The talking heads jawed about everything from pollution to China and Mo Salah last night.And we’re still puzzled as to when Lamees Al Hadidi will be returning to the airwaves.

Env’t ministry fuming over “most-polluted city in the world” designation: The Environment Ministry is fuming (no pun intended) about a recent study by a UK outfit called the Eco Experts that Cairo is the most polluted city in the world, which happened to be picked up by Forbes Middle East. Ministry spokesperson Abdel Gawad Abu Kab attacked the data on Masaa DMC, casting aspersions on Forbes’ “journalistic integrity” and claiming that this is the second year in a row the magazine picked up the study. While he did acknowledged that pollution in Cairo is high, he claims other international agencies say the situation is improving (insert canned sitcom laugh track here).

Well, the WHO says we’re the second worst: Rep. Sherine Farag was not having any of it, launching a biting attack on the Environment Ministry’s record. She noted that the World Health Organization placed Cairo second only to New Delhi in terms of ambient air pollution in a 2016 study aggregating data from 2011-2015 (pdf). She attacked the ministry for failing to respond or even address the report and called for the establishment of a fact-finding committee to determine where the problem lies and force the ministry to take action (watch, runtime: 10:14).

President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s China trip continued to receive widespread coverage on the airwaves. Pundits and former officials flocked to the airwaves to repeat ad nauseum how we’re witnessing a new golden era in relations with Beijing. Among them was former Foreign Ministry official Mohamed Hegazy, who praised the USD 18 bn in agreements signed as well as El Sisi’s address to the Communist Party Congress on the dangers of radical Islam (watch, runtime: 9:07). Egyptian-Chinese Business Council Deputy Head Mostafa Ibrahim said business relations between both countries needs another shot in the arm (watch, runtime: 6:17). Hona Al Asema’s Reham Ibrahim delved deeper into the agreements with a panel of experts (watch, runtime: 37:09).

Trial runs on phase 4A of Cairo Metro Line 3 should start in mid-October, acting head of the National Authority for Tunnels (NAT) Amr Shaat told Hona Al Asema. The Transport Ministry is planning to have phase 4B of Cairo Metro Line 3 operational by December 2019, he said, noting that Phase 4, which is expected to be completed by the year’s end, is costing the state upwards of EGP 6 bn (watch, runtime: 7:23).

Hona Al Asema’s transportation discussion continued with Madbouly Cabinet spokesman Ashraf Sultan on the government meeting held yesterday to install signalling systems to develop a smart transportation network (watch, runtime: 4:41).

And finally, Mohamed Salah’s arrival to take part in next Sunday’s national team match against Niger and his “improved” treatment by the Egyptian Football Association received a mention on Hona Al Asema. The move indicates that the EFA has responded positively to Salah’s criticism, said sports critic Essam Shaltoot (watch, runtime: 7:46).