Sunil Grover is known for leaving everyone in splits with his comic timing and apt mimicry of many stars – be it Salman Khan or Amitabh Bachchan. In this week’s episode of ‘The Great Indian Kapil Show’, Sunil was seen as Aamir Khan and he’s clearly broken the internet with it. Netizens found his mimicry so apt and authentic that they couldn’t stop gushing over him. While he left everyone in splits with his Aamir act, he also took a funny reference at Jaya Bachchan‘s comment on the paparazzi. During this episode which featured Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday, as Sunil came in dressed as Aamir Khan, he posed for the paparazzi and completely aced the ‘3 Idiots’ actor’s body language. As he posed for the paps, he told one of them, “Kapde acche pehne hue hai tumne. Pant acchi hai aaj.” Though it sounded innocent on the surface, many viewers quickly picked up on what they felt was a sly reference to Jaya Bachchan’s recent remarks about photographers and their clothing.

For those not in the know, Jaya Bachchan had said during a chat with Barkha Dutt, “I am the product of the media, but my relationship with paparazzi is zero. Who are these people? Are they trained to represent the people of this country? You call them media? I come from the media. My father was a journalist. I have tremendous respect for such people,” she said.She further added, “But ye jo bahar drain-pipe type gande gande pants pehen kar, haath me mobile le ke. They think just because they have a mobile, they can take your picture and say what they want and the kind of comments they pass.” Meanwhile, Aamir has also reacted to Sunil Grover’s mimicry of him. He said that he couldn’t stop laughing. “I wouldn’t even call it mimicry. It was so authentic, I felt like I was watching myself. I saw a small clip, and now I’m going to watch the whole episode.”

You simply have to ask a few consistent questions about any stock you’re considering. (AI image)

The word “quality” gets thrown around a lot in investing. Everyone claims to buy “quality stocks”, and every other fund calls itself a “quality fund”. But when you dig a little deeper and ask, “What exactly do you mean by quality?”, the answers often become vague. People point to well-known brand names, or to high share prices, or to whatever did well in the last bull market.For us, a quality company is not one that simply sounds impressive. It is one that consistently turns its business advantages into real cash, earns good returns on the money it invests, and treats minority shareholders fairly. That’s not a slogan; it’s a set of very specific behaviours.Start with the basics. A quality business is one that can grow its sales and profits steadily over long periods without relying on constant doses of fresh debt or equity. If you look at its track record over, say, the last 10-15 years, you should see revenues and earnings climbing at a healthy pace, not lurching from boom to bust. There will be bad years and good years, of course, but the direction over time should be unmistakably upwards.Take a company like Berger Paints. Between 2015 and 2025, its revenues have grown from around Rs 4,000 crore to nearly Rs 12,000 crore, while profits rose from roughly Rs 250 crore to almost Rs 1,200 crore. Across that period, its return on capital employed stayed broadly in the 25-30 per cent range. Meanwhile, its debt remained low or even declined as a share of the balance sheet. That’s what quality looks like in numbers: the business keeps growing, and each rupee invested continues to earn attractive returns.Then there is cash flow. It’s surprisingly easy for a company to show accounting profits while actual cash is stuck in receivables, inventory or dubious “other assets”. A quality company tends to convert a large part of its profits into cash from operations over time. If you see a pattern where the reported profit over, say, five years totals Rs 3,000 crore, but cumulative operating cash flow is only say Rs 1,500 crore, you have to ask why. In the best businesses, those two numbers are not worlds apart.The balance sheet tells its own story. Quality companies don’t habitually stretch themselves with dangerous levels of leverage. That doesn’t mean all debt is bad; in some industries, a reasonable amount is normal. But if borrowings surge every few years just to keep the lights on, or if interest costs eat up a growing share of profits, that’s a sign of weakness, not quality.And then there is behaviour, which often matters even more than numbers. How do promoters treat minority shareholders? Do they regularly pledge their shares to borrow money? Do they keep issuing new shares and diluting existing investors? Do they engage in related-party transactions that seem to benefit their private interests more than the company’s? Are auditors stable and independent, or do you see resignations, qualifications and frequent changes?Many of the worst blow-ups in Indian markets looked fine on a simple price chart until very late in the story. The early warning signs were usually in governance and capital allocation. At Value Research Stock Advisor, we place a lot of weight on these softer factors. Sometimes, we pass on a company even if the financials look attractive, simply because we don’t like what we see in the way management conducts itself. We’ve learned that it’s better to be roughly right about a slightly less exciting company than disastrously wrong about a glamorous name with poor governance.It’s also important to remember that a strong brand or a dominant market share does not automatically equal quality if it comes with sloppy capital allocation. A company that earns a high return on capital but keeps reinvesting in low-return projects will actually dilute its quality over time. In contrast, a management team that is disciplined about where it invests, and is willing to return excess cash to shareholders when it can’t deploy it sensibly, enhances quality.None of this requires you to become a forensic accountant. You don’t have to build complex models. You simply have to ask a few consistent questions about any stock you’re considering: does this business make good money, does it turn that money into cash, does it reinvest wisely, and does it treat me, the minority shareholder, with respect? If the answer to all of these is “yes”, you’re probably looking at a quality company.In our work at VRSA, we try to pass the listed universe through exactly this kind of lens before anything even reaches the stage of a formal recommendation. That’s why you’ll often see a bias in our ideas towards companies with clean balance sheets, decent history and reasonable governance track records, even if they are not the hottest names of the moment. We would rather miss a spectacular but fragile story than compromise on quality.Over long periods, quality tends to show up in the share price as well, despite all the noise along the way. In the example of Berger Paints, an investor who held from around Rs 124 in 2015 to approximately Rs 500 in 2025 would have earned roughly 15 per cent annualised, even though there were plenty of ups and downs in between. That return didn’t come from magic. It came from a business that kept doing the boring, difficult things right.When you hear the word “quality” next time, don’t think of it as a label someone slaps on a stock. Think of it as a habit pattern in a company’s life: steady growth, strong returns on capital, real cash generation, sensible leverage, and honest, competent stewardship. If you tilt your portfolio towards such companies and avoid the ones that only look impressive, you give yourself a much better chance of sleeping well while your wealth grows slowly in the background.(Ashish Menon is a Chartered Accountant and a senior equity analyst in Value Research’s Stock Advisor service.)(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

