Suryakumar leads India to victory over Sri Lanka in T20 series opener
Suryakumar, chosen as leader over Hardik Pandya, put on a key stand of 76 with wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who scored 49.
By EasternEyeJul 28, 2024
New captain Suryakumar Yadav hit a half-century to se t up a 43-run victory for India in the first of three T20 internationals against Sri Lanka on Saturday.
Suryakumar, 33, scored 58 off 26 balls at Kandy's Pallekele in his first match as T20 skipper, marking the start of a new era for India in the format after their T20 World Cup win last month.
India posted 213-7 and then bowled out Sri Lanka for 170. Spinner Axar Patel struck twice in one over, taking the key wicket of Pathum Nissanka for 79.
Nissanka seemed to be setting up the chase, but Sri Lanka lost nine wickets for 30 runs and were bowled out in 19.2 overs.
"We practised here for two-three days and we knew how the wicket would play," said Suryakumar, who was named player of the match. "We never thought it would go away from us, given we won the World Cup. Fortunately, there was no dew."
India have started fresh in T20 cricket after Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, and Ravindra Jadeja announced their retirements from the format following their World Cup win in Barbados.
Suryakumar, chosen as leader over Hardik Pandya, put on a key stand of 76 with wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who scored 49.
Fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana took four wickets, including those of Suryakumar and Pant, but could not stop India from crossing 200 after a sloppy fielding effort by the home team.
Charith Asalanka, the new Sri Lanka T20 skipper, elected to field first after winning the toss.
Both teams have new coaches, with Gautam Gambhir joining India and Sanath Jayasuriya in an interim role for Sri Lanka.
Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 40 off 21 balls, and Shubman Gill, who made 34, gave India an explosive start with a partnership of 74 in the first six overs.
The openers departed in the space of two deliveries, with Dilshan Madushanka taking down Gill and leg-spinner Wanindu Hasaranga getting Jaiswal stumped with his first ball.
Suryakumar steadied the innings and attacked with eight fours and two sixes in partnership with Pant.
Pathirana, known as "Baby Malinga," trapped Suryakumar lbw after his 22-ball fifty. He then bowled Pandya and Pant.
In reply, Sri Lanka started strongly with an 84-run stand between Nissanka and Kusal Mendis, who made 45 off 27 deliveries.
Nissanka continued the charge, despite losing Mendis in the ninth over, and hit seven fours and four sixes in his 48-ball knock.
Patel, a left-arm spinner, bowled Nissanka and then dismissed Kusal Perera in the same over. Sri Lanka collapsed from 140-1 to 163-7.
"We could've done better (with the bat)," said Asalanka. "It (6-5 batting-bowling combination) is an experiment, but this is the way we should go in the future."
The second match of the series will take place on Sunday at the same venue.
Damaged cemented blocks lie in the water beside an under-construction dam on the Tawi River, following heavy rainfall in Jammu, on August 27, 2025. (Photo: Reuters)
HEAVY rain in northern India has led to flooding and landslides, leaving at least 34 people dead and disrupting essential services, officials and local media said. More rainfall has been forecast for Wednesday.
A landslide near the Vaishno Devi shrine on Tuesday killed at least 30 people on the popular pilgrims’ route, ANI reported.
This comes after downpours in the Himalayan region last week killed 60 people and left about 200 missing in Kishtwar in Indian Kashmir.
In Jammu, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) recorded 368 mm (14.5 inches) of rain on Tuesday.
The IMD has predicted further rainfall and thunderstorms with strong winds in Ladakh, along with heavy rain in Himachal Pradesh and the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Schools have been ordered shut in several areas of Jammu, Himachal Pradesh and Punjab.
Telecommunication services were “almost nonexistent,” said Jammu and Kashmir chief minister Omar Abdullah, as authorities worked to restore connectivity.
Officials said overflowing water in the Tawi, Chenab, Jhelum and Basantar rivers caused flooding in low-lying areas. Three people were killed in Doda district in Jammu.
“The immediate priority is restoration of electricity, water supply and mobile services, for which the authorities have been working continuously overnight,” Jitendra Singh, India’s science and technology minister, posted on X.
Singh also said that the Madhopur bridge was severely damaged on Wednesday morning.
Television footage showed vehicles plunging from the bridge as it collapsed. Several highways connecting Jammu with the rest of India were also affected.
Meanwhile, neighbouring Pakistan is facing similar monsoon conditions.
On Tuesday, Pakistan reported that its eastern Punjab province was under “very high to exceptionally high” flood risk due to heavy rain and the release of water from two Indian dams.
