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India and Pakistan Celebrate 60 Years of Independence
Millions across the nations of India and Pakistan celebrated their nation's independence last week. In 1947, Britain granted India its independence after decades of colonial rule. At that time, a portion of India was split off into the new nation of Pakistan as a home for India's Muslim population. This process, called partition, was controversial. Many Muslims crossed into the new nation of Pakistan while Hindus crossed back into India.
In the decades since, India has experienced huge economic growth. Speaking in an Independence Day celebration, India's first woman president, Pratibha Patil, said that the country's economic gains need to be shared more equally among the poor. The South Asian nation is the second most populous country in the world with over a billion people, many of whom have not seen the benefits of the economic boom. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urged crowds to fight poverty, recalling the goals of independence leader Mahatma Gandhi. Speaking at Delhi's Red Fort, the prime minister challenged Indians to end malnutrition in five years.
Although they share a common independence day, relations between India and Pakistan have often been tense. Disagreements date back to the division, a traumatic event that cost the lives of hundreds of thousands. During the independence celebrations, the two countries exchanged gifts and released prisoners in a gesture of goodwill.
I'm Michelle and that's what happened in the world this week!
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