They're talking about Paris. Yes, I know, the suburbs, or banlieue, but still Paris.

High unemployment, strikes, gangs, violence, angry disaffected young people: what's wrong with France?

Another night of violent clashes, looting, shops and cars set on fire. This time not only in Villiers-le-Bel, where it all started, but also in other Parisian suburbs and Tolouse, in the south.

What do you think can be done? Is this something we should talk about today? Send us your views, post here on the blog.

Only last week, we were talking about a transport strike that cost the country 400 million euros a day.

President Nicolas Sarkozy survived the strike -- his first real challenge in power. But how will he deal with the latest violence?

He was France's Interior Minister two years ago, when the first wave of violence erupted in the impovireshed suburbs of Paris.

His strong comments at the time made him a much hated figure in those areas. But he went on to win the election.

INTEGRATION

It all started, then, with the accidental deaths of two young men in Clichy-sous-Bois.

A lot was talked about sice about the lack of integration in French society for immigrants and the children of immigrants.

Things don't seem to have changed much.

Two years ago, I said that it would just take a spark for France to blow up. I'm not saying nothing has been done since then, but nothing to the scale it should have.

Claude Dilain, Mayor of Clichy-sous-Bois

What has changed in France since October 2005? Is it time for big change in France, in work relations, in the economy, in the police?

Or is this a localized problem that will go if Sarkozy hold firm and challenge the rioters?

You can’t expect things to have changed in two years when the root of the problem goes back 30 years, to when France parked difficult people in estates.

Jean-Christophe Lagarde, Mayor of Drancy

Let us know what you think, post on the blog or send us an email.

GOLDEN COMPASS

Moving on to less mundane issues: Philip Pullman, the (atheist) author and the new controversy involving the Catholic Church.

The peg here is the premiere last night of the Golden Compass, a film based on the first novel of Pullman's trilogy His Dark Materials.

It features big screen stars Daniel Craig and Nicole Kidman. It will open in the US next week and the Catholic League in the US has been calling for a boycott.

The reason: Pullman's rejection of organised religion.

Much of what was on the book was left out of the film, but there's still criticism.

INDOCTRINATION

The fact that this is a film for children and teenagers has led to accusations of anti-religious (or anti-Catholic) indoctrination.

Lots of blogs are talking about this. The problem is all this talk is lending the film and the book extra publicity.

Is Philip Pullman guilty of indoctrinating children against the existence of God?

Karnie has just sent me a very interesting link where Pullman expresses his views on religion, Christianity, faith. Worth checking before you make up your mind.

Send us your comments, post here on the blog or send us an email

Palestinians (at least the Fatah side) and Israelis are talking again. This is the first Middle East summit since 2000.

More than 40 organisations and countries are at the Annapolis talks, in the US, including Syria.

And yet, many say this is a road to nowhere: Hamas is not represented, President Bush and Israel do not want peace, Iran is the priority now, construction goes on in the West Bank's Jewish settlements.

Is there reason for optimism? Do you think Annapolis will lead to serious negotiations and peace or is it just a bubble, ready to burst? Send us your views, post here on the blog.

The bubble quote is not mine. I got it from an Israeli settler in the West Bank, quoted on a report today on Jewish settlementes.

This Annapolis is just a bubble... It will burst and we will build our new community here.

Eilat Cohen-Zada

Eilat is a mother of seven, living in a caravan while she waits for a new house or flat to be built in land occupied by Israel during the 67 war.

The Jewish settlements are just one of thorny issues in the way of peace in the Middle East.

Security for Israel, the future of Gaza, Hamas, the "right of return" for millions of Palestinian refugees, the Israeli wall, checkpoints, all that.

No wonder President Bush has warned that "difficult compromises" will need to be reached. It might be a matter of managing expectations.

Serious follow-through after Annapolis could produce progress and even limited agreements; belief in peacemaking's ability to actually bring peace may be restored after a too long hiatus. And while not exactly historic, that would certainly be a welcome contribution to the next administration.

