Daily newspapers focus much of their front-page coverage on developments in the truckers' strike which entered its 13th day on Wednesday. State-owned Al-Ahram runs a headline reading "Striking truck drivers kill colleague." The article mentions that truckers attacked a semi-trailer with rocks in Sharqiya Governorate due to its violation of the strike. The driver died as a result and his brother, who was accompanying him, was seriously injured.
Opposition paper Al-Ahrar features the headline "First fatality in truckers' strike," along with the sub-headlines "Protests for release of arrested drivers" and "Accusation of governmental double talk." The article also mentions that an unidentified assailant attacked the driver and his assistant on the Ismailiya-Sharqiya highway.
The article goes on to say that more than 1000 truckers protested outside a police station in Kafr Zayyat, Gharbiya Governorate, where they demanded the release of four strikers who were arrested nearly two weeks earlier. The prosecutor had reportedly ordered their release several days ago, but they remained locked-up. The four strikers were said to be released in light of this large protest.
Independent Al-Shorouk carries the headline "Government uses carrot and stick policies to end truckers' strike." The liberal opposition newspaper Al-Wafd runs a headline reading "Truckers' strike enters dangerous stage following the theft of three trucks in Helwan," while sub-headlines read "Chamber of commerce calls on owners of semi-trailers to call off strike, promises to resolve the crisis," and "Government fails in dealing with crisis, faces obstacles in converting 70,000 semi-trailers into full trailers."
In other news, Al-Wafd runs its chief headline, "In a session of politicians, legal experts and members of judiciary in Al-Wafd's headquarters: Agreement to pursue case against falsified parliament, and prove its illegitimacy." A sub-headline reads "Request to President of the Republic to intervene and undertake his responsibility as president of all Egyptians and mediator between parties."
In Al-Ahrar the headline: "Al-Wafd begins hearings into the cases of its members who won in the elections." The article indicates that the party might move to freeze the memberships of party members who chose not to withdraw from the parliamentary elections of 28 November and 5 December after winning seats–despite the party's stance of withdrawing from the elections following claims of vote-rigging and fraud. The party is not expected to expel these members, according to Al-Ahrar.
The independent Al-Dostour proclaims: "Legal experts: Current constitution resembles patched-up robe…Dissolution of parliament is in President's hands," in one headline, and in another: "First appeal before general prosecutor to take action against MPs falsely claiming to be representatives of workers and farmers." The appeal was lodged by the lawyer of a candidate in the parliamentary election of Shubra, against the newly elected MP in that circuit who allegedly does not qualify as a workers' representative in parliament.
Article 87 of the Constitution stipulates that at least 50 percent of parliamentary seats must be allocated to representatives of workers and farmers. Although they do not meet the qualifications, numerous businessmen, professionals, retired officers, and large landowners are reported to have been elected as workers and farmers representatives.
As for updates on the recently identified Israeli spy ring said to be operating in Egypt, Al-Dostour runs a headline reading "Egypt calls on Interpol to arrest the two Israelis accused of espionage." A sub-headline reads: "Spokesperson for Israeli Foreign Ministry: This case will not affect relations between the two countries."
State-owned flagship Al-Ahram runs the headline: "Al-Ahram in house of man accused of espionage." The paper interviews the mother of the Egyptian, Tareq Abdel Razeq, accused of working with the aforementioned Israeli spies. A sub-headline reads: "Tareq's mother: We don't own a penny with which to pay for his defense lawyer." The mother, facing financial difficulties, claims that she hasn't known anything about her son for the past three years. She added that she wouldn't support him if it was proven that he was a spy.
In Al-Shorouk, the top headline reads "Fall of the 'spy' foils Mossad's attempts to infiltrate cellphone network."
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 al-Youssef: Daily, state-run, close to the National Democratic Party's Policies Secretariat
Al-Dostour: Daily, privately owned
Al-Shorouk: 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 al-Umma: Weekly, privately owned
