DURING India’s anti-colonial freedom struggle, progressive forces in the country argued that our diversities should be celebrated and a modern democratic India ought to be formed. However, this was objectionable to the right-wing forces, particularly the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha (ABHM) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), due to their commitment to Hindutva.Our independence movement was a united movement of the people of the country.

THE National Health Service in the UK has recently approved Hemgenix. The gene therapy drug that cures hemophilia B costs around Rs 30 crores (£2.6 million) for a single injection dose. This is now the world's priciest medicine. It is an indicator of our disabled pharma system. Life saving innovations become designer commodities. Much of the development for gene therapy has come from publicly funded research. Though gene therapy drugs involve advanced manufacturing techniques, the price does not arise from that alone.

COMRADE V S Achuthanandan was the oldest living communist in India. The unprecedented sea of humanity that flowed in to pay their last respects to the veteran revolutionary is beyond description.

WEST Bengal emerged as a powerful epicentre of the July 9 nationwide general strike, with unprecedented working-class participation across all sectors protesting anti-people policies of the central government. Despite adverse weather conditions, the strike paralysed normal life in many districts. However, the ruling party and police reportedly responded with aggressive repression, including assaults on peaceful protesters, including an 80-year-old woman – drawing sharp public outrage.

TENSIONS increased in southern Syria as Israeli warplanes bombed the Ministry of Defence in Damascus and areas around the presidential palace as well as villages in As-Suwayda. At least 250 Syrians died in these air strikes on July 16, 2025. The transitional authorities in Syria led by the former al-Qaeda chief Ahmed al-Sharaa condemned the attacks, which Israel justified as necessary to stop the fighting between the Syrian forces, the hastily organised Quwwat al-Badu (or Bedouin Forces), and the Druze Harakat Rijal al-Karama (Men of Dignity).