1. Is your news ticker flicking above your screen as you read this?
2. Are you not paid to, but still know the headlines?
3. Is one newspaper never enough?

Is you answered yes to these, then World Have Your Say needs you.

We're looking for four volunteers, living in four different countries, to take a 48-hour news blackout.

Have you just inhaled quickly with shock? Has the thought of it made your blood run cold?

Ok. You're definitely who I'm looking for.

Then we'll be hearing from people whose everyday lives are like the experiment we've just done.

If you think you could take up the news blackout challenge for 48 hours on the 17th and 18th of December and spare 30 minutes on the 19th to come and tell us about it live on the World Service, or want more information on it, please email me at fiona.crack@bbc.co.uk.

Do you know a news junkie? Is it time to tell them they are? Please pass it on…..

This leads us onto our other main discussion today:

CAN WE LEGISLATE AGAINST OUR YOUNG PEOPLE BEING RADICALISED ?

I'm not sure what that word actually means these days -- "radicalised". Could it be that we apply it to something that we don’t understand, just because it's the closest fit, but not necessarily the best fit ?

Anyway, we hear a great deal these days about how our young people are becoming radicalised -- how does that work ? Yes, they're perhaps unemployed. OK, they're perhaps ignored by their parents, or they don't have any friends. But there are a lot of young people who fall into that category at one time or another in their lives. Haven't we all fallen into that category -- at some time ? But surely there's a massive gulf between feeling rejected, being unloved, not having a support network, and killing people -- all in the name of some greater good, or in the name of a Greater God.

And yet the calls for more control, more investigation, more something, to stop this radicalisation continue. The British government is going to go further it says, the European Union wants to outlaw websites that spew out terrorist propoganda which might lead to recruitment, and just last week the Saudi King said the London government wasn't doing enough in the war on terror. Ouch - that one was side-stepped by the British government.

But what's the core issue here ? And how do we define the something I've mentioned above. It's too easy to lapse into cliches here, but how do we stop young men and women adopting a belief that leads them to kill. What's the silver bullet that would make us feel safer, and would guarantee a better life for these young people. They cant exactly be described as happy or content if they go down this particular path of hate, violence and death.

HOW MUCH SUPPORT IS THERE FOR AN UPRISING IN PAKISTAN ?

The former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has issued what looks like an ultimatum to President Pervez Musharraf to end emergency rule. She repeated plans for a rally on Friday, despite an official ban, and called for a "long march" next week unless General Musharraf changes course. This is something that we've touched on, on the show during this week: the idea that the crisis in Pakistan would enter new territory if there are calls for street protests, and if there's enough popular support. The authorities have warned that police will not allow Friday's demonstration in Rawalpindi, the country's main garrison town, to go ahead. The city's mayor, Javed Akhlas, said: "We will ensure that they don't violate the ban on rallies, and if they do it, the government will take action according to the law."

FORGIVE US, WE GOT IT WRONG

Also today, Uganda. A representative for the Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army rebels has asked war victims in the north of the country to forgive them. "The LRA made plenty of mistakes and I ask for forgiveness for what happened to our people," visiting LRA spokesman Martin Ojul told a local radio station. The archbishop of Gulu, the northern town where the LRA delegation is holding talks, told the BBC forgiveness is key to solving the two-decade war. An estimated 1.5m people still remain in displacement camps in the north and thousands were killed during the fighting. The LRA built a reputation for mutilating their victims and kidnapping thousands of children to serve as fighters, porters and sex slaves.

So, is that it ? Is it that simple ? Commit these kind of acts for years, and then turn round and say "forgive us" ? How does that work ? Is forgiveness part of healing ? Does it last longer than revenge ?

Now here is a thought to float your way..

Have you ever heard the Spanish National Anthem? You may have noticed that it doesn't have any words...?

That got me thinking would you like to change the lyrics of your national anthem?

Why not send us the first verses of a new anthem for your country...

BURMA

I've only been on the programme a few days now and it seems that in every programme meeting we keep saying that we should go back to look at what is happening in Burma.

FERTILITY
A mother has given birth to twins using a revolutionary new fertility treatment for the first time in the UK.

The fertility technique, called in vitro maturation (IVM), could be a good alternative to conventional IVF for some high-risk women, say experts. Have you are are you going through IVF? Is this a new option you would consider?

KYOTO

Most discussions about climate change tend to be built on the premise that the Kyoto Protocol is a Good thing. Well two distinguished academics have written a piece in the Journal Nature questioning whether that's really true. Are they right?

OLYMPICS

Air pollution in Beijing will not significantly improve before next year's Olympic Games, according to a United Nations report. Now haven't we always known that the air quality was poor. Are these olmpics the biggest mistake in olympic history? I'm interested in what you think?

DORIS LESSING

Now I'm sure some of you may have read Doris Lessing's comment that '911 wasn't that terrible' and the the IRA campaign was worse. Well I'm trying to get hold of Ms Lessing and invite her onto the programme. Do let us know what you think of what she said?

Emails are coming in to the BBC website from the border area.

Since 1923 Kurds have been ignored and not given any status in Turkey. They have not been recognised as being proper citizens of the land of Turkey. So whose country are they citizens of? Where is their country? Where is their home? This problem has been ignored and Kurds have had enough. Turkey needs to be pressured by the EEC to solve this problem otherwise more lives will be lost. I do not condone murder/terrorism but at some point they must see they need to give Kurds their rights.

Why don't Kurdish people have right to establish their free state or to live free on their own land they have been living on for thousands of years? Is it an act of terrorism to ask for your rights?

A fatter world?

A quarter of the world's population is obese. One in three women and two of every five men are overweight. International Obesity Task Force estimates that 300 million people worldwide are obese and 750 million more are overweight.

In the United States, some 60 percent of adults are overweight or obese, in Egypt more than 25 percent of 4-year-olds are fat, and in Zambia and Morocco, between 15 and 20 percent of 4-year-olds are obese...

It's a growing problem. Governments are launching initiatives and health campaigns the world over, but what do you think will tackle the problem? What initiatives are being tried in your country and has anything actually worked?

The noose

There's been a flurry of sightings of nooses recently, one was left in a black Coast Guard cadet's bag, at a Long Island police station locker room, on a Maryland college campus, and, most covered in the media, on the office door of a black professor at Columbia University in New York.

Albany, NY, is worried. Their state legislature is this week discussing moving towards making it a felony to display the noose - a symbol of lynchings in the Old South - in a threatening manner. Senator Skelos says that the recent "rash of incidents clearly demonstrates the need for tough new penalties."

But a Ann Coulter disagrees in her opinion piece and says "Liberals are so invigorated by the story about a noose being found on an obscure Columbia University professor's door that now nooses are popping up all over New York City. Liberals love to make believe the Night Riders are constantly at their doors."

What do you think? Should states consider banning depictions of the noose? Is it comparable to the Nazi swastika? Can a banning of a symbol really tackle any problems?

Positive thinking

Researchers say that positive thinking does nothing to help a patient survive cancer, but lots of your comments, and personal stories, dispute that. Can positive thinking really beat cancer, or are we just putting pressure on people suffering pain to maintain a "sunny disposition" in the blackest moments of their disease?

Armed and ready to teach.

