Page 10 - AB

A6 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 16 January 2024

Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro state confronts flood damage after heavy

rain kills at least 11

By DIARLEI RODRIGUES and footage from Brazil’s Globo
ELÉONORE HUGHES television network.
Associated Press Firefighters were search-
RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — ing for a woman who dis-
Neighborhoods in Brazil’s appeared after her car
Rio de Janeiro state re- fell into the Botas River in
mained flooded Monday Rio’s northern Belford Roxo
more than a day after tor- neighborhood.
rential rains that killed at Around 2,400 military per-
least 11 people. sonnel from Rio’s fire bri-
The heavy downpour gade were mobilized over
wreaked havoc over the the weekend and used
weekend, flooding peo- ambulances, boats, drones
ples’ homes, a hospital, and aircraft to rescue resi-
the metro line in the city of dents and to monitor af-
Rio de Janeiro and a main fected areas.
freeway section, Avenida Authorities intervened in
Brasil. over 200 incidents due to
Some people drowned and the flooding across the
were killed in landslides, state, according to a state-
while at least three died ment from Rio’s civil de-
after being electrocuted. fense. But some people ac-
Eight towns across the state cused authorities of negli-
remained at a “very high” Firefighters evacuate residents through a flooded street after deadly rainfall in Belford Roxo, gence. “We are complete-
risk of landslides and anoth- Brazil, Monday, Jan. 15, 2024. ly abandoned,” Duque de
er 10 at “high” risk, accord- Associated Press Caxias resident Eliana Viei-
ing to civil defense officials. Caxias, a city to the north wondering how she was waist-high water Monday ra Krauss, 54, charged. The
“We feel like animals. It’s of Rio where more than 100 going to pay to repair the to navigate streets in Duque nursing assistant said she
not normal to live like this,” millimeters (3.9 feet) of rain damage to the bar she has de Caxias. Others climbed had carried her 80-year-
Heloisa Regina, 55, said as fell in 24 hours. owned for 30 years. “We’ve on roofs and called for help old disabled father-in-law
she surveyed her flooded Regina spent the night try- lost everything,” she said. as helicopters flew over- to her sister-in-law’s home
bar and home in Duque de ing to sleep on a pool table, Residents waded through head, according to video herself.q

Nauru switches diplomatic recognition from Taiwan to China

By TAIJING WU and KEN said. shows that the one-China to the one-China principle, onstrate its determination.
MORITSUGU China said it welcomes Na- principle is where global which holds that Taiwan Taiwanese Deputy Foreign
Associated Press uru’s move to break its “so- opinion trends and where is part of China and rec- Minister Tien Chung-kwang
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — The called diplomatic ties” with the arc of history bends,” a ognizes Beijing as the gov- accused China of purpose-
Pacific Island nation of Taiwan. Foreign Ministry statement ernment of China. It differs fully timing the news to the
Nauru said Monday that The decision to re-establish said. Nauru said in its state- from America’s one-China recent election.
it is switching diplomatic ties with China “once again ment that it would move policy, which recognizes “China’s intention is to at-
recognition from Taiwan to Beijing as China’s govern- tack the democracy and
China, a move that reduc- ment but doesn’t take a freedom that the Taiwan-
es the dwindling number of position on who rules Tai- ese people are proud of,”
Taiwan’s diplomatic allies wan. The announcement Tien said at a news confer-
to 12 around the world. was a blow to Taiwan as it ence. Two retired U.S. offi-
A statement from the gov- took pride in elections held cials praised Taiwan’s dem-
ernment of Nauru said it just two days ago, a show ocratic process in meetings
was severing ties with Tai- of democracy that would Monday with President Tsai
wan and seeking a resump- not be possible in China. Ing-wen and other leaders.
tion of relations with China. President-elect Lai Ching- The Biden administration
China claims self-govern- te, who will take office in asked the former officials to
ing Taiwan as its territory May, has been described visit “in their private capac-
and has been peeling off as a separatist by China. ity” since the U.S. does not
the island’s diplomatic al- His Democratic Progressive have formal diplomatic ties
lies, often with promises Party supports maintain- with Taiwan.
of development aid. It’s a From left, Nauru Ambassador Jarden Kephas, Tuvalu ing the status quo, in which The Nauru announcement
long-running competition Ambassador Limasene Teatu, Taiwan Foreign Minister Joseph Taiwan has its own gov- caught Jarden Kephas, its
between the two that has Wu, American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) director William Brent ernment and is not part of ambassador to Taiwan, by
swung in China’s favor in Christensen, Sandra Oudkirk, U.S. Senior Official for APEC and China. surprise. “There’s nothing
recent years. Deputy Assistant Secretary for Australia, New Zealand, and the China says Taiwan must that I have to say. It was
“This policy change is a sig- Pacific Islands in the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian & come under its control at announced by my gov-
nificant first step in moving Pacific Affairs, and Marshall Islands Ambassador Neijon Rema some point and has staged ernment and I was told to
Edwards shake hands together at the inaugural Pacific Islands
forward with Nauru’s de- Dialogue in Taipei, Taiwan, on Oct. 7, 2019. frequent military drills pack up and go,” he told
velopment,” the statement Associated Press around the island to dem- the AP. q