BENGALURU  SUNDAY  FEBRUARY 22, 2026  `12.00  PAGES 30  LATE CITY EDITION CANADA SEEKS TO WITHHOLD KEY INFORMATION IN NIJJAR TRIAL Canada is seeking to withhold sensitive evidence in the murder trial of Sikh separatist leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar, citing international security TRIAL NOT EXPECTED BEFORE AUGUST 2026 REBUILDING INDIA-CANADA RELATIONS The killing occurred on June 18, 2023, when Nijjar was shot outside a Gurdwara in British Columbia. Trial is not expected before Aug 2026. The case strained India-Canada relations briefly when PM Trudeau alleged India’s involvement. India denied the claims as “motivated”. PM Mark Carney is now seeking to expand bilateral trade relations with India ■ ■ Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Canadian counterpart Mark Carney met on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Kananaskis, Alberta Trade talks, paused since 2023, were revived. Leaders agreed to launch negotiations during a November 2025 G20 sidelines meeting in Johannesburg, aiming to double bilateral trade to $50 bn by 2030 Section 38 OF CANADA EVIDENCE ACT PROTECTS SHARING OF SENSITIVE INFO CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOGGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Day after, Trump India-Brazil pact on critical minerals jacks up global tariff to 15 pc LULA BATS FOR UNSC MEMBERSHIP J AYA N T H J A C O B @ New Delhi Indian exporters uncertain about the actual quantum of levy; govt studying the situation P U S H P I TA D E Y @ New Delhi Today’s Matches 3pm: England vs, Sri Lanka (Pallekele); 7pm: India vs South Africa (Ahmedabad) KSDL working on first-ever sandalwood toothpaste B O S K Y K H A N N A @Bengaluru THE first essential for everyone in the morning is toothpaste. Large companies offer multiple varieties of toothpaste for strong teeth, whitening, sensitive teeth and gums and so on. Chemical compositions are combined with natural ingredients ranging from salt, neem to charcoal. Taking this a step ahead, Karnataka will soon launch a first-of-its-kind sandalwood toothpaste, and researchers from Karnataka Soaps and Detergents Ltd (KSDL) are striving hard to reach that goal. The researchers said they are trying multiple combinations to create the right toothpaste. “Sandalwood helps heal and cool gums. Today many people , complain of mouth ulcers and bleeding gums. Sandalwood has proven to be a healing agent when used appropriately It can . help cure mouth ulcers, fight bacteria and act as a mouth freshener. Sandalwood has high antiinflammatory and antimicrobial properties. It is also a calming agent. Some quantity of sandalwood oil can also be consumed after treatment,” explained a researcher from KSDL. “Sandalwood is not just popular for its aroma and high economic value now. It has had a high status since ancient times. Our organisation has launched a series of sandalwood products and research on more is ongoing,” said KSDL Managing Director Prashanth PKM. P7 House said Executive Order 14257 of April 2, 2025 — which UNCERTAINTY prevails over regulates imports through rethe actual tariff Indian goods ciprocal tariffs to address large would attract after the US Su- and persistent US goods trade preme Court struck down the deficits — has been amended reciprocal levy imposed by the (not suspended or withdrawn). Trump administration on FriIndian exporters are awaitday. Shortly after the verdict, ing clarity on whether 15% or Trump announced a uniform 18% would apply For now, they . 10% global tariff on all nations. are in a wait-and-watch mode. On Saturday he scaled up that , Ashwin Chandran, Chairfigure to 15%, which is 3% man of the Confederation of short of the 18% levy he had Indian Textile Industry, said: announced for India early this “Greater clarity from authorimonth. ties, including on what During the next few happens to the intermonths, “the Trump im India–US trade administration will deal, would be most determine and issue helpful.” new and legally perThe Trump adminmissible tariffs”, he istration has also indisaid on social media. cated it may rely on With Trump claimSection 301 or Section ing on Friday that 232 provisions to imEffective “nothing has changed” pose higher tariffs. immediately, for India, confusion (I am) raising the Section 301 of the persisted on the actual Trade Act of 1974 em10% Worldwide Tariff on Countries powers the US Trade quantum of levy . ... to the fully The judgment came Representative to inallowed, and at a time when India is vestigate and respond legally tested, on the verge of signto unjustifiable, un15% level ing of a Bilateral reasonable or discrimT r a d e A g re e m e n t inatory trade practicDonald J Trump with the US. The Modi es. Proposed probes government has not yet clari- are expected to cover issues fied the status of the interim such as industrial overcapacity , negotiations. On Saturday, it forced labour, digital services said it is analysing the develop- taxes, pharmaceutical pricing ments before taking a final and discrimination against US view. “We are studying all de- technology companies. velopments for their implicaTariffs under Section 232 of tions,” the Ministry of Com- the Trade Expansion Act of merce said. 1962, imposed on national secuMeanwhile, sections of the rity grounds, will also remain in US media reported that all tar- force. These sectoral duties — iffs imposed by the Trump ad- covering steel, aluminium and ministration on trading part- other strategic products — range ners have been suspended and between 10% and 50%. Some Inthat the new 15% tariff is now dian exports, including steel, applicable. However, a fact aluminium and auto parts, consheet issued by the White tinue to face 25–50% levy . INDIA and Brazil on Saturday