It was Charles de Gaulle, France’s World War II statesman, who said: “Brazil has a great future, and always will.”Under the benign presidency of the former car metal worker Luis Inacio “Lula” da Silva, the adage seemed to be banished.

1789 is an historic year but it is not an historic example.

“The lives of all politicians end in failure.”So said Enoch Powell, a maverick former Cabinet minister in the British government.Of recent US presidents, Jimmy Carter has not been alone in failing. Think of George W. Bush (Iraq war).

Mankind got rid of African slave trading. It got rid of duelling. It got rid of torture. In some European countries it was abolished over 200 years ago. Even in World War II the allies did not systematically use torture. Regrettably, when George W.

Why do major powers arise? At a time when we talk about the rise of China and India, the said weakening of the US and the European Union, and the thwarted ambitions of Russia, it is a good time to ponder this question.

A big sigh of relief. The UN Security Council has approved the deal on Iran’s nuclear endeavours that commits Tehran not to pursue a nuclear weapons’ capability. It also approved the lifting of sanctions on Iran.

“The Ukrainian Armed Forces logbook recorded 77 violations on July 9, while the Russian Federation Armed Forces logbook recorded 115.

The United States of America has a “culture of ignorance”.

According to The New York Times, “Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who has the final word on all public matters in Iran, last week demanded that most sanctions be lifted before Tehran has dismantled part of its nuclear infrastructure and before international inspectors verify that th