Dennis Ross, former US envoy to the Middle East.

Will Annapolis succeed? We want to hear from people in Gaza, in the West Bank, in Israel, in the US and round the world? Post your comments here on the blog.

IS PARIS BURNING?

Another night of riots in the suburbs of Paris. Banlieue, Martin would correct me.

It's two years now since the nights of violence and burning cars and clashings between the police and disaffected young people.

In October 2005, it started with the deaths of two boys chasing the police in Clichy-sous-Bois.

This time, a very similar incident in nearby Villiers-le-Bell. Two teenagers were killed, again, running away from the police, on a motorbike.

ANGER

Young people, many of them immigrants and the children of immigrants in the outskirts of the otherwise charming French capital hasve clashed with the police for the second night running.

More than 60 police officers have been injured.

The question for me is: what has changed in the last two years? Are relations between the police and those communities any better? Why so much anger?

Is this about integration in France or just an overeaction to an normal motorbike accident?

Let's hear from people in France, from some of the people we spoke to two years ago.

TEDDY BEAR

A British teacher is under arrest in Sudan for letting her pupils name a teddy bear Muhammad.

Gillian Gibbons is in a cell in Khartoum, accused of blasphemy against the Prophet.

Under Sharia law, she can be punished with 40 lashes.

In her defense, Ms Gibbons said it was the children -- not her -- who named the teddy bear. And they did so by asking them to vote.

Twenty out of the 23 pupils decided to go for Muhammad, the name of a popular boy in the class.

SHARIA GONE TOO FAR?

But that's beyond the point. Is there any justification for punishing a teacher with 40 lashes? And for naming a teddy bear Muhammad?

Is this what Islamic law really says? Is this what Sharia law is about?

Or has the religion of the Prophet been distorted beyond recognition here?

Help us understand this one. Post your comments here on the blog.

The Oxford students Union has invited for tonight's debate a historian once imprisoned for denying the Holocaust and the leader of a far right political party in Britain.

Protests are expected at Oxford both from Jewish and Muslim groups at Oxford.

Should David Irving and the British National Party (BNP), Nick Griffin, be allowed to have their say?

Oxford graduate and novelist Diran Adebayo says we're now living in a culture where people are keen to ban anything, from smoking to free speech. Do you agree with him?

Send us your views, post here on the blog.

David Irving was convicted in 1998 in the UK for denying the Holocaust and later served three years in jail in Austria.

But Jack Liebeskind, the son of a Holocaust survivor, has written a letter to The Independent defending the historian's right to speak his mind.

I am the son of a Holocaust survivor. My grandparents, four uncles and aunts and countless cousins were murdered by the Nazis at Auschwitz. To prevent people expressing their view is fascism; in this case, liberal fascists are as illiberal as the more traditional ones. Let David Irving express his views on the Holocaust and let him show himself for the fool he is.

Jack Liebeskind

But many will disagree with Mr Liebeskind. Among those protesting tonight will be the British Green Party: no platform for anti-semites, racists and homophobes!

Will the Oxford Union be giving Mr Irving and the BNP leader a platform for racial and religious hatred? Should there be limits to the freedom of speech?

ANNAPOLIS

The Palestinian-Israeli summit at the American Naval Academy of Annapolis, starting tomorrow, is being seen as President Bush's last opportunity to make a difference.

Palestinians and Israelis have not met in high level peace talks since 2000.

And it's not looking good for president Bush. There's scepticism from all sides.

The Palestinians are divided, with the Hamas "half" not represented at the talks. Ehud Olmert's government in Israel is too weak.

And the Arabs cannot once again speak in one voice.

President Bush is the one who can make it happen, against all the odds. Do you believe he'll succeed?

Will President Bush bring peace to the Middle East?

RELIGIOUS "NUTTER"

One of the politicians who attempted and failed to bring about peace between Palestinians and Israelis was Tony Blair.

He's still at it, as a special envoy. But on the eve of Annapolis, Blair is in the news for a different reason.

