NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||25-07-2026

 

NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||25-07-2026

THURSDAY| VOL—IV/2026/JULY

OPINIONATED, FOR FREE CIRCULATION.

न गतं कर्तुं कश्चिद् धनवान्,

परिश्रमेण तु भविष्यं लभ्यते।

No one is rich enough to buy the past; but with effort, the future can be won.

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

President Smt. Droupadi Murmu met Romanian Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan in Bucharest and held fruitful discussions on advancing the India-Romania partnership.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet formally amended the Public Examinations Act, 2024, locking in a rigid five-month timeline for fast-track investigation and trial conclusions. Mr. Modi—where GOI is failing is, in implementing the LAW.

The World-famous Bahuda Yatra of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra and Devi Subhadra was celebrated with immense spiritual fervour in the holy city of Puri in Odisha yesterday.

The Union Government informed Parliament that more than 66.71 per cent of rural households in Jammu district have been provided tap water connections under the Jal Jeevan Mission (JJM), with over 0.77 lakh new connections added since the launch of the scheme in August 2019.

Both the Houses of Parliament were adjourned till Monday following ruckus for the 5th consecutive day yesterday over the issues of NEET paper leak and COCKROACH protest.

The Central Government appointed Naresh Pal Gangwar, an IAS officer from the Rajasthan cadre of the 1994 batch, as the new Secretary of the Department of Higher Education in the Ministry of Education.

The Supreme Court directed the Centre and the National Testing Agency (NTA) to file detailed affidavits on the progress made in implementing reforms after the NEET-UG paper leak. A bench of Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe, while hearing the NEET paper leak case, said the affidavit must explain the steps taken to institutionalise the reforms instead of relying on ad hoc measures. ME LORD—No system is FAIL SAFE in this area of execution where Human Factor prevails, and a large number of examination papers & centers are involved.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has arrested an Enforcement Officer of the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) District Office in Patiala in a bribery case.

COCKROACH FILES:

The Core Demand: The CJP is steadfast in demanding the immediate resignation of Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan to ensure accountability for systemic exam failures.
Government Proposal: During negotiations, the government indicated it has accepted in principle two of the CJP's secondary demands: offering financial compensation to families of students who committed suicide following the exam fiascos, and withdrawing legal cases against peaceful protesters. However, the government has requested more time to deliberate on the minister's resignation.

Wangchuk Ends Fast: Renowned activist Sonam Wangchuk ended his 26-day hunger strike at Medanta Hospital after receiving a written assurance from top Union Ministers regarding comprehensive reforms in national competitive exams.

Political Escalation: The movement has garnered heavy backing from major opposition groups. Leaders from the Trinamool Congress (TMC), including Mamata Banerjee, and the Samajwadi Party have expressed fierce solidarity, further intensifying parliamentary disruption during the ongoing monsoon session.

Legal Action Over Crackdown: Following a police crackdown during a march to Parliament on July 20, the CJP announced it is launching a dedicated website to crowdsource evidence to identify police personnel who assaulted peaceful student agitators.

BENGAL FILES:

FIR filed over Mamata Banerjee’s Martyrs’ Day rally for alleged violation of High Court order

Calcutta High Court defers Abhishek Banerjee’s plea for protection in multiple FIRs till July 30.

The CAG report will be officially tabled in the West Bengal Assembly today, July 25, 2026. Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari has promised strict legal actions, with zero leniency, against anyone named for the alleged misuse of public funds.

The state government is tabling proposed changes to the West Bengal Panchayat Act today. The bill aims to strip elected Panchayat Pradhan’s of financial power if they are absent for more than 15 days, shifting temporary administrative control to government officials to avoid governance delays.

In line with the state’s massive digital push, Finance Minister Dr. Swapan Dasgupta recently announced the West Bengal AI Impact Mission to scale up technologies like AI and quantum computing to boost economic growth and optimize governance. 

QR-Based Waste Tracking: The government is actively deploying a new QR-code and GPS-enabled garbage collection tracking system across municipal regions to improve municipal transparency.

TMC Political Fallout: Tensions continue inside the assembly following the suspension of TMC MLA Kunal Ghosh for disrupting proceedings earlier this week.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS:

Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, has met Pakistan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan.

