News in Shorts: 02 June 2026

2 Jun 2026

13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum

Context: India will host the 13th BRICS Urbanisation Forum in New Delhi on 11–12 June 2026 under its BRICS Chairship 2026.

UPSC Online Courses

About the BRICS Urbanisation Forum

It is a ministerial-level platform for BRICS countries to exchange experiences, discuss urban challenges and strengthen cooperation in urban development.
Theme: “Cities for People: BRICS Cooperation for Inclusive and Resilient Urban Futures.”
Chairship Vision: Guided by the theme “Building for Resilience, Innovation, Cooperation and Sustainability” and the vision of “Humanity First.”
Focus Areas:
- Inclusive urbanisation.
- Climate- and disaster-resilient infrastructure.
- Strengthening municipal governance.
- Digital innovation for urban management.
Policy Cooperation: The forum encourages sharing of best practices and development of collaborative solutions for sustainable urban growth.
Participating Countries: The Forum will involve ministerial delegations from all BRICS members:
- Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia and Indonesia.
India’s Role and Legacy:
- Fourth Time Host: The 2026 edition marks India’s fourth hosting of the Forum.
- India first hosted the BRICS Urbanisation Forum in 2013 (New Delhi), placing urbanisation on the BRICS agenda.

Key Meetings and Events of BRICS 2026

BRICS Tourism Working Group: India chaired the inaugural meeting to strengthen tourism cooperation, sustainable tourism and people-to-people exchanges among BRICS nations.
11th BRICS Counter Terrorism Working Group: Member countries discussed cooperation against terrorism, radicalisation, terror financing and emerging security threats.
BRICS Women’s Working Group: Focused on women’s empowerment, gender equality, leadership and economic participation.
BRICS Young Diplomats Forum: Platform for young diplomats to discuss global governance, multilateralism and BRICS cooperation.
BRICS ADR Meeting: Senior officials and Justice Ministers discussed strengthening mediation and arbitration through capacity building and alternative dispute resolution mechanisms.
BRICS Foreign Ministers’ Meeting: Reviewed global and regional developments and discussed priorities under India’s BRICS Chairship.
BRICS Employment Working Group: Held in Thiruvananthapuram, focused on employment generation, skill development, social protection and future-of-work challenges.
2nd BRICS SME Working Group Meeting: Convened by the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises under India’s BRICS Chairship 2026 to promote technology adoption, digital transformation, innovation and productivity among MSMEs across BRICS countries.

Codeine Cough Syrup Abuse in Bihar

Context: Nearly a decade after Bihar implemented liquor prohibition in 2016, codeine-based cough syrups have emerged as a major substitute for alcohol.

What is Codeine?

Natural Opioid Drug: Codeine is a naturally occurring opioid derived from morphine and commonly used in cough syrups to suppress severe coughs.
Medical Use: Codeine is primarily used as a cough suppressant and pain-relieving medicine, especially for persistent dry coughs and mild-to-moderate pain.
Working Mechanism: Codeine acts on the central nervous system (CNS) by binding to opioid receptors, reducing the cough reflex and altering pain perception.
Side Effects: Even at prescribed doses, it may cause drowsiness, dizziness, nausea, constipation and sedation.
Health Risks of Misuse: Overuse can cause respiratory depression, impaired judgment, mental health problems and potentially life-threatening overdose, especially when combined with alcohol or other depressants.
Legal Status: Codeine-based cough syrups has been classified as “intoxicants” under the Bihar Prohibition and Excise Act, 2016.
- Sale, possession and distribution without authorisation can attract fines, confiscation and imprisonment.

Project UDAYAK

Context: The Border Roads Organisation (BRO) celebrated the 37th Raising Day of Project UDAYAK on June 01, 2026, at Doomdooma, Assam, honoring its role in building vital security and civilian roads in India’s North-Eastern region.

About Project UDAYAK

Project UDAYAK, established in 1989, is a strategic territorial wing of the Border Roads Organisation (BRO), operating under the administrative control of the Ministry of Defence, Government of India.
The project manages over 1,457 km of road network. It covers the easternmost districts of Arunachal Pradesh (including Anjaw, Lohit, Dibang Valley, Longding, Tirap, and Changlang) and parts of Assam.
Strategic Geopolitical Value: It plays a critical role in strengthening connectivity along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China and the Indo–Myanmar border.
Key Mandate: The project is currently building vital roads and border fencing infrastructure along the Indo-Myanmar border to enhance national security and curb cross-border issues.
Recent Achievements: In 2025, Project UDAYAK completed several key infrastructure assets, including 12 bridges, a strategic road, and a helipad, to boost the mobility of the Indian Armed Forces and local communities.

