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.

On air: Is Islamic extremism Africa’s newest fear?

150 people were killed in Northern Nigeria after two days of violence. Residents in the state of Borno said that Islamic militants burnt a police station, a church and a customs office early yesterday.

The group, which calls itself Taliban, emerged in Nigeria in 2004. It has never been clear if it has proper links to the Taliban in Afghanistan but its leaders profess allegiance to and admiration of Osama bin Laden.

ON AIR: Should you be forced to vote?

The team is on it’s way to Dublin for tonight’s programme… 

TN2020 participant Gabriella Kessler from New York suggested we talk about compulsory voting today.

On air: Why are we rewarding leaders who lose elections?

In Kenya following disputed elections in December last year President Mwai Kibaki was declared the winner. Observers said it was deeply flawed and the opposition Orange Democratic Movement claimed the election was rigged. More than 600,000 people were displaced and 1,500 were killed in ethnic violence. A power sharing deal was finally signed placing the opposition leader Raila Odinga as Prime Minister and Mwai Kibaki as President

Just a few months on Zimbabwe seems to be repeating the pattern. Today Robert Mugabe and Morgan Tsvangirai signed a power sharing deal...

Is it ever acceptable to pay a bribe?

No issue sits at the front of Kenyan’s minds more than corruption, and in this case their involvement in it.

Talking points for 18 April

Good morning, let’s start today with a comment from Insistent Verite on the World Today’s post about talking to terrorists, which comes from former US President Jimmy Carter’s talks with Hamas in Egypt, which he has had to defend. Insistent suggest we ask “What is a terrorist?” Alternatively we could keep it simple and find out if you think he’s right to talk to Hamas.

Can power sharing work in Kenya?

We’ve just heard the news that the international mediator Kofi Annan has said that a deal has been reached on power-sharing in Kenya. Mr Annan was speaking after talks between President Mwai Kibaki and the opposition leader Raila Odinga to end the crisis over the disputed presidential elections.

How to get rid of a despot?

Hello again, Ben here with some early thoughts. Chad, Kenya, China, Zimbabwe. Four very different countries. But each with an active anti-leadership movement, trying to influence or oust their respective governments in different ways.

Where is Kenya’s moral leadership?

On Tuesday’s programme we heard from Abda, a Kenyan listening on WCPN in Cleveland. She asked why religious leaders were not condemning the violence. We’ve invited her onto the programme today – here’s what she wrote to us:

Time to talk about Afghanistan?

Good morning, I hope you’re all well. I’m at TVC but I’m sure there’ll be a cheery air in the WHYS office today as Mark will have enjoyed this last night. But we’re about today and what you’re talking about.

How about Afghanistan? Three reports have painted a grim picture of the situation in the country, warning of a humanitarian catastrophe and collapsing state institutions. An independent study in the United States warns that Afghanistan could revert to a “failed state”.

And Steve has written asking us to discuss the Afghanistan Blashpemy death sentence.