Erstellt am: 6. 12. 2011 - 14:13 Uhr

The "Plan to Save Italy"

Reality Check: Romano Prodi on Italy's crisis, Afghanistan, Russia election protests, blood diamonds, Fukushima update

Italy's new technocrat led government has finally announced a set of austerity measures designed to get the country back on its economic feet, and they are not going to be popular. Prime Minister, Mario Monti, says they are a "plan to save Italy", but the labour and welfare minister, Elsa Fornero, broke down in tears as she announced changes to the pension system.

There are tax increases too, mostly focused on luxury goods and property, and a possible increase in VAT to 23% in 6 months' time, if needed. Altogether, these measures should raise around 30 billion Euro for the Italian government, 20 billion of which will go on filling up the deficit, and 10 billion on stimulating growth through measures such as tax breaks for businesses reinvesting their profits, and schemes to help women and young people.

This is the sort of stuff Monti was hired to do - but is it going to be enough to sort out the mess left behind by Silvio Berlsuconi?

Former Prime Minister of Italy and President of the EU Commission, Romano Prodi is currently in Vienna, and he gave Chris Cummins his views on Italy's current political and financial crisis.

Deadly blasts hit Afghanistan

At least 24 people were killed in two bomb attacks in Afghanistan this morning. Robert Lindner of Oxfam says that money is not enough to solve the problems, and explains some of the measures needed to stabilize the country. He says there need to be drastic changes in the security forces and how they are trained, and in the basic health and education services before the country can start to function normally.

Protests in Moscow following election results

Several thousand anti-Putin protesters took to the streets of Moscow last night amid allegations of vote rigging in the parliamentary elections.

Charles Maynes told Steve Crilley what he saw, and why the communist party is rapidly gaining support.

The battle against blood diamonds

The NGO Global Witness is leaving the Kimberly Process, the system designed to ensure that sales of diamonds on the international market do not end up funding local conflicts. Annie Dunnebacke from Global Witness explains why they decided to leave the Process and how the Process is failing.

Fukushima leak

Another leak of radioactive water was found at the Fukushima plant at the weekend. Global 2000 looks at the significance of this and the ongoing risk to people in Japan.

FM4 Reality Check

Monday to Friday from 12.00 to 14.00, and after the show via Podcast or fm4.orf.at/realitycheck.