, Los Angeles Times
Suddenly, 'the Whole Thing Fell Down' - Cody and Drew, Washington Post
Rescuers Reach Chinese Epicentre - BBC News
China: Why Did the Schools Collapse? - Peter Smith, Christian Science Monitor
China Quake 'Worse Than Expected' - BBC News
Burma Still Blocking Large-Scale Relief - New York Times
Foul Weather Adds to Burma Misery - Washington Post
Junta Wishes To Hear No Evil, Report Says - Colum Lynch, Washington Post
UN Calls for Burma Aid Corridor - BBC News
Damage to Burma Port Keeps Ships at Sea - Kenneth Denby, London Times
Saved by China - Washington Post editorial
Shame on the Junta - New York Times editorial
Burma's Disgrace - James Lyons, Washington Times opinion
Kosovo Aid the Model - Andrew O'Neil, The Australian opinion
US Increases Estimate Of N. Korean Plutonium - Glenn Kessler, Washington Post
North Korea Documents Make Debut - Helene Cooper, New York Times
US Welcomes N. Korea Nuclear Files - BBC News
UN Delays on Timor Extension Request - Paul Toohey, The Australian
Horta Wants UN to Stay in E. Timor - Lucy Williamson, BBC News
Malaysia's Democratic Movement - Stuart Eizenstat, Washington Times opinion

Challenges of War and Peace - Galrahn, Information Dissemination
Chinese Reactions to New Maritime Strategy - Galrahn, Information Dissemination

China Death Toll Rises to Nearly 15,000 - Edward Cody, Washington Post
Dams Damaged at Quake’s Center - Wong and Schwartz, New York Times
Chinese Citizens Rally for Quake Victims - Magnier and Ni, Los Angeles Times
40,000 Dead or Missing in Earthquake - Hines and Macartney, London Times
China Quake Toll Close to 15,000 - BBC News
China's Testing Times - The Australian editorial
The Terrified Monks - Nicholas Kristof, New York Times opinion
Burma Rejects Large Scale Relief Effort - Kazmin and Branigin, Washington Post
Monsoon Predicted in Burma Delta - Wallace and Farley, Los Angeles Times
Burma Junta Kicks Out Aid Foreign Workers - Kenneth Denby, London Times
UN Raises Burma Cyclone Estimate - BBC News
Pentagon Delivers 100 Tons of Supplies to Battered Burma - Gerry Gilmore, AFPS
Aid at the Point of a Gun - Robert Kaplan, New York Times opinion
Isolating Burma Doesn't Help - Greg Sheridan, The Australian opinion
N. Korea 'Admits Nuclear Details' - BBC News
Good Morning, Vietnam - Duncan Currie, Weekly Standard opinion

Challenges of War and Peace - Galrahn, Information Dissemination
Chinese Reactions to New Maritime Strategy - Galrahn, Information Dissemination

China's embrace leaves US in the cold

China's determined efforts to improve relations with Southeast Asian neighbors and to strengthen transport and trade links should bring improved prosperity to the region. The success of Beijing's initiatives also underlines the diminishing role to be played in the region by the United States.

A hard American look at China's soft power
A new US Congress study on China's foreign policy finds that many developing countries are attracted to Beijing because its aid and trade and investment generally come without those pesky human rights conditions. But as China becomes more engaged in world affairs, it is clear its "hands-off" approach has negative implications that could counterbalance any soft-power advantages. - David Isenberg (May 15, '08)

China seeks an Afghan stepping-stone
Afghanistan has once again emerged as the "strategic knot" for the region's security. From the perspective of China, which in addition sees the country as a potential trade and energy corridor, any substantial advancement in Sino-Afghan ties is contingent on stability returning to the war-ravaged country and foreign forces withdrawing. (May 15, '08)