Teacher Shirley Katz wants to tell us why she wants to take a handgun to school in Oregon. You can post your questions to her here.

Poland party

Are you celebrating? The liberal Civic Platform party swept to victory in the election. Does it herald a new dawn for Poland? Are you sad to see him go? Do you want to see changes? Tell us your hopes, or fears, for your country.

And with only 6 days to go until the World Have Your Say team lands in California, does someone need to deal with the wild fires?

We talked a lot about Burma on World Have Your Say a few weeks ago, is it time to return and see how are contributors are doing there. And what they think about this new angle.

The Max Rayne school in Jerusalem opened yesterday. In a city divided by religious differences, here is a school where pupils, principals and teachers are from the Jewish and Arab communities.

Should children in segregated communities be educated together? Is education is the key to future understanding and peace. Could the mixed-race schools of Northern Ireland teach other countries how to broker understanding?

Pressure grows on the Turkey/Iraq border. The Turkish government is weighing calls for action against international pressure for restraint, after Kurdish separatist fighters killed 17 Turkish soldiers and captured several more. Leaders have previously said they will not tolerate Kurdish rebel attacks from neighbouring Iraq and will do whatever is necessary to stop them.

Are you in the vicinity? What do you want to see happen?

And it's election season. This weekend we've had Swiss and Polish votes and it's Australia' s turn next. Did you vote? We want to hear from you.

And I liked this in the Sunday papers. The violin man who busked his way round the world. He walked to his local London tube station and through his playing in the streets, funded his travel and living expenses. He says it was most difficult to get people to put their hands in the pockets in Berlin. I'd like to hear what he thought of the world's passer-by's. Do you

And Aussies have been told to cut down on beef burgers and turn instead to Kangaroo stew, all for the good of the planet. Should they eat their national symbol? Would you?

Should women only vote for women if given the chance? Are you more or less likely to vote if, like in India, you could choose an all-women party, concentrating on policies that affect women?

Are issues like equality at work, health, violence, education and child care, important enough to make you want a women to look after those policies? Or are you a man (or a women) fed-up with political girl-power?

We'll be asking President Johnson-Sirleaf, to join us, to debate this question, and to answer your questions for her on today's World Have Your Say,

Believe it or not, Rwanda has the highest number of women in parliament. Britain comes in at number 52 in the global list and despite having a leading woman presidential candidate, the US ranks a dismal 67th!! Here's the full list:

We need to hear from you, please drop us a line. And here are your comments thus far:

1. Hi WHYS!

I hope you all are fine.

Women Political Party in India:
It is true that women in indo-pak are much deprived of their rights. However, their role in politics can be seen clearly. I may quote Sonia Gandhi (most powerful woman in india) and Benazir Bhutto (expected to get power soon) for justification.

The question is, "Are the women already in politics working for women rights?"

I would say that the formation of a party on the basis of gender only is only a trick to get appreciation, otherwise, it will divide socities further.

Russia and Iran:
We all know that every country on the world's stage acts according to what benefits her. These benefits could go in different dimensions e.g. political, economical, strategical etc. And it is obvious that Russia is securing all such benefits.

Back to the future:
It is true that Benazir Bhutto has been surviving only on the vote bank her father earned years ago. I see many Bhutto's voters angry at her and even then they say that they will vote her for the sake of satisfaction of her father's soul.

Her return in a dramatic and unwanted way is not welcomed widely.

With Regards,

Muhammad Asim Munir

2. Our head of State is a female but,I do not agree that women should vote for women only. votes are not to be given to people that are not competent to do the job.ofcousre there are women that are fit for the job, but some are just there to fill the space.
we have lots of women at the moment here in Liberia that are in political offices, but are yet to show the difference.
I support women in their drive to attain political jobs, but it should be done in an honest manner.

Uzondu Esionye

3. Hi Ros, I hope you have rested enough after having a feeling of Africa again. Now to this topic today Women are great leaders, they have responsibilities in the smallest entity of our society which is a family. For Africa historcally we have had great women leaders like Queen Shaba, there is also a great unknown Sudanese Queen who fought the british and died in battle. She was a great leader. Over the issue of Rwanda its different becuase of the genocide many men were killed hence the most respresentatives today are are women in parliament. This care care be proved in Liberia where Africa has a first woman president. My own point of view there is a need for balance of powers between men and women. If a woman excile to high power and she can perform let her have that authority. However this gender issue should not be over emphasised to such an extend that men are disadvantaged. We have to leave it for the societies to choose their leader li ke the case in India. Its interstng to hear that a new party has been formed in India with 100 members. There is always a first step in life.

Anyway what is leadership if you can not bring improvement to your community whether you are man or a woman you are not worth the position.
Isaac

4. Good afternoon, Ross:

I'm Charles, we met on your last visit to Detroit. I'm sorry to bug you this way...I couldn't find a better way of suggesting a possible topic for discussion on your today's program. I believe that the above referenced article (Africans are less intelligent than Westerners) that appeared on the Independent today, is certainly worth discussing on the global arena.

Please consider this topic!
Charles Nwasor
Detroit, MI

5. Dear Anu

I believe women want themselves and their children to be treated as respectable humans by men and entire society. I am so pleased that they don't to suffer in silence. Good luck to them and they will win because their contribution is life is massive.

Thank you.
Regards
Yogesh Raja from Aylesbury

6. Hi Anu,

I just wrote a very nice post on the web site, and it was refused. Well, I'll try to remember what I said:

No, women should definitely NOT vote only for women, they should vote for the BEST candidate. This might be a women, or it could equally well be a man. Equality is just that: EQUALITY. I'm dead against that pig that started walking on two legs and pronounced that everyone was equal, but some were more equal than others.

One of the reasons why there are more men than women in politics is because traditionally men are the ones who go out to work (in politics, perhaps), while traditionally women stay at home and care for the children and elderly people. Changing this tradition would be extremely difficult. Far better to let the situation evolve, then there would be far less conflict.

Chris in Namibia.

7. Would you vote for a woman over a man, if given the choice? Are there enough competent women candidates standing for election? If not, why? And is it important to get more woman into elected office?

The answer to all three questions is an emphatic NO!

Is there anything wrong with a woman standing as a candidate, or that there are none in my area, or perhaps it is not important. Again, my answer is no.

The problem is that despite being women standing for political office, I have come to a sad realisation that no matter what gender you are - man or woman - you are a politician. That says it all. Politicians have no scruples, abandon all their moral beliefs and personal ideals once they become an element of "the party" and simply say what they feel you want to hear to keep alive their hopes of election or maintain their longevity in parliament. That fact cannot be escaped. In my experience in Australia, as I watch politics, the debates in parliament, the question time and how they respond in the media and the women, apart from a different hair do and wardrobe, are no different to their male counterparts. They act the same, and anyone trading on their gender has to be suspect because they are just another politician and they inevitably offer nothing special once elected as would, as does, any other politican, man or woman.

Once you become a politician that overrides gender, once you become a politician you all look and sound the same. Cynical yes, but realistic.
Andrew

8. Hi Anu
Husband asks , "Do you know the meaning of WIFE??
"Without Information Fighting Everytime"
Wife replies," No, It means ,
"With Idiot For Ever !!!"
This shows that everyone thinks differently.

Regards
Yogesh.

