Should we pay couples not to have kids?

Birth control is getting creative in India – from increasing late night tv (yes to take couples’ minds off procreating) to encouraging women not to marry until they are 30 (when a women’s fertility begins to drop). Whilst these initiatives might not seem very convincing, the Indian government’s latest idea could be a little more tempting. Money.

On Air: Is it possible to have a moral army?

A group of Israeli soldiers say widespread abuses were carried out on civilians during their action in Gaza.

The soldiers are part of an organisation called “Breaking the Silence”.

Amnesty International has accused both Israel and Hamas of committing war crimes during the 22-day conflict.

On air: Have you lost the argument if protests turn violent?

“If I’m surrounded by police, then I shouldn’t be there”.
This was posted on our blog last night by Mark, a British soldier, after a video emerged of an apparently unprovoked attack by riot police on a man at last week’s G20 protests. The man now died and there are calls for an inquiry into the police’s actions. (Read Mark’s full post here) It comes after a very busy 24 hours for riot police across the globe.

Is there anything wrong with swearing?

British celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay has been so foul-mouthed in his series ‘Ramsay’s Kitchen Nightmares’ that Australian senators are considering changing their country’s broadcasting standards. According to one senator, Ramsay used the ‘F-word’ 80 times in one 40-minute show (“And I’m not referring to fondue,” he added).

Talking Points for 20 June

UPDATE: Ros here. We’ll be broadcasting live today from the Civicus World Assembly in Glasgow. We’ve just met with some of the people who are coming along . Here are their five suggestions for you to consider.

1. Are you satisfied with how your government is tackling the threat of ‘terrorism’?                              

2. Is a Western lifestyle something to aspire to?

3. Should leaders be left to lead? Or do you want more involvement in the decisions they make?

4. Should the developing world be left out of the fight against climate change? Why should it compromise the wealth and lifestyle that it’s only just getting?

5. Are there some services, such as trasnport, healthcare and education, which should always be in the hands of the state?

Let us know what you think. Here are the other stories that we’re considering….

Talking points for June 12

Our virginity debate is still simmering away on the blog.

On Air: To report – or to help ?

Mark came across this blog  on CNN.  A  senior, experienced and respected correspondent, John Vause, writes frankly about being in China in a car with an empty seat as hundreds of people ask him to take them out of the quake zone. If you read it, you’ll see he still isn’t sleeping after the answer he gave.

When should reporters stop and help, and when should they simply report ?

Should politicians apologise when they get it wrong?

How often is it you hear a seemingly heart felt apology froma politician?  How about this one earlier this month from American Congressman Geoff Davis of Kentucky. Admittedly what he had prevsiously said was generally thought to be out of line. But it is pretty rare to get an apology from a politican. Should our politicians be ready to hold their hands up and say sorry a little more often?

Should you have the right to die?

Chantal Sebire was a 52 year old Frenchwoman with an incurable facial tumour caused by cancer. She was blind, disfigured and suffering intense pain. She died on Wednesday, but she wanted to die before then.

She’d asked the French courts to allow doctors to help her to end her life. The courts refused. Was that the correct decision?

Who has ‘moral authority’?

I was listening to the news about Tibet this morning and one line from Nanci Pelosi jumped out at me. It was this: “If freedom-loving people throughout the world do not speak out against China and the Chinese in Tibet, we have lost all moral authority to speak out on human rights.”

Leaving Tibet aside, do you believe in the notion of ‘moral authority’? Are some people or countries morally superior to others?