BRICS remains a powerful force for global good: PM Modi
Rio de Janeiro (PTI): The BRICS remains a powerful force for economic cooperation and global good, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday as several top leaders of the member nations of the grouping converged in this seaside Brazilian city to hold summit talks.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin skipped the summit, being hosted by Brazil in its capacity as the current chair of the influential grouping.
The BRICS has emerged as an influential grouping as it brings together 11 major emerging economies of the world, representing around 49.5 per cent of the global population, around 40 per cent of the global GDP and around 26 per cent of the global trade.
BRICS, originally comprising Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, expanded in 2024 to include Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates, with Indonesia joining in 2025.
Modi arrived here last night on the fourth leg of his five-nation tour. He has already visited Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago and Argentina.
The situation in West Asia, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and challenges facing the Global South are likely to figure prominently at the BRICS Summit.
"Grateful to President Lula for hosting this year’s BRICS Summit in Rio de Janeiro. BRICS remains a powerful force for economic cooperation and global good," Modi said in a social media post after he was welcomed at the venue of the summit by the Brazilian leader.
The motto of the Brazilian presidency of BRICS is "Strengthening Global South Cooperation for More Inclusive and Sustainable Governance".
The summit will culminate in two high-level declarations on financing the climate change regime and the governance of artificial intelligence.
Enhancing the use of national currencies in settling intra-BRICS trade may also figure in the discussions at the summit.
India will assume the presidency of BRICS next year.
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K’taka HC declines stay on menstrual leave order, says issue of public importance
Bengaluru: The State Government has strongly defended its decision to grant one day of paid menstrual leave every month to women employees, telling the Karnataka High Court that the notification was issued in the larger interest of women and is legally sound. The Court, treating the matter as one of significant public importance, refused to stay the implementation of the order and adjourned the hearing to January 20.
The Labour Department’s November 20, 2025 notification was challenged by the Bangalore Hotels Association, Avirat Defence System, Facile Aerospace Technologies Ltd and Samos Technologies Ltd. Justice Jyoti Mulimani heard the petitions on Wednesday.
At the start of the hearing, the bench asked whether the State had filed its objections. Advocate General K. Shashikiran Shetty informed the Court that objections had been submitted and that copies would be provided to the petitioners.
Defending the notification, the Advocate General said the government had introduced a progressive measure aimed at women’s welfare, one that no other state in India had implemented so far. He told the Court that 72 objections were received and considered before finalising the notification. He argued that the government was empowered to frame such policy under Article 42 of the Constitution and noted that the Supreme Court and the Law Commission had earlier made recommendations in this direction.
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When the Court asked whether the notification applied to all sectors, the Advocate General replied in the affirmative. The bench observed that the matter required detailed hearing because of its wider public impact and decided to take it up in January. The Court added that petitioners may file their responses to the State’s objections before the next hearing.
Petitioners’ counsel B.K. Prashanth requested that the State be restrained from enforcing the order until the case is decided. The Advocate General responded that the government had already begun implementing the notification across all sectors.
Justice Mulimani noted that nothing would change between now and the next hearing and emphasised that the Court would consider all arguments thoroughly before issuing any direction. The bench then adjourned the matter to January 20 and asked petitioners to file any additional applications with copies to the State’s counsel.
