News Digest: Not only Rahul, regional parties too gain traction online

Not only Rahul, regional parties too gain traction online
Six months after a joint resolve by opposition parties for a coordinated effort to lift their profiles on social media, the gains in terms of traction have not just accrued to Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi but are also being shared by smaller regional parties like Trinamool Congress, AAP, RJD, DMK, Left and others.

'Indira was country's first Dabangg leader'
In 1971, days before the fifth general elections, an Italian journalist had asked Indira Gandhi about the issues that were bothering her party."I am the issue," pat came her reply.

'Top insecure, no PMO weaker than one in power today'
Arun Shourie said in his keynote address, "A Few Lessons for Followers", at the Times Litfest here on Sunday.

More India News»

Looming inflation to dash rate cut prospects: Assocham

All revised I-T returns post demonetisation under lens
The government told all tax offices to accept only those revised tax returns where there is a “bona fide inadvertent error” or “a mistake” on part of the assessee.

Lack of S&P upgrade will not impact India: SBI

More Business News»

Jonathan, St. Helena's ancient tortoise, awaits visitors
Aged at least 185, Jonathan should prepare himself for an influx of visitors now that an airport has opened on the small island in the middle of the South Atlantic Ocean. The giant tortoise is perhaps the world's oldest land animal, living in pampered luxury on the remote British island of St. Helena.

Here's what may lead to greener plastics
Scientists have developed a device that mimics photosynthesis and uses sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to produce ethylene gas - a key chemical used in large quantities for manufacturing plastics, rubber and fibres.

New bird species evolved in just two generations: Study
A new bird species belonging to the Big Bird lineage, which today consists of roughly 30 individuals, emerged on the Galapagos Islands in just two generations. Researchers previously assumed that the formation of a new species took a very long time, but in the Big Bird lineage it happened very soon.

More Environment News»

Bali raises volcano alert to highest level: Officials
he alert for a volcano belching huge plumes of smoke on Indonesia's resort island of Bali has been raised to the highest level, officials said Monday, with fears a significant eruption could be imminent.

Pak seeks political settlement with religious protesters
Pakistan’s top civilian and military leadership decided on Sunday that the army will not participate in the crackdown on the religious protesters, who have been blocking the main highway into Islamabad, demanding the resignation of federal law minister Zahid Hamid.

Nepal votes in 1st provincial polls amid democracy hopes
Nepal's chief election commissioner, Ayodhi Prasad Yadav, said turnout was more than 65 percent among the 3.2 million voters who were choosing lawmakers in seven newly formed federal states as well as the national assembly.

More World News»

Pic: Shahid with his smiling daughter Misha

Newlyweds Sagarika-Zaheer unite for a selfie

Sunny Leone's daughter Nisha's adorable clicks
Sunny Leone and her husband Daniel Weber became proud parents to a beautiful baby girl in July this year. The couple adopted their first child from Latur, a village in Maharashtra. The baby, who they named Nisha Kaur Weber, was 21-months-old at the time of adoption.

More Entertainment News»

Virtual avatar therapy may help treat schizophrenia symptoms
A therapy that involves face-to-face discussion between a person with schizophrenia and a virtual avatar representing their hallucinations may help reduce symptoms, a study has found.

High oxygen levels led to explosion of life 400 million years ago: Study
The explosion of diversity, recognised as the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event, brought about the rise of various marine life, tremendous change across species families and types, as well as changes to the Earth, starting at the bottom of the ocean floors.

World's first Artificial Intelligence politician developed
Scientists have developed the world's first artificial intelligence politician, that can answer a person's queries regarding local issues such as policies around housing, education and immigration. The virtual politician, called SAM, was created by Nick Gerritsen.

More Science News»

Should host Olympics when we can win 40 gold medals: Abhinav Bindra
Beijing Games gold medalist Abhinav Bindra believes that India hasn't reached the stage where it can host Olympics and the country should only think about it when we are confident of winning at least 40 gold medals.

Nagpur Test: Kohli double, Rohit ton pummel Sri Lanka
Virat Kohli's fifth double century in Tests and an equally impressive third Test hundred from Rohit Sharma punished Sri Lanka and allowed India to declare on a massive 610/6, setting Sri Lanka 405 to avoid innings defeat.

Dhoni backs Kohli, says needs preparation time for tough tours
Senior India player Mahendra Singh Dhoni backed captain Virat Kohli on the issue of cramped scheduling and said that the team needs time to get used to the conditions in tours like South Africa.

More Sports News»

5 ways to keep your smartphone as good as new
We all have seen our smartphone’s performance deteriorate when they are no longer new. It makes us disappointed and we only can wish for our smartphone to work as it did when it was brand new.

Why it won't be a happy new year for India's telecom sector
As you enter the first-floor offices of Reliance Industries at Maker Chamber IV in Mumbai’s Nariman Point, you are greeted by a set of photographs on the wall.

