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CHENNAI: Six more products unique to Tamil Nadu were accorded the Geographical Indication (GI) tag by the GI Registry on Thursday, taking the total number of GI products in the state to 69. Tamil Nadu has the second highest number of GI products, next only to Uttar Pradesh, which has 79 products in its kitty.

The latest GI products are: Panruti Palappazham (Panruti Jackfruit), Panruti Cashew, Puliyankudi Acid Lime, Virudhunagar Samba Vathal (dried red chillies), Chettikulam Small Onion (shallots) and Ramanadu Chithiraikar Rice.

The Tamil Nadu State Agricultural Marketing Board under the state agriculture department is the co-applicant, along with the respective farmers associations, for all the six products. The applications were filed after field study and research by IPR attorney P Sanjai Gandhi.

Panruti, a mid-size town in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu, is the largest producer and exporter of jackfruit India. And the Panruti jackfruits are known for an aroma that is distinctive and the pulp has a unique melt-in-the-mouth quality.
They are large in size, with some fruits reaching up to 50 kg, though smaller sizes are also common. The oblong-shaped fruit has a green, spiny skin, which softens as the fruit ripens. The flesh of the ripened Panruti jackfruit is exceptionally sweet with a subtle acidic tang. Its flavour is less intense and more balanced compared to other varieties, making it appealing to man.

The seeds of the Panruti jackfruit are large and flat, typically surrounded by thick pulp. The seeds are often consumed after being boiled or roasted, offering a nutty flavour. They are rich in starch and protein.
The ripe fruit is eaten fresh or used in desserts, jams, and smoothies due to its sweet, juicy pulp. The unripe jackfruit is used as a vegetable in curries, chips, and other savoury dishes.

The Panruti region is also called the Cashew Capital of Tamil Nadu.

The Panruti Cashew

is a highly prized variety known for its sweet, slightly nutty flavour, combined with a crisp yet tender texture. These distinctive qualities set Panruti cashews apart from other varieties, making them highly sought after in both domestic and international markets.
The region’s tropical climate and well-drained sandy loam or red soils create an ideal environment for cashew cultivation. These favourable conditions, along with the traditional processing methods, help maintain the nuts’ freshness and enhance their quality. The cashew tree in Panruti typically yields medium-sized, well-formed nuts, which contribute to the overall high standard of the crop. The unique cashew formation, where the curved nut is nestled under the cashew apple, also adds to the appeal of this variety.

The Panruti cashew nut is distinctively curved and typically medium-sized. The nut has a characteristic C-shape that makes it recognizable and sets it apart from other varieties. The nuts are medium to large in size, making them ideal for high-quality production.
The region’s traditional processing methods, which focus on maintaining freshness and minimizing handling damage, contribute to the high quality of Panruti cashews. The shells and kernels are processed with care to preserve the delicate flavour and texture. Panruti cashews are grown in the tropical climate of Tamil Nadu, where the combination of sandy loam or red soils and consistent rainfall creates an ideal environment for cultivation. These conditions result in superior cashew nuts that are rich in flavour and texture. The trees thrive in well-drained soils with moderate rainfall, which helps produce uniform and healthy crops year after year.

Puliyankudi Acid Lime

is known for its intense, tangy, and aromatic flavour, characterised by its high acidity. The pulp is typically pale green to yellowish-green and is juicy, making it highly prized for its juice content. The Puliyangudi Lime is unique for its high juice yield, intense acidity, rich vitamin C content, thin peel, and essential oils.
Puliyangudi Lime, especially the Kadayam Lime, is known for its exceptionally high ascorbic acid content (around 34.3 mg/100g). This contributes to its nutritional richness, making it a great source of vitamin C, which boosts immunity and offers various health benefits. Each lime fruit typically contains 55% juice, which is notably high compared to many other lime varieties. This high juice yield makes Puliyangudi Lime ideal for beverages, juices, and culinary uses, particularly in lime-based drinks like lime soda and lemon rice besides pickles and sauces.
Puliyangudi Lime has a thin peel (around 3mm) that is rich in essential oils. These oils are often used in perfumery, giving the lime a fragrant aroma, which is a unique aspect of the variety. The wax-like substance on the peel gives it a shiny appearance and offers protection during packaging and transportation, reducing damage and overpressure on the fruit.
Each tree bears around 950 fruits on average, with individual fruits weighing between 42g and 50g. This high yield ensures a steady and abundant supply of limes, which supports both local consumption and commercial distribution.
Puliyangudi is often referred to as the Lemon City of Tamil Nadu due to its prominence in lime cultivation. The Tenkasi district ranks second in Tamil Nadu for acid lime cultivation, covering 2,178 hectares and producing approximately 12,196 tonnes annually.

