By Sanjeev Chopra

New Delhi, Jan 23 (PTI) The young woman who first broke into the nation's consciousness as she walked with crowds along her father Rajiv Gandhi's cortege 28 years ago on Wednesday took her maiden step on the road to formal politics when she was appointed Congress general secretary.

For Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, who continues the Gandhi family legacy of active politics that began several generations ago, the formal entry into politics was two decades in the making.

21 Jan 2019; DW: The EU's preferred option is for Britain to stay. Failing that, Brussels would like the UK to remain as close as possible. For now, though, Europe's leaders just want some clarity on what the British government wants.

With the beleaguered British Prime Minister Theresa May announcing her Plan B on Monday, EU leaders are scratching their heads about how to resolve the situation.

Brussels is seeking clarity ahead of Britain's March 29 exit date, insisting that the ball is in Britain's court, and not vice versa.

21 Jan 2019; DW: China's statistics bureau has announced a significant dip in the country's birth rate. The number of babies born in China last year fell by 2 million, despite Beijing's shift on family planning restrictions.

Despite attempts to encourage couples to have more children, China's birth rate fell to its lowest since the country was founded in 1949.

20 Jan 2019; DW: Arif Sagdic survived a nail bomb attack perpetrated by NSU right-wing extremist terrorists in 2004, but what he went through in the aftermath was far worse. Now he is spreading awareness so that things will change.

Fear should never have the last word. "I feel the vibrations of the explosion and relive the moment when talking about it," says Arif Sagdic, apologizing for his nervousness with a slightly lowered gaze.

17 Jan 2019; AFP: The way humanity produces and eats food must radically change to avoid millions of deaths and "catastrophic" damage to the planet, according to a landmark study published Thursday.

The key to both goals is a dramatic shift in the global diet -- roughly half as much sugar and red meat, and twice as many vegetables, fruits and nuts, a consortium of three dozen researchers concluded in The Lancet, a medical journal.

Pune, Jan 13 (PTI) Harshal (name changed) would spend hours glued to his smartphone, chatting on nearly 30 groups on WhatsApp and surfing other social networking sites.

The 27-year-old Pune-based painting contractor did not realise that he was suffering from 'screen-addiction' till it started taking toll on his health and professional life.

Now, having undergone a de-addiction treatment, he is happy to be a "digitally detoxed" person.

11 Jan 2019; AFP: Two Reuters journalists jailed for seven years while investigating atrocities committed against the Rohingya in Myanmar had their appeal dismissed Friday, dismaying colleagues and tearful family members who had held slim hopes they would walk free.

Reporters Wa Lone, 32, and Kyaw Soe Oo, 28, were arrested in Yangon in December 2017 and later jailed for violating the state secrets act, a charge Reuters said was trumped up to muzzle their reporting.

12 Jan 2019; DW: DW spoke with economist Yukon Huang about common misconceptions over the US-China economic rivalry, and how both sides are only trying to save face while not addressing core problems that will take many years to solve.

The latest round of trade talks between China and the US concluded in Beijing on Wednesday. Although negotiators expressed optimism and global markets breathed a temporary sigh of relief, there was no concrete sign of an agreement to end the ongoing trade dispute between the world's two largest economies.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Thousands of requests by men to bring in child and adolescent brides to live in the United States were approved over the past decade, according to government data obtained by The Associated Press. In one case, a 49-year-old man applied for admission for a 15-year-old girl.

New Delhi, Jan 10 (PTI) The Congress Thursday termed the NCW notice to Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as "politically motivated" as the party defended its leader and accused the prime minister of "lowering" the political discourse.

Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said the National Commission For Women (NCW) was adopting "double standard" by sending a notice to Gandhi, while remaining silent on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "objectionable references" to Sonia Gandhi during state assembly polls.

New Delhi, January 9; ganashakti: A CPI(M) delegation led by Polit Bureau members Brinda Karat and Subhashini Ali visited Naya Bas and Chindraoti villages in Bulandshahr, Uttar Pradesh.  A report on their visit is being released for publication.

by Sitaram Yechury

The Prime Minister has fired his first salvo for the 2019 general elections through a set-up interview with news agency ANI. He claimed that 2018 has been a ‘shining year’ for India! The electoral results of the 2004, following the Vajpayee claim of “shining India” is there for all to see. PM Modi seems to be reading the ‘writing on the wall’!