How China's handset maker Xiaomi came first in India
A maverick, defines Merriam-Webster, is an individual who does not go along with a group or party. Of the over 4,70,000 words in the American dictionary, that is the one Manu Jain, the India head of Xiaomi, world’s fifth largest smartphone maker, chooses to define himself.

More Technology News»

Universities across country to celebrate Constitution Day
Universities across the country have been asked to conduct various activities to celebrate Constitution Day on November 26 by the University Grants Commission (UGC).

UGC suspends engineering degrees given by 4 deemed to be univs through distance mode
The University Grants Commission (UGC) has suspended engineering degrees awarded by four deemed to be universities through distance mode.

Get the best of B-schools from India and abroad

More Education News»

Padmavati row: 'Controversy over film alarming for democracy'

Fadnavis govt's ad blitzkrieg misleading, says Uddhav Thackeray
Shiv Sena chief Uddhav Thackeray took a dig at the BJP-led Maharashtra government's massive publicity campaign titled 'Mi Labharthi' and said that only chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and revenue minister Chandrakant Patil are the "only beneficiaries" during the last three years.

9 years after 26/11, over 200 seaports audited by Centre
The central government has conducted security audits of 227 seaports to foil possible attempts by terrorists to use them as launch pads to carry out attacks on the lines of the 26/11 Mumbai strike, officials said.

More Mumbai News»

Over 6 lakh NCR homes miss delivery date
A majority of the delayed houses in the NCR are in Noida, Greater Noida and Gurgaon, according to Liases Forras, the real estate research firm. While the NCR tops the list among 43 cities, the Mumbai Metropolitan Region is second where 1.31 lakh houses are delayed by more than two years.

Govt seeks answers from officials not holding meets
Taking cognisance of complaints that officers are not conducting public hearings for an hour on weekdays, Delhi government asked the heads of all its departments to seek explanations from the erring babus.

Dwarka residents out on streets to protest DJB bills running into lakhs
Residents of Dwarka protested at MTNL Chowk in Sector 6 on Sunday morning against heavy penalties slapped on them due to the “illegal and wrong billing system” of Delhi Jal Board (DJB).

More Delhi News»

Queer Habba calls for LGBTQ+ equality
Over 2,000 people from the LGBTQ+ community took out a rally from Tulsi Park in Majestic to Town Hall on Sunday evening, painting the Central Business District in vibrant rainbow hues .

Citizens protest razing of Krumbiegel hall

Carnatic vocalist TM Krishna sings against GST
Renowned Carnatic vocalist T M Krishna on Sunday gave a musical twist to the protest launched by the Gram Seva Sangh against the Goods and Services Tax (GST) on handmade products.

More Bangalore News»

Server glitch slows down recruitment of teachers
Teaching aspirants who have been waiting for the Teachers Recruitment Test (TRT) for years, are now faced with a fresh crisis: Server problem.

Kazipet electric loco shed gets additional 40 engines

Hyderabad airport growth soars, overtakes Mumbai, Delhi

More Hyderabad News»

After SE Asia trip, expert pushes for 'Project Mausam'

Five-year-old boy drowns in pit dug by firm to lay oil pipeline

Chennai receives 4cm rainfall, Met office says expect more

More Chennai News»

BJP kicks off campaign with Mann ki Baat over NaMo cuppa
Gujarat BJP on Sunday kicked off its 2017 state assembly elections campaign with a massive voter outreach programme, spread across all 50,128 polling booths in the state, where top party leaders heard PM Narendra Modi’s ‘Mann ki Baat’ over a cuppa of NaMo tea.

How modern battle lines are drawn
Our companies usually are never at the forefront when it comes to media interactions,” said an employee of a company engaged in developing poll campaigns.

BJP to unleash Modi blitz today
BJP plans to unleash a publicity blitz in Gujarat from Monday morning through its star campaigner, Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Modi will address public meetings in Kutch (Bhuj), Jasdan and Amreli (Saurashtra). In the evening, the PM will leave for Surat.

More Ahmedabad News»

Civic polls: Allahabad records 34.20% voting

Ram temple will be built in Ayodhya, not in Middle East, says UP minister

Civic polls: In a first, cops use drones in Allahabad

More Allahabad News»

BJP should agitate before the Centre over paddy MSP: Naveen Patnaik

Odisha: Five foreigners join 50th Ekamra Walks

Future of artistic cinema lies in online platforms, says filmmaker Aparna Sen

More Bhubaneswar News»

Puri Shankaracharya backs Bhagwat on 'only Ram temnple'

MP cabinet seeks law to hang those who rape children

Swachh mission is core of Ijtema

More Bhopal News»

Department of labour to ascertain size of workforce at collapsed factory

12-year-old makes his village cleanest in Manali

Water splashed over chemical fire, worsened damage: Rescue team member

More Chandigarh News»