The head of a major New Zealand employers' group has been fired after implying that women were paid less than men because they took more sick leave due to menstruation.

In a radio interview, Alasdair Thompson of the Employers and Manufacturers' Association said:

"Who takes the most sick leave? Women do, in general...why? Because once a month they have sick problems. I don't like saying these things because it sounds like I'm sexist, but it's the facts of life."

Should he have lost his job?

In a poll on Television New Zealand, 54 per cent of viewers said it was right he was sacked, while 47 per cent said it was an overreaction.

We posted that question on our Facebook site yesterday and got a mixed bag of responses.

Cornel asks why "people can't say jack about women anymore?".

But Samuel from New Zealand says: "It's not true that a woman who die exactly the same job as a man should get paid less because she has 'women's problems' once a month. That's complete rubbish."

The story is mostly being tweeted in New Zealand, but has been picked up the Times of India, The Huffington Post and the Daily Mail.

What do you think? Should he have been sacked or were his comments just plain wrong, period?

This topic was discussed on World Have Your Say on 6 July, 2011. Listen to the programme.

Tomorrow marks a sad anniversary for Graham Foulkes. Six years ago, his son David was killed in the July 7th suicide bombings on London's underground system.

That's devastating enough, but now, a phone call from British police has made things even worse.

It's emerged that Graham and other families of people killed in the London tube bombings may also have had their phones hacked by the British tabloid News of the World.

He says he's "saddened and sickened" by it.

"I certainly think that News International [which owns News of the World] need to come clean, they need to accept that their responsibility and their culpability, and they need to do the decent thing, but I suppose they won't."

While we're on air, the British Parliament will hold an emergency debate on the issue.

We want to hear from you too. What do you make of the phone hacking scandal? Do you think it will be a turning point in how tabloid newspapers operate?

You can post your comments here or join the debate on our Facebook page.

We've got a special programme for you today, carrying the second part of this year's BBC Reith Lectures by Aung San Suu Kyi.

The recording of the Burmese pro-democracy leader was done secretly at her house in Burma. After we hear what she has to say, we'll take half an hour to discuss it with a panel of guests - and take your questions.

Last week's World Have Your Say carried the first of her two lectures. If you missed it, you can listen again here.

Today, in the second and final lecture, Aung San Suu Kyi discusses how her party, The National League for Democracy, has survived despite being ignored by Burma's military dictatorship.

"In spite of the stringent efforts by the military regime to isolate us from the rest of the world, we never felt alone in our struggle. We never felt alone because the struggle against authoritarianism and oppression spans the whole human world, crossing political and cultural frontiers."

See listeners' comments about this programme

The inaugural lectures were given by the philosopher and Nobel laureate Bertrand Russell in 1948. Past Reith lecturers have included the "father of the atomic bomb" Robert Oppenheimer; Canadian economist JK Galbraith; architect Sir Richard Rogers; and pianist and conductor Daniel Barenboim.

Former MI5 Director-General Baroness Manningham-Buller will present three further lectures in September.

After a long meeting on what to discuss today, we've decided on a topic which was pitched to us by a WHYS listener.

Guillaume wrote to our editor Mark wondering why the programme hadn't touched on a story coming out of the women's World Cup of football taking place in Germany.

Last week Nigeria's coach Euchria Uche gave an interview to the German daily Bild - branding homosexuality as 'dirty'.

She was quoted saying: "homosexuality is a dirty thing, spiritually and morally it is very, very wrong."

Since then, over 40,000 people have written to football's world governing body FIFA to complain.

So we're asking whether this is about attitudes in Nigeria or a problem across the pitch. Let us know what you think and whether Mr Jackson's plea to kick homophobia out of football by 2015 is a realistic one.

This topic was discussed on World Have Your Say on 2 June, 2011. Listen to the programme.

Close your eyes for a minute and picture this. You go down to your local pharmacy and order some cocaine over-the-counter. Later, you catch up with a friend at a coffee shop that sells weed and smoke a couple joints. Another pal joins you, who has just come from shooting up with heroin.

No need to worry about trouble from the police. All of the above are legal.

Okay - so that's a pretty mythical scenario at the moment. But what if it wasn't?

A new report by the Global Commission on Drug Policy released on Thursday says the global war on drugs has "failed".

