NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||27/07/2026

 

NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||27/07/2026

MONDAY| 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).

Key Highlights from ‘Man Ki Baat’ Episode 136:

Disaster Response Tribute: Prime Minister Narendra Modi praised the incredible efforts of the NDRF, SDRF, and army personnel for their critical rescue operations during recent floods.

Science Olympiad Achievements: The PM celebrated Indian students dominating international competitions, highlighting that the entire contingent won gold medals in the Physics Olympiad to secure the top global rank, alongside sweeping top honors in Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics.

Women-Led Innovation: He spotlighted a Self-Help Group in Bijnor, Uttar Pradesh, for creating "Vidur Prerana Swadeshi Herbal Tea", starting with just ₹1 lakh and scaling it into a popular national brand.

He also paid his highest respects for Kargil Shaheeds.

OTHERS:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced the constitution of a high-powered task force on examination reforms which will be led by renowned technology expert Nandan Nilekani. In a video message, he said that the country’s examination system must be trustworthy, transparent, and leverage technology to the maximum extent.

The task force will also consist of Former IB Director, Former ISRO Chairman, and IIT Chennai Director; besides, former Education Secretary and logistics expert Amrit Lal Meena are also part of the task force.

The government will introduce the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Amendment Bill, 2026, in the Lok Sabha today. The Bill seeks to amend the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. It will be introduced by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh.

On Friday, Union Cabinet had approved a draft Bill to set up fast-track courts and to ensure stricter punishment in cases of paper leaks and exam malpractices.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, the youth of the country have a crucial role in building a Viksit Bharat. He said they are not only the driving force behind a developed India but also its greatest beneficiaries. PM was addressing participants of the Viksit Vibrant Village Programme through video conferencing.

The AI Holobox of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee was inaugurated at Pradhan Mantri Sangrahalaya yesterday, offering visitors an immersive experience of his life, leadership and legacy.

Union Minister Pralhad Joshi  assumed charge as the Education Minister. He was given the charge yesterday following the resignation of Dharmendra Pradhan.

The Delhi government has constituted the Delhi Commission for Women and the Delhi Minorities Commission. Lata Gupta has been named Chairperson of the Delhi Commission for Women, with Shyam Bala, Malti Verma, Lata Sodhi, Sarika Sharma Jha, and Renu Bhalla appointed as members.

In Jammu and Kashmir, authorities have directed that all school buildings found unsafe or damaged due to recent heavy rains be locked immediately and kept out of use until necessary repairs are completed. Divisional Commissioner Jammu, Ramesh Kumar, issued the directions during a review meeting to assess rain-related damage across the Jammu division.

BENGAL FILES:

Major Assembly & Policy Shifts:

Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill: The government is set to introduce the  Uniform Civil Code (UCC) Bill in the State Assembly today, aiming to replace religion-specific personal laws with a uniform framework for marriage, divorce, and inheritance.

New Assembly Building Planned: Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari announced plans to construct a brand-new, modern Assembly building in the New Town area. The expansion prepares for an expected rise to nearly 400 legislators following future delimitation and the implementation of the Women’s Reservation Bill.

Panchayat Bill Passed: The Assembly officially passed the West Bengal Panchayat (Second Amendment) Bill, 2026, striping local Panchayat Pradhans of their direct financial authority.

OBC Quota Overhaul: The legislature passed an amendment slashing the state's total OBC quota from 17% to 7%, completely removing the 113 communities added by the previous administration due to a lack of scientific surveys.

Public Safety and Security Clashes and Kolkata Protest Crackdown: Total arrests reached 14 after extreme violence erupted during recent education and NEET exam leak protests in central Kolkata. The state government has formally invoked the stringent Goonda Act against the accused, marking the first time this law has been deployed in West Bengal.

Counter Rallies Today: The BJP and several student organizations have called for major counter-rallies today across Kolkata to condemn the assault on journalists and police officers during the initial clashes.

Adina Mosque Dispute: Tight security and increased police deployments are active around the historical Adina Mosque in Maldah as authorities monitor a potential communal flashpoint over a temple-mosque dispute.

Online War Room: The West Bengal government has launched a digital 'War Room' explicitly to counter localized misinformation and track viral social media posts provoking unrest.

The West Bengal government launched a major crackdown on an illegal extortion racket operating along National Highway-12 in North Bengal. Chief Minister Adhikari said five people have been arrested and three police personnel have been suspended in connection with the case.

Public Infrastructure & Transit-Metro Timings Revised: The Kolkata Metro revised its operational schedule on the Blue and Green lines, altering first/last train timings and boosting service frequencies to counter staff shortages.

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

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh yesterday reiterated that there will be no talks with Pakistan and any dialogue would focus solely on Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, which he described, as an integral part of India illegally occupied by it. The Defence Minister was addressing the 27th Kargil Vijay Diwas celebrations at Drass in Ladakh. WE SHALL TRY TO STIC TO THIS ONLY.

 Four more international sites added to UNESCO World Heritage List:

UNESCO  added the World War II D-Day landing beaches in France, Greece’s Mount Olympus, Japan’s ancient capitals of Asuka and Fujiwara, and South Sudan’s Boma-Badin Gilo Migratory Landscape to the World Heritage List. India’s ‘SARNATH’ was added on 25^th July.