He has revealed that he kept his religious beliefs secret during his 11 years as Prime Ministers in order to avoid getting the label of "religious nutter".

Was Tony Blair right to keep his faith to himself?

Should politicians be allowed to express their religious beliefs? Should religion and politics be kept apart?

I just wonder if this is a British thing, or a Western European approach to politics and religion.

It seems to work the opposite way in the US, Latin America and in Muslim countries, where you're expected at least to believe in God.

Send us your views, post your comments here on the blog.

Today we were going to ask if life was better in Gaza because of Hamas, but given the events that I'm outlining below, we think the question should be more like this:

IS IT TIME TO GET RID OF HAMAS?

The Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, has just called for Hamas to be ousted from the Gaza strip. Mr Abbas said that Hamas - which seized the territory in June from his Fatah movement - should be removed by force.

This is the first time the Palestinian president has called explicitly for the removal of Hamas, previously saying it should apologise for taking over Gaza and return it to Fatah control.

The comments by the Palestinian leader come days after the killing of seven Fatah supporters during a rally in Gaza.

Discontent is growing, in part because of Israel's closure of Gaza's borders, in response to the Hamas takeover, shut down many factories, cost tens of thousands of jobs and it's driven up prices.

And yesterday Hamas clamped down on journalists reporting in the territory. So the people of Gaza are angry, not just with Hamas but also with Isreal. What do you think ?

IS PRESIDENT ABBAS RIGHT - SHOULD HAMAS BE OUSTED?

Who's to blame here -- Hamas or Fatah, or both? Would it be logical to ignore Hamas because it's an elected government -- even though it's becoming less popular by the week?

Where does Hamas see this going - or to put it another way, does Hamas have an end point which involves primarily the people, and not some brand of political dogma ?

Or could it be that the people of Gaza have now got to the stage where they don't care who's in power, they don't care about power-struggles -- all they want is a better life ?

As ever:

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If you ever want to be removed from the e-mailing list, just let us know and we'll take you off straight away. And apologies are due because some people have been receiving the daily e-mail twice a day. Finger trouble is a terrible thing. I'd love to blame someone else but I cant -- t'was I M'lud.

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But is it really funny? You'll hear from women and men who sell their bodies in the streets and dodgy areas that they fear for their lives almost on a daily basis.

Ask people who live in kerb-crawling areas and they'll tell you: prostitution brings crime, drugs, violence and degradation to our neighbourhood.

There's a new proposal to legalise prostitution in the UK. Would the legalisation of prostitution make women safer across the world? Would decriminalisation protect sex workers? Would it make the area where you live safer?

Send us your thoughts, post your comments here on the blog.

Karnie and Fiona have been working on that story.

What drew their attention to the issue is a proposal by the Women's Institute, a long-standing, traditional organisation in Britain.

The idea is to hear from sex workers and ex-prostitutes in the UK and several other countries.

Is this something you'd like to talk about? Do you think making prostitution legal would reduce risks for those who work in the sex industry?

BHUTTO'S DETENTION

A tense Friday in Pakistan. Benazir Bhutto has been given a 30-day detention notice.

She was preparing to lead a big rally this Friday, protesting against the state of emergency declared by general Pervez Musharraf last Saturday.

First her house was cordoned off. As the former PM tried to break out of the security cordon, she was given the notice "for her own security".

So what's going on in Pakistan? Will this lead to more protests and isolation for general Musharraf?

BREAST MILK FOR SALE

Yes, in Iowa. Big fuss over there, according to our colleague James.

Doctors agree that the breast milk is essential for children's development.

Women are also selling their eggs. Why not their milk? What's wrong with it?

Would you sell your breast milk? Would you sell your eggs?

MY MOBILE IS MY LIFE

We wouldn't be surprised if one our colleagues turned up late for work today.

The reason is: iphones go on sale today at lunch time in the UK (and Germany too).

I would put my money on Iain. I bet he'll be coming in out of breath, a nice smile, a good excuse and his brand new iphone in hand.

Before leaving on Thursday, Iain suggested we talked about mobile phones on today's programme.

