It's a Crazy world ::: Soccer Frenzy will be on cards ... from June 11 ::::: and all that Amid US-Iran War ... global recession and oil rationing

Based on pre-tournament betting odds and qualifying performances, the primary contenders to win the Golden Boot for the coming World Cup Football are 

This will be the first iteration of the World Cup to see a host nation receive the team of a country it is at war with.

Kylian Mbappé (France), 

Harry Kane (England), and Erling Haaland (Norway).

               Haaland has scored 55 goals in 49 matches for national team 

Hopes of the Scandinavian nation ending their 28-year World Cup absence rested on the 25-year-old long before he fired in 16 goals across eight matches in a dominant qualifying campaign. And that was considered the case even before he became the fearsome Manchester City striker he is today.

The last time Norway competed at a World Cup, Erling Haaland was not even born.  

A photograph is making waves ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. It features the entire Norway squad dressed in authentic Viking attire. 

Weapons, shields and period costumes complete the striking visual.

The image, titled "The Vikings Are Coming", was captured by acclaimed British photographer David Yarrow. It has already become one of the most talked-about images in World Cup history.

Kylian Mbappe of France 

Getty Image: BBC

Mbappe  scored 36 goals in 66 appearances for France  

Mbappe has been named as the new captain of the France national team.

He succeeds Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, who retired from international football in January.

 striker Harry Kane is certainly a subject of interest  

A few other expected stars and players to watch  -- Jan Kuchta

The 29-year-old, Czech footballer is an experienced forward who made his senior debut for Slavia Prague back in 2016.

Kuchta also had spells in Russia. Aggressive and powerful on the pitch, he’s more nurturing off it, raising chickens, rabbits, ducks at his family farm. When he moved to Moscow in 2022, he had to leave them behind and had remarked: "Chickens are part of my life...".   

Kuchta 

Mojmir Chytil also Czech footballer 

A tall, experienced option up front, Chytil made quite a splash on his international debut in 2022.

 He’s known for being physical and fearless, a real handful, and could be an important weapon this summer.  

Iran's Fifa World Cup 2026 football team have landed in Mexico amid an ongoing row over visas and access to the stadiums in the US where they are to play.

All three of Iran's group games are in the US, but the players and support staff have been told they have to fly in and out of the country on match day.

Iran says 15 other officials and support staff have been denied visas altogether, which an official has described as political interference in sport in its worst form.

The World Cup, jointly hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico, begins on 11 June, with Iran securing their place by finishing top of their qualification group in March 2025, almost a year before the US and Israel began attacks on the country.

Iranian players 

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No problem is too large and no boundary too complex :::: Nepal has not sought third-party mediation on border dispute with India: Foreign Minister Khanal

India and Nepal have agreed to "reactivate" existing bilateral mechanisms on border issues and ensure that their meetings are held more regularly, informed sources say.

The gap between meetings of various bilateral mechanisms has been too long, so both ministers have decided to activate all mechanisms and ensure that they meet more frequently, one Nepali official said. 

As there are already a few dedicated and well-established mechanisms to address boundary issues, both foreign ministers Dr S Jaishankar and his counterpart Shisir Khanal agreed to resolve differences through dialogue. 

If necessary, the top political leaderships of the two countries will provide guidance, it has been assured, 

Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal clarified that Nepal has not sought the mediation of any third country for the resolution of its border dispute with India, reiterating Kathmandu’s longstanding position that all outstanding issues should be settled through bilateral dialogue and diplomatic mechanisms.

Addressing journalists at the Nepal Embassy in New Delhi on Sunday, Khanal sought to clear the confusion surrounding recent remarks by Prime Minister Balendra Shah on historical documents related to Nepal's territorial claims.

“We need historical evidence, and we simply wanted to explore whether we could gain access to certain documents that may be available in libraries or archives in the UK. However, this does not mean that we have sought mediation. That is not what he [PM Shah] intended to convey,” Khanal said.

“If you listened to what he said in Parliament, he stated very clearly and specifically that we want to resolve our border disputes through dialogue and diplomatic channels. 

This has been Nepal’s longstanding position, and it remains our position today,” Khanal said.

Khanal noted that many of the border disputes stem from historical developments linked to the 1816 Treaty of Sugauli, which defined the modern boundary between Nepal and British India.

“When we sit down at the negotiating table, these issues will be resolved through discussions between the two sides and through diplomatic mechanisms. We want to settle our differences through diplomatic processes,” he said.

