GERD returned to the nation’s talk shows last night after the Ethiopian government announced plans to clear 17k hectares of forest in preparation for the third filling of the dam this summer. The process will take two months to complete and the government wants to start the work in February. Addis Ababa began unilaterally filling the dam’s reservoir in 2020 without an agreement with Egypt and Sudan over how to allocate the Nile’s water between the three countries, inflaming tensions with Cairo. Negotiations have been on ice since last summer, when Ethiopia completed the second filling of the dam and Egypt failed to get the backing of the international community to intervene in the dispute. El Hekaya’s Amr Adib covered the story (watch, runtime: 3:55).

The death of veteran journalist Wael Elebrashy is being investigated by the public prosecutor after his wife accused doctors of negligence that caused his death. Elebrashy died last week due complications resulting from covid-19. The Doctors’ Syndicate is also conducting an investigation into the physicians who treated him and the medication he was told to take, syndicate member Ibrahim El Zayat said on Ala Mas’ouleety last night (watch, runtime: 3:22). The story was also given attention by Al Hayah Al Youm, (watch, runtime: 2:06), El Hekaya (watch, runtime: 11:11), and Ala Mas’ouleety (watch, runtime: 9:40).

Also on the airwaves last night:

• Egypt has entered the fifth wave of covid-19, the former dean of the Heart Institute said on Ala Mas’ouleety (watch, runtime: 5:07)
• IMF executive director Mahmoud Mohieldin has called on the government to increase public investment by at least 20% to support the economy in an interview with Extra News (watch, runtime: 4:38). Mohieldin said that private investment needs to triple to make up for the declines seen in recent years.
• The conclusion of the World Youth Forum got airtime on Al Hayah Al Youm (watch, runtime: 22:15) and El Hekaya (watch, runtime: 1:02).