NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||31st MARCH2026

 

NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||31st MARCH2026

TUESDAY| VOL—V/2026/MARCH

OPINIONATED, FOR FREE CIRCULATION.

*कष्टः खलु पराश्रयः।*

Dependence is indeed painful.

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

Today is Mahavir Jayanti.

 In Uttarakhand, the “Green Card system” for commercial passenger vehicles has been introduced from 30 March to ensure the smooth and safe conduct of the Char Dham Yatra. Transport Minister Pradeep Batra inaugurated the system at Roshanabad in Haridwar district.

The sub-divisional administration of Dharmanagar under North Tripura District has completed all necessary preparations to conduct home voting for voters aged above 85 and differently-abled persons ahead of the upcoming Dharmanagar Assembly bye-election.

Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, was passed by both Houses of the Maharashtra Legislature a few days ago. The Bill has been opposed by several civil society organisations,

The Maharashtra Freedom of Religion Bill, 2026, has been defined as “a Bill to provide for protection of right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.” It aims to prohibit conversions carried out through allurement, misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, or any other fraudulent means.

Union government is considering a major policy shift to extend social security coverage to unorganized sector workers by bringing them under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organization (EPFO) and the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC). The proposal aims to ensure pension and insurance benefits for millions of workers currently outside formal welfare systems, including gig and platform workers.

The Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) has recently initiated fresh excavation work at the historically significant Balirajgarh site in Bihar’s Madhubani district. The move aims to uncover deeper insights into ancient civilizations and strengthen understanding of early cultural and administrative centers in the region.

Union Home Minister on Monday launched a political broadside at the Congress while speaking on the Naxal issue in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, alleging that decades of governance failure and ideological support for Left-wing extremism had pushed tribal communities towards Maoist influence.

India is set to block Chinese CCTV giants like Hikvision, Dahua and TP-Link from selling internet-connected cameras from April 1, as new STQC certification rules make approval mandatory.

IRAN WAR:

president told the Financial Times yesterday his administration is weighing multiple military options in Iran, including taking Kharg Island.

He is also considering an operation to extract Iran’s uranium, the Wall Street Journal reported.

Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) tells US-Israeli forces have carried out air attacks on two of their bases in the Babil and Anbar provinces.

“The 45th Brigade in the Jurf al-Nasr sector of Babil province was targeted by three air strikes, while another attack struck the al-Karma sector east of Anbar province, targeting the site of the 31st Brigade,” the group said in a statement.

The Houthis launched two waves of  missile attack at Israel after additional U.S. Marines arrived in the region, in the group’s first such attack of the war.

HEZBOLLA  says its fighters have launched an attack targeting a military checkpoint in the Misgav Am settlement in northern Israel with a swarm of drones.

Iran’s foreign ministry said that the fifteen-point U.S. peace plan included “excessive, unrealistic, and irrational demands.”

Iran’s Parliamentary Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran would set U.S. troops “on fire” if a ground operation is launched, according to state media.

Iran hit aluminum plants in Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and attacked a U.S. airbase in Saudi Arabia. The attack in Saudi Arabia wounded twelve U.S. troops and damaged several aircraft, unnamed U.S. officials told to multiple news outlets.

Saudi Arabia intercepts 8 ballistic missiles in past hours.

Haifa is a prime target, both for Iran and Hezbollah’s forces north of the border with Lebanon. It is within range of some of the weapons that Hezbollah has, and it’s also been a target of Iranian missile strikes, and often, the two forces will be working and coordinating their attacks, trying to overcome Israeli air defenses. ( HAIFA is a port having investment of ADANI group, and has the largest oil refinery of ISRAEL)

The Kuwait Petroleum Corporation says an Iranian attack on the giant Al-Salmi oil tanker at the Dubai Port has caused a fire, warning that it could lead to an oil spill. Dubai says all crew on Kuwaiti tanker accounted for, firefighting continues.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has told Al Jazeera that President Donald Trump “always prefers diplomacy”, but warned Iran of “real consequences” over the partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

U.S.-Israeli strikes hit a uranium processing plant in Tehran and Isfahan, according to Iranian state media.

In Lebanon, a UN peacekeeper and three Lebanese journalists were killed this weekend amid cross-fighting  between Israel and Hezbollah.

Pakistan’s talks with regional leaders yesterday focused on proposals for securing transportation through the Strait of Hormuz.

Admiral Alireza Tangsiri, the commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) navy, who was killed in an Israeli strike, will be buried in the city of Abadan in the western province of Khuzestan, according to the Fars news agency.

19 ships with LPG, crude oil and LNG meant for India are currently stranded in the Strait of Hormuz.