His question was: do mobile phones change your life?

Fiona was equally enthusiastic, but I know for a fact she's in the office early and will miss the queue outside the Apple store in Regent Street.

Do you share their passion for mobile phones, iphones, ring tones, the lot?

Have mobile phones changed your life in any way?

Let us know, post here on the blog.

The latest proposal on the table is to allow the police to hold "terror suspects" for 56 days without charge.

Current legislation in Britain, created to combat the IRA, gives the police 28 days to question anyone they think is a terrorist.

The US had the Patriot Act, other countries have been using the law to stop radicals. But does it work? Can the law help prevent radicalism? That's something we'll probably be talking about today. Send us your views, post your comments here on the blog.

You might think the government in Britain would have overall support for tougher legislation against radicals. But that's not the case.

Many in the opposition say damaging civil liberties will have a negative impact.

Of course extremists and preachers of hate will seek to radicalise youngsters within their communities whatever we do. But surely we have learnt by now that breahtless talk about the "war on terror" or sloppy anti-terror legisltion gives them needless additional ammunition with which to sustain their twisted grievances?

Nick Clegg, opposition MP, Liberal Democrat

Different countries face this challenge in different ways. Look at Pakistan, or Israel, or Lebanon. Join the conversation, send us your views.

WHEN REVOLUTIONS GO WRONG

First Ukraine, with its Orange Revolution. Then the Tulip Revolution of Kyrgyzstan.

Now Georgia, and the Rose Revolution going wrong.

A state of emergency declared on the 90th anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution.

What's wrong with all these revolutions? Can we say the Rose Revolution is over? Who's to blame?

Georgia, like Ukraine, points the finger at Moscow. But it may not be that simple.

Onnik Krikorian says in his blog that it's just too easy to put all the blame on the traditional Russian enemy. And convenient too. What about corruption, bad management, poor economic performance?

Are we just too impatient these days? Do we run out of patience before the flowers of the revolution bloom? Or do the leaders change once they're in power?

FINNISH COLUMBINE

Out of nowhere, many will say. Who could have expected a school shooting, Columbine and Virginia Tech style, in a peaceful Finnish town?

Others will say was just a matter of time. Finland comes third in the world in the number of guns per inhabitant (behind the US and Yemen).

Do guns cause violence? Is gun possession to blame for another random shooting incident?

We've discussed this in the programme before and it was always a hot conversation, to say the least.

If someone else at the Jokela High School in Tuusula had a gun, could they have shot at the killer and prevented the tragedy?

Is this something you'd like to talk about?

The Finnish killer posted a video of himself on the internet before the attack. He was holding a gun, facing the camera and saying: "I, as a natural selector, will eliminate all who I see unfit."

This was the final instalment of a series of videos on his own YouTube channel.

Could more careful monitoring of the internet have prevented this attack?

The former communist mayor of Rome, Walter Veltroni, is behind legislation that's allowing the government to expel Romanian immigrants.

Here in the UK, a similar debate is going on.

So what do you think? What's wrong with immigration? Is there a way of controlling immigration in a globalised world? Who would gain and lose? Send us your comments, join the conversation.

The new legislation says even EU citizens will be expelled If they pose a threat to the community.

It's all coming from a left-wing government. The right, Berlusconi included, wants the legislation to be toughened.

RIVERS OF BLOOD

A Conservative Member of Parliament, Nigel Hastilow, is a recent casualty of the debate.

Too many foreigners, immigration out of control, "rivers of blood" will follow.

He was forced to resign on Sunday, saying that the notorious right-wing politician Enoch Powell was right on immigration.

Powel himself was sacked from the shadow cabinet in 1968 after saying in a speech that Britain was "mad, literally mad" to allow large-scale immigration.

TABOO

Is that something of a taboo, something we just cannot talk about?

Do politicians say one thing in public and legislate differently?

You just need to ask businessmen, hotel managers, restaurant owners, hospital directors and patients they will tell you: if immigrants left, this country would collapse.

