A suicide bomber attacked a heavily fortified United Nations office yesterday morning, in the Pakistan capital of Islamabad. It’s suspected to have been orchestrated by the Taliban. Five employees of the UN were killed, including four Pakistanis and an Iraqi national. The office was the base of operations for the World Food Program, supplying humanitarian aid to millions of people caught by the recent offensive against militants in the Swat Valley. The UN immediately announced the temporary closure of all of its offices in Pakistan. So why attack the source of food for millions of people? Featured in story: Dr Christopher Snedden, senior lecturer at Deakin University in Melbourne.
John Howard says that we'll only win the war in Afghanistan if we send more troops, but some experts are saying it's time the coalition forces met the enemy head on in cyberspace. Featured in story: Prakash Mirchandai, Visiting Fellow at the Strategic and Defence Studies Centre at the Australian National University.
The Government has hired advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi to dissuade Sri Lankan would-be refugees for making the perilous journey to Australia. But is the expense worth it? Featured in story: Ian Rintoul- The Refugee Action Coalition, Paul Powers- CEO of the Refugee Council of Australia and Mark Mcrindle- Mcrindle Research.
The Shooter's Party have introduced the 2009 Firearms Amendment Bill into the NSW Parliament. If passed, it will be easier for children under twelve and people who have been on Apprehended Violence Orders to obtain guns. The NSW Government, which has previously supported proposals from the Shooters Party, is under pressure from the gun control lobby to reject the legislation. Featured in story: Samantha Lee - National Coalition for Gun Control; Lee Rhiannon - Greens MLC, Parliament of NSW and Roy Smith - Shooter's Party MLC, Parliament of NSW.
As the task of reconstruction is carried out in Samoa over the coming months, experts say that the continuation of a strong tourism industry will be vital in a country where other revenue sources are dwindling. Featured in this story- Dr Morgan Tuimalealiifano, Senior lecturer in the School of Social Sciences at the University of the South Pacific, and Ron Duncan, Emeritus Professor in the Crawford School of Government and Economics at the ANU.
