19 countries express interest in joining BRICS group
As of my knowledge cut-off date, which was September 2021, there was no news of 19 countries expressing interest in joining the BRICS group. However, it's possible that new developments have occurred since then.
As a brief background, BRICS is an acronym that stands for Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa. It represents a group of emerging economies that are expected to play a significant role in shaping the future of the global economy. The BRICS countries account for more than 40% of the world's population and around 23% of global GDP.
While there have been discussions in the past about potentially expanding the BRICS group to include other countries, no concrete steps have been taken in this direction so far. Any decision to expand the group would likely involve a careful consideration of the economic and political factors involved, as well as the potential benefits and challenges of such a move.
.jpeg "National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID)")
The National Intelligence Grid (NATGRID) is a counter-terrorism program that was established by the Indian government in 2009. The primary aim of the program is to improve India's intelligence gathering capabilities by enabling different intelligence agencies to share information with each other in real-time.
The NATGRID system is designed to link together a variety of databases, including those maintained by government agencies, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, and others. By integrating these databases, the system is intended to provide a comprehensive view of an individual's activities and associations, with the goal of identifying potential terrorist threats.
However, the program has faced criticism over privacy concerns, with some arguing that it could be used to infringe on the civil liberties of Indian citizens. In response to these concerns, the Indian government has implemented several safeguards to ensure that the program is used only for its intended purpose and that the data is accessed only by authorized personnel.
India to host SCO Defiance Ministers Meeting
As of my knowledge cut-off date, which was September 2021, India was scheduled to host the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers Meeting. The meeting was expected to take place in October 2021 and would be the first time that India hosted a major defense-related event for the SCO, which is a Eurasian political, economic, and military organization.
The SCO was established in 2001 and includes eight member countries, namely China, India, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. The organization aims to promote cooperation among member states on a range of issues, including security, trade, and cultural exchanges.
The SCO Defence Ministers Meeting is an important platform for member countries to discuss regional security issues and to enhance military cooperation. The meeting was expected to focus on a range of issues, including counter-terrorism, regional stability, and defence cooperation.
SC asks states to register hate speech cases even if no complaint is made
As of my knowledge cut-off date, which was September 2021, the Supreme Court of India had issued a directive to all states in the country to register cases of hate speech, even if no formal complaint is made. The court's order was aimed at cracking down on hate speech and promoting greater accountability for those who engage in such behavior.
Under the court's directive, state police departments are required to monitor social media platforms and other public forums for hate speech and to take action against those who engage in such behavior. The court also instructed states to establish special cells or nodal officers to handle complaints related to hate speech.
The court's order was in response to a petition filed by a non-governmental organization (NGO) that sought to address the issue of hate speech in India. The petition argued that hate speech had become a major problem in the country and that more needed to be done to address it.
It is important to note that the implementation of the court's order would depend on the cooperation of state governments and law enforcement agencies. As of my knowledge cut-off date, it was not clear how effectively the directive was being implemented across different parts of the country. Click for more about Current Affairs for UPSC of 01 May/2023.
0 Comments