Copenhagen, Denmark - They came. They talked ... long into the night.

Activists deliver their verdict on the climate change summit in Copenhagen.

But in the end global leaders left the Danish capital practically empty handed.

After years of negotiation and two weeks of concentrated effort, the world agreed on a deal on climate change.

Whether it is a “meaningful” one, as U.S. President Barack Obama suggests, is up for debate.

The president’s flying visit did help salvage some success from the disorder ... but in the end a slow hand clap as he made his way to the stage mid-morning showed the depth of divisions that still exist between the haves and the have-nots.

Let's be clear: an agreement was brokered in what one commentator described as a "frenzied game of climate poker among the leaders of the United states, China, India, Brazil and South Africa and major European countries." They’d been chosen by the conference chair Denmark as the summit looked set to end in chaos.

U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon admitted the agreement had failed to win global consensus and would disappoint many who demanded stronger action against climate change. But, he said, at least it had not been strangled at birth. "Many will say that it lacks ambition," Ban said. "Nonetheless, you have achieved much."

China’s resistance to monitoring carbon emissions was a key sticking-point for the West. It’s still not clear whether that issue is fully resolved.

Late on Friday night, Greenpeace international executive director Kumi Naidoo spoke for many when he said the deal’s loopholes were big enough to fly Air Force One through. "The city of Copenhagen is a climate crime scene tonight, with the guilty men and women fleeing to the airport."

So, while global leaders stood shoulder to shoulder smiling for the inevitable class photo, they effectively left shaking hands on nothing more than a commitment to agree to agree to something more substantive in the future.

It was by anyone’s standards a valiant effort by the Danish hosts. But it was the disorganisation and disarray both inside and outside these halls that eventually won out.

What had been billed "Hopenhagen" as delegates and activists arrived here just two weeks ago will perhaps be best remembered as "Brokenhagen" by many.

For more information go to cnn.com/environment

The news that FIFA has banned Chelsea from signing any new players until 2011 will rock the footballing world. Rarely have we seen punishment like this in a sport where “tapping up” allegations go hand-in-hand with the game.

Is the transfer ban imposed on Chelsea for breaching rules too harsh?

Yes

No

or see results

Has FIFA done the right thing? What sort of precedent will this set? Is this the harshest punishment meted out on a football club? It’s your shout.

Let me know what you think and we’ll use as many of your comments on air on Connect the World at 9p London time

It's that time of the week again!

Get your thinking caps on, we're handing down our Six Degrees challenge.

All you need to do is connect two newsmakers who have hit the headlines in six moves.

This week we want you to link Yukio Hatoyama, the soon-to-be new Prime Minister of Japan whose party won election in a landslide over the weekend...  to Peter Jackson, director of the Lord of the Rings films and the producer of new alien box-office hit "District 9."

Leave your submissions in the comments section below, and the team will pick the most creative connection, and I'll announce the winner on Friday's show.

Still need some inspiration? Check this out ...

One of our recent winners was Sally from the UK, who connected superstar runner Usain Bolt to Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. Here’s how she did it …

Usain Bolt has trained with...

football star Cristiano Ronaldo, who played for Portugal under...

Luiz Felipe Scolari, who managed a Brazil team that included...

Teddy Sheringham, who played for Tottenham Hotspur under...

Jurgen Klinsmann, who has been interviewed by...

Becky Anderson, who has also interviewed...

Hamid Karzai.

Reckon you can do better? Then try your hand at connecting Yukio Hatoyama and Peter Jackson. Remember: you need five other people between those two: no more, no less. If you want your friends to take the challenge as well, then click the "share post" button below.

To see previous challenges, click here. Happy connecting!

It's that time of the week again!

Get your thinking caps on, we're handing down our Six Degrees challenge.

All you need to do is connect two newsmakers who have hit the headlines in six moves.

This week we want you to link Ben Bernanke, the chairman of the U.S. Federal Reserve who was nominated for a second term this week, to Vogue editor-in-chief and star of the new documentary "The September Issue," Anna Wintour.

