bbc World Service podcasts

Sarah Palin quotes from a Starbucks cup the words of Madeleine Albright, but why should women support each other? Are women themselves the biggest obstacle to gaining equality?

What role does the media play in elections in your country? Can someone win without the bulk of the media on his or her side? There aren’t too many of us who’ll admit doing something because someone else tells us too, but is it time to be honest and say lots of us follow the media’s lead during elections, rather than the politicians?

Some countries fine peole for not voting, in others they're put in jail - are they right? To make democracy work, do people need to be forced to vote? Does a forced vote bring legitimacy? And what's wrong with apathy anyway? Does voting change anything at all?

Who do you trust to sort out the global financial crisis and look after your money? Is it right that our politicians take responsibility, as they are in Washington? What about the bankers and the traders who know the system, or the regulators? Maybe you're happy to trust the market to sort out the problems it's created. Who do you want to take charge?