9. Dear Ms. Anu Anand & the WHYS team,

Your Q : Would you vote for a woman over a man, if given the choice?

Ans) Yes, provided she is of EQUAL or more, proven competence compared to the man. If EQUAL then she will get my vote. (Caveat: She should NOT be a proven 'gold-digger'!).

Your Q : Are there enough competent women candidates standing for election?

Ans) No. The right for women to vote is a 'recently' acquired right, even in the western world. For the Muslim world the right has barely begun, if at all.....

Your Q : If not, why?

Ans) Not enough educated women. However, an important caveat - 'there are uneducated but competent men & women'! ( I can give examples). Again, the same pattern as in the previous answer. Least number of educated women are in the Muslim world. Probably, the highest number (percentage-wise) of uneducated males are also in the Muslim world. The Muslim world is being mentioned again and again, as they are a significant part of the population in this world. About 1 billion, i.e. one-sixth.

Your Q : And is it important to get more woman into elected office?

Ans) : Absolutely-Yes! Why? They then become role models for future generations. This will ultimately & hopefully lead to, say, 95% of all women in the world being educated. This will in turn result in better children (both male & female)..... & hopefully a world less mad than now!

My paternal grandmother was educated in Lahore (now in Pakistan) till Grade eight. This was unheard of in those days. BUT this allowed her to read newspapers & debate & .... My experience is that because of her education she inculcated in her children & grandchildren character & the desire to learn &.....

Max Mahajan

10. As for drugs being legalised I am assuming that hard drugs such as marijuana, amphetamines, cocaine or heroin are the specific substances alluded to. Simple answer - no. The results are in that these substances are addictive are dangerous to health and well-being and cause far reaching social problems. Is it a personal choice? Looking at how drugs are portrayed sometimes as harmless or recreational hides a harder and darker side to them. Who is to say that anyone using such drugs would not get behind the wheel of a car and put your life in danger on the roads, because of their choice. Who is to say that parents (and I have neighbours such as these) with young children consume drugs daily while they are in their care, leave them unattended or transport them about whilst intoxicated. It is common that once tolerances occur either greater amounts or harder drugs are sought. Drugs will eventually take the upper hand in one's life as drugs are not just taken as a recreational pleasure, but from a deeper need to escape from reality. This always leads to continued and heavier use as the pressures of a modern life or the stressors one seeks to avoid can easily be sublimated so why face life when you can hide from it. And let's not forget the health implications, anything that alters brain function and perception will have long term effects that may not be immediately apparent, but are the none the less.

In a previous career I have seen the result of what drivers under the influence can do and the carnage they create on the roads. Just that alone is enough to say no and I would challenge anyone who disagrees to tour accident scenes and see first hand what happens in a collision. Now working in psychology I see again how drugs affect people's lives. Virtually all my clients are affected by drugs and this leads them to requiring psychological therapy, this is backed up by legitimate studies into drug use and abuse. But soft drugs, alcohol and nicotine are avilable. Does that excuse a prohibition? Look at the effects of these two legal substances and you can see how any drug can be and is misused and the fallout across society.
Andrew

Australia

11. Dear Ms. Anu Anand & the WHYS Team,

Reference an Email I sent over an hour ago, I forgot a couple of points:

1) Women vote for women?

No! Bad idea! Will cause alienation, polarisation,...

2) Will corruption & criminality disappear from politics if women dominate or completely take-over?

No. Please recollect the recent allegations against a woman who took high-office in India. A person I know (He was my classmate. HONEST to the core. I KNOW him) has dealt with her & according to him the allegations are true. So,....
Max Mahajan

12. Anonymous email

To vote for a person based on gender alone is just as bad as voting for someone based on race alone. It would marginalize the women's vote and men would feel no reason to listen to female concerns as they wouldn't be voting for them anyway. The best PERSON should be the choice.

13. The notion that "Women should only vote for women" is ridiculous; whoever is available and has the best talent, experience etc in a particular situation should be chosen for whatever the task is.Look at some of the best: Maggie Thatcher, Golda Meir, Indira Gandhi.

Gerry Watts, (Male!) Tasmania, Australia

14.I am all for Women's Rights.
One of the problems I see with advancing Women's Rights around the world is in religious views, practices and commandments. Religious restrictions on women have been and will continue to be a constant way of keeping women from achieving equality.
When I vote for my elected officials, it does not really matter to me if they are male or female, only that they support the issues that I am interested in. If a woman is more qualified than a man, she will get my vote.

As for only voting for a woman if you are a woman, that may not be the best policy. If the person you are voting for is not competent you should not vote for them, male or female. If a man follows along with a Equality agenda and is competent then he would be the proper choice. You want the best representative of who you are in government that you can get.

If a man and a woman, both with the same experience, same agenda, same competence were running, I would have to say I would vote for the woman. If only to get a fresh prospective or voice added into the male dominated system.
Jeff in Portland, Oregon USA

15.Women can lead a country just as good as a man. It’s got nothing to do with being a man or a woman, it has to do with the qualifications and abilities of an individual person. A man can be terrible just as a woman can. A woman can be great just as a man can. Get over it already.

Kim Olson

16. Women are meant to have intelligence and grace. Mrs. J-S embodies these qualities. We await many more to come foreward, and take over the running of the mess our men have made. Banks, amsterdam (text)

17. Ausztralia has a female head of state - HM Qeen Elhzabeth. Pdter Budapest (text)

18. Hi, Why do we need to have a women President to show the success of women in that country. As an American I work with women, my boss is a women and I have no problem working with them. I think there is a level of equality. The role of women has changed. I think the value of a mother has been put down. Working women look down upon stay at home moms. I think its very honorable for a mother to put her kids first. I think American society had taken that honor away from a women. To be a successful women today you work and put that first before your family.

Take care,
Adil
Washington, DC

19.The woman who just called from Oz should try and forget the coming election and stop pushing the opposition barrow...

Gerry Watts, Tasmania, Australia

20. Don't you think that women in the power could be dangerous because they sometimes are more cruel than men? Eavun, Ukraine (text)

21. Eric - I chuckle that your guests from Australia and the US are unable to explain the reason that there have been no women presidents in those countries while Liberia has elected one. The explanation's simple: Those countries have experienced nowhere near the level and length of violence that has befallen Liberia for so many recent years. Liberians should have voted for a nutered broom to fill the president's chair in preference over any of their men. Here's to President Ellen Johnson!

22. Of course Max is romantising about the role of women, the very typical Indian that he is. Just look at how S. Asians look up to & worship their mother figures. Anonymous text

23. Dear WHYS,

Don't forget that Ireland now has had two women Presidents - Mary Robinson who served two terms and currently Mary McAalleese who is our current President and serving her second term.

