Newly appointed Agriculture Minister Abdel Moneim Al Banna took to the airwaves (and newspapers) last night to address concerns over allegations of corruption that have plagued him since his appointment was first rumored early this week.

Naturally, the first place to defend one’s reputation is on the fact of the alternative facts factory that is Ala Mas’ooleety, hosted by the creature named Ahmed Moussa. Al Banna said he has never been summoned or questioned by the Prosecutor General’s Office on charges that he engaged in everything ranging from squandering public funds to treason. The allegations were made by two of his disgruntled employees at the state’s Agriculture Research Center (watch, runtime: 4:57).

Cabinet spokesperson Ashraf Sultan defended Al Banna in a call-in with Al Hayah Al Youm’s Tamer Amin, saying that all ministers were chosen according to specific criteria, including integrity. “He met all the conditions required,” Sultan said (watch, runtime: 5:35). Al Banna also called in (watch, runtime: 5:54).
Over at Yahduth fi Masr, sources tell Sherif Amer that the cabinet shuffle will be followed by a shakeup of the nation’s governors. On Messi canceling his trip to Cairo, Prime Pharma Chairman Tamer Wagih confirmed that Messi requested the postponement due to Barcelona’s loss against Paris Saint-Germain football club. “Messi told us that Barcelona’s coach wanted him to attend an urgent meeting with the team,” he said. A date for Messi’s visit, expected next week, will be announced today.

Kol Youm’s Amr Adib looked physically distressed and heartbroken after being stood up by the dashing Argentine. So much so, he even aired footage of ONTV’s preparations for the interview (watch, runtime: 2:24).

He managed to hold back his tears just enough to discuss his thoughts on when inflation might cool as well as the appreciation of the EGP. A Kol Youm reporter spoke with Hyper One shopping mall deputy GM Adel Emam, who said that they can’t reduce prices unless suppliers cut wholesale prices, and suppliers are holding off on reducing prices until the exchange rate settles. Consumers have also been hesitant to buy on account of the shifting exchange rate, waiting for better prices, Emam speculated (watch, runtime: 18:17).

Adib next spoke with Alaa Sabaa’, a member of the Federation of Egyptian Chambers of Commerce’s automotive division on the Finance Ministry’s announcement that the exchange rate for custom tariffs has been fixed at EGP 16 to the greenback for the next 15 days. He appeared to play down the move, telling Adib that the custom tariffs only represent 30% of the total price of the car and downplaying the cut in the customs exchange rate, which previously stood at EGP 17.50 (watch, runtime: 3:45).