Virudhunagar Samba Vathal (Red Dried Chillies),

grown inTamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar district, is a distinguished variety celebrated for its unique flavour, moderate heat, and vibrant red colour. Its wrinkled texture and medium size make it stand out in South Indian cuisine. Known for its aromatic profile, it features a balance of smokiness and spiciness, enhancing the taste and appearance of dishes. It is widely used in traditional spice blends, pickles, and seasonings.
The cultivation of Samba Chilli primarily takes place in Tamil Nadu’s Virudhunagar, Ramanathapuram, Sivagangai, and Thoothukudi districts.
The long, slender shape of the chilies, measuring 6–6.5 cm with sharp tips and bulged shoulders, is referred to as “Virudhunagar Samba Chilli (Vathal).”
The traditional farming practices employed help preserve the chili’s authentic taste and nutritional benefits, ensuring its continued prominence in South Indian culinary traditions. The chili has a long, slender shape with a sharp tip and bulged shoulders. This gives it a distinctive appearance that makes it easily recognizable. The chili has a bright, shiny red colour when mature, which is a hallmark of the variety. This vibrant colour adds to its appeal, especially in culinary presentations.
It has a moderate level of heat, with a capsaicin content of 0.24%, contributing to its balanced spiciness, which is neither too mild nor overly hot. This moderate heat makes it suitable for a wide range of dishes. The skin of the chili is relatively thin, which makes it suitable for processing into dried forms.

Chettikulam Small Onion

is unique for its superior quality, high pungency, long shelf life, and excellent propagation potential. The combination of favourable soil conditions, a distinct drying process, and traditional storage methods enhances its value. These factors, along with the region’s specialised farming practices, contribute to the uniqueness of Chettikulam Small Onion, making it a highly sought-after crop in both local and international markets.
The soil in Chettikulam is primarily red loamy and black soil, with high clay content. The soil in the surrounding blocks of Alathur, Perambalur, and Veppanthattai is deep and calcareous, with moderate alkalinity. These soils are rich in sulphur, which contributes to the high pungency of Chettikulam Small Onion, giving it its distinctive sharp flavour.
The pinkish Chettikulam onions are uniform in size, typically small, with a diameter ranging from 2 to 3cm. This consistent size is highly desirable in culinary uses where uniformity is important. The onions are generally round to oval-shaped and exhibit a compact bulb structure. Chettikulam onions are known for their strong pungency. This heightened level of pungency is attributed to the high sulphur content found in the soil of the Chettikulam region, which contributes to their distinctive sharp taste.
One of the key morphological traits is the presence of 15 to 18 layers of dried outer scales. This extra layer of skin provides added protection to the inner bulb, which not only enhances the onion’s shelf life but also preserves its quality during storage and transportation. The outer scales are thicker and more intact than those of many other onion varieties. This contributes to the onion’s resilience and longer shelf life, typically ranging between 8 to 9 months.
Perambalur is a major hub for shallots in Tamil Nadu, attracting the attention of the Union govt, which is planning to establish a Common Food Processing Centre in Chettikulam.
Farmers in the region use a traditional storage method called “Pattarai”, where onions are stored in a structure that protects them from rain and direct sunlight. This storage method allows the onions to be preserved for up to three months, and when stored in ventilated conditions, the shelf life is effectively doubled.
The

