While analysts puzzle over what the new U.S. administration and the economic crisis might bring, some find answers in the stars. Indian fortunetellers say Russia has a strong star this year.

Astrological predictions and any other alternative science is popular in India, especially at the beginning of the year. While today few believe in prophecies, most are curious enough to hear the horoscope anyway, particularly in hard times. With computers helping the calculations, the soothsayers are now high-tech in their venture to predict what the world will be like in 2009.

“In the Red book it is written that whenever Mars and the Moon come close to each other, there will be tremendous prosperity in the year. Apparently we can expect 2009 to be a bumper year,” says astrologer Prem Kumar Sharma.

Another astrologer, Acharya Diwakar, however, gives warnings about the economic situation in the world.

“This kind of uncertainty is going to last until September 2009. Then there will be slow growth. From exactly September 2009 there will be consistency, and in 2010-2011 economic conditions will again be very, very good,” he says.

According to the fortune-tellers Russia has a strong star on its side

“Russia is bouncing back economically and politically also. It is gaining stability. The reason is Saturn has helped them of late in the last two years and Russia is surging because of it. So Russia will demand attention from other countries, especially from America,” believes astrologer Ajayi Bhambi.

There are also predictions about the troubled spots on the globe.

«2009 is not going to prove very good for the Gulf countries, the Muslim countries. So there will be strong infighting among the countries or there will be problems of who rules,» predicts Prem Kumar Sharma.

Tarot Card reader Anchal Singh adds:

“The cards indicate that the energies of Afghanistan cast a very gloomy picture and for a brief period of positivity. Only after that the country will continue to be possessed by dark energies,” he warns.

There is some good news for the war in Iraq Anchal Singh says: “On the other hand Iraq, though it seems messy, a small improvement can be seen.”

An interesting case study in the making for astrology seems to be Barack Obama. He undoubtedly has strong stars, but how will he fare in his new job?

“Obama’s horoscope is good and Obama is a great orator, we all know. But the reality of American economics is very bad, so the economic dynamics of that country is very bad and he will take about two years to bring back America at some stage,” Ajayi Bhambi forecasts.

Only time will tell whether or not the predictions come true, but at this time everyone is happy to hear of good times ahead and hope for peace at least in 2009.