On the day after the ruling National Democratic Party's (NDP) seventh annual conference, government papers expectedly dedicated half of their front pages to Mubarak's keynote assembly speech. The main headlines revolve around the eight "assignments," which, the state-controlled daily Al-Ahram said were handed down from the President to "the NDP, his government, and parliamentary body to begin executing the NDP's electoral campaign platform." The state-run daily Al-Akhbar highlighted all eight of these assignments on the front page, they are: "Raising the growth rate to 8 percent within five years; ameliorating the Egyptian peasant's situation, improving salaries; combating inflation; standing firm against any misuse of power and any infringements on public funds; expanding industrial investments in the other governorates; elevating levels of higher education and primary schooling; Multiplying the numbers of those benefiting from social security, healthcare, and securing pensions for those who do not have one; improving services to the citizens and searching for non-traditional solutions; increased decentralization and enhanced public accountability." Al-Ahram highlighted Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's comment on the need to reinforce pluralism and increase political competition. It also quoted high ranking NDP officials praising Mubarak's many accomplishments and demonstrations of generosity that have transformed Egypt into the enviable shape it is now in. “The president forgave LE500 million of farm workers' debt,” said NDP Secretary General Safwat al-Sherif. Mubarak highlighted the NDP's extensive achievements that have made Egypt more prosperous; “We've built many projects that have changed the face of life in Egypt.” Al-Akhbar reported that the Ministry of Health has decided to subsidize the costs of 50 new medicines for a variety of ailments such as cancerous tumors, anemia, high blood pressure, and kidney failure. The government is concurrently looking into specifically extending social security ------------------------ After the previous deal for the sale of retail company Omar Effendi went sour, Al-Ahram reports today that there is only one serious bid to buy the now damaged retailer. The prospective Egyptian buyer is currently conducting due diligence. Once Egypt's most successful retailer, the company is now face debt of over LE300 million. ------------------------ More prisoners from the Omraniya church riots have been released as well according to Al-Ahram, Al-Akhbar, and the liberal Al-Wafd Party's daily Al-Wafd. The nineteen released yesterday brought the total number of released to 131. Twenty-three remain in detention. ------------------------ Al-Wafd quoted many experts who said that increasing Egypt's growth rate in a small period of time is extremely difficult. “Not even in their dreams,” Economic analyst Mohamed Abdelhaleem said. “The government puts up these numbers, and they actually believe it,” banking specialist Moustafa al-Kholy said. ------------------------ The Israeli spy ring caught in Egypt is still making headlines with Al Shorouq saying that the Egyptian government is requesting that Interpol help apprehend the Israeli Mossad agents wanted in the affair. Al-Akhbar noted that the Egyptian suspect confessed to the crimes. ------------------------ Independent Al-Shorouq mentioned under its NDP conference headline a curious quote by Safwat al-Sherif, “let it be known that the opposition won more seats this year than they did in 2011.” Al-Shorouq did not mention if al-Sherif was talking about the 2005 Egyptian elections, or other elections that happened on some parallel universe of his own imagination. Two stories made bigger headlines in Al-Shorouq. The first of these stories is an interview by renowned pundit and journalist Imad Adeeb speaking about the “time bomb” created by the fraudulent 2010 elections. “The elections stripped the (governing) system of its legitimacy,” he contended. The other story is the potential return of Manuel Jose, Al-Ahly Club's most successful coach. The messianic coach reportedly fell out with the owners of his former club and is tapped as the most likely candidate for the vacant coaching spot in Al-Ahly. The government is currently passing a “law to protect government lands,” which is meant to ensure that “privatization happens only after adequate planning.” ------------------------ Wikileaks and other websites take center stage in independent daily Al-Dostor as they highlight a cable released through Newsweek revealing that “Washington does not want to put pressure on Egypt for fear of the Brotherhood gaining power.” The paper also claims--via an Israeli website--that Egypt had caught the spy in May and announced it in December only in response to Israeli espionage activity in South Sudan. In educational news, schools will be taking their midterm elections on 12 January so that Coptic students can celebrate Christmas on 7 January. Only Al-Azhar schools will be having theirs exams on 8 January. Finally, in their coverage of NDP elections, Al-Dostour mentioned a few of the more outlandish comments made by Minister of Housing Ahmed Maghraby. In response to an interjection by a lesser ranked NDP member that the UN banned the use of asbestos piping because of their cancerous and poisonous qualities and that Egypt should not be using them, Maghraby said, “no, it doesn't affect the residents, only the workers who are installing them.” Speaking with the compassion and level-headedness that made the NDP such a beloved entity, al-Maghraby cited his own expertise; “I am the Minister, and I understand. It only affects the installation workers…” 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