One of the key recommendations: countries should legalise drugs. Not all drugs - but some of them.

In fact there's a large school of thought that agrees with this principle. Take a read of this article from the Economist.

So today on the programme we're asking: what would the world look like if all drugs were legalised?

But we want to hear from you too. What would your country look like if drugs were made legal?

The new report was written by some big names: past UN Secretary General Kofi Annan, the former leaders of Mexico, Colombia and Brazil and the entrepreneur Richard Branson. They argue that decriminalising drugs will not lead to an increase in drug use.

They point to Portugal, the Netherlands and Australia as examples of countries that have decriminalised certain drugs. Their conclusion: the number of people who used drugs actually decreased.

We've had the debate around whether drugs should be legalised. We're not re-hashing that again. We're going to slip into an imaginary scenario of drugs being legalised overnight.

If you woke up to this new world, what effect would it have on your society?

See listeners' comments about this programme

This topic was discussed on World Have Your Say on 1 June, 2011. Listen to the programme.

Journalists in Pakistan bid a sad farewell to their colleague Saleem Shazad today. Fellow reporter Abbas Nasir from Pakistan's Dawn newspaper said he was filled with "deep, helpless despair."
After disappearing on Sunday from Islamabad, Shahzad was found slain dozens of miles outside the capital yesterday. Police said his body bore signs of torture.

An investigative reporter who wrote for the Asia Time Online and other publications, he often covered sensitive topics in Pakistan such as the ties between al-Qaeda and Pakistan's navy. Before he was killed, he told a human rights activist he'd been threatened by intelligence agents.

But will his death change anything in Pakistan?

Colleagues at his funeral have vowed Shahzad's killing will not silence them.

Prominent Pakistani journalist Azhar Abbas said, "we will not shut our voices down. The journalist community is united on this."

But it's not just journalists who are worried about what's happened.

Umer, a listener in Karachi phoned in to say, "Ordinary people are getting abducted and kidnapped too. None of us feel safe."

So what will it take to change things in Pakistan? Is there anything other countries can do? How important is it for journalists and other Pakistanis to continue to speak out, even though the risks are clearly high?

Please post your thoughts below or on our Facebook site and I'll read out as many as I can on air.

See listeners' comments about this programme

Maybe it's the last name, but I've been mistaken for being Irish, American - even Polish.

In actual fact, I grew up in the foothills of Calgary, Canada. I don't say "aboot" but do certainly fall into the national stereotype of loving snow and anything with maple syrup.

I made my presenting debut on World Have Your Say from New Orleans in 2010 where I spent a month reporting on the toll the Gulf of Mexico oil spill was taking on fishing families.

It was one of the most rewarding assignments of my career.

Before joining the BBC, I was a journalist with the CBC in Canada.

My most (un)memorable moment happened while reporting from the Calgary Stampede festival and rodeo. As I was recording an interview, an 80-pound teepee pole fell on my head and knocked me unconscious.

My tape kept rolling throughout the whole incident and it's become famous within the CBC.

It's a horrible listen. When my husband first heard it, he turned a pale shade of green, gave me a giant hug and thanked the stars I wasn't more seriously hurt.

Outside of the office, I'm a food fanatic. I write a food blog, love discovering new restaurants and taking cooking courses.

I'm thrilled to be joining the team as one of the new WHYS backup presenters.

As I learned from my time in Louisiana, hearing the stories of people directly affected by events is incredibly powerful. WHYS does this like no other programme.

Later today, the American President Barack Obama plans to visit Ground Zero in New York City to lay a wreath in memory of the victims of the 9/11 attacks. It comes on the heels of the killing of Osama Bin Laden in Pakistan.

Obama's supporters say the visit is fitting and appropriate. His opponents say it has more to do with politics than compassion.

What do you think?

Republican strategist Brad Blakeman lost his nephew on 9/11. He says today's visit is a mistake.

"It's certainly not an anniversary; it's not a cause for celebration. It's manufacturing an event and he's doing this because he's a candidate for President in 2012."

But on Facebook, Scott Olsen disagrees.

"It's our President bringing to a close a chapter in our nation's history. It is a right and honourable thing for him to do."

What do you think? Is it an inappropriate politicking victory lap - or a fitting tribute to the many families who lost loved ones?

