NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||14th APRIL2026

 

NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||14th APRIL2026

TUESDAY| VOL—V/2026/APRIL

OPINIONATED, FOR FREE CIRCULATION.

अन्नदा​नम  प​रम  दा​नम  विद्यादा​नम  अतः परम्।

To Give Food Is Great, But Sharing Knowledge Is Greatest.

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

 Supreme Court of India ruled on April 11, 2026, that the right to vote and contest elections are STATUTORY, NOT FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS. The judgment, arising from a Rajasthan cooperative society case, said these rights are governed by laws like the Representation of the People Act.

Punjab assembly has unanimously passed the ‘Jagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar (Amendment)’ Bill, 2026, during the specially convened Vidhan Sabha session.

Nagaland has achieved nearly 95% household tap water coverage under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

 Iranian Ambassador to India, Dr Mohammad Fathali, has thanked the Government and People of India for being reliable and compassionate partners in times of hardship.

Dr S Jaishankar  concluded a two-day official visit to the United Arab Emirates, wrapping up high-level meetings with Emirati leadership. Dr Jaishankar met UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and conveyed a personal message from PM Modi.

IRAN WAR: (Al Jazeera, The times of Israel, Tehran Times, NYT)

A U.S. blockade on traffic to and from Iranian ports in the Strait of Hormuz is taking effect at 10:00 a.m. ET today, U.S. Central Command said. The U.S. Navy will intercept any ship in international waters that has paid Iran a toll, President Donald Trump wrote on social media yesterday, while U.S. forces will begin destroying mines that Iran laid in the strait. Neutral ships, aid allowed; unauthorised ships will be stopped. 

US President Donald Trump says that there’s still plenty of room for Iran to make a deal. And CEASEFIRE is holding.

Iran has accused the US of committing piracy, with thousands of Iranians rallying in the capital, Tehran, in support of their government and against the blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.

Iran’s military responded to Trump’s blockade by warning that no port in the region would be safe from retaliation, according to state media.

The United Kingdom’s prime minister, Keir Starmer, says his country’s navy will not take part in the US blockade of the strait.

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that France and the UK would host a conference in the next few days regarding a defensive multinational mission to secure passage through the strait.

Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Naim Qassem has rejected upcoming talks between the Lebanese government and Israel, saying the negotiations are a ploy to pressure his group into laying down weapons.

Though Israel intensifies its invasion of southern Lebanon, Envoys from Israel and Lebanon are expected to meet in Washington tomorrow for peace talks.

Trump has doubled down on his criticism of Pope Leo XIV, saying the pontiff’s opposition to the war in Iran was “wrong” and accusing him of being “weak on crime”.

Saudi Arabia summoned the Iraqi ambassador due to drone attacks launched from Iraqi territory, the Saudi foreign ministry said yesterday. It delivered an official note of condemnation for the attacks and called on Iraq to address them.

UN urges ‘all parties’ to respect right of navigation in Strait of Hormuz.

Iran appears to believe it can survive, and outlast  this war. That calculation may be shaping its stance on the ceasefire, and subsequent response to peace negotiations.

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

Philippines accuses China of using cyanide to poison South China Sea. Philippine Navy spokesman Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad speaks next to a slide presentation of seized yellow bottles suspected to contain cyanide in waters of Second Thomas Shoal in the disputed South China Sea, during a press conference in Manila on April 13, 2026.

Election authorities extended voting into today for a small number of districts in Peru’s presidential election following logistical difficulties during yesterday’s vote. A partial result based on half the votes counted showed conservative Keiko Fujimori leading a large pool of candidates. The election is expected to go to a runoff.

President Ismail Omar Guelleh won a sixth term in office in Djibouti’s presidential election Friday, securing 97.8 percent of votes, according to preliminary official results. Most of the opposition boycotted the election. Guelleh recently oversaw a constitutional revision to scrap the age limit of seventy-five for presidential candidates.

U.S.-Australia have jointly committed more than $3.5 billion to critical minerals projects. The funding exceeds their initial pledges of at least $1 billion each. Some of the investments include a nickel mining project and a rare earths refinery.

