US President Donald Trump on Tuesday said that he would remove “some oil sanctions” to reduce the soaring prices as the crude cost hit $100 a barrel amid Iran war.“We’re also waiving certain oil-related sanctions to reduce prices,” he said addressing reporters. “We’re going to take those sanctions off till this straightens out,” he added.Moreover, he threatened a larger attack on Iran if it blocked oil supplies, whose prices have spiked over the Middle East war.“I will not allow a terrorist regime to hold the world hostage and attempt to stop the globe’s oil supply. And if Iran does anything to do that, they’ll get hit at a much, much harder level,” he said.Trump has been facing mounting pressure to rein in oil prices that have surged due to the war with Iran, but he has limited options to address a problem that is rattling the global economy and carrying political risks at home.He has argued the spike will be a “short-term” issue that will ease once the war ends, though rising gasoline prices are already affecting voters ahead of the US midterm elections later this year, where the state of the economy is expected to play a major role.The surge in oil prices has been largely driven by the near standstill in maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz — a crucial Gulf waterway that carries about a fifth of the world’s crude — since the war began on February 28.Brent crude, the global oil benchmark, briefly climbed above $100 per barrel for the first time in about four years before easing slightly below that level.
Suryakumar Yadav and Tilak Varma of India lift the trophy (Getty Images)
Former England captain Michael Atherton has declared India national cricket team the leading force in limited-overs cricket, saying their recent dominance puts them in a strong position to potentially hold all three ICC white-ball trophies at the same time.India reinforced their status by defeating New Zealand national cricket team by 96 runs in the final of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup on Sunday. The victory secured a record third title for India and also made them the first side to successfully defend the T20 World Cup. It was also the first time a team had lifted the trophy on home soil.
Proud families celebrate India’s World Cup heroes | SKY, Abhishek & Axar’s loved ones react
Speaking on Sky Sports Cricket, Atherton said India’s excellence extends beyond the T20 format and reflects their broader dominance in white-ball cricket.“India are more than a pre-eminent T20 side. They are the pre-eminent white-ball side at the moment,” Atherton said.He pointed to India’s remarkable record across recent ICC tournaments to underline the point.“In the last few ICC global events, before today, they have won 30 out of 32 games. They have only been beaten in the final of the 50-over World Cup here by Australia, and that game by South Africa earlier in this tournament.“Across the board in white-ball cricket, they are the pre-eminent side. They were the strongest side here and deserve their victory,” he added.India’s run of dominance in ICC limited-overs competitions began during the 2023 Cricket World Cup, where they won every match before losing the final to Australia national cricket team. The team then went through the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup unbeaten and followed it with another perfect campaign in the ICC Champions Trophy in 2025.Their only setback in the latest T20 World Cup came against South Africa national cricket team during the Super Eight stage.With another Cricket World Cup scheduled for next year, Atherton believes India now have a realistic chance of holding every ICC limited-overs trophy simultaneously.“They may well mop it all up, there is a 50-over World Cup next year, and they have the chance now to hold the Champions Trophy, T20 World Cup, and the 50-over World Cup all in one go, and that will surely be their aim,” Atherton said.Another former England skipper, Nasser Hussain, believes India’s consistent success comes from a simple but highly effective formula. According to him, a batting order packed with aggressive power-hitters combined with the brilliance of pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah makes the team extremely difficult to beat.“India’s formula is pretty simple.“A batting lineup full of powerful hitters that will get you an above par score and a bowler in Bumrah, who makes a below par score probably enough. He’s an absolute genius, and when you combine those two elements, they’re virtually unbeatable,” he added.
Ambernath: Panic spread in and around the industrial belt of Ambernath after a massive fire broke out at a chemical factory in the Anandnagar MIDC area on Monday, triggering a series of loud explosions. As a precautionary measure, workers of eight adjoining companies and residents of a nearby village located close to the MIDC area were asked to vacate their homes due to the risk posed by the blaze and the explosions.The fire erupted at Ganesh Chemical Company located in Anandnagar MIDC. According to officials, the blaze started suddenly and within minutes spread across the premises, engulfing the entire unit.Authorities said the factory stored a large quantity of chemicals, which led to repeated explosions as chemical drums inside the unit caught fire. Eyewitnesses reported that thick black smoke billowed into the sky and could be seen from nearly 5 km away. The smoke plume continued to rise for several hours as the fire raged through the chemical unit.Soon after the incident was reported, multiple fire engines from the Ambernath fire brigade, MIDC, Ulhasnagar, Kalyan, and Navi Mumbai rushed to the spot, and firefighters launched an intensive operation to bring the flames under control.Bhagwat Sonawwne, chief fire officer of the Ambernath fire brigade, said, “Officials said the presence of chemicals made the firefighting operation more challenging. Due to safety concerns, authorities evacuated workers from neighbouring factories and asked residents from a village located within about a 1 km radius of the MIDC area to move to safer locations.”Preliminary information suggests that the entire chemical unit was gutted in the blaze. However, no casualties or injuries have been reported so far.Officials said the exact cause of the fire remains unknown and will be determined after a detailed investigation.
