Region

Bucharest – Public administration, political parties and the business climate are the main contributors to widespread corruption in Romania, appearing as the most vulnerable pillars in the national integrity system analysis, according to a new report.

We had a chance to talk with the humanist national leader of the Teachers’ Association, in an interview carried out in “Umbral”, in the neighbourhood of Bellavista, in which we asked him to evaluate this year’s most compelling demonstrations in Chile for a high quality and not-for-profit education, also attempting to make a projection of what may happen in the future.

Geneva – The UN human rights chief spoke out against “the failure by the United States to close the Guantanamo Bay detention facility and to ensure accountability for serious violations – including torture – that took place there.”

In his State of the Union address, many heard echoes of the Barack Obama of old, the presidential aspirant of 2007 and 2008. Among the populist pledges rolled out in the speech was tough talk against the too-big-to-fail banks that have funded his campaigns and for whom many of his key advisers have worked: “The rest of us are not bailing you out ever again,” he promised.

Cairo, 26 January – It started as a day of celebration, with tens of thousands of Egyptians converging on Tahrir Square to mark the first anniversary of Egypt’s revolution, 25 January. The morning crowd — dominated by bearded Islamists — waved flags and strolled peacefully in the Square — flashpoint of the eighteen day uprising that toppled Hosni Mubarak last year.

When an international commission headed by Willy Brandt drew attention to global economic interdependence in its report in 1980, the world was divided between rich North and poor South. More than 3 decades later, the IMF is asking what were until recently developing countries to help stave off the European financial crisis resulting in the global economy sinking like Titanic

In his last State of the Union speech before the November election, President Barack Obama defended his record addressing the financial crisis and called for greater economic fairness. He warned that Wall Street would no longer be allowed to play by its own set of rules. But the bulk of the speech dealt with the economy.

Responding to President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address, longtime consumer advocate and former presidential candidate Ralph Nader says President Obama’s criticism of income inequality and Wall Street excess fail to live up to his record in office. “[Barack Obama] says one thing and does another,” Nader says.

So yes, this larger-than-life psychodrama we call “Iran” may turn out to be as much about China and the US dollar as it is about the politics of the Gulf, or Iran’s nonexistent bomb. The question is: What rough beast, its hour come round at last, slouches towards Beijing to be born? [We took permission from Mr Escobar to run his story on Pressenza, appeared Asia Times.

The Chinese New Year celebrations formally began on January 23. China has become 4710 years old as per its lunar calendar. This year will be known as the Year of the Dragon, which symbolises strength and prosperity. The New Year celebration is one of the longest and the principal festive season for the Chinese: the official holiday itself extends over a week or two.