In some countries, business owners can go their way in the happy knowledge that government officials won’t be hitting them up for bribes or tossing them in jail on trumped-up charges. But in other parts of the world, public sector corruption is a fact of life. Hoping to shine a light on this widespread problem, Transparency International, a non-governmental organization …

The region known as “Scandinavia” historically consisted of Norway and Sweden. Today, it also includes other places where Nordic people live; Denmark, Finland, Iceland and Greenland are now considered part of Scandinavia.

In June last year, Saina Nehwal’s ranking had slipped to ninth and it looked like her younger teammate PV Sindhu would overtake her. To her critics, Saina — plagued by injuries and bad form — was a spent force. The loss to Olympic champion Li Xuerui in the quarterfinal of the World Championships last year was a telling blow which …

Shinji Okazaki, is a quintessential poacher. Fifteen goals for Japan in 2009 alone certainly pays testament to this. But although he is a master inside the six-yard box, he is also adept at laying on chances for team-mates. Okazaki was born in Hyogo Prefecture and grew up there until he signed a professional contract with Shimizu S-Pulse. His hero was …

Robin van Persie — After a season blighted by an ankle injury that kept him out of action from November to mid-April, the Arsenal striker goes into the 2010 FIFA World Cup hungry to make his mark. The forward likened by club manager Arsene Wenger to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo contested less than a month at the end of …

MC Mary Kom (Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom) was born on 1st March 1983 and was brought up in a poor family. It is impossible to imagine that Mary Kom would one day rise and become a World Boxing Champion. Her family background speaks a lot of how Mary overcame hardship and inconveniences and created a name for herself in the arena …

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi (born between 1911 and 1918, Jabalpur, India, possibly on 12 January; died February 5, 2008, Vlodrop, Netherlands), founded and developed the Transcendental Meditation technique and related programs and initiatives, including schools and a university with campuses in the United States and China. He was born in India. Various years are given for his birth: most frequently 1911, 1917, …

Keisuke Honda is an indispensable member of Takeshi Okada’s team. A prolific midfielder who will turn 24 the day before Japan kick-off their South Africa 2010 campaign, he dazzled for CSKA Moscow in the deep waters of the 2009/10 UEFA Champions League, playing a critical role in their unforeseen charge to the quarter-finals. Honda started out at Nagoya Grampus, scoring …

K. S. Chithra often credited as Chitra, is a six time National Film Award winning playback singer who has made her mark in the Indian (film) music playback industry. Known as the Nightingale of South India, she has lent her voice to Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Oriya, Hindi, Assamese and Bengali films. Personal Life Born on July 27, 1963, in Thiruvananthapuram …

Since World War II, many countries have joined common markets. These organizations try to develop the economies of the member countries, especially by removing all trade restrictions between them. The European Economic Community (EEC) was founded in 1957 by Italy, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany. Six nations joined later: Denmark. Ireland and the UK in 1973; Greece …