Chinese general takes harsh line on Taiwan,
other disputes at int'l naval gathering
QINGDAO, Apr 22: One of China's top military leaders took a harsh line on regional territorial disputes, telling an international naval gathering in northeastern China on Monday that the country would strike back with force if its interests came under threat. The 19th biennial meeting of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium opened in the port city of Qingdao, where China's northern naval force is based, providing a vivid backdrop to China's massive military expansion over the past two decades that has seen it build or refurbish three aircraft carriers. The four-day meeting has drawn representatives from partners and competitors including Australia, Cambodia, Chile, France, India and the U.S. and comes amid heightened tensions over China's assertive actions in the Taiwan Strait and the East and South China seas, and as China's navy has grown into the world's largest by number of hulls. —AP
Modi criticised for 'hate speech'
NEW DELHI, Apr 22: India's opposition has accused PM Narendra Modi of Islamophobic remarks after he claimed his opponents would distribute people's wealth to "infiltrators" if they won power. Mr Modi told a rally the opposition Congress wanted to distribute wealth to "those who have many children". His remarks were widely seen as referring to India's Muslim minority. The Congress party has rejected the claim, which came days after the general election began. Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government has often been accused of singling out India's minority communities, especially Muslims. — BBC
Taiwan hit by strong 5.5-magnitude quake
TAIPEI, Apr 22: Taiwan's capital was shaken by a "strong" earthquake early Monday evening, AFP staff reported, with the Central Weather Administration saying it was a magnitude-5.5 tremor originating in eastern Hualien. The region was the epicentre of a magnitude-7.4 quake that hit on April 3, causing landslides around the mountainous region that blocked off roads, while buildings in the main Hualien city were badly damaged. At least 17 were killed in the quake, with the latest body discovered on April 13 in a quarry. Monday's quake hit Taiwan at around 5:08 pm local time (0908 GMT) and could be felt in the capital Taipei. —AFP
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