Authorities said more than 150,000 people in Punjab have been displaced, including about 35,000 who left their homes voluntarily after flood warnings since August 14.
By clicking the 'Subscribe’, you agree to receive our newsletter, marketing communications and industry
partners/sponsors sharing promotional product information via email and print communication from Garavi Gujarat
Publications Ltd and subsidiaries. You have the right to withdraw your consent at any time by clicking the
unsubscribe link in our emails. We will use your email address to personalize our communications and send you
relevant offers. Your data will be stored up to 30 days after unsubscribing.
Contact us at data@amg.biz to see how we manage and store your data.
Donald Trump speaks with the press as he meets with Narendra Modi in the Oval Office of the White House on February 13, 2025. (Photo: Getty Images)
US tariffs on Indian imports rise to as much as 50 per cent
Nearly 55 per cent of India’s $87bn exports to US could be affected
Exporters warn of job losses and call for loan moratoriums
India says support measures will be offered to affected exporters
US PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s doubling of tariffs on Indian imports took effect on Wednesday, raising duties on some shipments to as much as 50 per cent. The move escalates trade tensions between India and the United States.
A 25 per cent tariff announced earlier in July was followed by another 25 per cent duty linked to India’s purchases of Russian oil, taking total tariffs to as high as 50 per cent on items such as garments, gems and jewellery, footwear, sporting goods, furniture and chemicals. These rates are on par with those imposed by the US on Brazil and China.
The new tariffs are expected to affect thousands of small exporters and jobs, including in prime minister Narendra Modi’s home state of Gujarat. Exporter groups estimate nearly 55 per cent of India’s 87 billion dollars in merchandise exports to the US could be impacted, benefiting competitors such as Vietnam, Bangladesh and China.
India and the US have held five rounds of talks since April to try to reach a trade agreement, but differences over access to India’s farm and dairy sectors, as well as India’s rising imports of Russian oil, led to a breakdown.
Officials on both sides blamed political misjudgment and missed signals for the collapse. US Census Bureau data shows their two-way goods trade totalled 129 billion dollars in 2024, with a US trade deficit of 45.8 billion dollars.
White House trade adviser Peter Navarro confirmed the new tariffs would take effect as announced. “Yeah,” he said when asked if the increased tariffs on India’s exports would be implemented on Wednesday.
Indian officials had earlier indicated hope that US tariffs could be capped at 15 per cent, the rate applied to some other US trade partners including Japan, South Korea and the European Union.
The additional tariffs will affect goods such as textiles, chemicals and leather. Exporters say this could create a price disadvantage of 30–35 per cent compared to competitors.
“The move will disrupt Indian exports to the largest export market,” said SC Ralhan, president of Federation of Indian Export Organisations. He suggested the government provide a one-year moratorium on bank loans for affected exporters, besides extending low-cost credit and easier loan access.
A US Customs and Border Protection notice allows a three-week exemption for Indian goods shipped before the deadline. These shipments can enter the US under the earlier lower tariffs until September 17.
Steel, aluminium and derivative products, passenger vehicles, copper and other goods subject to separate tariffs of up to 50 per cent under the Section 232 national security trade law remain exempt.
India’s response
India’s Commerce Ministry did not immediately respond to requests for comment. However, an official said on condition of anonymity that exporters hit by the tariffs would be given financial assistance and encouraged to diversify to markets such as China, Latin America and the Middle East.
Rajeswari Sengupta, an economics professor at Mumbai’s Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, said a weaker rupee could provide indirect support to exporters by helping them regain competitiveness.
Officials say trade talks with the US are continuing. India has not announced any change in its stance on Russian oil purchases. Russian officials in New Delhi have said Moscow expects to continue supplying oil to India.
Broader ties
Despite the tariff dispute, both countries have stressed their broader strategic partnership. On Tuesday, the US State Department and India’s Ministry of External Affairs issued identical statements saying senior officials met virtually and expressed “eagerness to continue enhancing the breadth and depth of the bilateral relationship.”
Both sides also reaffirmed their commitment to the Quad grouping, which includes the US, India, Australia and Japan.
(With inputs from agencies)
Keep ReadingShow less
Players will fight inside Terminid hive worlds with underground tunnels
Helldivers 2: Into the Unjust launches on 2 September.
Players will fight inside Terminid hive worlds with underground tunnels.
New missions include destroying Spore Lungs and drilling for E-710.
Fresh enemy types introduced, including Burrowers and dragon-like roaches.
New “Dust Devils” Warbond arrives 4 September with weapons and gear.
