By REUTERS
CAIRO - Egypt's army-backed interim government sacked several state newspaper editors and officials on Wednesday, a move long awaited by protesters who ousted President Hosni Mubarak and demanded a purge of state media.Government-owned media played down the scale of the protests that inspired a series of uprisings across the region. For a while they condemned the demonstrators as agents of Iran and Shi'ite guerrilla group Hezbollah, or simply as vandals.State newspapers and broadcasters changed their reporting after Mubarak handed power to the military on Feb. 11 but many editors stayed on, irking reformists who have demanded more than just cosmetic changes in state institutions.
Gaza death toll since Oct. 7 reaches 41,206 - Hamas-run Gaza health min.
