The people of Naples are not the only ones living under a pile of garbage. But, in Beijing, they have a novel way of expressing their discontent over a similar problem.

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This video may prove shocking if you're not accustomed to seeing children handling guns. On the American blogosphere however, 11-year-old McKenzie has attracted great admiration. Read more...

Activists for the People's Alliance for Democracy, who have been camped out in an anti-government protest since August 26th, could give lessons on demonstrations to unionists around the world. Read more...

Patrol cars weren't adequate in keeping order in the land, Sheriff Leon Lott decided. So off to the army he went, to ask for an armoured vehicle fitted out with a machine gun. "It shall be called The Peacemaker," he thought. Read more...

To wish luck to a new business in China, messages are offered inscribed on red banners. But when the business in question is a nightclub and the well-wishers are the local police, neighbours start asking questions. Read more...

Poor Puff Daddy, the lucrative American rapper also known as Sean Puff Diddy Combs, has posted a diary entry about the woes of increasing gas prices on his blog. He's even made a plea to his Saudi "brothers and sisters" to send some oil for his jet. See the video...

Film-maker Micheal Moore has kicked up a storm by saying that Hurricane Gustav's landfall on the first day of the Republican convention is "proof there is a God in heaven". Read more...

Bourbon Street on Monday. Posted on Flickr by "Dragon_X"

Terrified of another Katrina, New Orleans was well-prepared for Hurricane Gustav. When the storm hit the shore at 110mph, the city was already empty. Looks like Mayor Ray Nagin's message to "get your butts out" worked. But not everyone listened... Read our Observer's account and see the videos.

Posted on manageronline.co.th 2 Sept. 08.

A state of emergency was declared in Bangkok today after eight days of anti-ruling party protests erupted into violence last night leaving one person dead and over forty injured. Our Observer taking part in the protests says that it's the government that is to blame for the chaos. See photos and read her account.

Unknown to him at the time, Democrat Don Fowler was being filmed when he made a joke about Hurricane Gustav, which today reached Louisiana. Republicans have hit out at the politician, who dared to say that if the catastrophe struck when the Republican Convention was due to open on Monday, then God must be on their [the Democrats'] side. See the video.

All singing all dancing, tattooed and pierced from head to toes - who would have thought any indigenous New Zealander would end up in the docks for terrorism-related charges. But today, that's precisely what happened to 18 of the Maori community. Read more...

Surprised to find photos of a young Chinese factory worker on his new iPhone, a British Apple customer decided to post the pictures online. The girl in the pics has managed to catch the attention of everybody, including her boss... Read more.

A deodorant advert that showed an apparently irresistible chocolate man being gnawed on by scantily clad women has been banned in India. An advertising executive in the country explains why it was so offensive. Read more and see the ad.

Just after Russian forces stormed the South Ossetian capital, celebrated Russian conductor Valery Gergiev, who grew up in Ossetia, gave a concert to honour the victory. Our Observer there managed to photograph the event with his mobile.  Read more...

Posted on Flickr by "Fernando lugo APC"

The socialist wind blowing through South America reached Paraguay this year with the election of leftist Chavez-ally Fernando Lugo. On his first day, the ex-bishop announced that he would be renouncing his entire salary and donating it to the poor. Not like other presidents then... Read more.