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Monday, 30 January 2017

Egypt, Saudi might be included in Muslim ban; debate in the House over EGP 18 mn for cars; pharmacists back on strike; make sure you travel with your prescriptions

Could Egypt and Saudi Arabia be added to Trump’s Muslim ban? Debate in the House over misappropriating cars? Pharmacists back on strike? All this and more coming up. But first, we’d like to take a chapter from The Official Amr Adib Playbook and abruptly interrupt your scheduled program to celebrate Egypt’s victory over Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations. The win secures the Pharaohs a spot in the semi-finals. No one does an abrupt cut to yelling live on the air quite like you, Mr. Adib (watch, runtime: 1:46).

Hona Al Assema’s Lamees Al Hadidi quoted White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus’ statement to NBC that Egypt and Saudi Arabia are among countries that could be included in Donald Trump’s not-Muslim (but coincidently Muslim) ban (watch, runtime: 1:35). Lamees spent almost half the episode discussing the ramifications of The Donald’s executive order, but she did find time to get Egypt’s victory out of her system (watch, runtime: 7:17).

Cabinet spokesperson Ashraf Sultan spoke at length on the Ismail cabinet’s decision to establish an authority to manage the Golden Triangle project (more on that in the Speed Round, below). Al Hayah Al Youm’s Lobna Assal, Sultan only said the long-awaited cabinet shuffle is still in the works. As we have previously noted, the shuffle has been plagued by a string of candidates reportedly refusing appointments to cabinet (watch, runtime: 5:35).

Has the House of Representative appropriated EGP 18 mn to buy three cars? Sherif Amer dove into the controversy on MBC last night after Rep. Mohamed Al Sadat stirred up the controversy in the House, pushing for an inquiry into the issue. Al Sadat asked House Speaker Ali Abdel Aal: “Considering all what was said by the President on saving and the nation’s economy, how can we spend EGP 18 bn on cars?” House Economics Committee Deputy Chair Yasser Omar said the House was investigating the issue, but noted the funding was earmarked for the purchase of up-armored cars.

Also on Amer’s show last night: The pharmacists strike is back on and scheduled for 12 February, said Pharmacists’ Syndicate treasurer Emad Mikail, who cried in his cups that his members were ‘snubbed’ by the government over their misgivings about the January med price increases. Boo [redacted] hoo. Meanwhile: The Interior Minister had sacked 45 policemen for conduct unbecoming.

When he wasn’t celebrating the match (watch, runtime: 10:56), Kol Youm’s Amr Adib spoke on the new agricultural subsidy cards, which would provide farmers with fertilizers, fuel and financing, with the Agriculture Ministry spokesperson Hamed Abdel Dayem (watch, runtime: 3:10).

MP and film director Khaled Youssef appeared on 90 Minutes last night to his arrest yesterday at Cairo International Airport for alleged possession of a well-known anti-anxiety medication. Youssef told host Moataz El Demerdash that the prosecution released him after his wife’s doctor confirmed that the meds were for her. She lives in Paris, which is why he was travelling with them in the first place, he added (watch, runtime: 11:58). The story was widely reported in the local press and among the talking heads. The 25-30 coalition, which counts Youssef as one of its members, said earlier in the day that the arrest was a smear in retaliation for its stance against the return of Tiran and Sanafir islands to Saudi Arabia.

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