US President Donald Trump said that he may bar ExxonMobil from operating in Venezuela, criticising the oil giant after its leadership questioned the viability of investing in the country after the capture of former president Nicolas Maduro by US forces. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on Sunday as he departed West Palm Beach, Florida, Trump said he was unhappy with the company’s stance. “I didn’t like Exxon’s response,” he said. “They’re playing too cute.” The remarks came days after Trump met oil executives on Friday in an effort to calm industry concerns about Venezuela. During the meeting, he told companies that any engagement would be handled directly with the United States rather than through the Venezuelan government. However, not all executives were reassured. Darren Woods, chief executive of ExxonMobil, described the current situation in stark terms. “If we look at the commercial constructs and frameworks in place today in Venezuela, today it’s uninvestable,” he said. On the same day, Trump also signed an executive order aimed at protecting Venezuelan oil revenues from being used in judicial proceedings. The order, released publicly on Saturday, warned that allowing such funds to be seized could “undermine critical US efforts to ensure economic and political stability in Venezuela.” The country has long faced state asset seizures, US sanctions and prolonged political uncertainty. Securing investment from US oil companies to help rebuild Venezuela’s infrastructure has become a key objective of the Trump administration following Maduro’s capture. The White House has presented the approach as an economic strategy, with Trump already having seized tankers transporting Venezuelan oil, announced that the US is taking control of the sale of 30 million to 50 million barrels of previously sanctioned crude, and stated plans to oversee those sales globally on an indefinite basis.

HYDERABAD: A 26-year-old man has been arrested in Telangana for allegedly unlawfully entering a temple premises and committing what police described as “indecent” acts in front of an idol, news agency PTI reported. According to police, the incident took place at the Katta Maisamma temple in Safilguda on Saturday night. The accused has been identified as Altaf, a resident of Bidar district, Karnataka. Police said a case was registered at Neredmet police station under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for unlawfully entering a place of worship and insulting religious beliefs. He was produced before a city court on Sunday and has been sent to judicial remand, a release from the Malkajgiri police commissionerate said. The incident triggered protests by the BJP, pro-Hindu organisations and devotees, who accused the man of urinating within the temple premises. A video circulated on social media purportedly showed some individuals assaulting a man outside the temple after questioning him over the alleged act. Police said they are verifying the antecedents and past history of the accused and that further action will be taken strictly in accordance with law. Telangana BJP President N Ramchander Rao visited the temple and described the incident as “blasphemous”. He alleged that the ruling Congress party in Telangana was competing with Bangladesh and Pakistan in attacks on Hindus. In a post on X, Rao said, “Even though I respect human rights, the other side speaks the language of “Sar Tan Se Juda”, therefore this incident calls for ENCOUNTER of the person who desecrated the sacred Kattamaisamma Temple by urinating within the premises. I am also astonished at the radio silence by Congress, BRS as well as the pseudo secular media on the issue.” He further said the BJP in Telangana would not remain a mute spectator and would fight on the streets for the protection of Hindu faith, temples and dignity. “Hindus will not be silenced. Faith will not be compromised”, he said. Meanwhile, police appealed to the public not to believe or circulate rumours or unverified information on social media or other platforms.Police also appealed to all sections of the public to maintain calm, peace and communal harmony.

The Big Bash League heads to the Sydney Showground Stadium for a pivotal mid-season encounter as the Sydney Thunder host the Melbourne Renegades in Match 33. With the tournament entering its business end, both teams will be desperate for points to solidify their standing on the ladder.

Sydney Thunder, led by the veteran batter David Warner, boast a side that is tailor-made for their home conditions – packed with technical batters and versatile bowlers. The presence of Daniel Sams and David Willey provides world-class left-arm seam options, while Chris Green and Tanveer Sangha will be the danger men on this turning surface.

On the other side, the Melbourne Renegades bring pure firepower. Jake Fraser-McGurk and Josh Brown can kill a chase in 10 overs, but they are prone to collapse if the ball moves. The inclusion of Mohammad Rizwan provides much-needed stability and class to anchor the innings.

ST vs MR, BBL|15: Match details

• Date and Time: January 12; 1:45 pm IST / 8:15 am GMT / 7:15 pm Local
• Venue: Sydney Showground Stadium, Sydney

ST vs MR, Head-to-Head Record in BBL

Matches played: 18 | Sydney Thunder won: 8 | Melbourne Renegades won: 10 | No result/Tied: 0

Sydney Showground Stadium Pitch Report

The surface at the Showground is historically known to be slightly tacky, often aiding spinners and bowlers who utilize cutters effectively. Scores in the 160-170 range are often competitive here. The powerplay will be crucial. Batters need to capitalize on the hard ball before the pitch slows down and grip increases for the spinners.

