Roundup: Asylum seekers, Syria,

What is the problem with asylum seekers?

What is the problem with asylum seekers? I’m not asking rhetorically. It’s a serious question — perhaps the most serious question in the entire debate that surrounds them. And yet it is the one least asked.

Wider chaos and dread rise from Syrian ashes

Increasing regional tensions are the legacy of a tyrant’s final stand.

Accusations of war crimes rob Syrian rebel fighters of moral high ground

Human rights organisations have condemned Syrian rebels’ turn to kidnappings and executions. The change in tactics could jeopardise international support for the Free Syrian Army.

You heard we’re stopping the boats?

Despite huge efforts to deter and block boat journeys, Australian immigration policies in fact encourage asylum seekers to come by boat.

Pastor warns clerics that they need training in dealing with traumatic situations

Church workers and pastors need to be better equipped to deal with stress and emotional trauma in disaster situations.