Regards, Eoin McPhaidin

Baile Atha Cliath (Dublin)

24. Ah, yes, does any woman president or prime minister still have chores at home?
The American filmmaker and the Australian woman who started a female political party touched on this, but it has long been pretty simple - industrialized nations rely on the free labour of millions of women and girls in order to prop up the economies, culture and political life of their male-dominated economy and political institutions. Imagine if all wives and mothers in the world's industrialized economies moved to Mars next week. To replace the free labour they provide, including cooking, cleaning, laundry services, childbearing, child raising, home nursing, chauffeur and secretarial services (and I'm sure I'm forgetting something) would cost those nations billions and billions of dollars. This is the institutional rut that women face in order to free themselves to engage fully and gain real power in the political process.
Patricia
Toronto, Canada

WE HAVE TO APOLOGIZE ONCE AGAIN: TECHNICAL PROBLEMS ARE MAKING IT VERY DIFFICULT FOR EVERYONE (INCLUDING US, HERE AT BUSH HOUSE) TO POST ON THE BLOG. IF YOU CAN'T POST, SEND US AN EMAIL AND WE'LL PUBLISH YOUR COMMENTS HERE. JUST SCROLL DOWN TO THE END TO READ THE COMMENTS WE'RE GETTING VIA EMAIL OR TEXT MESSAGE.

Hello from Musina - Ros here. This is the first town you’d come to if you were a Zimbabwean coming across the border to South Africa and it’s our first stop during a week of programmes here.

It is hot and beautiful here. The town is coloured with the purple of the jacarandas, the green of the sprinkled lawns and the dusty roadsides turned terracotta by the first rain of summer. And all around are baobab trees, some of which have hit the 1000 year mark. They look like a multi-armed scarecrows amongst the thorny scrub that surrounds Musina – with their branches contorting into a fantastic array of shapes. Pop ‘baobab’ into Google Images if you’ve not seen them before.

Depending on who you ask, there are between 3-5 million Zimbabweans in South Africa, and many of them will have come through the main border crossing at Beitbridge. That’s about 15 minutes from Musina and today’s show will be live from a café there a couple of hundred metres from Zimbabwe.

The influx of Zimbabweans into South Africa raises a raft of issues many of which seem as relevant to the UK or India or Nigeria to name but three as they do to these two southern African neighbours. This is about the pros and cons of immigration, the level of support one country is prepared to extend to the people of another, and the extent to which any country can control who comes to live in it.

Here are some of the questions people here want asked. Please leave your comments and questions at www.bbcnews.com/worldhaveyoursay.

- Why do so many Zimbabweans want to leave (and risk injury and death to do so)?
- Should South Africans be more supportive of the Zimbabweans who arrive illegally? Are black South Africans xenophobic towards other Africans?
- Are the farmers in this area who are making citizens arrests of the Zimbabweans who jump the fence on to their land justified? They acknowledge it’s illegal but say it’s the only way to protect their land and their families.
- Should the South African government be doing more to stop Zimbabweans arriving illegally? And should it be doing more to change the desperate situation in Zimbabwe that many people there have told us about?

ALL AROUND IS ZIMBABWE

You can’t see Zimbabwe from here. To do that you need to drive right up to the Limpopo River, or climb to the top of one of the koppies (Afrikaans for small hill) that sit just outside town. But you don’t have to see it to know it’s close.

We stopped and filled up with petrol just now and the attendant told us that each day at 6am tens and sometimes hundreds of Zimbabweans wait to pick up transport towards Johannesburg. Fiona has just been to the bank and seen Zimbabweans changing a few US dollars for a rucksack full of Zimbabwe dollars before heading home.

A little earlier a local restaurant owner (who’s place is called the Pot Belly if you ever want to get one in Musina) told me how the local supermarket has to employ staff all nights so its shelves and sufficiently replenished to meet the demand of Zimbabweans arriving and going home. When Sarah and Stuart drove up to the venue yesterday, our driver Sidney pointed our numerous trucks and taxis parked in unlikely places – they’ll all waiting to pick up Zimbabweans.

ONLY JUST ONLINE

Getting on the net is proving a little tricky at the moment, so my reasonably grand plans for the blog (video, pics and so on) may have to wait a little while. At least I got this through.

OUR TRIP TO ZIMBABWE

Mark, Fiona and Sarah managed to get across into Zimbabwe yesterday. Mark’s written about it on the blog, and Sarah’s also written about getting the show on air from this kind of location. Both their posts are at www.bbcnews.com/worldhaveyoursay.

-------------------------------

HERE, SOME OF THE COMMENTS WE'RE GETTING VIA EMAIL OR TEXT MESSAGE:

A question for those at the Limpopo: What is the racial make up of the illegal immigrants crossing the border there? Adam in Portland,OREGON, USA

Hi to all my good friends in WHYS! Hi to all WHYS good listeners! Dear Ros: I do think that the problems that illegal Zimbabwean immigrants to South Africa are facing are similar to a great extent to the problems of the illegal Iraqi immigrants to Syria and Jordan, or maybe even to Europe or to the States! When Saddam was in power, Iraqis used to suffer from problems which are so similar to the problems that the Zimbabweans are suffering from right now under the rule of Robert Mogabe! The cruel dictatorship of Robert Mogabe is the crucial cause that pushes the Zimbabweans towards illegal immigration! So is the illegal immigration of the Zimbabweans justified?! Yes, it is! But the problem is: What seems justified to some people might seem unjustified to others! With my love!
Lubna in Baghdad!

My advice to south African government, people is treat Zimbabweans with the most respect. Some locals take advantage of desperate people... Because you can be the same situation one day. i am a Somali who now life in Canada and been that shoes before...Raghe

The S.A. Government should be heavily pressuring the Mugabe Regime to fix the problems causing the outlfux of Zimbabweans. Adam in Portland,OR USA

If the Swiss don t come down on immigration they won t be white Europeans anymore. Tony

hallo!
It,s hard to believe that Zimbabwe now is a country where her civilians struggle to enter South Africa illegally. However my view is the unfathomable black economic empowerment that has been a total fiasco thats the mother of all problems. Sanctions by the west compound this situation with hard realities, Dr. Mugabe may have lost the plot but western sanctions worsened everything giving him a scape-goat to talk about illegal sanctions, it is my honest view that the west need to remove sanctions against Zimbabwe then the peoples will realise economic recovery. It is a fact that you can not expect the poor and the hungry to avoid manipulation in elections, Kenya voted out Moi who seemed a life president before 2002 thanks to rather good looking economy than Zimbabwe is currently.
Ferdinand in Kampala Uganda

Ros,
Listening to your program today, I have an off topic question, but one that I'd like to hear an answer for from real people who could anwser it from first hand experience.
I'm travelling to South Africa from my home in Toronto, at the end of the month and think it'd be important and worthwhile to see some of what is happening in Zimbabwe for myself. Is it still practical and possible to travel independently in Zimbabwe? From the reports I hear even essentials such as finding food and transport may be extremely difficult to find.
Thanks,
Nate

Hi all,
The war in Zimbabwe is essentially a spiritual one. Therefore
Zimbabwe needs help from outside. I don't mean from South Africa, the US or Europe, I mean from God Almighty.
If people take HIM seriously, HE promised peace and prosperity. If they don't HE will step back and say: OK - do it your way. We are witnessing nations who are doing it their way!
Look to God Almighty for the solution. I people turn to God. if they are sorry for doing it their way God will forgive and start the process of healing the nations of Africa.
Kind regards from Adelaide, Australia
Dieter Fischer
PS Did not Zambia's President bgive an example, putting God first?

A question for those at the Limpopo: What is the racial make up of the illegal immigrants crossing the border there? Adam in Portland,OR USA

I find it odd that several people in your audience suggest that America get involved. We have our own illegal immigration problems with the Mexicans we cannot solve. What makes you think we can interfere with your problems? Besides my understanding is that this whole mess of the lack of food was created by taking away the farms from whites and handing them to natives that mismanaged their new found properties. You just can't take land away from one to give to another and think it would not create a ripple effect of problems.
John in Cleveland.

