NewsBytes

Parliament on Tuesday approved two Bills for the development and promotion of sports, with Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya describing them as robust legislation to bring in transparency and enhance sports governance in the country. The two Bills -- The National Anti-Doping (Amendment) Bill 2025 and The National Sports Governance Bill, 2025 -- were passed in the Rajya Sabha after the Opposition walked out soon after the minister moved the Bills for consideration and passage. The Lok Sabha passed the two Bills on Monday. Replying to the debate on the Bills in the Upper House, Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports Mansukh Mandaviya said, "The passage of these Bills will usher in a new era in the country's sports sector". He said it would have been good if the Opposition had participated in the discussion on this Bill, but it is unfortunate that those who talk about women, tribals and youth did not participate or give suggestions on these Bills, which will take care of the talent of rural youth, women and tribals.

South American soccer governing body CONMEBOL on Tuesday announced a system to detect racism, hate speech and abuse on social media directed at players, referees, clubs and others with the aim of taking action against the perpetrators. The system will be used starting with the round of 16 of the Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana continental club competitions, both of which begin later on Tuesday. CONMEBOL said the system, implemented in partnership with Signify Group, allows "threats to be identified in real time, abusive behaviour to be deterred and concrete action to be taken against those responsible." Actions against perpetrators may include account suspension, stadium access restrictions and reports to relevant authorities, CONMEBOL added.

India and Australia on Tuesday held talks focusing on developments relating to nuclear non-proliferation, disarmament and security of outer space. The discussions took place at a meeting of India-Australia bilateral dialogue on disarmament, non-proliferation and export control. "The two sides discussed developments in the areas of nuclear, chemical, biological disarmament and non-proliferation, outer space security-related matters, conventional weapons including AI in military domain and multilateral export control regimes," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said. It said the dialogue facilitated enhanced mutual understanding and appreciation of national perspectives and global developments on non-proliferation and disarmament issues. The Indian delegation at the talks was led by Muanpuii Saiawi, Joint Secretary (Disarmament and International Security Affairs) in the MEA. The Australian side was led by Vanessa Wood, Ambassador for Arms Control and Counter-Proliferation in the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.

The Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre has taken down several artworks by Tibetan and other exiled artists from an international exhibition after reported pressure from Chinese officials, prompting criticism from artists who argue that this represents Beijing's expanding efforts to silence overseas dissent, according to a report by Phayul. The works that were removed were part of an exhibition titled Constellation of Complicity: Visualising the Global Machinery of Authoritarian Solidarity, which featured 10 artists and was curated by the Myanmar Peace Museum.  The exhibition, which opened on July 24, addressed themes of state violence, authoritarian partnerships, and grassroots resistance, showcasing pieces by artists from Tibet, Hong Kong, Myanmar and the Uyghur diaspora. Among the pieces taken down was a 12-minute conversational film by trans Tibetan artist Tenzin Mingyur Paldron titled Listen to Indigenous People, which investigated the origins of a controversial viral 2023 video that showed the Dalai Lama instructing an Indian boy to "suck" his tongue, alongside footage of Tibetans waving Palestinian flags and calling for accountability regarding genocide. Other installations, including a Tibetan flag and pieces relating to China's policies in Tibet, were also removed, as reported by Phayul.