Australia batting maestro Meg Lanning expressed immense pride upon her appointment as captain of UP Warriorz for the Women’s Premier League 2026 season, calling it a ‘real honour’ to lead the revamped side. The franchise made the announcement on January 4, 2026, signaling a bold leadership shift ahead of the tournament’s fourth edition starting later this month. Lanning steps into the role with a glittering resume, having guided Delhi Capitals to three straight WPL finals before her INR 1.9 crore move to Warriorz at the mega auction.​

UP Warriorz names Meg Lanning their new captain for WPL 2026  

Warriorz handed the captaincy to Lanning, succeeding Deepti Sharma, who steered the team during the 2025 season amid Alyssa Healy‘s injury absence. Healy, the original skipper for 2023 and 2024, missed the entire 2025 campaign due to a foot stress injury and subsequent knee issues, paving the way for Deepti’s interim leadership that yielded just three wins from eight matches, landing fifth. Both Healy, who went unsold and Deepti, re-signed for INR 3.2 crore via Right to Match, were released pre-auction as Warriorz rebuilt under head coach Abhishek Nayar.​

Nayar praised Lanning’s poise, stating she offers a rare combination of experience, clarity, and calmness ideal for high-stakes games, backed by her 952 runs in 27 WPL outings, third on the all-time list.

“Meg brings a rare combination of experience, clarity, and calmness that sets her apart as a leader. Her understanding of the game, ability to manage high-pressure moments, and connect with players makes her the ideal captain for this group,” Nayar was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz.

