More From Mexico….

It’s been a very busy couple of days in Mexico City. There’s two vital things you have to get right on a WHYS show, firstly the audience and secondly the technicals. Without them you don’t have much of a show. In the past 48 hours myself and Alicia have been trying to sort out everything.

Yesterday we invited many of the guests we’re speaking to on Monday down to a bar, not only was it great to meet them but it’s important to get a feel for what they want to discuss. I think it’s fair to say most of them are angry at the country’s corruption, they feel America has a role to play in this surge in violence but mostly they’re disappointed the Mexican government has allowed the country get to this point.

On air: Are fat people irresponsible citizens?

Is it time that we see being obese as not just a personal choice, but one that negatively affects us all? Why do we ask?

World Have Your Say in Kokomo, Indiana

Hi we’re on the road again back in the USA this time we’ve picked Kokomo, a small factory town in Indiana to mark the 100th day of the Obama presidency on Wednesday the 29th. We’ll be looking at different policies of the Obama administration and how they worked for the people of Kokomo.

Talking Points: 24 April

We’re thinking about discussing the impact of overweight people on the planet this evening.  See our post from earlier in the week: are fat people are killing the planet? And this morning the low cost airline Ryanair announced their plans to introduce an obesity charge for passengers flying from the UK.  Several airlines in the US have already made the move. Is a “fat tax” fair?

WHYS touches down in Mexico

Monday's venue

As Mark mentioned earlier WHYS will be coming live from Mexico on Monday. It’s the shows first broadcast from Latin America & myself and Alicia have arrived early to make some final preparations. In the build up to the trip the BBC safety team was keen to warn me of any potential dangers, they talk of high crime rates and express kidnappings but I have to confess I’ve seen very little to be worried about.

On Air Today: The end of civil war in Sri Lanka?

After decades of violence, could this finally be the bitter end  of the civil war in Sri Lanka?

The Tamil Tigers are facing defeat by the Sri Lankan Army. The United Nations has called on them to surrender and Hillary Clinton says “the entire world” is disappointed the Sri Lankan government isn’t protecting civilians.

According to one aid organisation hundreds of dead and wounded people have been brought out of frontline areas.
There’s been protests in London calling for an end to war and Prameshwaran Sabramaniyum, whose family were killed during recent fighting is on hungerstrike.

Ros will be joining him and the Tamil protesters outside parliament in London for WHYS today. Post your comments and questions now.

On Air today: Talking to South Africa’s next generation of voters.

South Africa is voting today and the ANC is facing the biggest challenge to its grip on power since the end of apartheid 15 years ago. But there’s little doubt it will win.

Madoff with America..

Barely a month’s passed since the disgraced US financier Bernie Madoff admitted defrauding thousands of investors. But there are already plans for a film about him. And its title — ‘Madoff: Made Off With America’ – raised a bit of a smile in our editorial meeting (on Weekend World Today) this morning 

Down Mexico Way

We’re live from Mexico City on Monday, before the team moves on to Indiana at the end of the week.

My colleagues Alicia (from the World Today ) and Ben (from Newshour) are – as i write this- in the air and on their way to the Mexican capital to prepare for the show.

On Air: Talk to the head of NATO

Hi from Brussels. We arrived at the BBC’s bureau yesterday after a quick visit to NATO. The only clue that this is home to the world’s most powerful military alliance was the national flags adding a touch of colour. Further evidence will come in the form of NATO’s secretary general Jaap de Hoop Scheffer who’ll be hosting us from the NATO radio studio for the whole hour today.

He’ll answer your questions on any subject, but we only have an hour, so do get them in as early as you can.