Israel / Lebanon: 'Israel's cabinet yesterday gave final approval for a prisoner swap today in which it will give up a notorious Lebanese militant in return for two Israeli soldiers who are presumed dead.' (Guardian).

Christianity / Islam: 'Key elements of Christian doctrine are offensive to Muslims, the Archbishop of Canterbury has said in a letter to Islamic scholars.' (Telegraph).

Thailand / Cambodia: 'The controversy surrounding an 11th-century temple on the Cambodian border with Thailand has taken a new twist after the authorities in Phnom Penh alleged that up to 170 armed troops and civilians from Thailand had illegally entered its territory.' (Independent).

Myanmar: 'One man was killed when a bomb exploded on a bus in army-ruled Myanmar, newspapers said on Tuesday, the latest incident ahead of anniversaries that sometimes serve as flashpoints for dissent.' (Reuters).

Turkey: 'The fight for control of Turkey's fragile political system intensified yesterday when 86 hardline secularists were indicted for allegedly plotting a violent coup against the Islamist-leaning government.' (Guardian).

Israel / Syria: 'Israeli doubts over Syria peace' (BBC).

India / Pakistan: 'Islam and Hinduism's blurred lines' (BBC).

Koreas: 'South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak has proposed reviving direct talks with North Korea, in a major policy shift.' (BBC).

Pakistan: 'Hunger brings anguish for millions of Pakistanis' (Reuters).

Iran / Israel: 'The sabre-rattling over Iran's nuclear progamme has grown louder as a defiant Tehran claimed to have conducted missile tests for a second day running, the US warned that it would defend its interests and its allies in the region, and Israel hinted it was ready to stage a preventive attack to destroy Iranian nuclear installations.' (Independent).

Israel / Lebanon: 'Israel will begin exhuming bodies of Hezbollah fighters on Monday ahead of a planned swap with the Lebanese guerrilla group, which is holding two soldiers, an Israeli military spokesman said.' (Reuters).

Afghanistan: 'A suicide bomber has rammed a car full of explosives into the gates of the Indian embassy in the Afghan capital, killing 28 people, officials say.' (BBC).

Pakistan: 'Militant violence returned to Pakistan's capital yesterday on the anniversary of the storming of the Red Mosque. A suicide bomber detonated a device next to a police post less than half a mile from the controversial Lal Masjid. At least 15 officers were killed and 22 injured.' (Independent).

China: 'A senior Chinese security official said the Beijing Olympics are threatened by sabotage and unrest, state media said on Friday, as authorities moved to sack officials blamed for a riot that torched a police headquarters. (Reuters).

Iran: 'After four weeks in police custody, Iranian Christian Mohsen Namvar was released “temporarily” last week to return to his home in Tehran.' (Compass Direct).

Indonesia: 'Indonesian police have arrested 12 suspected militants who were planning to attack an area frequented by tourists, authorities said Thursday.' (CNN).

UK: 'Britain's first Muslim minister has attacked the growing culture of hostility against Muslims in the United Kingdom, saying that many feel targeted like "the Jews of Europe". (Independent).

Mongolia: 'Five people have died in violent protests in the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator over alleged electoral fraud, says Justice Minister Tsend Munkhorgil.' (BBC).

Turkey: 'Political tensions rose Tuesday across Turkey as police seized two retired generals, a prominent journalist and others accused of plotting to overthrow the government and prosecutors undertook a court case to ban the Islamic-rooted ruling party.' (CNN).

India / Pakistan: 'Officials in Indian-administered Kashmir have stepped in to try to defuse a row over the donation of government land to a Hindu shrine which triggered the biggest protests in the area for almost two decades.' (Independent).

China: 'Senior envoys of Tibet's exiled spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama, are in Beijing to hold formal talks with the Chinese government.' (BBC).

Israel / Syria: 'Israeli and Syrian negotiators are to take part in a third round of indirect peace talks in Turkey.' (BBC).

India: 'India's main communist party said it would discuss the timing of withdrawal from the government over the civilian nuclear deal with the United States due to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's trip to a G8 summit.' (Reuters).