Erstellt am: 29. 1. 2015 - 14:07 Uhr

Dealing with terrorists: ISIS, Jordan & Japan

Reality Check: Italian presidential elections; Ebola Mutation; Western women joining ISIS; Arctic National Wildlife Refuge.

ISIS: Prisoner swap

The fate of a Jordanian fighter pilot and a Japanese journalist being held hostage by ISIS hangs in the balance. Jordan seems willing to consider a prisoner swap for a female ISIS operative they hold but negotiations in a situation like this are always difficult and a deadline set by ISIS runs out at sunset today.

EPA/JORDAN NEWS AGENCY

Jordanian pilot Lieutenant Mu'ath al-Kaseasbeh (R), captured by Islamic State group's fighters after they shot down his warplane, and Sajida Mubarak al-Rishawi (L), the woman suicide-bomber who failed to blow herself up as part of bomb attacks in a Jordanian hotel in 2005

EPA/ANGELO CARCONI

Former Italian prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi is still a force in Italian politics

Italy: Presidential elections

Italian politics will return to the headlines in the coming weeks as the country tries to find a president to replace the much-respected Giorgio Napolitano. Although a largely ceremonial figure, the Italian head of state has important powers in times of political instability. He or she can dissolve parliament, call elections and pick prime ministers. Who are the front-runners for the job and how difficult is it going to be for the various parties to reach a consensus?

Ebola: Mutation

With a new vaccine being tested and a significant decrease in the number of new infections being reported one could be forgiven for thinking that the Ebola crisis in West Africa is slowly being brought under control. Now however, there are fears that the Ebola virus may have mutated to become less deadly but much more contagious. We speak to Dr. Derek Gatherer from the University of Lancaster in the UK

Western women joining ISIS

There has been much talk about how young men become radicalized to the point of wanting to go and fight for ISIS but why are and increasing number of women attracted to the jihadist group? We speak to Dr. Erin Saltman from the London-based Institute for Strategic Dialogue which has just released a report on the subject.

EPA/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair, Republican Senator from Alaska, Lisa Murkowski (C), is critical of the Obama administration's proposal

Alaska: Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

US President Obama has pleased conservationist and angered energy companies by announcing his intention to extend the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska and increase the protections in enjoys.

FM4 Reality Check

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