Red Sea Tanker Strikes: Yemen's Houthi rebels targeted a Saudi fuel tanker, the NCC MASA, causing hull damage in the Red Sea. The Houthis explicitly warned that these actions are tied to the broader maritime conflict.

Saudi Nuclear Deal Tied to Israel: President Trump stated that a landmark US nuclear agreement allowing Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium is contingent on the Saudis joining the Abraham Accords and normalizing ties with Israel.

UN Human Rights Chief Approved: The UN General Assembly voted overwhelmingly to extend the term of UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk for four more years, defying fierce pushback and funding threats from the US and Israel.

Sweeping US Tariffs: The Trump administration enacted massive new tariffs against more than 60 trading partners, citing forced labor concerns. The move has severely strained relations with global trade partners.

US-Canada Border Rift: Canada marked the opening of the Gordie Howe International Bridge connecting Windsor and Detroit without US officials present, following an aggressive toll-sharing dispute and a 50% tariff threat from the US.

Tech Regulations: The European Union officially ruled that TikTok violated its digital rulebook by failing to implement adequate privacy protections for minor users.

 India has expressed disappointment with the United Nations for ignoring the repression in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK).

Speaking at the UN Security Council Open Debate on Strengthening the Mechanisms for Peaceful Settlement of Disputes, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said that while similar developments in other countries are strongly criticised by the United Nations, such repression in Pakistan does not receive the attention it deserves.

GULF WAR:

The US military carried out a 13th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, saying the attacks are aimed at degrading Tehran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting through the Strait of Hormuz.

Major General Abdollahi, the commander of Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, told Press TV, “for every Iranian martyred, one American soldier will be sent to hell.”

Trump told reporters that Washington is talking to Tehran “as we speak” and that the US may not need carry out the “massive” attack on Iran that he’s been threatening in recent days.

The Saudi-led Coalition Joint Forces Command says it targeted Houthi sites in Yemen’s Hodeidah, but said it did not hit the Port of Hodeidah.

Human Rights Watch has warned US and Iranian leaders that deliberately targeting civilian infrastructure violates the laws of war.

Balkees Jarrah, the Middle East and North Africa director at Human Rights Watch, said --“Other countries should make clear to the United States and Iran that those responsible for war crimes will be brought to justice, including through universal jurisdiction…”

Speaking about Iranian negotiators, the US President said “they want to make a deal, I just don’t think they’re ready yet”.

Trump further  reiterated once more that Iran cannot have a nuclear weapon, and he is not in a hurry to sign this deal.

Abdullah al-Shayji, a professor of political science at Kuwait University, says Iran is pushing its luck in its relations with Gulf nations.

French President Emmanuel Macron has met the former leader of Lebanon’s Progressive Socialist Party, Walid Joumblatt, at the Elysee Palace.

The UK and the US could be planning a “high-level meeting” in London next week on the future of the Strait of Hormuz, Axios has reported. The meeting would include talks on the possible establishment of a coalition naval force to protect ships in the strait; diplomatic sources told the website. High-level European, American and Arab officials, such as defence ministers and military commanders, could take part.

CRIME & PUNISHMENT:

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has voted to remove Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan from office following sexual misconduct allegations he has repeatedly denied, dealing a major blow to the world’s top war crimes tribunal at a time of growing political pressure.

MISHAPS: -

Thirteen people were killed after a vehicle was crushed by a massive boulder that fell from a hillside near Kadunala on the Udaipur-Killar road in Himachal Pradesh’s tribal district of Lahaul-Spiti this afternoon.

ENVIRONMENT AND WEATHER ALERTS:

Sundarbans Restoration: Environment and Forest Minister Manoj Kumar Oraon announced that the state will launch a crackdown to reclaim and restore hundreds of acres of mangrove forests that were illegally turned into commercial fish ponds.

Extreme heatwaves triggered national emergencies in Spain and France, forcing more than 10,000 residents and holidayers near Madrid and Cap Ferret to evacuate.

Andhra Pradesh Irrigation Department said that the El Nino effect led to a sharp decline in rainfall across the state, resulting in significantly reduced inflows into the Krishna River.

