India says Modi, Abe summit postponed amid violent protests

17:20, December 13, 2019

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  2 die in India's Assam state as Citizenship protests turn violent

  Protestors demonstrate against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAB) in Guwahati, India, Dec. 11, 2019. (Photo: Xinhua)NEW DELHI, Dec. 12 (Xinhua) -- At least two persons died in police firing in Indias northeastern state of Assams capital city Guwahati on Thursday, said media reports.According to the reports, the victims were protesters who were agitating against the passage of the "Citizenship (Amendment) Bill" by the countrys parliament this week.The Bill envisages provisions for guaranteeing Indian citizenship for the immigrants from six particular communities from three countries -- Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan.Identity of both the victims could not be ascertained yet.Violent protests have been going on in Assam against the CAB since Monday. The states local residents argue that with the passage of the Bill, immigrants from neighbouring country Bangladesh would influx the state swamping indigenous communities, burdening resources, and threatening their language, culture and tradition.

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  Pension protests turn violent in Paris

  A youth runs during a demonstration in Paris, Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019. Small groups of protesters are smashing store windows, setting fires and hurling flares in eastern Paris amid mass strikes over the governments retirement reform. (Photo: AP)PARIS, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Violent clashes erupted on Thursday near Place de la Republique in Paris, where hundreds of thousands of people gathered to oppose President Emmanuel Macrons pension reform. Some 80 people were arrested, said the Paris prefecture.TV footages showed that police fired tear gas to disperse hooded individuals at the front of unions march. They pelted anti-riot officers with stones, ransacked a nearby bus stop and set a trailer on fire.Similar scuffles between police and protesters were reported in Nantes and Rennes in the west and in Bordeaux in the southwest.About 700 ultra-activists, known as "Black Blocs," infiltrated the march in the capital, local media reported. Faced with a high risk of rioting, the government deployed 6,000 police and gendarmes in the capital citys streets.Labor unions organized 245 protests and rallies across the country on Thursday to manifest their opposition to Macrons plan to merge the 42 different pension schemes for different professions into a universal point-based system.Critics say that would effectively force people to work longer, in particular public sector workers who have often been allowed to retire earlier due to their tough working conditions.Defying freezing temperatures, an estimated 250,000 demonstrators took to the streets in Paris and 35,000 in Lyon, according to the CGT trade union.Police counted 700,000 participants countrywide. Total figures from the trade unions are not available yet.

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  Indian PM says violent protests on citizenship law unfortunate, distressing

  Photo taken on Dec. 15, 2019 shows passenger buses in flames in New Delhi, India. (Photo: Xinhua)NEW DELHI, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing violent protests on the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) were "unfortunate and deeply distressing", Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.In a series of tweets, Modi allayed fears among the countrymen, saying that the new act did not affect any citizen of India of any religion, and that no Indian had anything to worry regarding this act.He said that debate, discussion and dissent were essential parts of democracy "but never had damage to public property and disturbance of normal life been a part of our ethos."Modi also said that the CAA was passed by both Houses of Parliament with overwhelming support. Large number of political parties and MPs supported its passage. This act illustrated Indias centuries old culture of acceptance, harmony, compassion and brotherhood, he added."I want to unequivocally assure my fellow Indians that CAA does not affect any citizen of India of any religion. No Indian has anything to worry regarding this Act. This Act is only for those who have faced years of persecution outside and have no other place to go except India," tweeted the Indian prime minister.Violent protests broke out on the streets of Delhi on Sunday evening when a protest march against the CAA suddenly turned violent and the Delhi Police personnel had to resort to using force to control the violent protesters.Several police personnel and students belonging to Delhi-based Jamia Millia Islamia University were injured in the clashes.Following the Sunday evenings violent clashes, all schools in the affected areas, Delhi Metro services, and the university are shut as a precautionary measure.University students and others protested outside the Delhi Police headquarters till late on Sunday night, against the polices high-handedness as several students who were studying inside the Jamia...