Left Flank

Weather Vane: The global financial crisis is claiming its first political victim.

South

Rule by Plurality: Controversy dogs signing of 13 PRC-Taiwan deals on direct cargo and charter flights.

Going for the Jugular: A former PRC official is caught on CCTV trying to coerce a Filipino employee.

People Person: Jenny Stangar helps trafficking victims in Australia ten beds at a time.

West

Rule by Gag: Singapore continues to use courts to gag foreign press.

73 Thais injured by two bombs in Narathiwat

Healthy Eschatology: The Dalai Lama has an optimistic, beneficent take on «hell».

Wet: Record flooding afflicts northern and central Vietnam and Yunnan, PRC.

Asian Nepotism: Malaysia's sons get head start on national politics.

Preferred: Microsoft considers PRC the top-rated target for hackers.

North

Danger: A North Korean base at Tongchang-ni capable of firing intercontinental missiles is 80% complete, says the ROK Defense minister.

Hungry: Five US aid agencies warn of food shortages in DPRK.

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At least one sovereign wealth fund has a clue about public relations.

GIC, which says it manages more than $100bn but is estimated by analysts to oversee three times that amount, has come under intense scrutiny after injecting $16bn in UBS and Citigroup. The investments, a departure from GIC's low-key approach, have prompted politicians to question the fund's influence, while some UBS shareholders have complained the investment dilutes existing investors.

Mr Tan insisted GIC was interested only in a financial return, and revealed the fund had recently rejected an offer from UBS to nominate a board director. «I think we want to be seen to be quite clear that we are not seeking control,» he said. Along with funds from Abu Dhabi and Norway, GIC is helping co-ordinate an effort by the International Monetary Fund to agree common standards for sovereign wealth funds.

Mr Tan said concerns in Europe and the United States were «understandable» and should be addressed. However, he said guidelines should be flexible, voluntary, and recognise that not all funds were the same.

GIC's investments in UBS and Citigroup have prompted some observers to suggest it is becoming more aggressive. But Mr Tan said the fund had been able to invest such sums because it cashed in a significant chunk of its equity investments in 2007, before the market turmoil struck. He said the investments in UBS and Citigroup were unusual and did not reflect GIC's «preferred mode of investment».

I guess it's tough for SWFs, so the 'nice guy' image is highly coveted.