Urges Experts, Policymakers To Work On New Training Models
NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Monday highlighted the growing importance of the care economy and telemedicine in strengthening India’s healthcare system, saying both sectors will play a key role in expanding services and creating new employment opportunities in the coming years.Addressing the fourth post-Budget webinar on ‘Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas – Fulfilling Aspirations of People’, Modi said India must prepare its youth for emerging job opportunities in healthcare, digital technologies and innovation-driven sectors as demand for healthcare services expands both domestically and globally.“In the coming decade, the number of senior citizens in the country will increase rapidly. In addition, today there is a huge demand for caregivers in many countries. Therefore, the health sector is creating new skill-based employment opportunities for millions of youth,” Prime Minister Modi said, describing the care economy as an important area for future workforce growth.He urged experts and policymakers to work on new training models and partnerships that can strengthen the country’s health workforce and equip young people with skills required in caregiving and allied services.The PM also pointed to the growing role of telemedicine in widening healthcare access across the country. “Today a large number of people in remote areas are benefiting from telemedicine and their trust in it is increasing. However, there is still a need to increase awareness and ease of access,” he said.Modi noted that India is working on a broader vision centred on preventive and holistic healthcare, while expanding health infrastructure across the country. Over the past few years, healthcare capacity has increased with new medical colleges opening in hundreds of districts.He also cited the expansion of services through the Ayushman Bharat programme and the network of health and wellness centres, which are aimed at taking primary healthcare services closer to rural communities.Modi said fulfilling people’s aspirations requires strengthening sectors such as education, skills and health together.
NEW DELHI: Despite a slight dip in imports due to govt’s impetus on ‘Make-in-India’ weapons, India remains the world’s second-largest importer of major arms, accounting for 8.2% of the global share between 2021 and 2025, according to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).The report also highlights a sharp decline in New Delhi’s decades-long dependence on Russia for arms supply. Moscow’s share, the report, says has fallen from 70% in 2011-15 to 40% in 2021-25, with France and Israel becoming the big gainers, as their respective shares rising to 29% and 15%. The 4% fall in India’s arms imports compared to 2016-2020 cycle was due to the country’s stress on indigenous weapons. “The decrease can be partly attributed to India’s growing ability to design and produce its own weapons — although there are often substantial delays in domestic production,” the report said.This trend in Indian imports will continue in the coming years as a series of big-ticket defence deals with western countries are on the cards, including 114 Rafale fighter jets from France (may cost approximately Rs 3.25 lakh crore), six air-independent propulsion (AIP)-equipped conventional submarines from Germany, six additional P-8I Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from the US, and several deals on missile defence systems and drones with Israel.The Sipri report also mentioned the May 2025 Operation Sindoor, emphasising that India’s arsenal is mainly driven by the dual threat from China and Pakistan. “In South Asia, the high volume of arms that India imports is largely due to the perceived threat from China and to India’s long-running conflict with the main recipient of Chinese arms exports, Pakistan. Imported weapons were used in the 2025 clash between India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed states,” the SIPRI analyst said.When it comes to India’s rival Pakistan, its military hardware is majorly sourced from China, with nearly 80% of its arms imports coming from Beijing, according to the report. Pakistan was the fifth largest recipient of major arms globally in 2021-25, up from 10th place in 2016-20. Its arms imports rose by 66% between the two periods, accounting for 4.2% of total global arms imports.Globally, the report said the top five arms importers in 2021-25 were Ukraine, India, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan, which together accounted for 35% of total arms imports. The report also said there was a rise of 9.2% in arms trade between 2021 and 2025 compared to the 2016-2020 period.The US remained the world’s largest arms exporter, accounting for 42% of global arms exports during the period. France was the second largest exporter with a 9.8% share, while Russia ranked third with 6.8%. The US exported arms to 99 states in 2021–25, including 35 states in Europe, 18 in the Americas, 17 in Africa, 17 in Asia and Oceania and 12 in West Asia.It said Europe accounted for the largest share of global arms imports for the first time since the 1960s, driven largely by the war in Ukraine and rising security concerns across the region. Europe accounted for 33% of global arms imports, followed by Asia and Oceania at 31% and West Asia at 26%.Globally also, Russia’s share of global arms exports declined sharply from 21% in 2016-20 to 6.8% in 2021-25, mainly due to major drops in exports to countries such as Algeria, China and Egypt.
