Al-Ahram leads with news on an international conference held in Cairo yesterday that aimed at raising money to assist development in Sudan’s troubled Darfur region. The article runs under the headline “US$850 million committed to develop Darfur” and asserts that it was the lack of development that originally led to the crisis in Darfur. Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit is quoted as saying that independence and development in the region are the only true guarantees for the return of refugees to Darfur. Most papers cover the conference.
Al-Ahram also assures its readers that President Hosni Mubark is active and well, pointing out that he exchanged calls with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, as well as with the leaders of Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.
Al-Akhbar elaborates, leading with the headline, “President Mubarak is in good health and will return within a few days.” The state-owned paper sources Health Minister Hatem el-Gabaly, who was interviewed by Al-Akhbar saying that medical reports on the president’s health have been completely transparent.
El-Gabaly also said that 40 medications will see price reductions within a month, adding that discussions of a new health insurance law are now open to general debate again. El-Gabably points out that LE17 billion are required to execute the law, but that the funding for it is not currently available. He stated the law will make treatment for a fifth of citizens completely free, with no subscription fees.
Finally, Al-Akhbar notes that after spending eight days with the president after his surgery, the health minister was told to go to the United States to see his wife, who is undergoing treatment there.
Al-Wafd includes a red box on its front page today that claims Israel will train the US on how to fight terrorism. Citing only “American Zionist” sources, it goes on to say that 16 senior officials from the Federal Bureau of Investigations will visit Israel during this week for the training.
Al-Dostour leads with news on the ongoing rise in meat prices. The story runs under the headline “Prices of meat per kilo reach LE70" and the article clarifies that the price is in richer neighborhoods in Cairo, referring specifically to Zamalek and Nasr City. In poorer districts and other governorates meat prices are said to reach LE55, up LE5 from last week.
Al-Dostour also highlights a potentially troubling find: uranium sediments in Nile water. The source of the news is Tarek el-Nimr, head of the Radiology Analysis Laboratory at Tanta University. He claims that the uranium was detected near fertilizer factories in Kafr el-Zayat. Apparently, a group of scientists from the university, National Nuclear Energy Authority and Environment Ministry has been established to measure the degree of radioactivity in the areas around the factories.
Egypt’s newspapers:
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
