canada seeks to block key info 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 is not expected before August 2026, per the BC Prosecution Service. The case is under a publication ban during the pretrial. The case strained India-Canada relations after then PM Trudeau alleged India’s involvement in the murder. India denied the claims as “absurd” visakhapatnam l sunday l february 22, 2026 l `12.00 l PAGES 24 l late city EDITION 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 day, it said it is analysing the developments before taking a Uncertainty prevails over final view. “We are studying all the actual tariff Indian goods developments for their implicawould attract after the US Su- tions,” the Ministry of Compreme Court struck down the merce said. reciprocal levy imposed by the Meanwhile, sections of the Trump administration on Fri- US media reported that all tarday. Shortly after the verdict, iffs imposed by the Trump adTrump announced a ministration on traduniform 10% global ing partners have been tariff on all nations. suspended and that On Saturday he scaled , the new 15% tariff is up that figure to 15%, now applicable. Howwhich is 3% short of ever, a fact sheet isthe 18% levy he had sued by the White announced for India House said Executive early this month. Order 14257 of April 2, During the next few 2025 — which reguEffective months, “the Trump lates imports through immediately, administration will (I am) raising the reciprocal tariffs to 10% Worldwide determine and issue address large and pernew and legally per- Tariff on Countries sistent US goods trade ... to the fully missible tariffs”, he deficits — has been allowed, and said on social media. amended (not suslegally tested, With Trump claimpended or withdrawn). 15% level ing on Friday that Indian exporters are Donald J Trump “nothing has changed” awaiting clarity on for India, confusion whether 15% or 18% persisted on the actual quan- would apply For now, they are . tum of levy . in a wait-and-watch mode. The judgment came at a time Ashwin Chandran, Chairwhen India is on the verge of man of the Confederation of signing of a Bilateral Trade Indian Textile Industry, said: Agreement with the US. The “Greater clarity from authoriModi government has not yet ties, including on what happens clarified the status of the in- to the interim India–US trade terim negotiations. On Satur- deal, would be most helpful.” 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) WITH THIS ISSUE The Many Lives of LOVE Then and Now PLUS 12 P AGES 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 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 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 88 nations adopt Delhi AI declaration R a k e s h K u m a r @ New Delhi 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 to- day will shape the AI-enabled world that future generations will inherit,” the declaration said. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology 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-for-science network 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 . 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. E x p r ess Re a d Govt suspends four cops in MLC case Vijayawada: The government has suspended four police officers for alleged dereliction of duty and supervisory lapses in the probe into the case against MLC Anantha Uday Bhaskar. The case relates to the alleged murder of his former driver V Subramanyam during the YSRCP regime in 2022. The action followed sharp observations by the Supreme Court on Friday that a nexus existed between police and those in power, and that investigators tried to enable Uday Bhaskar to secure bail in the case | P3