Mumbai: Mumbai Traffic Police cracked down on vehicles illegally blocking bus-stops and issued more than 26,000 challans. The special drive was carried out between Feb 23 and March 8. Fines upto Rs 10.5 lakh were levied. Police said vehicles parked at bus-stops made it difficult for bus passengers to alight or board nor were buses able to halt at the designated stops. Traffic snarls were also reported, as a result.
Head coach Gautam Gambhir showered rich praise on Sanju Samson following India’s successful campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, describing the wicketkeeper-batter’s performances as “special” and a true reflection of his character under immense pressure.Samson emerged as one of the biggest heroes of the tournament, producing three successive match-winning performances that ultimately earned him the Player of the Tournament award. His standout contribution came in the final against New Zealand national cricket team, where he struck a brilliant 89 to guide India to the title.
Kuldeep Yadav delighted for Sanju Samson | From Under-12 days to World Cup glory
During the post-match interaction, Gambhir was asked whether Samson’s all-round impact reminded him of Yuvraj Singh’s legendary run in the 2011 Cricket World Cup. However, the India head coach was quick to distance the two achievements, insisting that comparisons between players were unfair.“Look, it’s not fair to compare two people. I think Sanju, what he’s done… see, again, Sanju did that three in a row, three in a row doing it and especially after coming back from the kind of form that he was in. You know, it takes so much of character and courage where you know that maybe your career is on the line,” Gambhir said.The former India opener stressed that Samson’s journey in the tournament made his success even more remarkable. The Kerala batter had entered the World Cup under scrutiny after a poor series against New Zealand national cricket team and also spent the early part of the competition out of the playing XI.According to Gambhir, overcoming those challenges and delivering such impactful performances required extraordinary mental strength.“Even if the captain and I can show as much faith, trust, everything in him, deep inside you know that obviously you didn’t have a great series against New Zealand before the start of the World Cup, and then you didn’t start on the playing level during the World Cup. Then making a comeback like that and playing those kinds of innings with that kind of, what, strike rate or with that kind of flamboyance… You need to have a special player, you need to be a special talent,” he noted.Gambhir added that the team management never doubted Samson’s ability and only wanted him to play with freedom when the opportunity came.“It was never about doubting his talent. He just had to go out there and be as free as he wanted to be. That is what he has shown to everyone. When you start believing in yourself, I think nothing matters to you apart from that,” he said.Samson’s fearless batting proved decisive as India scripted history by becoming the first team to successfully defend the Men’s T20 World Cup title.Looking ahead, Gambhir believes the tournament could mark the start of an even greater chapter in Samson’s career.“Hopefully he can kick off from here and achieve a lot of great things. I think he deserves a lot more than actually he’s got till now. There was never any doubt about his talent, and this is just the beginning of a remarkable journey.”
The Narendra Modi Stadium witnessed a historic night as India successfully defended their crown, defeating New Zealand in a high-octane final of the T20 World Cup 2026. While the collective effort of the Men in Blue was palpable, the night belonged to one man: Sanju Samson. In a tournament defined by his clinical precision and ‘Chetta’ energy, Samson’s redemption arc reached its pinnacle, earning him the Player of the Tournament award and an emotional tribute from the legendary Virat Kohli.
Virat Kohli applauds Sanju Samson with touching message
Samson’s journey to the 2026 podium is the stuff of cricketing folklore. Just months ago, his place in the squad was under heavy fire following a dismal run against New Zealand, where he managed a meagre 46 runs across five innings. Dropped in favour of Ishan Kishan and written off by critics, Samson scripted a comeback that silenced every detractor. After steadying himself with quick starts against Namibia and Zimbabwe, he transformed into a big-match monster when the stakes were highest.
Samson’s knockout stage performance was nothing short of breathtaking. He struck a vital 97* against the West Indies in a virtual quarterfinal, followed by back-to-back scores of 89 in the semifinal against England and the final against New Zealand. With 321 runs in five innings at a staggering average of 80.25 and a strike rate of 199.37, Samson surpassed Kohli’s 2014 record (319 runs) for the most runs by an Indian in a single T20 World Cup edition.