Ramanadu Chithiraikar Rice,

with its bold, round grains, high nutritional value, and good pest resistance, offers substantial benefits to local farmers. Its unique characteristics, such as the dark outer skin and red inner grain, along with the distinctive flavour of its kanji (porridge), make it a staple local diet. The rice variety’s adaptability, yield, and low-maintenance cultivation methods make it a valuable and sustainable crop for the region, ensuring its continued importance in the local agricultural landscape.
Unlike many modern rice varieties, the Ramanadu Chithiraikar Rice is recognized for its high nutritional value. It is often considered healthier due to its natural cultivation practices, with no excessive use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides. The rice’s high nutritional content makes it suitable for traditional recipes such as dosa and idli, both of which benefit from its unique texture and flavour.
The rice has bold and round grains, making it visually distinct from other varieties. The outer skin of the grain is slightly dark and has a black color, while the inner grain is red. This coloration is one of the most notable features, adding to its unique appeal. The kanji (rice porridge) made from this rice is particularly popular and is appreciated for its good taste. The rice’s ability to prevent hunger for several hours makes it a staple in many households, particularly in the form of a hearty, filling porridge.
This rice variety is generally resistant to pests and diseases, which makes it suitable for sustainable farming practices. Most local farmers in the region prefer cultivating this landrace variety due to its resilience and suitability to the local climate and soil conditions.

Supreme Court on Tuesday came down heavily on ‘illegal’ demolitions in Prayagraj, saying the action had shocked its conscience. TOI meets some bulldozer operators to understand their point of view.
Every time a brick falls to the ground, Dheeraj Ankushe’s heart registers a tiny, agonised explosion. Thud-boom, thud-boom, thud-boom. It’s a dreadful, staccato rhythm.
“It’s killing,” the 30-year-old bulldozer operator employed by the Kalyan-Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) says of his job. “At night, the faces return — wailing mothers, screaming children clutching their toys as walls collapse around them.” Their voices sometimes echo in his dreams, reducing him to tears. “But despite all this, for the sake of my family’s livelihood, I have to do my job.”

Bulldozer justice. So often these days, one almost believes it’s the law of the land, the machines glamorised — emblazoned across T-shirts in poll-bound states, fluttering on the thin paper of kites during festivals — as they go about their business like purposeful tanks in battle.
They haven’t stopped despite the Supreme Court’s frequent frownings, which recently even declared that demolishing homes without due process is “totally unconstitutional”, and on Tuesday chastised the Prayagraj Development Authority for illegally razing the houses of six families in Uttar Pradesh, describing the move as “inhuman”.
Obeying orders
Yet, when the orders come, men must execute them — the ones who sit like silhouettes behind the glass of roaring yellow machines, their damning actions forever etched in the memories of those who watch their homes disappear and merge in billowing mounds of dust.
“Many times, I’ve had to demolish homes where families were still living. I knew I would be disrupting their entire lives. I have seen people crying. Senior citizens and children most desperately so. Those moments stay with me for a while — until another assignment takes over,” said Ankushe.