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

More than 200 global business organisations have jointly urged the extension of the World Trade Organization (WTO) E-commerce Moratorium, as its expiry approaches at the upcoming 14th Ministerial Conference in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

 *What is the E-commerce Moratorium?*

The E-commerce Moratorium is a longstanding WTO agreement that prohibits member countries from imposing customs duties on electronic transmissions Product.

Ukraine has signed a joint defense production deal with Qatar and is negotiating one with the UAE, as reported. Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced following weekend visits to both countries. He announced a similar defense deal with Saudi Arabia last week.

China announced two new probes into U.S. trade practices Friday in light of the Supreme Court’s reversal of Trump’s emergency tariffs, moves that echo similar U.S. probes into China.

A sanctioned tanker carrying Russian oil arrived in Cuba, where Washington has tried to restrict oil supplies to extract political concessions from Havana. Trump told reporters last night that he had “no problem” with the oil’s delivery.

French authorities arrested three people this weekend as part of anti-terrorism probe into an attempted bomb attack at Bank of America’s Paris offices. France’s interior minister said the foiled attack could be related to the Iran war, pointing to similar actions attempted in other European countries. Iran’s embassy in France did not immediately comment.

A  delegation of U.S. senators began a visit to Taipei Saturday to rally support inside Taiwan for a $40 billion defense bill. The legislation has stalled amid resistance from opposition lawmakers. The trip is the first such visit by U.S. senators since last summer; the delegation will travel on to South Korea and Hawaii.

A global ban on taxing digital downloads and streaming has expired after World Trade Organization (WTO) delegates failed to reach a deal to extend it. A dispute between the United States and Brazil derailed an agreement late yesterday.  

Both Italy's prime minister and the U.S. ambassador to Israel criticized Israeli police yesterday for blocking the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate Palm Sunday for the first time in hundreds of years. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move was due to concerns for the Catholic leader’s safety. Israeli officials granted access to the church following the objections.

Nepal’s former prime minister and home minister were arrested in police raids Saturday as part of an investigation into their alleged roles in a police crackdown last year that killed dozens of protesters. Both men deny responsibility for the police’s abuse of force.

The IRAN WAR has boosted Russia’s oil revenues and its ability to escalate in Ukraine, but concern is mounting among Russian elites about relations with the Trump administration.

US consented to  the Israeli parliament’s approval of a law allowing the execution of Palestinians convicted of deadly attacks. When asked about the law, the US said it respected Israel’s right to set its own laws, a position that stands in contrast to the criticism issued by European countries and rights groups.

MISHAPS:

Retired Brigadier Mukesh Joshi (74) was fatally shot in Dehradun during a crossfire between two groups involved in a dispute over a nightclub bill. He was out for a morning walk, and later died in hospital. Four individuals, including the owner of the 'Zen-G' nightclub, have been arrested.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY:

IAF equipped MiG-29s with ASRAAM missiles, replacing R-73. This upgrade strengthens India’s air defence against China and Pakistan.

Zimbabwe is planning a 500 MW floating solar power project at Kariba Dam to address persistent electricity shortages and diversify its energy mix. The initiative, led by Green Hybrid Power in partnership with the Intensive Energy Users Group.

Japan launches the world’s first freight-only bullet train running at 275 kmph. It was developed by East Japan Railway Company; the train can transport goods. It can carry up to the 1,000 boxes or around 17.4 tonnes of goods per trip and it making compact yet highly efficient logistics solution.

CLIMATE:

IMD: Heavy rain, hailstorms to hit India as western disturbance hits on Tuesday.

CRIME & PUNISHMENT:

Nine Maoists, including senior leader C Narayana Rao, surrendered before the Andhra Pradesh police, marking a significant development in the state’s anti-insurgency efforts.

GAMES & SPORTS: -

India’s 19-Year-Old Sheetal Devi Honoured as World Archery’s Para Archer of the Year. Sheetal Devi wins Para Archer of the Year 2025 by World Archery.

DAS KAPITAL:

RBI imposes a $100M daily cap on banks’ net open FX positions from April 10, 2026, replacing capital-linked limits. The move standardizes currency market risk management across all banks, strengthening oversight and curbing excessive exposure.

Indian Share Market: -

*BSE SENSEX* 71,947.55 −1,635.67 (2.22%)🔻

*NIFTY* 22,331.40 −488.20 (2.14%)🔻

BULLIONS:

*GOLD* : ₹ 15,100/ 01gm (24 krt)

*SILVER* : ₹ 2,45,000/KG

Currency Exchange Rates:

*Euro* : ₹107/-*USD*  ₹ 92/-  *China¥* : ₹ 13/-

WHAT IS NEXT:

Today, Myanmar’s legislature begins the process of selecting its next president.

Today, Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa begins a visit to Germany and the United Kingdom.

Today, Group of Seven finance and energy ministers meet to discuss the war in Iran.

 

THE END.