Latest news with #EconomistGroup
New Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Business
- New Indian Express
Tamil Nadu tops EIU ranking for business environment
CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu has emerged as the top-ranked Indian state for business environment, according to the latest report for the period 2025-2029 released by the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), which is part of the Economist Group, by securing a score of 7.4 and finding a place under the 'achievers' category. Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu, citing the report on Tuesday, said the accolade underscored Tamil Nadu's transformation into a national leader in economic competitiveness. 'This recognition reflects the state's unmatched progress — from record FDI inflows to thriving industries across sectors,' he said. Industries Minister TRB Rajaa termed the achievement as a validation of the Dravidian model of governance, which, he said, is a unique combination of social inclusivity and economic ambition. 'This is the Dravidian model in action where a business-friendly atmosphere, visionary leadership, effective policy and relentless execution come together,' Rajaa said.
Calgary Herald
18-06-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Calgary drops to 18th among most liveable cities in the world
Research shows that Calgary is no longer in the top five liveable cities in the world, after falling several spots down in the latest Economist Intelligence Unit's Liveability Index Report for 2025. Article content In 2024, Calgary ranked fifth as one of the most liveable cities in the world. Article content Article content One year later, their ranking dropped to 18th — the second lowest score among the four Canadian cities listed on the report. Article content Article content According to key findings by the EIU, Calgary saw the biggest fall down the rankings. Article content Article content The EIU, the research and analysis branch of the Economist Group, released the report on Monday, which ranked 173 cities around the world on their stability, health care, culture and environment, education and infrastructure. Article content All of the Canadian cities on the list experienced a decline in their scores for health care due to strains in Canada's national health service that intensified. Article content Toronto also fell a few spots, moving from 12th in 2024 to 16th in 2025. Article content Vancouver is the only Canadian city in the top 10 at the 10th spot, with Montreal listed as the lowest-ranking Canadian city at 19th. Article content This year, Copenhagen was named the most liveable city for 2025 after securing perfect scores in stability, education and infrastructure. Article content Vienna moved down to second in the wake of a bomb threat that targeted a Taylor Swift Concert in the summer of 2024 and a planned attack on a city train station in 2025, which decreased their stability score. Article content Damascus, Syria still ranks at the bottom at 173rd place. Despite a regime change in 2024, Syria's capital city is still deeply affected by years of civil war that showed no improvement in liveability.
CTV News
18-06-2025
- Health
- CTV News
Calgary's liveability ranking drops significantly amid health-care ‘strains': report
Calgary is no longer among the top five most liveable cities in the world according to a new report; in fact, it didn't even make the top 10. Last year, Calgary nabbed fifth spot on the Economist Intelligence Unit's (EIU) annual list. This year, Calgary saw the biggest drop in the rankings, tumbling to 18th place. The EIU, a research and analysis division of the Economist Group, released the list on Monday. It surveyed 173 cities around the world, scoring them in five categories – stability, healthcare, culture and environment, education and infrastructure – on data collected between April 14 and May 11. Copenhagen came in first place, followed by Vienna, Zurich, Melbourne and Geneva. Only four Canadian cities made the list. The one with the highest ranking was Vancouver (10), followed by Toronto (16), Calgary (18) and Montreal (19). The EUI said all the Canadian cities in the survey saw a decline in score for healthcare, as 'strains in the country's national health service intensified.'
Indian Express
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Opinion A lesson for South Korea: Impeachment hasn't deepened democracy
Han Duck-soo, the interim president of South Korea, resigned on May 2, citing his desire to prepare for a more significant role. Choi Sang-mok, the deputy prime minister and next in line to become interim president of South Korea, also resigned. The political crisis that erupted after Yoon Suk yeol was impeached at the beginning of this year is clearly yet to be resolved. Yoon Suk yeol was the second South Korean president to be impeached, following Park Geun-hye. Yoon's impeachment is viewed as a democratic triumph for the country. The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a branch of the Economist Group which creates the Democracy Index, ranks South Korea 16th out of 167 countries. South Korea's democracy with its frequent changes in government, free and fair elections, and citizen participation are acknowledged across the world. But the current crisis has tarnished that reputation. Accusing the opposition of having North Korean sympathies, Yoon implemented martial law with ease, underscoring the dangers of excessive securitisation and the deterioration of democratic standards. Moon Jae-in's previous administration, too, was widely criticised for sabotaging institutions and abusing power. This democratic regression can be attributed to a number of reasons. First, securitisation, which is the process of taking an issue that is not a security threat and framing it as an existential danger, has been used to support a variety of undemocratic practices, including citizen surveillance and limitations on free expression. This pattern began underSyngman Rhee's administration, when authoritarian practices were justified by framing North Korea as a danger. Every president since has employed the 1948 National Security Law to quell opposition, even though it violates South Korea's international human rights commitments. Second, the concentration of executive authority in South Korea also encourages democratic backsliding. While the National Assembly and other independent entities have little ability to monitor the presidency, the South Korean president has considerable authority over intelligence services, the Supreme Prosecutor's Office, and the bureaucracy. The system of checks and balances is weakened by the executive's centralisation of powers Then there is the weak party system. Despite South Korea's claims to be a multiparty democracy, its political landscape is dominated by two major parties. Others who hold different opinions find it more difficult to be represented as a result. As a result, the political system in South Korea cannot accurately represent people with varied views, and because of its limited intellectual scope, some political ideas are excluded from the conversation. In December 2014, the South Korean government banned the Unified Progressive Party, because it had questioned the government's election practices, but under the pretext of supporting North Korea. There are also significant limitations on the nation's media environment. According to the Press Freedom Index, South Korea is ranked 42nd, and since 2011, the press has been regarded only as partially free. Critics claim that a 'fake news bill' that was approved by the government in 2021 was intended to stifle independent journalism. Additionally, the independence of the judiciary has also been under pressure. Therefore, instead of viewing Yoon's impeachment as a win, academics and decision-makers ought to concentrate on diversifying South Korean politics. Preventing future political crises requires addressing the nation's democratic shortcomings and reforming national laws. In the absence of such changes, more and more people would start viewing martial law as a necessary step towards political stability.
