India on Thursday made a strong pitch to the United Nations to take the lead in evolving a comprehensive response to the threat of international piracy in the Red Sea and off the coast of Somalia to ensure unhindered maritime trade. Simultaneously, the international community should continue with efforts to restore stability in Somalia, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said while addressing the joint session of the Ethiopian Parliament in Addis Ababa.

While the Centre and several state governments are facing a tough time over land acquisition issues back home, Ethiopia on Wednesday offered "virgin fertile" land to Indian companies for agricultural developments.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh unveiled a new India aid package for African nations on Tuesday, of $6 billion, and a comprehensive range of initiatives covering various social and economic sectors.

Ajit Kumar Seth, an IAS officer of the 1974 batch from the Uttar Pradesh cadre has been appointed the new Union cabinet secretary. The announcement was made hurriedly to avoid an embarrassment to the government after speculation that the incumbent KM Chandrasekhar, who retires next month, would get a fourth extension

We are definitely concerned about Pakistan's nuclear programme and the recent developments have only put the threat perception at a high, Officials travelling with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said.

Seeking to inject a fresh impetus to India's strategic ties with African countries, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday left on a six-day visit to Ethiopia and Tanzania during which he will discuss ways to effectively combat the twin threats of terrorism and piracy.

Notwithstanding Centre rejecting H R Bhardwaj's recommendation on imposing President's rule in Karnataka, Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa on Monday said he would continue to demand the recall of the Governor, who "acted in a partisan manner".

Political leaders, industrialists and businessmen are increasingly looking to tap the resource-rich countries of the world's second largest continent even as two-way trade between India and Africa is poised to reach $70 billion by 2015 from $46 billion at present.

Foreign Minister Henry Odein Ajumogobia was addressing a group of nine Indian journalists in Abuja on familiarisation visit to the country, who were accompanied by the high commissioner to the country, Mahesh Sachdev.

Kenya's Geoffrey Mutai won the Boston Marathon on Monday in an unofficial time of two hours three minutes and two seconds, the fastest time ever recorded over the distance.

Didier Drogba scored twice to maintain the Ivory Coast's perfect start to the 2012 African Nations Cup qualifiers on Sunday while other top contenders Ghana, Nigeria and Zambia also won.

The new Commission on Sustainable Agriculture and Climate Change, has been set up by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research's Research Programme on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security program.

Despite bagging the gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Delhi last year, Kenyan John Kelai lamented the absence of spectators along the route in the capital because of security reasons. He said the mass participation in Mumbai boosts the morale of the elite runners and the cheering of the crowd along the route gives them fresh impetus.

For the first time since its inception eight years ago, the US $325,000 Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon will be run on January 16 without the blessings of the Athletics Federation of India. 'They have been invited but there's what I will call a lack of response. But the marathon has the gold label status from the IAAF (international athletics body),' said race director Hugh Jones at a media conference in Mumbai on Tuesday.

Two-time champion and Delhi Commonwealth Games gold medallist John Kelai of Kenya will be the cynosure of all eyes in the upcoming Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, to be held on January 16. Kelai, who triumphed in the men's event in 2007 and 2008, is expected to face stiff competition from 2000 Sydney Olympics bronze winner Tesfaye Tola of Ethiopia, Oleg Kulkov of Russia besides compatriots Kiprono Just Kipchirchir and Evans Rutto.

India is also the third largest borrower of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank), with a total portfolio of $21.9 billion (Rs 98,590 crore).

At a time when Emami Ltd is hitting the headlines with news on acquisitions and foreign ventures, Aditya V Agarwal, a director and one of the younger scions of the group, shares his thinking with Shine Jacob.

Marathon world record holder Haile Gebrselassie reversed his decision to retire and will continue to run competitively.

India has slipped 10 places to the 88th spot, way below China, in the World Prosperity Index due to poor healthcare and education systems coupled with a weak entrepreneurial infrastructure.

'Diseases that affect the rich are given priority. If five people die of H1N1 in the USA, it's an emergency. Every day millions of children die of diarrhoea in Africa, but it's not high priority. Every day 100,000 children die of TB in Africa, but it's not a priority. So many children die before they are a year old, but nobody is bothered. Unfortunately, money, which should go to the poor is diverted for the rich man's disease,' says .

Some of the country's leading FMCG companies they include Nestle, Coca-Cola and Tata Coffee - are investing over Rs 1,800 crore (Rs 18 billion) in the next few months to expand capacity or for inorganic growth.

India may be on the road to becoming an economic superpower, but it is one of the least charitable nations in the world, according to the World Giving Index published by the Charities Aid foundation

India was the World Bank's favourite last financial year when it came to extending financial aid in the form of loans, both among developing countries and the world's poorest nations.

Today, his company Karuturi Global Ltd has 3,000 sq km of agricultural land in Ethiopia (5 times the size of Mumbai) and 239 hectares of land for rose cultivation.

Construction major Shapoorji Pallonji & Co will set up a real estate fund in the next one year. The fund will focus on investments in the domestic market, according to Shapoor Mistry, chairman of Eureka Forbes, a part of the Shapoorji Pallonji group.

As world leaders are arriving in Toronto for the G8 and G20 summits, which get underway from tomorrow with focus on economic recovery and global development, the world has great hope from India and China.

The casting has angered members of the African who say the role should have gone to a black actress.

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.

Software czar Bill Gates engaged in a large number of social projects in India, has told US lawmakers that the northern parts of the India face difficult challenges.

Stanford University medical professor Abraham Verghese is getting ready for another bout of book tours, this time for his bestselling novel Cutting for Stone's paperback edition.

Haile Gebrselassie scored a hat-trick of Dubai Marathon victories on Friday but the Ethiopian's hopes of setting a new world record were dashed by a bad back. The world champion crossed the finish line in a time of 2:06:09, 14 seconds ahead of Kenya's Chala Dechase Beyene but more than two minutes slower than his record time.

Kenya's Denis Ndiso and Ethiopia's Bizunesh Mohammed won the men's and women's titles respectively in the $310,000 seventh Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon on Sunday.

Images from the Mumbai Marathon, held on Sunday.

African runners are expected to steal the show in Sunday's $310,000 prize money 7th Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon.

Women marathon runners are likely to set a new course best in Sunday's Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon, according to Elite Athlete co-ordinator Ian Ladbrooke. 'We have a strong field and I am very optimistic of a new record in the women's race by a big margin,' said Ladbrooke in Mumbai on Thursday, ahead of the US $310,000 prize-money run.

The city on Sunday became the first-ever destination, outside Europe and the United States, to host the "Marathon Flame" in the lead up to the seventh Standard Chartered Mumbai Marathon to be held on January 17.

The company, which started export of its three-wheelers a couple of months back, is also exploring to venture into new markets like Bangladesh, Mexico, Peru and Guatemala.

The examination will be conducted by the UPSC on April 18, 2010, for admission to the Army, Navy and Air Force wings of the NDA.

Olympian Deriba Merga of Ethiopia survived stiff competition to defend the men's title, while reigning world champion Mary Keitany of Kenya created a new record to be named champion in the women's category of the $210,000 Delhi Half Marathon in New Delhi on Sunday.