02/12/2009

Personal stories behind the news from all over the world. With Matthew Bannister.

Homosexuality in Uganda; Sri Lanka's disabled dancers; the Tyranny of Email

Homosexuality in Uganda
Julian Pepe, a gay campaigner in Uganda, tells us of the threatening atmosphere for homosexuals as parliament considers an Anti-Homosexuality Bill. The bill could mean a death sentence for any gay person found to be HIV positive and engaging in sexual activity. The BBC's Joshua Mmali tells us about the high levels of homophobia in Ugandan society.

Swan Lake for Sri Lanka's disabled
Outlook attends a production of the ballet Swan Lake in Colombo, starring dancers who've lost limbs in accidents or landmine explosions. It was organised by the Sunera Foundation, Sri Lanka's only charity for the physically and mentally disabled.

The Tyranny of Email
American literary critic John Freeman found he was drowning in email. So he tried an experiment, he cut himself off from all email contact. He tells us how he coped, and admits that he's now back to using email albeit in a more controlled way. The full story is told in "The Tyranny of Email", published by Simon & Schuster.