Dr S Jaishankar with Nepal Foreign Minister Shisir Khanal on June 6, New Delhi

The clarification came a day after Khanal held bilateral talks with Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar.

Statements issued separately by the foreign ministries of Nepal and India following the meeting did not explicitly mention the long-standing border disputes, prompting questions in Nepal amid growing domestic pressure on the government to raise the issue with India.  

Nepal wants to resolve the border row with India through diplomacy as no problem is too large if both sides sit across with an "open heart", Nepalese foreign minister Shishir Khanal said on Sunday.

Khanal said the new government in Kathmandu refuses to look at India through the "distorted, hyper-sensitive lens of 21st century geopolitics" and instead wants to build a mutually beneficial relationship for overall prosperity of both the nations. 

No problem is too large and no boundary too complex when we sit down with an open heart, Khanal said "We look at India with an open heart, clear eyes, and with a single, transparent agenda: the economic transformation of Nepal," he said.

"Rather than engaging in hyper-nationalistic grandstanding, we are pursuing calm, data-driven approach to resolve issues," Khanal said.

Here is the Longest surviving India's PM :::: June 10, 2026 ::::: Namo Namo Namah !! Sickularism "jealousy" bhavaa ... More 'dangerous' comments expected from Rahul Gandhi !!

On June 10, 2026 PM Narendra Modi will become India’s longest-serving democratically elected Prime Minister.

By surpassing the 4,398-day record set by independent India's first Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru; Modi will complete a historic 4,399 consecutive days in office.

Modi, who first took oath on May 26, 2014, previously surpassed Indira Gandhi’s uninterrupted tenure record of 4,077 days on July 25, 2025.  

Transforming lives across India with 6 basic rights fulfilled for every citizen over 12 incredible years.

• Over 4 crore families now owning their own homes under PM Awas Yojana. 

• 100% household electrification brought to life by the Saubhagya Scheme.

• Tap water connections scaling from 17% to over 80% through the Jal Jeevan Mission. 

• Free rations securing food for 81 crore citizens every single month.

• Clean cooking energy provided with 10.5 crore LPG connections.  

• Over 12 crore toilets constructed to ensure an open defecation-free nation.

Some Milestones:  

𝟓𝐭𝐡 𝐀𝐮𝐠𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟗

The day Jammu and Kashmir broke free from the shackles of Article 370 under Modi government.

Nov 9, 2019 - Supreme Court judgement in favour of Ram Temple

5th Aug, 2020 ::: Bhoomi Pujan for a Grand Ram temple at Ayodhya

(a major victory for Hindutva forces and Return of 'self pride' for Hindus)

Ram Lalla gets back home !! 

𝟒,𝟑𝟗𝟗 𝐃𝐚𝐲𝐬, 𝟏𝟐 𝐔𝐧𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬, 𝟏 𝐇𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐜 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫! 

Narendra Modi is officially set to become India's longest continuously serving democratically elected PM. 

This powerhouse tenure is completely reshaping the nation:

▶️ Next-Gen Reforms: Powering daily lives through Jan Dhan accounts, the UPI revolution, Ayushman healthcare, GST, and a massive surge in defense and semiconductors.

▶️ Rewriting Politics: Blasting through electoral records with a historic 207-seat win in Bengal and a legendary third-term victory in Haryana.

▶️ Global Dominance: Leading the Global South, reclaiming 600+ stolen heritage antiquities, and securing an unmatched 30+ highest international civilian awards. 

Modi's record or milestone comes against the backdrop of a dramatically transformed India. 

When Nehru led the country in its early years after Independence, India’s population stood at around 34 crore. By the time Modi assumed office in 2014, the population had crossed 131 crore and has since risen to over 146 crore. 

 Political conditions during the two eras were markedly different. Nehru presided over a Congress-dominated political landscape, with the party winning 364 of 489 Lok Sabha seats in the 1952 elections. 

Modi, by contrast, has governed amid a far more fragmented and competitive political environment marked by strong regional parties and coalition dynamics across states.

Modi is also the first non-Congress prime minister to complete two consecutive full-majority terms and the first prime minister since Nehru to win three consecutive Lok Sabha elections as the incumbent leader.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐢𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐞𝐥𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐭.

Nearly 3X export growth

Expanding global footprint

Stronger manufacturing ecosystem

Asia's largest wildlife corridor built on the Dehradun-Delhi Expressway bears witness that the new India is no longer leaving nature behind, but rather taking it along as it strides forward, says BJP.  