China Quake Toll 'To Top 50,000' - BBC News
Rescue, Recovery Efforts Continue After China Quake - Jill Drew, Washington Post
Toll Rises Amid Struggle to Reach Survivors - Andrew Jacobs, New York Times
China Allows Foreign Teams - Magnier and Demick, Los Angeles Times
Hope Fades for China Missing - Jane Macartney, London Times
In Departure, China Invites Outside Help - French and Wong, New York Times
Rescuers Aim for Chinese Villages Yet Unreached - Jim Yardley, New York Times
China Earthquake: 50,000 May Have Died - David Blair, London Daily Telegraph
What's Still to Fall in China - Boston Globe editorial
China Shows a Human Face - Con Coughlin, London Daily Telegraph opinion
Burma Requests Aid to Rehabilitate Farms - Kazmin and Branigin, Washington Post
Burma Farmers May Miss Harvest - New York Times
Burma Junta Hails Poll Win as People Suffer - Kenneth Denby, London Times
Burma: Monks vs. Junta - Christopher Johnson, Christian Science Monitor
Pentagon Calls on Burma's Junta to Accept Aid - Al Pessin, VOA
Aid for Burma 'Must be Monitored' - BBC News
Limited Options in Burma - Austin Bay, Washington Times opinion
Burma's Junta Will Survive the Cyclone - Leslie Hook, Wall Street Journal opinion
N. Korea May be Hit by a New Famine - Leo Lewis, London Times
Protest Over New Fiji Death Threat - Mark Dodd, The Australian
Australian Anger Over Fiji Threat - BBC News

Rescue Can Bring Quake Victims New Danger - David Brown, Washington Post
China: Mass Graves for Dead, 5m Homeless - Macartney and Yu, London Times
China Aftershock Triggers Landslides - Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times
China's Old Ways Shaken by Quake - Demick and Magnier, Los Angeles Times
Crises Cloud China's Olympic Mood - Edward Cody, Washington Post
Earthquake in China: the Aftershocks - London Times editorial
Opening China - Peter Herford, Washington Post opinion
Burma Cyclone Toll Reaches 78,000 - Farley and Richter, Los Angeles Times
US Frustrated by Burma Junta’s Aid Limits - Cooper and Shanker, New York Times
Neighbors to Press Burma on Response - Glenn Kessler, Washington Post
Looming Dangers for Orphaned Burmese - Seth Mydans, New York Times
New Depths of Repression Under Burma's Than Shwe - Olivia Ward, Toronto Star
Burma 'Guilty of Inhuman Action' - BBC News
US Ships in Frustrating Wait Off Burma's Coast - Luis Ramirez, VOA
US Resumes Food Aid to North Korea - Nicholas Kralev, Washington Times
US to Send N. Korea 500,000 Tons of Food Aid - Glenn Kessler, Washington Post
NK: US Must Fulfill Diplomatic Commitment - John Lewis, Boston Globe opinion
Philippine Air Force to Buy 18 Italian Trainer Planes - AFP
PNG Leaders Paid Off by Taiwan - Rowan Callick, The Australian
E. Timor: Raised on Nation's Fight for Freedom - Sian Powell, The Australian
Malaysia Evolution Going by Unnoticed - Greg Sheridan, The Australian opinion

Large Aftershock Rattles Southwest China - VOA
Chinese Flee Flood Threat From Quake - Edward Wong, New York Times
1m Chinese Flee New Threat of Flooding - Michael Sheridan, London Times
Fear of Floods Grips China Earthquake Area - Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times
Thousands Flee China Quake Area Over Flood Fears - Associated Press
Earthquake Opens Gap in Controls on Media - Howard French, New York Times
China's Quake Calms Olympic Controversies - Associated Press
China: Nuke Weapon Plants on Disaster Alert - Dean Nelson, London Times
Burma Junta Killing its Own People - Alan Brown, London Daily Telegraph
Asian Health Professionals Allowed Into Burma - VOA
As Cyclone Refugees Wait, Burma Refuses Aid - Associated Press
In Burma, A Price for 'Stability' - Jim Hoagland, Washington Post opinion
Save Us From the Rescuers - David Rieff, Los Angeles Times opinion
Fed Up With Peace - Nicholas Kristof, New York Times opinion
UN to Burma: Drop Dead - Matthew Continetti, Weekly Standard opinion

