New in News: Links to articles published in The National, an English Language newspaper based in the United Arab Emirates.

Most these stories were researched and pitched by reporter Mr Rolandi, save the collaborative articles. The national desk editors received a complaint from international security firm G4S regarding Rolandi. A spokesperson for Group 4 Securicor phoned the national newsdesk citing that Rolandi had used disrespectful and offensive language toward the CEO of G4S Middle East and North African operations in an interview, RBL was informed. This allegation is not true. Rolandi was merely inquiring into the system in place for recruiting an overseas workforce from countries such as Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. Never did he lose his cool, nor did his mouth spout offensive words. He asked simple questions regarding the firm's lower-end employees, he told me.

Some of the G4S employees Mr Rolandi met had been working in Abu Dhabi for over two years in shared accomodation and still had not paid back their debt to various recruitment agencies that facillitated their labour emigration. This is just the tip of the iceberg. Recruitment agencies refused to comment, but Rolandi was invited to the office of the CEO for a frank discussion.

Broke as he was, Rolandi walked through the sweltering desert heat to make his appointment in time, soaked in sweat.

Over coffee and cigarettes, the CEO claimed he did not know these practices were in place, that some of his employees hardly retained a penny they earned likening them to 21st century examples of economic slaves. He said an investigation would take place, but Rolandi left the UAE shortly after and was unable to follow-up this story.

The National editors advised him to discontinue research on this particular story, encouraging him to focus on smaller fish for the time being, congratulating his efforts thus far but acknowledging that there was no way little old Rolandi could hold to account a mighty corporation with its entangled branches of business... He must've ruffled some feathers, however, for the complaint came laden with panic. An editor passed on the news with a knowing smile. One can only assume he was barking up the right tree, but for the truth of this story to come to light the reporter would have to head to the source with guide and translator, and some sort of knowledge of local laws...

(For the record, G4S's benchmark model of accomodation based in the labour camp area just outside of Dubai is top-notch, with many facillities designed to keep the workforce content.)

Rubble out.