India

Trivandrum, India, 23 August 2007 (By Raymond Thibodeaux) -- India's movie industry raked in about $2.1 billion last year, a figure that experts expect to double in the next four years. "Bollywood," the film industry centered in Bombay, has become synonymous with Indian films, but India has other "Ollywoods," each with its own devoted fans. Raymond Thibodeaux reports from Thiruvananthapuram- better known as Trivandrum - the capital of Kerala State in southwestern India.    » read more »

Consolidation and Design Breakthroughs in Santa Clara, Calif. Datacenter Reduce Sun's Energy Bill by 60 % and Garner Nearly $1 Million in Utility Rebates and Awards

16 August 2007 -- Angry Indian lawmakers have disrupted parliament with calls for the prime minister to resign for allegedly misleading them about a nuclear pact with the United States.

Hindu Nationalist and Communist lawmakers shouted and interrupted proceedings in both houses of parliament Thursday after the U.S. State Department made comments that seemed to suggest that India had agreed not to test nuclear weapons.    » read more »

Aug 15, 2007 -- Boston, MA – Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement today regarding India's Independence Day:

"On the 60th anniversary of India's independence, we celebrate the contributions of Indian-Americans to the United States. Throughout my career, I have seen first-hand how the Indian-American community has enriched our nation with its values and culture. Many Indian-Americans are also at the forefront of building our nation's vibrant economy in various sectors including health care, business, education, science and technology.    » read more »

11 August 2007 -- The American retail giant Wal-Mart has announced that it will build wholesale outlets in India in collaboration with an Indian partner. Anjana Pasricha reports from New Delhi that the arrival of large retailers like Wal-Mart is being opposed by small shopkeepers, who dominate the country's retail sector.

Sukh Pal and Jagdish Chauhan put up their vegetable stalls on a pavement in a South Delhi residential area every evening along with other vendors, selling fresh produce to people on their way home from work.    » read more »

04 August 2007 -- Relief workers are struggling to help at least 20 million people affected by floods in South Asia. About 300 people have died during the past two weeks because of the floods caused by the annual monsoon rains in South Asia. Anjana Pasricha reports from VOA's New Delhi bureau.

As heavy monsoon rains continue to sweep India, Bangladesh and Nepal, government and relief agencies are battling to help the victims.

Devendra Tak, with the regional Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Society, paints a grim picture.    » read more »

New Delhi, 30 July 2007 (By Steve Herman) -- A U.S. diplomat says details of a nuclear energy agreement with India will soon be made public. VOA's Steve Herman reports from New Delhi that since the deal was announced on Friday there has been considerable speculation about its contents and whether it will win approval from U.S. lawmakers.

The U.S. Ambassador to India says the text of the landmark civil nuclear-cooperation agreement between Washington and New Delhi will be released in a "matter of a few days."    » read more »

U.S.-India pact, if approved by Congress, would pave way for nuclear trade

Washington 27 July 2007, By David Shelby (USINFO Staff Writer) – The United States and India reached an agreement July 27 to govern their cooperation in developing civil nuclear energy programs. It would allow the countries to cooperate in research and development and nuclear safety and to engage in commercial trade in nuclear reactors, technology and fuel.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, July 10, 2007 – The World Bank today approved US$65 million in additional financing to Andhra Pradesh Rural Poverty Reduction Project, a program that has improved the lives of some 5.7 million women since its inception in 2003, when the original project was approved by the World Bank.    » read more »

08 July 2007 -- The new Seven Wonders of the World have been selected after a global poll. The winners were announced Saturday. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.

About 100 million votes were cast by the Internet and cell-phone text messages to choose the new Seven Wonders of the World.

Academy Award-winning British actor Ben Kingsley announced the winners at a glitzy international show at Portugal's largest venue, the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon.

"The Colosseum in Rome," he said.    » read more »

02 July 2007 -- Several Asian countries saw the fastest growth in the number of millionaires worldwide last year. And in China, the government plans to raise the minimum wage.

The number of Asians with assets of more than $1 million increased 8.6 percent in 2006, compared with a year earlier. Investment bank Merrill Lynch's annual wealth report, released jointly with financial services provider Capgemini, says their combined wealth increased 10.5 percent to more than $8 trillion.    » read more »

WASHINGTON, June 26, 2007 – The World Bank today approved one of its largest support packages to India with a US$600 million loan and credit designed to transform access to financial services for India’s poorest farmers.    » read more »

20 June 2007 -- Climate change is creating new realities for many communities across the globe, threatening livelihoods and producing environmental refugees in some cases, and presenting new opportunities in others.

The Ganges River, which flows across northern India, has been revered for millennia by millions of Hindus as a sacred source of healing and enlightenment. Now, according to the United Nations, the glacier that feeds the Ganges is shrinking and could disappear by 2030.

A massive iceberg in McMurdo Sound after it broke off the Ross Ice Shelf in Antarctica    » read more »

WASHINGTON, June 14, 2007 – The World Bank today approved a credit of US$63 million equivalent from the International Development Association (IDA) to the Indian state of Bihar, designed to enhance social and economic empowerment of rural poor people in the state.    » read more »

31 May 2007 -- Indian and U.S. officials have begun talks in New Delhi to work out the final details of a landmark civilian nuclear energy deal.

Before Thursday's meeting with India's Foreign Minister Shiv Shankar Menon, U.S. Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns said the two sides have made a lot of progress, but that hard work remains.

Neither Burns nor Indian officials have said what issues must be settled in the two days of talks. But, India has objected to conditions that would allow Washington to stop nuclear cooperation if New Delhi conducts another nuclear test.    » read more »