His first novels, which included "The Most Transparent Region" in 1959 and "The Death of Artemio Cruz" in 1962, made him one of the most important figures of the so-called Latin American Boom of the 1960s and 1970s.

CNN: Mexican author Carlos Fuentes dies

We have taken steps, that Dan can probably speak to better than I, to be transparent about the history of the region.

WHITEHOUSE: Press Briefing

From cultural nuances to a skewed perception of what it entails, there are many reasons why companies in the region consistently shy away from being open and transparent.

FORBES: Transparency in the Middle East: Still a Dirty Word

"Kuwait has a long-standing proud tradition of open debate and free speech with free, transparent and inclusive elections and the most robust parliament in the region, " the ministry said in a statement Tuesday.

CNN: STORY HIGHLIGHTS

For example, iron-gall ink, commonly used on ancient documents, is transparent to infra-red light and most visible in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum.

ECONOMIST: Monitor