Asia: Taken unawares; Singapore's NGO furore

A bloodless coup instigated by a septuagenarian "feminist mentor"; a death threat sent to the new president's husband by a self-proclaimed "jihadist sleeper"; a 3,000-person showdown. The tiny world of Singapore's usually timid NGOs has never seen anything like it. In late March a secretive group of conservative Chinese Christian ladies surreptitiously took over the executive council of AWARE (Association of Women for Action and Research), an advocacy group that has done much to promote women's rights. Half of the new council attend the same church. They were jolted into action by AWARE's alleged pro-gay agenda, particularly in sex-education courses taught at some schools.