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This topic was discussed on World Have Your Say on 26 November 2010. Listen to the programme.

This entry was written by Ros in Freetown and posted by me.

Hi from the ´óÏó´«Ã½ World Service Trust offices in Freetown. We're busy sorting any number of things ahead of today's programme.

Ben is down at the Information Ministry explaining why we're here; Mary in Nairobi is rigging up local media interviews with us (I'm very excited about going onto Good Morning Sierra Leone on telly tomorrow).

Fiona is taking any number of calls as various guests head into town from the countryside. (The civil war played out for many years before reaching the capital, so as we don't have time to travel out of town, some guests have kindly agreed to come to us.)

Alex our engineer is playing with the generator. If the mains go down, as is quite common, we'll fall off air and re-appear 3 minutes later with the purr of the generator in the background.

And I'm sat in a side room with the light brown walls that you always seem to find in West African offices. Outside the barred window, is a two-storey buiding, clad in corrugated iron on top and on the sides, with a palm tree behind.

It's muggy, still and the shouting of children suggests that it must be lunchbreak at a nearby school.

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I just had an interesting chat with a British expat here. In passing she mentioned that "the ´óÏó´«Ã½ is obsessed with the civil war."

I've heard the accusation before, levelled at us and other international media. The line goes that to dwell on the past is to ignore the positives that can be found in Sierra Leone today.

Similar arguments have been paid during trips elsewhere in Africa.

There's also the suggestion that people here are over it, so why isn't the international media. It's the "Afro-pessimism" that I've been accused of many times in South Africa, but in a different context.

I reject the argument on several counts.

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The Wikileaks documents have thrown up another interesting development - the relationship between North Korea and China may not be as cosy as some people think.

Moreover, a unified Korea - under Seoul's control - wouldn't be out of the question for the Beijing regime.

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29/11/10 Bush House London
Memo from World Have Your Say producer XXXXXXXXX to WHYS editor

Morning XXXXXXXXÌý-

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I've been in Sierra Leone for 2 months out of the last 6 and in a few days will welcome Ros, Ben A and Alex of the WHYS team to the country that the locals affectionately call Sweet Salone.

Sweet it certainly is - it has beautiful sandy beaches (if you believe the guide book, ), lush green forest, and a people engaged with the world and driving for progress.

It has religious tolerance to such an extent some families go to the mosque on Friday and church on Sunday. The poda podas (public taxis) have mottos on, and my best spot has been "Jesus loves Islam".

But it is hard to ignore the bitter realities. live below the international povery line of less than two dollars a day, and a 10-year brutal, senseless war has paraylsed communities and destroyed generations.

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This topic was discussed on World Have Your Say on 26 November 2010. Listen to the programme.

After five days of violence and at least 23 deaths, Brazilian police have now taken control of the Vila Cruzeiro .

The authorities are trying to clean up the city by seizing the slums or Favelas from dealers as it prepares to stage the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics. So far more than 150 people have been arrested in raids.

The city of 6 million has high crime and murder rates. Heavily armed drug trafficking gangs control many of Rio's poor areas, making the city among the most violent in Latin America.

This says

"Police have been criticised by human rights groups for too often using lethal force without justification in Brazil's favelas and many of the poorest communities came to fear those who were meant to protect them.

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We've discussed North Korea a lot in the last week after it shelled a South Korean island on Tuesday, killing at least four people. Now Pyongyang has warned that joint military exercises by the South and the US scheduled for Sunday are pushing the region to "the brink of war".

Many of you are asking questions about the country that we can't answer, as access is so difficult. So for today's programme we're going to assemble a group of people who have visited the country, spent time there and can give us a real insight into life inside one of the most secretive nations on earth.

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In the UK, the students are marching through cities and sitting in their libraries over plans to raise the tuition fees from their current level of £3,000 to an "upper limit" of £9,000.

In Italy, economics is again at the root of the problem. There, students and academics are outraged over cuts of around 9bn euros (£8bn, $12bn) and the proposed loss of 130,000 jobs in the education system.

"We'll besiege every palace and we will not give the government a break until it resigns," said one of the leaders of the protests yesterday. "Their reform will not pass."

But why shouldn't they? These countries (students were at the heart of recent protests in France too - there focused on the raising of the pension age) are not dictatorships; the cuts are the actions of a democratically-elected governments.

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To which many people have, as Matthew Syed in puts it (paywall), wondered, 'how can these chaps have worked as referees for so long without realising that getting it in the neck is part of the job description?'

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This topic was discussed on World Have Your Say on 25 November 2010. Listen to the programme.

On Wednesday President Obama announced that a joint between the US and South Korea will take place during the next week.