About Border Roads Organisation (BRO)

Establishment: BRO was set up in 1960 to develop and maintain road infrastructure in border areas.
Ministry: Functions under the Ministry of Defence, highlighting its strategic and defence role.
Primary Role: Builds and maintains border roads, tunnels, bridges, and airfields in difficult terrains like the Himalayas and deserts.
Strategic Importance: Ensures connectivity to remote border regions, enhancing military logistics and national security.

Malaysia Bans Social Media for Under-16s

Context: Malaysia has begun enforcing a nationwide ban on social media accounts for children below 16 years of age.

Reasons for the Ban

Protection from Harmful Content: To shield children from exposure to inappropriate, violent, sexual, or misleading online content.
Combating Cyberbullying: To reduce incidents of online harassment, bullying, and psychological abuse affecting minors.
Addressing Mental Health Concerns: Growing evidence links excessive social media use with anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, and addiction among adolescents.
Reducing Addictive Platform Features: Authorities are concerned about algorithms and design features that encourage prolonged screen time and compulsive usage.
Enhancing Online Safety: To strengthen safeguards against online predators, scams, exploitation, and privacy violations involving children.
Global Trend: Malaysia joins countries such as Australia, Brazil, and Indonesia in introducing age-based social media restrictions.

UPSC Online Coaching

Key Provisions of the Ban

Mandatory Age Verification: Social media platforms with more than 8 million Malaysian users must implement robust age-verification systems and block users under 16 from creating accounts.
Transition Period for Existing Users: Under-16 users already on these platforms will be given time to download, transfer, or manage their data before restrictions take effect.
Strict Penalties for Non-Compliance: Platforms that fail to enforce the rules may face fines of up to 10 million ringgit ($2.5 million).
No Liability for Parents: Parents will not be penalised if their children bypass age-verification measures and access social media platforms.
Safety-by-Design Requirements: Platforms must incorporate safety-by-design features, including safeguards against addictive or manipulative design elements that encourage excessive use.

Concerns regarding the Ban

Migration to Unregulated Platforms: Critics argue teenagers may shift to less regulated or unsafe corners of the internet.
Effectiveness of Age Verification: Determining users’ ages accurately remains technically challenging.
Access to Educational and Social Benefits: Restrictions may limit positive opportunities offered by social media.
Privacy Issues: Stronger age-verification systems may require collection of additional personal data.

India–Australia Agree to Advance Maritime Awareness Activities

Context: During the 2nd India–Australia Defence Ministers’ Dialogue in New Delhi, Defence Ministers Rajnath Singh and Richard Marles agreed to deepen maritime and defence cooperation.

Click to Know UPSC Coaching Centres in India

Key Highlights

Enhanced Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA): India and Australia agreed to advance maritime surveillance and awareness activities using maritime patrol aircraft.
Maritime Security Roadmap: Discussed finalising the Joint Maritime Security Collaboration Roadmap.
Commitment to a Rules-Based Indo-Pacific: Reaffirmed support for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific, including freedom of navigation under the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
Specialised Defence Cooperation: Australia welcomed India’s participation in Operation Render Safe 2026, while India welcomed Australia’s invitation to join the Black Carillon submarine rescue exercise.
Indian Ocean Cooperation: As co-leads of the maritime safety working group under the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the two countries will jointly host a Search & Rescue and tabletop exercise in Chennai.
Defence Science and Technology Cooperation: Australia invited India to participate in the 2026 Australian Defence Science, Technology and Research Summit.
Expanded Military Engagements: The two countries reviewed growing defence force interactions, including participation in exercises such as Talisman Sabre, Milan, Kakadu, Austrahind, Operation Render Safe, and Black Carillon.
Air Force Cooperation: Both sides agreed to operationalise the bilateral Air-to-Air Refuelling Implementing Arrangement during Exercise Pitch Black and participate in each other’s multinational air exercises.