Quake Survivors Flee Flooding Threat - Rowan Callick, The Australian
Hopes Fading in Search for Quake Survivors - Jacobs and Wong, New York Times
200 Chinese Relief Workers Buried by Mudslides - London Times
Rescuers Find Survivors, Toll 32,500 - Mary-Anne Toy, Sydney Morning Herald
China Quake Teams Overwhelmed - Richard Spencer, London Daily Telegraph
Hopes Dwindle in Finding More Quake Survivors - Stephanie Ho, VOA
China Faces Economic Aftershocks - Ariana Eunjung Cha, Washington Post
New Tremor Hits China - Reuters
China Begins 3 Days of Post-quake Mourning - Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times
China Declares National Mourning - BBC News
China's Other Face - Christian Science Monitor editorial
Burmese Leader Pays First Visit to Refugees - New York Times
UN Chief to Visit Cyclone-devastated Burma - Associated Press
Burma's Children 'Starving to Death' - Associated Press
More Humanitarian Flights Arrive in Burma - AFPS
Britain Backs Air Drops to Deliver Aid to Burma - Kenneth Denby, London Times
UN Chief to Visit Cyclone-devastated Burma - Associated Press
Burma Leader Meets Storm Victims - BBC News
A Burma Airlift - London Times editorial
Orwell Lives in Burma Today - Emma Larkin, Wall Street Journal opinion
Asia Terror Suspect May Have Fled Indonesia - Associated Press

UN Chief Flies in for Reckoning with Junta - Kenneth Denby, London Times
Breaking Burma's Cruel Wall of Silence - Harry McKenzie, Sydney Morning Herald
Burma Mourns Victims of Cyclone - Mydans and Cowell, New York Times
UN Keeps Pressure on Burma - Associated Press
Burma Mourns Dead as UN Reports Aid Progress - Reuters
With the Junta or Without It - Washington Post editorial
Burma: Dealing with Evil - The Australian editorial
Burma Outside the U.N. Umbrella - Steven Groves, Washington Times opinion
China: 40,000 Dead, 5 Million Homeless After Quake - Associated Press
Survivors Rescued 8 Days After China Quake - Howard French, New York Times
Protecting Disaster Victims - Los Angeles Times editorial
The Costs of Corruption - Reuben Johnson, National Review opinion
How Will ‘Glasnost’ Work Out For China? - Westhawk, Westhawk
Fiji Stand-off on Australian Diplomat - Jonathan Pearlman, Sydney Morning Herald

China: Quake Pushes Tibet to Sidelines - Elisabeth Rosenthal, New York Times
Survivor Unrest Prods China to Act - Mark Magnier, Los Angeles Times
Earthquake and Hope - Nicholas Kristof, New York TImes opinion
UN Chief to Burma: Focus on Saving Lives - Reuters
Ban to Meet Burma's Top General - BBC News
Burma Victims Lose Aid Battle - Bennett and Macartney, London Times
Embattled Malaysian PM Wins Ruling Party's Support - Reuters
Why Does China Need US Satellite Support? - Westhawk, Westhawk

Flooding Feared as Death Toll in China Rises - Edward Cody, Washington Post
Other Dangers in Quake-ravaged China - Barbara Demick, Los Angeles Times
Quake Shakes Beijing's Grip on Media - Chris O'Brien, Washington Times
Reconciliation after Disasters - Lothringer and Carey, Washington Times opinion
Ban Ki-moon to Meet Burma Leader - BBC News
UN Chief Ban Ki-moon Asks Burmese Junta to Allow Aid Effort - The Australian
UN Chief Tours Still-flooded Myanmar Delta - Associated Press
Burmese Aid Request Stirs Concerns - Glenn Kessler, Washington Post
Burma: Can a Cyclone Open the Iron Fist - Maggie Farley, Los Angeles Times
Burma to Accept ‘All Aid Workers’ - Seth Mydans, New York Times
Burma's Last Chance - London Times editorial
Burma: The Return of the Hawk - Washington Times editorial
US and N. Korean Negotiators to Meet Next Week - Reuters

Pakistan May Ask UN to Probe Bhutto Assassination - Associated Press
Sri Lanka: 22 Rebels, 2 Soldiers Killed - Associated Press

