Egypt's statistical agency reported Tuesday that food and beverage costs, which account for nearly half of the country's consumer spending, increased by 21 percent last month compared to a year ago. That helped boost consumer prices to their highest point in a year.

    Surging food prices were among a list of grievances Egyptians complained about in the past couple of years, leading to the widespread anti-government protests in January. Mubarak resigned in early February and is now being investigated on charges of illegally amassing wealth during his 30-year rule.

    Egypt's economy has been buffeted by political uncertainty. Tourism has sharply dropped and the country's international reserves have diminished.(本文由在线英语听力室整理编辑)