It was another slow night for business news on the talk shows last night, with most of the nation’s talking heads covering the incoming export ban on onions, new details on the recently announced social support measures, and the ongoing GERD negotiations.

The onion export ban was a hot topic on the airwaves, with several pundits, including Ala Masouleety’s Ahmed Moussa (watch, runtime: 3:05), talking it up. Hatem Al Naguib, deputy head of the vegetables and fruits division at the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce, dropped into El Hekaya (watch, runtime: 6:46), and Magdy El Waily, member of the Agriculture Export Council, spoke to Masaa DMC’s Osama Kamal (watch, runtime: 14:30), to explain the three-month onion export ban starting 1 October aims to stabilize high onion prices locally. We have more in What We're Tracking Today.

More on social support measures: Kelma Akhira host Lamees El Hadidi spoke with the head of the National Organization For Social Ins. Gamal Awad (watch, runtime : 11:24), who clarified that the EGP 600 bonus for pensioners will be paid in November alongside October's payment. Awad also explained that the EGP 300 increase to this payment will be funded from the state budget, rather than by the pension funds.

ALSO GETTING ATTENTION-

  • The presidential election: Lamees El Hadidi (watch, runtime: 5:10) and Al Hayah Al Youm’s Lobna Asal (watch, runtime: 7:39) touched on the presidential election timeline being announced tomorrow — and covered more support from parties and syndicates for President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to seek a third term in office.
  • The Menendez corruption scandal: El Hekaya’s Amr Adib commented on the indictment of US Senator Bob Menendez for alleged corruption reportedly linked in part to unnamed Egyptian officials, emphasizing to his viewers that the full details are not yet known (watch, runtime: 4:09).
  • GERD talks: Masaa DMC’s Osama Kamal commented on yesterday’s resumption of GERD talks between Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan. “Nothing has changed from 10 years ago,” he said, calling on the government to increase pressure on Ethiopia to make concessions (watch, runtime: 3:13).
  • Egypt’s aid to Libya: Al Hayah Al Youm carried an update on the humanitarian aid sent by Egypt to victims of the floods in Libya. (watch, runtime: 9:24)
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