Erstellt am: 2. 2. 2012 - 14:34 Uhr

"Ultra"-violence and angry protests

Reality Check: Football riots in Egypt, Israel to deport Sudanese refugees, Merkel in China, Untersuchungsausschuss, smoking returns to the Netherlands.

3:1 was the result of the football match between Al Masry Port Said and Al Ahly Cairo last night. The match left 77 dead and hundreds injured. The fans of both teams, carrying knifes and other weapons, clashed right after the match, even using their fan-scarfs to strangle each other.

When thousands of Al Masry fans stormed the Ahly blocks, police were neither willing nor able to restore calm. They stood by, not interfering. Cairo correspondent Karim al-Gawhary says there is a suspicion that Mubarak supporters incited the clashes.

Football "ultras" played a key role in toppling Hosni Mubarak a year ago, and the Egyptian independent media as well as Members of Parliament are suspicious of the reasons behind the clashes.

The Egyptian football association has cancelled all matches, and today, demonstrators are expected to meet in front of the Ministry of the Interior.

Besides grieving for the dead, the Egyptian public will look at the conclusions the Security Council of the Armed Forces (SCAF) draws from this. Last year the Egyptian military administration used similar incidents to implement strict laws limiting the right to demonstrate and freedom of expression.

by Sammy Khamis

In Reality Check today, Sammy told Riem Higazi about the football culture in Egypt, and it's relationship to politics.

Also in Reality Check:

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Merkl visits China

German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, is in Beijing for talks on the Eurozone crisis and Syria. China and Germany are key trading partners, but China still seems reluctant to help out in the Euro crisis. Our Beijing correspondent, Jörg Winter, discussed the significance of the trip and likely areas of negotiations.

Corruption in Austria

The parliamentary enquiry into corruption allegations continues to run into problems. The current investigation into former Transport Minister Hubert Gorbach, is being hampered by witnesses who fail to show up to give testimony. Constitutional expert, Heinz Mayer, explains the workings of the Parliamentary Inquiry and the obligations facing the people called.

Anti-smoking laws in the Netherlands

http://www.flickr.com/photos/grrphoto/

While the rest of the world is tightening its anti-smoking laws, the trend is in the other direction in the Netherlands. Pressure from the tobacco industry lobby seems to be making the government reverse some of its anti-smoking legislation.

FM4 Reality Check

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