Briefly

EGYPT

Panda bonds worth 3.5b yuan issued

Egypt issued on Monday sustainable panda bonds of about 3.5 billion yuan ($479 million) in the Chinese financial market. In a statement, Egyptian Finance Minister Mohamed Maait said the issuance has a maturity of three years with a coupon rate of 3.5 percent. Maait said Egypt is the first country in the Middle East and North Africa to issue sustainable panda bonds, adding that it succeeded in attracting many Chinese investors. Panda bonds are yuan-denominated debts sold by overseas issuers to meet financing demand.

BELGIUM

Suspect shot dead after fatal attack

A 45-year-old gunman suspected of killing two Swedish football fans in Brussels died on Tuesday after being shot by police in a cafe, Belgium authorities said. Sweden's prime minister has called for stronger EU border security. The attacker, who identified himself as a member of the Islamic State and claimed responsibility in a video posted online, is suspected of killing two Swedish nationals and wounding a third in central Brussels on Monday night, Reuters reported.

Xinhua - Agencies