A South Korean foreign military spokesman said

Over telephone talks with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, we agreed that through the drill, we will be able to ...send a clear message to the North in relation to the recent situation.

But will this send a strong message to Pyongyang or will it add fuel to an already tense situation? North Korea has already threatened a military response to any further incidents on what it calls the 'illegal' maritime border.

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This topic was discussed on World Have Your Say on 24 November 2010. Listen to the programme.

It’s late in New Zealand but I’ve been trying to get through to people in Greymouth, the tiny town that’s just heard the tragic news that all 29 miners are believed to have been killed in a second explosion.

These types of calls are the hardest to make on WHYS. The first lady I spoke to was so upset she could barely get her words out. I apologised for the call, passed on my deepest condolences and asked if she was willing to speak to me. She thanked me and I kept my call brief. Having lost some loved ones recently I could feel her pain. It’s times like these when a story can really hit home.

All week we’ve spoken to the Mayor of Grey district in New Zealand. He’s spoken about how the community has been comforted by knowing there are so many people wishing them well. We’ll try and get through to him again today. I’m sure many of you have messages for him and the people in the town.

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It's a accordingly to Professor Zhu Feng from Peking University, whilst Dr. Park Young believesÌýthis isÌýNorth Korea flexing its muscles.

"Although I can't be certain of the rationale behind North Korea's attacks yet, I see it as North Korea's intention to turn this region into a conflict zone so that it can bring the concerned parties to the discussion table....By showing that it has nuclear capacity and by firing artillery shells today, I think it is trying to make a point that it is militarily capable and thus should not be lightly regarded. Ultimately, I think it is strategically seeking to tilt talks concerning the contested Northern Limit Line and the peace treaty toward its advantage."

Is this attention seeking behaviour that should be ignored, or are South Koreans right to be concerned?

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This topic was discussed on World Have Your Say on 22 November 2010. Listen to the programme.

UPDATE 23/11/10:ÌýÌýThe Vatican has clarified the Pope's comments about the use of condoms being justifiable in certain circumstances. It said they refer to sexual activity involving men or women. The Pope had said, in a book released today, that condom use to prevent the spread of AIDS could be seen as an act of moral responsibility -- and he gave male prostitution as an example. A Vatican spokesman (Federico Lombardi) asked Pope Benedict whether he meant his remarks to apply only to men, and the Pope said it didn't matter -- the important thing was to take the other person's life into consideration

In a new book out this week the Pope talks about :

There may be a basis in the case of some individuals, as perhaps when a male prostitute uses a condom, where this can be a first step in the direction of a moralisation

When asked if the Church is not, in principle, opposed to the use of condoms he says:

She of course does not regard it as a real or moral solution, but, in this or that case, there can be nonetheless, in the intention of reducing the risk of infection, a first step in a movement toward a different way, a more human way, of living sexuality.

This has sparked a debate about whether this means the Church is relaxing its ban on contraception. And whether that is a a good idea or not, especially in the fight against HIV.

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Here's part one of the TV show from Dublin:

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This topic was discussed on World Have Your Say on 19 November 2010. Listen to the programme.

Ros and the team are in Dublin today for a couple of special shows on Ireland's financial woes.

We'll be on TV on ´óÏó´«Ã½ World News at 1530GMT, as well as the radio show at the usual time.

Chloe and myself are currently on the look out for people from outside Ireland to talk to our guests in Dublin.

So do send us your comments on Ireland's financial grief and the broader implications beyond its shores.

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We're just a few days away from finding out who will host the 2018 and 2022 Fifa World Cup, and a forthcoming ´óÏó´«Ã½ documentary has upset the head of England's 2018 bid. Andy Anson says the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s plan to broadcast a Panorama documentary into allegations of Fifa corruption is

I'm incredibly disappointed with the timing of what the ´óÏó´«Ã½ seem to be proposing with Panorama. To do it the week before the vote - I don't think think it's patriotic.

Fifa has conducted its own , and has banned executive committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii from voting in the 2018 and 2022 ballot.

The Panorama documentary, which will air on 29 November, is expected to investigate reports of entrapment of Fifa officials and bribery allegations over voting. The ´óÏó´«Ã½ says the programme So is this unpatriotic?

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Ireland's troubles have made big news all week, and today officials from Europe and the International Monetary Fund are in Dublin for . Many are framing Ireland's financial woes as a matter of life and death. As Ireland's sputtering economy took centre stage, Herman von Rompuy warned that the European Union was in a over eurozone debt problems. With all this talk of zombie banks and contagion, Ireland's sovereign debt crisis is sounding more and more like a horror film. But why is there so much panic about a small island's money problems?

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The numbers (of infected) will explode."

