Erstellt am: 1. 2. 2016 - 14:02 Uhr

An historic day in Myanmar

Reality Check: A new government in Myanmar; The Iowa Caucuses; Avoiding a Brexit; Bassel Khartabil.

Myanmar’s new government

AFP PHOTO / Ye Aung THU

The dawn of a new political era in Myanmar.

After decades of military rule, the world today witnessed the convening of the first democratically elected parliament in Myanmar, the country formerly known as Burma. Our Asia correspondent Tony Cheng reports on this historic occasion and the challenges facing the new parliament and the country’s de facto leader Nobel laureate, Aung San Suu Kyi.

Race for the White House: Iowa votes

Electing a new president of the United States is a very long process. Today the very first votes in that process will be cast in the state of Iowa when the Iowa Caucuses meet. The Republican’s and Donald Trump have so far dominated the news headlines, so today Washington DC-based journalist and political observer Ramesh Ponnuru gives us his take on what’s happening with the Democratic candidates and tries to explain just what a Caucus is.

UK & EU: Trying to avoid a Brexit.

AFP / Leon Neal

British Prime Minister David Cameron (R) greets European Council President Donald Tusk outside No. 10 Downing Street in central London.

Whether Britain remains in the EU or not depends very much on what kind of deal Prime Minister David Cameron can negotiate with his EU partners. There are reports that a breakthrough may have been reached in those negotiations giving Britain an "emergency break" option when it comes to EU citizens claiming benefits in the UK. Reality Check speaks to Steven Blockmans from the Brussels-based Centre for European Policy Studies.

Bassel Khartabil

Ten years ago, long before the ISIS terror group started destroying Syria’s cultural heritage, Bassel Khartabil, a Syrian software developer started a project to create a 3-D record of the ancient site of Palmyra. He also became famous for his contributions to Creative Commons Syria and was co-founder of the Aika Lab collaborative research company. The Assad regime arresting Khartabil in 2012 and his whereabouts are unknown. Barry Threw, Interim of the New Palmyra project, tells us more about the man and the Project.

FM4 Reality Check

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