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WORLD NEWS Wednesday 7 august 2019

Troops lock down Kashmir as India votes to strip its status

By EMILY SCHMALL ployed to the restive region
Associated Press amid fears that the govern-
NEW DELHI (AP) — Indian ment’s steps could spark
lawmakers passed a bill unrest in Kashmir, India’s
Tuesday that strips the only Muslim-majority state.
statehood from the Indi- Tensions also have soared
an-administered portion along the Line of Control,
of Muslim-majority Kashmir the volatile, highly milita-
amid an indefinite security rized frontier that divides
lockdown in the disputed Kashmir between India and
Himalayan territory, actions Pakistan.
that neighboring Pakistan Hundreds of people in vari-
warned could lead to war. ous parts of Pakistan and
Prime Minister Narendra in its part of Kashmir rallied
Modi’s Hindu nationalist- against Modi, burning him
led government submitted in effigy and torching In-
the Jammu and Kashmir dian flags to condemn In-
Reorganization Bill for a dia’s moves.
vote by the lower house of Pakistan Prime Minister Im-
Parliament a day after the ran Khan said in an address
surprise measure was intro- to Parliament on Tuesday
duced alongside a presi- night that he feared the
dential order. That order An Indian paramilitary soldier guards during security lockdown in Jammu, India, Tuesday, Aug.6, Kashmiri people, angered
dissolved a constitutional 2019. over India’s decision to strip
provision, known as Article Associated Press the region of its special sta-
370, which gave Kashmiris people of the valley will entirety, although each of in the Kashmir Valley were tus, could attack Indian se-
exclusive hereditary rights understand drawbacks of them controls only parts of reacting was unclear, be- curity forces and that New
and a separate constitu- Article 370,” Indian Home it. Two of the three wars the cause the Indian govern- Delhi could blame Pakistan
tion. Minister Amit Shah said just nuclear-armed neighbors ment shut off most com- for it.
“After five years, seeing de- before the bill was passed. have fought since their in- munication with it, includ- “If India attacks us, we will
velopment in J&K (Jammu Kashmir is divided between dependence from British ing internet, cellphone and respond,” Khan said. “We
and Kashmir) under the India and Pakistan and rule were over Kashmir. landline networks. Thou- will fight until the last drop
leadership of PM Modi, both claim the region in its How the 7 million people sands of troops were de- of blood.”q

Philippines declares dengue outbreak a national epidemic

Associated Press 98% more than the same said that starting Tuesday,
MANILA, Philippines (AP) period in 2018. It said the it was conducting a cam-
— The Philippines’ Depart- outbreak caused 622 paign to focus on finding
ment of Health on Tuesday deaths. and destroying mosquito
declared the country’s out- Dengue is a mosquito- breeding sites, which is a
break of dengue to be a borne viral infection found primary means of contain-
national epidemic. in tropical countries world- ing dengue.
The agency said Health wide. It can cause joint Other government agen-
Secretary Francisco Duque pain, nausea, vomiting cies, local government
III made the declaration and a rash, and can cause units, schools, offices and
to improve the response breathing problems, hem- communities will join in the
to the outbreak by allow- orrhaging and organ fail- effort, it said.
ing local governments to ure in severe cases. In South Asia, Bangladesh
draw on a special Quick While there is no specific has been facing its worst-
Response Fund. treatment for the illness, ever dengue fever out-
It said the Philippines re- medical care to maintain a break, putting a severe In this April 30, 2019 file photo, Philippine Health Secretary Dr.
corded 146,062 cases of person’s fluid levels is seen strain on the country’s al- Francisco Duque III displays a graph showing the decline of
dengue from January as critical. ready overwhelmed medi- the measles outbreak in the country during a press conference
through July 20 this year, The Department of Health cal system.q during World Immunization Week 2019 in Manila, Philippines.
Associated Press