He tells himself that his work is essential for a “better future of the city”— whether through road widening or removal of structures that hinder development. There is consolation in that.
“Often, we demolish structures to build gardens or broaden streets. When my family sees the change, they understand. ‘Oh, this is why he does what he does’. The problem happens when there are poor people involved, who have nowhere to go.”
Mehar Baksh Shaikh knows that feeling only too well. A bulldozer man with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) since 2006, the 40-year-old said, “Orders need to be followed. My job is to operate the excavator and carry out demolitions according to my seniors’ instructions. BMC officials ensure all norms are followed. Our officers adhere to rules.”
But no matter how well he sticks to edicts, tearing down dwellings of the impoverished is a burden his heart finds unbearably heavy to heave. He knows their pain — because he lives it. Shaikh resides in a slum area in Sakinaka with his family. “It is terrible to destroy homes, especially in slum areas. The sound of women weeping and lamenting, the shattering of kitchen vessels, the thought of lives tossed up in the air in an instant — it’s all so hard to take. But what choice do we have? If it’s illegal, it’s illegal.”
Shaikh has seen the desperation firsthand. “People build houses on public land because they have nowhere else to go. Our country is drowning in poverty. Families are living on footpaths, beneath bridges. They deserve rehabilitation,” said the father of three.
Call Of duty
For 32-year-old Mukesh Patil, though, it’s nothing personal. Orders come and go. It’s business as usual. Considered the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC)’s most trusted operator, he says he is given the location of a demolition site just 15 minutes before he starts the mission. He’s off after that.
That’s what happened on March 24, a week after violence erupted in Maharashtra following protests demanding removal of Aurangzeb’s tomb. Patil’s phone rang. As usual, he had 15 minutes to report to Sanjay Bagh Colony. Expecting a routine anti-encroachment drive, he arrived at 9 am, only to find dozens of police personnel in riot gear, flanked by reporters and television crews. This was no ordinary operation.
Before Patil stood a towering doublestorey structure — home of the main accused in the riots, Fahim Khan. His machine stuttered and rolled. The operation began at exactly 10.40 am. The second-floor windows shattered first, then the walls caved in, piece by piece.
As cameras captured the event, Patil soon reduced the mansion to a graveyard of debris. In two hours, what had once stood as an imposing residence was gone. By 12.50 pm, Khan’s apartment had been flattened — 100 sq.m of tiny concrete and fractured memories. Mukesh Patil has nerves of steel.
Far away in UP, Devender Singh, 35, doesn’t. The bulldozer operator with Bareilly Development Authority (BDA) admits he is shaken to the core during and after each assignment.
“My hands tremble,” he told TOI, speaking softly. “Every time I bring down a home, it happens. Because I know the immense effort that goes into building one. I don’t feel guilty when we demolish a criminal’s house, but what about the family? There are members who have nothing to do with a crime.”
Singh recalled a “haunting moment” from March 2022 when he was ordered to level a building that had stood for decades. “Behind me, officials were yelling at us to hurry, while in front of me stood a hysterical woman, begging us to stop. I had no choice but to suppress my emotions but, inside, I felt hollow,” he said.
Since that year, Singh has been part of 1,200 demolitions. It hasn’t got any better for him. While some experiences have faded from memory, others, like the bawling mother pleading with him to turn away, refuse to leave him.
Occupational hazards
There is danger, too. Rage is inevitable. Those affected block bulldozers, climb onto them, and even attack the vehicles. When tensions flare, Ankushe shuts the glass windows of his bulldozer, trying to drown out the verbal abuse.
Such protests occasionally escalate into violence, resulting in injuries. “I’ve been wounded by glass shards when people threw stones and shattered the windscreen of my excavator once,” Shaikh said.
That aspect of their occupation brings bulldozer operators to one common grievance. Given the risks they face and the demanding nature of their profession, salaries are barely commensurate. Ankushe, who works on a contract basis, earns between Rs 18,000-30,000 per month.
After his father’s death, he is now the sole earning member of his family. Patil, despite being crowned NMC’s “most trusted operator” for carrying out complex demolitions, says he earns Rs 12,600 a month.
Bulldozer operators TOI spoke to in Uttar Pradesh said that unless they work independently, they are all employed by civic bodies on a contractual basis, earning on an average Rs 500 per day for 10 hours. It can go up if the target to be pulled down is “abnormally big”, like a multistoreyed building.
In Bulandshahr, one of them said, “I am on a one-year contract with the civic authorities and earn Rs 2,000 per hour for a building. But the money we get for demolishing a home is dirty money. I donate it — as a form of penance.”
In all this, there are men like Sumit Patel in Bareilly, who have steadfastly refused to participate in demolitions. Patel bought his own machine a year ago and has rejected police requests to obliterate homes. “By God’s grace, I have plenty of work. There is no need to play with my conscience. My machine has never touched a house or a shop. I cannot snatch away the roof over someone’s head, no matter how the govt justifies it,” he said.