A seven-time World Cup winner with Australia, including one ODI title and four T20 crowns as captain, Lanning’s tactical acumen shone in leading the Delhi side to consistent finals. The franchise eyes redemption after playoff glory in 2023 (third place, eliminator loss to Mumbai Indians), fourth in 2024, and a dismal 2025 bottom finish.​

Also READ: From emerging player to WPL 2026 winner: Deepti Sharma shares bold predictions for the Women’s Premier League

Lanning’s thoughts on taking charge of UP Warriorz ahead of WPL 2026

As per Cricbuzz, Lanning highlighted the squad’s blend of global stars and Indian talent, vowing collective effort to chase the elusive WPL title.

“This talented group… I’m really looking forward to the challenge ahead. We’ll work hard together and give ourselves every opportunity to lift the trophy,” Lanning shared, noting the league’s rising standards in its fourth year.

Key buys like England‘s Sophie Ecclestone (INR 85 lakh RTM) and Australia’s Phoebe Litchfield (INR 1.2 crore) bolster a core featuring retained Shweta Sehrawat, aiming for better cohesion after past inconsistencies.​

Under Lanning’s steady hand, Warriorz stand poised to overcome their history of near-misses and end the title drought. Capri Sports’ franchise heralds this as a fresh chapter, with Lanning’s proven coolness under fire from Australia’s dominant era setting the stage for WPL 2026 success. Cricket fans are eagerly awaiting her influence from the dugout at Lucknow’s Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium.​

Also READ: 3 reasons why Gujarat Giants will excel under the leadership of Ashleigh Gardner in WPL 2026

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

The Dr Kashinath Ghanekar Auditorium in Thane was awash with music and anticipation as the 17th edition of the Annual Bansuri Utsav played out over January 3 and 4, drawing an overwhelming turnout of classical music lovers. Over two immersive days, the festival brought together stalwarts of Indian classical music, unfolding as a vibrant celebration marked by spellbinding performances and moments of deep cultural resonance. Javed Akhtar: ‘I once took Pandit Hariprasad Ji’s autograph on a flute’ A highlight of the festival was the felicitation of Padma Bhushan Javed Akhtar, who was conferred the Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia Award in a packed auditorium of admirers. Accepting the honour, Akhtar reflected on the changing cultural landscape. “The country has made great progress; however, people are gradually forgetting values, literature, music, mythology and language. All these elements bind people together, and today they are needed more than ever,” he said. Struck by the atmosphere of the evening, he added, “Being here today, it feels as though the entire city of Thane is playing the flute. The flute is an instrument that connects us to the nation’s values and traditions.” Recalling a personal memory, Akhtar spoke fondly of Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia. He shared that he once took Panditji’s autograph on his flute at a programme; a flute he still treasures. ‘This Bansuri Utsav will continue uninterrupted in the years to come’ The festival was graced by Padma Vibhushan Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia, whose performance on the first day left the audience mesmerised. Accompanied by Mahant Vishwambhar Nath Mishra on pakhawaj, the maestro’s recital was a masterclass in depth, serenity and musical devotion. Expressing his gratitude, Pandit Chaurasia said, “Because of everyone’s love and blessings, this Bansuri Utsav will continue uninterrupted in the years to come. Through the flute, we will preserve our culture and continue this journey of carrying it forward to the next generation.”

One hundred flutes, one soul The second day witnessed one of the most stirring moments of the festival – a Flute Symphony performed by over 100 flautists, aged between eight and 80. Led by renowned bansuri maestro and festival founder Vivek Sonar, the ensemble performance was a heartfelt tribute to Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia and Javed Akhtar, drawing sustained applause from the audience. The visual and sonic spectacle of flautists performing in unison turned the auditorium into a resonant celebration of India’s classical heritage. Classical excellence across two days The festival featured an impressive line-up of eminent artists. Day one opened with Krishna Priya, a unique thematic presentation combining kathak dance by Aditi Bhagwat with a flute recital by Vivek Sonar. This was followed by a vocal recital by Meeta Pandit, before Pandit Hariprasad Chaurasia brought the evening to a sublime close. The grand finale on day two was marked by a powerful classical vocal performance by Shubha Mudgal, accompanied on tabla by maestro Aneesh Pradhan. Celebrating heritage through the bansuri Founded by Vivek Sonar, Bansuri Utsav continues to promote and popularise Indian classical music, with a special focus on the bansuri and its rich legacy. In just 17 editions, the festival has evolved into a significant cultural platform; one that celebrates tradition while inspiring future generations. This year’s edition did more than present music; it reaffirmed the flute’s timeless ability to bind people, preserve values, and keep India’s classical soul alive.

