Erstellt am: 13. 6. 2012 - 14:26 Uhr

Syria: officially in civil war

Reality Check: Syria, Cyprus seeks financial help from Russia, EU crisis analysis, conflict in western Burma, Rickshaw Circus - Kabul to Istanbul

The head of peacekeeping at the United Nations has now officially described the situation in Syria as civil war. The government has lost control of large areas, and UN monitors came under fire as they tried to reach the city of Haffa. Meanwhile, the US is accusing Russia of supplying attack helicopters to Syria that are being used to escalate the conflict.

Many people would have described the situation in Syria as civil war for several months, but the UN has always stopped short, describing it as being "on the verge" or "in dange of descending into".

Although what the UN choose to call it may not change the situation on the ground, our security analyst, Paul Rogers, says that the change of label is a very significant step. He also warns that the label "civil war" draws attention away from the regional nature of the conflict, that could, potentially, have worldwide consequences.

He told Joanna Bostock about the importance of this change in the description of the conflict.

Ethnic conflict in Burma/Myanmar

The western state of Rakhine faces continuing clashes between Muslims and Buddhists, we look at the underlying ethnic and sectarian tensions in the area, and the group of Burmese people who are not considered worthy of citizenship.

Anna Roberts of the Burma Campaign UK explains the social and political conditions behind the conflict, and the impact it might have on the country's recent reforms.

Cyprus looks to Russia for financial help

It might make you look twice - but yes, it's true. Cyprus, an EU state, is looking to Russia for financial help. It already received around 2 billion Euro from Moscow last year, and is now considering a bilateral loan instead of an EU bailout to support its banking system.

Nathan Morley in Nicosia says that this is largely to do with the close ties between the government and the Kremlin, but it's also a sign that Russia can offer a better deal on loans than the EU.

The EU and the Euro crisis

Viven Schmidt gives her analysis of the Euro crisis and why Europe finds it difficult to find a united identity and vision.

She is presenting her lecture, "The European Union - an Extinct Vision" this evening at the Bruno Kreisky Forum in Vienna.

The Rickshaw Circus

Adnan Khan

The project based in Afghanistan that is planning to bring education and a lot more to war torn and traumatised communities from Kabul to Istanbul.

You can read more about the project and the people behind it here.

FM4 Reality Check

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