Facing unprecedented public protests for his ouster, embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak has said he does not intend to run for another term after three decades in power but refused to bow out immediately.

What happened in Iran post-1979 could happen in Tunisia, Egypt and the rest of the Arab world in coming months, warns B Raman

In a late night televised speech, 82-year-old Mubarak defended the actions of police, who had tried to clamp down the protesters by firing tear gas, rubber bullets and water cannons at them.

The echo of street protests in Tunisia has reverberated across other nations, triggering anti-government demonstrations in Yemen, Lebanon and Egypt. Rediff.com tells you why the Arab world is witnessing a winter of discontent.

The protest waves in Arab world may create ripples in the West and shake up Jammu and Kashmir, warns B Raman

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday delivered his State of the Union speech in the US Congress. Here's the transcript:

Rajeev Srinivasan on one of the best film festivals in India.

The Jasmine Revolution has consecrated a milestone which will go a long way in ushering in people-led movements in the Arab world, says Tenzin Thargay.

India has decided to attend the ceremony where the Nobel Peace Prize will be presented to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo in Oslo on Friday, notwithstanding China's call for a boycott of the function.Although China has called upon all countries including India to keep away from the ceremony, New Delhi does not see it as a bilateral issue with Beijing. India is among 44 countries which has confirmed its participation.

India will be participating at the presentation of the Nobel Peace Prize to Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobao on Friday in Oslo, Norway, according to the Nobel Prize Committee. This comes despite China asking governments not to attend the ceremony which its sees as an act directed against it and is likely to create irritation in the bilateral ties.

Former France World Cup winner Marcel Desailly is among the candidates to become new Ghana coach, the Black Stars said on their website (www.ghanafa.org) on Monday.

Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler may have had Jewish and African ancestors, according to DNA tests. Saliva samples taken from 39 relatives of Hitler show he probably had biological links to the Jewish community and people from North Africa, such as Berbers of Morocco, -- the "subhuman" races he vowed to exterminate during the Holocaust.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy said on Monday he hoped South Africa would not humiliate the France team at next month's soccer World Cup as fellow Africans Senegal did in 2002.

England failed to convince in a 2-1 victory over Japan in their final World Cup warm-up on Sunday and France were held to a 1-1 draw by Tunisia in their penultimate match.

France's captain and most prolific scorer Thierry Henry faces the once inconceivable prospect of being a substitute at the World Cup for the country he has graced for over a decade.

Arsenal have signed Morocco's 26-year-old striker Marouane Chamakh on a long-term contract from Girondins Bordeaux, the English Premier League club said on Friday.

Several Indian fertiliser companies are in talks with foreign firms to set up production units jointly, the government said.

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.

Zambia and Cameroon advanced to the African Nations Cup quarter-finals by the slimmest margin on Thursday after Group D ended in a dramatic three-way tie.

Nigeria thrashed Mozambique 3-0 to join champions Egypt in the knockout phase of the African Nations Cup from Group C on Wednesday.

Cameroon, finalists in 2008, came back from the brink of elimination to scrape past Zambia 3-2 and revive their African Nations Cup campaign on Sunday.

Egypt continued their quest for an unprecedented third straight African Nations Cup when they reached the quarter-finals on Saturday with a 2-0 win over Mozambique as Nigeria revived their hopes of progressing. The win left six times champions Egypt top of Group C with six points from two games as second-placed Nigeria looked set to join them into the last eight after scraping past Benin 1-0.

India on Thursday said it was deeply saddened at the death and destruction caused by the earthquake in Haiti on Tuesday, and decided to give $ 1 million in cash for immediate and emergency relief purposes in the country.

World Cup-bound teams continued their miserable start to the African Nations Cup on Wednesday with Cameroon suffering an embarrassing 1-0 defeat by neighbours Gabon in their Group D opener.

Cameroon and Nigeria reached the World Cup finals on Saturday but the last available African berth for the 2010 finals was left hanging by a dramatic last-gasp goal in Cairo.

Talisman Didier Drogba came off the bench to secure Ivory Coast a place in the World Cup finals with a 1-1 draw against Malawi on Saturday.

When Kim Clijsters beat Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark 7-5, 6-3 to win the 2009 women's singles title at the US Open, she not only added a second Grand Slam triumph to her 2005 US Open victory but also became a champion mother. A look at some Super mums.

Director Senthil on the success of his Telugu movie starring Chiranjeevi's son, Ram Cheran Teja.

Michael Phelps conquered Rome with a fifth gold medal in the men's 4x100 metres medley relay on Sunday when the American team closed an extraordinary world championships with a 43rd world record.

The foreign secretary should delegate policy execution

'I believe that the world is headed for the biggest health crisis ever because of the lack of transparency.'

Reliance Communications hopes roping in Hrithik Roshan will help separate them from the clutter. However, brand consultants and advertising veterans are sceptical.

The Indian Air Force prides itself as being the fourth largest in the world. As IAF gets set to enter an era of modernisation, rediff.com gives you a peek inside its hangars.

India continues to be the most favoured back-office of the world, but the Middle East and North Africa region is slowly emerging as a promising offshoring destination, global management consulting firm A T Kearney says.

The company is seeking consultants for mergers and acquisitions, strategic partnerships, acquiring telecom licences outside India, a senior BSNL official said. BSNL, with a view to establishing itself as a global player in the telecom sector and to achieve inorganic growth, is aiming at expanding its area of operations, the official said.

United States President Barack Obama has nominated US ambassador to Sri Lanka Robert O Blake, who has also served as the Deputy Chief of US Mission in New Delhi, as the Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian Affairs. If approved by the US Senate, Blake would replace Richard Boucher, who is currently Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs. However, the communique did not mention Central Asia being part of Blake's portfolio.

Two Sikh-American military recruits, both medical professionals already in the US Army, who have been denied the right to report for active duty in July unless they remove their turbans and cut their unshorn hair and beards, have called on the Pentagon to allow them to serve their country without having to compromise their religious principles.

Foreign Service Officer Robert Orris Blake, Jr, who is currently the United States' Ambassador to Sri Lanka, before which he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the US Embassy in New Delhi from 2003 to 2006, is the top contender for the post of the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, currently held by diplomat Richard Boucher.

Ambassador Frank G Wisner, the erstwhile US envoy to India, who for years -- as vice-chairman, external affairs for American International Group -- was the face of this global insurance conglomerate--which is now being bailed out by the US government to the tune of $150 billion -- in India and was largely responsible for pushing for New Delhi's opening up of the insurance sector to foreign investors, has quit AIG and joined the top-notch lobbying firm of Patton Boggs, which w

Diego Maradona's Argentina were impressive 2-0 winners in France on Wednesday as two of world football's heavyweights squared up for a friendly in Marseille. On a hectic day of friendly internationals and a smattering of World Cup qualifiers, David Beckham equalled 1966 World Cup winning captain Bobby Moore's record of 108 caps for an outfield player when he came on for the second half of England's 2-0 friendly defeat in Spain.