It was a diplomacy-heavy night on the airwaves last night, as the nation’s talking heads discussed the Russian foreign minister’s visit to Cairo, the latest on the GERD crisis, and El Sisi’s overseas visits last week.

On the agenda for Lavrov talks: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is in Cairo today for the first time since the war on Ukraine broke out for talks with Egyptian and Arab League officials. Arab League Assistant Secretary-General Hossam Zaki told Kelma Akhira’s Lamees El Hadidi that the situation with the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and Syria will likely feature in the conversation (watch, runtime: 10:32).

El Sisi’s whereabouts over the past week got some coverage: President Abdel Fattah El Sisi’s travels over the past week — Saudi Arabia, Germany, Serbia and, most recently, France — reflect his interest to coordinate with Egypt’s many partners, Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said on Ala Mas’ouleety (watch, runtime: 8:07). Egypt has the capabilities to provide Europe with gas, electricity and renewable energy but in turn it’s calling for more direct European investments and employment opportunities, Shoukry said. Al Hayah Al Youm (watch, runtime:13:42) also covered the story.

Egypt is balancing its international relations in an increasingly polarized world: “We are maintaining our relations with various partners and will continue to manage these relations in a balanced manner,” Shoukry said. (watch, runtime: 2:31).

Ethiopia has started filling the GERD for the third year running: The country is currently halfway through the third filling which started 11 July, and and has so far stored around 2 bn cubic meters of water, Cairo University water resources professor Abbas Sharaki said on El Hekaya (watch, runtime: 5:10). Ethiopia is set to store an additional 3 bn cubic meters over the coming two weeks, he added.

Emaar Misr under fire: The Environment Ministry has ordered all dredging work happening near the north coast cities of Marassi and Stella to stop after a number of people took to social media to complain about environmental damage, El Hekaya reported (watch, runtime: 3:08). Social media users, including Hisham Ezz Alarab, have accused Emaar Misr’s Marassi Marina development of causing “catastrophic” damage to the shoreline, and called on the ministry to intervene.