The Bassra pronunciation is right. There are two letters in Arabic that approximate to our 's'. The one in Basra is a longer sound with more emphasis on it, like the S in Saddam, but unike the shorter S in Saudi.
Huw Edwarrds and the Beeb are not guilty on that point.

Seb, Santiago, Chile

Matthew Parris, writing about the pronunciation of Tsvangirai, brings me onto the mispronunciation that sets my teeth on edge more than any other.

You'd think everyone would be able to pronounce Auschwitz. Albeit that it's a German name, it's one that we hear often enough for its correct pronunciation to be known. 'Owshvits' or 'Owshwits' in the context of an English sentence are both pretty close and what one usually hears.

And yet there two people - a prominent boadcaster and a not-so-prominent politician - who both mangle the word completely, pronouncing it as 'Owswitch'.

I suppose in the great scheme of things this is a trivial matter but the status of this pair - the one a radio and TV presenter with impeccable received pronunciation and the other an MP with a keen interest in and strong connections with Europe - makes one genuinely surprised they have such tin ears.

Wanda, London, uk

There used to be a saying: "engage brain before opening mouth." I suggest this pathetic group of politicians now in government have this posted on the walls of their offices. That may send out a message to them .

E Saunders, London, England

That was my first thought re sex offenders and emails. But presumably it is intended to be a criminal offence for sex offenders to have/use email addresses other than those provided to the Government. That would at least allow them to be prosecuted/imprisoned for mere fact of going on line, without having to prove a predatory/grooming offence. That is something, isn't it? And what else reasonably can be done?

Tom, London,

I hate the way everyone on the BBC runs around saying "Bassra" instead of Basra because that's the way Huw Edwards does it. He's Welsh and can't help it, but talk about "monkey see monkey do".

Ken Leyland, Liverpool, U.K.

Long Eaton's in Derbyshire!

Mike Wise, Swindon, UK

Zimbabwe

I cannot believe the world is still sitting back and allowing Mugabe to destroy a country and everyone in it. Oh I forgot - silly me a menopausal woman whose brain may not be as it once was - there is no oil there for America.

Diane Ashman, Stourton, Stourbridge, England

As a footnote to Matthew Parris's comments about this government's habit of passing unworkable laws just to "send a message", I'm reminded of the - probably apocryphal - story about the redoubtable Samuel Goldwyn being told by a pretentious writer that he wanted to make a movie with a message for the masses. "If you want to send a message, call Western Union," the movie mogul replied.

John Symes, Wimbledon,

Rediculous? Medial? Ballet box?

Oh dear. The falling standard of written English.

Andrew Lowe Watson, Ridlington, Norfolk

And why is Wagner always 'Richard', whereas his compatriot Strauss is invariably 'Ree-kard?'

Andrew Lowe Watson, Ridlington, Norfolk

I think there are actually 2 ways to pronounce 'cervical' correctly. When used to refer to the part of the spine which consists of the neck vertebrae (the part above the thoracic section of the spine), the stress is on the second syllable but when used to refer to the neck of the uterus, the stress is on the first syllable.

steve, preston, uk

Interesting !!!

When I got a petition signed against Mugabe in 2003 locally [STAFFS] I remember a reporter saying to me - "and who is Morgan Ts.............?" She couldn't pronounce his name even and didn't really know what was happening in ZIMBABWE.

Ian Payne, WALSALL,

The BBC's habit of mispronouncing foreign names is puzzling. Another example is that of Argentinian pianist Martha Argerich. Radio 3 presenters to a man pronounce the 'ch' as if she were German, rather than the Spanish (and, as it happens, English) way.

Andrew, London,

The BBC won't change the pronunciation of Tsvangirai. Newsreaders and reporters are terrified of their ignorance showing through, so they'll continue with the incorrect pronunciation so long as their colleagues do.
To this day, the late unlamented Genreal Pinochet continues to have his name pronounced as if he was French (Peeno-shay) rather than Chilean (Pinno-CHET).

Greg Hoover, Nairobi, Kenya

Speaking of mispronunciations, please could everyone - broadcaster or not - not that Bejing is pronounced with a 'j' sound, as in jogging, not a 'zh' sound, as in pleasure. The latter doesn't exist in Mandarin. Saying Beizhing is like saying Lindin or Terkyer. (Only if you are from Hull is that acceptable.)

Nigel Doran , London,

Wonderful collage of cornucopia from your commonplace book, Sir.

While you are at it, can you instruct the pronunciation department to stop this rediculous soft t in words like title and hospital, to tell the man outside the Shannon Matthews House to make his diction less gloomy, and to educate their minions in the difference between bought and brought.

Harrumph.

David Williams, Eastnor, England

Hmmm, the pronunciation of medial words ending in "ical" seems largely to depend on where you studied medicine.

As a student of Russian, I think I'd dispute that Anglo-Saxons can handle clusters of consonants well, unless they've been learning them from early in life! But I've been straining my ears every time a black African has been interviewed on TV< to try and establish what sound it is that "tsva" is meant to transcribe, and every time it sounds to me like "cha" or "che" Is it a case of the BBC slavishly following a thick local accent?

Ian Kemmish, Biggleswade, UK

My jaw dropped with Matthews when I heard that convivted offenders would be prevented from accessing unsiutable internet sites by handing over their e-mail address.I actually laughed out loud and turned up the volume on my TV to hear the rest of the story.There was no more.
What upset me more than than the utter stupidity of the new "law"was this shabby ( they must understand something of the medium, surely) attmpt to convince the public that something is being "done", and the straight faced co-operation of the BBC 6 o'clock news reporting without editorial balance,eg.an interview or piece from someone to comment on the amazing control that could be brought to bear on this vexed issue.
How many people, not internet savy, took what was said at face value.? Hundreds of thousands,millions could have breathed a sigh of relief.
The ghost of Blair ( spinning in his retirement ) still attendends
the desperate con-men that await their fate at the ballet box.

robert everitt, wolverhampton,