Can you still afford private education?

It’s James here – scholars of WHYS cameos will know I’ve occasionally sat in the presenter’s chair in the past (I’ve posted the evidence below ).

At the moment i’m working as a reporter for World Service, and I’m wondering if the WHYS community can help with a story i’m looking into. I’m asking whether financial problems are forcing parents to take their kids out of private schools and put them into the public system.

How should Muslim countries deal with Islamic extremism?

DVDs on sale at a Jakarta bookstore

How to tackle Islamic extremism – a topic that many of you have debated here before. But this week Newshour is taking a close-up look at how two Muslim countries, Pakistan and Indonesia, are approaching the problem.

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.

South African township reporters

Next week on the World Service, Your Story will be presenting citizen reporters telling the story of the South African elections and the issues that matter to them. Asanda Booi was brought up to believe in the ANC, but has concerns about the leader, and doesn’t know who to vote for. Thamsanqa ‘Lucky’ Gadi Siko says his passion is to help his community, and has started up an organisation to do what he says the politicians aren’t – give hope to the youth. Lenny Mkhize lives in a wooden shack on the Joe Slovo informal settlement. The government built him a house, but it was so badly done he still hasn’t moved in. Read their stories on the Your Story blog.

South Africa votes, you report

April 22nd is election day in South Africa – and we want you to report for us. We’ll be the New Brighton township of Port Elizabeth, so if you’re there, we want to hear from you.

On air: Should you be forced to speak the local language?

A man in Britain is refusing to serve customers at his post office unless they speak English.

Deva Kumarasiri, 40, who moved to England from Sri Lanka 18 years ago, says he’s standing up for the English language because otherwise the social fabric of the country will unravel.

It fair to discriminate against people who don’t speak the local language?

On air: Do we need sex to feel normal?

Otto Baxter is like most 21 year old guys – he wants to find a girlfriend and have sex. Unlike most other 21 year olds, he has Down’s syndrome. His mum Lucy says she’s “working overtime to get this sorted for him.” She’s appealing for women to come forward, and says she’d be happy if Otto wanted to visit a prostitute.

Lucy says “I can’t see that one can be a rounded individual in our society if you don’t participate in everything that we participate in,” and that includes sex. Should Lucy Baxter be placing such a big emphasis on finding sex for her son? Do we need sex to make us feel normal?

On air: Baby blessing?

I’m sure most of you will have read the amazing story of the American woman who gave birth to octuplets. She’s only the second woman in the US who’s known to have given birth to eight living babies – six boys and two girls, who’re all said to be doing well.

Many of you may have had the same reaction as me and the rest of the WHYS team: sheer amazement at the number of the babies … and wondering what it would be like for the mother (and the father and babies as they grow up).

WHYS TV: Watch the show

This is part one, here’s part two, part three and part four.

WHYS TV: Behind the scenes

Just before the WHYS special on BBC World TV, Ros, Chloe and James explain how the “magic” happens. (Apologies for the slightly less magic filming which has left them a little red-ish – they’re not really that colour).

You can watch the show here.