大象传媒

This week in Nairobi a gambler was stoned to death by fellow players after he killed two casino employees. Casinos have been growing in popularity in Kenya in recent years and online betting is booming, but Abdinoor Aden from 大象传媒 Nairobi says some gamblers do not fully understand the risks involved.

Pre-internet dating
The World Service language services are running a series about which dating websites and apps are popular where. But how did people around the world find love in the pre-internet age? We speak to 大象传媒 Bengali, Kyrgyz and Arabic.

Creating a Minister for Happiness
The news that the United Arab Emirates has appointed a Minister for Happiness has prompted jokes and soul-searching around the region. Arabic social media has been full of suggestions for the new minister, while Egyptians have joked that they need a Minister for Depression. Doaa Soliman of 大象传媒 Monitoring in Cairo explains what the response tells us about the mood in the region.

African dancing in Karachi
We speak to 大象传媒 Urdu's Shamaila Khan who has been to Karachi to film leva dancers. The dancers are members of Karachi's Sheedi community who trace their heritage back to east African slaves and sailors brought to Pakistan around 200 years ago. The dancing involves fire breathing and dancers risk serious burns for their art.

Uganda: hear my country
Can you pick a song to define your country? In the run-up to this month's elections, three Ugandan journalists from 大象传媒 Africa - Paul Bakibinga, Rachael Akidi and Alex Jakana - share the songs that they think capture the spirit of their country.

Russia and Ukraine: confectionery wars
The president of Ukraine, Petro Poroshenko, is outspoken against Russia, saying there's a real war between the two countries. However, he runs a confectionery business which includes a factory in Russia that is still in production. Slava Khomenko of 大象传媒 Ukrainian recently visited the factory. He reflects on how tiny sweets can whip up anger in both countries.

And Fifi's pick of the worldwide web.

(Photo: A fruit machine used for gambling
Credit: Getty Images)