On air: Why is the world full of climate change deniers?

We’ve discussed the issue of climate change on many occasions on WHYS and as each month goes by more experts, more reports come out saying that we are approaching a “tipping point” beyond which we will struggle to reverse the effects on the planet. That’s exactly the message coming from scientists at a climate congress in Copenhagen this week.

Yet as the evidence continues to mount – why as individuals and countries are we failing to take significant action?

On air: Is this justice for the shoe thrower?

Back in December he took out his anger on President Bush by throwing his shoe at him during a trip to Iraq. A grave insult in Arab culture. Today that same journalist, Muntadar al-Zaidi, has been jailed for three years for assaulting a Head of State, despite being hailed a hero in the Arab world.

On air: Should there be a global drug policy now we’ve lost the war?

We are losing the war on drugs in almost every country according to a European Commission report out yesterday. There’s a major international conference in Vienna today to decide how the UN should to tackle the international drugs trade and according to the report the UN’s drug strategy has been a definite failure so far. So why is it so difficult to tackle the international drugs trade?

On air: Staring into the abyss?

Hello I’m Stephen Nolan. Today I’ve been asked to present World Have Your Say from my home town of Belfast. On my phone-in radio programme that went out on BBC Ulster today, I listened to Angela the wife of a police officer who told me how her son clung to her husband terrified he would be shot, begging him not to go to work. She echoed the fear and shock for many in our province that dissident factions have murdered two soldiers and one police officer in the last few days.

On air.. Africa and the economic crisis: Your stories

Meet Alfonse. WHYS will be coming to you live from his little bar this evening. 

His place doesn’t have a name, and it doesn’t need a name -it’s the only hang out on the coast of Dar-es-salaam. It’s located on the famous Oyster Bay where families lay out picnics by the side of their cars every sunday and young men lounge on the bonnets of their cars to woo the ladies.

Alfonse tells me that people save for weeks to be able visit his bar once a month. It never used to be this way and he’ll be joining us on the programme this evening to tell us more.

On air: Could women have saved us from the financial crisis?

The vast majority of high ranking politicians and bankers are men, so is testosterone the real culprit here? These issues came up during Friday’s programme with Prof Mohammad Yunus. Over ninety per cent of the borrowers at his Grameen Bank are women. And they payback the money at a rate no main stream bank can match.

On air: Has Guantanamo proved its worth?

It was born out of the events of September 11th 2001, the day that many people said changed the world forever. It’s without question a place that has caused huge controversy with men being held for years on end, with no trial, and many claiming to have been subjected to horrific torture both at the camp and in other countries around the world as part of extraordinary rendition.

On air: Is Sharia law a price worth paying for peace?

No peace, no Sharia. For many people outside Pakistan the idea of implementing Sharia law to bring peace to a once thriving tourist region was a controversial olive branch. But to others living in the Swat region it’s a welcome relief. As I write this the Pakistani President Asif Zardari has announced he will only sign such a deal, once peace there is fully restored.

Read more here from our talking points post. We’re planning on looking at this issue on Wednesday’s programme.

On air: Is hitting your partner ever understandable?

Below are three of the reasons for us taking on this debate. And here are seven reasons that we’re hearing why sometimes hitting your partner is understandable. Do you agree with any of them?

On air: The right to die?

Eluana Englaro died on Monday. She’d spent the last 17 years in a coma after a car crash. She passed away three days after doctors removed her feeding tubes.

Silvio Berlusconi says she was “killed”, Italian bishops agree with him.

Her father Beppino had campaigned to let his daughter die peacefully.