The Times of India Egypt sees sandstorm and earthquake on the same day Egypt faced treacherous weather conditions Saturday as a sandstorm blanketed the north of the country and a magnitude-5.2 earthquake centered in the Sinai peninsula shook buildings more than 200 miles away in the capital, Cairo. The epicenter of the quake was 4 kilometers (2.5 miles) southeast of the beachside town of Nuweiba in the Sinai, and about 75 kilometers (46 miles) south of Egypt's border with Israel, according to the US Geological Survey. Read more: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/middle-east/Egypt-sees-sandstorm-and-earthquake-on-the-same-day/articleshow/47849127.cms Shanghai Daily Interview: Egypt can play key role in "Belt and Road" project: senior Chinese diplomat Egypt can play a key role in China's "Belt and Road" initiative due to its strategic geographic location, said a senior diplomat with the Chinese embassy to the most populous Arab country. Han Bing, minister counselor for economic affairs with the Chinese embassy in Cairo, told Xinhua in a recent interview that China and Egypt have complementary pro-development policies, citing Egypt's New Suez Canal project, which is scheduled to be inaugurated in August, as "a good opportunity" to boost bilateral cooperation. Proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road, known as the "Belt and Road" initiative, aims at reviving the ancient trade route between Asia and Europe. The network threads through over 60 countries and regions, with a total population of 4.4 billion. Late last year, Egypt and China have decided to elevate their bilateral ties to the level of "comprehensive strategic partnership" during Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi's official visit to Beijing. Read more: http://www.shanghaidaily.com/article/article_xinhua.aspx?id=289892 Anadolu Agency Egypt decries critical US report on human rights record Egypt has lashed out at a U.S. report criticizing its human rights record, saying that the report included "misinformation and exaggerations." The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a Friday statement that the U.S. report was based on "information taken from NGOs that lack credibility and accuracy." "The report is far from being accurate and credible," the ministry said. It went on to say that the report failed to highlight efforts by the Egyptian government to improve the status of human rights and working conditions, empowering women and fighting poverty. Read more: http://www.aa.com.tr/en/politics/545496--egypt-decries-critical-us-report-on-human-rights-record
