NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||28-08-2026

 

NEWS & VIEWS|||SARASIJ|||28-08-2026

FRIDAY| VOL—IV/2026/AUGUST

OPINIONATED, FOR FREE CIRCULATION.

श्रेयान्स्वधर्मो विगुण: परधर्मात्स्वनुष्ठितात् |

स्वधर्मे निधनं श्रेय: परधर्मो भयावह: ||

This  verse appear twice in GEETA—first in Chapter 3, Verse 35 and later reiterated in Chapter 18, Verse 47.

Explanation: Lord Krishna teaches Arjuna that being successful  in an artificial, copied life leaves the soul completely hollow. Conversely, following your own true path brings genuine spiritual evolution and peace.

INDIA: (GOI, SWARAJYA,

VISHWAMITRA, HINDU POST,

INDIA TODAY).

On the eve of Raksha Bandhan, President Smt Droupadi Murmu has extended greetings to people. The President said that the festival of Raksha Bandhan has been an integral part of country’s culture and tradition since ancient times.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be on a four-day visit to Uzbekistan and Kyrgyz Republic starting this Saturday.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said that the government is fully committed to creating a modern sports ecosystem for India in the 21st century. He said, from sports universities to modern training centres, an ecosystem is being developed across the country where talent receives support at every stage while addressing the Khelo India Dialogue through video conferencing yesterday,

Union Minister for Rural Development and Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, today flagged off a Metro train themed around India’s freedom struggle at Central Secretariat Metro Station in New Delhi. The train showcases the lives, thoughts and contributions of freedom fighters, revolutionaries and other prominent personalities associated with India’s independence movement.

The Government has commenced calibrated and targeted release of onions from the buffer stock to ensure adequate availability and moderate seasonal price pressures in the coming months. Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, Nidhi Khare yesterday flagged off onion vans for retail distribution from Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi.

Delhi Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh  reviewed the preparedness of the hospital and the Health Department in view of the rising number of H1N1 cases in the national capital. As many as 166 H1N1 cases have been reported in Delhi during the last 24 hours.

In Jammu and Kashmir, NITI Aayog Member Dr. Srinivas  reviewed major development projects and key sectoral initiatives taken across the UT. During a meeting held in Srinagar, Dr. Srinivas said the focus in J&K has shifted from safety and security to growth and development. BUT JUSTICE IS LAGGING FAR BEHIND. ABDULLA FAMILY IS YET TO PAY.

Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah emphasized that Mahatma Gandhi’s philosophy remains timeless, relevant, and dedicated to human welfare. Addressing students during the 72nd Convocation Ceremony of Gujarat Vidyapith in Ahmedabad yesterday.

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana will complete 12 years today, marking a significant milestone in transforming India’s financial inclusion landscape.

Tamil Nadu has decided to release water from the Mettur Dam for 45 days from September 1 for Delta irrigation, subject to storage and inflow conditions.

Punjab Chief Minister, Bhagwant Mann has cancelled his scheduled talks with the government employees till the time they end their strike. I SUPPORT THE DECISION.

BENGAL FILES:

High-Profile Visit Today: Chief Minister Shuvendu Adhikari is scheduled to personally visit the highly volatile Jadavpur University campus today, Friday, 28 August. He intends to lead a Vande Mataram rally with students to counter alleged "anti-national" graffiti found on campus hostels.

Probe Gridlock: The campus remains deeply gridlocked after multiple members of the High Court-led inquiry panel resigned, and police have formally demanded all campus CCTV footage to investigate recent outsider-led campus vandalism.

FOR THE TIME BEING: PEOPLE WITH ONLY J.U. issued identity Card, shall be allowed to enter the campus.

Private Practice Ban Backlash: A newly issued state mandate enforcing  private practice ban on government medical officers has triggered massive doctor protests across multiple state hospitals.

Mr. Shameek Bhattacharyya is expected to become a full Cabinet  Minister, and will  shift to Delhi.

[FROM TOMORROW, WE WILL NOT HAVE SEPARATE  “BENGAL FILES” SECTION, AFTER NEW GOVERNMENT HAS COMPLETED 100 DAYS. IT WILL BE COVERED AS A PART OF INDIAN NEWS]

 

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

India responds to Nepal floods — India is closely monitoring the devastating Nepal floods. The NDRF says there has been no adverse impact on the rivers of  Indian side so far, while authorities in UP and Bihar remain alert. GONDOK & KOSHI may be affected.

India–Canada economic ties — India and Canada are working toward an expanded trade relationship, with discussions around a $50 billion bilateral trade target by 2030 and a free-trade agreement.

