News in Brief
China condemns Taiwanese official’s US visit
REUTERS – China on Sunday condemned a brief US visit by Taiwan Vice President William Lai, saying he was a separatist and “troublemaker through and through” and Beijing would take strong steps to protect its sovereignty, drawing a rebuke from Taipei.
Lai, front-runner to be Taiwan’s next president at elections in January, arrived in New York late on Saturday for what is officially a transit on his way to Paraguay for the inauguration of its president. China considers Taiwan as its own territory.
Bangladesh floods kills 55 in August
AFP – At least 55 people have been killed and more than a million affected by two weeks of torrential rains causing floods and landslides in southeast Bangladesh, officials said Sunday.
Administrators of four of the worst-hit districts said floods and landslides since August 1 killed 21 people in Cox’s Bazar, 19 in Chittagong, 10 in Bandarban and five in Rangamati.
Two militants killed attacking Chinese convoy in Pakistan
AFP – Two separatist militants were killed Sunday when they attacked a convoy carrying Chinese workers to a Beijing-financed port project in Pakistan’s Balochistan Province, officials said.
A spokesman for China’s consulate in Karachi said none of its nationals were killed or wounded in the attack, and urged Chinese citizens to heighten their vigilance.
Balochistan Liberation Army militants claimed responsibility for the attack