The Green Dam filter that has caused much controversy over the last week may not be a "compulsory" addition for computers. Cui Jia of China Daily reports:The authorities are only requiring PC makers to include the porn-filtering software, the Green

Deng Yujiao, the waitress who fatally stabbed a government official after he made sexual advances towards her, went on trial and was charged with causing injury with intent. From Reuters, via Washington Post:A Chinese waitress who killed a government official

Liuzhou improv jazz ensemble, via expatriategames.

From AP: China has called the latest collision between Chinese and U.S. naval vessels an accident, but many of the elements echo previous altercations that have raised concerns that China's navy is growing increasingly aggressive in its patrols of the

From China Daily: By the end of the year all criminals sentenced to death in Beijing will receive a lethal injection instead of being executed by gunshot.A lethal injection site has been built next to the city's No 1 detention

Sathya Sai Baba is at the focus of a constant crowd of thousands of persons, which swells up to over a quarter of a million on some of his birthday celebrations (though he has once falsely claimed there were three

Sai Baba is wildly ambiguous about whether or not there is any kind of 'free will'. Now and again he says that 'there is no free will', and contradictorily also 'only God has free will'. Sai Baba has also frequently

Waziristan may be home to Osama bin Laden, but it is the much younger Baitullah Mehsud who is the target of the new military operation being launched there, one intended to crush him.

Baitullah Mehsud, a one time body-builder who has emerged as the deadliest and most feared militant leader in Pakistan, is the focus of a major new military operation in the mountainous wilds of Waziristan - also believed to be the

A British engineer was among nine foreigners, including three children, feared dead last night after they were kidnapped in northern Yemen.

Tehran University looked as calm as any summer campus. So much for the latest rumours of a bloodbath. Another piece of Iranian fiction, served up on YouTube. Scarved female students were moving through the university's great black iron gates. I

In the summer of 2008 New Exposure, with the support of the UNHCR, worked with a group of young Iraqis who sought refuge in Damascus. British photographers Tom Saunderson and Tim Smyth spent one month teaching them the basics of

Iran's state radio reported today that clashes in the Iranian capital the previous day left seven people dead during an "unauthorised gathering" at a mass rally over alleged election fraud — the first official confirmation of deaths linked to the

In order to strengthen the maritime and coastal security, The Government of India has designated the Indian Navy as the authority responsible for overall maritime security, which includes coastal security and offshore security. The Indian Navy will be assisted by

The Azerbaijani Education Ministry aims to connect 7,000 educational institutions to high-speed Internet as part of the "state program on informatization of education in 2008-2012", Education Minister Misir Mardanov said on June 12. "I positively assess the implementation of such

There is civilized and democratic control over armed forces in Azerbaijan, NATO Coordinator-Officer for the South Caucasus Zbigniew Rybacki told reporters. "Azerbaijani parliament's security and defense committee is working on this issue," Rybacki said. He said cooperation between Azerbaijan and

The Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI) published Azerbaijani tenth report on EITI prepared by international audit company Deloitte & Touche. The report spread by the State Oil Fund covered Azerbaijani incomings in extractive industry in 2008. According to the report,

The capacity of the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline will be increased from current 1.2 million barrels to 1.6 million barrels per day in 2010, Azerbaijani Industry and Energy Minister Natig Aliyev said. "Capacity of the pipeline was recently increased up to 1.2

Chairman of the Iranian parliament Ali Larijani has ordered to launch special commission to investigate latest developments in the country, Mehr reported. The commission will specifically investigate developments at the hostel of the Tehran University. Students staged demonstrations at the

Georgian Energy Minister Aleko Khetaguri did not confirm information about the negotiations with the Kazakh company KazMunaiGas "on Tbilisi's gas distribution network Kaztransgaz - Tbilisi", owned by Kazakh investors. No negotiating with the Kazakh investors are maintained, the minister told