KATHMANDU, Jan 1: The past year was eventful in a number of ways. The year was marked by the government’s attempt to muzzle the press and curtail freedom of expression, by major scandals involving top officials, high-profile visits of foreign dignitaries, inter and intra-party political conflicts, and controversies surrounding a new political map released by India and the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC).

PRAGUE – Political crises, scandals, and dysfunction continue to dominate the global news agenda. Unsurprisingly, therefore, many people missed the United Kingdom’s announcement last month that it will spend £600 million ($779 million) to provide 20 million more women and girls in the developing world with access to family planning.

April 26: Facebook Inc (FB.O) shares rose on Wednesday after the social network reported a surprisingly strong 63 percent rise in profit and an increase in users, with no sign that business was hurt by a scandal over the mishandling of personal data.

ROME, Nov 12: Silvio Berlusconi resorted to a familiar tactic to appeal to the crowd during a recent political comeback speech on the enchanting Italian island of Ischia: a joke laced with sexual innuendo.