Steps Towards a Developed India: 

Empowered Citizens, Prosperous Nation! 

Development in the country is no longer confined to just large projects; rather, it has become a means to make the lives of ordinary citizens easier.

Over the past 12 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, government schemes have reached directly to villages, the poor, and the middle class, giving inclusive development a new momentum. Pucca houses, water in every home, free rations, banking, and health facilities have transformed the lives of crores of people.

The Mudra scheme has empowered women and marginalized sections by promoting self-employment, making them self-reliant.

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Nagaland has become victim of Soap-opera dynamics of Tribalism, Factionalism and Materialism : S C Jamir

Veteran S C Jamir, former Nagaland chief minister and ex-Governor of four key states including Gujarat, has offered to share his diagnosis of the socio-political problems in Nagaland these days. 

Jamir at 29 APJ Abdul Kalam Road, Nagaland House

"Our Nagaland is today a victim of three menaces of Tribalism, Factionalism and Materialism," said Jamir, who is on a visit to the national capital for regular health check up. 

In a brief interaction with the blogger, he maintained : "These are the menace that has really destroyed the Naga morality". 

"So, I say Nagaland has become victim of and also dependent on the Soap-opera dynamics of Tribalism, Factionalism and Materialism". Answering questions, Jamir said -- "During my interaction with church leaders, I have referred to these challenges. The discussions took us to talk about the social leadership, morality and clean elections. 

"I think people should stop taking money... I said people should take a pledge .. I should be honest to my religion, I will be honest to myself and honest to my land. Don't take money and when we talk about Clean Elections; we should remember the influence of money".  

To a question, he mentioned about governance issues and administrative mishandling of things by the state Govt.  

Dr Jamir said - "Making so many districts was uncalled for. I stay in Chumoukedima and we have as many as three districts around us. It does not make sense. 

"The state government and chief minister Neiphiu Rio have created 17 districts in a small state. He has made all our people Liliputians... People are only thinking small ... people are thinking about my district, his district etc and no one is talking about our state".  

On this context, he said - "So how can we come up to the level of our states or the national levels. Once things around people is small; people also start thinking small ...". 

Moreover, it will be "very difficult" to run such a system in future and "financially also, it will be difficult". 

"How many DCs you can have," he wondered.  

"It was only one district and that also under Kohima and look at now ... and where is the money to run so many departments". 

Blogger with illustrious S C Jamir 

On the ongoing Peace talks and virtually stalled proceedings, the former chief minister said: "It is high time both the Framework Agreement of 2015 and the Agreed Position of 2017 should be implemented at the earliest". 

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By making their protest singularly against Dharmendra Pradhan; CJP ensures that the beleaguered minister survives !! :::: “Every day or every month there was a scam against UPA Ministers", says Rijiju

By making their protest singularly against Dharmendra Pradhan; the CJP has perhaps ensured that the beleaguered minister survives

This has been hinted by Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju.

"Dharmendra Pradhan isn’t running away… he’s taken steps to fix the problem" - says Kiren Rijiju

“If a fraud is committed by the Minister or the Minister’s staff, then the Minister is responsible…in an autonomous body, if some trouble happens in that autonomous body, then the body is answerable for that,” Rijiju seems strongly defending Pradhan. 

Importantly, Rijiju certainly is not doing so on his own. The Parliamentary Affairs Minister has that way spoken or shared Govt's joint opinion. This also makes clear that at least PM Narendra Modi is not going to oblige anyone to seek Pradhan being replaced as the Education Minister.  

Rijiju said: “The CBSE is an autonomous body. It is a wing of the government, specifically created for a purpose, for the students, exams; the NTA is there…these are bodies that are not directly monitored by the Minister day-to-day".

Calling the demand for the resignation of Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan over the NEET leak and the CBSE on-screen marking glitches, “political,” Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Friday that Education Minister “is not running away” from the “mistake,” but has taken several steps “to fix the problem.”

Speaking at Idea Exchange at The Indian Express Friday, Rijiju responded to questions about the demand for Pradhan’s resignation and the anguish caused to lakhs of students forced to re-take the NEET on June 21 or those left in the lurch over the CBSE on-screen marking glitches.

When it was pointed out that the BJP had demanded the resignation of UPA Ministers over allegations of wrongdoing and wouldn’t it have done the same had it been in the Opposition now, Rijiju said: “The CBSE is an autonomous body. 

