Expect food prices to dominate the conversation on the airwaves talk shows in the coming weeks as households try to stock up on food ahead of Ramadan amid surging inflation.

Amr Adib calls on public, food producers to donate to the poor amid cost of living crisis: El Hekaya’s Amr Adib called on Egyptians to maintain the seasonal generosity typically seen during Ramadan and donate to vulnerable families being hit hard by the soaring cost of food (watch, runtime: 2:59). Adib asked food producers to donate to the poor, stressing that they were among sectors that benefited from high demands during the pandemic and the year that followed (watch, runtime: 3:00). “All those in the industry have made sizable profits. It’s time to give back,” he said.

The government’s Ahlan Ramadan discount supermarket expo also got a mention, with Ala Mas’ouleety focusing on a high demand seen at several of the expo’s new locations in some parts of Giza yesterday (watch, runtime: 3:13). The expo has banned the sale of large quantities of rice after some attempted to hoard supplies, Federation of Egyptian Chambers VP Adel Nasser told Ala Mas’ouleety (watch, runtime: 4:53).

The earthquake in Turkey and Syria is still getting attention amid the growing food crisis in northern Syria. Food aid being sent to Syria is now “packaged and ready to eat” food due to the destruction leaving many families without the ability to cook food, Abir Atefa, a spokeswoman for the World Food Programme, told Kelma Akhira (watch, runtime: 5:50). Show host Lamees El Hadidi followed Amr Adib on Saturday in accusing western nations of double standards in their refusal to provide aid to Syria. “There should be a way to send the aid to Syria even if there is a conflict [between the West] with the ruling Syrian regime,” she said (watch, runtime: 2:07).

The disaster could exacerbate a cholera outbreak in Syria given the lack of proper infrastructure, Mey Al Sayegh, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ (IFRC) head of communications, told Masa’a DMC (watch, runtime: 7:10).