We bring you a presentation of some of the best photos from around the world in the month gone by.
With little more than two years until the kickoff of the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, nearly 41 percent of the infrastructure projects planned by the government haven't left the drawing board, according to an official report released on Wednesday.
The United States has said that it will continue to press Islamabad to "squeeze" the Al Qaeda linked Haqqani network, as Afghanistan blamed the Pakistan-based group for the latest brazen attacks in Kabul. Declaring that "there were indications of Haqqani involvement" in the weekend attacks in the Afghan capital, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that she had pressed Pakistan to "squeeze" the Haqqani network when she visited Islamabad last October.
The powerful United Nations Security Council on riday approved a second five-year term for Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, ahead of the voting by the 192-member General Assembly next week.
More than 110 Tomahawk missiles from US and British ships and submarines hit about 20 Libyan air and missile defense targets, Vice Admiral William Gortney, director of the joint staff, told reporters at Pentagon
Brazil is set to elect its first woman president, an ex-revolutionary who was dubbed the iron lady for her curt and demanding management style.
Romario, who won the 1994 World Cup with Brazil and scored more than 1,000 goals playing for major clubs, is looking to put something back by entering local politics.
'The rise of Naxalism is a reflection of the need for our development initiatives to reach the grass roots, especially in our most backward tribal districts.'
Priscilla Uppal, award-winning poet, novelist, literary critic and professor of English at York University, was amongst the five Indian/Indo-Canadian writers invited to the 12th Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival, Canada's largest literary festival, in Montreal last month. Ajit Jain caught up with the author.
"There will be new schools! There will be new homes!," wrote Chinese President Hu Jintao on the blackboard of a makeshift classroom in Qinghai, as he visited the quake-devastated region where the death toll in last week's 7.1 temblor mounted to 1,706 on Sunday.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev were forced to meet at an unusual venue for bilateral talks in Brasilia on Friday -- at a room nearby a bar in Hotel Tulip, where the heads of nations are staying.
The prime minister's comments come close on heels of the developed countries threatening to cut vital aid to the developing nations if they do not back the deal agreed at the UN climate summit in Copenhagen.
Leaders of Brazil. Russia, India and China (BRIC) on Thursday said that they recognised that energy is an essential resource for improving the standard of living of our peoples and that access to it is of paramount importance to economic growth with equity and social inclusion.
Trade between India and China has jumped substantially from $1 billion in 2001 to $52 billion in 2008 and the two sides are targeting to reach $60 billion.
Flying ash from Iceland's erupting volcano has forced Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's special aircraft to change its planned route and now he will return to home via Johannesburg in South Africa.
Addressing the Brazil-Russia-India-China Summit in Brasilia, he said the four countries can benefit by sharing their experiences in the field of inclusive growth.
Diverse concerns on trade, investment among participants at Brasilia summits.
"We should make all efforts for the early finalisation of the Comprehensive Convention on International Terrorism in the United Nations," he said.
Addressing the 2nd India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Summit in Brasilia on Thursday, he said the grouping of leading developing economies must speak against the protectionist policies, "which are only shortsighted and self-defeating in the long run".
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday met Chinese President Hu Jintao and discussed the entire gamut of bilateral issues, particularly trade and investments.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh arrived in Brazil on Thursday on a two-day visit during which he will attend the Brazil-Russia-India-China (BRIC) and India-Brazil-South Africa (IBSA) Summits and hold bilateral meetings with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left Washington on Wednesday for Brazil after attending the Nuclear Security Summit and holding talks with US President Barack Obama during which he asked him to press Pakistan to rein in Lashkar-e-Tayiba and other terror outfits targeting India.On the second leg of his 8-day two-nation tour, Singh headed to Brasilia where he would attend the India-Brazil- South Africa and the Brazil-Russia-India-China summits on Thursday and on Friday.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday embarked on a visit to the United States to attend the Nuclear Security Summit, where he is expected to pitch for firm response to the challenges of proliferation and the possibility of terrorists gaining access to nuclear material. During the eight-day visit, Dr Singh will also travel to Brazil to attend the Brazil-Russia-India-China and India-Brazil-South Africa summits.
As he prepares to embark on a visit to the US on Saturday to participate in the Nuclear Security Summit, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Friday that nuclear terrorism and proliferation of sensitive technologies are "legitimate concerns" which require "firm responses".
Brazil plans to break IP rights on American drugs, music, software and movies as retaliation for its cotton subsidies.
As one surveys the changing face of mulilateralsim today, we see mutation and multiplication. The underlying reality is that the world is multipolar and with more poles, you tend to get more constellations.
The knowledge component and managerial competence gives Indian companies an edge to be competitive, says B S Prakash.
Is football to Brazil, what is cricket to India? No. It is much more, says India's Ambassador to Brazil, B S Prakash.
What is required is a radical reworking of business processes and incentives to which staff respond.
Striker Adriano, who has been left out of Inter Milan's last two games for indiscipline, was named in Brazil's squad on Monday for this month's friendly against Portugal. World Player of the Year Kaka was also included by coach Dunga but Ronaldinho, who missed last month's World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela and Colombia, was again overlooked.
I look for signs of India or Indians. And see none. To live in this day and age without the daily diet of Bollywood masala, cricketing capers, and fellow argumentative Indians seems strange.
Brazil honoured the great Pele on Thursday and the other eight surviving players from its maiden World Cup triumph in 1958, a victory that put the nation on the soccer map and paved the way for four more titles. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gave the nine men medals of honour at a banquet dedicated to their 5-2 final victory over hosts Sweden 50 years ago.
Continuing her three-day visit to Brazil, President Pratibha Patil will address the country's Senate and oversee the signing of four bilateral agreements, including an extradition treaty, before leaving for Mexico on the second leg of her three-nation tour. Patil met with a business delegation in Rio de Janeiro, where she discussed ways and means to boost the bilateral trade.
The summit, hosted by South African President Thabo Mbeki, is being attended by Brazilian President Lula Da Silva, and leaders and officials of the three countries.
As the South African city of Pretoria gears up to host the second IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) summit, rediff.com provides you a ready reckoner.
Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma, who is traveling with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the India-Brazil and South Africa summit at Johannesburg, said India must be part of a global nuclear system.
Notwithstanding the uncertainty over the Indo-US Nuclear deal in the face of Left opposition, the IBSA summit will provide a useful opportunity to Dr Singh to garner the support of Brazil and South Africa, influential members of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group, for global civil nuclear cooperation.
Melting snow and glaciers on the mountains of Asia alone could affect approximately 40 per cent of the planet's population, the report noted.
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation has offered Brazilian oil firm Petroleo Brasileiro SA (Petrobras) a stake in its east coast blocks in exchange for getting a 15 per cent stake in a Brazilian exploration acerage.
Tata Consultancy Services has acquired the remaining 49 per cent stake in its Brazilian joint venture for $33.4 million, giving the company 100 per cent ownership.