We’ve moved…

After a very happy two and a half years with WordPress, we’re moving back onto the BBC blog platform. This I hasten to add has nothing to do with WordPress, and everything to do with it making sense for a long list of reasons to be back in the BBC fold.

So, please head to worldhaveyoursay.com to carry on the conversation. You’ll need to sign up for a BBC ID, which takes under 5 minutes and then you’ll be in business.

I’m afraid that we we can’t promise to moderate comments on this blog from now on, so it’s much better to make your thoughts known on the new blog. See you on the other side… Cheers, Ros

Normal service resumed

You’ll have noticed that there was a rogue post on this blog for a few hours. We apologise for that. Someone managed to get access while taking away ours. Thanks to the swift assistance of the VIP guys at WordPress, things have been put right. We’re now just starting to go back through the comments that have been left unmoderated today. Meanwhile, the discussion goes on over here.

What next for Catholics and the Catholic Church?

Have you read this story that the New York Times ran today? The article says that Rev. Lawrence C. Murphy in Wisconsin was accused of molesting more than 200 deaf boys and even though  American bishops allegedly warned top Vatican officials to act, the Vatican did not move to defrock Rev. Murphy. It’s a compelling article with some specific allegations relating to then-Cardinal Ratzinger,  have a read and post your thoughts on what you think is next for Catholics and the Catholic Church. Here’s an update, a Reuters article on the Vatican response.

On air: Should smoking in cars be banned?

I have to confess that when I smoked (which was a very long time ago), driving along with a cigarette was something I used to enjoy. Not that I had any young children at that time, and that is the factor that’s causing some for argue for a ban on smoking in cars. The Scottish government has today said it’s not persuaded, but this is the argument for a ban…

On air: Lubna finishes medical school

On WHYS we’ve been following Lubna throughout her medical training- and next Thursday she reaches an important milestone. here’s the e-mail she sent us, which she has given us permission to reproduce here :

I’ll leave it to you to wish her good luck below..

Salaam to all of you guys from Baghdad, the city of pain, hope, and magic tales… How are things ? I do really hope and pray that all is perfectly OK with you and with all of your loved ones, Inshallah…

What do you expect from us?

Hi – I’m Tolu Adeoye and I’m one of a new group of trainees on the BBC’s Journalism Trainee Scheme. We’re all pictured here with Helen Boaden, Director, BBC News. The programme is designed to attract people to journalism who have not trained, or worked, as broadcast journalists before – recruiting people who can use their experiences and skills to reach diverse audiences. Krupa and Trish, who work on World Have your Say, were trainees on the 2008 scheme. We’d love to hear what World Have Your Say listeners want and expect from new BBC journalists.

Do soldiers today have to be braver than those of a generation ago?

Hi, Dan Damon here from  World Update

Next week we’ll be taking a look at bravery in war.

Nearly every day we’re getting reports of more casualties from operations in Afghanistan.

Are social network discussions ever off limits?

An Islamic court in Nigeria has banned a human rights group from using Facebook and Twitter, to discuss the country’s first amputation for theft.
“We condemn the ruling and reject it. We think it is a violation of our freedom of expression,”  says Shehu Sani the Civil Rights Congress president.  

Should gay teenagers be able to express their sexuality at school?

“All I want is the same chance to enjoy my prom night like any other student. But my school would rather hurt all the students than treat everyone fairly”. I know a lot of you have seen the story about Constance McMillen. She’s 19 and has been stopped from going to her school prom in Mississippi, USA. The reason is that she wants to go with her girlfriend, something her school was not prepared to allow. As you can see, she’s got plenty of supporters on Facebook. Even Ellen DeGeneres has got involved. Now while the specifics of the case are being played out in the courts, a broader discussion has started about the right and wrongs of gay teenagers expressing their feelings at school.

Does Israel need friends?

“It’s unfortunate that the Brits decided to do this but it’s not the end of the world…” so says blogger Israel Matzav. But this writer reckons Britain has dealt a serious blow to Israel’s arrogance.