Into the Unjust expansion arrives 2 September
Arrowhead Game Studios has announced Helldivers 2: Into the Unjust, a major update arriving on 2 September. The expansion will allow players to enter the Terminid hive worlds for the first time, diving deep into underground lairs filled with hostile creatures.
According to Arrowhead, the goal is to “take the battle to our enemies’ homes” by exploring massive cave systems and confronting new threats hidden beneath the surface.
New underground missions
The hive environments will feature sprawling tunnel networks, with limited support available once squads enter. “You have to really plan before you go in to get all of your weaponry, because there’s no help from your Super Destroyer once you’re in the caves,” explained level designer Chris Brettman.
Two new operations will be available in these hive worlds:
Destroy Spore Lung – requiring players to transport a Hellbomb Backpack or heavy weaponry to destroy an alien structure.
Mobile oil drill mission – tasking squads with escorting a slow-moving drill to harvest E-710 resources.
Some cave systems will include areas where sunlight filters through, acting as checkpoints for resupplies.
New enemy types revealed
The update introduces several new Terminid variants:
Burrowers, which come in warrior, bile spewer, and charger forms.
Dragon roaches, insect-like creatures capable of breathing napalm.
The trailer also hints at additional surprises, including a vast dust cloud that Arrowhead has not yet explained.
Dust Devils Warbond launching 4 September
In addition to the new missions, a fresh Warbond titled Dust Devils will arrive on 4 September. This update will add new weapons and equipment, including:
AR-2 Coyote incendiary assault rifle
G-7 Pineapple frag grenade
S-11 Speargun
EAT-700 Expendable Napalm rocket launcher
MS-11 Solo Silo, a missile silo built into a hellpod with laser targeting
Players can also expect new armour sets, emotes, banners and cosmetic content as part of the Warbond.
- YouTube YouTube/ HELLDIVERS™ 2
A significant update for players
Into the Unjust marks one of the most substantial updates to Helldivers 2 since its release. By taking combat underground, Arrowhead aims to create new tactical challenges, forcing players to adapt without the support of their Super Destroyer and to deal with a wider variety of enemies.
With the combination of new missions, expanded enemy types, and additional equipment, September is shaping up to be a key month for the game’s community.
Keep ReadingShow less
Emma Heming Willis shares emotional insight into Bruce Willis’ battle with frontotemporal dementia
Emma Heming Willis says Bruce Willis’ frontotemporal dementia symptoms first appeared like a “whisper.”
The actor remains physically strong but struggles with language and communication.
Heming Willis has written a new book, The Unexpected Journey, on caregiving.
She is now advocating for more support for families living with dementia.
Emma Heming Willis has shared a moving update on husband Bruce Willis’ health, describing how his frontotemporal dementia (FTD) first appeared as a “whisper” through subtle changes in his behaviour. Speaking in a new ABC News special, Emma & Bruce Willis: The Unexpected Journey, she revealed that while the Die Hard star remains physically healthy, it is his mind that is deteriorating. Heming Willis also discussed her new book on caregiving and her mission to support other families navigating dementia.
Emma Heming Willis shares emotional insight into Bruce Willis’ battle with frontotemporal dementia Getty Images
What happened to Bruce Willis’ health?
Bruce Willis was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023, a rare brain condition that impacts behaviour, personality, and communication. Unlike Alzheimer’s, which often begins with memory loss, FTD frequently shows up through changes in how a person behaves or expresses themselves.
For Willis, best known for his action hero roles in Die Hard and Armageddon, the primary symptom has been the loss of language. “The language is going, and we’ve learned to adapt,” Heming Willis said, explaining that the family now communicates with him in different ways.
She described the condition as “his brain failing him,” even as his physical strength and mobility remain intact.
Bruce Willis continues to show strength despite dementia affecting his language and communicationGetty Images
What were Bruce Willis’ first dementia symptoms?
Heming Willis explained that the earliest signs of FTD were difficult to spot and easy to dismiss. The actor, who was once warm and affectionate, began to withdraw emotionally and drift away from family activities he had always enjoyed.
“It felt a little removed, very cold, not like Bruce,” she recalled. “To go the complete opposite of that was alarming and scary.” These early changes, which she called a “whisper,” later developed into clearer symptoms of dementia.
Doctors confirmed the diagnosis of FTD in 2023, but Heming Willis said she was handed only a pamphlet and told there was no available treatment. She described the experience as feeling like she was “free falling.”
Emma Heming Willis and Bruce Willis arrive for the annual "Room To Grow" Spring benefit in 2017Getty Images
How is Bruce Willis’ family coping?