India–UK defence cooperation expands India and the UK are set to jointly develop integrated full-electric propulsion technology for four Landing Platform Docks (LPDs) planned for the Indian Navy.

India strengthens defence ties with Seychelles An Indian Army contingent participating in Seychelles' 50th National Day celebrations, alongside Indian Navy participation, reflecting growing defence cooperation.

US–Canada tensions: President Donald Trump has ordered the U.S. name for Lake Ontario to be changed to “Lake America,” drawing strong criticism in Canada amid wider trade tensions.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing the U.S. Department of the Interior to rename Lake Ontario as "Lake America" within federal records.

GULF WAR:

Qatari PM Mediates: Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani arrived in Tehran for urgent talks with Iranian President Pezeshkian and Parliament Speaker Ghalibaf to broker a path toward de-escalation.

Iran's Demands Formalised: Following a push by regional mediators, Iran's security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, announced that Tehran is compiling a specific list of demands required to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. These include the immediate lifting of the U.S. naval blockade and the unfreezing of state funds.

U.S. Rejection: A White House source explicitly told reporters that any separate transit agreements drafted between Iran and Oman are of "no concern" to the Trump administration, maintaining that the U.S. blockade will stay aggressively enforced until total compliance is achieved.

 Kuwaiti Tanker Struck: Security monitors confirmed that the Kuwaiti-flagged and owned crude oil tanker, AL SALAM II, was struck by an unidentified projectile while transiting eastbound through the Strait of Hormuz. The vessel suffered a hull breach above the waterline and an onboard fire, which was successfully contained by the crew.

Blockade Stat. Tracker: According to updated figures from United Against Nuclear Iran (UANI), U.S. naval forces operating under the blockade have now redirected 75 commercial vessels, disabled 3 non-compliant ships, and boarded 2 others.

Houthi Red Sea Threats: In parallel, the Iran-backed Houthi naval blockade against Saudi ports remains highly volatile. Commercial ships are actively masking their destinations or broadcasting messages like "ARMED GUARD ON BOARD" to avoid being targeted by ballistic missiles.

Regional Realignment: Kuwait Caught in Crossfire: Following a string of recent Iranian drone and missile strikes targeting American military facilities stationed inside Kuwait, the Gulf nation is moving quickly to diversify its defences.

New Strategic Pact: The Pakistani military announced a formal agreement with Kuwait to assist the nation with advanced tactical training, rapid capacity building, and border management. This mirrors similar security pacts signed earlier this month between Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan.

A newly published analysis by AAA confirmed that this is officially the first August in history where the U.S. average regular fuel price stayed above $4.00 per gallon every single day, directly caused by the 95% drop in Strait of Hormuz transit capacity over the last 6 month.

Iran conflict: The six-month U.S.–Iran conflict is reportedly at a costly stalemate. Sanctions and economic pressure continue, while neither side has secured a decisive outcome. GULF WAR SPECIAL PART WILL BE DISCONTINUED FROM TOMORROW.

CRIME & PUNISHMENT:

Former Bosnian Serb military commander Ratko Mladić, convicted of genocide and other war crimes, has died in prison.  Mladić, who was nicknamed the “Butcher of Bosnia”, had been in ill health after having a series of strokes.

MISHAPS: -

Nepal–Tibet flash floods: The catastrophic glacial-collapse disaster has killed nearly 400 people, with around 1,400 still missing. Rescue teams are also watching for another possible flood from a newly formed lake.

Indians among those missing in Nepal — Reports say 288 Indian nationals are among 1,468 people reported missing following the catastrophic floods in Nepal and Tibet. Rescue operations are continuing.

The External Affairs Ministry has said that 84 Indian nationals have been rescued so far in Nepal. These include 63 workers of the Trishuli-1 project as well as 21 people from Tamil Nadu. The Ministry said that contact with 290 Indians have not been established.

Palnadu, Andhra Pradesh: A private travel bus collided with an auto-rickshaw near Chilakaluripet on Thursday morning. At least 7 people were killed and 8 injured, including four children.

Two persons were killed after a Tecnam P2006T twin-engine aircraft operated by Garg Aviation Ltd., Kanpur, crashed near the Ganga Barrage on Thursday.

WEATHER:

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued an orange colour warning predicting heavy to very heavy rainfall along with thunderstorms and lightning over Odisha and Bihar.

GAMES & SPORTS

India–Sri Lanka Test: Sri Lanka fought back to force a draw in Colombo. India won the series 1–0, but missed a 2–0 sweep. Captain Shubman Gill.

