News Analysis: China Jittery About Obama Amid Signs of Harder Line

President Barack Obama faces growing pressure from Democratic donors to reject the Keystone XL pipeline amid signs that the project is headed for approval. Donors and party activists are seeking to influence Obama through personal pleas and by pumping money into elections. Their goal: to demonstrate that turning down TransCanada Corp.’s petition to build the US$5.3-billion pipeline to carry tar-sands oil from Canada to U.S. refineries can be a political winner.

This post is a guest contribution by Dian Chu, market analyst, trader and author of the Economic Forecasts and Opinions blog.

One of Asia’s most notorious drug kingpins has reportedly been executed in China for the massacre of 13 Chinese sailors - with his final moments being broadcast live on national television.

In addition to currency, trade, and disputed islands, Japan can add one more form of covert warfare it is now engaged in with China: atmospheric.