MUMBAI: Campaign trails that once echoed with door-to-door pitches and rally slogans are now buzzing in phone notifications. As civic elections draw closer, candidates are discovering that the most persuasive knock on a voter’s door may actually arrive via WhatsApp.Over the past few elections, contenders leaned heavily on platforms such as Facebook and Instagram to reach voters. This time, however, WhatsApp has emerged as the most effective ward-level campaign tool. Several candidates have created multiple WhatsApp groups, each with nearly 300-400 voters, carefully curated to include influential residents, local opinion leaders, housing society representatives and youth volunteers from their wards. These groups are being used to share nomination updates, rally schedules and outreach plans, while also laying out development promises for the post-poll period.

“In order to reach the masses, social media-especially WhatsApp-is proving extremely useful,” said Brian Miranda, a Congress functionary campaigning in Kalina for his wife Tulip, who is contesting for a second consecutive term. He explained that core workers are assigned specific buildings and slum pockets, collect feedback from residents and flag issues that require direct intervention. “Wherever required, we personally go and address voters,” he said.Congress MLA Amin Patel said ward-wise WhatsApp groups already exist in his constituency, where residents receive updates on civic works, camps and local meetings. “During elections, we are now using these groups extensively to ensure our nominated candidates win,” he said. Former Congress corporator Javed Juneja echoed the view, noting that while social media creates visibility, “real engagement happens on WhatsApp, where communication is direct and personal.“In Bandra West, first-time candidate Akshata Ryan Menezes of the Shiv Sena (UBT) said door-to-door outreach remains the starting point. “Once we’ve covered areas physically, WhatsApp helps us continue the conversation with voters,” she said. The ward was won by a Congress candidate in 2017.AAP Mumbai working president Ruben Mascrehenas described WhatsApp as the most critical election communication tool. Younger voters, he said, have largely moved away from Facebook, while Instagram engagement is mostly limited to short reels. “Beyond that, sustained engagement is difficult. WhatsApp is universal and far more effective because messages reach people whose numbers are already saved,” he said, adding that the platform mirrors traditional door-to-door campaigning by enabling steady, targeted communication right up to polling day.

File Pic: Dwayne Bravo and MS Dhoni (TOI Photo)

NEW DELHI: Former West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Bravo has offered a rare insight into MS Dhoni‘s famed man-management, recalling a telling moment from the 2018 Indian Premier League that summed up why the former India captain remains one of cricket’s most instinctive leaders.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Speaking on the Beard Before Wicket podcast, the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) stalwart described how Dhoni once stopped him from diving in the field, making it clear that his value to the team lay elsewhere. Bravo, who played for CSK across two stints from 2011 to 2015 and again from 2018 to 2022, winning three IPL titles with the franchise, called Dhoni a “brother from another mother”.

“Then in 2018, when we came back after the ban, I dived for a ball while fielding at long-on. Obviously, I was older then, 34,” Bravo said. “He called me into the ring, and after the over, as he walked past, he said to me, ‘Do not ever dive on my cricket field again. Your four overs are more important than saving four runs.’ When he said that, I was like, wow.”Bravo explained that the instruction completely changed how he operated on the field. “After that, I started fielding in the circle. That is the kind of thing he does. He knows what you are good at, and he wants you for that reason. He does not want you to try to do anything or be anybody else,” he said. “This is what I want from you, this is your job, and I’m happy with this.”

The former all-rounder also highlighted Dhoni’s trust in players’ cricketing instincts. “In my first over, he asked me about my field. I told him what I wanted… after that moment, he never told me anything about field placement again. I felt he trusted me.”Bravo also praised the leadership culture fostered by Dhoni and head coach Stephen Fleming. “They are not judgmental. Their moods do not change whether you perform or not. That consistency is the uniqueness of that franchise,” he said.

