While the cabinet reshuffle dominated the main headlines of state-owned newspapers, independent papers continued to reveal the corruption of the old regime’s former officials.
State-run Al-Ahram listed the newly-appointed ministers: Deputy Prime Minister Yehia al-Gamal, Scientific Research Minister Amr Ezzat Salama, Education Minister Ahmed Gamal Eddin Moussa, Communications and Technology Minister Maged Ibrahim Othman, Health and Population Minister Ashraf Mahmoud Ibrahim Hatem, Petroleum Minister Mahmoud Latif, Social Solidarity and Social Justice Minister Gouda Abdel Khaleq, Trade and Industry Minister Samir Youssef, Manpower and Immigration Minister al-Sayyed Ismail, Tourism Minister Mounir Fakhry, and Culture Minister Mohamed Abdel Moneim al-Sawy.
The state-owned paper wrote that Field Marshal Mohamed Hussein Tantawi, during his meeting with the new ministers, discussed vital issues and changes that took place in recent weeks. Tantawi also emphasized the importance of meeting people’s demands and needs as well as gaining their trust by establishing credibility.
Al-Dostour revealed that Ahmed Maghrabi, former Housing Minister, is accused of “wasting public money, estimated at LE 4 billion,” according to a headline on the front-page of the independent paper.
The paper said, “Public Prosecutor ordered ex-minister to remain in custody for another 15 days at Tora Prison pending investigation.” Yesterday, Maghrabi reportedly faced interrogation for four hours after the public prosecution received the investigation reports substantiating charges filed against him.
Maghrabi was detained five days ago with former ministers of tourism Zuheir Garannah, of interior Habib al-Adly and steel magnate and prominent ex-member of NDP Ahmed Ezz on charges of wasting public money and selling state lands for extremely low prices.
On a different note, Al-Wafd stated that Youssef al-Qaradawi, head of the International Union of Muslim Scholars, has issued a fatwa allowing the assassination of Libyan President Muammar Qaddafi. He called on the Libyan army and police officers not to follow Qaddafi’s order to open fire at protesters.
“Whoever can shoot Qaddafi should do so to rescue people from his evil,” the paper quoted al-Qaradawi as saying in a live interview on Al Jazeera network.
He reportedly condemned the world reaction to what is happening in Libya saying, “Hundreds were killed within hours and the world remained silent…if this had happened in Israel and Europe, the world would have a different attitude…why doesn’t the world do something?"
Last Monday, Qaddafi launched violent air raids on Libyan protesters for staging massive demonstrations on 17 February demanding his resignation.
State-run al-Gomhorriya reports the Egyptian Journalists Syndicate accepted the resignation of Syndicate President Makram Mohamed Ahmed on Tuesday.
According to the state-owned paper, Ahmed said he was giving up his position due to health-related problems. It is reported that the council sent a letter thanking him for his contributions to the press during his time as president.
After the 25 January revolution, journalists petitioned to withdraw confidence from Ahmed in reaction to his previous support for former President Hosni Mubarak.
Some sources say that the last Journalism Syndicate elections were unfair because they sought government-owned papers’ support in order to win a majority of votes.
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
