Working mothers to get £1,200 per child to help subsidise costs of care. History Says Satan Does Not Look Like Obama. The new arms race in Asia.

China in Central Asia - A Hungry China Sets Its Sights on Central Asia - Driven by the Chinese economy’s voracious appetite for natural resources, business opportunities along ancient trade routes, and a paramount desire to bring stability through development to a region bordering on China’s restive Xinjiang province, these varied Chinese actors are rapidly reshaping a region that was both Russia’s back yard and the United States’ staging ground for operations in Afghanistan.

ABC - History Says Satan Does Not Look Like Obama - “This is utter nonsense,” producers  Roma Downey and Mark Burnett said in a statement. “The actor who played Satan, Mehdi Ouazanni, is a highly acclaimed Moroccan actor.  He has previously played parts in several Biblical epics — including Satanic characters long before Barack Obama was elected as our president.”

The Telegraph - Working mothers to get £1,200 per child to help subsidise costs of care - More than 2.5 million families will each be able to claim up to £1,200 to help subsidise the costs of child care under a £1 billion scheme to be unveiled by David Cameron and Nick Clegg.

The New York Times - Cyprus Bailout Incites Turmoil as Blame Flies - A plan to rescue the tiny European country of Cyprus, assembled overnight in Brussels, has left financial regulators, German politicians, panicked Cypriot leaders and a disgruntled Kremlin with a bailout package that has outraged virtually all the parties.

Arab Times - India cabinet clears anti-rape bill - India’s cabinet Thursday gave the green light to a bill for harsher punishments for rapists, reports said, following a brutal gang-rape in New Delhi that sparked outrage and demands for tougher laws.

The Diplomat - When India (Almost) Invaded Mauritius - When one thinks of nations that have projected substantial military force on faraway islands countries like the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union are likely to come to mind. Less common is for one to mention India.

RIA Novosti - Russia Goes Ahead with 5G Submarine Project - Work is in progress on the newest fifth-generation nuclear-powered and diesel submarines at Russia's Rubin Central Design Bureau, Rubin head Igor Vilnit said on Monday.

Deutshe Welle - The new arms race in Asia - Two recent studies have shown that, essentially, an arms race is in full swing in Asia - cause for serious concern, considering the number of simmering conflicts in the region.

Tehran Times - Iran launches new destroyer in Caspian Sea - The warship can carry helicopters and is equipped with advanced radar systems, electronic warfare systems, artillery and anti-aircraft guns, torpedoes, and surface-to-surface and surface-to-air missiles.

Trend - A note of protest was given to Lithuanian Ambassador to Azerbaijan - Azerbaijan is concerned of the initiative to create the Lithuanian Parliament Friendship Group with the so-called "Nagorno-Karabakh Republic."