India

Guwahati, Jan 1 (PTI) Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal faced black flags by agitators protesting against the amended Citizenship Act on Wednesday, the first day of the year.

Activists of the AASU and Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chhatra Parishad (AJYCP) waved black flags at him at a number of locations while the chief minister was travelling from Guwahati to the ashram of religious preacher Krishnaguru in Barpeta district.

The protesters also shouted anti-CAA and anti- government slogans while Sonowal's convoy was passing through Nalbari and Barpeta districts.

New Delhi/Islamabad, Jan 1 (PTI) India and Pakistan on Wednesday exchanged details of civilian prisoners and fishermen lodged in each other's jails.

The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said India handed over to Pakistan lists of 267 Pakistani civilian prisoners and 99 fishermen in its custody.

Chennai, Jan 1 (PTI): BJP cadres, led by senior state party leaders, staged a protest demonstration here on Wednesday, demanding the arrest of a Tamil orator for his 'provocative' remarks against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah.

The protesters, including BJP National Secretary H Raja, raised slogans against Nellai Kannan for his alleged remarks, and they were were detained by police.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 2 (PTI): Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Thursday said the resolution passed by the state assembly demanding scrapping of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) has absolutely no constitutional or legal validity.

"This resolution has absolutely no constitutional or legal validity. Citizenship comes exclusively in the domain of the Central list. The state government has no role. So, why these people engaged in something which is a non-issue for Kerala?" he asked.

Bengaluru, Jan 2 (PTI) A large number of farmers who wanted to stage a demonstration against Prime Minister Narendra Modi protesting the non-implementation of the 'Swaminathan Report' were detained at Bengaluru, Tumakuru and Shivamogga, police said on Thursday.

According to police, the detentions have taken place in certain parts of Tumakuru, near Bengaluru as well as in Shivamogga.

Jammu, Jan 2 (PTI) The Army on Thursday paid tributes to two jawans who lost their lives as security forces foiled a major infiltration bid by terrorists along the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district.

Naik Sawant Sandip Raghunath, 29, and Rifleman Arjun Thapa Magar, 25, were killed on Wednesday during an exchange of fire with heavily armed terrorists in a forest in Naushera sector.

A wreath laying ceremony with full military honours was organised at the Air Force Station (IAF) here, a defence spokesman said.

Satara, Jan 2 (PTI) A pall of gloom descended on Mundhe village in Maharashtra's Satara district, following the death of Indian Army soldier Naik Sandip Raghunath Sawant, who was killed during a counter-insurgency operation in Jammu and Kashmir's Nowshera sector on Wednesday.

Sawant (29) and Rifleman Arjun Thapa Magar (25) were killed when the Army foiled an infiltration bid by heavily armed terrorists along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir's Rajouri district on New Year's day.

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 2 (PTI) The Kerala government on Thursday said it would press the Centre to frame necessary legislation to ensure the welfare of expatriates.

Inaugurating a conference being held as part of the second Loka Kerala Sabha (LKS), a platform of Non-Resident Keralites from 47 countries and 21 states, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan assured his government "will take up the matter of the legislation with the Centre".

Kanpur: Thursday's sunshine brought enough respite for Kanpurites. It is since the morning there was a clear sky helping the sun rays to reach on the living planet in abundance. The people even forgot the tension of the icy days and night till the clouds did not cover the sky.

Undeniably the denizens felt unbearable cold due to the temperature dipping to even level of intolerable zero degree. They anyhow managed to beat the coldest days this winter.

NEW DELHI, Jan 2 (NNN-PTI) – Several people, including firefighters, were trapped inside a factory that collapsed today (Thursday), during a devastating fire, officials said.

The fire broke out in west Delhi’s Peera Garhi area.

According to officials, an explosion during the fire caused collapse of the factory structure, trapping people under the debris.

Authorities rushed 35 fire tenders to the spot to contain the blaze.

“The firefighting operation is underway and we are trying to rescue the people stuck in the burning building,” a police official said.