The best action from the Tour de France

Alexis Vuillermoz earned the French their first victory on this year's Tour de France, his final kick proving too hot to handle for the big guns in the eighth stage on Saturday.

The Italian coastguard coordinated one of its largest rescue operations to date, saving 5,500 people on Saturday and Sunday as smugglers took advantage of calm seas to send migrants across the Mediterranean.

Here is what we know about the militant group.

Boston Marathon champion Meb Keflezighi and Diamond League winner Jenny Simpson have been voted as US athletes of the year, USA Track & Field (USATF) announced on Monday.

Nearly 14.3 million people, including children, are 'trapped' in modern-day slavery in India, which tops a global index of people under bondage across the world with an estimated 35.8 million people enslaved, a new research said on Monday.

United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday expressed concern over restrictions imposed on travelers returning from Ebola-affected countries, saying people who develop infections should be "supported, not stigmatised".

Though hunger levels are not alarming in India, it still fares badly, lagging behind Nepal and Sri Lanka on the Global Hunger Index.

Rediff.com lists 10 new countries that were formed over the last two decades

Global working conditions have worsened in 2014.

World Press Photo Contest winner this year is American photographer John Stanmeyer of the VII Photo Agency.

Meb Keflezighi became the first U.S. male athlete to win the Boston Marathon in three decades on Monday, the first running of the race since last year's fatal bombing attack.

United States should continue to maintain a visa ban on Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi as there was "significant evidence" linking him to the violence in the state in 2002, a Congress-established independent panel on religious freedom has recommended.

At least 14 members of the Eritrea soccer squad have disappeared in Uganda while playing in a regional tournament and may eventually claim asylum, Ugandan officials said.

October 27 is a historic day, not only for the Infantry but for the entire Indian Army. It was on this day, 64 years ago, that the first infantryman landed at Badgam in the Kashmir Valley to chase away Pakistani invaders. The enemy was thrown back and the valley was saved. It was the first glorious action undertaken by the Indian Army in the post-Independence era. Therefore, October 27 is celebrated as 'Infantry Day' throughout India.

The Chinese government is restricting individuals, in particular those of the minority community, from their religious practices, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Tuesday.

Although petrol prices are high in India, they are nowhere as high as in some countries in Europe.

US President Barack Obama has alleged that countries like China and Iran are curtailing freedom of expression by "limiting full access" to use of connective technologies like internet and cell phones.

Olympic gold medallist Sammy Wanjiru's hopes of defending his London Marathon title have been boosted by the news that race organisers have arranged for a private plane to pick him up from Kenya, he said on Tuesday.

Aravind Eye Care System, the world's largest eye care provider that has developed innovative technologies allowing it to perform 300,000 eye surgeries each year - 70 percent subsidized or free for the poor - has been selected to receive the $1.5 million Conrad N Hilton Humanitarian Prize for 2010.

It would be futile to expect that Saudi Arabia could be of assistance to India in dealing with jihadi terrorism emanating from Pakistan or Bangladesh. There has been a long history of links between jihadi terrorist elements in India and Saudi Arabia ever since the demolition of the Babri Masjid in December,1992

Olympic champion Sammy Wanjiru has targeted the men's world record in the London marathon on Sunday (9:45 a.m.) if conditions are favourable and the pace fast.

Though the Iraq war and the economic downturn have affected the popularity of the Republican Party, Harmeet Dhillon, candidate for the 13th Assembly District in California, is not unduly worried. "I am running for a local election, not for the United States Congress. International or national issues are not relevant," Dhillon, who is unopposed in the Republican Primary scheduled for June 3, said.

The proposed bill would suspend all pending visa petitions from countries refusing to take back illegal immigrants until they agree to repatriate our deportees. The legislation would also direct the State Department to withhold funds under the Foreign Assistance Act to countries that persist in this refusal. India is amongst eight countries to have refused to repatriate illegal migrants.

Sri Lanka is listed as the third most dangerous country for journalists, ahead of Pakistan in fourth place. Iraq leads the list with 50 journalists killed in the war-ravaged country in 2007. Somalia is listed in second place.

Nigeria and South Africa, who jostle for political and economic supremacy on the African continent, were drawn together in their World Cup qualifying group on Sunday. Although South Africa, as hosts of the 2010 event, qualify automatically for the finals, they are participating in the preliminaries because they also serve as qualifiers for the 2010 African Nations Cup finals.

Jamaica's Veronica Campbell won the 100 metres title following a blanket finish to the final and chaotic scenes at the world championships on Monday.

Kenenisa Bekele won his third straight 10,000 metres world title on Monday with teammate Sileshi Sihine pacing him and finishing second in a dramatic victory for Ethiopia

A decline in cereal production in several low-income food-deficit countries this year could lead to a tighter food supply situation with 28 countries facing serious food scracity, according to a new United Nations report.

Elected along with India on the board of UNAID were the US, Russia, Ethiopia, Mauritania, Guatemala and Monaco.

The deal is for the swapping of 18 Sukhoi fighter jets in service with the IAF for the latest version of air superiority multi-role warbirds tailored to meet Indian requirements

The global mean surface temperature is currently estimated by the World Meteorological Organisation to be 0.42 Celsius above the 1961-1990 annual average of 14C.

"China is challenging the notion that the Internet is impossible to control or censor, and if it succeeds there will be far-ranging implications, not only for the medium but for press freedom all over the world."

The total tax burden on Indian companies is one of the highest in the world and in fact more than that of businesses in major economies like the US, UK, China and Japan.

Fidel Castro of Cuba figures in the list along with Hu Jintao of China as the most corrupt dictators.