Eight New York residents who accused the Chinese government and Baidu...of censoring their pro-democracy writings...asked a U.S. judge for a $17.44 million default judgment. The plaintiffs had contended in a lawsuit filed last May that China and Baidu, that country's biggest Internet search company, conspired to suppress their speech in violation of the U.S. Constitution and various civil and human rights laws...According to papers filed...in the U.S. District Court in Manhattan...the writers believe the defendants should be held in default for having failed to accept legal papers when they were served...A U.S. spokeswoman for Baidu did not immediately respond to requests for comment.