Malaysia's relations with Singapore are even tenser than Hong Kong's, and the Malaysian government controls Malaysia Telekom, the state-owned carrier.

ECONOMIST: Asian Telecoms

All of these worries probably made the private meeting between Mr Bush and Mr Blair this week a bit tenser than usual.

ECONOMIST: More questions than answers | The

Still others suggest that the tense regional situation, made tenser by speculation over the policies of Israel's new prime minister toward its neighbours, is making Syria's leaders averse to taking risks at home.

ECONOMIST: Bashar in the steps of his father