Burma to Allow Foreign Aid Workers - Amy Kazmin, Washington Post
Burma Yields on Aid Workers - Seth Mydans, New York Times
Burma 'To Let in All Aid Workers' - BBC News
Burma's Two Catastrophes - Boston Globe editorial
Burma's Murderous Dictators - Bernard-Henri Levy, The Australian opinion
Quake that Changed a Nation - Rowan Callick, The Australian
Chinese Officials Shift Focus to Relief Efforts - Nora Boustany, Washington Post
Response to Quake Prompts Burst of Acclaim - Edward Cody, Washington Post
China Orders Richer Cities to Help Quake-ravaged - Don Lee, Los Angeles Times
Earthquake Mutes Protests of Beijing Olympics - Associated Press
N. Korea: In the Driver's Seat - Stephen Hayes, Weekly Standard opinion

Pakistan Party Moves to Cut Musharraf Powers - Associated Press
Sri Lanka: 22 Rebels, 2 Soldiers Killed - Associated Press
Sri Lanka Rebels say Army Bomb Kills 17 Civilians - Reuters
Food Costs Push Bangladesh to Brink of Unrest - Emily Wax, Washington Post

UN Secretary Surveys China Relief Efforts - Fan and Drew, Washington Post
UN Leader Praises China’s Quake Response - Howard French, New York Times
Ban Praises China Quake Response - BBC News
Chinese Left to Ask Why Schools Crumbled - Jim Yardley, New York Times
Novice Workers Struggle in Burma - Amy Kazmin, Washington Post
Burma Matters. Context Matters.- World Impact Now
Filipino Marines Battle Muslim Militants - Associated Press
Taiwan's Inaugural - Richard Halloran, Washington Times opinion

Powerful Aftershock Hits China - Maureen Fan, Washington Post
Aftershock in China Topples Many Buildings - Jake Hooker, New York Times
China Struggles to Shelter Millions - David Barboza, New York Times
Taiwanese Party Leader Visits Mainland China - Keith Bradsher, New York Times
Mid-Level Official Steered US Shift On N. Korea - Glenn Kessler, Washington Post
Diplomats: China is Middleman Between N. Korea, IAEA - Associated Press
Burma: Even Farmers Wait for Food - New York Times
Aid Pledged to Burma If Workers Get Access - Amy Kazmin, Washington Post
Burma Political Prisoner Set to be Released - Richard Ehrlich, Washington Times
Burma's Crucial Week - The Australian editorial

Leaders Duel in Battle for Pakistan - Bruce Loudon, The Australian
Indian Tribal Clashes Kill Dozens - BBC News
9 Killed in Fresh Sri Lanka Fighting - Associated Press

Chinese Families May Have 2nd Child - Hooker and Bowley, New York Times
Chinese, Taiwanese Meet for 'New Era' - Chris O'Brien, Washington Times
US-Taiwan Ties - George Allen, Washington Times opinion
Burma Detention Overshadowed - Seth Mydans, New York Times
The Two Faces of Burmese Aid - Kenneth Denby, London Times
Burma: Loss, Grief and, for Some, Resignation - New York Times
Burmese Police Seize Suu Kyi Backers - Mydans and Cowell, New York Times
Opposition Supporters Detained in Burma - Associated Press
UN: More Boats, Helicopters to Burma - Associated Press
Sizing Up Burma's Junta - Wall Street Journal editorial
Indonesia to Withdraw from OPEC - Stephen Fitzpatrick, The Australian
Relief in Manila After Japan Agrees to Sell Rice - Cruz and Harden, Washington Post
Release the Rice (II) - Washington Post editorial

Murky measures in Myanmar's disaster
The Myanmar junta apparently hopes the military precision with which it rolled out the numbers of dead buffaloes and chickens will move the international community to gush money to help rebuild the shattered Irrawaddy Delta. The junta has asked donors for US$11.7 billion, but critics say the generals are just looking to line their pockets. (May 27, '08)

Earthquake lets China off the hook
The openness that Chinese leaders have displayed in handling the deadly Sichuan earthquake has emboldened Chinese citizens and an increasingly daring media to take a hard look at neighboring Myanmar's cyclone crisis. Many are saying China's "hands-off" approach to Myanmar is inconsistent with its new compassionate image. (May 27, '08)

ndia endeavors to police its Internet
New Delhi is drafting a stringent new Information Technology Act that will bolster cyber-security norms and protect India's multi-billion dollar software and outsourcing sectors. But as a rash of recent arrests illustrates, there is a fine line between fighting Internet crime and trampling freedom of expression. - Siddharth Srivastava (May 27, '08)

