NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||14-08-2026

 

NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||14-08-2026

FRYDAY| VOL—IV/2026/AUGUST

OPINIONATED, FOR FREE CIRCULATION.

“बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः ।

अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत्” ॥ ६ ॥

BHAGABAD GEETA—CHAPTER 6, VERSE-6.

TRANSLATION (BY BLOGGER): "For those who have conquered the mind, it is their finest friend. But for those who have failed to do so, the mind remains the cruelest enemy."

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

India will celebrate the its 80th Independence Day tomorrow on Saturday, August 15th, 2026, marking the 79 years that have passed after India achieved its independence from the British colonialism in the year 1947. This day pays tribute to the freedom fighters struggles and commemorates the India’s status as an independent, democratic, unified and constitutionally sovereign nation. The primary celebrations of the day will be held at the Red Fort, New Delhi.

 *The theme of the 80th Independence Day 2026 is “Yuva Shakti” (Youth Power).*

President Smt Droupadi Murmu will address the nation today.   The President’s address will be broadcast at 7 PM on the entire national network of Akashvani. It will also be telecast on all channels of Doordarshan in Hindi, followed by the English version.

President Droupadi Murmu today presented the Sangeet Natak Akademie Fellowships and Awards for the years 2024 and 2025 to over 100 artists in a special investiture ceremony in New Delhi.

High-level US officials signalled upcoming talks between Prime Minister Modi and Donald Trump regarding ongoing Russian oil tariff and trade disputes.

Monsoon session of Parliament is closed with ‘Vande Mataram’ song. 12 bills passed. Some of these bills don’t  have much  ‘CONTRIBUTARY EFFECT’. Rowdy opposition didn’t allow any debate to take place—as can be observed in VDO records. I strongly feel—they should not be paid for proportionate time, and cost of other benefits enjoyed for the period shall be recovered from future pay, baring exceptional members who didn’t join the Ruckus!

The National Biodiversity Authority (NBA) has released over fifteen crore rupees in Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS) proceeds from Mustard Genetic Resources. The amount will flow to twenty-six State Biodiversity Boards and three Union Territory Biodiversity Councils, with the ABS share calculated based on the area under mustard cultivation in each State.

Jammu and Kashmir police activated the National General Emergency Response System, Dial 112, today for immediate assistance to people during emergencies through a single helpline.

The Rajasthan Cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma approved several key proposals, including draft Rajasthan Uniform Civil Code Bill 2026.

In Manipur, the Patriots’ Day is observed yesterday remembering the supreme sacrifice made by freedom fighters especially Yuvraj Bir Tikendrajit and Thangal General who were hanged by the British on this day in 1891 following the Anglo-Manipuri War.

The Jammu Municipal Corporation (JMC) is organising “Jammu Runs for Unity – A Pledge for a Clean Amarnath Yatra” on August 16, starting at 5:00 AM from Bahu Plaza. The event features 5 Kms and 10 Kms running categories passing through Gole Market and Apsara Road of the city to promote fitness, community harmony, and environmental cleanliness.

Uttar Pradesh Cabinet approved the Mukhyamantri Jokhim Prabandhan Evam Pashudhan Bima Yojana on July 6, 2026, with a ₹60 crore provision for FY 2026–27. The new state scheme provides livestock insurance support, with 85% of the insurance premium borne by the state government and 15% by the beneficiary. The UP Kamadhenu Pashu Bima Yojana has been associated with livestock insurance support for farmers and livestock owners in Uttar Pradesh.

Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has welcomed the Lok Sabha’s motion to refer the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Amendment Bill, 2026 to a Joint Parliamentary Committee.

Delhi Traffic Police imposes traffic restrictions and diversions around Red Fort for Independence Day rehearsal.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tributes to social reformer Ahilyabai Holkar on her death anniversary yesterday.

 *Maharani Ahilyabai Holkar (1725–1795) was the famous 18th-century queen of the Maratha Malwa kingdom, ruling from Maheshwar. She is celebrated for her exceptional good governance, vast philanthropic temple building across India, military courage, and economic empowerment. Her 28-year reign is remembered as a golden age.

BENGAL FILES:

Labor Standards: The Labour Department released the Draft West Bengal Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Rules, 2026 for public consultation. The comprehensive framework standardizes statutory compliance, health safety, contract labor transparency, and licensing parameters for all factories and construction networks statewide.

