An Egyptian woman buys vegetables at a m

An Egyptian woman buys vegetables at a market in downtown Cairo on March 12, 2008. Food prices in Egypt since the start of the year are being matched by a rumbling wave of popular discontent and unprecedented strikes and demonstrations. Textile workers, teachers, doctors and accountants have all threatened strikes under the united banner of "Stop the expensive life". The official annual inflation rate reached 12.5 percent in February, although the cost of foodstuffs including subsidised bread has risen by 26.5 percent over the past year, also according to official statistics, the evolution of other staples is equally grim: dairy products are up 20 percent, oil is up 40 percent. The Egyptian press publishes a list of rising costs, with some products up 122 percent between February 2007 and now. AFP PHOTO/ KHALED DESOUKI (Photo credit should read KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)