It is a wing of the government, specifically created for a purpose, for the students, exams; the NTA is there…these are bodies that are not directly monitored by the Minister day-to-day". 

He said that during UPA-2 when the BJP was in the Opposition 12 years ago, “every day or every month there was a scam, scandal, corruption charge against the Minister, Ministry and all.”

“In the last 12 years, there is no direct charge against any Minister or Minister’s staff for any taking of bribes, commission, or wrongdoing, or manipulation of the system to benefit the Minister or Minister’s staff and family. 

When there is a direct link with the Minister then definitely you have to ask for the resignation of the concerned minister. So, the difference that I want to make is that our Ministers don’t run away from responsibility…(during) the Congress…like the then External Affairs Minister, the charge was against him directly. 

The first minister to resign during UPA-I was the External Affairs Minister (Natwar Singh) …then subsequently, all those ministers who resigned…(there were) charges against the Minister or the Minister’s office. 

This (the exam leak) is not a fraud committed by the Education Minister,” Rijiju said.

Pradhan has said that he has taken “moral responsibility”, Rijiju said, and added: 

“I am very clear that in such cases Ministers should not run away. Ministers should fix the problem. And that is what Dharmendra Pradhan ji is doing. 

He has taken numerous steps in the past month. I am confident that the steps taken and results — it will prevent future leaks and any deficiency that was there in the past will be fixed.”

Asked who, on the government’s side, should be held accountable, Rijiju said: 

“To build the confidence of the students and the system, the Chairman and the Secretary of the Board (CBSE) have been shifted; to demand the resignation of the Education Minister itself is political. 

The Education Minister has already said that as the head of the Ministry, he takes moral responsibility; the Education Minister is not running away from the error or mistake whoever has committed. He has rather taken it up as a challenge… to fix the problem.”

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"India's youths want to work towards nation-building" :::: BJP national president Nitin Nabin makes veiled attack on CJP saying Outside forces cannot "give directions" to Gen Zee in India

 India's youth won't be puppets of people sitting abroad: BJP chief Nitin Nabin takes dig at Cockroach Janta Party

'Today's youths want to work towards nation-building and secure their future. But some forces are trying to make the country's youths anti-establishment,' Nabin said during an interaction with intellectuals in Ranchi

BJP president Nitin Nabin on Saturday alleged that some forces were trying to push the country's youths towards "negative politics".

In an apparent reference to Cockroach Janta Party (CJP) founder Abhijeet Dipke, he said, "Some people sitting abroad assume they can give directions to the youths of India."  

"Today's youths want to work towards nation-building and secure their future. But some forces are trying to make the country's youths anti-establishment," Nabin said during an interaction with intellectuals in Ranchi.

The BJP president is on a two-day visit to Jharkhand, during which he is scheduled to take part in several party events and organisational meetings.  

"Those who want to push the youths of this country towards negative politics, I warn them that the youths of India will choose positive politics," Nabin said.

People have the right to oppose, but within democratic norms, he said. He said the country's youths are known for innovation and creation.

"Because of their dedication, hard work and efforts, around two lakh startups have come up. The country aims to become a global IT hub," Nabin said.

"The anti-establishment campaigns we witnessed in our neighbouring countries can never be for the country's youths, who will work in a disciplined manner to build the nation," he said.

Some people sitting abroad think they can give direction to the youths of India, but the youths are not going to become a puppet in the hands of a few people, the BJP chief said.

He said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is working towards the vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'. During the past 12 years of the Modi government, drastic changes have taken place, he said.

"Over 25 crore people have come out of poverty and 80 crore people are being provided with 5 kg free ration," Nabin said.

In the last 12 years, around 54 crore Jan Dhan accounts have been opened, three lakh women became 'Lakhpati Didis', 10 crore families have been linked to self-help groups, 12 crore toilets have been built, four crore houses have been provided under Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana and 10 crore LPG connections have been given under the Ujjwala Yojana, the BJP leader said.

Nabin said India will soon become an AI and manufacturing hub. The party is committed to providing 33 per cent reservation to women, he said. 

The Centre is making efforts for the development of Jharkhand, he added. 

Earlier, the BJP president was accorded a grand welcome by senior BJP leaders, including Jharkhand BJP chief Aditya Sahu, Union minister Sanjay Seth, and former chief ministers Babulal Marandi, Arjun Munda, Raghubar Das and Champai Soren at Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport.