Gold prices climbed strongly on Monday after last week’s pullback, with futures gaining momentum amid fresh geopolitical concerns surrounding South American oil producing nation, Venezuela, and growing focus on upcoming US macroeconomic indicators. In the domestic market, February gold futures on the Multi Commodity Exchange (MCX) rose by Rs 1,509, or 1.11%, to Rs 1,37,270 per 10 grams. Trading activity remained active, with a turnover of 15,226 lots recorded during the session. The rise marks a recovery after a weak previous week, when the yellow metal slipped by Rs 4,112, or 2.94%, following record highs seen in late December. Global markets also reflected the improved sentiment. Comex gold futures for February delivery gained $86.4, or 2%, to $4,416 per ounce. This followed a decline of $223.1, or 4.9%, during the holiday-shortened week, when prices ended Friday at $4,329.6 per ounce.Here’s how much gold costs in your city today, per 10 grams:

Gold price in Ahmedabad today

The price of 24-carat gold in Ahmedabad is Rs 12,600, while 22-carat gold is tagged Rs 13,745.

Gold price in Bangalore today

In Bangalore, 24-carat gold is priced at Rs 12,595, and 22-carat gold costs Rs 13,740

Gold price in Bhubaneswar today

Bhubaneswar sees 24-carat gold at Rs 12,595, with 22-carat gold standing at Rs 13,740.

Gold price in Chennai today

Chennai’s 24-carat gold is Rs 12,680 per and 22-carat gold is priced Rs 13,833.

Gold price in Delhi today

In Delhi, 24-carat gold costs Rs 12,610, while 22-carat gold is Rs 13,755.

Gold price in Hyderabad today

Hyderabad has 24-carat gold at Rs 12,595 and 22-carat gold at Rs 13,740.

Gold price in Jaipur today

Jaipur sees 24-carat gold priced at Rs 12,610, with 22-carat gold at Rs 13,755.

Gold price in Kanpur today

In Kanpur, 24-carat gold is standing at Rs 12,610, and 22-carat gold costs Rs 13,755.

Gold price in Kolkata today

Kolkata’s 24-carat gold costs Rs 12,595, and 22-carat gold is Rs 13,740.

Gold price in Mumbai today

Mumbai sees 24-carat gold at Rs 12,595, with 22-carat gold priced at Rs 13,740.

Suvendu Adhikari and Mamata Banerjee (Images/Agencies)