That's Elizabeth Byrs from the United Nations talking about the cholera outbreak in Haiti, which has killed over 1000 and there are more than 16,700 are infected.

The UN is calling for calm following riots in several towns in Haiti. One person died in the riots, protesters are blaming UN peacekeepers for the cholera outbreak, more about that here.

UN also says aid flights had been cancelled, water purification and training projects curtailed, while food had been looted or burnt at a warehouse. And then there is the issue of aid. The UN is now asking for a as according to Edmond Mulet ofÌý the UN, only 18.9 percent of the aid promised by several countries was actually delivered.

You may have given money, if you did, how do you feel about that now? Would you give again? Do you have a question for our Haitian guests or the UN?

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These are the the two faces smiling up at us from news sources around the world. The engagement of Prince William and Kate Middleton isÌýstill the biggest global talking point. Most of you seem very positive about this, but of course not all of you. On twitter kit_les says

I love how austerity britain goes out the window in a flash for kate and wills. Because a royal wedding is just what we need

and thelevett tweets

It is great news, just what we need too, a huge royal wedding to cheer us all up. Fed up with the news looking for the down side!

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Meanwhile the Eurozone - the group of countries that have the single European currency - is facing a "survival crisis." One Dublin headline puts it starkly: "48 hours to save the Euro."

Elsewhere, Japan's lower house of parliament has passed a bill injecting a $62bn stimulus into the country's economy.

In France there were days of continual strikes as the government - successfully - raised the retirement age to 62. In the UK, a raft of cuts has been announced with 490,000 public sector jobs to close.

Clearly, the global financial crisis is biting. The phrased being used by the government in the UK is "we're all in this together." Does that apply around the world?

I remember three years ago as the credit crunch first began to hit the banks and financial institutions, and the efforts of experts like the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s Robert Peston to explain how what was happening on Wall Street or the City would ultimately have a direct impact on us all.

And now it is.

So how have you been affected by the recession? What personal impact - if any - has the global financial crisis had on your job, your family and your life?

With at least six of the men alleging that UK forces were complicit in their torture before they arrived at the detention camp in Cuba, it appears the British government paid out rather than risk MI5 and MI6 being .

But the decision is highly controversial - and has implications not just for the UK, but globally. And interestingly, this is a decision that has been attacked from both the left and the right.

There are many critical of that the men are to receive money when there were, it is suggested, extremely good reasons for detaining them.

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The news has obviously come as a huge relief to them and their families. But, as Nuala pointed out yesterday, unconfirmed reports suggest a ransom was paid - and that has been the cause of much debate.

The family's statement acknowledges outright that disclosing anything about the release process, for fear that it would "encourage others to capture private individuals and demand large ransom payments."

And indeed, in this case, the pirates initially demanded some $7m. The ´óÏó´«Ã½'s security correspondent Frank Gardner says the sum paid for their eventual release had been "the best part of $1m" (£620,000), although there has been no official confirmation of this.

The point is, though, should a ransom ever be paid?

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Our special television show on the release of Burmese pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. Part 1 is here:

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The Chandlers have been released by Somali pirates after a year of captivity.

Here's what UK Prime Minister David Cameron had to say

Paul and Rachel Chandler's release is tremendous news. Their long captivity is over at last. I unreservedly condemn the actions of those that held the Chandlers for so long. Kidnapping is never justified.

Not all of you agree, in past programmes some of you have called the Somali pirates 'heroes', young men trying to make a living in a failed state. How would you describe the kidnappers and the Chandlers' release?

Also with kidnappings comes the issue of ransoms. Unconfirmed reports suggest a ransom was paid.

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We're updating all the time /

We're doing two shows todayÌýÌýfollowing Aung San Suu Kyi's release. We'll be on the radio at 1300GMT and on ´óÏó´«Ã½ World TV at 1630GMT.

The Nobel Peace Prize winner gave aÌýnews conferenceÌýearlier today.

The world's top politicians and diplomats have had their say after the extraordinary scenes in Burma.

Now it's your turn.

What's your reaction to Ms. Suu Kyi's release? Post below.

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, the head of Britain's armed forces warned that the West can never defeat al Qaeda only contain them. He went on to say defeating Islamist militancy is "unnecessary and would never be achieved."
So what do you think? Helpful, honest comments or an admission that will only embolden Al Qaeda? Click here to read more and watch parts of the interview here.

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Ìý"The Pedophile's Guide to Love and Pleasure: a Child-lover's Code of Conduct" was available through Amazon but has just been removed from sale following a controversy which saw some consumers threatening to boycott the site.

Ìýof what people are saying, from those who support free speech and who believe the book is harmless, to others who are concernedÌýabout the example Amazon is setting.

