Why do some men think it’s acceptable to hit women?

6 years ago, a survey  in Kenya showed  a third of women between the ages of 15-49 had been abused either physically or sexually.

Same survey now and  things are getting worse-  the figure going up to 39 percent.

Is the Niqab un-Islamic?

Grand Sheikh Mohamed Tantawi the dean of Al-Azhar University and one of the highest Islamic authorities in Egypt and the Muslim world says so. He told a young female student to take the Niqab off when he was on a visit to one of the schools affiliated to Al Azhar (one of the most prestigious Islamic institutions)

Should a leader be above the law ?

Italy’s highest court has overturned a law granting Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution while in office.

Obviously we can’t get into Italian law, but what of the principle?

Is there a danger that if a leader can be prosecuted, the law could become political, and court cases may undermine the functioning of government?

 Or is it right that everyone, including the person at the top, should face the law?

2 more hours of blogging…

Hello it is Helen here. 

I am on a new shift tonight.   From now on, one of the World Have Your Say team will be staying an extra 2 hours after the programme finshes so that we can carry on the conversation for longer. 

See you on the blog.

On air: How many troops are needed in Afghanistan?

 UPDATE: Ros here. Just out of the meeting and we’re going to go with this. Juts a reminder that this is a discussion about what to do now. So if you opposed the war in the first place, we still want to hear your view of the war that’s happening. On another point, there’s no assumption that you want an Afghanistan without the Taliban. Idf tht’s your view, we still want to hear what you want Us and NATO commanders to do now.

MARK’S ORIGINAL POST

“it’s not about doubling down or leaving”  – Obama administration official.

Ok, now we know what President Obama’s review of the war in Afghanistan WON’T include .

He won’t be cutting the number of troops.

This blogger is frustrated at the slow pace of the review,  but our own Europe Correspondent, Mark Mardell, says :

“There appears to be a frustration that the review of strategy has, at times, been portrayed in black and white terms of a massive increase or reduction of troop numbers.”

Why is sorry the hardest word ?

Here’s a video of the boss of HSBC – Stephen Green – saying that the “real world ” (by which i assume he means the rest of us ) are owed an apology by the banking industry . 

About time ?  Or is it too late ?

Would a note of contrition help you get over the mess we’re all in ?