According to socialist lawmaker René Dosière, French President Nicolas Sarkozy had a 245,772 euro shower installed for his personal use for a one day summit in Paris’ Grand Palais. The figure, although not quite accurate, is just one of many reports that have emerged about the Sarkozy government’s extravagant spending. Read more...

Faraz Khan has something to be proud of. He drives around his home city of Karachi in one of Pakistan's few electric cars. And he built it with his own hands. Read more...

Some employees who have had their hours slashed in an attempt to avoid layoffs have received a tempting new offer from their companies: the option of working for another firm while waiting for business to get better. Read more

A CNN reporter who struggled to keep her cool during one of the anti-Obama demonstrations on Wednesday was subsequently attacked by both the immediate crowds and then the entire online Tea Party community. Read more and see the clip...

The Chinese aren't really instigating a mass naked protest. So who's behind this ironic ad? Read more...

Michel Tudeng has been out of work since Dec. 19, 2008. He is one of some 80 temporary workers from the Arcelor-Mittal site in eastern France whose contracts have not been renewed. Read his story...

One of our Nepali Observers gives her perspective on Asia's dependence on its exports market and the effects this has on the economic crisis. Read more...

Everyone moans about mounting electricity bills. But with Czech consumers, complaints come in the funniest forms. Read more...

One of our Observers in China is leading an investigation into... the public toilets at Shanghai train station. It might seem like a trivial subject, but Web users from the city don't think so - not when the WCs rake in 11 million euros each year. Read more...

Riots sparked by local elections have left around 400 people dead in the city of Jos, central Nigeria. While Western media blame the conflict on a rift between Christians and Muslims, one of our Nigerian Observers says it all boils down to economics. Read more...