Erstellt am: 27. 9. 2011 - 14:59 Uhr

The dangers of drones

Reality Check: US uses more drone power, police consider legal action against AnonAustria, OECD report on jobs, EU through Asian eyes, Barbara Prammer's autobiography

They can look like anything from a child's airfix model to something out of Star Wars - and they are a vital and potentially deadly part of the US arsenal. These are the drones - the unmanned aircraft that can observe, spy on and attack enemy bases - with minimal risk to human life. US human life, that is.

Drones have long been in use in Afghanistan and Pakistan, mostly on surveillance but also in attack operations on suspected militant bases. Small, light intelligence gathering drones have proved a vital weapon in the so called "war on terror".

However, there have been countless complaints of drones crashing and accidental attacks on civilians. Usually the authorities shrug it off and say accidents happen with manned aircraft, too.

Now the US is upping their use of drones, deploying them now in the Horn of Africa in a double headed campaign against both Islamic militants and piracy. It's not the first time they've been there. In 2002 a CIA drone killed the al-Quaeda leader in Yemen, and now, after a long break, the drones are back with new bases being constructed in Ethiopia and the Seychelles.

The benefits of drones for the US military are clear. Their technology is developing fast, offer ever increasing precision and strategic possibilities. However, they are politically controversial´, and some analysts say that the use of drones has actually driven some more moderate locals into the arms of Al Quaeda.

Over the weekend, a US drone crashed in the Somali port of Kismayu, a stronghold of the al Quaeda linked al Shabaab group. Steve Crilley spoke to military analyst Charles Haymann about the US's increasing dependence on drone power.

AnonAustria attack police data

The Austrian police union is considering legal action against the hackers' group "Anonymous" after personal data of nearly 20.000 police officers was put online. Steve Crilley asked IT expert Erich Möchel about the attack and the risks posed by the publication of these details.

OECD calls for job creation in G20 countries

According to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the International Labour Organisation, the financial crisis has claimed 20 million jobs in the G20 developed countries, with young people being the worst affected. However, for once there is good news for the developing countries, where employment opportunities are increasing. Paul Swaim of the OECD explained the report's findings to Joanna Bostock.

The EU through the eyes of Asia

On the downside, there is the Euro crisis and a massive debt problem, on the upside, we're environmentally friendly and pioneers of the green movement. That's how many of us in Europe like to see ourselves - but the view from Asia is rather different. In fact, we'd hardly recognise ourselves through Asian eyes, where we're seen as key players in the Middle East and the Arab Spring. Dr Natalia Chaban is the deputy director of the National Centre for Research on Europe at the University of Canterbury in New Zealand, and she told John Cummins about the EU through Asian eyes.

Dr Natalia Chaban is taking part in the public panel: "Asia in the Eyes of Europe" - public and media perceptions of Asia in Europe: challenges and opportunities for external relations with Asia this evening from 1800-2000 at the House of the European Union, Wipplingerstr. 35, 1010 Vienna.

"Wer das Ziel nicht kennt, wird den Weg nicht finden"

"Wer das Ziel nicht kennt, wird den Weg nicht finden" is the autobiography of Austria's Parliamentary President, Barbara Prammer.

She talks to Riem Higazi about her life and work.