NEW DELHI: West Bengal leader of the opposition Suvendu Adhikari on Monday sent a letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, dismissing CM Mamata Banerjee‘s “desperate lies” about the SIR exercise and her latest request to the Election Commission to halt it. The BJP leader said her concerns were “nothing but pure fiction.”Adhikari’s letter to Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar came two days after Banerjee wrote expressing concern over what she described as “serious irregularities, procedural violations and administrative lapses” during the SIR.In his counter-argument, Adhikari described Banerjee’s allegations as a “desperate attempt to sabotage a vital and timely democratic exercise.”“The SIR is not, as she falsely portrays, an ‘unplanned, ill-prepared, and ad hoc’ farce, but a meticulously orchestrated national initiative aimed at purging the system of duplicate, bogus, and ineligible entries that have inflated voter lists and undermined the sanctity of our democracy,” the letter read.Adhikari further accused her administration of attempting to disrupt the exercise.“It is clear as daylight that the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s outrage stems from the counterfactual reality: the SIR is proving devastatingly counterproductive to her party’s prospects in the upcoming 2026 Assembly Elections, as it lays bare the ‘extras’ – fictitious voters, ghosts of the deceased, and illegal infiltrators; that her Administration and Party Cadres have systematically shielded and thrived upon,” the letter further read.The BJP leader emphasised that the SIR had been implemented after “extensive nationwide consultations with comprehensive training modules disseminated to over 50,000 Booth Level Officers and Electoral Registration Officers in West Bengal alone.”He rejected the chief minister’s allegations of server failures and data mismatches during the SIR exercise.“IT systems, far from being ‘defective and unreliable,’ have processed millions of entries seamlessly, with real-time dashboards ensuring transparency,” Adhikari further wrote.He also accused the Trinamool Congress of attempting to disrupt the SIR by intimidating officials, orchestrating protests and spreading disinformation online.“The Hon’ble Chief Minister’s litany of grievances is not only factually inaccurate but a deliberate distortion designed to malign the ECI as ‘politically motivated’ and to manufacture a false narrative of widespread discomfort and disenfranchisement. In truth, it is her own Administration and Party machinery that have colluded to sabotage the SIR at every turn: intimidating field officials (as in the case of Electoral Roll Observer; Shri C Murugan) through mob vandalism, veiled threats and bureaucratic hurdles, flooding social media with disinformation campaigns, and orchestrating orchestrated protests to create an atmosphere of negativity and fear. These unholy acts seek to portray the ECI’s lawful diligence as harassment, when in reality, the Commission’s actions are safeguarding the franchise of genuine voters while weeding out the fraudulent. Such tactics are a shameful assault on Democratic institutions, and I urge the ECI to remain vigilant against these machinations,” Adhikari’s letter read.Responding to allegations of excessive verification and procedural gaps, Adhikari wrote that checks for “logical discrepancies” such as spelling or age mismatches are part of a gold standard verification process.He defended the appointment of neutral observers and the exclusion of booth-level agents from hearings. Adhikari further stated that these steps were necessary to prevent partisan interference. Regarding document deletions and rejections, he stressed that all removals follow strict due process under the Representation of the People Act, 1950, with appeals mechanisms in place.Adhikari urged the EC to continue the SIR “undaunted, fortified by the unwavering support of the democratic masses.” He further described the exercise as “not an assault on the Constitution but its truest vindication, purging the shadows that have eclipsed our polls for too long.”

What Mamata Banerjee wrote

Banerjee, in her letter to the Chief Election Commissioner, warned that if the SIR was allowed to continue in its present form, it would result in “irreparable damage, large-scale disenfranchisement of eligible voters, and a direct assault on the foundational principles of democratic governance.”She called the exercise “unplanned, arbitrary and adhoc” and urged the poll body to halt it if glitches remained unrectified.The chief minister highlighted the strain on Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and other frontline staff, claiming the process had been “crippled from day one” due to poor training, server failures, confusion over mandatory documentation and the near impossibility of meeting voters during their work hours.She said BLOs were being forced to work “far beyond human limits” while managing their primary duties as teachers or anganwadi workers, and cautioned that the credibility of voter rolls itself was at risk.

