Egypt

Tuesday’s papers: Striking teachers attacked

The front pages of Tuesday's papers mostly lead with a nationwide teachers' strike – now in its third day – and the attacks on teachers at the protests.

"Bloody day in teachers' strike," reads the headline in the independent Al-Dostour. The article mentions that numerous striking teachers, who began their strike on the first day of the academic year, were attacked by angry parents across the country on Monday. At Al-Salam Preparatory School in Kafr al-Sheikh Governorate, a teacher was stabbed in the leg with a knife, a retired employee reportedly attacked a school principal in Kafr al-Zayyat, a group of parents angered with the teachers' strike set fire to the educational administration building in the town of Ahnasia in Beni Suef Governorate, and the administrative board of Al-Mustaqbal School in the town of Zeitoun in Cairo Governorate called the police over its striking teachers.

The independent Al-Shorouk reports, "Government approves of teachers' demands for radically amended income/service scale to increase salaries." The article mentions that the Education Ministry and cabinet have acknowledged the demands of the striking teachers, and approved a raise in teachers' incomes.

"Day full of teachers' battles" reads the front page headline of the liberal Al-Wafd Newspaper; subheadlines mention "Violent confrontations between students' parents/guardians and teachers … Ahnasia School Administration building torched," along with "Schools assaulted with knives and sticks … Teachers come under attack from stone-throwers in Fayoum."

The state-owned Al-Ahram runs a headline reading "3% of schools affected by strike, now in its third day." The independent Al-Tahrir headlines, "Teachers in showdown … [Education] Minister: I'm not responsible." According to Al-Tahrir's sub-headlines, "Strike affects only 3% of schools" and "1396 schools join strike out of 45,773 total schools … No strikes in Sharqiya and Qena Governorates."

The establishment of two new political parties associated with the dissolved National Democratic Party (NDP) has been authorized by the Political Parties Affairs Committee, while an Islamist party has been denied.

The parties committee approved the Wa'iy (Consciousness) Party and Ittihad (Union) Party, and rejected the political party proposed by members of the Islamist group Jama'a al-Islamiya.

"Jama'a al-Islamiya's party rejected," headlines the independent Al-Tahrir. The article mentions that the group's Construction and Development Party was not approved because the Political Parties Affairs Committee deemed that its platform was overtly religious, thus contravening the current political parties law. Leading members of Jama'a al-Islamiya said that they will appeal the ruling in court.

Another Al-Tahrir headline reads, "Parties committee: Wa'iy and Ittihad Parties … approved." Leading figures in both parties were members of ousted President Hosni Mubarak's NDP party as well as close business associates of his. Overcoming the revolution and fall of the NDP, former NDP Secretary General Hossam Badrawy is now presiding over the Wa'iy Party. His "intimate friend," as Al-Tahrir refers to him, businessman Mahmoud Taher, is now running the Ittihad Party. Al-Shorouk announces the event: "Hossam Badrawy returns to political life."

Amr Moussa, former foreign minister under Mubarak and another close associate of the NDP, is the subject of an Al-Shorouk story, "Moussa: Egypt is an Islamic state and it shall be governed by Sharia as stipulated under Article II of the Constitution. Moussa spoke of his presidential campaign, aims and ambitions, saying, 'If I win the presidential election, I will not preside over a party, and I shall run independently." The liberal Al-Wafd quotes Moussa as saying, "I support a presidential system of government … A parliamentary system is something else altogether."

Al-Dostour's front page headlines are dedicated to prominent corruption trials. One headline reads, "Auditors: [Former Industry and Trade Minister] Rachid Mohamed Rachid's wealth estimated at LE6 billion, not including buildings and property." Investigations are still under way regarding the illicit wealth of former Shura Council President Safwat al-Sherif and Al-Ahram Editor-in-Chief Usama Saraya.

"Renewed detention of [former Prime Minister] Ahmed Nazif for 45 days in light of [new charges of] squandering LE4 billion." The former head of parliament continues to be investigated on charges of corruption and misappropriation of public funds.

 

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-Gomhurriya: Daily, state-run
 
Rose al-Youssef: Daily, state-run
 
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
 
Al-Shorouk: Daily, privately owned
 
Al-Wafd: Daily, published by the liberal Wafd Party
 
Youm7: Daily, privately owned
 
Al-Tahrir: Daily, privately owned
 
Sawt al-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
 
Al-Arabi: Weekly, published by the Arab Nasserist party

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