The Willis family has adjusted their lives around his illness. Emma admitted that, in the beginning, she tried to manage caregiving alone, staying awake at night to ensure his safety and withdrawing from social gatherings to make his life more comfortable.
Over time, she realised the importance of building support and sharing the responsibility. Today, the couple’s daughters, Mabel, 13, and Evelyn, 11, continue to see glimpses of their father’s old self. “Not days, but we get moments,” she told Diane Sawyer. “It’s his laugh, his smirk, that twinkle in his eye. As quickly as those moments appear, they go. But I’m grateful he’s still here.”
His older daughters with Demi Moore, Rumer, 37, Scout, 34, and Tallulah, 31, also remain close and united around him. Rumer recently said the family is “doing great” and cherishing their togetherness.
Bruce Willis’ dementia started as a whisper, Emma Heming reveals in emotional family confessionGetty Images
Why is Emma Heming Willis speaking out?
The diagnosis pushed Heming Willis, a model and entrepreneur who had preferred to avoid the spotlight, into advocacy. She is using her platform to raise awareness about dementia and call for greater support for caregivers, who are often overlooked in healthcare conversations.
Her new book, The Unexpected Journey: Finding Strength, Hope, and Yourself on the Caregiving Path, will be released on 9 September. It documents her experience and aims to serve as a guide for others navigating similar challenges. “Born from grief, shaped by love, and guided by purpose, this is the book I needed back when Bruce was first diagnosed,” she said.
Keep ReadingShow less
Craftsmen work on diamonds at a diamond processing unit in Surat, India, August 15, 2025. (Photo credit: Getty Images)
THE SURAT Diamond Bourse, billed as the world's largest office complex and bigger than the Pentagon, remains largely empty with only a few traders working.
Business has slowed, and the outlook is uncertain.
India’s diamond exports have fallen to a two-decade low due to weak Chinese demand. Now, higher US tariffs under president Donald Trump are set to hit the industry’s biggest market, which takes nearly one-third of its $28.5 billion annual exports of gems and jewellery.
In Surat, where more than 80 per cent of the world’s rough diamonds are cut and polished, orders are shrinking as the US tariffs undermine buyer confidence.
Smaller exporters have limited options, while bigger firms are considering moving part of their operations to countries like Botswana, which faces a lower 15 per cent tariff. India’s current 25 per cent tariff is set to double on 27 August.
"We are in a wait-and-watch mode until the end of August but may increase production in Botswana if this continues," said Hitesh Patel, managing director of Dharmanandan Diamonds, which expects US tariffs to cut its annual revenue by 20–25 per cent.
Shaunak Parikh, vice chairman of the Gem and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), said the industry was cutting working days and hours to adjust to slower demand.
At the Surat Diamond Bourse, more than 4,700 offices have been sold but fewer than 250 are in use, with several firms reconsidering plans to move in, a bourse official said.
A Mumbai-based diamond company owner, who bought office space last year, said he had postponed shifting. "U.S. tariffs have already shaken our business, and we don't want the added hassle of moving from Mumbai to Surat," he said, requesting anonymity.
In December 2023, prime minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the Surat Diamond Bourse, spread over 6.7 million square feet, larger than the Pentagon’s 6.5 million. Modi called it a symbol of "new India's strength and new resolve".
The bourse, with nine interconnected towers of 15 floors each, also houses banks, customs offices, vaults, and a jewellery mall, designed as a one-stop hub for the global diamond trade.
LITTLE SPARKLE DESPITE PEAK SEASON
Surat’s units usually step up production during this period to meet US demand ahead of Christmas and New Year. This year, many workers are unsure if they will have jobs.
"Demand has slumped so badly that the diamond packets I sold for 25,000 rupees ($285.84) last year now barely fetch 18,000," said Shailesh Mangukiya, who runs a polishing unit in Surat. He said his workforce has been cut in half to 125.
Parikh of GJEPC said without a trade deal to lower tariffs, 150,000 to 200,000 workers could lose jobs.
Industry officials said US buyers are likely to shift to suppliers in Israel, Belgium and Botswana.
Exporters are looking to Asia, Europe and the Middle East to offset US losses, but finding new buyers is difficult, they said. Many are reducing rough diamond purchases and working with small inventories, while some smaller units are offering discounts to survive.
India’s domestic demand, however, is holding. The country recently overtook China as the second-largest diamond market.
"Our sale for the last 10–15 days has slowed down a little but not that much because the loss of American demand is being compensated by some good demand in the Indian market," said Hitesh Shah, a partner at Venus Jewel, which supplies brands including Tiffany & Co and Harry Winston.