India

Buying gold is one way of weathering paper money devaluation, especially the US dollar’s. Economists voice their concerns at Davos as the gold goes up and up.

Urgen Tenzin, an activist, denounces the systematic genocide practiced by the Chinese authorities in Tibet. Thousands of raids and acts of intimidation in recent days. Without international help, this genocide could succeed.

The global economic crisis and the presidency of Barack Obama are prompting Japan to rethink policy and international prospects. The 21st century will be that of Asia, and Japan, with its "soft power," can take the lead even in front of China and India.

Deal was reached two days ago. New Delhi is set to team up with Astana to explore for uranium and build a new atomic power plant. Kazakhstan is seeking more partners to develop its vast underground riches.

Demonstrations take place in the main cities of the mountain nation. ‘Chandni Chowk to China’, a movie that suggests that the Buddha was born in India, is the cause. Screening of the film in Nepal is banned. Nepali nationalists call on the government to defend national independence from Indian attacks.

The superior general of the Missionaries of Charity is given the high honour for her work on behalf of the poor and her action in favour of peace in the country. The Padma Vibhushan is India’s second highest civilian honour. Sister Nirmala dedicates the award to the poor, urging everyone to take part in building “a civilisation based on love.”

The new president has revoked the ban imposed by Bush for eight years. Obama has also promoted financing of UN population control policies. Pro-life movements are sending critical messages to the president.

The odyssey of hundreds of people who fled from Myanmar and landed in Thailand, where the army loaded them onto boats without motors and towed them onto the open sea to die. 193 survivors have arrived in Indonesia, which does not want them because they do not have the status of political refugees.

The group, made up of 24 leading elements of civil society, intends to defuse the climate of tension between the two countries and promote the common struggle against terrorism. The delegates express hope for collaboration in the search for the truth about the authors of the attack, and stress the importance of an organization to work for peace in the region.

For some slum dwellers, it is a smear against poverty. For activists and social workers, the film permits international public opinion to understand the situation of the poor in India, and press the public administration to do more.

India has 70% of all leprosy cases worldwide. The story of a missionary of the PIME who since the 1970's has built hundreds of clinics in the slums of Mumbai, and has founded an association to prevent, diagnose, and treat the disease. Today he lives in a small community of 40 people, some of them terminally ill and others healed. A testimony on the occasion of the 56th world day for those sick with leprosy.

Prosecution submits more than 4,000 pages of evidence against people accused of carrying out the bomb attacks that killed six and wounded 70 in September last year. The group was also preparing other attacks in order to subvert the legal order. A former BJP member of parliament attended some of the group’s secret meetings.