We'd very much like to hear from you.

See listeners' comments about this programme

British Prime Minister David Cameron says he wants to see "good immigration, not mass immigration" in the UK.

In a speech today, Mr Cameron said "we want to welcome people here, but we want people here to integrate, to learn the language, to build a strong country together."

He said the recent influx of more than two million people a year was straining communities and services throughout the country.

But what exactly makes a "good immigrant"?

We'll hear about the British experience, but also from other places with large immigrant communities: Dubai, Vancouver, Nairobi.

Is a "good immigrant" merely someone who blends in to a new country and speaks the local language? On the flip side, is there such thing as too good an immigrant? Are you concerned about very highly skilled immigrants being more qualified than you for the opportunities available?

What do you think makes a "good immigrant" in your country?

We'll be discussing this at 1700GMT, so please tell us where you're from and post your thoughts below.

This topic was discussed on April 13 2011. Listen to the programme here.

Hi, I'm Robyn Bresnahan, taking the baton from Jill and presenting the late edition of the programme today.

On the early edition there was a massive response to the question of how we should deal with deposed leaders.

This follows the news that Egypt's ex-President Hosni Mubarak has been detained. His sons are also being held amid allegations of corruption and violence.

The same question could be asked of the Ivory Coast's Laurent Gbagbo. The phone has been ringing off the hook with your comments about him. Also today, a summit has begun in Qatar asking what to do about Col Gaddafi.

In today's Guardian, Brian Whitaker also ponders what should happen to leaders in Yemen and Tunisia. What lessons have been learned from fallen dictators?

Should other deposed leaders facing allegations of corruption and violence also face international courts?

David writes on our Facebook page: "while dealing with these former leaders, we should be cautious not to witch-hunt them. Amnesty and reconciliation is the best strategy."

But Ahmed says: "no exceptions to be made - they must be prosecuted."

Do you agree with David or Ahmed? Or maybe you have a different thought altogether. We'd like to hear from you.

We'll continue to conversation at 1700GMT, so please post your thoughts below. I sincerely hope you can join us.

I'm feeling extremely sad - almost guilty - about leaving. There are so many stories I didn't get to tell.

On my first day, I met a family who owned a Cajun seafood restaurant. They were horrified that people had stopped ordering their signature dish of Gulf shrimp.

I met a fifth generation fishermen who started sobbing when he realised both his livelihood and the culture of fishing that was so deeply engrained in his persona, might be gone for good.

All the folks at the St Bernard Project, a charity providing counselling to fishing families, were beyond inspirational.

As were the workers at the Fort Jackson Bird Rescue Centre who had the unenviable job of cleaning hundreds of pelicans covered in oil.

It was heartbreaking to meet the co-owner of America's oldest oyster house, P&J Oysters, which was forced to close last week after 134 years of business.

And then there is the younger generation who will be instrumental in dealing with the after-effects of this oil spill for years to come.

"We have a duty to stay and rebuild Louisiana," 18-year-old Alex Ates told me. I could tell he meant it with all his heart and soul.

This oil spill isn't over yet, and that's why I'm feel guilty about leaving a community I've been welcomed with open arms to.

People here want their stories told. Every time I finished an interview, they would thank me profusely for broadcasting their stories to the world.

"Please don't forget about us," people have begged me time and time again.

I most definitely will not. I've met people with more resilience here than anywhere I've ever been.

And so, I'll echo what people here having been telling me from day one. If you want to support Louisiana, come and visit. Eat the seafood. Talk to the locals. I promise you'll be inspired.

I paid a visit to the Fort Jackson Bird Rescue Centre. It's mostly oil-covered pelicans arriving on a daily basis. They are a mighty sad sight.

The oily creatures have become the poster birds of this spill. Jay Holcomb, the director of the International Bird Rescue Research Centre told me there's been a jump in arrivals in recent days.

"We're seeing an increase, and that's because the oil has moved to their feeding areas."

All in all, 415 oil-covered birds have been brought to the rescue facility. It's a big grey warehouse fenced off with lots of "DO NOT ENTER" signs.

Every day for an hour, media are allowed to tour the centre and watch the birds being cleaned by a team of 50 staff.