US President Donald Trump has issued a series of blunt warnings to multiple countries over the past few hours, signalling an increasingly confrontational posture across regions.The remarks came a day after an audacious US military operation in Venezuela that led to the capture of President Nicolás Maduro and his transfer to New York to face federal drug trafficking and weapons charges. Since then, Trump has spoken out against at least five countries.Here’s a breakdown of what Trump said, country by country.On ColombiaFacing questions about Venezuela aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump broadened his remarks to other Latin American countries, singling out Colombia and its president, Gustavo Petro.Trump accused Colombia of being “run by a sick man who likes making cocaine and selling it to the United States.”“He’s not going to be doing it for very long,” Trump said of Petro, who has frequently criticised him. “He has cocaine mills and cocaine factories.”The remarks come amid an escalating dispute between Washington and Bogotá over US boat strikes in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, operations that have increased pressure on Colombia, a key node in the region’s drug trade.Asked whether his administration could carry out an operation targeting Colombia, Trump replied, “It sounds good to me.”On GreenlandTrump also revived his long-standing push for the United States to take control of Greenland, the semi-autonomous Danish territory, claiming that it was essential for American security.“We need Greenland. … It’s so strategic right now. Greenland is covered with Russian and Chinese ships all over the place,” Trump said. “We need Greenland from the standpoint of national security, and Denmark is not going to be able to do it.”He went on to claim that Europe supports the idea.“The European Union needs us to have it, and they know that,” he said.Denmark pushed back sharply. Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen dismissed Trump’s remarks, saying, “It makes absolutely no sense to talk about the need for the United States to take over Greenland.”On VenezuelaTrump left the door open to further action in Venezuela even after Maduro’s capture, warning interim president Delcy Rodríguez of severe consequences if she does not cooperate.According to The Atlantic magazine, Trump said Rodríguez could “pay a very big price, probably bigger than” Maduro’s if she continued to resist US demands.Later, when reporters asked who was now in charge of Venezuela, Trump replied: “Don’t ask me who’s in charge, because I’ll give you an answer, and it’ll be very controversial.”Pressed further, he said bluntly: “We’re in charge.”On CubaTrump suggested that military action against Cuba may not be necessary, claiming the country is already on the verge of collapse.“I don’t think we need any action,” Trump said. “It looks like it’s going down.”“I don’t know if they’re going to hold out, but Cuba now has no income,” he added. “They got all their income from Venezuela, from the Venezuelan oil.”Earlier in the day, Secretary of State Marco Rubio had struck a tougher note. Asked on NBC’s Meet the Press whether Cuba was the administration’s “next target,” Rubio said, “The Cuban government is a huge problem.”Pressed again, he added: “They are in a lot of trouble, yes.”Rubio accused Cuba of “propping up” Maduro’s government and supporting its internal security apparatus, including personal bodyguards.On IndiaTrump also issued a fresh warning to India over its purchases of Russian oil.Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while travelling from Florida to Washington, Trump said Prime Minister Narendra Modi “knew he was not happy” and suggested action could follow.“They wanted to make me happy, basically. Modi is a very good man; he is a good guy. He knew I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy. They do trade and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly. It would be very bad for them,” Trump said.His remarks came after US Senator Lindsey Graham, who was travelling with him, said the tariffs imposed by Trump were the “chief reason” India has begun buying substantially less Russian oil.On IranTrump also warned Iran amid protests over the country’s economy, drawing a red line around the use of lethal force by authorities.“If they start killing people like they have in the past, I think they’re going to get hit very hard by the United States,” he said.Asked aboard Air Force One about reports of protesters being killed and his earlier “locked and loaded” remark, Trump said: “We’ll take a look. We’re watching it very closely.”He did not spell out what a US response would involve, nor announce any immediate military or economic measures, even as Washington maintains a significant military presence in the region.

England’s Joe Root celebrates after scoring a century in Sydney. (AP Photo)

Joe Root‘s love affair with Test cricket scaled yet another peak on Monday as England’s master batter produced a monumental century in the fifth Ashes Test at Sydney, nudging himself to the very doorstep of two of the game’s most sacred milestones — Don Bradman‘s tally of 150-plus scores and Sachin Tendulkar‘s towering records.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Root’s second century of the series, and 41st overall in Tests, drew him level with Australian great Ricky Ponting for third on the all-time list of hundreds, behind only Tendulkar (51) and Jacques Kallis (45). The landmark knock came in his 163rd Test, underlining his extraordinary longevity and consistency in the longest format.

The 35-year-old brought up his hundred in assured fashion, clipping Michael Neser for two to reach three figures before going on to craft a majestic 160 off 242 balls. His innings, studded with 15 fours, was the backbone of England’s 384.It was Root’s second hundred of the ongoing Ashes series in Australia, following his unbeaten 138 in the Brisbane day-night Test — an innings that snapped a long-standing three-figure drought Down Under after three previous tours.Most 150-plus scores in Tests

Beyond the century count, the innings carried even deeper historical significance. It was Root’s 17th score of 150 or more in Tests, moving him to fifth on the all-time list. That leaves him just one such innings shy of Don Bradman (18) and within touching distance of Brian Lara and Kumar Sangakkara, who share second place with 19 apiece. Only Tendulkar, with 20, stands clearly ahead.Root’s modern-era dominance is equally stark. Since 2021, he has amassed 24 Test centuries — more than double any of his contemporaries. Steve Smith, Kane Williamson, Harry Brook and Shubman Gill are next best, each with 10 over the same period.Most Test hundreds since 2021

Among England batters, Root has now joined Michael Vaughan and Alastair Cook as one of only three to score multiple hundreds in an away Ashes series since 1994/95.