China managed to stay out of the lime light this week, while its satellites shined. There seemed to be some chest thumping. Chinese police ordered local Taiwanese police to investigate a Taiwanese suspect without going through their normal international channels.

According to a statement from Zhang Xiaoming, chief of the Hong Kong liaison office from Beijing, the Hong Kong CEO has supremacy over the other branches, which have separation of powers “under the leadership of the executive”. On the surface this seems to run contrary to HK’s Basic Law as well as other statements from Beijing officials. HK remains under Beijing ultimately and there doesn’t seem to be much evidence of power abuse. But, they are thumping their chests.

Singapore remains free and independent, with more seats up for grabs and more voters than any time in history. Japan is having a bad year with a flood; 3,000 evacuated. North Korea thinks it is humanitarian and that the UN is wrong.  · · · →