Is that the case? Can the developed world, with an ageing population, live without fresh immigrant blood?

There was a lot more tension when I arrived in London in 94. The economy was then recovering from a painful recession, unemployment was a talking point.

But since then, the economy hasn't stopped growing and even the huge flow of Central and Eastern European immigrants has brought unemployment back. Will it happen? Let's talk about it.

GROUNDED IN CANADA

For those who don't know, Anu Anand has left the programme. She's on her way to India, but first enjoying some time off in London.

Photos of a very relaxed Anu came to our email inbox this week. But she hasn't stopped.

She sent us the contact for a Pakistani-Canadian political cartoonist who was banned from boarding an Air Canada plane on May 28th.

Shahid Mahmood is willing to come on air any day this week and explain his case. He's in a legal dispute with the airline.

Canada is seen as the true "melting pot", where immigrants and minorities rights are respected.

Shahid, speaking to Priya last night, said things are not that straight forward.

Do you want to hear from Shahid and Air Canada? How unsettled is the Canadian melting pot?

More than were 100 people killed then and a great deal of the enthusiasm from the previous day had turned into a "what next" question.

Well, we know now what came next. Martin and I were here on Saturday, working on the WHYS climate change special from San Francisco.

Towards the end of the show, general Pervez Musharraf went live on TV in Pakistan and announced a state of emergency. But the opposition say they won't give up. So what now for Pakistan?

Is general Musharraf only fighting for his political survival or is he trying to save his country from radical Islamist militants?

What do you think? Send us your thoughts.

US REACTION

How should the international community react?

All eyes were on the United States. Would the US pull the plug on the general, a first-hour ally on the fight against the Taliban post-September 11th? Would the US ignore the arrests of human rights activists and political leaders in the opposition in Pakistan?

For now, the Americans are sticking with general Musharraf. Bush's government has signalled it will keep billions of dollars in aid flowing to Pakistan.

The main priority is "to protect America and protect American lives by continuing to fight against terrorists". The quote is by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, this weekend.

Do you agree with her? Should we overlook human rights and democracy when it comes to our countries interests?

That doesn't come from me, but from Luci, in Copenhagen. She's talking about Doris Lessing, the writer who was awarded today with the Nobel Prize for Literature.

Luci sent us a passionate email, telling us about the huge following Doris Lessing has in Denmark.

Have a look at what she had to say and tell us what you think.

Are you a Doris Lessing fan too? What does her work say to you?

The most visionary person on the planet: do you agree? What writers are on your list for next year's Nobel Prize?

Today something happened that I have been waiting for for about 18 or 20 years. The Swedish Academy chose to give DORIS LESSING the Nobel Prize for Literature! For years, I have been trying do convince everybody that this is not only the most important writer in the English Language - but also the most visionary person on the Planet. Congratulations, Doris Lessing! I am at my small local library branch in Copenhagen that has a large concentration of Pakistani and Afghan and Turkish and Palestinian and Roma and Iraqui and Irani and Danish girls who read a lot. The librarian is organizing an exhibition of Doris Lessing's books. When I came in excited about who had won the Nobel Prize, and said, "The most visionary person on the planet", the librarian guessed. " Doris Lessing!" We look forward to not having to explain everything to the next generations. And to all of the girls and women and men who will learn from this sage. Whenever I have taught English, I have gotten my students to read Doris Lessing. I am working on a translation of her book of essays, Prisons We Choose to Live Inside. It is a Labour of Love. I have never met Doris Lessing or heard her speak in person, but I always listen when she is on the World Service and I absolutely adore her. Especially when she is critical and cranky. Please keep it up in your speech, Mrs. Doris Lessing! We love you for it! There is no comparing Doris Lessing with any other living writer. The librarian and I and the women who are manning the desks are all very happy! The sun is not shining in Copenhagen today, but our eyes are! And soon, inspired by a real woman who writes about everything under the sun, some of us are going to get started.I always thought one had to write the first book by the age of 32, but nowadays, with the technical things that are available, the biggest problem will be finding people who like to read!

