Erstellt am: 11. 2. 2013 - 16:22 Uhr

Abdico! - resigning Papal style

Reality Check: Pope resigns, tragedy at Kumbh Mela, horsemeat scandal, die Identitären, Canadian double agent

I've not counted it up exactly, but f you put all the years of news experience in the FM4 team together, it must add up to several centuries. Not to say we're a bunch of old hacks, but we have seen a thing or two between us, and it takes quite a lot to raise more than an eyebrow around our workstations. However, every now and again, a story breaks that stops everyone in their tracks - and today was one of those days.

ANSA/EPA

Pope Benedict is standing down citing poor health. He is the first Pope to resign in modern times.

As if timed for maximum "wow" factor, (and who knows, perhaps it was), just as everything was ticking along nicely towards today's Reality Check, at 11:47, the wires went haywire when the Italian ANSA news agency broke the news that Pope Benedict is to resign. The initial reaction from almost everyone was "He can't... can he??"

In the next few minutes it became clear not only that he can, but he has - and he did it in style, giving his resignation speech in Latin to a routine meeting of cardinals. Just because something hasn't happened for around 600 hundred years, it doesn't mean it can't happen. It must be said that Pope Benedict can certainly keep a secret; apparently he has been considering this move for several months, but there wasn't the slightest whiff of it in the media.

If he hadn't secured his place in history as the first Pope to have a Twitter account, he will certainly go down as the first in modern history to resign. @Pontifex has yet to comment on the announcement, but #BenedictoXVI is trending, along with other Papal hashtags. But the world hasn't gone completely wild. At the time of writing, Justin Bieber is still in the top spot.

In today's Reality Check, our Vatican correspondent, David Willey, gives his reaction to the announcement.

Tragedy at the Kumbh Mela

A stampede at a railway station kills dozens of pilgrims returning home from the Kumbh Mela. Geeta Pandy reports from Delhi.

Horsemeat scandal

EPA/JEAN FRANCOIS FREY

Swedish frozen food giant Findus is a the centre of the scandal, but the supply chain criss-crosses Europe and Findus say they were deceived by their suppliers.

As the chain of the horsemeat scandal stretches across Europe, Hugh Schofield reports from Paris on how events have unfolded.

Die Identitären

The group calling itself Die Idenitären hit the headlines over the weekend as they staged a demonstration at Vienna's Votivkirche. Andreas Peham from the Documentation Centre of the Austrian Resistance explains who they are and what they stand for.

The Candian double-agent

Daniel Sokolov reveals the intriguing story of the Canadian spy who was working for the Kremlin.

FM4 Reality Check

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