South Africa is the ally of Zimbabwe. It S. Africa does not rein in on the dictator of Zimbabwe, then S. Africa has to take in the refugees' influx.
Mathew, USA

South Africa should distant herself from Mugadbe and condemn his regime,for other countries condemn aperthied those days, Mugadbe is another Idi Amin.Basil Nigeria

In Asia we have Burma this is our own Nyamar, Chagarai is Saa Suu Kyi, Zimbabweans are the Monks and South Africa is an excalt copy of Thailand. Yusuf, Zaria

Zimbabweans pls dont fight war is worse than what ure going through. Learn from Liberia, Sudan, Sierra Leone.

It is a waste of time to expect Mbeki to help Zimbabwe. He is busy gauging the reactions from Zim. He has whites to own his economy & blacks with the votes.

PLS LEAVE MOGABE ALONE FOR THE SAKE OF PEACE. FROM MOHAMED AHMED MANSOUR OF MONROVIA.

Every Zimbabwan wants to reside in South Africa because of bad political leadership at home. Barr. Onyeka, Asaba, Nigeria.

Only d economy can defeat mugabe&unless south africa imposes very tough economic sanctions,we may have a burma situation here. Tayo,Nigeria.

Mugabe is a true african.Britain n its all?es should leave africa alone.D time 4 slavery n colonialsm is over.Bravo Mugabe. Cal me. Ben Ogugua Nigeria

Go away u nosy brits, u caused this nonsense in the first instance. Mind ur own business & stop poaching our skills. Proudly safrican

please allow mugabi and mdc to solve zimbabwe problem,and let south africa to mediate. from muazu bibi,yola,nigeria.

Mugabe is absolutely an African Hero.He is tough by his words and policy where most African leaders are Cowards!am gadafi mahad frm Kampala.

I strongly feel 4my fellow youths who hav nothing 2look 4wd 2anything in life. So they seek hope to outside. Its like being in prison. Thanks 2the political interests of Mugabe, Britian & the entire SADC members, shame on U! Guys God be wit U. Emanuel - Zambia

What is happening in Zimbabwe is just a setup by the west to blackmail Mugabe, and make him look bad in the eye of the world. SARKI FROM NIGERIA.

What south africa is doing 2 zimbabweans crossing over for help and security is bad. I say so because south africans were kept here in zambia when they had a similar problem. Is it the whites or fellow blacks who are against there fellow africans . Work up president mbeki and assist your zimbabwean brother. (sender: Mambo Banda from ndola- Zambia )

I ve nothing to make of Zimbabwe politics. I only like to have clear the name of that English BBC co-presenter. I like him alot. He s been off BBC about a week

The exploitative interest of the white brought zimbawe to this state the are today.Mugabe is a hero, the citzen should bear it 4 now and enjoy 4 year to come.Lawal from Ankpa in Nigeria.

African Leaders should consider first the plight of Zimbabweans and withdraw their support for Mugabe and frustrate him out of power. JERRY from University of Nigeria.

I advise Zimbwean to go to the land they were given and dig. Everyday they are crying of hunger, can t they dig and be self reliant? Mugabe is teaching you to work for yourselves. Rwakashari - uganda

Zimbabweans should stay &"fight" mugabe like south africans fought Apatheid, instead of running to south africa for refuge. Kane from Nigeria.

What a serious crime Mugabe has done, takin farms? Violating human rights? The answer is NO. And that is why all african leaders can do noting. Leonard-DSM

Shame on mugabe! Dat d same people dat he fought 4 to liberate he now subjects to extreme. Am sure he is now too old to reason correctly.

Zimbabweans,take heart.Dworld hear ur crys&fil ur bruises in d hand of d ur tor mentor.Take heart dis momen shal pas.My heart goes 2u.Bola Sidik, Ilorin,Nigeria

Most peeople couldn t understand why Mugabe is adored by most Africans. Zanna Moh d, Lagos_ Nigeria.

The people of zimbabwe should embark on massive revolution until that moster, mugabe is pursued because he has pupperised d people of his country. The country is a sovereign state and hence south africa should not interfere. Eghosa frm Nigeria.

Robert Mugabe is the sole administrator of satanic lieutenants,Zimbabwe needs Heavenly intervention.God will deliver us from the lucifer.lsaac in Ghana.

I am Path. Jalloh at the border of Guinea and Liberia. For me 3 countries have some thing in common: Germany, South Africa, and Zimbabwe. They all have big social and ecomic disparities. Afer some changes in their respective histories, the first two are correcting their disparities intelligently.

IT IS A SHAME THAT ZIMBABWE WHICH EXPORTED IN THE 80s NOW HAS IT S CITIZENS DYING OF HUNGER. SHAME TO YOU MUGABE!....FROM OKEY EJIOFOR, ABUJA, NIGERIA.

I am a zimbabwean living in south africa. mugabe must simply leave, we are sick and tired of his despotic rule. another day in office for him is a day too long for us. khulani, jhb.

Mugabe is a racist why is it not condemned or is this way round O.K. Richard , Free State

D u.s. thought sadam bad enough dpose and cant find anything wrong wth mugabe. HYPOCRISY of d highest order .S. Ndiriza, abuja

Mugabe regime would hav been history by now & milk & would be flowing in Harare!..KAPINDU- Blantyre

Why the western countries opposed the mogabi government? Is it because of land policy.I hop s/Africans will create peace 4 z people of zmbbwe.Aliyu muazu kano.

Hello presenter,It s a shame dat in dis age 1 man is stil colonisin a whole nation.Robert Mugabe nids a monsta like him 2 booth him out.Philip,LAGOS-NIGERIA.

@The debate remi nds me of a BBC drama Breakfa st with mugabe . It approached the mugabe tragedy from a thou ght provoking angle. Bring it on. Mung
Mr mugabe, in a country with a porpulation of over four million people, you ve ruled for more than two decades don t you think it s time enough? Tim, abuja.

ANYONE WHO APPLAUDS MR. MUGABE FROM AFAR, SHOULD BE GRANTED INSTANT CITIZENSHIP & A ONE-WAY, NON-RETURN TICKET TO ZIMBABWE TO EXPERIENCE IT FIRST HAND.
IT IS A SHAME THAT ZIMBABWE WHICH EXPORTED IN THE 80s NOW HAS IT S CITIZENS DYING OF HUNGER. SHAME TO YOU MUGABE!

If d US had strategic interest in Zimbabwe (oil,trade,etc),Mugabe would have been history now,even if he had to fall d way Sadam Husein did. SHITTU .S,NIGERIA.

My zimbabuwian brothers its pity you have a home vampire for leader, Mogabe you are a total disgrace mother Africa! Sylvester in Nigeria.

Mukabe should give zimbabwa a chance to grow without him.abena accra

Mbeki accepted the role of meddiation and he is doing nothing so south african should bear the heat. The world cup shud be taken from S.A. so that theytake action or pass the role to other legitimate mediators -mugabe should be prosecuted - martin- zimbabwe

Please african leader try to negociate dafur rebel and government, from b.g nigeria.