Indian astronaut-designate Shubhanshu Shukla is likely to fly to the International Space Station (ISS) as soon as May this year, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said in an update about Axiom Mission 4 (Ax-4).

Group Captain Shukla serves as the astronaut designate and Mission Pilot.

Mr Shukla, currently serving as an officer in the Indian Air Force, will become the second Indian to travel to space, four decades after Wing Commander Rakesh Sharma’s historic feat in 1984. He will be accompanied by Peggy Whitson, a former NASA astronaut and mission commander; Slawosz Uznanski-Wisniewski from Poland; and Tibor Kapu from Hungary.

His selection comes after ISRO identified him as a key astronaut-designate for India’s upcoming Gaganyaan mission, India’s first human spaceflight program, aiming to send up to three-member crew to a 400 km low Earth orbit for up to three-day mission. ISRO has collaborated with NASA and Axiom Space for this mission.

India has also chosen Group Captain Prasanth Balakrishnan Nair as a designated astronaut who will become part of Ax-4 should Mr Shukla be unable to fly.

As part of an agreement between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), India bought a seat for its astronaut on the upcoming mission to space by Axiom Space Inc, a Houston-based company. However, the collaboration between the space agencies may be exempt from the reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump.

Ax-4, the fourth private astronaut mission to the ISS, is targeted to launch from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. It will launch aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft hoisted by the Falcon-9 rocket, which will fly them to the space station. Once docked, the astronauts are scheduled to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission comprised of science, outreach and commercial activities. The private mission also carries the first astronauts from Poland and Hungary to stay aboard the space station.

According to NASA, the first private astronaut mission to the station Axiom Mission 1 lifted off in April 2022 for a 17-day mission aboard the orbiting laboratory. The second private astronaut mission to the station Axiom Mission 2 launched in May 2023 with four private astronauts who spent eight days in orbit. The most recent private astronaut mission Axiom Mission 3 launched in January 2024, with the crew spending 18 days at the space station.

Ax-4’s likely launch in May will come months after Indian-origin NASA astronaut Sunita Williams returned to Earth after spending 286 days in space.

The following is a partial list of reciprocal tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump during his April 2 press conference.

All nations will be subject to at least a 10% tariff going forward, while dozens of countries listed below that the administration identified as having high barriers on US goods will be subject to higher “reciprocal” rates. The new levies stack on top of existing tariffs, like the 20% fentanyl-related tax Trump previously imposed on Chinese goods. A previous exemption for short-term goods is also being closed.

There are some exemptions, including Canada and Mexico, which are subject to previously announced tariffs. Certain goods from key industries – including steel, aluminum, automobiles, copper, pharmaceuticals, semiconductors, and lumber – are also exempt from these rates. Instead, they’ll be tariffed at rates either already determined or soon to be determined by the president.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

BENGALURU: Mohammed Siraj is into his ninth IPL season, of which he spent seven with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). He’s played 87 of his 95 IPL matches for the Bengaluru franchises. Not too long ago, the M Chinnaswamy stadium used to be his home ground. On Wednesday, turning up for Gujarat Titans, he found familiar home comfort, returning with impressive figures of 3/19.
Coming into their first home game on the back of two wins, hosts RCB, put in to bat, were expected to explode. Instead, their top-order imploded under the Titans’ pace attack, which thrived on length and variations.
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Struggling at 94/5 in the 13th over, the big-hitting Liam Livingstone turned saviour as he smashed a 40-ball 54 (1×4; 5×6) to steer RCB to 169/8. A later burst by Tim David (32; 18b; 3×4; 2×6) ensured RCB came away with 64 runs off the last five overs to give their bowlers a chance. Jitesh Sharma contributed 33.
All their efforts came to naught as the chase turned out to be a breeze for the Titans, with Jos Buttler (73 not out off 39 balls; 5×4, 6×6) and opener Sai Sudharsan (49 of 36; 7×4, 1×6) putting on 75 runs from 47 balls for the second wicket to lay the foundation for the eight-wicket victory.