Burma's Beggars Being Forced Off the Roads - Sydney Morning Telegraph
Detention of Burmese Activist Extended - Amy Kazmin, Washington Post
Burma: Aung San Suu Kyi's Detention Extended a Year - The Australian
Burma Government Too Helpful in Politics - New York Times
China Faces Aftershocks, Flood Fears - Jill Drew, Washington Post
China Aftershocks Injure 63 - Don Lee, Los Angeles Times
China Quake: 80,000 Being Evacuated - Richard Spencer, London Daily Telegraph
Chinese Order Evacuations in Quake Area - Howard French, New York Times
Chinese Troops Blast Rock Dams - The Australian
Parents’ Grief Turns to Rage at Chinese Officials - Andrew Jacobs, New York Times
New Town Springing Up in Quake-Hit Province - Jill Drew, Washington Post
US Reopens Talks With Chinese On Rights - Edward Cody, Washington Post
US Seeks Progress from North Korea Talks - Reuters
US Seeking N. Korea Accord on Nuclear Declaration - Associated Press
Watching Indonesia - The Australian editorial
Japan’s Strategic Choices - Westhawk, Westhawk

N. Korea Taking Tougher Stance - Glenn Kessler, Washington Post
Rice Says Policy on N. Korea Is A Team Effort - Glenn Kessler, Washington Post
China: Thousands Huddle in Fear of a Flood - Andrew Jacobs, New York Times
Japan Shelves Military Aid Flight to China - BBC News
Taiwan and China Agree to Renew Talks - Rowan Callick, The Australian
China and Taiwan Discuss Direct Flights - Alan Cowell, New York Times
Burma Cyclone Cictims Die Waiting for Help - Los Angeles Times

N. Korea Contradicts US Intel on Plutonium - Helene Cooper, New York Times
Report: N. Korea Tests Missiles Off Coast - Associated Press
N. Korea: Horror of Re-education Camps - Andrew Salmon, Washington Times
Gates Warns of Asia Arms Race - Peter Spiegel, Los Angeles Times
Gates Warns China Not to Bully Region on Energy - Eric Schmitt, New York Times
China’s Push to Avert Quake Flood Nears End - Andrew Jacobs, New York Times
For China's Local Officials, a New Test - Jill Drew, Washington Post
China: 200,000 Evacuated Because of Flood Risk - Associated Press
War Memories Sink Japan’s Aid Plan - Jane Macartney, London Times
Japan to Send Aid on Civilian, not Military, Planes - Jim Yardley, New York Times
Burma: Monks Succeed in Cyclone Relief as Junta Falters - New York Times
Burma Aid Stonewalling Left Thousands Dead - Reuters
Indonesian Police Reports Outline Terror Links - Associated Press
Force May be Used to Stop Thai Protests - Associated Press
US Donates Military Trucks to Cambodia - Associated Press

Chinese Officials Ignored Quake Warnings - Michael Sheridan, London Times
Burma Wants 'No Strings Attached' Aid - The Australian
Gates Blames Burma Junta for Deaths - Colin Freeman, London Daily Telegraph
N. Korea Nuclear Declaration Nearly Done - Cara Anna, Washington Times
North Korean Nuclear Theater - Henry Sokolski, National Review opinion

Gates in Warning on Beijing Bellicosity - Yochi Dreazen, The Australian
Gates, Chinese Defense Official Spar Over Military - Associated Press
Tangled Blame in Quake Deaths - Jill Drew, Washington Post
Gates Accuses Burma of ‘Criminal Neglect’ - Eric Schmitt, New York Times
Gates Rules Out Forcing Aid on Burma - Peter Spiegel, Los Angeles Times
Amid Aid Delays, Locals in Burma Rebuild - Christian Science Monitor
Burma Junta Defends Cyclone Response as Prompt - Associated Press
North Korea Nuclear Declaration Nearly Done - Associated Press
US Tells Thailand it Wants Democracy, Not Coup - Reuters
Thai Protesters Defy PM's Warning - BBC News
Thai Anti-government Protesters Vow to Go On - Associated Press
Thai Army Chief Rules Out Coup as Shares Slide - Reuters
Indonesia Advisory Alarmist - Greg Sheridan, The Australian opinion

Protests Shake a Divided Thailand - Thomas Fuller, New York Times

Only five months after national elections ended military rule here, a week of street protests has weakened the coalition government and highlighted the country’s failure to move beyond the stalemate that has frozen politics here for more than two years.