Mugabe,should listen to d voice of d people.DARE,KADUNA-NIGERIA.

Mugabe is a life state man he don a lot for zimbabwe let him enjoy the froot of his labour.from Mr smart ojuneku, lagos.

I think the only quikest solution 2 Zimbabwe s problems is 4 one of his Aids 2 shot and kill the president.Engr Vanokah from Nigeria.

BBC,Morgabie has become the devil of Africa.He needs angels like the U.S,Great Britain to crush him & liberate the people of Zimbabwe.Gabriel Paye,Mon.,Liberia

THE SITUATI0N IN ZIM LL S00N SPILL 0VER 2RSA & NEIGHB0URING STATES BC0S MBEKI S THE BIGGEST PRETENDER BY HIS SILENT DIPL0MACY WITH 0THER T00THLESS SADC LEADERS.TYM 2 PUSH MUGABE IN A TIGHT C0RNER BUT WISH I KNEW H0W! IM MARTINE IN ZAMBIA.

Jolly boy from sierra leone.people should remember d good work of mugabe by co operating with him not to pay him with insult. Alex weir. Conakry and harare
Prevention is better than cure. Let all african leaders chase mugabe away now. Abbey frm. Libya.

Hi ross,mugabe is a pensioner who stil dyes his hair black zimbaaweans are r efugues in they ow n country i was the y were more people lyk jacob johanna

Y not give al refugees a tempory id card, alowing them 2 work 4 2 yrs b4 renewal, or repatriation should the situation have stabilized. Zimbabweans need help, an temporay ids should ease their pain, an alow south africa 2 return them when able.

Mugabe is my hero because he looks the west in the face and tell them the home true, that the can not dicted to africans what to do. SARKI FROM NIGERIA.

Hi. mugabe s a real tekayo. a xter from grace ogot s short story of same title who killed his grandchildren to feed on their liver out of greed. winnie, kenya

The situation in zimbabwe shows how we as africans can never manage ourselves.we always want to play the blame game on the whites. Johnson-accra

Why blame america? Why can t african leaders do something? Instead, african leaders, specifically southern african leaders, applaud mugabe! This is wicked. - elton, liberia

Bravo Mugabe,the man is great and that is what the likes of Bush don t want.He isn t a branch of a tree to be swayed,if they are wiling to help let the intl community give with no strings out if they want to help.Mohamed,Nairobi kenya
The situation in zimbabwe shows how we as africans can never manage ourselves.we always want to play the blame game on the whites.our leaders are the worst.

If mugabe cannot turn thing around, he should just handover. Nasreddeen Abuja nigeria..

Correction i meant to say; Come on we are the same people, in know south africa can not take all the people but show some empathy. Kyrmia, New york

New question: why is the ANC falling on it s face on this issue? Adam in portland

Can take all the people but show some empathy. Kyrmia, New york

As a tanzania citizen who grew up during the southern africa freedom strugle, as many would remember south africans were a part of the big migration through out the region, it s a shame to hear black south african demading deportation of zimbabweans. Come on we are the same people, in know south africa

World Have Your Say. Vindictive Propaganda against Zimbabwe, is pure racism. Atkins and all his racist colleagues, will be exposed and discredited just like Peter Fincham was. E. Black.

Dear Ros,
Why are we blaming all problems of Zimbabwe on Bush and Blair, people who have not been to zimbabwe. All the problems are because of misgoverment by Mugabe. All who believe that mugabe is an hero are pretending and should wake up!!
Aloice kiplimo
Eldoret, Kenya

I’m a white South African who fought with the Rhodesian forces. And yet I have a lot of sympathy for the Zimbabwean migrants. They are just trying to keep body and soul together.
The hypocrisy of both the BBC and the, presumably ANC, councillor, is astonishing. Where is the outrage? Apparently it was quite acceptable to overthrow the old SA and Rhodesian regimes because they were oppressing their black and other non-white population. But the oppression and atrocities of the Mugabe regime is an “internal matter.” May I add that I do not hear anybody calling for the punishment of Robert Mugabe and Zanu-PF for the massacres and atrocities committed by the 5th Brigade. Hypocrites! Shame on you all.
Harry Van Spann
Cape Town

I'd focus on the larger picture.
Rwanda, Somalia, Darfur, Zimbabwe, etc. -- what are the events that both underlie and preceded the prevailing condition? Droughts and floods, forests decimated, soils eroded, aquifers depleted, crop failure, hunger, civil unrest, warring tribes, economic, social and political breakdowns, genocide and refugees! A pattern that, regardless of where it surfaces, seems composed of the same or similar elements. What is central to it? What is the cause?
It seems to me that where Africa is, the rest of the planet is headed and, from the looks of things, sooner rather than later. The factors cited above as well as climate change and changes in seasonal temperatures are NOT causes but consequences. And they're not new. They have happened before, again and again, in isolated places, and have lead nearly but not always to the collapse of a civilization and the end of a Peoples. To wit: the early civilizations of Easter Island, the Anasazi in North America, the Mayan of Central America, the Vikings in Iceland, the Norse in ancient Greenland. They were undone by their growing numbers and the growing excesses committed by those numbers! Their failure, however, was local and affected only them.
Not so with the ancients of New Guinea's highlands or Tikopia Island or Japan in the Tokugawa period. They heeded the signs, found solutions, instituted restrains and insured theirs and their culture's survival.
But not so with us now. Not so far. Problem is... where the pattern of failure was once local leading to local collapse, it has now grown global. So, whose footsteps do we emulate?
A.Cristina

Phew - yesterday was a bit of a rush and I never got chance to blog. You'll forgive me when you hear what I did, not to mention the state of the Jo'burg traffic which is constant, never ending, and incredibly frustrating....

So straight off the plane and a drive to the Kaizer Chiefs training ground, the venue for Tuesday's programme. The village was built in 2006 so it's new and impressive - the room we're broadcasting in has a view out to Soweto - including the famous twin chimneys. Everything, absolutely everything, has the Kaiser Chiefs logo on. If fact if you click on the line and choose the upstairs bar, you can have a 360 degree look, at the room we'll be in on Tuesday!

Sarah and Stuart - our engineers got the lines up - and then we headed to Sandton, the rich financial suburb, to check out our Wednesday venue. We were there in May 2006 and although they've re-decorated, our old friend, Blessings the manager was there to welcome us back.

Again (and this is really shocking) we tested the ISDN lines (which as any radio producer knows are near to impossible to order, track and get working) which allow us to broadcast and they worked. By now I'm getting pretty nervous. Everything is going too well.

Today I have a breakfast meeting with the British Embassy in South Africa, which goes very well, except the timing, 7.30 am. That's 6.30am in London. I try to look awake and engaged through my blood-shot slits of eyes! Ros lands safely, we get a live trail on our partner station for next week SAfm, between Ros and Xolani Gwala - our co-host for next week, although slightly confusingly he's up in Durban.

And we head to Constitutional Hill - you can see the photos I've downloaded on our flickr account.......
It was a large prison complex during apartheid and to visit it and take a tour was a very humbling and moving experience. The conditions that prisoners (some political, some minor offenders) were horrendous, shocking and totally inhumane. It includes the Constitutional Court, built with such extraordinary imagination and symbolism since the fall of apartheid, it was nearly as moving as the history of the Old Fort.

