Background Briefing

Megan Stack has won numerous prizes for her front line reporting on many wars, and her observations and experiences form the basis of a book and discussion. Here she concentrates on the hostilities between the West and the Muslim world, but also the complex dynamics within each of those worlds during war. From the Byron Bay Writers Festival. Photograph: Sergei L. Loiko

The law here is that cyclists must wear helmets, but in Europe it is not mandatory, and yet it's much safer to cycle. Some say helmets make cycling more dangerous and others that they actually cause brain injury and the law should be repealed. The debate makes climate change look like a walk in the park.

As the intellectual crucible of middle eastern thought, Egypt remains enormously influential. What happens in Egypt when Hosni Mubarak dies will have global ramifications. The Muslim Brotherhood, the chief of intelligence, high up military men, and Gamal Mubarak, Hosni's son, are all jostling for power. BBC and Al Jazeera reports. Photo: Andrea Comas, Reuters

New technologies, travel and TV have profound implications for the Catholic church in Latin America. Gay rights, human rights, and women's rights - even abortion - are confronting centuries of Catholic thinking and the clergy is slowly being pushed out of politics. Reporter Stephen Crittenden

A few months ago the US share market plunged l000 points in a few minutes, and trillions were traded both up and down. What caused it, and can it happen again. Tiny high frequency computer algorithms - or algos - roam the markets, buying and selling in a parallel universe more or less uncontrolled by anyone. Did they go feral, or was it the fat finger of a coked out trader? In September US regulators bring out their findings. Reporter Stan Correy. Photo: Timothy A Clary, AFP.

Marsupial-loving reporter Ian Walker grew up wanting a pet like Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. Could encouraging more native mammals as pets be a canny new 'anti-extinction strategy'...or a future disaster to be cleaned up by the RSPCA? What happens when we apply market forces to the concept of extinction? The results may surprise you.

This week Background Briefing is not in the usual form. Instead we have Fran Kelly and Paul Barclay hosting a two hour post election program from 8 am till l0 am. Paul and Fran will be joined by a panel of analysts, commentators and candidates to decipher and dissect the election results.

When scientists - who believe passionately in independence, in pure research, and in sharing information - are asked to conform to business plans and commercial-in-confidence clauses, there are bound to be tensions. The CSIRO is going through massive culture change: less pure science, more social science, and industry can wag the tail. Reporter Ian Townsend

Economist and Nobel Laureate Joseph Stiglitz talks about the policy mistakes that led to the GFC and the lessons to be drawn from it. The key question is: what will fill the gap in total demand left by the bursting of the bubble? A Centenary Oration from the University of Queensland. Photo by Jeremy Patton.

The Labor government is about to switch on the first leg of its National Broadband Network - super-fast internet that promises to revolutionise Australia's business and social landscape. But if the Coalition wins the election, the NBN will be scrapped - the 43 billion dollar dream that never was. So is Australia's most expensive infrastructure project worth it? Reporter Di Martin