TOKYO, Japan - As a reporter, I often meet someone whose story stays with me long after the interview is over and I've filed my story. Such was the case of my interview with Hidefumi Ito, a 54-year-old unemployed man whom I met six months ago.

Hidefumi Ito sits in his net room, a cheap and efficient option for Japan's growing unemployed.

Ito had agreed to do an interview from his "net room," a rental room the size of a closet. The room costs the equivalent of US $20 for 24 hours and has two essential job seeking items: a computer and internet hook-up.

The space was so small that Ito and I sat cross-legged in the room, taking up the whole area. My cameraman had to open the door and shoot into the room. What struck me at first is that all of Ito's possessions - just a few items of clothing – filled the room. Then he began to share his story.

Often talking through choked tears, Ito spoke candidly and at length, describing how his upper-class life had slipped away so quickly. He was an art gallery director, selling high-priced items to the richest people in the world. The economic recession quickly killed the business and his job. Ito lived in a five-bedroom house and owned two cars, an incredible level of financial wealth in space-starved Japan. He lost his home in months to bankruptcy. Disgraced, his wife divorced him and now his three children won't speak to him, Ito says.

Ito took what he had left and stayed with friends as long as he could, before turning to the net rooms. These rooms, he told me, were a cheap and efficient option for someone like him.

There are a lot of people like Ito in Tokyo. Tsukasa, the company that created these net rooms, says it's running at 100 percent occupancy at all of its buildings. Tsukasa's general manager, Koji Kawamata, says the company is currently building more of the rooms but struggling to keep up with demand. Because of the number of people who need these rooms in Japan's recession, it led to a job for Ito.

Tsukasa, impressed with Ito's ability to communicate with us and his determination to find work, hired him as a custodian. The job is not glamorous. For eight hours a day, he scrubs toilets and makes beds for a monthly salary of US $1600. Tsukasa is giving him a deal on a small apartment so his take-home salary ends up being closer to US $1400 a month.

But having any sort of job has meant a significant turnaround for Ito's life. Talking to him again six months after our first meeting, he did say he continues to grieve for what he once had. But now he can think about life beyond unemployment. He hopes to start his own business someday utilizing his managing skills. Ito considers himself lucky because he never had to live for weeks at a time on the streets, as do the growing number of unemployed filling Tokyo's parks.

Just having any sort of step towards tomorrow, says Ito, gives enough hope to keep moving forward in this global economic slowdown.

Watch my followup on Ito after he had to resort to a net room home.

BANGKOK, Thailand - It's one of those ironies of journalism, that we strive to be impartial and independent in our reporting, to stay aloft, watching, counting, calibrating, but not acting or interfering.

Rohingya refugees get treated in Idi, Indonesia.

As journalists, we strive to be impartial and independent in our reporting, to stay aloft, watching, counting, calibrating, but not acting or interfering.

Yet on occasion, by simply telling people what's happening in this complex, grey-shaded world of ours, sometimes we journalists do change the status quo. The very act of drawing attention to an issue does sometimes have an impact.

We decided to call my special report into the Rohingya "A Forgotten People," but of course after all the reporting we've done on the issue, it feels like now the Rohingya are front and center of the political stage here and hardly forgotten at all.

Here in Thailand, the issue is going to be one of the main discussion points at next week's ASEAN meeting – a summit of south-east Asian countries.

The Thai prime minister has stressed the need for regional cooperation – and ASEAN will certainly be the forum in which that talk of cooperation could be galvanised into action.

Since the pictures of Thai soldiers towing out boatloads of Rohingya and cutting them adrift on the high seas were broadcast on CNN, the practice appears to have stopped.
Drawing attention to this story has changed it.

That's not to say that we haven't been meticulous in our attempts to show both sides of the story – to highlight that some Thai people feel the Rohingya are economic migrants looking for work and that the Thai government feels unable to accommodate them during this fierce economic downturn.

But we have also focused on what the Rohingya go through in trying to escape terrible persecution and privation in Myanmar, formerly Burma. The reports of horrendous abuse, statelessness, land-confiscation and torture give context as to why these people are willing to gamble with their lives, take to rickety unseaworthy boats and cross the ocean.

Their allegations of mistreatment in Thailand at the hands of the military has prompted a government inquiry. The prime minister himself is closely watching its findings and has promised to bring those responsible to account.

I'm not sure any of this would have happened if it weren't for a few journalists doggedly pursuing this story. The South China Morning Post first reported the story. We followed up with more testimonies and other news organizations such as Reuters, the BBC and The Associated Press have also devoted extensive coverage to the issue.

