THE VERITY LIBERATE

 ~Preet. The fifth summit of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) grouping was recently held in Colombo, Sri Lanka (Host for the Fifth Summit).  The primary consequence of this meeting was the signing of the BIMSTEC Charter. The members were supposed to convene once every two years under this Charter. The BIMSTEC now has a worldwide presence as a result of the Charter. It has an emblem and a flag.  It has a formally stated goal and values to which it will adhere. In keeping with the organization's evolution into a formal structure, the leaders of the member nations have decided to split the group's operations into seven sectors, with India leading the security pillar. The Master Plan for Transport Connectivity, which will establish a framework for regional and domestic connectivity, was announced at the summit. A pact on mutual legal aid in criminal proceedings was also signed by member countries. A Memorandum of Agreement

 ~Preet The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) just released its flagship State of World Population Report 2022, titled "Seeing the Unseen: The Case for Action in the Neglected Crisis of Unintended Pregnancy." The United Nations Population Fund is a UN General Assembly subsidiary that acts as a sexual and reproductive health institution. The Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (ECOSOC) determines its mandate. It was created in 1967 as a trust fund and began operating in 1969. The United Nations Population Fund was formally renamed in 1987, although the previous term, 'UNFPA' for the United Nations Fund for Population Activities, was kept. UNFPA works directly to address the SDGs for health (SDG3), education (SDG4), and gender equality (SDG5) (SDG5). UNFPA is exclusively funded by voluntary contributions from donor governments, international organisations, the business sector, foundations, and individuals, rather than the UN budget. Every year between

 ~Preet. The Union government has informed the Supreme Court (SC) that state governments can now confer minority status to any religious or linguistic group, including Hindus. The Supreme Court had sought the Union government's answer in a petition seeking directives for the development of standards for recognising minorities at the state level. The term "minorities" appears in a few articles of the Constitution but is never defined.  The petition claimed that Hindus are a'minority' in six Indian states and three Union Territories yet were allegedly unable to benefit from minority-specific initiatives. Plea According to the 2011 census, Hindus have become a minority in Lakshadweep (2.5%), Mizoram (2.75%), Nagaland (8.75%), Meghalaya (11.53%), J&K (28.44%), Arunachal Pradesh (29%), Manipur (31.39%), and Punjab (38.40 percent ). In these states, they should be granted minority status in accordance with the concept established by the Supreme Court in its 2002 TMA

 ~Preet. Australia has announced the formation of a new Defence Space Command Agency to counter the rising influence of Russia and China in space. It will assist Australia in defining and lobbying for space-related goals within the government, business, friends, and even international partners.  The agency will teach individuals to be space specialists, assist in strategic space planning, and be able to participate in any changes addressing the refining of space policy. With the agency in place, Australia will determine scientific and space goals while also aiming to create an efficient space infrastructure. All of the agency's activities – including design, building, and maintenance – will be subject to the Defence Ministry of Australia's requirements and constraints. The notion of space weaponization emerged in the early 1980s as part of the United States' "Strategic Defense Initiative," commonly known as the "Star Wars" programme. The plan was to thro

 ~Preet. In a recent decision, the Supreme Court ruled that a state legislature has the authority to levy taxes on lotteries run by other states within its jurisdiction. Previously, the Karnataka High Court ruled that substantial provisions of the Karnataka Police (Amendment) Act, 2021, which prohibited internet gambling and skill-based gaming platforms, were unconstitutional. The Supreme Court ruled in 2020 that lottery, gaming, and betting are taxed under the 2017 Goods and Services Tax (GST) Act. The decision was made in response to appeals filed by the governments of Karnataka and Kerala against decisions of their respective High Courts to overturn laws enacted by their legislatures to tax lotteries organised and promoted by the states of Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Manipur in Kerala, and Karnataka. The High Courts ruled that the two states' tax rules were unlawful and unconstitutional, and ordered Kerala and Karnataka to repay the money received as tax from lotteries

 ~Preet The government recently began the process of amending criminal legislation such as the Indian Penal Code, the Code of Criminal Procedure, and the Indian Evidence Act. In this quest, the Ministry of Home Affairs has solicited input from a variety of stakeholders, including Governors, Chief Ministers, the Chief Justice of India, Chief Justices of several High Courts, and others. Previously, the 111th, 128th, and 146th Parliamentary Standing Committee reports urged a complete overhaul of the country's criminal justice system. During British administration in India, criminal laws were codified, and they remain largely unchanged even in the twenty-first century. Lord Thomas Babington Macaulay is credited as being the primary architect of India's criminal law codifications. The Indian Penal Code, 1860, the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, and the Indian Evidence Act, 1872, among other laws, govern criminal law in India. Criminal law is seen as the most visible manifestation

 ~Preet The 2021 World Air Quality Report was just issued, and it provided an assessment of the situation of global air quality in 2021. IQAir is a Swiss organisation that assesses air quality based on the concentration of Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5. IQAir seeks to engage, educate, and motivate governments, researchers, non-governmental organisations, businesses, and individuals to collaborate in order to enhance air quality and promote healthier communities and cities.  The 2021 World Air Quality Report was just issued, and it provided an assessment of the situation of global air quality in 2021. IQAir is a Swiss organisation that assesses air quality based on the concentration of Particulate Matter (PM) 2.5. IQAir seeks to engage, educate, and motivate governments, researchers, non-governmental organisations, businesses, and individuals to collaborate in order to enhance air quality and promote healthier communities and cities.  Air pollution is currently regarded as the world's