All the Best,
Luci Smith
Copenhagen, Denmark

P.S. This is also Great News for Nans and "Older"- the Danish word for Great Grandmothers (slang).
Tillykke til alle Older! Respect!

Many see it as blood ritual that should just be discontinued. What used to be a taboo, is now being openly discussed.

I wonder if similar debate is going on among Muslims and in Africa, where circumcision is a common practice.

What do you think? Is this a tradition that should be kept?

One thing I didn't know is that 85% of all American boy babies were circumcised in 1965. It was a common practice then, for medical reasons.

It's now down to 57% of US babies.

Have your say, post here on the blog.

Another idea for today is the debate about skin lighteners.

We were ready to go ahead with that debate last week, when the crisis in Burma started.

Why so many people rely on skin lighteners to become more attractive?

Such creams are very popular in India and other South Asian countries, but also in Africa and in the US, with Afro-Americans.

Actress Rani Moorthy was ready to come in and talk to us about the prejudices against Asians with darker skin.

Should we hear from her today?

Please share your views and post here on the blog.

We've had some technical problems in the last week or so.

If you can't post your comments here, send us an email and we'll try to publish the comment from this end.

Today, one topic and one topic only: Burma; and what in your opinion should the outside world be doing now ?

The crisis in that country gets worse by the hour: thousands of Buddhist monks and other protesters have been marching in Rangoon despite a crackdown that has reportedly killed at least one monk.

Monks' shaved heads stained with blood could be seen at the Shwedagon Pagoda where police charged against protesters demanding the end of military rule.

What we're discussing here is a battle of wills between Burma's two most powerful institutions, the military and the monk-hood, and the outcome is far from clear.

But what can or should the rest of the world do now?

The UN Security Council has called a meeting for 1900 GMT today to discuss the clashes, and earlier the UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown called for talks with a view to sending an envoy to the country. He vowed there would be "no impunity" for human rights violators.

We want to know what you think ? How can the UN pressure the Burmese authorities into doing the right thing ? Gordon Browns talk of an envoy: how would that work?

Beyond diplomatic platitudes has the time come for India and China to get on board and, at least, start sending out stronger signals?

The US already has an arms ban on Burma, a ban on all exports, a ban on new investment and a ban on financial services. Where else should this screw-tightening go now? Tell us your thoughts.

As ever the contact details:

BBCNEWS.COM/WORLDHAVEYOURSAY

TEXT: +44 77 86 20 60 80

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Later, Peter :-)

The British Formula 1 team has been found guilty of using stolen information provided by a Ferrari insider to redesign its cars and win races.

More on the story here.

Does it really matter HOW you win? Does it need to be fair and square?

McLaren has been stripped of all its points in the Constructors Championship, which means Ferrari are this year winners.

That's something I found in an Italian blog: "the loser is always right, but the winner is always the best."

It's philosophical, it goes beyond sport. Where do you draw the line?

Other F1 (or should I say Ferrari) fans in Italy say: this isn't sack races; this is motor racing, where everyone cheats.

Others say they're ashamed. "Punishing is one thing. Eliminating is another thing. McLaren are this year winners!"

If you want to test your Italian language skills, here's the link to La Repubblica's blog.

CLASS WAR?

In Britain, a sense of injustice.

An article on The Independent says this is down to a very British "class war" in the world of Formula 1.

"Working class" Ron Dennis, the McLaren owner v. "posh" Max Mosley, the FIA president.

What do you think? Fair or unfair? If everyone cheats, as some say, is it your fault if you're caught?

Does it really matter if you win it fairly?

MORTGAGE CRISIS

Another big talking point today is the possibility of a crisis in the mortgage sector.

One of the main British mortgage lenders, Northern Rock, had to ask for financial help from the Bank of England yesterday.

It's all linked to the mortgage crisis in the United States.

Many economists have been warning that years of speculation in the property market would eventually lead to a crisis.

Is this where we are now? Are you worried there will be a crisis?

