New Zealand is the least corrupt country in the world

Transparency International has placed New Zealand on top of the list of least corrupt countries and thus, New Zealand has reclaimed its ranking which it had lost.
It had been on top of the the index for seven consecutive years until 2013 - it fell to second position in in 2014 and to fourth in 2015. This prompted the anti-corruption organisation to warn that the Government was at risk of becoming "complacent" in tackling corruption.
This has been reported in nzherald.co.nz dated 25 January 2017.

As per Transparency International's Corruption Perceptions Index for 2016, New Zealand scored 90 points out of 100 and it secured first - place to be equal with Denmark. A total of 176 countries were considered. The index draws on up to 13 surveys "covering expert assessments and views of businesspeople" to compile its rankings. Some of the criteria are press freedom, public access to official information, fundamental rights and the absence of corruption.
Justice Minister of New Zealand has credited the ranking to a number of Government initiatives like new bribery offences, ratification of the United Nations Convention Against Corruption, reviewing extradition laws and fast-tracking anti-money laundering reforms.

The top 10 in the list are -

1 Denmark and New Zealand

3 Finland

4 Sweden

5 Switzerland

6 Norway

7 Singapore

8 Netherlands

9 Canada

10 Germany, Luxembourg and United Kingdom

India's score was 40 - a two point improvement over the figure of 2015 which was 38.


Image courtesy wikimediacommons.org

Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to debut at the 2017 Republic Day parade

Many of the Trump hats are not made in America but in China, Vietnam and Bangladesh

Chinese firm to invest over Rs 1300 crore in Toto rickshaw manufacture in Howrah


Didi visualizes industrial revival via nalen gur (satire)

Lord Shiva and the sight of potbellied policemen (satire)

In the wonderland of health drinks


Shah Rukh Khan's movie Raees to release in Dubai on January 25

James Cameron plans to resurrect his Terminator franchise in 2019

Bollywood actress Vidya Balan wants more power to women in 2017


ISIS destroys portions of Roman amphitheatre in the ancient city of Palmyra

Kim Jong-Un plans to send a message to Donald Trump by launching a missile

Bomb blast in a vegetable market in Parachinar kills at least 20