NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||18--02--2026

 

NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||18--02--2026

WEDNESDAY|| VOL—V/2026/FEBRUARY

OPINIONATED, FOR FREE CIRCULATION.

अनन्तो नास्ति पिपासायाः सन्तोषः परमं सुखम् ।

तस्मात्सन्तोषमेवेह परं पश्यन्ति पण्डिताः ॥

"There is no end of desire. Contentment is the ultimate happiness. Therefore, the wise behold contentment alone as the highest desire in this world.”- Mahabharata. Vana Parva. 

INDIA: (GOI, SWARAJYA, VISHWAMITRA, HINDU POST, INDIA TODAY).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron are set to virtually inaugurate the H125 Light Utility Helicopter Final Assembly Line at TATA Airbus in Vemagal, Karnataka.

India and France established Special Global Strategic Partnership after talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Emmanuel Macron in Mumbai; Both countries exchange 21 agreements and documents in key areas of Defense, Energy, and Critical Minerals among others.

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan inaugurated 75 CM Shri Schools across New Delhi. Chief Minister Rekha Gupta said the 75 new CM Shri schools were built as model government schools to match private institutions in quality and facilities.

 The Election Commission of India has officially released the final electoral roll for Gujarat following a rigorous three-and-a-half-month Special Intensive Revision (SIR) campaign.

The Bharatiya Janata Party’s capture of the mayoral post in Karimnagar Municipal Corporation (KMC) marks a significant political milestone for the party’s future in Telangana. This is the first time since the formation of Telangana in 2014 that the BJP will head a Municipal Corporation in the State.

Delhi Airport authority  advises passengers to use metro for convenient access ahead of India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam.

The Assam Cabinet has approved a 3% reservation in Class I and Class II state government jobs for tea tribes and Adivasi communities within the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota.

Sadhguru Shri Jaggi Vasudev inaugurated the Bhavya Bharat Bhushan Award during MAHASHIVARATRI in Coimbatore. The new national honour recognizes excellence in national security, science, sports, arts, business, and social service, with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh attending as chief guest.

 Assam's newly inaugurated emergency landing strip on the Dibrugarh-Moran stretch of National Highway represents a pivotal advancement in India's defense infrastructure. Located just 60 kilometers from the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, this 4-kilometre reinforced highway section transforms ordinary tarmac into a vital airstrip capable of handling advanced fighter jets like the Rafale and Su-30MKI.

WORLD: (REUTER, AP, AFP, BLOOMBERG, CNN, WP)

Two separate sets of high-stakes talks are taking place in Geneva,  with U.S. envoys hoping to clinch agreements regarding Iran’s nuclear program and peace in Ukraine.

On Iran, the threat of renewed war looms over the talks. The United States has increased its military deployments in the region, while Iran conducted military drills yesterday in the Strait of Hormuz. 

A second round of talks between Iran and the United States, over Tehran’s nuclear programme, have concluded in Geneva, Switzerland yesterday.

Iran has released a dramatic footage of its Khorramshahr-4 ballistic missile, one of Tehran’s most powerful medium-range weapons, amid rising tensions with the United States. 

On Ukraine, talks have zeroed in on outstanding disputes over territory. A Kremlin spokesperson said yesterday that Russia would press for territorial concessions as well as other unspecified demands. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met with backers including the United States in Munich and said he hoped today’s talks would be “serious” and “substantive.”

In his Munich Security Council address, Rubio called European countries the United States’ “cherished allies and our oldest friends.” After the ‘COLD WAR’ era was ended, and USSR got disintegrated, NATO lost its relevance.

While visiting Budapest yesterday, Rubio endorsed Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s bid for a fifth term in upcoming elections in April. “It’s in our national interest that Hungary be successful,” Rubio said. Rubio also signed a nuclear cooperation agreement with Hungary.

China will remove tariffs on goods from fifty-three African countries beginning May 1, the country’s foreign ministry announced. Beijing previewed these plans last year but hadn’t specified a start date. The announcement came after Trump signed a one-year extension earlier this month of duty-free U.S. access for many African goods. INDIA SHALL EVALUATE THE EFFECT.

CULTURAL& RELIGIOUS  FESTIVAL:

Himachal Pradesh: Losar Festival from 18–20 February Marks Start of Fire Horse Year. The festival will begin TODAY, and will be celebrated until 20 February. Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has also arrived in McLeod Ganj, creating an atmosphere of joy among devotees and local residents.

The seven-day International Shivaratri Festival of Mandi district in Himachal Pradesh began and will continue till 21 February 2026.

 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY:

The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has pioneered a ground breaking Submarine-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM) capsule, transforming naval warfare capabilities for the Indian Navy.  This innovative watertight launch container enables cruise missiles to be fired from submerged submarines via torpedo tubes or vertical launch systems.

CRIME & PUNISHMENT:

Rs 900 crore Jal Jeevan Mission scam: Anti-Corruption Bureau  raids 15 locations across India, ACB teams carried out searches in Jaipur, Barmer, Sikar and Jalore within Rajasthan. Officials scrutinised documents, electronic records and financial transactions connected to the allocation of tenders under the scheme.

 A Delhi court formally framed charges against former Railways minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi in the alleged land-for-jobs scam. ALMOST POSTHUMAS ACTION!!!

MISHAPS: -

1.  In Dhanbad district of Jharkhand, a major fire broke out late at night at the Steel Gate vegetable market in the Saraidhela police station area, reducing more than 12 shops to ashes. Four fire tenders rushed to the spot and brought the blaze under control after sustained efforts. No casualty reported so far.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has said that the Digital Flight Data Recorder of the Learjet 45 aircraft, which crashed in Baramati last month, has been successfully downloaded by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau flight recorder laboratory. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is carrying out a detailed investigation into the accident in which Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, along with four others, lost their life.

ENVIRONMENTAL: -

Districts of Telangana need to get ready for the first rains and hailstorms of 2026, apart from India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasted misty conditions.  Thunderstorms are expected across Telangana on February 22, 23, and 24.

GAMES & SPORTS: -

Winter Olympics:- 2026 Milan-Cortina

Norway—13 Gold. Italy—8 Gold.

The Milan-Cortina Olympics are using mostly existing infrastructure and by one estimate will add $6.3 billion in value to the country’s economy.

Legendary Indian cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev, along with 12 other former international captains, have expressed deep concern about jailed cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan’s deteriorating health. The group of fourteen former captains wrote a letter, urging the Pakistan government to provide 73-year-old Khan adequate medical attention, transparent legal procedures and dignified conditions in line with international standards.

DAS KAPITAL:

*BSE SENSEX* 83,450.96 +173.81 (0.21%)🌲

*NIFTY* 25,725.40 +42.65 (0.17%)🌲

BULLIONS:

 *GOLD* : ₹ 15,500/ 01gm (24 krt)

 *SILVER* : ₹ 265,000/KG

Currency Exchange Rates:

*Euro* : ₹107/- *USD*  ₹ 91/-  * China ¥* : ₹ 13/-

OBITUARY:

U.S. civil rights leader and former two-time presidential candidate Jesse Jackson, whose activism earned him global recognition, has died at 84, his family said today.

WHAT IS NEXT:

Today, Macron is in India.

Today, Mumbai Climate Week begins.

Tomorrow, King Frederik of Denmark begins a three-day state visit to Greenland.

 

 

THE END.