It was a slow night for business news on the talk shows last night, with yesterday’s press conference by the National Elections Authority taking up the bulk of the airtime. Al Hayah Al Youm’s Mohamed Sherdy was especially eager to pore over each and every detail, dedicating the entirety of his 80-minute show to the subject. Masaa DMC (watch, runtime: 3:49) and Ala Masouleety (watch, runtime: 4:14) also had coverage.

Is the India-Middle East trade route a threat to the canal? “Meh,” said Transport Minister Kamal El Wazir, expressing confidence to Ala Masouleety show host Ahmed Moussa that “nothing will be an alternative to the Suez Canal” (watch, runtime: 4:31).

Remember: The US is backing a major new trade route linking South Asia, the Middle East and Europe. New ports and railways will ship goods between India and Europe via Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Israel under an MoU signed at the recent G20 summit.

Also on the airwaves: Masaa DMC’s Eman El Hosary discussed the new USD 1 bn tire factory being set up in the Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), and SCZone head Walid Gamal El Din’s trip to Amsterdam (watch runtime: 7:20 | 1:15). We have more on both these stories in this morning’s news well and Also on our Radar.

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