The World Press Photo Awards are considered to be the most prestigious awards in the field of photojournalism. Rediff.com brings you the best photographs from across the world that won the top honours at the World Press Photo Contest.
China has long coveted Arunachal Pradesh, which it calls Southern Tibet. But, as Venkataraghavan Subha Srinivasan explains, in 1947, the present state of Arunachal Pradesh constituted the North East Frontier Tract of Assam. When India adopted its Constitution on 26 January 1950, NEFT became 'a separate politico-administrative entity' although it was constitutionally still a part of Assam. Its administration was brought directly under the President of India with the Governor of Assam acting as his agent. A revealing excerpt from his book The Origin Story of India's States.
Pakistan Muslim League, a key partner in Pakistan's ruling coalition on Tuesday withdrew 17 of its ministers from the federal cabinet, saying the Pakistan People's Party-led government had failed to honour its commitments and to resolve the problems of the people.
Keeping trusted men in key positions at Lahore, Rawalpindi and Peshawar has become vital for Bajwa, notes Rana Banerji, who headed the Pakistan desk at the Research and Analysis Wing, India's external intelligence agency.
Afghan President Hamid Karazai ousted his security minster as well as his interior minister in an unexpected decision on Sunday.
Qatar is set to reach a liquefied natural gas production target of 77 million tonnes per annum, the world's largest LNG capacity, the country's energy minister has said.
United States has frozen a record $ 1 billion (about Rs 4,500 crore) assistance package to Yemen marking a sharp about-face in the American policy towards its anti-terror ally, as Saana said that it was studying a proposal by Gulf states to end months long strife in the country.
The US is not in a forgiving mood for being humiliated in such a manner by an insurgent force and made to look 'loser' internationally, predicts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Remember the US withdrawal agreement was signed in February 2020. In the intervening period, a proper evacuation plan ought to have been in place. It was not. Consequently, tens of thousands of Afghans who had worked as interpreters, drivers, suppliers of goods and services, etc, face brutal retribution from the Taliban, Virendra Kapoor points out.
Assistant United States attorney, Jeffery H Knox, speaking in Federal District Court in Brooklyn on Friday, revealed that two senior Al-Qaeda leaders were instrumental in developing this plan.
"They (the creditors) think Dubai World is part of the government, which is not correct. The government is the owner of the company, but since its foundation it was clearly established that the company is not guaranteed by the Dubai government," Dubai's Department of Finance Director General Abdulrahman al-Saleh told Dubai Television.
Once Mazar-i-Sharif falls, some isolate pockets of resistance may remain, which the Taliban would tackle through political work or coercion, asserts Ambassador M K Bhadrakumar.
Al Qaeda second-in-command Ayman al-Zawahiri is planning to carry out a terror strike at the eagerly awaited FIFA World Cup 2010, a recently arrested Al Qaeda operative has disclosed.
Is this the time to use India's forex reserves to bail out Dubai? The emirate might be grateful, but how would the others in the United Arab Emirates react? asks TVR Shenoy.
The deaths in the drone strikes of many Al Qaeda leaders such as its No 3 Sai'd al-Masri and Saleh-al-Somali from Somalia have not weakened the capability of Al Qaeda to plan and mount terrorist strikes, writes B Raman.
Somdev Devvarman frittered away chances galore and crashed out of the men's singles at the Dubai Duty Free Championships after a straight sets defeat to fellow-wild card Malek Jaziri in the second round on Wednesday.
Former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has "conceded to his exile in London" and made up his mind not to return to Pakistan in the wake of the Supreme Court's verdict that the emergency imposed by him in 2007 was unconstitutional, according to one of his close aides.
A dominant India claimed both the gold medals on offer by some distance in the men's and women's 10m air pistol team events on the third competition day of the ISSF World Cup Rifle/Pistol/Shotgun stage, in New Delhi, on Sunday.
Somdev Devvarman extended his excellent run at the ATP Shanghai Challenger by reaching the singles finals with a hard-fought win over Italy's Luca Vanni.
Federation Cup champions Mohun Bagan put on a spirited display before succumbing 1-2 to Al Wehdat of Jordan in their second Group D league match of the AFC Cup at Howrah the Municipal Ground on Tuesday.
Kerala will have to wait. The next Pravasi Bharatiya Divas will be held in Chandigarh," and not in Thiruvananthapuram, said Minister for Overseas Indian Affairs Vayalar Ravi.
Five-time world champion Viswanathan Anand squandered away a good start and could just end Day 1 on a fifty percent score after the end of the fifth round of World rapid chess championship in Berlin.
Quaison fires Sweden to extra-time World Cup playoff win over Czechs
The Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin will give away the awards on January 6, which coincides with Pravasi Bharatiya Divas.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said India will continue to extend all support to the Afghanistan as a contiguous neighbour, in a clear reference that the Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir belongs to India.
Zimbabwe captain Prosper Utseya won the toss and elected to field against Bangladesh, in an inconsequential Champions Trophy qualifying match.
Preeja Sreedharan earned the first medal for India, winning silver in women's 10,000 metres run in the Asian Athletics Championships in Amman.
The tourists slumped to 72 for four on a rain-hit opening day of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka.
The Indian cueist will take on Supoj Saenia of Thailand in Sunday's final.
J&K will remain integral part of India: Govt
Ranti Martins and Chidi Edeh struck a brace each to outplay Sur Club of Oman 5-2 in their final Group A match and take their side to their maiden AFC Cup quarter-finals in Margao on Wednesday.
'The resolve has to be there, the will has to be there. Above all, our top leadership has to adopt a statesman-like approach' says Pakistan's Interior Minister Faisal Hayat.
Films that amazed Aseem Chhabra at the El Gouna Film Festival in Egypt.
Andrew Symonds 103 not out to take Australia to a 67-run win over Bangladesh and a winning 2-0 lead
Vasudevan then committed suicide at around 7 am on Monday by jumping out of their flat's window, the police official was quoted as saying in the Gulf News daily.
Shahriar Nafees scored a maiden Test century as Bangladesh posted 355 for 5 on day 1 in the first Test against Australia.
Uncapped pace bowler Nazmul Hossain has been added to the Bangladesh squad for the second and final Test against India, starting on Friday in the port city of Chittagong.
