In marked contrast to a euphoric surge four years ago, when many hailed Mr. Obama’s victory as a herald of renewal, the mood was subdued, reflecting not only the shadings of opinion between the American leader’s friends and foes but also a generally lowered expectation of America’s power overseas.

Supporters of both candidates rode an emotional rollercoaster last night as results were slowly reported, ending in disappointment for some, elation for others, as Barack Obama now heads into a second term as President of the United States. Collected here are images from yesterday's election, from here at home, and abroad.

By shifting from aid to investment, from throwing money at governments to targeting projects with the private sector, from dictating terms to encouraging reforms, the U.S. can with greater agility and precision affect how development plays out in poorer countries worldwide.

The ROC Ministry of Culture is set to increase its overseas missions from three to 11 during the coming year as part of efforts promoting Taiwan’s soft power, according to MOC Minister Lung Ying-tai Nov. 6.

BBC Television tonight will cover U.S. election returns in a live evening-long broadcast – in Britain as well as in the U.S. “Europeans are far more interested in the U.S. than the U.S. is interested in any other country,” explained Dick Meyer, the BBC executive producer guiding the coverage, speaking at a USC forum here yesterday.

Investing in North Korea is becoming a hot topic among Chinese businessmen. Over the last few weeks, a series of business events and investment conferences about North Korea have been held. Chen Jiangfeng, a real-estate developer from Beijing was one of the 150 plus entrepreneurs who attended the investment projects fair held at the GBD Public Diplomacy & Culture Exchange Center at the end of September.

On Thursday and Friday, Indonesia will host the fifth Bali Democracy Forum. This year’s BDF will focus on the contribution of democratic global governance to international peace and security, the enjoyment of human rights and economic development.

Russia has been doing its best to suppress American influence here, but somehow it must have managed to overlook a woman in a bright red dress, with a commanding voice, operating on behalf of the U.S. State Department.