MALAYSIA  Authorities order ISPs to block access to Malaysia Today news website
28.08.2008 - Reporters Without Borders calls on the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) to immediately rescind the order it issued on 26 August to TMNet, the country’s biggest ISP, and to 20 other Malaysia ISPs to block access to the Malaysia Today news website (http://www.malaysia-today.net).

IRAN
Journalist from the Arab minority sentenced to five years in prison
27.08.2008 - Reporters Without Borders today called for the case to be dropped against journalist Yosef Azizi Banitruf, sentenced to five years in jail after he exposed excessive use of force against demonstrators from the Arab community who clashed with security forces in Khuzestan in south-west Iran.

CHINA
21-point directive to Chinese media proves coverage of games was biased and politicised
26.08.2008 - A 21-point directive which the Propaganda Department sent to the Chinese media prior to the Olympic Games shows the degree to which their coverage of the games was "biased and politicised," Reporters Without Borders said today. The Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post first reported the existence of the directive more than two weeks ago. Now a Chinese blogger has posted what is said to be the text of the directive online.

IRAN
Ailing journalist put in solitary confinement instead of being transferred to hospital
26.08.2008 - Reporters Without Borders today voiced active concern about the treatment of journalist and human rights activist Emadoldin Baghi who earlier this month was placed in an isolation cell in Evin prison, Tehran instead of being transferred to hospital.

SOMALIA
Three journalists, two of them foreigners, and their driver kidnapped by gunmen for unclear reasons
24.08.2008 - Reporters Without Borders is worried about the abduction of Canadian freelance journalist Amanda Lindhout, Australian freelance photographer Nigel Brennan and Somali photographer Abdifatah Mohammed Elmi. Gunmen kidnapped them and their driver Mahad yesterday near Mogadishu for reasons that are not yet clear.