The forging of a common position within Brics on the Iran-US conflict has been impacted as some members of the grouping are involved in developments in West Asia, people familiar with the matter said on Friday.. Jaishankar and Iran FM Araghchi discuss Brics cooperation. Iranian foreign minister Seyyed Abbas Araghchi had emphasised the role of Brics, currently led by India, in playing a constructive role to support security and stability in the region during a phone call with external affairs minister S Jaishankar on Thursday night.. External affairs minister S Jaishankar told a media briefing on Friday that India is talking to all Brics members on the situation in West Asia “so that a consensus position can be evolved”.. The people cited above said on condition of anonymity that hurdles have arisen in these discussions as some members of Brics are “directly involved” in the situation in West Asia.. Also Read: Jaishankar, Iran FM discuss Brics role in regional security amid West Asia conflict. “This has impacted the forging of a consensus on a common Brics position on the ongoing conflict,” a person said.. Besides Iran, which joined Brics in January 2024, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is also indirectly involved in the conflict.. The people said India, as the chair of Brics, has been facilitating discussions among members of the grouping through the Sherpa channel. The last virtual Brics Sherpa meeting was held on March 12, they said.. In addition, India’s leadership has been engaging with the leaders of Brics members in the region, the people said. India will continue these engagements, they said.. Brics has so far not issued any statement on the developments in West Asia. India is expected to host the Brics Summit in the third quarter of this year. 

 The Supreme Court on Friday said that a law mandating menstrual leave may not be in the best interest of women, leaving it to the government to deliberate the issue while refusing to entertain a public interest litigation (PIL) in this regard.. The Supreme Court of India. (PTI). Citing “practical realities” women may face in the job market if such leave were to be made mandatory by the court, a bench headed by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant said, “You do not know the kind of mindset this can create in the workplace and job market. The moment you introduce a law, you cannot imagine the long term problem they may face.”. The court was hearing a PIL filed by a lawyer Shailendra Mani Tripathi, who said that there is no uniform policy across the country on this , with some institutions and companies providing menstrual leave as a matter of policy, and others not doing so.. Senior advocate MR Shamshad appearing for the petitioner said that states of Odisha and Karnataka have come up with a policy of menstrual leave while Kerala allows menstrual leave to students in the state universities, allowing them up to 60 days in a year. Both Odisha and Karnataka provide 12 paid leaves annually for women working in the government sector, and the Karnataka policy extends to the private sector as well.. “If it is voluntary, it is good. We are in agreement with you that affirmative action has to be recognised. But we have to look at the practical reality in the job market,” said the bench, also comprising justice Joymalya Bagchi.. “From a business point of view, will an employer be willing to allow a person to take leave for two to three days every month? In the judiciary too, they may not be assigned cases that require a long trial,” the court said.. Shamshad said that the petitioner had approached the court on past occasions as well. In his first petition decided on February 24, 2023, the top court allowed him to move a representation to the Union government. He complied with this order and again approached the court after a year, this time seeking a model policy on menstrual leave. This too was decided by the court on July 8, 2024 with a direction issued to the Union ministry of women and child development to hold consultation with all stakeholders, both at the Union and at the level of states, and consider framing a model policy for all .. The bench said it wondered what is stopping the government from “coming out with a policy framework.” Disposing Tripathi’s petition for the third time, the bench said, “It is not necessary for the petitioner to approach the court time and again. We have no doubt that the competent authority will earnestly consider our February 24, 2023 and July 8, 2024 orders on framing model policy for consideration by all stakeholders.” 

 Raipur: Chhattisgarh has secured the first position among bigger states in the February 2026 national ranking under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, marking a significant milestone in the field of women’s health, nutrition and empowerment, officials said on Wednesday.. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. (PTI). Chhattisgarh recorded 93.37 per cent enrollment, an approval rate of 83.87 per cent, and 93.95 per cent timely grievance redressal, reflecting the state’s efficient implementation of the scheme, an official release stated.. The proportion of cases pending for more than 30 days remained limited to 7.07 per cent, while the pending grievance rate stood at only 4.96 per cent, indicating effective monitoring and transparent service delivery, it said.. Notably, the state improved its position by six ranks compared to the previous month, emerging as the top-performing state in the country, it added.. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said the honour reflects the state’s sustained commitment to strengthening maternal welfare programmes.. Sai congratulated officials, employees, Anganwadi workers and field-level staff of the Women and Child Development Department, stressing that maternal and child health are the top priorities for the government.. He noted that the PMMVY plays a key role in promoting safe motherhood by providing financial assistance to pregnant women.. Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Rajwade described the achievement as a proud moment for Chhattisgarh.. She said that under the guidance of the chief minister, Chhattisgarh has effectively implemented women’s welfare programmes among the leading states, attributing the success to the coordinated efforts, commitment, and timely work of departmental officials, staff, and Anganwadi workers.. Rajwade informed that in the financial year 2025-26 to date, a total of 1,86,586 pregnant women have been enrolled under the PMMVY in Chhattisgarh, and an amount of ₹72,24,89,000 has been directly transferred to the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries.. The effective implementation of the PMMVY has strengthened maternal and child healthcare services in the state, with Chhattisgarh increasingly emerging as a model for other states across the country.. Under the scheme, a cash incentive of ₹5,000 in three instalments is paid directly to pregnant women and lactating mothers for the first living child of the family, subject to them fulfilling specific conditions, officials said. 