agreed to deepen cooperation in critical minerals and rare earths while setting an ambitious bilateral trade target of over $20 billion annually within the next five years, following wide-ranging talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Lula is in India on a five-day visit, during which he is also attending the India AI Impact Summit. Addressing the media after delegation-level discussions, Modi described Brazil as India’s largest trading partner in Latin America and said the two were committed to expanding economic engagement. “We are committed to taking bilateral trade beyond $20 billion in the next five years. Our trade is not AS many as 88 countries, including the US, UK, China and the EU, along with several international organisations, endorsed the New Delhi Declaration at the end of the India AI Impact Summit, which committed itself to ensuring an equitable AI. The declaration set out a shared approach to AI governance and development. “The advent of AI marks an inflection point in the trajectory of technological evolution. The choices that we make today will shape the AI-enabled world that future generations will in- herit,” the declaration said. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology said the declaration is built around seven key pillars — democratising AI resources, promoting economic growth and social good, building secure and trusted AI, expanding access for social empowerment, advancing AI for science, developing human capital, and creating resilient and efficient AI systems. The document calls for affordable access to foundational AI resources and support for local innovation ecosystems. It also proposes platforms to scale successful AI use cases globally . R A G H O T TA M K O P PA R @Gadag AN MLA from opposition BJP and his two aides were caught by the Lokayukta police in Gadag district on Saturday, while accepting a bribe of Rs 5 lakh from a contractor. The MLA, Dr Chandru Lamani -- representing Shirahatti, PRESS INTAKE NIA: PFI used yoga events as cover for arms training | P7 BJP calls out Cong’s ‘big sin’ on shirtless protest at AI meet | P11 Will eliminate Maoists by March 31, says Shah | P12 Voluntary initiatives The summit also launched several voluntary and non-binding global initiatives. They include a charter for democratic diffusion of AI, a Global AI Impact Commons to share successful use cases, a Trusted AI Commons with tools and best practices, and a global AI-forscience network Dams losing water fast, state may face crisis A S H W I N I M S R I PA D @Bengaluru KARNATAKA received good rainfall last year raising hopes of trouble-free months ahead, but the reality is different: Ten of the state’s 13 major dams now have lower storage than the previous year. That is because of evaporation of water from dams because of rising temperatures, while severe overexploitation has affected groundwater quality . Experts warn that drinking water could be a concern in some parts of the state this summer. As per data from the Karnataka State Natural Disaster Monitoring Centre (KSNDMC), water storage at all 13 dams was 535 thousand million cubic Feet (tmcft) in 2025, but now, it is 493 tmcft, a difference of 42 tmcft. While the Tungabhadra dam had close to 40 tmcft of water last year, it has reduced to 24 tmcft now. Similarly, the Linganmakki dam has 87 tmcft now, as against 78 tmcft last year. The water level at the Supa dam has come down from 82 tmcft to 77 tmcft. There has been a slight increase in Krishnaraja Reservoir. While it was 37.88 tmcft last year, it is 38.64 tmcft now. As against the total capacity of 895.07 tmcft in all the 13 dams, the storage is 493.91 tmcft, which is 45% of the CONTINUED ON: P7 capacity . President Droupadi Murmu and PM Narendra Modi greet Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva as he arrives in New Delhi on Saturday | SHEKHAR YADAV just a figure, it is a reflection of trust,” he said. Bilateral trade stood at $12 billion in 2024–25, with Indian exports at $6.77 billion and imports from Brazil at $5.43 billion. A key outcome of the talks was an agreement on cooperation in critical minerals and rare earths. The two countries also signed a joint declaration on digital partnership and MoUs BJP MLA caught taking `5L bribe 88 countries adopt New Delhi declaration on equitable AI R A K E S H K U M A R @ New Delhi New Delhi: Lula said the global environment required deeper strategic ties between the two democracies. “This is a meeting of a digital superpower with a renewable-energy superpower,” he said, asserting that India Brazil were “natural candidates” for permanent UNSC membership Water could not be stored at the TB dam as the crest gates were broken and water was lost last year. Though the catchment areas received a good rain, the reservoir could only store 70% of it Srinivas Reddy, Former KSNDMC director and his two personal assistants, Manjunath Valmiki and Guru Lamani, had allegedly demanded the money to get a project awarded to the contractor. They had called the contractor, Vijay Sannahanumappa Pujar of Chinchali village, to Balaji Hospital in Lakshmeshwar town that is owned by the MLA. The accused had allegedly demanded Rs 11 lakh and the first tranche of Rs 5 lakh was being handed over when they fell into the trap laid by the Lokayukta police. CONTINUED ON: P4 covering mining, MSMEs, healthcare and traditional knowledge systems. Cooperation in defence, renewable energy, digital public infrastructure and advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, semiconductors and blockchain also figured prominently . “Our cooperation in defence is growing… We will continue to strengthen this win-win partnership,” Modi said. WITH THIS ISSUE THE MANY LIVES OF LOVE THEN AND NOW PLUS 12 P AGES