GULF WAR:

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson says there has been progress in talks with Oman on managing shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.

After nearly two weeks of bombings, it has now been two consecutive nights with no US attacks on Iran. Tehran has also halted retaliatory attacks in the region.

Iranian media report that an oil tanker has exploded after hitting a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz.

Israeli forces and settlers are intensifying their attacks on Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

The Israeli army says it has killed Hamas commander Hamam Eid in an attack in central Gaza. The army says he was responsible for the production of drones.

The US president has rejected reports that the US is running out of munitions in its war on Iran. “We have far more munitions than anyone in the world, and far more than we need,” he told The Wall Street Journal in a statement.

The White House has been informed of declining inventories of its air defence interceptors by General Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the US newspaper reported.

Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani spoke by phone with Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi, discussing bilateral ties and joint coordination to de-escalate regional tensions.

Sheikh Mohammed stressed the need for all parties to stick to dialogue and diplomacy and implement the US-Iran memorandum of understanding, including ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

He also renewed Qatar’s full support for efforts to defuse tensions and reach a comprehensive agreement for sustainable peace in the region.

The Syrian president has set the record straight, making it clear that his country has no intention of intervening in Lebanon militarily. Instead, Ahmed al-Sharaa says he supports strong state institutions in Lebanon and relations should be established through the rule of law.

LAST PEACEFUL TWO DAYs IN GULF  IS A PAUSE—NOT A TRUCE.

MISHAPS: -

Vasant Kunj (Delhi): A 20-year-old national-level basketball player and army officer's son died after his speeding car lost control on a slippery, rain-soaked turn and plunged into a deep, uncovered open drain near Nangal Dewat.

Kuttippuram (Kerala): 1 person was killed and around 20 others were injured after a speeding private bus hit an autorickshaw, slammed into a divider, and overturned onto another car.

Rayagada (Odisha): 3 people, including a President's Award-winning dance teacher, died after their scooter suffered an alleged brake failure and crashed into an electric pole near Shefali Hill.

A massive wildfire in southwest France has forced the evacuation of around 55,000 more people overnight, taking the total number of residents displaced in the region to nearly 2,20,000.

At least seven people, including two children, were killed and 20 others injured in rain-related incidents across Pakistan’s Punjab in the last 24 hours.

ENVIRONMENTAL  AND  WEATHER: -

Extreme Weather Alert:

Deep Depression Warning: The IMD issued a severe public advisory as a deep depression crosses the Odisha-West Bengal coast. Gangetic West Bengal will witness squally winds up to 75 kmph and heavy downpours. Rough sea conditions have extended the strict ban on fishing activities until July 29.

Regional Monsoonal Impact:

Eastern & Central Belts: The IMD reports the Bay of Bengal deep depression will bring squally winds of 55-65 kmph to the coasts of Odisha and West Bengal. Severe urban flooding risks remain critical across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Bihar.

Western India & Rajasthan: East Rajasthan faces heavy to isolated very heavy rainfall due to a lingering low-pressure neighbourhood system. Nearby Gujarat faces persistent structural and traffic risks from localized landslips and heavy waterlogging.

Northern & Peninsular India: Intermittent light rain dominates the northwest plains. However, precipitation will quickly turn into widespread heavy thunderstorms and lightning by July 28–29 for Gurgaon, Delhi, and Haryana.

TECHNOLOGY:

Andhra Pradesh Central Power Distribution Corporation Limited has synchronised 50,114 rooftop solar connections with the power grid under the Prime Minister’s Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana, with a total installed capacity of 180 megawatts.

DAS KAPITAL:

Oil prices drop more than 5% after US pauses strikes on Iran.

INDIAN SHARE MARKET:-- Will open today.

BULLIONS:--

24K Gold (999 Purity): ~₹1,43,780 per 10 grams (excluding 3% GST and making charges)

Silver (999 Purity): ~₹2,22,870 per kilogram

Currency Exchange Rates:--

US Dollar (USD): $1 USD = ₹96.57 INR (SBI)

Euro (EUR): €1 EUR = ₹112.35 INR (Import rate via DGFT)

British Pound (GBP): £1 GBP = ₹132.45 INR (Import rate via DGFT)

United Arab Emirates Dirham (AED): 1 AED = ₹27.00 INR (Import rate via DGFT)

1 CNY: ₹14.23 INR.

GAMES & SPORTS:

India’s weightlifting queen Mirabai Chanu has won first Gold medal for the country at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. She dominated the women’s 48kg weightlifting event with a record-breaking total lift of 190 kilograms.

Indian weightlifting icon Saikhom Mirabai Chanu has won a total of 14 major international medals across major global tournaments. Her highly decorated senior international record features 9 Gold, 4 Silver, and 1 Bronze medal.

India’s Rishikanta Singh Chanambam won the silver medal in the Men’s 60kg weightlifting event in Glasgow.

Top-seed Anahat Singh has scripted history by becoming the country’s first squash player to win the junior world title after defeating Egypt’s Ruqayya Salem 3-0 in the girls’ singles final of the World Squash Junior Championships 2026 at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada.

The 18-year-old Indian prodigy overcame second seed Salem 11-3, 11-7, 11-9 to win the gold medal.

India beat Zimbabwe by 35 runs to seal 3-0 in T-20 series sweep.

 

THE END.