Buttler’s return to rampaging form would be the best news for the day for Titans.
Titans lost skipper Shubman Gill in the fifth over, holing out to Livingstone at deep backward point off Bhuvneshwar Kumar. That was the only blip as Sudarshan and Buttler found the gaps with ease.
Barring the pace duo of Bhuvneshwar and Yash Dayal, none of the other RCB bowlers could plug the charging Titans. RCB sensed a flicker of hope when Sudarshan offered a catch to wicket-keeper Jitesh Sharma off Josh Hazlewood in the 13th over. But Buttler and Sherfane Rutherford’s 63 runs (32 balls) stand hastened the win with 13 balls to spare.
Earlier, left-arm pacer Arshad Khan, who came in for Kagiso Rabada, stunned the boisterous stadium into silence with a short-of length delivery in the second over which Virat Kohli (7) tried to pull but couldn’t get past Prasidh Krishna in the deep. That was the beginning of RCB’s top-order misery as they struggled to pick the lengths of the Titans pacers.
Kohli’s opening partner Phil Salt (14) lived dangerously and was offered two lifelines, both off Siraj’s bowling. The lifelines notwithstanding, Siraj had the last laugh. After smashing Siraj out of the park, Salt, looking to put away the next one, was beaten by pace and lost his stumps. Siraj dealt a double blow, uprooting southpaw Devdutt Padikkal’s (3) timber in his next over.
To make matters worse for RCB, pacer Prasidh (1/26), playing on his home turf, bowled a dream opening spell of 3-0-10-0 to choke the hosts, who ended the Powerplay with 38/3.
The Titans’ spin duo of Sai Kishore and Rashid Khan were contrasting in impact. Left-arm spinner Sai Kishore choked RCB with figures of 2/22. On the other hand, a wayward Rashid (0/54) allowed the likes of Livingstone, who scored 39 off 17 deliveries from the leggie, to up the tempo.

The commerce ministry is analysing the impact of 26 per cent reciprocal tariffs or import duties imposed by the US on India, a senior government official said on Thursday.

According to the official, the universal 10 per cent tariffs will come into effect on all imports into the US from April 5 and the remaining 16 per cent from April 10.

“The ministry is analysing the impact of the announced tariffs,” the official said, adding there is a provision that if a country would address the concerns of the US, the Trump administration can consider reducing the duties against that nation.

India is already negotiating a bilateral trade agreement with the US. The two countries are aiming to finalise the first phase of the pact by fall (September-October) of this year.

“It is a mixed bag and not a setback for India,” the official said.

The US President listed the high tariffs charged by India on American products as he announced reciprocal tariffs on countries across the board, declaring a 26 per cent “discounted” reciprocal tariff on India.

“This is Liberation Day, a long-awaited moment. 2nd April 2025 will forever be remembered as the day American industry was reborn, the day America’s destiny was reclaimed, and the day that we began to make America wealthy again. We are going to make it wealthy, good, and wealthy,” Trump said on Wednesday in remarks from the Rose Garden at the White House as he announced the closely watched reciprocal tariffs on countries that impose levies on American goods.

As he announced the tariffs, he held up a chart that showed the tariffs that countries such as India, China, the UK, and the European Union charge, along with the reciprocal tariffs that these countries will now have to pay.

The chart indicated that India charged 52 per cent tariffs, including currency manipulation and trade barriers, and America would now charge India a discounted reciprocal tariff of 26 per cent.