We weren't there to sight-see (although that was a very nice bonus) we were there for a meeting with representatives from the Sowetean media. I can't tell you the reason now.......but soon. Probably quite soon, I was always rubbish at keeping secrets!

Pushing on, we headed to SAfm's offices to meet our new colleagues for next week. I was particularly looking forward to meeting Xolani (but he was in Durban) and Themba - the SAfm producer who will be working with us on the road next week. It went well, despite the talk of news junctions and jingles!

So now I'm back at our guesthouse, everyone is have a nap, and I'm blogging (do you feel sorry for me yet?) Still traditional African fare tonight at Moyo - which is the Swahili word for soul - it looks great! Tomorrow at 9am we head to Musina, on the boarder with Zimbabwe. Our lovely Karnie has been confirming our guests there from our London home. If you've forgotten where we're going when, you can check out my original posting.

In other news, Themba says that the main talking point about the World Cup 2010 is not will SA be ready, but who is 2010 going to benefit. Will tickets be too expensive for ordinary working fans? What about small businesses who complain about not getting sponsorship tenders, and they worry that all the promotion will just rake in cash for big international business, not local or nation trade? It sounds like a interesting debate - is it getting you talking?

And Tic - once I started reserching the crystal meth drug, locally called tic, I couldn't believe how it's gripping Cape town, flooding through the Cape Flats townships, runing lives and whole communities.

And its not like South Africa hasn't been in the international news, is it? Only today prosecutors confirmed they have obtained an arrest and search warrant last month for national police chief Jackie Selebi. Today the ANC confirmed two high-level Ministers for our Sandton programme. I wonder if the audience will have questions for them about the case? Who knows? Well I don't, it's you our listeners and the audience on that day, who will ask them what you want. You can post your question to them here or email us direct.

As always suggest stories and join us in Musina, Jo'burg, Ladysmith or Cape town by emailing us. In case you've forgotten...how could you.......we're on worldhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk

http://www.safm.co.za/portal/site/safm/

I've been working on getting everything sorted and finding some people who want to come and talk to us. At the moment there is a huge 2.5 metre banner erected in our office that will be coming with us, just in case there is any doubt that World Have Your Say have arrived. I'd take a photo for you - but my camera is already packed.

In Jo'burg, we've been promised international players (I'm still holding my breathe) from the Kaizer Chiefs line-up and we're got a team of young Sowetean footballers coming to meet some heroes (not Ros Aktins I fear) and some female footballers, some top fans and not to mention the locals.

I've made up lots of posters which my friend Mbuso has been sticking up round the place…..and SAfm especially our co-presenter Xolani Gwala (he advocates opening up the phone lines to the public, and the Sunday World describe him as "born to talk" - he should fit in well then) has been trailing the show - asking if listeners want to come along - if you do, please email us now and I'll get back to you with times and locations.

We're waiting to find out which ANC minister is joining us on Wednesday in Sandton - but we have loads of people interested in coming to ask questions…..

Thursday is pratically in the bag. Our farmers are hosting us, they’ve ordered the meat for the braai, and we're getting lots of suggestions for stories - land reform, black mentorship in white-dominated industry.

And friday, that's going to be a party and a half inteh Zula bar. Check out this venue. A multi-cultural young audience who are going to tell us if they believe that South Africa is really the rainbow nation is says it is.

This is only the start - other suggestions include the explosion of kids using tic - a kind of crystal meth -
And Mbuso still says that black economic empowerment still divides communities - is it is a fair re-distribution of wealth or patronisisng to non-white communties?

We're only going to hear what you, our listeners, have to say. You know how I bang on about you setting the agenda? Well I actually mean it. Please tell us what else you want to ask the audiences in South Africa, what you want to hear about. Post here or email us direct.

From London Heathrow to Musina

On Monday 8th October we'll be live at a truckers café on the Beitbridge Road.

The plight of some of the Zimbabweans have caused concern with charities and NGOs. Human rights watch is concerned that illegal immigrants are being treated very badly in the northern towns, thy report "wage exploitation, uncompensated workplace injury, appalling housing conditions, workplace violence."

We're off to talk to the farmers who patrol the border, some illegal immigrants, the police and the locals. We'll be talking about immigration, about Zimbabwe and the relationship with South Africa, and anything else that they (and you) want to talk about.

Everyone in the van, 5 hours to Johannesburg

And straight to the Kaizer Chiefs training ground for our Tuesday programme.

We've got some of the Kaizer Chiefs footballers, some of their youth team, some of the organisers of South Africa 2010, and a mini-bus full of kids (all soccer mad) from nearby Soweto, and some locals. All together. We'll be asking them will South Africa be ready for the World Cup? What does hosting the contest mean for them? Along with your questions, and (as always) the international news items that you're talking about, and that you've suggested.

Today, the national team (known as Bafana Bafana) has been labelled as "far from ready" for the 2010 World Cup, according to its Brazilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira…we'll see if they agree.

I've told Ros to pack his shorts, rumour has it, we may be able to convince some of the Kaizer Chiefs for a kick-around. I'll be posting the evidence straight up on the blog….

And breathe. Another day in Jo'burg

I want the rest of the team to still be talking to me at this point, so I decided to give the road trip a rest, and stay in Jo'burg for a second night. In May 2006 we did two programmes - one from Soweto, one from Sandton, both lively (very lively) and so I thought on Wednesday 10th October we'd go back to Sandton, to Nelson Mandela Square, and Trumps Grill.

I noticed this article about Nelson Mandela square by Daniel Gross. Whose visit to Sandton makes him comment that,
"South Africa continues to be a tale of two countries. One, peopled largely by extremely poor people of color, is subject to an unemployment rate north of 25 percent, an AIDS epidemic that affects 5 million people, and rampant crime. The other, peopled by a growing black middle class and a slowly integrating but still largely white upper class, is highly Westernized, comfortable, and, thanks to the global demand for commodities like platinum, booming."

It has echoes of our programme a year ago when the multi-cultural audience slung around accusations of "selling out the spirit of South Africa" by simply thinking that Sandton was the best bit of Jo'burg…..

But this time we thought we'd go there and get a government minister to talk to an audience of South Africans. There is so much in the news about the ANC, from the recent protests in Soweto at the poor quality living accommodation, to the arrest of the opposition leader. We're expecting our audience to want answers on HIV/Aids management, crime, 2010, Zimbabwe, black economic empowerment.

And on to Ladysmith

We'll be spending Thursday on a farm just outside Ladysmith. I can't reveal too much about it, but the idea (Ros' idea, I can't claim it) was to get everyone involved in the life of the farm talking together. I've found our hosts for the evening, and I'm busy planning, with them, how it can work.

So far they've got three generations of their family, some labourers and workers who help look after the herds they keep, some of the other local farmers - including some of the growing number of Black farmers - and others from the community.

Our hosts have been asking their invitees what they want to talk about - land reform and the lack of black mentorship in white-dominated industry are winning at the moment - which reminded me of the recently launched Soweto Wine Festival, a white-dominated industry trying to capture a bigger market, and give opportunities for Black producers and marketers

The end is in sight - Table Mountain, Cape town

Not actually on the mountain, but in Zula bar, which Trip advisor describes as
"a more chilled out vibe...live gigs every Friday...Zula Bar. You couldn't ask for much more in a club; large dance floor, busy bar, pool and fuseball tables, chill out balcony and another chill out area outside with swing chairs to relax and take a break from the music. "
It's a multi-cultural venue - that hosts all sorts of performance both traditional and modern.