Are you worried this will affect your life? Or is this just another financial scare that will go nowhere?

INDIGENOUS MISERY

I heard an amazing report this morning by my colleague Doreen Walton.

She was in Greenland for The World Today.

Today, the focus was on the problems faced by young people there: drugs, alcohol abuse, loneliness, suicide.

It seems to be the case almost everywhere with indigenous people.

Is that something you'd like to talk about?

I'd like to hear from indigenous people in Greenland, Canada, Australia, the US, in Africa

BILL OF RIGHTS

After debating it for 22 years, the United Nations General Assembly has adopted a declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples.

Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the US all opposed the proposal.

A Canadian friend of mine says people there have had enough: the indigineous people have it all and still want more.

How do you feel about it? Will this declaration make a difference in your country?

Post your comments here on the blog.

Carol Sarler, an outspoken Times columnist, says she's had enough: "Enough religion. Stop shoving it down my throat."

Her argument is: 97% of people in Britain don't attend religious services on a regular basis and yet we report on gay bishops, faith schools etc.

Do you agree with her? Do you think the media in your country gives too much space to religion?

That's what the Times columnist writes today: "Good manners today disallow the questioning of a man's belief as sternly as they disallow jokes about it and to offend by either means may be, at least, a sacking offence or, at most, a matter of law."

Should we have a debate about that? Is that something you want to discuss in today's WHYS? Post your comments here on the blog.

Another question: how do you command respect from the people in Afghanistan?

Grow a beard.

That's what British soldiers have been allowed and encouraged to do.

There's an amazing claim: the presence of bearded British airmen has helped reduced the number of attacks on Kandahar airfield.

What do you think? What will you need to do in your country to get the respect of your pairs -- or your elders?

And I come back to one idea Mark mentioned in a meeting the other day: racism in Switzerland.

I'll quote Mark: "The stereotypical image is of a neutral, peace-loving country which produces nice chocolate "

But there's a bit more to the place than that.

Switzerland has the toughest naturalisations laws in Europe. An official report says those laws need to change.

There seems to be widespread racism. Foreigners make up a significant proportion of the prison population in the country.

That's Switzerland, the home of the Olympic movement, the Red Cross, the United Nations, the land of neutrality.

Are you a Swiss national, are you an immigrant in Switzerland? Have you lived in the country? What do you think? Send us your comments.

Also, a change at the top in Japan as outgoing PM Shinzo Abe is admitted to hospital believed to be suffering from a stress-related condition.

and 5 Live, our sister station have been debating this report suggesting that the British Government doesn't take care of it's troops...

and since we're already dealing in stereotypes, what will Italy be like without pasta ? Consumers' associations there have asked people to refrain from buying it for the day to protest against the rise in price of the national food
Might we want to hear from customers in a trattoria ?

But his week things have moved to a different level, with strong language by senior US officials and action.

General David Petraeus, the US commander in Iraq, has spoken of a "proxy war" there. In Washington the Pentagon has announced it will build fortifications along the border with Iran and a big military base there.

So where will the US troops go after Iraq: back home or into Iran? Do you think a conflict with Iran is inevitable? Can Iran be blamed for the violence in Iraq?

True or not, UK troops in Basra have just been asked to join an operation at the frontier to stop it.

The Iranian government says they're being used as scapegoats for the US failures in Iraq.

What do you think? Send us your comments, post here on the blog.

In several debates about Iraq, we've had people who say: it was better in Saddam's days. It was a brutal dictatorship, but things were better.

We received an interesting email yesterday on that issue. Not from Iraq, but from Cameroon

That's what Arnaud Emmanuel Ntirenganya has written:

Is peace and poverty under dictactorship better than bad democracy? Why many people do prefer dictactorship than bad democracy? Example in DRC, Cameroon etc. Can BBC please find out?

Arnaud wants us to find out, but we'll need your help.

What do you think, in Africa, in Iraq, in other Middle Eastern countries, in Latin America, in the US. Would you give up your freedom for a benign, efficient dictatorship?