In making "A Forgotten People" we have never felt we were on a mission to discredit this government or show Thailand in a bad light. We simply wanted to find out the truth and tell the story from every angle. That very vital act of disclosure is why I got into this profession in the first place.

And I'm proud to say this story is one of the rare occasions where simply reporting what we found has made a difference.

LONDON, England – The people behind the 1980s phenomenon the Rubik's Cube have a new brain teaser in the pipeline.

Called the Rubik's 360, it's due to hit the shops later this year.

The original, fiendish plastic puzzle was launched on an unsuspecting public just in time for Christmas 1980.

Professor Erno Rubik, an architect and university lecturer in what was then communist Hungary had spent six years struggling to get his prototype – originally designed as a teaching aid for his students – into commercial production.

Once he did the Rubik's Cube quickly became the fastest selling toy of all time.

While sales inevitably declined over time, the Cube has enjoyed a renaissance in popularity of late, with sales of 15 million units achieved worldwide last year.

Whether his new puzzle will be as huge as its predecessor only time will tell, but according to Professor Rubik, the 360 takes the puzzle concept into another dimension. Literally.

As with the Cube gameplay is easy to grasp, but not so easy to execute. It's also not very easy to describe, but as I'm game for anything I'll give it a go...

The Rubik's 360 is 10 centimeters or so in diameter and consists of a transparent plastic sphere housing two additional transparent spheres, both independently suspended on a rotating axis, with six colored balls at its centre.

Er, are you still with me?

The object of the puzzle is to steer the colored balls through holes in the spheres and into their respective colored 'home slot' domes on the outside.

Sounds easy, right?

Wrong. Along the way you have to contend with some tricky problems thrown up by the force that keeps us all from flying off into space.

Just when you've got a ball where you want it, gravity kicks in and whips it away to the other side of the sphere. It's infuriating and great fun.

I was given one to play with at Hamleys toy store in London. After an hour or so of flipping, spinning and teeth gnashing I'd got no further than one or two colored balls locked in the wrong home slots and had to go lie in a darkened room to calm down.

I'm willing to bet that not long after its official launch there'll be eight-year-olds all over the world who'll be able to solve the 360 in under a minute.

And that thought is more annoying to this 40-something reporter than the puzzle itself!

Watch my report on Rubik's new toy.

BEIJING,  China - Hillary Clinton's name carries celebrity status in China. She came to Beijing first as U.S. President Bill Clinton's first lady, now as President Barack Obama's Secretary of State. But the Chinese just call her "Hillary."

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton chats with a Chinese church official after a Sunday mass in Beijing on February 22.

On the eve of her greatly-anticipated visit to China's capital this past weekend, Beijingers were thoughtful.

"I think she is indeed a very powerful woman," said a businesswoman. "She has a very strong personality. I even bought her autobiography."

"I'm very keen about Hillary's visit," said another man, a banker. "Actually, I really wish I could have a dinner with her, so I can hear more about her opinions on Sino-U.S. relations."

Unfortunately, Mrs. Clinton did not have time for dinner with him but did meet with China's top brass, President Hu Jintao, Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and Premier Wen Jiabao. It was the first time a U.S. Secretary of State chose to take a maiden voyage to Asia in almost 50 years.

"I think she chose to visit China because China means a lot to the U.S.," said one woman, a psychologist. "She wants to have a more thorough discussion with China."

It's no secret the discussion was dominated by the global financial crisis, still a source of bitterness among some Chinese who believe the U.S. is to blame for the downturn.

"Since China didn't suffer as much as the United States in the financial crisis, Hillary's looking for cooperation and help," said the businesswoman.

"I think China and the U.S. should combat the financial crisis hand in hand," the banker said. "If the U.S. only cares about its own economy, other countries will be left behind."

As first lady, Mrs. Clinton once pressed the Chinese on human rights but said the issue would not sideline other priorities on this trip.

"Well, if we compare the current human rights condition with that during the Cultural Revolution, then there have been a lot of improvements," one woman said. "But China still has a long way to go."

"I think the Chinese government should allow more freedom on news," said a student from the Communication University of China. "Chinese citizens need to know more about negative opinions of our country."

Perhaps there is hope in more visits from diplomats like Mrs. Clinton. "I think she is very talented," said the banker. "I still don't know why she dropped out of the presidential campaign."

In China, it seems, she still has a lot of fans.