♟️ Praggnanandhaa makes history: Indian Grandmaster R. Praggnanandhaa defeated Fabiano Caruana and became the first Indian to win the Grand Chess Tour.

🏑 Women's Hockey World Cup: The Indian women's hockey team defeated world No. 5 Germany 3–1 to secure fifth place at the FIH Women's Hockey World Cup, marking their best tournament result and highest finish in 52 years since taking fourth place in 1974.

🏑 Men's Hockey: India are continuing their classification campaign after missing out on the semifinals of the Men's Hockey World Cup.

India plays Belgium for 7th and 8th place in their final classification match at the FIH Men's Hockey World Cup after a 3-5 defeat to Argentina ended their semifinal hopes.

Grand Master Trilok Subba from Sikkim has been selected to represent India at the World Taekwondo Poomsae Championship.   The Championship is scheduled to take place from 16th to 20th September.

MEDICINE, SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY:

DRDO tests high-altitude combat parachute DRDO successfully tested its indigenous Military Combat Parachute System from around 22,000 feet, including operations in temperatures as low as −15°C.

Anthropic's Machine Control: Anthropic officially launched a new open-source standard designed to enable autonomous AI agents to operate physical machines and desktop systems natively, shifting the paradigm from basic text generation to workflow execution.

NEW CANCER DRUG:

The Approval: On 26 August 2026, the U.S. FDA officially granted standard approval to Rasonque (Daraxonrasib). It is a first-of-its-kind targeted RAS inhibitor developed by Revolution Medicines for adults with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma.

The drug is actively available in the United States by prescription as of its FDA clearance on 26 August 2026.

Survival Rates Doubled: Phase 3 clinical data from 500 patients revealed that the once-daily oral tablet nearly doubled median overall survival from 6.7 months to 13.2 months compared to traditional chemotherapy.

This reduces the risk of death by 60% for advanced-stage patients.

Side Effects Profile: More than 86% of clinical trial participants developed a prominent skin rash. However, the patient cohort reported significantly improved overall quality of life with far less pain compared to standard chemo cycles.

While fully approved and commercially shipping across the U.S. healthcare network, it is not yet officially approved or physically distributed through local retail pharmacies in India. Patients or oncologists looking to secure the medicine outside the United States typically have to apply through special import pathways, such as a Personal Use Import License via the Central Drugs Standard Control Organisation (CDSCO).

Commercial Pricing: The manufacturer has established a wholesale acquisition cost (WAC) of $39,800 for a standard 30-day supply of the once-daily oral tablets.

DAS KAPITAL:

DALAL STREET:

The Indian stock market is likely to  open on a highly volatile note today, Friday, 28 August 2026, tracking global market anxieties ahead of the Jackson Hole economic symposium. Yesterday indices managed to claw back early morning losses, the broader market remains deeply gripped by consolidation. The Nifty 50 is trading flat, down 12.30 points (0.05%) at 24,195.45, while the Sensex is down 76.50 points (0.10%) at 77,396.44.

BULLIONS:

Indian bullion markets are trading under intense selling pressure.

Domestic gold prices have crashed by nearly ₹1,500 to ₹1,800 per 10 grams, recording one of the sharpest single-day drops this month.

🟡 Gold Retail Rates (Per 10 Grams)Retail prices across major Indian jewellery hubs have fallen sharply from yesterday's marks due to a correction in global spot prices:

24-Karat Gold (99.9% Purity): Down sharply to ₹1,60,200 to ₹1,61,950 per 10 grams (excluding local taxes and making charges).

⚪ Silver Retail Rates: Silver has mirrored gold's downward trajectory, registering a steep drop as industrial and speculative demand cools ahead of global monetary announcements.

Per Kilogram (1 kg) 99.9% Purity: ₹2,55,000 to ₹2,59,000 across major cities, subject to an additional 3% GST.

CURRENCY EXCHANGE RATES:

KWD:--₹311.64/-   GBP:--₹129.58/- EUR:--  ₹111.16/-  USD:--₹95.44/-

AUD:--₹68.31/-  CNY:-- ₹14.19/-

SPECIAL NEWS:

🌕 Partial lunar eclipse: A deep partial lunar eclipse is occurring around 27–28 August, with about 96.3% of the Moon entering Earth's darkest shadow at maximum eclipse.

The deep partial lunar eclipse on August 27–28, 2026, featured about 96.3% of the Moon entering Earth's dark umbral shadow at maximum peak. It created a striking "almost blood moon" effect with coppery-red and orange hues, though it was not visible from India as the peak occurred during daytime hours

 

THE END.