We'll Wage War: Muslim Hardliners - Stephen Fitzpatrick, The Australian

Indonesian Muslim hardliners last night threatened to wage war on the controversial Islamic sect Ahmadiyah unless President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono bans it within three days. The ultimatum came a day after Islamist thugs with bamboo poles attacked a peaceful inter-faith demonstration, and smashed car windows in a wild melee in the capital.

Burma Rulers Still Impeding Access - Seth Mydans, New York Times

One month after a powerful cyclone struck Burma and 10 days after the ruling junta’s leader promised full access to the hardest-hit areas, relief agencies said on Monday that they were still having difficulty reaching hundreds of thousands of survivors in urgent need of assistance.

'Asian Values' in Burma - Ian Buruma, Los Angeles Times opinion

Why is it that the French, the British and the Germans, and not the Indians or the Chinese, called for sending help to Burmese victims of Cyclone Nargis, whether the Burmese junta allowed it or not? The French junior minister for human rights, Rama Yade, declared that the U.N. principle of the "responsibility to protect" should be applied to Burma (called Myanmar by its military junta), forcibly if necessary. Why have French, British and U.S. naval ships been hovering off the Burmese coast loaded with food and other necessities for the victims, and not Chinese or Malaysian ships? Why has the Assn. of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, been so slow and weak in its response to a natural calamity that ravaged one of its members?

UN Agency Cleared of Wrongdoing - Betsy Pisik, Washington Times

Three public-finance authorities hired by the U.N. Development Program cleared the agency of sloppy accounting and giving cash to North Korean officials - charges that outraged some members of the U.S. Congress and forced the agency to withdraw from the Stalinist state in March 2007. The 353-page report, released Monday, examined allegations raised by a former UNDP staff member who claimed the organization fired him after he blew the whistle on irregularities in the North Korea program.

Cash for Kim, Revisited - Wall Street Journal editorial

You have to read to page 347 of yesterday's report on the United Nations Development Program's antics in North Korea before reaching the recommendation that is likely to cause a panic in Turtle Bay: Give member states access to the internal audits, now secret, of UNDP programs. That simple principle – let the funders see how their money is spent – is anathema in the international aid community and was at the heart of the U.S. exposé last year of the UNDP's slipshod operations in North Korea. If the U.S. hadn't blown the whistle, it would be business as usual. This latest report – by three experts appointed by the UNDP – is a wake-up call for more accountability throughout the UN.

Kingless Nepal looks for a president
In their haste to abolish the 240-year-old monarchy and declare a republic, Nepal's lawmakers ignored important procedural matters that could be challenged in the courts. There is now widespread concern that the vacuum created following the departure of the king will not be easily filled. Similarly, the future of the United Nations mission to the country hangs in the balance. - Dhruba Adhikary (Jun 3, '08)

Beijing and Seoul turn a new page
South Korean President Lee Myung-bak's visit to China is seen as an uptick for bilateral relations and a positive sign for the region. Beijing's concerns about Lee's tilt towards Washington and Tokyo have been relieved, but problems remain, such as increasing nationalism in both countries and, as always, the North Korea nuclear issue. - Jing-dong Yuan (Jun 3, '08)

UN: 1 Million in Burma Aren't Getting Basic Aid - Michael Casey, Associated Press

More than 1 million people still don't have adequate food, water or shelter a month after a devastating cyclone swept through Myanmar, and the military junta's policies are hindering relief efforts and driving up the cost of aid operations, the United Nations said Tuesday. Humanitarian groups say they continue to face hurdles from Myanmar's military government in sending disaster experts and vital equipment into the country.

China Shuts Out 2 Lawyers Over Tibetans' Cases - Edward Cody, Washington Post

Chinese judicial authorities have in effect disbarred two activist lawyers who offered to defend Tibetans arrested in a recent Chinese security crackdown, lawyers said Tuesday. The two, Jiang Tianyong and Teng Biao, were denied renewal of the annual licenses necessary to practice law in China because of what Beijing Judicial Bureau officials described as a willingness to take on "sensitive" cases such as those involving charges of human rights abuses by the government, Jiang said.