“India, very, very tough. Very, very tough. The prime minister just left. He’s a great friend of mine, but I said, you’re a friend of mine, but you’re not treating us right. They charge us 52 per cent…,” he said. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s Bhuvneshwar Kumar bowls a delivery against Gujarat Titans during an Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 cricket match at M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru. (PTI)

Bhuvneshwar Kumar made history by becoming the joint-highest wicket-taker among pace bowlers in the Indian Premier League during Royal Challengers Bengaluru‘s match against Gujarat Titans in IPL 2025. Despite his impressive spell of 1/23, RCB suffered an eight-wicket defeat on their home ground as Gujarat Titans successfully chased down the target of 170 runs.
Kumar’s milestone achievement saw him equal Dwayne Bravo’s record of 183 wickets in IPL history. While Bravo reached this figure in 161 appearances, Kumar achieved it in 178 matches. The Indian pacer now shares the third position on the all-time IPL wicket-takers list, behind only Yuzvendra Chahal with 206 wickets and Piyush Chawla with 192 wickets.
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Bhuvneshwar, known as the “Prince of Swing,” displayed his expertise by delivering an economical spell, conceding runs at just 5.80 per over. He made an early impact by dismissing GT captain Shubman Gill, though his efforts ultimately proved insufficient for his team’s victory.
The match at M Chinnaswamy Stadium saw Gujarat Titans execute a perfect chase on opposition territory. After Kumar’s early breakthrough, Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler formed a crucial 75-run partnership for the second wicket, significantly denting RCB’s chances of defending their total.
Josh Hazlewood managed to break the partnership by dismissing Sudharsan, but the damage was already done. Gujarat Titans then brought in Sherfane Rutherford as an impact substitute to complete the chase.

The match concluded in the 18th over with a flourish of boundaries. Buttler struck two consecutive sixes, followed by Rutherford’s decisive hit over deep backward square to secure Gujarat Titans’ victory with eight wickets in hand.
The defeat marked Rajat Patdiar’s first loss as RCB captain, though Kumar’s record-equaling performance remained a positive takeaway for the team.
Most wickets in IPL history
Yuzvendra Chahal – 206 wickets
Piyush Chawla – 192 wickets
Dwayne Bravo – 183 wickets
Bhuvneshwar Kumar – 183 wickets
R Ashwin – 183 wickets
Sunil Narine – 183 wickets

A 22-year-old woman allegedly killed her mother-in-law at their house in Maharashtra’s Jalna district following an argument and then fled after being unable to dispose of the body, police said.

The incident took place on Tuesday night and the police arrested the accused woman, Pratiksha Shingare, from neighbouring Parbhani city on Wednesday, they said.

The accused got married six months back to Akash Shingare, who works at a private company in Latur, Additional Superintendent of Police Ayush Nopany told reporters on Wednesday.

The accused woman resided with her mother-in-law Savita Shingare (45) at a rented house in Jalna’s Priyadarshni colony.

The two women had an argument on Tuesday night during which the accused allegedly banged her mother-in-law’s head against a wall and later attacked her with a kitchen knife following which the latter died, police sub-inspector Rajendra Wagh said.

The accused then placed the body in a bag in an attempt to dispose it. But due to the weight, she was unable to move it and fled the house at around 6 am on Wednesday. She subsequently boarded a train to her native Parbhani city, the official said.

The house owner later found the body in the bag and alerted local police.

The police subsequently launched a search for the accused and arrested her from Parbhani, Wagh said.

A preliminary investigation suggested the victim died due to head injuries, the official said, adding further probe was on into the case. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

US President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House.

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced sweeping tariffs on global imports, a move that marks one of the boldest protectionist pushes in recent history.
Trump introduced a universal baseline tariff of 10% on all imports starting April 5, with steeper levies for countries the US considers trade violators. These tariffs come on top of existing duties and are backed by emergency powers invoked under a national security pretext.
The policy marks a return to aggressive tariff diplomacy, with the White House targeting countries it labels “worst offenders” based on trade deficits and non-tariff barriers. China, India, Japan, and the EU are among those slapped with sharply higher rates.
Here is all you need to know about Trump tariffs:
Q: What exactly has Donald Trump announced on tariffs?
A: Trump introduced two layers of tariffs:

Trump declared this a new phase in US trade, saying, “For years, hard-working American citizens were forced to sit on the sidelines as other nations got rich and powerful, much of it at our expense. But now it’s our turn to prosper.”
These tariffs are being imposed using emergency powers under a declared national emergency citing the US’s large and persistent trade deficits.
Q: Which countries are most affected by the new reciprocal tariffs?
A: The reciprocal tariffs are aimed at what Trump’s team calls the “worst offenders”—countries with large trade surpluses with the US or those that impose higher tariffs and non-tariff barriers on American goods. Examples include:

Q: Why did Trump implement these tariffs now?
A: The administration argues that persistent trade deficits are a national threat. Trump invoked emergency powers, citing a “national security and economic security” threat from trade imbalances. A senior White House official said, “The president would impose ‘baseline tariffs’ on all countries,” with higher reciprocal rates targeted at nations with discriminatory trade practices.
The strategic goals include:

The administration says these measures could raise “hundreds of billions of dollars in any given year.” As per a WSJ report, Capital Economics estimates that Trump tariffs could bring in up to $835 billion. However, “assuming such high tariffs lead to a marked decline in imports, the increase in revenues will probably end up closer to $700 billion,” they wrote in a note to clients. That would be about 2.3% of the country’s GDP, they added.
Q: What happens to Canada and Mexico under this plan?
A: Canada and Mexico escape the new reciprocal tariff regime, but they’re not entirely in the clear. Both countries still face:

The White House clarified that Canada and Mexico will continue under prior executive orders, mainly focused on immigration and fentanyl. Trump previously announced exemptions but warned these are subject to change.
Q: What are Trump’s broader goals with these tariffs?
A: Trump has multiple ambitions:

In essence, Trump sees tariffs not just as trade tools but as economic weapons to reshape the global economic order.
Q: How long will these tariffs last?
A: There is no expiration date. The executive order allows the president to adjust the tariffs based on foreign compliance. It states duties may be reduced if countries “take significant steps to remedy non-reciprocal trade arrangements.”
But the White House emphasized the current focus is enforcement, not negotiation. A senior official said, “Certainly, countries are very interested in trying to see what they can do to have more reciprocal trade. For the moment, we are very, very focused on getting the tariff regime in place.”
Retaliation from other nations could lead to further escalation.
Q: Are there any products or sectors exempt from these tariffs?
A: Yes, several sectors are temporarily shielded:

However, the White House has launched new investigations that could bring some of these products under future tariffs, especially pharmaceuticals and computer chips.
Q: What does this mean for India specifically?
India is one of the biggest targets of this round, hit with a 26% tariff—more than Japan (24%) and the EU (20%). Trump said, “India, very, very tough. Very, very tough,” adding that despite Modi being a “friend,” India charges the US “52%.”
India had tried to avoid the tariffs through concessions:

The commerce ministry is reviewing the impact of the 26 percent reciprocal tariffs imposed by the US on India, PTI reported, quoting a senior government official.
“The ministry is analyzing the impact of the announced tariffs,” the official said. They added that if a country addresses the concerns raised by the US, the Trump administration may consider reducing the duties for that nation.
“It is a mixed bag and not a setback for India,” the official said.
Q: How have financial markets reacted?
A: The announcement sparked a sharp decline in stock markets, especially among multinational firms exposed to global trade.
“US stock-index futures declined between 2% and 4.3% in after-hours trading,” and stocks like Apple, Amazon, and Nike fell more than 4%.
Auto companies and manufacturers with international supply chains were hit especially hard. Analysts warn the move could stoke inflation by raising the cost of imported goods.
Mary Lovely, a fellow at the Peterson Institute, said the tariffs were “much worse than we feared” and warned of “huge implications for rerouting of trade globally.”
Q: What are the possible next steps and risks of retaliation?
A: Countries hit by these tariffs are weighing countermeasures. Brazil is pushing legislation to retaliate without WTO arbitration. Canada has already imposed C$60 billion in counter-tariffs and threatened more. India may fast-track trade negotiations to win exemptions or relief.
But Trump warned, “Any retaliation by countries to the measures announced on Wednesday would be met with more levies from the US.”
In short, the world may be headed toward a new phase of trade conflict, potentially undermining the global order that has governed trade since World War II.
(With inputs from India)