Heavy Rain Warning: The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a heavy rainfall and thunderstorm warning for South Bengal stretching through July 27, advising local fishermen to strictly avoid going out to sea.

In the Kashmir Valley, water levels in the Jhelum River remained above normal at several places due to persistent rainfall over the past few days.

In Maharashtra, heavy rainfall over the past two days has triggered flood-like conditions in several parts of Palghar district, disrupting connectivity in villages across Dahanu, Talasari and Palghar talukas.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the 250-kms long strategic Jammu-Srinagar National Highway (NH44), the only all-weather road linking Kashmir with the rest of the country remained closed for the third consecutive day today following multiple landslides, shooting stones and road erosion triggered by incessant rain.

Massive cloudbursts have forced school and college closures across Gujarat, Punjab, and Haryana. In Himachal Pradesh, a devastating landslide in Lahaul-Spiti crushed a passenger vehicle, killing 13 people.

SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY:

Fields Medal Win: Chinese mathematicians Hong Wang and Yu Deng made history by winning the prestigious Fields Medal for the first time for solving century-old mathematical puzzles

GAMES & SPORTS:

 The West Bengal government officially signed a long-term commitment guaranteeing financial backing for the historic Durand Cup tournament in the state through 2032.

2026 Commonwealth Games (Glasgow):

Opening Medals: Jhandu Kumar secured India’s first medal by successfully lifting 190 kg in the Group B para powerlifting heavyweight division.

Boxing Success: Indian boxer Jadumani Singh Mandengbam comfortably outclassed Scotland's home favourite, Aaron Cullen, via a unanimous decision to charge into the Round of 16.

Day 2 Preview: Indian gymnastics star Pranati Nayak is set to headline the women's artistic gymnastics campaign today as team and individual qualification rounds commence.

 In Shooting, India’s Sainyam won the silver medal in the women’s 10-meter air pistol event at the ISSF World Cup in Hangzhou, China, opening the country’s medal account at the tournament. The 22-year-old shooter scored 243.4 in the final.

Cricket:

Sooryavanshi's Record Blitz: 15-year-old batting prodigy Vaibhav Sooryavanshi smashed an 18-ball half-century, inspiring India's senior side to a dominant 7-wicket T20 victory over Zimbabwe in Harare. The second T20I is scheduled for today, July 25 at 4:30 PM IST.

Asian Games Draw: India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka have officially been granted direct entry into the knockout stages of the upcoming 2026 Asian Games cricket tournament.

Chess:

Anand Takes Over FIDE: Chess legend Viswanathan Anand has stepped in as the interim head of the International Chess Federation (FIDE) after president Arkady Dvorkovich was sidelined due to political sanctions.

 DAS KAPITAL:

Share Market:

The BSE Sensex fell 331.62 points to close at 76,059.77, recovering from an aggressive intraday plunge of more than 900 points. Concurrently, the NSE Nifty 50 shed 102.15 points to settle at 23,767.45, sliding decisively beneath the psychologically vital 23,800 threshold.

Key Market Metrics & Triggers:

Surging Crude Oil: Brent crude prices climbed above $100 per barrel following targeted Houthi rebel strikes on Saudi fuel tankers in the Red Sea, triggering severe inflation concerns for India.

Foreign Outflows: Institutional pressure intensified as Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) remained aggressive net sellers, offloading thousands of crores in blue-chip equities like HDFC Bank.

Rupee Recovered Slightly: Backed by probable Reserve Bank of India (RBI) market interventions, the Indian Rupee closed 18 paise stronger at 96.55 against the US Dollar.

Bullions:

24K gold trading at ₹1,44,330/- per gram and 999 pure silver holding at ₹2,45,000/- per kilogram.

CURRENCIES:

US Dollar (USD): ₹96.40/-

Euro (EUR): ₹109.81/-

British Pound (GBP): ₹128.44/-

UAE Dirham (AED): ₹26.24/-

Canadian Dollar (CAD): ₹68.43/-

Australian Dollar (AUD): ₹67.35/-

Saudi Riyal (SAR): ₹25.70/-

*China¥* : ₹ 14/-

Image: PM flags off 1^st Hydrogen Train.

THE END.