An investigation of the trafficking of people escaping poverty and conflict in Nepal by the Guardian’s Pete Pattison, reveals an ugly truth about the Middle East. Unscrupulous agents take huge sums of money from them for work abroad then consign them to slavery and appalling conditions. Many are abused by their employers and some are [...]

From Saudi Corespondent Eman Al Nafjan… I normally write about Saudi but the situation is getting dire in an area that’s increasingly becoming a blind spot for the rest of the world. In Syria the death toll is 8,000 and growing and the refugee count has reached 34000. Yet instead of at least covering what’s [...]

From Phillipines Congreeman Mong Palatino… “God may send hurricanes, but their consequences are not God-given” – Winston James According to a government think-tank, 34.6 percent of households experienced job and asset losses during typhoons in 2011. Almost 70 percent suffered a reduction in income while 45 percent complained of rising expenses immediately after the onslaught [...]

From India Corespondent Divyaa Kummar… Let’s understand numbers through your desire to go trekking! Number 1 is that part of you which gets the idea! And goes ah lets do it! And leaps off the bed in enthusiasm, getting things together immediately! Not listening to any advice, and very clear (passionately so) that no matter [...]

There are few plot inclusions more exhilarating than an honest to goodness barn-burning shootout. Whether they take place on urban city streets or in the Old West, these deadly firefights always make our hearts beat just a little bit faster.  From Brian DePalma to Sam Peckinpah, some of the best directors in the business have taken [...]

From Tanzania Corespondent Lute Wa Lutengano… My good friend, Ngoswe, famed by the book he authored ‘Tendehogo’ and of the saying ‘Mambo ya Ngoswe mwachie Ngoswe’ – leave Ngoswe’s affairs to Ngoswe – Edwin Semzaba, was born almost 60 years ago on 29th February 2012. One of those days of his birthday in the mid [...]

From Amira Al Hussaini… Netizens covering the daily carnage in Syria on social media had to take a step back today to soak in news of more atrocities committed against humanity in the Baba Amr neighbourhood, in besieged city of Homs. NPR media strategist Andy Carvin, who is in Tripoli, Libya, tweets: @acarvin: I need [...]

From Saudi Arabia Corespondent Eman Al Najan… Prison, lashings and Interior Ministry phone threats, fines and pledges drove the women driving movement underground again.  This time around though, unlike in 1990, it was only for a few months before Saudi rights activists geared up again to call for this basic right of no gender discriminations [...]

From Uganda Corespondent Arinaitwe Rugyendo… Rwandan President Paul Kagame has variously been described as a leader with an ascetic temperament, stern, ruthless to opponents and thieves, and a firm, unyielding African megalomaniac. But beneath this slate is a state ranked by Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) as the least corrupt in East Africa and [...]

From Thomas Megginson via Osocio… I’m not quite sure what to think of this new PETA campaign for veganism. They’ve been promoting the ”vegetarians make better lovers” thing for some time now, but in this version they use comedy (voiced by comedian Kevin Nealon) rather than sensuality to get the point across. But is the [...]