The new FX rate to calculate customs on non-essential finished imports dominated the conversation on last night’s talk shows, with Finance Minister Mohamed Maait blanketing the airwaves to discuss the issue with the talking heads. The minister had held a presser earlier in the day. We have the full story in Speed Round, below.

Using the market FX rate for luxury goods is in local industry’s best interest, as it will allow investors to import raw materials and semi-finished products at the discounted customs rate and complete the manufacturing process domestically, Maait told El Hekaya’s Amr Adib. This would also help create jobs for Egyptians, the minister said. Maait deflected Adib’s questioning on whether the decision is related to the cut to 0% of customs duties on European cars, saying only that it is only natural for the government to want to protect local industry (watch, runtime 9:01).

Prices of non-essential imports are expected to rise by 3-10%, former IMF consultant Fakhry Elfiky said on Al Hayah Al Youm (watch, runtime 6:48). Customs Authority official Shahat Ghatwary also phoned Hona Al Asema’s Reham Ibrahim to weigh in on the topic (watch, runtime 5:44).

Military Production Minister Mohamed El Assar phoned Al Hayah Al Youm to talk about Egypt’s first defense expo, EDEX 2018. Assar said the event will give Egypt the chance to market its military products as well as gain access to the latest technology in the industry and create space for potential future cooperation (watch, runtime 10:44).

Defending the suspension of new tuk-tuk licenses: The government’s decision to temporarily suspend issuing licenses for tuk-tuks is meant to curb child labor and encourage the country’s youth toward other jobs that would be more beneficial for the country, Cabinet spokesman Nader Saad said on Hona Al Asema (watch, runtime: 4:12). Development Ministry spokesman Khaled Kassem also said much of the same, and noted that there are currently some 222k licensed tuk-tuks in the country (watch, runtime: 6:14).

Supply Minister Ali El Moselhy gave an update on the ongoing purge of the country’s subsidy rolls, which he told Masaa DMC’s Eman El Hosary included 16k repeated names (watch, runtime: 9:47).

Actress Rania Youssef phoned DMC’s Eman El Hosary to apologize for offending the public by her choice of clothing at the Cairo Film Festival, which has caused a ruckus over the past few days after three ‘lawyers’ filed third-party lawsuits that could see her subject to a criminal trial for reasons that baffle the imagination (watch runtime, 18:17).