Mosque Loudspeaker PIL: The High Court admitted a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the verbal directives of local police stations that led to the removal of 5,299 unauthorized loudspeakers (including 4,203 from mosques and 1,096 from temples) across the state under noise pollution rules.

High Court Raps Post-Poll Violence: The Calcutta High Court issued a stern warning to political workers, directing the West Bengal Director General of Police (DGP) to directly receive public complaints if local police stations refuse to register post-poll violence cases.

Abhya case:

Nirmal Ghosh Apprehended: Acting on a fresh FIR ordered by Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari, the Khardah police tracked former Panihati MLA Nirmal Ghosh to a hotel in Puri, Odisha. He is accused of orchestrating the hasty cremation of the victim's body to suppress evidence.

Accomplices Named: The fresh police complaint also formally indicts former Panihati municipal chairman Somnath Dey and a local resident, Sanjib Mukherjee.

Partition Horrors: The state formally observed the first phase of the Partition Horror Remembrance Days (August 13–14) to commemorate the historical struggles and tragedy of the HINDU BENGALIS from EAST BENGAL/EAST PAKISTAN during 1947 migration.

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

China and Russia have reaffirmed their support for India’s BRICS presidency this year, as New Delhi chairs the grouping for the fourth time.

The unrest in (forcibly occupied) by Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has taken an international turn through protests by the Kashmiri diaspora to expose state-sponsored terror by the Pakistani establishment. In Belgium, Kashmiri diaspora groups marched from the European Parliament toward the United Nations in Brussels, calling for international scrutiny of the situation in PoJK. In Italy, large diaspora demonstrations were reported in Bologna, condemning MURDERS and Alleged Abuses by Pakistani Armed forces.

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Liberia Sara Beysolow Nyanti arrived in New Delhi yesterday. She is on a two day visit to the country. She will meet Foreign Minister Dr S Jaishankar during the day at Hyderabad House in the national capital.

The International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage (ICID) designated the 140-year-old Parichha Weir in Jhansi as a World Heritage Irrigation Structure (WHIS) on 13 August 2026. The structure is linked to the Betwa Canal system, which irrigates land in Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.  

Image shared at top.

The ruling Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) nominated its secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir as its candidate for the country’s presidency. The presidential election will be held on August 20.

Japan protests President Putin’s visit to disputed Kuril Islands:   Russian President Vladimir Putin, for the first time, visited the Kuril Islands, a Russian-controlled Pacific island chain also claimed by Japan, in a move that drew a protest from Tokyo. President Putin visited a fish-processing plant, a hospital and a school on Iturup, one of the chain’s southernmost islands.

Thailand’s cabinet has approved an Education Ministry’s proposal to elevate school safety to a national agenda, following a mass shooting at a secondary school outside Bangkok last week that killed nine people.

Pakistan’s First Lunar Rover Named Jinnah-1 : It is Pakistan’s first-ever lunar rover and has been named by the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO). The rover is planned for launch in 2029 aboard China’s Chang’e-8 mission and is intended for the Moon’s south polar region.

Corporate Layoffs: Tech giant Oracle announced a new round of major layoffs driven by multi-billion dollar debt accumulated from heavy investments in artificial intelligence infrastructure.

 GULF WAR:

Now Normal Everyday ‘RANT’ between Iran, USA continues.

Phil Gordon, who served as national security adviser to former US Vice President Kamala Harris under the administration of President Joe Biden, says continued bombing of Iran will not prevent it from controlling the Strait of Hormuz or threatening its neighbours. I AGREE.

Iran is stepping up its diplomatic outreach as tensions with the United States remain high. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi held separate phone calls with Pakistan’s army chief, Asim Munir, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, discussing the risks of further escalation.

Iran launched drone attacks on Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, with the drones reportedly intercepted, according to the Rojava news channel.

Palestinian political figure Mohammed Dahlan says an agreement to halt Israeli attacks on the Gaza Strip is due to take effect on Sunday morning.

Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi  rejected US President Donald Trump’s claim that Washington has total control over the Strait of Hormuz.

MY OBSERVATION: USA LOST IRAN WAR. IRAN HAS NEVER CHANGED ITS COURSE OF ACTION.