On Friday we'll be on the balconywith an audience of young South Africans. While I was talking to a colleague at SAfm about our week in SA, I talked about this programme and the loose theme of the rainbow nation and multiculturalism. He commented that on one of their phone-in programmes last week, a caller said "No one can win, you were either too black before apartheid, or now you're too white for today's South Africa".

Is South Africa's constant claim to be a "rainbow nation" a myth? Is it really the melting plot it claims to be? And who knows what will be in the international news that day? Who knows what our listeners will suggest...

If you have a suggestion of what to talk about on our road trip, you can post here, or send us an email. If you're in Jo'burg, Musina, Ladysmith or Cape town and fancy coming along to take part in the programme email me directly and we'll invite you along. If you've suggestions of where to go, what to see, where to eat, and where to stay you can tell us here too! We always welcome the wisdom of listeners.

And in the normal World Have Your Say tradition - we want to eat 'traditional' south African on our first night. We're in Jo'burg - what should be on the menu?

Hundreds of defiant monks marched through Yangon Tuesday, walking 10 miles through streets in the latest in a series of anti-government protests.

What should be done? Is it time to act? What do you want to see done? Who should be intervening and how?

There's a lot of talk about whether is was a meteor, or something more sinister.

And President Nicolas Sarkozy has been outlining his plans to overhaul the pensions and benefits of public sector workers.

He is said to be set on a wide-ranging plan for social reform hoping to boost the country's economy.

But for a country famous for its unions and socialist pricipals, and not adverse to protesting for their rights.......how do you think Sarkozy is going to modernize France? Should it be modernised or is it fine the way it is?

US agrees to further British withdrawal from Iraq. Will it only be US troops left soon?

Unions in Zimbabwe appealed for a two-day strike protesting the wage-freeze and the lack of basic commodities, but the request was mostly ignored, as locals struggle to live with the huge unemployment and rapidly increasing inflation.

And what do you think about this story from the Caribbean?
"The French Caribbean islands of Guadeloupe and Martinique face a "health disaster" with soaring cancer and infertility rates because of the massive use of banned pesticides on banana plantations, a top cancer specialist warned Monday"

Send us your stories by posting on the blog or sending us an email worldhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk. Don't forget that tomorrow we'll be putting your questions, and questions from our Persian, Pashtu, Urdu audiences, and from Africa to the UK's Foreign Secretary David Miliband.

What will his legacy be? Did he make opera more accessible to the masses? Or does opera still have a way to go?

Is climate change a scientific fact? Do you feel you're only supposed to have one view on climate change? Have the BBC been cowardly or were they right to back out of the day long special? Should the international media be treating climate change as fact or opinion? You tell us.

Also powerful pictures are emerging from Lebanon showing tanks with victorious soldiers emerging from Nahr el-Bared refugee camp to crowds of dancing, clapping locals. We tried to speak to people left in the camps on Monday, but had problems with phone-lines, do you still want to hear what they have to say?

And does anyone know why one of the papers I read is overflowing with stories about BBQs or Braais? As Australians might be losing their backyards, scene of the traditional sausage sizzle, as housing development squeezes space.

And Archbishop Tutu has declared the humble "outdoor grill" as a powerful uniting force between black and while South Africans. This is something that past me by, perhaps it's because it's rained all summer in London, and I've only managed one BBQ? But BBQ-ing nations of the world, could you bear to be without yours? We're coming to South Africa for a week of programmes in October. A week long road trip to Musina, Jo'burg, Ladysmith and Capetown and I'm trying to organise a braai and party outside for the final programme on Friday.

And I was wondering about the braai as a uniting and levelling force and wondering what else unites the people of your nation? Watching the national team at the national sport? A special day signifying independence? A type of food? Music? A big political figure, celebrity, monarch?

Elsewhere in the office, Joni's still working on kids wearing what they please and Leo is on about becoming more attractive...or something.

As always, vote for one of my stories, send us one of your own. We're always on the look out. Post here or email us direct.

An Israeli court has ordered a the re-routing of wall in the West Bank.
The separation barrier near the West Bank village of Bilin, will be moved. It's a scene of sometimes rowdy weekly demonstrations against the project and will reunite some residents with land they owned but had been unable to get access to. Israeli and Palestinian activists say it's a rare legal victory.

What do you think of the move? Does it affect you? Do you want to hear from people it does?

Jane Tomlinson was diagnosed with terminal cancer in 2000 at the age of 36, but hung on until she died on Monday. In the seven years, during gruelling treatments she ran, swam and cycled to raise money to help other people suffering with cancer and netted over £1.75 million

She joins the ranks with other inspirational characters, like Chris Horsman and Geoff Thomas, whose have pushed themselves physically, achieving high level success, after undergoing chemotherapy…..

I've been reading your comments on the BBC debates page, many viewers found hope and courage from stories like Jane's to fight their own battles.

Girl with feet on a seat

Criminal charges against an 18 year old in the UK who put her feet on the seats in a train carriage, have been dropped. Steven Allen says on his blog, dripping with irony, "Thank God we caught her. We can't have criminals like that running wild. Zero tolerance or about time someone made a stand against the little things>

Should kids wear what they please?

From the biggest U.S. city where baggy pants wearers face fines, we have Atlanta city councilman to tell us about the legislation he's proposed, which he says will bring back community standards and keep indency off the streets. But others, particularly in the American Civil Liberties Union think they shouldn't be banned.

It's also a talking point in Liberia where the Education Minister wants to put an end to expensive clothes and hairstyles which he believes leads to peer pressure and dropouts.

Is it time we stopped giving kids a hard time on their clothing choices? We hope to talk to young people, and those trying to bring in legislation to outlaw certain styles of clothing…..

The case puzzling Indians…..

A well-known model who had disappeared was found two-months later begging on the streets in South Delhi. It's caught the imagination of tv reporters, tabloid papers and bloggers alike. It appears that the model Gitanjali Nagpal is not a drug addict as she shows no signs of withdrawal but doctors believe she is "mentally exhausted and emotionally unstable." It ties in a little with my logos yesterday about mental illness in developing countries.

Fantasy dinner guests

And as Sarkozy and Mandela have dinner, I'm wondering what fantasy table plan our listeners would come up with for lively conversations about world affairs? Although there is no public agenda at this dinner, what would you like them to talk about and would you aks your guests to discuss and "solve" problems in the world .

Felix on the net

On Global Voices, Felix has been whipping up a blogstorm in Nicaragua

Trish, of "Sowers for Pastors" currently is hosting a mission team, that given their remote location in the mountains of Honduras, might become stranded by mudslides and poor road conditions. She says:
"Our greatest concern is that the roads between us and the major cities may be significantly damaged, through road washouts, landslides, floods, and destroyed bridges. If the infrastructure of Honduras is severely damaged, this will certainly affect us."

Do you want to hear a round-up of Felix on the blogosphere?

And there's a growing number of you searching the web for news of Steve Fossett, the millionaire adventurer, whose plan has gone missing over Nevada.