It was a mixed bag of nuts on the airwaves last night: We had the education minister on to talk about the upcoming school year, the public enterprises minister talking about a number of projects the ministry is working on, more coverage of the upcoming parliamentary elections — and of course, the updates on the government’s efforts to crack down on informal construction.

Hisham Tawfik on electric vehicles, cotton: Public Enterprises Minister Hisham Tawfik sat down for a wide-ranging interview with Ibn Misr’s Moustafa El Minshawy. Here are the highlights:

• Electric cars: We could see electric vehicles produced at El Nasr Automotive’s factory on the street as soon as the end of next year, Tawfik said, without elaborating.
• Cotton exchange to return next year: Tawfik said that they are planning to restore exchange for trading cotton by the end of next year. There are also attempts to plant short-staple cotton, and the results of the trial will be known by the end of September, he said.
• New show for the pyramids: The Public Enterprises Ministry is working with the Sound and Light Company to prepare a new show at the pyramids, and will bring in the private sector to work on the project, he said without elaborating (watch, runtime: 12:28).

Shawki on the new system for the coming school year: El Hekaya’s Amr Adib phoned Education Minister Tarek Shawki, who elaborated on how teaching will be delivered in the upcoming school year. Students in public schools will have in-class lessons two days’ a week, and these hours will be dedicated to physical education, discussing assignments and answering questions. The main subjects which will be taught online during the other three days of the week, he said (watch, runtime: 6:19). Public schools are back in session on 17 October.

Wildcat builders now have another month to settle with the government: Ala Mas’ouleety’s Ahmed Moussa phoned Cabinet Spokesman Nader Saad who said that the government decided to extend the deadline for settling building violations to 31 October. People who have already applied but with incomplete papers still have until the end of November. The number of reconciliation requests is now at 1.4 mn, he said.

Also making the rounds: Masaa DMC's Eman El Hosary chewed over upcoming elections for the House of Representatives ahead of the 21 October opening of polls (watch, runtime: 12:54). She also discussed plans to protect homes and businesses in Qena from flooding (watch, runtime: 4:54).