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Sunday, 20 June 2021

Libya and electric vehicles dominate the airwaves on 20 June 2021

It was politics as far as our eyes could see and our ears could hear last night: Most of the nation’s talking heads had coverage of Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry’s joint presser with his Libyan counterpart Najla Mangoush, who was in town yesterday on the heels of intelligence chief Abbas Kamel’s visit to Tripoli and Benghazi on Thursday. Among those who took note: Kelma Akhira (watch, runtime: 4:23 | 2:35) and Al Hayah Al Youm (watch, runtime: 3:51).

El Nasr Auto’s plans to produce Chinese EVs was still on the agenda, with managing director Hany El Kholy confirming to Al Hayah Al Youm’s Lobna Assal that the state-owned company is moving ahead with plans to roll out 3k electric vehicle charging stations over the next 16 months (watch, runtime: 28:23). A full charge at a station — sufficient for a driving range of 400 km — will cost EGP 160, making EVs more affordable to run than gas-​powered cars, El Kholy said. Ala Mas’ouleety had yet more coverage of El Nasr’s presser last week, when it announced it was importing EVs from China ahead to begin testing them on Egyptian roads next month (watch, runtime: 7:03).

Renewables leader Infinity is working with the company on the rollout of the charging stations, starting with some 2k charging points at 1k stations in Greater Cairo, Alexandria, and parts of Qalyubia.

Meanwhile, Higher Education Minister Khaled Abdel Ghaffar dropped into El Hekaya to explain the ministry’s recent move to allow undergraduate students to graduate earlier from public universities and local institutes. Under the old rules, students were required to finish four years of undergraduate study, even if they completed the requisite number of credit hours sooner. But under amendments to the executive regulations of Egypt’s Universities Organizing Act, students can now graduate earlier if they complete the credit hours after at least three years of study (watch, runtime: 10:48). The ministry is also looking to introduce double majors and minor programs at public universities nationwide in order to expand specialist study areas and maximize students’ college education to better prepare them for the world of work, Abdel Ghaffar said.

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