Leave your submissions in the comments section below, and the team will pick the most creative connection, and I'll announce the winner on Friday's show.

Still need some inspiration? Check this out ...

Last week's winner was Sally, who connected superstar runner Usain Bolt to Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai. Here’s how she did it …

Usain Bolt has trained with...

football star Cristiano Ronaldo, who played for Portugal under...

Luiz Felipe Scolari, who managed a Brazil team that included...

Teddy Sheringham, who played for Tottenham Hotspur under...

Jurgen Klinsmann, who has been interviewed by...

Becky Anderson, who has also interviewed...

Hamid Karzai.

Reckon you can do better? Then try your hand at connecting Ben Bernanke and Anna Wintour. Remember: you need five other people between those two: no more, no less. If you want your friends to take the challenge as well, then click the "share post" button below.

To see previous challenges, click here. Happy connecting!

It's that time of the week again!

Get your thinking caps on, we're handing down our Six Degrees challenge.

All you need to do is connect two newsmakers who have hit the headlines in six moves.

This week we want you to link Usain Bolt, who smashed two world records in Berlin this week, to Afghanistan president (for now, at least) Hamid Karzai.

Leave your submissions in the comments section below, and the team will pick the most creative connection, and I'll announce the winner on tonight's show.

Still need some inspiration? Check this out ...

One of our recent winners was Brian Petersen, who connected golfer Tiger Woods to comedian Sacha Baron Cohen. Here’s how he did it …

Tiger Woods played golf at age two with …

… entertainer Bob Hope, who played alongside …

…comedian Steve Martin in “The Muppet Movie,” who wrote a movie called “Traitor” starring …

… actor Don Cheadle, who helped carry out a heist in “Ocean’s 11″ with …

… actor Brad Pitt, who starred in “The Devil’s Own” with …

… actor Harrison Ford, who was interviewed by Sacha Baron Cohen’s character Bruno in the film of the same name.

Reckon you can do better? Then try your hand at connecting Usain Bolt and Hamid Karzai. Remember: you need five other people between those two: no more, no less. If you want your friends to take the challenge as well, then click the "share post" button below.

To see previous challenges, click here. Happy connecting!

The contest for the future of Afghanistan is coming to a head. Crucial elections are scheduled for Thursday. Ahead of the vote, NATO forces have been ratcheting up their efforts to flush out the Taliban. But, at what cost?

President Obama reminds us that the fight against the Taliban is a fight to destroy the forces that harbour elements of Al Qaeda and, as such, is a fight to defend the US’s national interest. This week, I want to hear your thoughts on the future for Afghanistan. To kick start the discussion, here are the thoughts of one of Connect the World’s “big Thinkers” – panelist Eric Margolis.

“I do not believe AQ is growing in Afghanistan. There are many anti-American groups in the region, but the real, hard-core AQ remains tiny, almost invisible. Most AQ have gone to ground in Pakistan. AQ never amounted to more than 300 members at its peak in 2001. Today, it's down to a handful – but there are many sympathizers.
Osama Bin Laden was given refuge by the Taliban because he was a hero of the anti-Soviet jihad. Taliban knew nothing about his plans to attack the US, but after 9/11 refused to turn him over to Washington without a legit extradition process.
It is a serious error to confuse Taliban with AQ. AQ helped Taliban in its fight against the Afghan Communists, but that was the extent of their cooperation."

Send me your thoughts: email me at ConnectTheWorld@CNN.com or reply below. We’ll use as many of your comments as possible on the show this week (CTW, daily at 2100 London time)

Becky

It's that time of the week again!

Get your thinking caps on, we're handing down our Six Degrees challenge.

All you need to do is connect two newsmakers who have hit the headlines in six moves.

This week we want you to link President Bill Clinton, who this week successfully negotiated a pardon for two American journalists imprisoned in North Korea, to legendary composer and child prodigy Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.

Leave your submissions in the comments section below, and the team will pick the most creative connection, and I'll announce the winner on tonight's show.

Still need some inspiration? Check this out...

