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On June 25, 2026, the Human Rights Measurement Initiative (‘HRMI’) released its data tracking the human rights performance of 212 countries across the world with nearly 141 countries furnishing the requisite data either completely or partially. The countries were scored on three categories of Human Rights with the first being ‘Quality of Life’ comprising the rights to education, food, health, housing and work; followed by ‘Safety from the State’ which comprised the right to freedom from arbitrary arrest, forced disappearance, death penalty, torture and ill treatment, extrajudicial execution and lastly ‘Empowerment’ which comprised the rights to assembly and association, opinion and expression, participation in government, religion and belief. The countries were distinctly divided on the basis of their recognition as a High Income, Low and Middle Income country.

Despite never qualifying for the FIFA (Federations of International Football Associations) World Cup, India has emerged as one of the largest global markets for the current tournament being co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, with matches played across 16 official host cities. In the opening weekend alone, the tournament reached over 100 million viewers across Zee Entertainment’s platforms. The FIFA World Cup 2026 is officially broadcast in India in Hindi, English, Bengali, and Malayalam. These language feeds aim to cater to regional football strongholds in West Bengal and Kerala, as well as the broader national audience. India holds the second largest Instagram audience for FIFA globally. It is another matter that India's national men's football team is currently ranked 139th in the official FIFA World Rankings, placing them 26th among Asian Football Confederation (AFC) nations. Viewers in India are consuming the tournament through a variety of digital, television, and social platforms.

The latest data updated by the World Bank shows that India did not improve in income classification since 2007, and remains in lower middle income group. In 2025, according to the data, India’s GNI per capita was $2760. In 2007, India’s income classification was upgraded from low income group to lower middle income group.

Exactly a year ago of the 2026 Bengal assembly elections, in 2025, a section of the national media had written off Mamata Banerjee and had even predicted that she would be addressing the last Martyrs’ Day rally on July 21, that year, before the polls. They proved to be prophetic, though it is yet not clear what was the basis for their prediction, one thing they however could not comprehend at that stage was Mamata would observe the day with more vengeance, after her defeat.

The word democracy is derived from the ancient Greek words demos (people) and kratos (rule), literally meaning "rule by the people." Democracy signifies a system in which political power ultimately rests with the people and is exercised either directly, through citizens participating in decision-making, or indirectly, through representatives elected by them. Every adult citizen enjoys the right to vote, contest elections, question those in authority, and participate in public affairs.

KOLKATA: Availability of land to set up industries appears to be a stumbling block in the path of West Bengal's first BJP-run state government. This is an issue two previous state governments have found to be insoluble.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The controversy over the proposed transfer of a 49% stake of the Adani Vizhinjam Port Private Limited (AVPPL) has deepened with the Opposition deciding to challenge it legally and politically.

KOLKATA: Ground realities in Manipur do suggest that the Union home ministry and the state ministry headed by Yumnam Khemchand Singh, which is in office since February 4, are yet to succeed in identifying a clear roadmap for reconciling inter-community political differences and restoring normalcy. Union home minister Amit Shah has held two security situation review meetings, first on March 20 and the second on July 4, after a popular ministry assumed office after 356 days of President’s rule. Shah appears to be counting heavily on the role of the security establishment in restoring law and order. Which in the given situation means he wants the state government to take care of the complex political issues.

The alleged theft of donations from the Ayodhya Ram Temple has pushed a long-simmering question into the national foreground: who should guard the wealth of religious institutions when faith, money and power converge without adequate public accountability?

Notwithstanding its best efforts in projecting its Baudhik Pramukhs (intellectual chiefs),Vicharaks and Prajna Pravah (overarching "intellectual wing" of the RSS that acts as a think-tank for scholars, academics, and intellectuals), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh is unhappy with the number of Hindus in its formal membership umbrella. The RSS has decided to focus on the youths to secure long-term ideological continuity, and build a dedicated volunteer base, to counteract perceived cultural disconnects in an increasingly digital era.