It was four years ago today…

….that WHYS first went on air.

Excuse the self-indulgence but it would be remiss of me not to mention this landmark.

To the right, that original team (pictured in DC after our first week on the road) of Kevin, David, Rabsy, Fiona, Peter and Ros (Anu had already gone home).

Still the best day’s work i’ve ever done getting that lot together.

Are the French patriotic enough ?

President Nickolas Sarkozy thinks they can do better (writes Golda on Newshour) and has called for a nationwide debate on French identity.

Over the next few months the government wants to hear people’s views on what it means to be French in the 21st century.

Newshour’s on Facebook…

It’s been up and running for just a week, but we’re really excited with the response so far, well over 500 members and growing fast. (wites Dan Isaacs, on the bike).

On air: Do you want Tony Blair back in a major political role?

One of the quirks of WHYS is that your interest in a story, and particular elements of it, is often out of synch with the mainstream media and politicians.

And today is a case in point.

Do we need an artificial sense of danger?

The possibility of death and a sense of danger is what makes the Duke of Edinburgh award so appealing to young people. This is what Prince Edward said to an Australian newspaper as he was promoting the scheme.

On air: Is gender equality an impossible dream?

Elina in Finland emailed me this morning suggesting that we discuss the latest World Economic Forum report on gender equality. She writes: ‘I live in one of the most successful countries in the survey, but I think this might capture people’s minds also in other parts of the world’. You’re not wrong Elina, the story’s being carried on news sites and blogs in most countries.

(If you’re wondering about this picture, it’s of a gender equality campaigner in Afghanistan – more here.)

The right thing to do?

This story got a huge reaction from listeners to the BBC’s Newshour. President Obama flew to Delaware to pay his respects to 18 Americans killed in Afghanistan. This month has been the dealiest in Afghanistan since US forces began operations in 2001. It’s the first time he’s done this, and President Bush visited the families of dead troops but never received the bodies at the base. Was he right to do this? Or does he risk being accused of making political gain, and of undermining national support for the operation?

Seen this?

1.5 million people have. It’s Lord Christopher Monckton arguing that the Copenhagen treaty on climate change will see countries, including the US, cede national soveignty. I’ll let him explain himself, but one question springs to mind whether he’s right about his claim or not. He’s strongly opposed, but if a shift in power is needed to stop climate change, is it necessarily a bad thing?

Is social networking the best or worst chance at bringing the world together?

You know the drill, check your e-mails, send a tweet, update your facebook status, write your blog and log onto all the other social networking sites that you use.  It’s all about staying in touch and feeling connected.

But, as Facebook launchest its new hub called Peace on Facebook, that hopes to provide a space for dialogue and conflict resolution, and, ultimately, end all human conflict, it is time to ask is all this social netwoking really helping to bring the world together?

On air: Should the Taliban be paid to quit?

When Barack Obama signs a new defence bill, the US military in Afghanistan will be allowed to pay Taliban fighters who renounce violence. It’s a tactic that’s been used in Iraq, and some would like to see it introduced in Pakistan. It raises several interesting questions…