Last week's winner was Brian C., who connected former Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin to Formula 1 driver Michael Schumacher. Here's how he did it...

Sarah Palin was the running mate of...

John McCain, who was endorsed by...

President George W. Bush. Mister Bush congratulated all of America's Olympic gold medal winners in Beijing...

including LeBron James...

who was in a Nike commercial with Pussycat Doll Nicole Scherzinger...

whose boyfriend is Formula 1 driver Lewis Hamilton...

who has gone on record to say he's looking forward to racing against Michael Schumacher when he returns to the circuit later this month.

Reckon you can better Brian? Then try your hand at connecting Bill Clinton and Mozart. Remember: you need five other people between those two: no more, no less. If you want your friends to take the challenge as well, then click the "share post" button below.

To see previous challenges, click here. Happy connecting!

LONDON, England – What's it all about Bill?

Just when you thought the former U.S. president's days in the international limelight were over, up pops Bill Clinton in Pyongyang of all places, in a family photo with none other than the great leader himself, Kim Jong-il.

We’re told Clinton’s there to secure the release of two jailed American journalists - but there is no doubt he’ll be carrying a message from U.S. President Barack Obama: Washington wants to improve relations.

The U.S. clearly needs a commitment from North Korea that it will resume its disarmament process. North Korea wants an end to sanctions and more economic support. In the short term it is pressing for direct negotiations with the U.S.

But Washington says bilateral talks can only take place in the context of the six-nation discussions rejected by North Korea.

So, there are two questions that need answering.

Firstly, will Clinton be effective in negotiating the release of two U.S. journalists in North Korea? Nearly three-quarters of those responding to a CNN.com quick poll believe he will be successful. Do you?

The bigger ask though is this: Can Clinton play a trump card in the world of diplomacy and do what his former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright failed to do nine years ago - gain some ground on the nuclear issue? And if he’s successful, will he been seen as supporting or usurping his wife?

It’s your call. Leave your comments below or email me at connecttheworld@cnn.com. We’ll use your thoughts on the show at 2100 London time.

LONDON, England – Paola Gourley smiled as she flicked through her photo album with me earlier today. She was showing me shots of her husband – filmmaker and journalist Maziar Bahari. But her smile masked what can only be described as a period of utter misery. Six weeks ago Maziar was arrested at his mother's home in Tehran following post-election demonstrations. He'd been covering the elections for Newsweek magazine. Paola has heard nothing from him since then.

Paola is six months pregnant and as we flicked through the album she stopped at one shot in particular: "This is a special photo. Unfortunately Maziar wasn't here when it was taken, he was supposed to be. It's the twenty week scan of the little baby."

My heart goes out to Paola, Maziar and their as yet unborn child.

Your thoughts and comments below, please. Email me at ConnectTheWorld@cnn.com

Reckon you know you way around this week’s news and personalities? Then see if you can take up our Six Degrees of Separation challenge.

All you need to do is connect two newsmakers who have hit the headlines in six moves.

This week we want you to link now-former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, who resigned her post over the weekend, to legendary Formula One driver Michael Schumacher, who announced his return to racing this week.

Leave your submissions in the comments section below. On Friday the Connect the World team will pick the most creative connection, with Becky announcing the winner on the show.

Last week’s winner was Sally, who connected footballer David Beckham to astronaut Neil Armstrong. Here’s how she did it…

David Beckham has been interviewed by...

...yours truly, Becky Anderson, who attended a journalism school named for...

...Walter Cronkite, who was succeeded on CBS by...

...Dan Rather, who was once attacked by a man shouting "What's the frequency, Kenneth? which was immortalized in song by...

...Michael Stipe, who donated more than $80,000 to the Democratic Party last year, just like

...Robert Zemeckis, who attended the same university as...

...Neil Armstrong.

Reckon you can better Sally? Then try your hand at connecting Sarah Palin and Michael Schumacher. Remember -– you need five other people between those two, no more, no less. If you want your friends to take the challenge as well, then click the “share post” button below.

To see previous challenges, click here. Happy connecting!