I, myself, was brought up in a military dictatorship myself, in Brazil, in the 70's, and will say always: give me a bad democracy.

But I know several people who think differently.

Post on the blog, send us your views.

One subject we know we'll be talking about today is the Law of Attraction.

In a nutshell, your thoughts and words attract bad or good things for your life.

Millions of people have bought the books and have tried to apply the Law of Attraction to their lifes.

We'll have in the show Canadian author Michael J. Losier, author of the best-seller Law of Attraction: The Science of Attracting More of What You Want and Less of What You Don't.

He'll be joining us from a CBC studio in Victoria, Canada.

This theory became popular throughout the world in the last couple of years with the launch of The Secret, a book and DVD.

Many say the whole thing is just rubbish and cannot be proved. Many say it's worked for them.

I had a mixed response to my blog post from last week.

What do you think? Has the Law of Attraction worked for you?

Is there anything you'd like to ask Michael Losier?

Send us your comments and join the conversation.

Another idea for today is the notion that terrorism can be tackled by reducing poverty and combating illiteracy.

This seems to be what the British Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, has been saying.

How many dollars would buy off Osama bin Laden? is the title of an article published on The Times Today by Daniel Finkelstein.

Nothing would have stopped him or any other terrorists, argues Finkelstein. There's no proven link between terror and ignorance.

What do you think? Are people in deprived areas, where there's widespread poverty and lack of education more likely to get involved in terrorism?

Have your say, post your comments on the blog.

It's September 11th and a ceremony will mark the sixth anniversary of the attacks at the World Trade Center.

For the first time, the commemoration won't take place at what became known as Ground Zero, now a building site.

The New York mayor, Michael Bloomberg, thinks it's time to move the city beyond grief. But is there a time to stop commemorating?

Both, of course, have an eye on the White House.

All that has attracted big controversy in the US.

Nearly 3,000 innocent people died in the attacks and the families are not happy that they won't have access to Ground Zero.

James, here in the WHYS, has been working on the idea for about a week. Have we reached 9/11 fatigue?

He wrote a blog post last week and we're getting a good response. Click here and have a look at the comments.

John Oldfield, for example, posted this comment on the blog: "I intend to spend September 11 of this year doing less mourning and more working to prevent future such attacks."

What are your thoughts? When should we stop commemorating, mourning, and look forward?

Will such time ever come for those who lost their relatives and friends in such a tragic way?

The San Francisco Chronicle also raises the same question on an article today.

Flight 93, the one which crashed in Pennsylvania was bound to San Francisco.

Relatives of people who died on the flight say they would like to move on.

It is only human to try to put really ugly things behind us. I live with it every day. Emotionally, I'm one of those people who want relief from the rawness of that day. I wish we could all forget it.

Alice Hoagland, whose son, Mark Bingham, died aboard United Flight 93

Talking of moving on, should we go back to the Petraeus report?

The commander of the US forces in Iraq, David Petraeus, is still at the Congress today.

We covered the story extensively on Monday, with a three-hour special. Some of our listeners thought it was a bit too much.

But we had a very good set up, getting the reaction from Iraqis abroad and in the country. As well as from Americans.

So, should we go back to the story today, see what the reaction has been in Iraq and in the US?

With all the Petraeus activity yesterday, we had no time for Nawaz Sharif's appearance and expulsion from Pakistan.

The former prime minister arrived in Pakistan in the early hours of Monday, only to be arrested and deported to Saudi Arabia.

Was the Pakistani leader, general Parvez Musharaf, right to deport Nawaz Sharif? If you're in Pakistan or if you're a Pakistani abroad, what do you think?

That's how the Pakistani press has been reporting the whole thing.

And some good news out of Africa.

Uganda is closing the first camp built for people who escaped the violence of the Lord's Resistance Army.

There more than 200 such camps. But they've been mostly empty, since the LRA entered peace talks with the government a year ago.

Are you in Uganda, have you been to North Uganda? Have you worked with Ugandan refugees?

How significant is the closure of the first refugee camp? What does it mean to you?