Erstellt am: 19. 7. 2012 - 14:51 Uhr

A turning point in Syria?

Reality Check: is it the beginning of the end for Assad? Assessing the terror threat after a bomb attack in Bulgaria.

DigitalGlobe

A satellite image dated 18 July 2012 of the Qabun neighborhood in Damascus

Syria

The word which suddenly seems to be everyone’s lips is „endgame“. Syrian troops are mobilising to launch a fresh offensive against rebels in parts of the capital Damascus. The whereabouts of President Bashar al-Assad are unknown, and he has not been seen in public since Wednesday’s bomb attack, which killed his brother-in-law and two other key military figures. The chief U.N. observer in Syria, Major General Robert Mood says his mission is “irrelevant”. Meanwhile at the United Nations, the Security Council has delayed a vote on a new resolution, in an attempt to get Russian support for measures to end the dramatically escalating violence. Rime Allaf, Middle East expert and herself Syrian by nationality gives us her take on the latest developments.

Terror

A brazen daylight attack on a bus in Bulgaria carrying Israeli tourists. Suspicion has fallen on Iran and Hezbollah, the Lebanese Islamist group which is backed by Tehran. There have been other attacks in recent months targeting Israeli diplomats in several countries and Israel has pointed the finger of blame at Iran. Some analysts believe Iran is trying to take revenge for the assassinations of several scientists from its nuclear programme, which Tehran blames on Israel and its Western allies. Also on Wednesday, the United States issued its latest version of a worldwide safety caution to US citizens abroad. Bob Ayers, and International Security expert at the British think tank Chatham House assesses the global threat from terror attacks.

Listen to the programme after the show via Podcast or at fm4.orf.at/realitycheck.