Walking in, the smell is overwhelming. I asked Jay to describe it. He laughed. He's worked plenty of oil spills before.

"I'd say it was a mix between oil, fish which the pelicans are eating, defecation, and dish soap."

The birds themselves looked so sad. I caught myself in a "stupid question" moment and asked Jay how they were feeling.

"Well, they're in a cage and they've probably never been in a cage in their life and some of them could be 25 years old."

"This beautiful one with the blue eyes will be beautiful when she's clean. She'll have a beautiful white head."

I asked Jay whether it was still distressing for him, even after working lots of oil spills, including the Exxon Valdez, to see birds covered in oil.

"How can you ever get used to this?" he asked. "These are innocent animals covered in oil, and we caused the problems."

"I still get upset, I've had my tears. When they first started coming in, they were just dripping with oil and I had a few moments where I just had to get it together."

I've been in Louisiana for two weeks now. I've met a lot of inspiring people trying to cope as best they can with this spill. Today was no exception and my hat goes off to those people working hard to make Louisiana's state birds stately once again.

I've been in Louisiana for two weeks now covering the personal stories of this disaster. But I hadn't yet seen the spill for myself.

I went out on a boat with the President of the National Wildlife Federation, Larry Schweiger.

It took an hour and a half zipping through the Gulf before we started seeing red blotches floating in the sea. Within minutes, the blotches turned to a stream of goop resembling chunky tomato soup.

Larry pointed out a school of dolphins jumping through the oil. It was like seeing the horror-movie version of Flipper.

On board our boat was an American media crew, armed with television cameras.

"We want to see oily pelicans!" one member cried out.

The boat's captain shook his head in disgust. "Oh no you don't," he said under his breath.

I also got a glimpse of the dispersant. It looked like white and foamy.

Larry showed me the shirt he was wearing. A faded blue with his organisation's logo embroidered on it.

"This shirt was brand new. I've worn it out on these waters once and look at it now."

Indeed, the shirt looked like it had been bleached in spots.

"That's the dispersant," he said. "If this is what it's doing to my shirt, just imagine what it's doing to the animals."

If you've been following my blog posts, you'll know that people here are growing angrier by the day as the oil spill continues to gush off the coast of Louisiana.

Many say they were just recovering from Hurricane Katrina and are afraid the spill in the Gulf will be a huge setback for this city and state.

We'll hear from coastal scientist Denise Reed who says hurricane season could wreak even more havoc when it comes to the oil spill.

And Justin, the son of a third-generation fisherman. He's decided to end the family tradition, go to college and take up another career because the prospects for fishermen look so gloomy.

Add to that a few more guests, a live band and an audience of locals and all that's missing is you!

What are your questions for our audience, or the guests. Do you have a message you want to send to New Orleanians and Louisianans who are affected by the spill.

Post them right here and please do tune in at 1700GMT on Friday for the programme. Speak with you then!

He's a commercial fisherman here in Louisiana. He's had to stop because of the oil spill.

"What's hurting me, is that we uncertain about our future," he told me.

"It's not just fishing either, it's the animals. I bring my kid out in the marsh and I show him the alligators. I ain't gonna be able to do that no more, maybe if this oil spill keeps spilling."

I met Roy and his wife Ladonna at a charity called the St Bernard Project in a town called Chalmette, just east of New Orleans.

The St Bernard Project offers free counselling to fishing families affected by the oil spill.

Liz McCarthy is the co-founder of the St Bernard Project. She says the charity was originally started to rebuild homes for people who had lost them during Hurricane Katrina.

"But once we got out and started building homes, we found that people were alive, but they weren't living."

The idea to have a mental health and wellness centre was born. The centre is staffed with a psychologist, a psychiatrist and a clinical social worker.

Ladonna told me that since the oil spill, Roy is a different person.

"He's depressed. His angry at times. He's not the same," she says with tears streaming down her face.

"It's hard to see him this way."

Somehow I doubted that a burly, manly-man fishermen would feel comfortable seeing a shrink.

Roy said that was definitely the case. He told me he told his friend Steve about the project's counselling services. Steve reacted by simply driving away.

"Most fishermen would consider it like you were taking away their manhoods," Ladonna said.

But all the same, Roy said it felt good to open up.

"I'm not much of a talker, but talking to different people, it just helps me."