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Who would have guessed it? The paper that published the winner of One World Media's journalism award for increasing 'global understanding through effective use of the media' was the Mail on Sunday. One World Media is a UK-based charity that highlights development issues, and promotes democracy and fair government worldwide. The winner was Dan McDougall (left).

Jonathan Freedland, Guardian columnist and one of the judges, writes today about McDougall's three 'blistering reports' for the Mail on Sunday, which all focus on the world's extractive industries:

One showed the consequences of our ravenous appetite for lithium, the mineral used to power our iPods and BlackBerrys: those living around Chile's largest lithium mine are parched, as their water is either poisoned or diverted.

McDougall produced similarly eye-popping pieces on the Madagascan mines where the nickel for our coins comes from, and on the badlands of eastern Zimbabwe, where virtual slaves dig for diamonds, jewels that will eventually find their way here.

Freedland notes:

All these reports made the connection between apparently remote suffering and our own lives.

photo: frontlineclub