China: The Beginning of the End - Bruce Gilley, Wall Street Journal opinion

Since 1989, the CCP has been engaged in a constant struggle for legitimacy in the eyes of China's people. That dynamic is the most important one in the politics of China. That new relationship has been in ample display in recent weeks as the government responded with alacrity to the catastrophic earthquake in Sichuan province. Compare that to the response by two of Asia's other autocratic regimes to the cyclone in Burma and to looming starvation in North Korea. The difference is that the latter two still depend upon force and violence to survive. China does not – hence the better response by its government.

Military Alliance with US Boosted - Jong-heon Lee, United Press International

The defense chiefs of South Korea and the United States agreed Tuesday to bolster their alliance, which has been tested over fierce protests here against US beef imports and a revival of anti-American sentiment. At the military talks in Seoul, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said the US would not pull out any additional troops, reaffirming "the solid US commitment to the defense of South Korea."

Proliferation Talks with N. Korea to Continue - Peter Spiegel, Los Angeles Times

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said Tuesday that despite intelligence allegedly showing that North Korea aided Syria in developing a nuclear facility, the United States would continue six-party talks with the communist regime over its nuclear program. Gates called North Korea a "serious adversary," but he said he knew of no evidence that it was sharing nuclear capabilities with other countries besides Syria. The talks are the best way to confront the regime on proliferation issues, he said.

Preparing for the Next Korean War - Christopher Griffen, Armed Forces Journal

It is early 2012, and six months have passed since the death of North Korean tyrant Kim Jong Il. The Korean People’s Army is clearly on the move, but American intelligence officials cannot tell whether it is conducting regular training exercises or if a civil war is breaking out among the post-Kim leadership. Suddenly, a roar breaks the night silence as a salvo of Nodong missiles strikes the mountains of northern Japan. There are no casualties, and North Korea has neither employed weapons of mass destruction nor issued a declaration of war. How does the US and its allies respond? This March, the American Enterprise Institute organized a seminar that posed this question to a group of experts on security in Asia and found the available answers to be dangerously wanting. Although the US has in recent years modernized its military forces in Asia and worked with Japan to expand missile defense in the region, Washington is not ready to deal with many potential crises that could emanate from North Korea.

North Korea is "serious adversary": U.S.'s Gates

Kevin Rudd to Drive Asian Union - Matthew Franklin, The Australian

Kevin Rudd wants to spearhead the creation of an Asia-Pacific Union similar to the European Union by 2020 and has appointed veteran diplomat Richard Woolcott - one of his mentors - as a special envoy to lobby regional leaders over the body. The Prime Minister said last night that the union, adding India to the 21-member APEC grouping, would encompass a regional free-trade agreement and provide a crucial venue for co-operation on issues such as terrorism and long-term energy and resource security.

US Navy Ends Bid to Ferry Storm Relief Into Burma - Amy Kazmin, Washington Post

The US Navy on Wednesday aborted its three-week effort to use helicopters aboard a warship off Burma to deliver much-needed aid directly to cyclone survivors, after the country's ruling military junta ignored repeated offers to assist. The USS Essex, an amphibious assault ship, and three accompanying vessels were to leave the Burmese coast Thursday, after 15 attempts to persuade the junta to allow use of US military helicopters and landing craft, said Adm. Timothy J. Keating, head of US Pacific Command.

Burma and the Administration - Rogers and Loconte, Weekly Standard opinion

Thanks largely to the inhumanity of Burma's military dictatorship, the cyclone that devastated the country a month ago has left about 133,000 people dead or missing. Delayed and obstructed by the ruling junta, international assistance has yet to reach about a quarter of a million people affected by the storm. While the hopes and livelihoods of many have been swept away, there remains a lingering delusion: the notion that the "international community" retains either the moral sensibility or political will to confront the most despotic of regimes. The crisis in Burma confirms the indispensable need for American leadership. The Burmese regime is guilty of atrocities far worse than the "criminal neglect" Secretary of Defense Robert Gates ascribes to them. It is guilty of crimes against humanity. Prior to the cyclone, the regime received dozens of warnings from India that the storm was on its way--yet did nothing to prepare its citizens. When the cyclone struck, the government sat on its hands and refused international help.