Erstellt am: 22. 2. 2012 - 14:28 Uhr

Ammonia alert

Reality Check: Response to ammonia leak in Vienna, corruption and politicians, Iran and the IAEA, the end of war, facebook and politics.

Last night, parts of Vienna's 3rd district were closed down and emergency services were on full alert as ammonia leaked from a refrigeration plant in Vienna's 3rd district. 60 people were slightly injured, but the situation was quickly brought under control.

Professor Gehard Grossmann, the head of the "Krisen und Katastrophenforschung" department at the University of Graz explains how the services handle such a situation, and Dr Michael Fuchs, a chemist at the Technical University in Vienna describes the effects of ammonia on people in the area.

Corruption and the law

Intuitively, one would expect bribing a member of parliament to be illegal - but in fact, in Austria, it isn't. Austria's anti-corruption laws have been at the focus of a report by the Group of States Against Corruption (or GRECO), a part of the Council of Europe. GRECO's Dr Christian Manquet told Joanna Bostock about the weaknesses in the existing laws, and how they should be improved.

Iran's nuclear bluff

Once again IAEA monitors have been frustrated by Iranian officials who prevented them from visiting a military site, and once again negoriations seem to have stalled. However, according to Ali Ansari the stalemate might suit Tehran rather well. He tells Joanna Bostock about the many different interests at stake, and why the war of words is unlikely to escalate into anything else.

The end of war

Science writer John Horgan says he believes world peace is not only attainable, but not as far away as we might think. He explains to Elizabeth Alcock why he thinks war is not integral to humanity, and if we can just overcome our negative attitude, we might just overcome war.

Facebook and politics

Facebook

As a part of the FM4 special theme day on Facebook, Riem Higazi looks at the role Facebook plays in US politics with Scott Keeter, Director of Survey Research at Pew Research Center in Washington DC.

FM4 Reality Check

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