Modi bats for joint efforts to shape global norms for social media and cryptocurrencies
New Delhi, Dec 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday called for united efforts to shape global norms for emerging technologies like social media and cryptocurrencies so that they are used to "empower" democracy and not to "undermine" it.
In a virtual address at the Summit for Democracy hosted by US President Joe Biden, Modi said India would be happy to share its expertise in holding free and fair elections and in enhancing transparency in all areas of governance.
Referring to Abraham Lincoln's famous quote on democracy, the prime minister added that democracy is also about being "with the people, within the people."
"The structural features like multi-party elections, independent judiciary, and free media are important instruments of democracy. However, the basic strength of democracy is the spirit and ethos that lie within our citizens and our societies," he said.
"Democracy is not only of the people, by the people, for the people but also with the people, within the people," Modi said.
The prime minister also called for joint efforts to shape global norms for emerging technologies like social media and cryptocurrencies.
"We must also jointly shape global norms for emerging technologies like social media and cryptocurrencies, so that they are used to empower democracy, not to undermine it," he said.
This is for the second time in the last three weeks that Modi called for working together on the need to regulate cryptocurrencies.
In his virtual address at the Sydney Dialogue on November 18, Modi urged democratic nations to work together to ensure that the cryptocurrency does not end up in the wrong hands.
In his remarks at the Summit for Democracy, Modi said the democratic spirit is integral to India's civilisational ethos and that the centuries of the colonial rule could not suppress the democratic spirit of the Indian people.
"It again found full expression with India's independence, and led to an unparalleled story in democratic nation-building over the last 75 years," he said.
"It is a story of unprecedented socio-economic inclusion in all spheres. It is a story of constant improvements in health, education, and human well-being at an un-imaginable scale," he said.
"The India story has one clear message to the world. That democracy can deliver, that democracy has delivered, and that democracy will continue to deliver," he added.
Modi said by working together, democracies can meet the aspirations of the citizens and celebrate the democratic spirit of humanity.
"India stands ready to join fellow democracies in this noble endeavour," he said.
Modi began by saying that he is proud to represent the world's largest democracy at the summit.
"India would be happy to share its expertise in holding free and fair elections, and in enhancing transparency in all areas of governance through innovative digital solutions," he said.
The prime minister said different parts of the world have followed different paths of democratic development and there is much to learn from each other.
"We all need to constantly improve our democratic practices and systems. And, we all need to continuously enhance inclusion, transparency, human dignity, responsive grievance redressal and decentralisation of power," he said.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
