Rajasthan Royals’ Vaibhav Sooryavanshi celebrates his fifty (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)

Rajasthan Royals announced their arrival in IPL 2026 with a commanding eight-wicket victory over Chennai Super Kings, powered by a breathtaking innings from teenage batting sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The Royals’ bowlers set the tone early, restricting CSK to a modest 127 on a pitch that had seen limited play due to rain. CSK’s batting struggled from the outset, with the home side failing to build any momentum. Royals captain Riyan Parag’s bowlers exploited the conditions perfectly, picking wickets at regular intervals to keep CSK under pressure. Ravindra Jadeja, returning to the Royals, struck twice in his opening over, signalling a successful comeback. Sooryavanshi, 15, displayed his rare talent in full flight, racing to a 15-ball fifty, including a spectacular six over point off New Zealand pacer Matt Henry and a couple of towering sixes off spinner Noor Ahmad. Dropped by Kartik Sharma in one punishing over, he made CSK pay immediately, turning the contest decisively in Rajasthan’s favour. His innings helped the Royals reach 74 in the powerplay, effectively sealing the game. Opening partner Yashasvi Jaiswal (38* off 36) played a measured role, letting Sooryavanshi dominate, while Parag (14* off 11) joined later to finish the chase in 12.1 overs with ease. CSK’s marquee players struggled. Sanju Samson, fresh from India’s T20 World Cup triumph, was trapped by Nandre Burger trying to go over mid-wicket, while skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad fell attempting a lofted stroke off Jofra Archer. Jamie Overton provided some resistance with 43 off 36 but could not stem the collapse. The Royals’ pace attack, led by Nandre Burger and Archer, complemented Jadeja’s spin perfectly. Brijesh Sharma claimed the wicket of debutant Kartik Sharma, while Archer, Burger, and Jadeja finished with two wickets apiece. Both teams, who had swapped stars Jadeja and Samson ahead of the season, began their campaigns in contrasting fashion—Royals with a statement win, CSK with much to rethink after a difficult start.

LUCKNOW: A full-scale emergency was declared at Lucknow’s Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport (CCSIA) on Monday evening after an Air India Express flight operating from Bagdogra to Delhi issued a Mayday call mid-air following suspected smoke inside the aircraft.The flight, IX 1523, was cruising at 36,000 feet above Ghaghara river in Ambedkar Nagar district at around 4.58 pm, when pilots claimed to have detected, as what they believed to be smoke emanating from the aircraft’s avionic panels in the cabin and immediately informed air traffic control.“As a precautionary measure, the crew declared a Mayday, triggering the deployment of oxygen masks and causing panic among a section of passengers,” said a source familiar with the incident.Several passengers later said the sudden drop of oxygen masks, combined with the Mayday announcement, led to moments of fear and confusion inside the aircraft. Some passengers reported that anxiety spread quickly as cabin crew rushed to reassure travelers and calmly guided them on how to use the masks while the aircraft prepared for diversion.Following the alert, the aircraft was diverted to Lucknow and made a safe precautionary landing at CCSIA at 5.17 pm. Emergency response teams, including airport fire and medical services, were positioned in advance as part of standard protocol for such situations.All 148 passengers and crew were safely deboarded and escorted to Terminal 3. Officials said no injuries were reported. A detailed inspection of the aircraft was carried out by the airport fire department and technical teams, but no visible signs of smoke or fire were found.Despite the absence of any immediate findings, the aircraft has been grounded as a safety measure and will return to service only after a comprehensive technical evaluation and formal certification of airworthiness.The incident triggered frustration among some passengers due to delays and uncertainty about onward travel. One passenger, identified as Hemron Michael, shared an image of the oxygen mask deployment on social media, seeking clarity on revised travel arrangements as the delay extended beyond two hours.According to officials from Lucknow International Airport Ltd, passengers were initially brought to Terminal 3. A number of them were accommodated on alternate flights to Delhi, while others were provided overnight hotel accommodation and assured priority booking on the next available flights.Airport officials reiterated that the emergency procedures followed during the incident ensured passenger safety, noting that precautionary diversions and grounding of aircraft are standard practice when potential technical issues are reported mid-flight.

In response to disruptions in cargo movement linked to the Middle East crisis, the government has allowed an additional 30 days for the gems and jewellery sector to fulfil specific export and import timelines.The relaxation comes as exporters face delays in consignments to key markets in the region, which accounts for nearly 30 per cent of India’s gems and jewellery exports worth $26.2 billion during April-February this fiscal.Announcing the measure, the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) said the extension covers select categories under Chapter 4 of the Handbook of Procedures (HBP-2023), which deals with duty exemption and remission schemes.“Facilitative provisions for the gems and jewellery sector under Chapter 4 of HBP-2023 have been incorporated in response to recent geopolitical developments in West Asia, and the export/import (as applicable) period for specific categories is being extended by 30 days without any requirement for fees or an application,” the DGFT said in a public notice.Among the key changes, the re-export window for diamonds imported for certification or grading has been extended from 90 days to 120 days. A similar extension has been provided for exports involving precious metals supplied by foreign buyers.Timelines have also been relaxed for re-import of jewellery sent abroad for exhibitions, as well as for exports linked to gold sourced from nominated agencies, outright purchases, loans and replenishment schemes.Officials said the one-time relief is intended to help exporters complete transactions smoothly amid logistical delays, while maintaining continuity in trade flows.Exporters will not be required to file fresh applications or pay any additional fees to avail of the extension, and customs authorities have been instructed to process transactions after necessary verification.Industry participants said the disruptions stem from recent geopolitical tensions following a joint US-Israel attack on Iran, which has affected air and sea routes across the Middle East.Welcoming the move, former Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council chairman Colin Shah said the extension provides timely support to exporters facing challenges in shipments to the region.“We hope the situation will improve soon,” he said, adding that India’s exports to the UAE are around $10 billion

US Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Monday said the central bank can look through the energy price shock triggered by the Middle East conflict, but warned it may need to act if rising costs begin to alter inflation expectations, AFP reported.“The tendency is to look through any kind of a supply shock,” Powell said at an event at Harvard University, noting that energy shocks have historically been short-lived.This is because “energy shocks have tended to come and go pretty quickly” while changes in monetary policy take longer to transmit through the economy, he said.The remarks come amid escalating tensions following US-Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28, which led to retaliation from Tehran and disruptions around the Strait of Hormuz — a key route for global energy supplies.With nearly one-fifth of global crude oil and liquefied natural gas passing through the strait in normal conditions, the conflict has pushed up global oil prices and driven a surge in US gasoline costs, raising concerns over inflation.For now, Powell said, “we feel like our policy is in a good place for us to wait and see how that turns out.”He added that “inflation expectations do appear to be well-anchored beyond the short term,” but acknowledged that supply shocks could risk shifting expectations if price pressures persist.The Fed is currently navigating what Powell described as a “tension” between its dual mandate of maintaining price stability and supporting employment, with risks of both higher inflation and a weakening labour market.On financial stability, Powell said the US system has “significantly hardened” since the 2008 global financial crisis, though regulators must continue to ensure resilience without attempting to “regulate risk out of existence.”He added that policymakers are closely watching emerging areas such as private credit.With his term set to expire in May, Powell also underscored the importance of the Fed’s independence, saying the central bank “needs to be fully politically independent” and that its chair should be “a person who can be reappointed by either side.”