140 people have been reported killed in clashes between Chinese police and protesters from the Uighur Muslim ethnic minority in the north-western region of Xinjang yesterday. Like each time this kind of unrest occurs in the country, two versions have emerged: the state television shows only images of Han victims, while on the Internet the story is one of a bloody crackdown against the Uighur people. Read more...

One of our Observers in Japan, Lee Chapman, photographed this motorbike, complete with Swastika-shaped spokes, outside a Harley Davidson shop in Tokyo. Depending on how you look at it, it could represent the ancient Buddhist symbol for universal harmony, the infamous emblem of Nazi Germany, or, as Lee tells us, simply being "cool". Read more...

The Basij militia has been blamed for extreme brutality in the violent aftermath of the contested June 12 election in Iran. A Basij commander who volunteers for one of the Tehran branch of the militia, describes his account of one the bloodiest clashes, on June 20. Read more...

Cheating is as old as exams themselves. In China however, cheating involves a cunning blend of technology, innovation, and acting. Rubbers with miniature screens, rulers with inbuilt cameras, earpieces... we're a long way from cheat sheets and writing on the inside of your pencil case. Read more...

One of our Observers from the Comoros Islands tells us about his experiences as a frequent flyer with Yemenia Airlines — the company whose plane crashed en route to the Comoran capital on Monday morning. Read his account...

Niger President Mamdou Tandja dissolved the country's constitutional court on Tuesday, removing yet another obstacle to his plans to stand once more for the presidency, in defiance of a constitutional ban.

Two months earlier, Niger's government granted French state-owned nuclear giant Areva a crucial uranium contract. Coincidental timing? Although France has condemned Tandja's actions, a specialist on the subject tells us that there's still cause for concern.

UPDATE (3 July 09 - 11am Paris time): Areva has responded to Daniel's comment. Read the statement.

Violent clashes continue in the Honduran capital of Tegucigalpa after President Manuel Zelaya was ousted in a military coup on Sunday. An amateur video, filmed on Monday, appears to show a presidential supporter run over by a military vehicle. Watch the video...

This video was posted online on Tuesday afternoon. Despite there being no protestor in sight, Tehran riot police storm a small street, indiscriminately vandalising private property. Watch the video...

Walking the streets of Mexico City, you might bump into what looks like Michael Jackson. Don't panic, he hasn't risen from the grave. It's just Victor Jackson, an MJ impersonator for the past 30 years. Here's his reaction to the King of Pop's death. Read more...

Moroccan-French comedian Gad Elmaleh has been forced to cancel his performances at the Lebanese Beiteddine festival following a fierce propaganda campaign against him driven by Hezbollah. Read more...

Barring Mirhossein Mousavi, Iran's remaining opposition leaders met in Tehran on Sunday. But although the gathering was authorised, it ended in a violent attack by the police. One of our Observers was there. Read more and see the videos...

A sexologist like no other is causing a stir in the Arab world. She may wear a niqab but Oum Mohammad has no qualms about giving her views on fellatio (entirely normal) and sodomy (absolutely no way!).  Read more and see her in action...

Last Tuesday we published a post about the violent clashes between protesters and the police in the central Chinese town of Shishou. This photo, published by a Chinese weekly paper, shows the technique the riot police use in order to push back the crowds. Each time the police gain around 20 metres of ground, they form a wall of officers to secure the area. Is this a method specific to China? If you know something about the way riot police work, leave a comment.

The French parliament has launched an inquiry into how many women wear head-to-toe Islamic veils in France. President Nicolas Sarkozy used the occasion to spell out that "the burqa is not welcome in France", leading to concerns that he would ban it in public places. A French Muslim explains to us why she chooses to wear the sitar - the Saudi full-face cover - and why Sarkozy's comments frighten her. Read more...

Iranian public television claims that 12 protesters have been killed since the beginning of the post-electoral crisis. This number is impossible to verify independently because foreign journalists are barred from covering the event. Defying censorship, one of our Observers in Teheran managed to send us an exclusive video testimony on the effects of police repression on the opposition movement. Read more...