LAW, CRIME & PUNISHMENT:

A terrorism monitoring team of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has declared the deadly Red Fort suicide car bombing in Delhi that killed 11 people the work of Al-Qaida in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS). The attack in last November was officially attributed to AQIS.

In Jharkhand, the students’ protest against rigging and corruption in competitive exams is continuously intensifying. The protesting students have warned the government that if their demands are not met soon, they will launch an even bigger agitation.

In a historic first for Telangana’s prison system, 78 inmates have successfully passed their SSC exams through the National Institute of Open Schooling, NIOS. Prisons Director General Dr. Soumya Mishra announced special remission as a reward for their achievement.

The Uttar Pradesh Food Safety and Drug Administration  uncovered a major network in Lucknow involving fake billing, cross-billing and paper transactions without the actual supply of medicines. It was being used to push counterfeit and fake medicines into the market.

The Calcutta High Court has cancelled OBC all certificates issued under the OBC-A and OBC-B classifications introduced by the previous Trinamool Congress government in West Bengal.

Security has been strengthened across Tripura ahead of Independence Day.  BSF, police and Tripura State Rifles personnel have intensified patrolling along the state’s borders and have been directed to remain vigilant.

MISHAPS: -No major MISHAPS to report.

ENVIRONMENTAL: -

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Science and Technology, Environment, Forests and Climate Change presented its 412th report on forest fires in the Himalayan region in August 2026. The report covered forest-fire causes, mitigation measures, pine-needle management, biomass use, satellite support, and disaster-response capacity in the Western Himalayas

WEATHER:

Regional Weather Highlights as per updates from the India Meteorological Department:

Depression continues to remain over the Bay of Bengal. Northeast India will experience widespread monsoon rainfall with isolated heavy downpours today. Assam’s flood condition improves.

Central & East India: Heavy to extremely heavy downpours in Chhattisgarh and Odisha.

North India (including Delhi-NCR): Generally cloudy skies with intermittent light rain or drizzle.

West & Northwest India: Moderate temperatures with passing clouds and scattered light showers.

GAMES & SPORTS:

India emerged as the overall champions at the Commonwealth Fencing Championship by winning an impressive 35 medals after four days of competition held at Lagos in Nigeria. Indian contingent secured thirteen gold, eight silver, and fourteen bronze medals at the event across the Under 23 and senior competitions.

Esports World Cup 2026 (Paris, 11–15 August)The high-energy rapid event narrowed its field to the final 8 players for the knockout playoffs. Indian Highlights: Arjun Erigaisi advanced to the final eight after knocking out fellow countryman Pranesh M. Nihal Sarin also secured his quarterfinal spot through a gruelling lower-bracket run.

Sinquefield Cup 2026 (Saint Louis)In classical chess, the final leg of the Grand Chess Tour has seen explosive early rounds.

Leaderboard: Wesley So took the sole lead after a crucial win with the black pieces over Fabiano Caruana.  India's Challenger: GM R Praggnanandhaa is looking to steady the ship after dropping a game to Vincent Keymer in the second round.

Cairns Cup 2026: In St. Louis, Divya Deshmukh alongside Tan Zhongyi and Alice Lee have taken the early lead after a decisive opening round.

DAS KAPITAL:

DALAL STREET:

NSE Nifty 50: Set to test its immediate technical floor after closing down 40.10 points at 24,395.85 in the prior session. The index faces a minor deficit, with critical structural support resting at 24,250 and overhead momentum capped at 24,500.

BSE Sensex: Closed slightly in the green on Thursday, up 113.61 points at 78,079.96, largely insulated by a late-session recovery in heavyweights.

BULLIONS:

24K Gold (99.9% Purity): Trading at ₹1,53,600/- per 10 grams.

Silver (99.9% Retail Purity): ₹2,55,000/- per kilogram across key centres.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES:

 USD: ₹95.41/-  EUR :₹110.00/-  GBP₹128.68/- AUD₹67.34/-  CNY = ₹13.09/-

THE END.

 

 

 

“बन्धुरात्मात्मनस्तस्य येनात्मैवात्मना जितः ।

अनात्मनस्तु शत्रुत्वे वर्तेतात्मैव शत्रुवत्” ॥ ६ ॥

BHAGABAD GEETA—CHAPTER 6, VERSE-6

TRANSLATION (BY ME): "For those who have conquered the mind, it is their finest friend. But for those who have failed to do so, the mind remains the greatest enemy."