Should oil rich countries be compensated for reducing carbon emissions?

Saudi Arabia, along with other petrol producers, could be badly affected by emissions targets.

So, the oil producing country has an idea.

Saudi Arabia wants other oil producers to join it in asking for compensation  from wealthy countries that reduce energy consumption to combat global warming.

So, the rest of the world cuts back on dangerous emissions, and pays the oil-rich countries for the privilege !

On air: What’s wrong with nepotism?

He’s 23, still at university and he’s about to given a fantastic new job as head of France’s top business district. Oh, and he’s the son of the French President.

The attacks on Jean Sarkozy’ imminent appointment as chair of the agency which manages La Defense have been so venonmous, President Nicholas Sarkozy has today come to his sons defence, saying he’s been “thrown to the wolves.”

Have we lost all perspective on smoking?

Smoking indoors is banned in England, Scotland, Greece, Holland, Spain and now Syria to name but a few countries where you can’t light up in an enclosed area. This of course is to protect non-smokers from second-hand smoke.

Should young children be banned from watching TV ?

That’s what a research by the Royal Melbourne Children’s Hospital suggests . The study recommends that children under the age of two should be banned from watching TV or using other electronic media, including computers and DVDs.

“Maybe we can buy our way to victory in Afghanistan”

These are the words of Lieutenant-General Sir Graeme Lamb,the British general charged with pulling fighters away from their extremist leaders. He says Afghan insurgents should be offered amnesty and should be removed from the coalition’s “wanted” list if they lay down their arms. Do you agree with his suggestion?

The Hip Hop effect

I’m so tempted to write a long post about this as I’m such a fan and it’s a perfect excuse to reminisce over my Hip Hop DJ’ing days but I won’t. I’ll keep it nice and short. Hip Hop turned thirty, with three decades since the release of the of the Sugar Hill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight.

Since then Hip Hop has grown from an underground artistic movement in the Bronx in New York in the 1970′s, to a mainstream industry that crossed over not only to millions of Americans but to people arround the globe. But has it all been good?

Have you given up on Pakistan ?

Pakistani militancy may be spreading throughout the country- not just the border region – according to this article. This is what’s happened there in the last week :

*12 October: 41 killed in bombing in Alpurai*10-11 October: 19 killed in raid on army HQ, Rawalpindi * 9 October: 49 killed in bombing in Peshawar* 5 October: Five killed in suicide blast in UN’s Islamabad office.

Talk to the WHYS team online

UPDATE: Ok, we’re done. It wasn’t quite like throwing a party and no-one came, but not far off. Maybe we need to do it later, so that those of you in the States can take part. Maybe off the back of a show could be a good move. Is it worth doing it again? I think so as I like the idea of working on us having more real time conversations. Thanks to those of you who took part.

Here’s how it went…

Talking about talking – today at 1330GMT here

UPDATE: We’ve shifted the time forward by 90 mins so Mark can make this. So it’s 1330GMT now.

We’re going to try something new today, and run a post for 20 minutes or so where some of the WHYS team will be online to talk with you about any part of how we facilitate conversations between all of you. And those of us not taking part with comments will be moderating all the time to make sure the conversation is as immediate as it can be.

Is this a good idea ?

South Africa is thinking of legalising prostitution during next year’s World Cup to limit HIV infection among visiting fans.

It poses just a few questions : does short-term legalisation work ?

If it does, why not do it for South Africans, and not just foreigners ? 

and why not spend the money on AIDS awareness instead ?