HATFIELD HEATH, England - The arched entrance of Down Hall in Hatfield Heath is as far as we get to Jade Goody's wedding. Security in yellow jackets has made it clear we won't get any closer. So, we park the car and jump into the media scrum. There's a crowd of about 50 people huddled around the gate, mostly media brandishing microphones and video cameras, tripods and zoom lenses. One of the neighboring houses has pinned up a makeshift billboard with a big arrow pointing "Media Circus."

The couple's publicist Max Clifford, center, tells waiting media that the couple have married.

Among the crowd are a few Jade Goody fans and some curious locals. One family decided to take their three chocolate Labradors out for a walk and watch the media watching Jade Goody's guests arrive. Claire Taylor is there with her mother and 3-year old daughter. She's been a fan since Jade Goody first starred on reality TV show "Big Brother."

"She's such a big character. And she's made such an impact on people whether it's been on the telly or being a mum. I think we all understand where she's coming from. I'm a mum. So, I know how important her boys are to her and the whole situation she's going through."

Doctors have told Goody she has terminal cancer with just weeks to live. Rather than retreating into privacy, Goody has embraced the spotlight even as her body shows the ravages of cancer. She has lost her hair from chemotherapy and is rapidly losing weight. Cameras have followed her from hospital to wedding planning.

The spectacle of a reality TV star living out her final weeks in front of the cameras might strike some as bizarre. But it seems perfectly acceptable to many Britons. The tabloids are filled with news of her "secret vows" to her young sons before her death.

Goody has publicly stated that she intends to make the most of the media attention to earn money for her young sons. She sold the exclusive media rights to her wedding for an estimated $1.5 million. Her publicist says the money will be used to secure her children's future.

Goody fan Taylor approves: "She is a single mum with two children and she wants better for her children. I'm a mum and I want better for my kids than what we had. Good luck to her. If she can make as much money as she possibly can then good luck to her."

WARDAK PROVINCE, Afghanistan - Riding along in a night convoy, just trying to get home, a simple drive is soon struck by the realities of war.

U.S. troops patrol Wardak Province, Afghanistan.

We had just spent a week with these men and women, covering the first part of a new influx of troops brought to Afghanistan as Washington shifts the focus of the war on terror from Iraq back to where it all began.

A tough task has been placed on these soldiers. It is their job to bring some sort of security and stability in an area that has felt the impact of a resurgent Taliban and foreign militants.

An enemy that has continued to fight in the snowy bitter winter and is expected to wreak havoc as that snow begins to melt.

The troops are strategically positioned to prevent infiltration into the capital. That infiltration was witnessed almost two weeks ago when eight suicide bombers made their way to the capital and spread fear into a city of 5.5 million people after they killed at least 19 civilians and injured several dozen more.

Living side-by-side with the troops, we went on patrols and got their feel of what was going on - all as they themselves were getting situated.

We were producing stories but had no way of sending them to Atlanta to make air.

Usually when a CNN team goes out on embed we have what is called a BGAN. A BGAN is our only form of satellite transmission. We use it for the Internet, for live shots and for sending in our stories for television. The day we left Kabul is the day we found out that our BGAN had stopped working.

The military tried to get us a flight out but everything was full. So, they offered a convoy near where we would needed to go.

I was sitting in a MRAP armored vehicle, in the seat closest to the gunner. These vehicles are necessary for military travel because of the increase of roadside IED (improvised explosive device) attacks.

Mark and I were chatting and riding along. Then we both turned on our iPods and got lost in the drive.

I found myself continuously looking up through the gunner's hole at a star-filled sky, admiring the beauty in a land that has seen so much devastation.

Suddenly, we heard gunshots from our vehicle. We soon found out that a car was speeding towards the convoy and would not stop after repeated warnings.

The driver of the vehicle was shot through the hand but survived. We later learned he was a civilian. According to witnesses at the scene, he was racing past because he wanted to catch his son before he left for Iran and wanted to persuade him to stay.

Situations like this shows how hard it can be for units here to distinguish friend from foe.

And it is situations like these that deter some local support for coalition forces. Civilian casualties were at their highest in 2008. Both coalition forces and the militant insurgency are responsible for the deaths of thousands of innocent Afghans - the casualties of a so-called never-ending war.

