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WORLD NEWS Thursday 14 March 2019
China: Taiwan's moves like 'stretching arm to block a car'

By CHRISTOPHER BODEEN gressive Party was elected
Associated Press in a 2016 landslide, but has
BEIJING (AP) — Attempts to seen her approval ratings
block Beijing's goal of bring- fall as she prepares to seek
ing Taiwan under its control re-election next year.
are like "stretching out an In a meeting on national
arm to block a car," China security Monday, Tsai said
said in its latest rhetorical relations with China must
broadside against the self- be "viewed in a positive
governing island republic's way, but only when the
independence-minded principle of equal dignity is
president. safeguarded," according
The statement issued to the official Central News
late Tuesday takes aim Agency.
at Tsai Ing-wen's recent Taiwan's legal and political
announcement of mea- institutions need strength-
sures to counter China's ening and its military needs
"one country, two systems" bolstering — including
framework for political unifi- through bigger budgets —
cation with the island. while economic competi-
Spokesman for the Chinese tiveness needs to be raised
Cabinet's Taiwan Affairs Of- and greater outreach
fice An Fengshan accused make to the international
Tsai of harming relations community to counter Bei-
between the sides and us- In this March 21, 2017, file photo, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, center, along with Defense jing's isolation campaign,
Minister Feng Shih-kuan, right, and Secretary-General of National Security Council Joseph Wu,
ing the welfare of the Tai- left, cheer with navy officers during a visit to Zuoying Naval base in Kaohsiung, southern Taiwan. she said.
wanese people as a "poker Associated Press "As long as we stay united,
chip" for the sake of elec- national sovereignty, free-
toral gains. patriots on both sides to tion. and economic differences dom and democracy will
Such actions "stand in op- progress," An said. "All it is, China says Taiwan is a part developed between them not be eroded, and 'one
position to the interests and is stretching out an arm to of its territory that must be since they separated amid country, two systems' will
welfare of our Taiwan com- block a car," he said, using brought under its control civil war 70 years ago. not become the future of
patriots, and endeavor to a common Chinese expres- by force if necessary, de- Tsai of the pro-indepen- Taiwan," Tsai said.q
block progress by com- sion to describe a futile ac- spite the social, political dence Democratic Pro-

School building collapses in Nigeria with scores said inside

LAGOS, Nigeria (AP) — A where new construction of-
three-story building col- ten goes up without regula-
lapsed in Nigeria on tory oversight and floors are
Wednesday with scores of added to already unstable
school children thought to buildings.
be inside, setting off frantic Lagos state Gov. Akinwun-
rescue efforts in the coun- mi Ambode said buildings
try's crowded commercial in the neighborhood, Ita
capital. An emergency Faji, should have under-
management official said gone integrity tests but
more than 40 people had landlords resisted.
been found but it was not Hundreds of people stood
yet clear how many died. in narrow streets and on
Associated Press video rooftops of rusted, corru-
showed rescuers carry- gated metal, watching res-
ing several dust-covered, cue efforts. A yellow exca-
stunned-looking children vator scooped at the ruins
from the rubble, to cheers of rebar and dust. Later it
from hundreds of people nosed at concrete slabs.
who rushed to the scene. With emotions high, a num-
But the crowd quieted as ber of shirtless men jumped
others were pulled out and in to offer assistance, hack-
slung over people's shoul- saws and mallets in hand.
ders, unmoving. Emergency services attend the scene after a building collapsed in Lagos, Nigeria, Wednesday Some were barefoot. Some
The children were hur- March 13, 2019. were bare-handed. One
ried through the crowd to Associated Press held a water bottle in his
ambulances. One man teeth.
pressed his hands to a pass- and a city of some 20 mil- floor, some witnesses said. Emergency Management The collapse came as Presi-
ing survivor's head in bless- lion people. More equip- More than 40 people had Agency, told The Associ- dent Muhammadu Buhari,
ing. ment was brought in as been found "but for now I ated Press. newly elected to a sec-
Rescue efforts unfolded nightfall approached. am not in a position to give It was not immediately ond term, tries to improve
in the densely populated As many as 100 children the number of dead," Shi- clear why the building col- groaning, inefficient infra-
neighborhood in Lagos, Ni- had been in the primary na Tiamiyu, general man- lapsed. Such disasters are structure in Africa's most
geria's commercial capital school on the building's top ager of the Lagos State all too common in Nigeria, populous nation.q