Erstellt am: 22. 6. 2011 - 13:09 Uhr

Obama's plans for Afghanistan withdrawal

Also on Reality Check: the strenght of the Irish economy * violence flares in Northern Ireland * Designer John Galliano on trial in Paris * the Christiania hippie settlement in Copenhagen

• US pullout from Afghanistan

President Obama will be delivering a nationally televised speech today about his plans to begin the withdrawal from Afghanistan. We talk to our International Security analyst Paul Rogers about the military strategy and the politics.

• The strength of Ireland's economy

Ireland was the first eurozone country to go into recession and had to face some of the harshest austerity measures imaginable. Yet it has still managed to keep its head above water - an example perhaps for Greece, who's still struggeling to come to terms with the fact that it will have to accept severe cuts if its economy is to recover. We hear from the Irish minister for foreign affairs and trade Eamon Gilmore

• Violence in Northern Ireland

For the second night in a row Northern Ireland is experiencing sectarian violence. In the east of Belfast city street clashes have erupted for the second night in a row between Protestants and Catholics. It's the worst violence the North has experienced in a decade.

• John Galliano on trial

Earlier this John Galliano John Galliano got really drunk, went to a Paris café, and in the span of ten minutes, ruined his illustrious career in high fashion. The ex-chief designer at Christian Dior is today facing charges of public drunkenness and making anti-Semitic remarks. Paris correspondent Christian Frasier tells us more

• Copenhagen's hippie commune

Freetown Christiana is a controversial commune on a prime piece of real estate in Copenhagen. Now the inhabitants want to buy the land. Christiania spokesman Thomas Ertmann tells us about the history and what might lie ahead

FM4 Reality Check

Monday to friday from 12 to 14. And after the show via Podcast or fm4.orf.at/realitycheck.