The USA and India

Owen Bennett Jones introduces personal views, analysis and wit from BBC correspondents around the world. In this edition, Mark Mardell is in Iowa, seeing what an impact its Republican and Democrat caucuses have on the race to be US President; Rahul Tandon joins the (somewhat thinner) crowds at cricket matches in India to ask whether the country's showing signs of 'cricket fatigue'.

Small-town America - with big-time influence

The city of Des Moines in Iowa is slap-bang in the middle of North America, and right now it is also right at the centre of American politics. Should you visit Des Moines during the next few weeks, there is a fair chance that a Republican presidential candidate could pounce, shaking your hand and making promises.

On January 3, the city will have the 2012 Iowa Republican caucuses - the formal start to the 2012 US presidential election. The candidates - like Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, and Rick Perry - are on their way. But Mark Mardell is already there and what he heard might not make some front-runners happy.

"Cricket? Meaningless? Blasphemy!"

Professional cricket commentators have been saying for years that there are simply too many international matches. Adminstrators, desirous of big fees from TV companies and sponsors, have been coming up with more and more competitions and formats. And now even some of the world's most devoted cricket fans are beginning to say enough is enough.

Rahul Tandon, in Calcutta, found that even among crowds of fans outside the grounds, there is are growing murmurs of dissent.

(Image: Indian cricket fans. Credit: Getty Images)