State-owned flagship Al-Ahram has happy economic news on its front page, with an announcement by Minister of Economic Development Othman Mohamed Othman that more than an extra LE350 billion–a 19 percent boost from the previous year–will be directed to economic development in an effort to–according to the story–“accelerate the implementation of President Mubarak’s electoral program.”
In other seemingly election-related news, presidential scion Gamal Mubarak was on the campaign trail in a village in Gharbiya Governorate. The younger Mubarak told a cheering crowd, the story says, that the needs of regional farmers will remain “a major concern” of the government. That means keeping rice prices at a stable level and working to increase the overall income of all farmers.
Independent daily Al-Shorouq tops its front page with coverage of revelations that Minister of Health Hatem al-Gebali’s wife received more than US$250,000 in medical treatment overseas at the public’s expense.
The article is actually fairly thin on the details of the allegations, perhaps out of sensitivity to Mrs. Gebali’s condition. It states only that Gebali has now dispatched his lawyers to the public prosecutor’s office with a check to cover the costs. That may, to some readers’ minds, raise the question of how the minister has a quarter million dollars lying around like that. But at least his family’s medical bills are not on the public dime anymore.
Medical treatment of government officials has been a hot political topic for months thanks to the so-called “Treatment MPs” scandal–so far 14 members of the People’s Assembly and Shura Council have had their parliamentary immunities stripped and face possible prosecution over alleged misuse of the public healthcare system.
With nuclear watchdog-turned-domestic refomer Mohamed ElBaradei back from summer vacation and making waves, Al-Dostour resumes its tradition of making sure an ElBaradei story features prominently on its front page almost every day. Today’s offering reads, “ElBaradei: Changing the Mubarak regime will take one year at the most.”
The related article on page three brings us details and pictures from ElBaradei’s recent public iftar, where he spoke some of his strongest words yet against the government–labeling the Mubarak regime a “decaying temple” and calling for a unified opposition boycott of upcoming parliamentary elections.
The article quotes extensively from ElBaradei’s speech to more than 300 supporters in attendance. Among other things, the reform movement leader said the goal of his campaign is to “change Egypt back into a country built on respect for the other.”
He also warned that his movement is willing to take to the streets peacefully if necessary, and predicted that if that day comes, it will instantly transform Egyptian politics.
Egypt's papers:
Al-Ahram: Daily, state-run, largest distribution in Egypt
Al-Akhbar: Daily, state-run, second to Al-Ahram in institutional size
Al-Gomhorriya: Daily, state-run
Rose el-Youssef: Daily, state-run, close to the National Democratic Party's Policies Secretariat
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
Al-Shorouq: Daily, privately owned
Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Arab Nasserist party
Youm7: Weekly, privately owned
Sawt el-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