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is 45 and mother of five. She's a Pakistani Christian and she's facing a death sentence for blasphemy.

is 26; the son a Muslim scholar. He's a Palestinian blogger and he's facing a life sentence for atheistic rants and creating Facebook groups where he spoofed the Koran. Many of his neighbours inÌýQalqiliya say he "should be burned to death".

At the UN, blasphemy is also being discussed. Countries with large Islamic populations have once again called for the condemnation of what they call ".

And so all of thisÌýgot us questioning whetherÌýblasphemy laws should existÌýthese days?ÌýAnd are thereÌýcountries whereÌýthey might be more appropriate?Ìý

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The man behind the gold shades and camouflage jacket is the self styled General Boyloaf, his real name is Ebikabowei Victor Ben. In the past he’s commanded thousands of young militants who demanded the people of the Niger Delta receive more benefits from the oil production in the Nigerian region. Today he’ll take your calls.

The commander has renounced the use of violence in but he remains a senior MEND figure (MEND stands for Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta.) The organisation remains split into factions with the use of violence being the key divisive issue.

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Ros: We're asking this question as there appear to a number of different groups of people who would answer this question with 'yes'.

1) Muslims who want Christians gone. 2) Muslims who regret the attacks, but think that for Christians to leave is the easiest way to difuse the tension. And 3) Christians who feel it is no longer safe for them to stay in the Muslim country where they live.

Do you agree with any of those points of view? Or should everything be done to ensure that Christians can continue toÌýlive safelyÌýin the Muslim world?

Ben's original post:

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President Bush's memoir goes on sale today. A found that only two per cent more people thought President Obama was a better president than his predecessor. At souvenir shops in Washington T-shirts are now for sale with Mr Bush's image and the question: "Miss Me Yet?"

Well, do you? How do you judge President Bush now? Have you changed your opinion in any way since he left office?

Here's what President Bush said about his legacy in with Matt Lauer:

I hope I'm judged a success. But I'm gonna be dead, Matt, when they finally figure it out.

Andrew Roberts to Bush's legacy:

The first is that history, by looking at the key facts rather than being distracted by the loud ambient noise of the 24-hour news cycle, will probably hand down a far more positive judgment on Mr Bush's presidency than the immediate, knee-jerk loathing of the American and European elites

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George Bush has kick started his by talking about torture. So in the words of the former president himself,

Amongst his many assertions in his new book Decision Points, Mr. Bush stands by the use of waterboarding as a interrogation technique saying in both the

He comes armed with his proof that detainees can become assets through the use of torture. Sep 11 plotter Khalid Sheik Mohammed is where after 'enduring the CIA's harshest interrogation methods and spending more than a year in the agency's secret prisons, (he) stood before U.S. intelligence officers in a makeshift lecture hall, leading what they called "terrorist tutorials." '

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This topics was discussed on World Have Your Say on Monday 8 November 2010. Listen to the programme.

We talked over a number of issues that are clearly being raised by President Obama's visit to India. At first we looked to choose one over the other, but in the end we decided we should touch on them all. So here they are...

1. Where does the balance of power lie between these two countries?

2. Do relations warrant being called a 'defining' relationship for this century?

3. Should President Obama offer more criticism of Pakistan? And should India refuse such an extensive trade relationship with the US, while American support for Pakistan continues?

4. What, if anything, does the out-sourcing of jobs tells us about the relative strengths of the two countries' economies and their leaders?

5. Is President Obama right to support India becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council?

That should keep us going for the hour

KRUPA'S ORIGINAL POST

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There was no World Have Your Say today for which i'm sorry.

what the NUJ says and here's what the ´óÏó´«Ã½ DG Mark Thompson says.

There are further strikes scheduled for the 15th and 16th of November.

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She's ten and she's a mum. An unidentified Romanian girl has given birth in Spain, it's understood that the dad is 13. Despite from many parts of the world, her own mother says she's happy about the birth, which she described as "something common in my country".

The girl apparently arrived in the country already pregnant and now authorities in Andalusia are deciding whether to take the child into care. A UN report says 10% of girls in low- and middle-income countries become mothers by the age of 16.

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Over in Egypt the security forces are on following the threats from Al-Qaida on Monday. The militants gave Coptic Church leaders 48-hours to release two women who they said were being held in Christian monasteries in Egypt after they had converted to Islam.

So how dangerous is it to be a Christian in the Middle East?

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"Today I will start with a three-part sermon on: Jesus was HIV-positive."

'Not only is his position theologically correct, its also ethically, philosophically and morally correct. It's a profound and powerful metaphor.'

'Exciting stuff. Maybe this will help people at least talk about it. I live in East Africa, and i can see that bringing the church into the issue of AIDS has helped whole nations deal with HIV in an amazing way.'

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