Erstellt am: 18. 10. 2012 - 14:24 Uhr

Syria: hopes for a "microscopic" step towards peace

Reality Check: Syria, Cuban missile crisis anniversary, Anti Roma protests in Hungary, Greece austerity, EU financial fragmentation, aid, austerity and the developing world, Hinemoana Baker

He went into the job with his predecessor, Kofi Annan, effectively saying it was "mission impossible", but the UN and Arab League envoy, Lakhdar Brahimi, has proved extremely tenacious in handling the crisis in Syria. He hasn't made much progress, but it is hanging on in there.

His latest proposal is for a cease-fire during the muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha later this month. He himself admits this would be a "microscopic" step towards peace, but it would nevertheless be a step. However, there is one huge stumbling block in the way. Even if President Assad and the government agree, there is no opposition leadership to agree on behalf of the rebels, so even that microscopic step might prove to difficult to achieve.

In the meantime, still tens of thousands of people are "disappearing" according to human rights groups working in Syria. Tony Cheng reports on the latest developments.

Cuban missle crisis on Twitter

50 years on from the Cuban Missile Crisis a Twitter feed is reconstructing events as they happened.

Hungary anti-Roma protests

Nick Thorpe reports on the alarming escalation in anti-Roma protests in Miskolc, Hungary

Greece anti austerity protests

A look ahead to FM4's continuing coverage of the anti-austerity protests and how the crisis is affecting young people in Greece

EU financial summit

Johannes Pollack looks at the new EU banking proposals, and the potential for a fragmentation of the bloc.

Aid and the financial crisis

How the global economic crisis is hitting developing countries receiving international aid.

Hinemoana Baker

Joanna Bostock meets writer, musician and broadcaster Hinemoana Baker

FM4 Reality Check

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