 Raipur: Chhattisgarh has secured the first position among bigger states in the February 2026 national ranking under the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana, marking a significant milestone in the field of women’s health, nutrition and empowerment, officials said on Wednesday.. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai. (PTI). Chhattisgarh recorded 93.37 per cent enrollment, an approval rate of 83.87 per cent, and 93.95 per cent timely grievance redressal, reflecting the state’s efficient implementation of the scheme, an official release stated.. The proportion of cases pending for more than 30 days remained limited to 7.07 per cent, while the pending grievance rate stood at only 4.96 per cent, indicating effective monitoring and transparent service delivery, it said.. Notably, the state improved its position by six ranks compared to the previous month, emerging as the top-performing state in the country, it added.. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said the honour reflects the state’s sustained commitment to strengthening maternal welfare programmes.. Sai congratulated officials, employees, Anganwadi workers and field-level staff of the Women and Child Development Department, stressing that maternal and child health are the top priorities for the government.. He noted that the PMMVY plays a key role in promoting safe motherhood by providing financial assistance to pregnant women.. Women and Child Development Minister Laxmi Rajwade described the achievement as a proud moment for Chhattisgarh.. She said that under the guidance of the chief minister, Chhattisgarh has effectively implemented women’s welfare programmes among the leading states, attributing the success to the coordinated efforts, commitment, and timely work of departmental officials, staff, and Anganwadi workers.. Rajwade informed that in the financial year 2025-26 to date, a total of 1,86,586 pregnant women have been enrolled under the PMMVY in Chhattisgarh, and an amount of ₹72,24,89,000 has been directly transferred to the bank accounts of eligible beneficiaries.. The effective implementation of the PMMVY has strengthened maternal and child healthcare services in the state, with Chhattisgarh increasingly emerging as a model for other states across the country.. Under the scheme, a cash incentive of ₹5,000 in three instalments is paid directly to pregnant women and lactating mothers for the first living child of the family, subject to them fulfilling specific conditions, officials said. 

 Amid heightened tensions in West Asia, Iran’s ambassador to India said Tehran would ensure safe passage for Indian interests in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, even as the conflict in the region entered its 14th day on Friday.. The Callisto tanker sits anchored in Port Sultan Qaboos as the traffic is down in the Strait of Hormuz, amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, in Muscat, Oman, March 12, 2026. (REUTERS). Speaking to reporters in Delhi, Mohammad Fathali said India remains a trusted partner for Iran and that the country’s vessels would not face difficulties in the vital shipping lane. Track US-Israel and Iran war live updates. “… Yes, because India is our friend. You will see it within two or three hours. We believe that Iran and India share common interests in the region,” news agency ANI quoted him as saying at 6:35 pm IST.. The remarks come as concerns grow over shipping disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz, through which a large portion of the world’s oil shipments pass.. Strait still open, says Iran’s representative. Abdul Majid Hakeem Ilahi, representative of Iran’s Supreme leader in India has meanwhile claimed that the waterway has not been formally closed, though the ongoing conflict has created operational difficulties for commercial vessels.. Also Read | Iran ‘about to surrender’: Trump told G7 ahead of Mojtaba Khamenei’s 1st remarks, says report. “Iran has not closed the Strait. It remains open; however, due to current conditions and circumstances, ships are unable to pass through the Hormuz. Otherwise, Iran never wanted the Strait to be closed or blocked. Some (ships) are still passing through,” he told reporters in Delhi.. He also urged global leaders to intervene and push for an end to the conflict.. “Those who initiated this war are the very ones who must stop it… Many people across the world are suffering due to this war. World leaders must unite and exert pressure on the President of the United States, urging him to put an immediate stop to this unjust war,” ANI quoted Ilahi as saying.. He further insisted that Iran had not started the conflict and said Tehran had been pursuing diplomatic engagement with Washington before the escalation.. “Iran did not initiate this war. Iran was engaged in negotiations with the United States and was also pursuing diplomatic efforts… Suddenly, the United States, along with the Zionist regime, attacked Iran, and they targeted a lot of civilians in Iran. We will win in this war, and we are prepared to sacrifice everything we possess for the sake of our dignity and our land,” Ilahi told reporters in Delhi.. US says ‘dealing with’ escalations in Hormuz. The United States has dismissed concerns about the blockade threat in the waterway. Speaking at a Pentagon briefing, US war secretary Pete Hegseth said Washington was prepared to maintain freedom of navigation in the Strait.. “As the world is seeing, they are exercising sheer desperation in the Strait of Hormuz – something w