ATLANTA – A few years ago, my job with CNN took me to a tiny village outside Bangalore, India. It was so remote, there wasn't even a paved road or signs, we just had to follow an aid worker to get there. The villagers were among the poorest of the poor. I visited with a family of nine, living in a tiny mud dwelling. The parents were day laborers; they took any job just to feed their family. Their home was immaculate, their hospitality deeply moving. Despite their own limited means, they offered me, the honored guest, cookies.

One of their daughters had borrowed money from Grameen Bank, which helps poor women in developing countries set up small businesses. It's amazing what 50 dollars can do! She used the money to buy one female goat and bred her. Now she and her growing brood of kids are providing milk and meat for the whole family, plus a little extra to sell on the side. I was thinking, this program is not just helping poor people make ends meet, it's giving them an opportunity to free themselves of dependency on aid and live a life of dignity.

The founder of Grameen Bank, Muhammad Yunus, won the Nobel Prize for this microcredit program. When he first came up with the idea 30 years ago, people thought he was crazy to loan money to the poor. They'd never repay it, they told him. But Yunus' customers proved the naysayers wrong. The bank now boasts a 95 percent repayment rate! And the project has spread around the world, most recently even to people in the most developed countries.

With American banks almost frozen, credit is very hard to get, so last month Grameen Bank started a program in Queens, New York. It's offering microloans between $500 and $3,000 to 100 women. Grameen lends to a group of people who agree to repay the debt. The philosophy is: If one member defaults, then the group is responsible for repaying the loan. Some have expressed doubt the program's dependency on peer pressure will guarantee repayments in troubled times in the U.S.

Still, after so many stories of corporate greed, it's good to remember the stories of businesses which are profitable but also serve a purpose beyond money.

Share your thoughts about credit and corporate responsibility on my blog.

DUBAI, UAE - As a journalist working in Europe and the United States, I have taken freedom of press for granted.

Israeli tennis player Shahar Peer was refused a visa for a tournament in Dubai.

I have also never thought that one of my stories or television packages would or could be censored.

However, I have now realized that elsewhere, journalists don't enjoy these privileges.

While covering the story of Shahar Peer being denied an entry visa to the United Arab Emirate to play at the Dubai Championships, I was surprised to see how little the local media covered it, and how challenging it was to get anyone in the UAE to comment on the news.

Only three out of 10 Emirates newspapers did the story at all, and only one actually had a byline from local reporters. The other two quoted French Press.

When we tried to get a reaction on camera from someone from the government, the tournament or the sponsors, all our requests were denied.

It shows that people here are weary of exposing the controversial decisions taken by the establishment.

What was most surprising to me about the Peer denial and the local coverage of it was that I had always considered the UAE to be a liberal nation which was promoting itself as an economic and cultural force.

For years, it had successfully hosted a number of high profile sporting events and all the athletes I had spoken with had raved about the nation.

However, this development could prompt the Emirates to lose its right to host professional tennis tournaments in the future, and there could be further repercussions if other tours react in a similar fashion.

An unfortunate turn of events which comes to prove once again that sports and politics should not mix.

BARCELONA, Spain – Well, we've arrived in Barcelona for the Mobile World Congress and have hit the ground running. As I write, producer Adam Charlton and cameraman Woj are editing video of some cool gadgets that we shot earlier at "Show Stoppers" - a pre-show curtain raiser (see Adam's earlier blog entry.)

We went straight to the sprawling Congress venue from the airport. Unusually for the press we've been given access all areas, 24-hour passes, and so set immediately to work testing our satellite and camera equipment for tomorrow's broadcast. It was hard to believe that in less than 15 hours the place would be open for business. It was a hive of activity, with carpenters, electricians and exhibitors busily constructing their stands. Everywhere you looked were piles of construction waste.

The work will continue right through the night to ensure that everything's in shape before the 9 a.m. deadline, when thousands of people arrive from all over the world to see the latest innovations in the world of mobile technology.

BARCELONA, Spain – Touched down in Barcelona at noon and haven’t stopped since.

First task is checking out the venue. A taxi ride later and we’re watching an army of Mobile World Congress worker ants in their element.  The titans of tech are here laying out their stalls for the biggest gathering of mobile phone operators on the planet.

Another quick cab ride and we’re rubbing shoulders at "Show Stoppers." It’s more of a sideshow to the main event, and a chance for some of the smaller companies to peddle high-tech trinkets like 3D space-age glasses, wireless gaming controllers and cell-phone stress meters.

To say CNN International anchor Adrian Finighan is excited is an understatement. He’s like a kid in a candy store licking his lips at all the delicious treats lining the shelves. Who knows what Monday will bring? All I know is that it starts early.