Squads

Melbourne Renegades: Josh Brown, Tim Seifert, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Caleb Jewell, Hassan Khan, Will Sutherland (c), Gurinder Sandhu, Brendan Doggett, Jason Behrendorff, Callum Stow, Harry Dixon, Sam Elliott, Adam Zampa

Sydney Thunder: Matthew Gilkes, David Warner (c), Cameron Bancroft, Sam Billings (wk), Nic Maddinson, Daniel Sams, Chris Green, David Willey, Tanveer Sangha, Ryan Hadley, Wes Agar, Charlie Anderson, Tom Andrews, Sam Konstas

Also READ: BBL|15: Sam Harper’s electrifying 84 not out steers Melbourne Stars to a commanding win over Melbourne Renegades

ST vs MR, BBL|15: Today’s Match Prediction

Case 1:

• Sydney Thunder wins the toss and bats first
• Sydney Thunder’s powerplay score: 40-50
• Sydney Thunder’s total score: 160-170

Case 2:

• Melbourne Renegades wins the toss and bats first
• Melbourne Renegades’ powerplay score: 45-55
• Melbourne Renegades’ total score: 165-175

Match result: Team batting first to win the contest

Also WATCH: Sean Abbott rattles Jack Wildermuth’s stumps with a peach of a delivery in BBL|15

NEW DELHI: India batting great Virat Kohli on Sunday reflected on his illustrious career, calling it “nothing short of a dream come true” as he continues to bring joy to millions through the sport he loves.The 37-year-old added another landmark to his glittering resume during the first ODI against New Zealand, becoming the fastest batter to reach 28,000 international runs across formats. Kohli achieved the feat in his 624th innings, making him the quickest to the milestone and the second-highest run-scorer overall behind Sachin Tendulkar.

Kohli reached the landmark with a boundary off New Zealand leg-spinner Adithya Ashok. Tendulkar had taken 644 innings to reach the mark, while Sri Lanka great Kumar Sangakkara, the only other member of the elite club, got there in 666 innings.“Honestly, if I look back at my whole journey, it’s nothing short of a dream come true. I’ve always known my abilities, when I came in and I had to work for a lot more to get to the place I am today.“God has blessed me with way too much for me to complain about anything. So I feel nothing but gratitude. I always look back at my whole journey with a lot of grace and and a lot of gratitude in my heart and I feel I feel proud about it.”Named Player of the Match for the 45th time in his career, Kohli once again enjoyed overwhelming support from fans at the venue.“I feel grateful that I’ve been put in this position. It’s a blessing to be honest. You can give so much happiness to so many people by just doing what you love to do, which is play the sport you’ve always loved as a child.“What what more can I ask for I’m literally living my dream and making people happy and see smiling faces.”Reflecting on his match-winning 93 off 91 balls, Kohli said he was not focused on personal milestones.“If I’m being brutally honest the way I’m playing right now, I’m not thinking about the milestones at all.“Honestly, if we were batting first today, I would have probably gone harder. Because there was a total on the board, I had to kind of buckle down and and play the situation. I was feeling like I want to hit more boundaries.”Asked about his more aggressive approach early in the innings in recent times, Kohli explained his mindset at the No. 3 position.“The basic idea is I batted at number three, so if the situation is a bit tricky, I backed myself to counter-attack now rather than just trying to play the situation in.“Because some ball has your name on it. So there’s no point waiting around for too long But at the same time you don’t play outrageous shots, you still stick to your strengths. But you back yourself enough to put the opposition on the back foot and that’s exactly what happened today when I walked in.“I just felt like if I push hard now in the first 20 balls, then we can probably string in a partnership straight after a wicket like Rohit’s Where the opposition is gonna go on the back foot and that actually ended up being the difference in the game.”Kohli also revealed that his trophies are sent to his mother in Gurgaon.“I send my awards to my mum, she’s proud of them. Yeah, she likes keeping all the trophies,” he said with a smile when asked if he needed a separate room for his accolades.During the chase, Kohli walked out to bat following the dismissal of Rohit Sharma, drawing a massive cheer from the crowd.Addressing the reaction, he admitted feeling uncomfortable about it.“I think it’s like different timing happens at different games, I am not really aware of it.“I honestly don’t feel good about it if I have to be honest. Same thing happens with MS. I’ve seen a lot as well. I don’t think that it’s a good feeling for the guy going out. So I do feel bad about it. I also understand the crowd, gets excited and they get happy.“So I guess it’s part of the game and I try to just focus on what I need to do and not think so much before I go to bat.”India captain Shubman Gill was full of praise for Kohli’s current form.“It’s tough to start on these pitches. Tough to replicate what he does. Hope he keeps piling on runs.”“Always feels great to chip in, especially when you’re chasing. Staying in the present is most important, esp for athletes. That’s what I try to do.”

