INDIA

Protests swelled across India on Wednesday in support of a self-styled Gandhian anti-corruption campaigner fasting to the death in jail, with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's struggling government at a loss over how to end the standoff.

An anti-corruption movement led by a feisty 74-year-old social activist is snowballing into one of the biggest challenges in decades for the ruling Congress party and if not contained risks sparking India's own version of an Arab Spring revolt.

Hazare, whose arrest a day earlier sparked protests across the country, rejected the government's offer for his release, choosing to remain in prison until he is permitted to go on a hunger strike.

Beetel Teletech, part of India's Bharti Enterprises that controls top mobile carrier Bharti Airtel , launched a tablet computer priced at 9,999 rupees ($220) on Wednesday.

The arrest of 74-year-old Anna Hazare and the crackdown on the peaceful protest against the tooth-less anti-corruption bill by the Indian government might boomerang against the already troubled government.

Consumer goods group Unilever expects to see three-quarters of its turnover from emerging markets by 2020 as heavy investment in these fast-growing regions and sluggish growth elsewhere take effect.

India's leading anti-corruption campaigner Anna Hazare fasted in Tihar jail on Wednesday after refusing a police release order, a stand-off that has sparked nationwide demonstrations and widespread derision at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government.

Here are three reasons to buy gold, even if it means selling some stocks or bonds to get the money for such an investment.

Hazare has reportedly been jailed for a week in the Tihar prison in Delhi.

Gold prices rose on Tuesday as concerns over the financial health of the euro zone resurfaced ahead of a summit in Paris between French and German leaders, at which they will try to thrash out a solution to the bloc's debt crisis.

Veteran Indian social activist Anna Hazare was detained by police at his home on Tuesday to prevent him from defying authorities with a fast to the death to force a beleaguered government to pass tougher laws against corruption.

The BSE Sensex rose 0.73 percent on Tuesday, mirroring global market gains, after a takeover news lifted Wall Street overnight and as the Japanese economy shrank much less than expected.

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Russia will showcase its top-of-the-range fighter jets and newest space shuttles at the MAKS airshow, starting on Tuesday, and an ambitious program to upgrade its arms looks set to make Moscow the biggest buyer at its own show.

Asian equities bounced on Monday and safe-haven assets like gold and the Swiss franc fell as market players cautiously returned to pick up bargains after last's week wild ride, though concerns over the weak global economic outlook may keep gains in check.

China's first aircraft carrier, Varyag, has concluded its four-day sea trial and sailed back to the Dalian port.

Asian equities bounced on Monday and safe-haven assets like gold and the Swiss franc fell as market players cautiously returned to pick up bargains after last's week wild ride, though concerns over the weak global economic outlook may keep gains in check.

An iconic Bollywood actor, Shammi Kapoor, died Sunday at age 79 from kidney failure at a hospital in Mumbai.

Pakistan's restive Balochistan province was rocked by a bomb blast, and the persisting violence which left five people dead and injured dozens others.

Canada would consider fresh stimulus for its economy if it slipped into recession, its finance minister said on Saturday, a move that could complicate plans to return to a balanced budget by 2014/15.