No one disputes the growing weight of the emerging Indian giant in the economic scene and global geopolitics. However, if India is to achieve a more influential position on the international level, it must strengthen its democratic system and be aware of the need to confront inequality and injustice with ambitious long-term policies. It is faced with an imbalance that cannot be resolved by its macroeconomic growth alone, regardless of how spectacular it may be.

• Southeast Asia reduces poverty, but increases inequality
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Isolated for so long, and lacking a political culture on which to force democratic values, Paraguay needs help and support from its neighbors in order to move forward. This is especially needed from Brazil, the obligatory country of reference for Paraguayans, and one of the few countries that are capable of positively influencing the management of what will be the new government after the presidential elections in April.

Ever since the last elections in Kenya, the world has seen the country sink into violence, due to the accusations of fraud in the elections controlled by president Mwai Kibaki. The author says that the most serious European press has analyzed the conflict as a typical expression of the savage tribal confrontation characteristic of Blacks. However, other sources assert that the majority of assassinations have occurred at the hands of the State, and not at those of any Kikuyu tribe or ethnic group. Why the African Union must shake off its indifference and avoid another Darfur.

With Super Tuesday just around the corner, the author addresses the heated battle for the Democratic presidential primaries and the appropriateness of Bill Clinton’s role in advocating for his wife’s candidacy. The Bill and Hillary tag team, now popularly referred to as Billary, has been blatantly divisive, created unprecedented tensions within the party, and may potentially rally Republicans to a November victory. These aforementioned factors along with Obama’s positive message of change and hope have earned Obama the endorsement of Edward Kennedy and other senior Democrats.

The primary elections have managed to put the fire back into political debate in the United States, in the presence of the still uncertain presidential result. The most complex issue remains unresolved: for the world’s superpower to confront the difficult global strategic situation, which is full of uncertainties. Will Hillary Clinton be the one in charge of leading this global change?

One of the quandaries facing terrorism analysts today: the jihadist’s dilemma of whether to promote collective or individual action among potential adherents. Although this may appear to be an obscure issue, so specific as to interest only counterterrorism analysts, it is actually a widely applicable and underappreciated topic that could directly impact the type of terrorism Europe may face in the future. As such, it is a concern for all.

Brazil, just like other emerging countries, is experiencing an shortage of infrastructure, which is hindering its economic growth. For this reason, President Lula’s government launched the Growth Acceleration Plan (PAC in its Portuguese initials) exactly one year ago: a four year, 190 billion euro investment plan that hopes to achieve the goal of a GDP economic growth rate of 5 percent between 2007 and 2010.

The electoral battle between president José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (PSOE) and opposition leader Mariano Rajoy (Partido Popular) is intensifying. The foreseeable economic slowdown in 2008, the rise in prices, the growth of the foreign deficit, and the slump in the real-estate sector signal the end of a cycle and show competitiveness problems. The second big topic is the antiterrorist fight: despite not going through a good period (thanks to political and judicial action), it would not be unlikely for ETA to carry out terrorist acts before the elections.

There are two unresolved matters in the Spanish democracy outside of the current situation that no government has managed to resolve since the Transition: the political aspirations of certain autonomous regions and the relationship between the Catholic Church and the Spanish State. The first challenge is Spain’s territorial configuration, which continues to be questioned by a minority of the population that is by no means insignificant, capable of influencing, by means of its political representation (PNV and CiU), the Government; the second, the need to proclaim constitutional laicism in order to avoid religious interference in governmental affairs.