The two major government-run dailies, Al-Ahram and Al-Akhbar, had today similar frontpages, highlighting President Hosni Mubarak’s visit to the UAE to discuss regional matters, such as Iraq and Iran. The two papers also ran statements from the presidential spokesperson, Suleiman Awad, in support of building the security wall on the Rafah borders and the banning of the Gaza Freedom March. Despite that, Awad still stressed "Egypt’s unchanging support for the Palestinian cause."
Interestingly, Al-Akhbar, which usually doesn’t cover the Muslim Brotherhood’s news except in the crime news section whenever police cracks down on the group, was more than happy to give it a frontpage report about the new composition of the Guidance Bureau, elected yesterday in a stormy fashion. Meanwhile, the independent daily Al-Dostour gave an expanded coverage to the MB elections, with a frontpage headline in red: "A coup in the Brotherhood’s Guidance Bureau."
Al-Shorouq followed suit with a frontpage headline warning: "Qutbists take over the Brotherhood." The paper also included exclusive interview with Mahmdoud el-Zahar of Hamas, where he admitted arms were being smuggled into Gaza, but asserted those weapons "will never be used against Egypt."
