New Delhi - United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed "deep concern" over the crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo on Friday and asked rebel General Laurent Nkunda to engage in dialogue.

During a visit to the Indian capital New Dehli, Ban urged Nkunda to stick to the ceasefire announced by the Tutsi rebel leader.

The situation in the African state was "very threatening," Ban said, stressing the UN's neutrality in the conflict. "We are trying to help," he added.

Ban said that he has been engaged in talks with Rwanda President Paul Kagame, a supporter of Nkunda, since the beginning of his visit to India on Thursday.

New Delhi  - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Friday that his discussions with Indian leaders reaffirmed his belief that India was ready to play a greater role on the world stage.

"I was only a year old when India became a UN member state, and it is truly impressive how much this country has achieved since then as a leading voice in the developing world, as a long established democracy and a growing economic power," Ban said at a press briefing.

The secretary general held wide-ranging talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, President Pratibha Patil and Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee during his two-day visit.

New Delhi, Oct 31 : Pop icon Michael Jackson’s fans will attempt a new world record for dancing to his hit song ''Thriller''.

New Delhi, Oct 31 : Hollywood actress Jennifer Aniston is so livid with popstar Pink’s ‘stupid’ comment that she has blacklisted her from her circle.

According to the grapevine, Pink got into a heated argument with Jennifer’s ‘beau’ John Mayer, and her comments didn’t go down well with the actress.

However, Pink revealed that she was actually defending Jennifer, as John enraged was talking loosely about women, reports China Daily.

"I got into an argument with him. He said something along the lines of, ''I only s**g really stupid women'', and I said, ''I guess they would have to be,” Pink said.

"I don''t get him and Jennifer at all,” Pink added.

New Delhi - India is working on a policy for cooperation between world navies to deal with the increasing threat of piracy on the high seas, Defence Minister AK Antony said Friday.

Sea piracy has been a cause of growing concern for India with Somalian pirates holding hostage 18 Indian sailors on board a Japanese-owned merchant vessel for more than six weeks.

The International Maritime Bureau said 30 ships have been hijacked for ransom off Somalia in 2008.

"We cannot allow the situation to continue," Antony was quoted as saying by the PTI news agency after a conference of naval commanders in New Delhi. "There should be a solution to this. We must put a stop to this kind of piracy, so India is very much concerned."

New Delhi, Oct 31: The Union Cabinet today approved an ambitious scheme to provide stand-alone drinking water system to one lakh schools across the country, which will be implemented from November 14.

Referring to the budget announcement this year that one lakh schools would be provided with clean drinking water facilities, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said the Union Cabinet approved the scheme which would cost Rs 200 crore during the current financial year.

He said the Director General Supplies and Disposal (DGS&D) has finalised the technologies, the rates and suppliers for the systems.

“This had also been communicated to the respective governments in the states and union territories,” he added.