On air: A four state solution in the Middle East? Or just a problem?

Hamas has ended its six month ceasefire today, which for the umpteenth time brings the search for a Middle East peace process back into the forefront of many of our minds. Jonathan Freedland is a leading commentator in the UK and has written that a new approach and a new reality need to be acknowledged. He’ll be live on the show to explain his reasoning and answer your questions and comments.

What’s the best/worst cover version of all time?

hello chaps. All around the BBC office this week much humming of the song “Hallelujah”

Blog improvements

Every few months I stick up one of these posts, so you can tell us what you’d add to the blog and what you’d get rid of. We’re all ears…

Talking points 19 December

The six month truce between Hamas and Israel in the Gaza strip has expired and is not being renewed. Both sides say they won’t go on the offensive, but will return fire if attacked. So it seems a return to the cycle of violence is inevitable. Is the focus on the two-state solution too narrow? Is it time to admit a two-state solution is dead?

On air: Are there some countries the world just doesn’t care about?

Chloe’s already set up the discussion below, so I’ll leave you to have a read and comment here.

Talking points 18 December

Somalia has been named as the most lawless place in the world, Zimbabwe sits at number 4. Two countries where it’s been argued the international community should intervene, but it hasn’t. So do we have to accept that there are some countries we don’t care enough about?

On air: Should adultery be a crime?

She is a leading South Korean actress and today Ok So-ri has been given an 8 month suspended prison sentence for adultery. In South Korea adultery is a criminal offence punishable by up to 2 years in prison. The country’s top judges have always ruled that adultery is damaging to social order, and the offence should therefore remain a crime. But should it?

On air: Is the shoe-throwing journalist the pride or shame of Iraq?

He’s called Muntadar al-Zaidi, and if don’t know his name I bet you’ve seen his shoes flying towards George Bush. If you missed it, here’s the video.

It’s the most talked about story online, and essentially this comes down to two questions. What’s your reaction to what he did? What punishment or response should he receive?

Talking points 16 Dec

You’ve got to admit he’s got pretty good reactions. President Bush giving a press conference on his final visit to Iraq as US President, had two shoes thrown at him. Iraqi television journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi stood up and shouted “this is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog,” before hurling his size tens (showing the soles of shoes to someone is a sign of contempt in Arab culture).

On air: Iran, bloggers and you

Today we’ll look at the Iranian blogosphere with contributors live from Tehran. Iran has over 65,000 bloggers and it’s not all politics on their agenda. Iranian bloggers talk about the arts, cinema, women’s issues, women’s sport and pop music. There’s is even an online dating scene.