China said that it would push to increase cross-strait flights and Taiwanese food imports following a visit by Cheng Li-wun, the head of Taiwan’s main opposition party. Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council accused China of sowing divisions in Taiwan at the news, saying that cross-strait affairs should be negotiated between the Chinese and Taiwanese governments. I think Cheng Li-wun has different agenda.

The Philippines instructed Meta Friday to address the spread of “false, misleading, and panic-inducing content” related to the energy crisis or face legal action. The content threatens “public order, economic stability, and national security,” the government said. Meta did not immediately comment.

Roman Gofman has been appointed as the next head of Mossad, with confirmation on April 13, 2026. He will assume office on July 2, succeeding David Barnea, at a time when Israel faces complex regional security challenges.

Pakistani forces have conducted rocket strikes in the Shali Dara area of Khas Kunar district of Afghanistan.

MISHAPS:

In Gujarat, a tragic road accident on the Lakhtar-Viramgam highway near Chharad village in Surendranagar district yesterday morning has claimed the lives of seven pilgrims and left several others injured. The incident occurred when a truck ran over a group of devotees who were travelling on foot from Rajkot to Bahucharaji.

In Maharashtra, 11 people were killed after a van collided with a cement mixer on a bridge in Thane district.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY:

Andhra Pradesh Launches India’s First Quantum Testbeds :  AP CM N Chandrababu Naidu is set to inaugurate India’s first indigenous quantum computing testbeds on April 14, 2026, marking a significant step in the country’s advanced technology landscape. The initiative positions Andhra Pradesh as a pioneer in building a domestic ecosystem for quantum research, testing, and innovation. The launch coincides with World Quantum Day.

A new study led by researchers from Nagaland University  identified the anti-cancer potential of a traditional herbal formulation used by the Konyak Naga tribe.

CLIMATE:

The southwest monsoon seasonal rainfall from June to September is expected to be below normal this year. Dr Mrityunjaya Mohapatra ( IMD ) said that the seasonal rainfall over the country is likely to be 92% of the long period average (LPA) with a model error of ±5%.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and lightning over Arunachal Pradesh over the next two days.

ENVIRONMENTAL:

In Tamil Nadu, a 61-day ban on fishing will be implemented from the 15th of April to protect fish breeding. During the period, there will be no fishing by any boats in the coastal areas. The fishermen have also been instructed not to trespass into the neighbouring states using country boats. COAST GUARD shall be vigilant.

CRIME & PUNISHMENT:

In a setback to senior RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, the Supreme Court  refused to quash the FIR registered by CBI and charge sheets filed against him in the alleged land-for-jobs case. A bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and N Kotiswar Singh granted exemption to the 77-year-old Mr Lalu from personal appearance before the trial court.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) Mumbai Zonal Office is conducting searches yesterday in the case of Ashok Kharat, known as a godman, and others in Nashik, Pune, and Shirdi under the Prevention of Money-Laundering Act, 2002. The Search operations are being done based on an FIR dated the 6th of this month for extortion, fraud, and abuse, with allegations of misuse of bank accounts, land investments, and exploitation of victims.

In Chhattisgarh, an encounter took place between police personnel and Maoists in the Machpalli area of Kanker district. A woman Maoist commander, Roopi, was killed in the exchange of fire.

GAMES & SPORTS: -

India’s long-distance runner Sawan Barwal scripted history by breaking the country’s longest-standing national record at the Rotterdam Marathon 2026. Battling extreme conditions and physical exhaustion, the 28-year-old Army havildar overcame a dramatic collapse near the finish line to clock 2:11:58, surpassing a 47-year-old milestone.

DAS KAPITAL:

India sends 100 electric buses to Mauritius in largest export deal  :  Part of the Hinduja Group and a subsidiary of Ashok Leyland.

INDIAN SHARE MARKET: -

*BSE SENSEX* 76,847.57 −702.68 (0.91%)🔻

*NIFTY* 23,842.65 −207.95 (0.86%)🔻

BULLIANS:

 *GOLD* : ₹ 15,480/ 01gm (24 krt)

 *SILVER* : ₹ 2,55,000/KG

Currency Exchange Rates:

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

WHAT IS NEXT:

Today, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank Spring Meetings begin in Washington, DC.

Today, Pope Leo begins a tour of Africa in Algeria.

Tomorrow, Vietnamese leader To Lam begins a visit to China.

 

THE END.