Headlines of both state-owned and independent newspapers addressed the ongoing nationwide protests, which on Sunday entered their 13th consecutive day. On its front page, Al-Ahram focuses on the resignation of the executive board of the ruling National Democratic Party (NDP). The paper reports that Hossam Badrawy, the head of the Policies Secretariat's Education and Scientific Research Committee, was appointed the NDP's secretary general to replace Safwat al-Sherif. Badrawy also became policies secretary general after Gamal Mubarak resigned from the party. Badrawy is an NDP reformist who has repeatedly called for streamlining conditions for fielding presidential candidates. Al-Ahram states that prominent figures of the ruling party's executive board resigned yesterday, including Minister for Legal Affairs Mufid Shehab, Information Secretary Ali Eddin Hilal and Presidential Chief-of-Staff Zakria Azmy. New appointments are listed in the state-owned paper as follows: Mohamed Ragab is now assistant secretary general and organization secretary, Mohamed Hibah is youth secretary, Mohamed Abdel Illah is assistant secretary general and media secretary, and Maged al-Sherbini is membership secretary. Independent paper Al-Dostour reports that Omar Suleiman, former head of Egypt's intelligence service and recently appointed the first vice president of Mubarak's three-decade regime, survived an assassination attempt just days ago, soon after receiving his appointment. The independent paper--covering the news piece from the American Fox News website—says that two of his private guards were shot dead. According to Al-Ahram, however, the government categorically denies an assassination attempt, claiming that the Muslim Brotherhood is behind the rumor. The state-owned Al-Akhbar declares, “Omar Suleiman negotiates with Wafd, Tagammu and Nassari parties.” The paper features a report explaining that the new vice president has held one-on-one meetings with each opposition party's delegate in an effort to reach a satisfactory solution to the current crisis. According to the report, the representatives of the opposition parties have demanded constitutional amendments of articles 88 and 93 as well as articles 76 and 77, which President Hosni Mubarak has pledged to amend during his last speech. The paper quotes Rafaat al-Said, head of the Tagammu Party, as saying, “The meeting has resulted in agreements being reached regarding many of the demands of his party and Egyptians.” According to the paper, he said that both sides agreed to form a committee that consists of 25 individuals and party members to discuss and approve the required constitutional amendments. In related news, the Muslim Brotherhood, Egypt's largest opposition group, softened its stubborn stance of not negotiating with the government unless Mubarak steps down. Al-Akhbar reports that the banned group issued a statement at midnight that they will enter into negotiations with Suleiman. The statement claimed that the move benefits Egyptian people and national unity. According to the paper, Brotherhood members emphasized that they are not going to give up any of their demands, such as the departure of Mubarak, dissolution of parliament and the ending of Emergency Law. Al-Wafd's front page reports that an explosion took place on a gas pipeline near to Arish Airport. Unknown gunmen exploded an Egyptian pipeline supplying gas to Jordan and Israel. It reports that eyewitnesses said the saboteurs forced local Bedouins to evacuate the area before triggering the explosion. The paper adds that the pipeline belongs to prominent businessmen Hussein Sallem, a close protégé of Mubarak's. Finally, Al-Shorouk reports that protestors called for millions of Egyptians to join an anti-government demonstration in Tahrir Square today under the title “Sunday of Martyrs” in an attempt to bring about “the fall of the regime,” which has become the unifying slogan of the last 12 days of the uprising.
