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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 17 June 2020
India says 20 soldiers killed in clash with Chinese troops

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — A try to end the impasse, with
border clash high in the no breakthrough.
Himalayas between the Indian authorities have of-
world's two most populat- ficially maintained near-to-
ed countries has claimed tal silence on the issues re-
the lives of 20 Indian sol- lated to the confrontation,
diers in the first deadly vio- and it was not immediately
lence since the two nucle- clear how the three Indian
ar armed neighbors faced soldiers died.
off in a border dispute 45 But two Indian security offi-
year ago. cials familiar with latest de-
The Indian and Chinese velopments told The Associ-
troops fought each other ated Press that soldiers from
with fists and rocks along the two sides engaged in
the high-altitude Himalaya fistfights and stone-throw-
terrain in a clash that left 20 ing, which led to the ca-
Indian soldiers dead, Indian sualties. Both said that no
authorities said Tuesday. shots were fired by either
China accused Indian forc- side. The officials spoke on
es of carrying out "provoc- condition of anonymity in
ative attacks" on its troops keeping with government
and has not said if any of its regulations.
soldiers have died. Indian Prime Minister Nar-
The Indian army said in its An Indian man burns a photograph of Chinese president Xi Jinping during a protest against China endra Modi did not com-
statement that the two in Ahmedabad, India, Tuesday, June 16, 2020. ment on the clash in a tele-
sides had "disengaged" Associated Press vised meeting Tuesday with
from the disputed Galwan state officials.
area where they clashed ing which neither side fired place in Ladakh's Galwan nese personnel, resulting The tense standoff started
overnight on Monday. any shots, according to Valley on Monday night, in serious physical conflicts in early May, when Indian
The army originally report- Indian officials — is the first "with casualties on both between the two border officials said that Chinese
ed that three Indian soldiers deadly confrontation be- sides." forces," Zhao said. soldiers crossed the bound-
had died, but later said tween the two Asian giants Foreign Ministry spokesman India's Ministry of External ary in Ladakh at three dif-
17 additional soldiers suc- since 1975. Zhao Lijian gave no details Affairs said in a statement ferent points, erecting tents
cumbed to injuries they suf- Vivek Katju, a retired Indian of any casualties on the that the incident hap- and guard posts and ig-
fered in the sub-zero tem- diplomat, said the deadly Chinese side, but said that pened "as a result of an at- noring verbal warnings to
peratures where the clash violence represented a China had strongly protest- tempt by the Chinese side leave. That triggered shout-
occurred in the Himalayan dramatic departure from ed the incident while still to unilaterally change the ing matches, stone-throw-
region of Ladakh. the four-decades-old sta- being committed to main- status quo" in the Galwan ing and fistfights, much of
Thousands of soldiers on tus quo of troops from the taining "peace and tran- Valley. it replayed on television
both sides have been fac- two countries facing off quility" along the disputed Thousands of soldiers from news channels and social
ing off for over a month without any fatalities. and heavily militarized bor- the two countries, backed media.
along a remote stretch of "The political class and the der. by armored trucks and artil- China has sought to down-
the 2,100-mile Line of Ac- security class as a whole "But what is shocking is lery, have been facing off play the confrontation
tual Control, the border will have to do very serious that on June 15, the Indian just a few hundred meters while saying the two sides
established following a war thinking about the road troops seriously violated the (yards) apart for more than were communicating
between India and China ahead," he said. consensus of the two sides, a month in the Ladakh re- through both their front-
in 1962 that resulted in an The Indian army said in a crossed the border illegally gion near Tibet. Army of- line military units and their
uneasy truce. statement earlier Tuesday twice and carried out pro- ficers and diplomats have respective embassies to re-
The clash Monday — dur- that a "violent faceoff" took vocative attacks on Chi- held a series of meetings to solve issues.q
Canada, U.S. and Mexico extend border restrictions to July 21.

By ROB GILLIES protect people on both the U.S. and killed more truck drivers are still permit-
Associated Press sides of the border as we than 115,000, according ted to cross. Truck drivers
TORONTO (AP) — The U.S., continue to fight COV- to Johns Hopkins University. are critical as they move
Canada and Mexico have ID-19," Trudeau said. It has sickened more than food and medical goods
agreed to extend their The acting U.S. secretary of 99,000 and killed 8,175 in in both directions. Much
agreements to keep their homeland security, Chad Canada. of Canada's food supply
shared borders closed to Wolf, said in a statement Americans who are return- comes from or via the U.S.
non-essential travel to July that the department will ing to the U.S. and Cana- Canada sends 75% of its ex-
21 during the coronavirus continue to limit nones- dians who are returning ports to the U.S. and about
pandemic sential travel at land ports to Canada are exempted 18% of American exports
Canadian Prime Minister of entry with Canada and from the border closure. go to Canada. The U.S.-
Justin Trudeau said Tues- Mexico. Mexico's Foreign Immediate family members Canada border is world's
day's agreement extends Ministry also tweeted that of Canadians are also al- longest between two na-
the closure by another 30 the agreement had been lowed entry into Canada, tions. In this photo taken May 17,
days. The restrictions were extended. but must quarantine for 14 Trudeau said he is open to 2020, de Rham family mem-
bers from the U.S. and Canada
announced on March 18 Many Canadians fear a days. a Canadian city hosting visit at the border between the
and were extended in April reopening. The novel coro- And essential cross-border National Hockey League countries in Peace Arch Park,
and May. navirus has sickened more workers like healthcare pro- games if if local health of- in Blaine, Wash.
"This is a decision that will than 2 million people in fessionals, airline crews and ficials agree with it. q Associated Press