Nabin offered floral tributes to the statue of tribal icon Birsa Munda at Birsa Chowk in Ranchi.

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CJP is like a tool that has been pushed with a target ... and 'that mission' is -- anti-Hindutva and anti-Namo !!

Major protest faced by Narendra Modi since 2014 --

** Anti CAA 

Anti farm reform

2015 - death of Rohit in Hyderabad. 'Tukde tukde' gang etc

anything more ... of course 

...   Demonetisation 

There are reasons he could brave through all that. 

His popularity. By far, Namo is still very popular. Hence, Cockroach Janata Party (CJP) may not find the going easy. There are chances, and perhaps more than 'mere chance' -- the CJP is like a tool that has been pushed specifically with a target. 

And 'that mission' is -- anti-Hindutva and anti-Namo regime.  

No doubt Abhijeet Dipke is a political communications strategist. He says the 'original' idea came as a joke. Things may not be so simple. A student in Boston may like a joke and share a joke. The response on Twitter including from Pakistan is little suspicious. 

Moreover, in 2019 too - Abhijeet had issues with abrogation of Article 370. 

However, it is true these are challenging times and one ought to be more than careful about the anguish of the youngsters. This could mean there is a need to show how this 'social media pressure' will ultimately die. But this is a crazy country. The success of Anna Hazare movement is a test in case. Of course - the movement produced AAP and its much discredited leader Arvind Kejriwal; it was an experiment worth trying.

In the case of Anna Movement; the then Congress regime was known for being corrupt. Manmohan Singh's public image in populism-sense was almost zero. Rahul's arrogance and Sonia Gandhi's 'weakness' for son -- all made a jumbo combo which is not the case as of now.  

Corruption on a massive scale was alleged in the organizing of the 2010 Commonwealth Games as well as a housing scheme for widows of war victims in Mumbai and the privatization of Delhi airport. 

These scandals all resulted in a round of resignations and the imprisonment of several ministers and executives. The fungus of corruption had eaten into all spheres of Indian life.  

In 2026, things are different. A section of Sickular media has already passed a mandate.  

"The phenomenon known as Cockroach Janata Party seems to have run out of steam before it could take off," says an article in 'Indian Express'.

"The so-called assembly of cockroaches at Jantar Mantar on June 6 created a lot of buzz, but the event hasn’t had the impact many would have wanted. 

There is little chance that CJP will shake the Modi government as the Anna Movement shook the Manmohan Singh government 14 years ago."

This is quite revealing. It reflects frustration of the anti-Modi ecosystem. 

The Ayodhya verdict of 2019 was the first "cornerstone" of a Hindu Rashtra.  Now the state that gave Syama Prasad Mookerjee has emerged as the 'second mega Cornerstone' of the same Hindu Rashtra. Looking back, last 24 years has seen all that. In 2002 - only a state called Gujarat - the so-called Hindu-lab spoke assertively about Hindutva. 

In West Bengal; the Marxists were in power. They were best known for being anti-Hindu and their second best quality was to appease Muslims. One remembers, a fraud ambitious communist Somnath Chatterjee (son of a right wing leader N C Chatterjee) - who virtually would cry every year on Dec 6th. Today, the Leftists are nowhere in Bengal polity.  

The 'aapa' has been thrown out by a massive mandate and paradoxically an-ex Marxist Ritabrata Banerjee has hit the last nail on TMC's future.  

The West Bengal mandate has left Sickular bogies including Christian lobbies and pro-Muslim 'shopkeepers' utterly frustrated. 

It is also important to note that the period 2010-11 was a time when the world was grappling with economic recession of 2008.

There were mass protests, from the Jasmine movement in Tunisia to the Occupy Wall Street movement from New York to Australia, which shook many regimes and toppled many dictators. 

Come to Sickular ecosystem and Rahul Gandhi's two or more than two 'anmol ratans';  -- they would love to designate Narendra Modi as a dictator.

The fact of the matter is people of India in their own wisdom are doing a clear division between a dictator Indira Gandhi (also a dynast product) and a man and a 'chae-wallah' who is a hard taskmaster. 

But, in general the youths are angry everywhere. 

Things are not improving for them in terms of jobs and a better education atmosphere. That's a challenge of the new era (or New India) and a responsive and sensitive PM like Modi should realise this or might have already realised.  

All eyes on next rounds of reforms, structural changes in governance and education system. Cabinet reshuffle... to start with.

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