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Australia has tightened checks for student visa applicants from India as it moved India into the ‘highest-risk’ category along with Nepal, Bangladesh and Bhutan. The new categorization came into effect from January 8 2026, as these four South-Asian countries have been moved from Evidence Level 2 to Evidence Level 3 under the Simplified Student Visa Framework (SSVF). The re-rating of the countries was out of cycle, the Australian media reported, while the administration said this was triggered by “emerging integrity risks”.

“This change will assist with the effective management of emerging integrity issues, while continuing to facilitate genuine students seeking a quality education in Australia,” the administration said. “The Australian government wants all students to have a positive study experience during their stay in Australia and receive a high-quality education. It is important that Australia’s international education system and Student Visa Program has the right settings to provide international students with confidence they are investing in the best possible education,” they said.

What does this re-rating mean for Indian students?

Indian students applying for a visa in Australia will be screened meticulously. They may be asked for more documents, and there might be rigorous background checks. Bank statements will be manually verified, additional English language evidence may be requested and the officers will have the authority to call institutions, referees. The process time of applications will lengthen from three to eight weeks.

Why India moved to ‘highest- risk’ category?

Though the administration did not cite any specific reason for which India had been assigned to a new category, the move came after reports of fake degree busts in India, which created a ripple in the international media. India alone accounts for almost 140,000 of Australia’s 650,000 international students, and the four nations represent nearly one-third of 2025 enrolments.According to experts, Australia remains the only option now among the ‘big four’ student destinations, as the US, UK and Canada are shutting their doors to foreign students. “It recently became obvious that student applicants who couldn’t get into those other three countries are increasingly applying to come to Australia, and in many cases we’ve seen an increase in fraudulent financial and academic documents,” Phil Honeywood, chief executive of the International Education Association of Australia, said.“By placing a number of these countries into the highest risk rating level then it automatically enhances any filtering of the student visa applicants to ensure bona fide study motivation.”

A Bangladesh Cricket Board official confirmed that umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat is currently in India for the ongoing ODI series between India and New Zealand. He is officiating as a match official, and the board clarified that his presence in India is part of his duties as an ICC-appointed umpire for the series.

Saikat became the first umpire from Bangladesh to earn a place on the ICC Elite Panel. He has steadily built a strong reputation in international cricket as a top-level umpire. Saikat now regularly officiates in some of the biggest series in the world, including high-profile contests like the Ashes and other Test matches.

India-Bangladesh Cricket Ties Strained After Mustafizur Rahman’s Release

Cricket relations between India and Bangladesh have been strained after Mustafizur Rahman was released from the Kolkata Knight Riders’ IPL 2026 squad following instructions from the Indian cricket board. The sudden decision upset Bangladesh officials and players.

Your daily dose of cricket!

Notably, the Bangladesh Cricket Board raised concerns about the safety of its players in India. The board informed the ICC that it is not ready to tour India for the upcoming events, including the T20 World Cup. Bangladesh also took steps, such as stopping IPL telecasts, to show its displeasure.

The issue gained wider attention as ICC officials held meetings in Mumbai to discuss the growing dispute. Bangladesh officials described Mustafizur’s release as unfair and influenced by political pressure rather than cricketing reasons.

Amid the controversy, many were surprised to see Bangladeshi umpire Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat officiating in India during the ODI series against New Zealand, despite Bangladesh’s strong stance on security concerns.

ICC Contract Allows Saikat to Officiate Without BCB NOC

Sharfuddoula Ibne Shahid Saikat does not need special permission from the board to officiate matches outside the country. BCB umpire department chairman Iftekhar Rahman said that Saikat works directly under an ICC contract, and the BCB has no role whenever the ICC assigns him a match.

“He (Saikat) is ICC contracted umpire and we are saying this clearly that he is not contracted with us (BCB),” said Iftekhar, as quoted by Cricbuzz.

“Now, in our contract it is written that when he has any ICC assignment, he will automatically be on leave from us. It will be an automatic leave and I don’t need to give any NOC. In the job contract he has with me, it is written that if he has any ICC engagement, he must be automatically released. There is no authority for me to decide whether I give permission or not,” he added.

