India

Kanpur: Just at 1:25 in the afternoon on Tuesday the sunshine brought a smile on faces of the residents huddled behind the doors. It was not a brighter sunny day but the respite was surely there. They rushed to the open spots for getting some sun rays.

Lucknow, Dec 30 (PTI) Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra here on Monday asserted that the National Register of Citizenship cannot be implemented in the country as "people won't allow it".

"The NRC is not a valid certificate of citizenship. The NRC has no relationship with valid citizenship certificate. Chief ministers of the Congress-ruled states have said that it will not be implemented in their states," she said.

Sambhal, Dec 30 (PTI) The district administration here has served notices on 59 persons for allegedly damaging public property during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, and official said on Monday.

Confirming it, Additional District Magistrate Kamlesh Awasthi on Monday said so far notices against the damage worth Rs 15.35 lakh had been served on 59 people.

When asked that those given notices were claiming to be innocent, Awasthi said, "The notices have been issued. They have to answer. Everyone will be given full opportunity of hearing."

New Delhi, Dec 29 (PTI) President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday presented megastar Amitabh Bachchan with the Dadasaheb Phalke Award, Indian cinema's highest honour, in a special ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhawan here.

Bachchan was earlier supposed to receive the honour at the National Film Awards ceremony last Monday, but the actor was unable to attend the event due to ill health.

New Delhi, Dec 30 (PTI) The economic slowdown may have clipped sales of cars and biscuits in 2019, but smartphones bucked the trend as urban and rural users continued to buy, and even upgrade to, expensive handsets - a trend likely to pick up pace in the coming year.

The growth in smartphone adoption was further fuelled by the government's push to position the country as a global hub for manufacturing and coax Apple and other leading brands to produce and export more phones from India.

New Delhi, Dec 29 (PTI) The government has amended rules putting the maximum age limit of 65 years for the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) to serve in the post.

The changes have been made in the Army Rules, 1954, according to a notification by the defence ministry.

In a landmark decision, the Cabinet Committee on Security on Tuesday approved the creation of the CDS who will act as the principal military adviser to the defence minister on all matters relating to tri-services.

Tezpur (Assam), Dec 29 (PTI) In order to avoid anti- CAA protests by AASU here, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took a 5-km chopper ride to reach the venue, where a function was held to pay tribute to deceased BJP MLA Rajen Borthakur.

After arriving Tezpur by helicopter from Guwahati on Saturday, Sarma could not go to Ghoramari, where the programme was taking place, due to the agitation by All Assam Students' Union (AASU).

New Delhi, Dec 29 (PTI) A play titled 'Jamiawala Bagh' was staged outside the Jamia Millia Islamia which has been at the forefront of the protest against the new citizenship law.

Protesters associated with Jamia Hamdard Alumni staged the play which portrayed and condemned the police action on the students of Jamia Millia Islamia on the campus premises on December 15, said a statement from the Jamia students.

Palghar, Dec 30 (PTI) A man allegedly killed his 62- year-old mother in Maharashtra's Palghar district after being fed up of her constant sickness, police said on Monday.

The incident took place in Tarapur town on Sunday when the accused, Jaiprakash Dhibhi (30), hit his mother Chandrawati with an iron rod while she was in the kitchen at their home, police inspector Rakesh Pagare said.

The woman died on the spot, he said.

Panaji, Dec 30 (PTI) Ireland Prime Minister Leo Varadkar, who has his roots in India, arrived on Monday in Goa where he would ring in the New Year, an official said.

Varadkar, who is currently on a private visit to India, would be staying at a plush resort in North Goa district, a senior police official said.

Security around the resort has been beefed up,he said.