ICC Yet to Decide on Bangladesh’s T20 World Cup 2026 Match Venues

The T20 World Cup is set to begin on February 7, and Bangladesh are currently scheduled to play all four of their group matches in India. Three of those games are planned in Kolkata, while one match is set to be played in Mumbai.

Bangladesh have said they are not willing to travel to India due to security concerns. The International Cricket Council has not responded publicly so far and has asked Bangladesh to clearly explain the issues being raised.

Notably, the ICC has not shown any indication of shifting Bangladesh’s matches from India to Sri Lanka. However, the Bangladesh Cricket Board has said the ICC is open to discussions and willing to work with them to review the concerns. No final decision has been taken yet.

Also read: Pakistan declares itself T20 World Cup 2026 co-host, hijacks India’s Bangladesh matches

US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that the US military was studying “very strong options” for a potential military action against Iran, amid reports of deadly crackdowns against the country’s mounting anti-government protests.Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Trump suggested Iran may have crossed a red line he had previously set regarding the killing of protesters. “They’re starting to, it looks like,” he said when asked if that line had been crossed.“Some people, who were not supposed to be killed, have been killed… If you talk about leaders, I don’t know if they are leaders or just rule through violence… But we and the military are looking at it very seriously, and we are looking at some very strong options…We’ll make a determination,” he added.Trump’s comments came as nationwide protests against Iran’s leadership entered their third week. Demonstrators once again filled the streets of Tehran and Mashhad, the country’s two largest cities, amid escalating violence. Rights groups monitoring the unrest say at least 538 people have been killed so far.Meanwhile, Iran on Sunday issued a stark warning, saying US military bases in the region and Israel would be considered “legitimate targets” if Washington launches an attack on the Islamic Republic.The threat was delivered by Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf as lawmakers surged toward the dais in parliament chanting, “Death to America!”Qalibaf said the government would respond forcefully to the unrest, declaring: “The people of Iran should know that we will deal with them in the most severe way and punish those who are arrested.”He also issued a direct warning to Israel, which he referred to as “the occupied territory,” and to US forces in the region, raising the possibility of preemptive action.“In the event of an attack on Iran, both the occupied territory and all American military centers, bases and ships in the region will be our legitimate targets,” Qalibaf said. “We do not consider ourselves limited to reacting after the action and will act based on any objective signs of a threat.”Protests continued overnight and were described as more intense and widespread than the 2022 hijab demonstrations. Around 192 people were reported killed by Sunday morning, though the true toll remains unclear due to an ongoing internet blackout. Senior regime officials signaled a hardening stance, with some suggesting protesters should face the death penalty, while another likened them to terrorists.

NEW DELHI: A new audio recording, purportedly featuring Maulana Masood Azhar, the elusive chief of the terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), surfaced on social media, boasting that his organisation now commands “thousands” of suicide bombers prepared for immediate deployment.The clip surfaced at a time when Pahalgam mastermind and Lashkar-e-Taiba’s deputy chief Saifullah Kasuri was captured on video claiming that the Pakistan army invited him to lead funeral prayers of its own soldiers after Operation Sindoor last May. Both clips were posted on Telegram and X by pro-ISI accounts.The messages are being viewed as a desperate propaganda attempt to revitalise a group reeling from devastating losses inflicted by Indian security forces during Operation Sindoor. Kasuri’s speech was made from a school, with hundreds of children visible in the audience, while Azhar too seemingly addressed a public gathering, sources said.

The latest recording features a defiant Azhar claiming that the sheer number of his followers would “cause an uproar in the global media” if fully revealed. He asserted that these recruits are driven by a fanatical obsession with “martyrdom”, explicitly stating that they do not seek material comforts like cars, motorcycles, or foreign visas.“They only ask Allah for 1 thing: martyrdom,” the UN-designated terrorist claimed, attempting to project a picture of high morale and spiritual conviction among his cadres.However, defence experts suggested this was little more than a “hollow threat” and a sign of severe frustration arising out of Operation Sindoor, a series of precision strikes by India in May 2025 that decimated JeM’s infrastructure and eliminated at least 10 of Azhar’s close relatives and top aides in Bahawalpur.“This audio appears to be a calculated effort to save face after the group’s leadership was “torn to pieces”, as recently admitted by other JeM commanders,” said a source.Interestingly, Masood Azhar was not seen in public since a 2019 blast at his Bahawalpur hideout, leading to persistent rumours about his health and location. This latest audio, while lacking visual proof of his life, indicates that the terror mastermind is still attempting to operate from the shadows, deep within a safe haven in Pakistan.Security agencies are now closely analysing the voice samples and metadata of the clip to track its origin and assess the current threat level posed by the group’s surviving sleeper cells, sources said.