His performance in Ahmedabad also saw him join an elite club alongside Kohli and Shahid Afridi as the only players to score fifties in both the semifinal and final of the same tournament.
Overwhelmed by the achievement, Kohli took to Instagram to share a heartfelt message: “What a remarkable tournament from the most well-deserved man of the tournament @sanjusamson. You performed when it mattered the most. Really happy for you chetta.”
Clinical India defends their title as New Zealand crumbles in Ahmedabad
The final was a showcase of Indian batting depth and bowling lethality. Despite New Zealand winning the toss and electing to field, India’s openers set a blistering pace. Abhishek Sharma’s explosive 52 off 21 balls provided the platform, but it was the 100-run partnership between Samson and Ishan Kishan (54 off 25) that demoralized the Kiwi attack. Shivam Dube’s late cameo (26* off 8) propelled India to a massive 255/5, the highest-ever total in a T20 World Cup final.
Faced with a mountain to climb, the Black Caps faltered under the lights. While Tim Seifert offered resistance with a quickfire 52, the Indian bowling duo of Jasprit Bumrah (4/15) and Axar Patel (3/23) dismantled the New Zealand top order. Despite a gritty 43 from skipper Mitchell Santner, the Kiwis were bundled out for 159.
The victory marks India’s second consecutive T20 World Cup title, cementing their era of dominance. For Samson, it wasn’t just about the trophy; it was about surpassing the 85-run final records of legends like Kane Williamsonand Marlon Samuels to claim the highest knockout score by an Indian. On this night in Ahmedabad, the ‘Chetta’ of Indian cricket finally claimed his throne.
Former South Africa opener Gary Kirsten has been appointed as the new head coach of the Sri Lanka national cricket team, with Sri Lanka Cricket confirming that he will officially assume the role from April 15, 2026.Kirsten has signed a two-year contract and succeeds former Sri Lanka captain Sanath Jayasuriya, who stepped down from the position following Sri Lanka’s Super Eight exit at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026. During the same tournament, Kirsten had been working with the Namibia national cricket team in a consultancy role.
Ahmedabad erupts as Team India arrive at hotel after T20 World Cup win
The 56-year-old brings extensive international experience to the job. As a player, Kirsten represented South Africa national cricket team in 101 Tests and 185 One-Day Internationals. His coaching credentials are equally impressive, most notably leading the India national cricket team to victory in the 2011 Cricket World Cup and guiding the side to the top of the ICC Test rankings during his tenure.After his successful stint with India, Kirsten went on to coach South Africa for two years. In April 2024, he was appointed as the white-ball head coach of the Pakistan national cricket team, although that partnership ended early when he resigned due to differences with the board and players.Kirsten has also been actively involved in franchise cricket. He worked with Royal Challengers Bengaluru and later with Gujarat Titans in the Indian Premier League, serving as batting coach when the Titans secured the title in their debut season in 2022.A key assignment during his tenure with Sri Lanka will be the upcoming ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup scheduled to take place next year in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia. Sri Lanka will aim to secure direct qualification for the global event.Kirsten’s appointment follows another recent coaching announcement by SLC, which named Jamie Siddons as the head coach of the Sri Lanka women’s national team earlier this week.
NEW DELHI: With the Bahrain airport not seeing any commercial flights since Feb 28, the Indian embassy there has made arrangements for stranded compatriots to return home via Saudi Arabia.“The embassy in Riyadh is obtaining individual transit visa approvals from Saudi govt. Transit visa requests are being referred by Indian embassy in Bahrain to Indian embassy in Riyadh. Priority is being given to stranded Indian nationals, especially those on tourist or short-term visas,” Vinod K Jacob, Indian ambassador to Bahrain, said.As returning via Saudi is the only viable option for Indians stranded in Bahrain as of now, those applying for Saudi transit visa must fulfil certain pre-conditions, like having a confirmed flight ticket for onward travel to India. Saudi transit visa will be valid for 72-96 hours and travellers need to leave the country within this period.Neighbouring Qatar, on the other hand, has started seeing a handful of flights, including to India, by Qatar Airways. But since they are fewer than required, exiting via Saudi remains Plan B for them and there’s a scramble to get the country’s transit visa.The Indian embassy in Doha said: “Qatar Airways operated a Doha-Delhi flight Monday on which more than 300 Indian passengers stranded in Doha travelled to India… close to 1,000 Indians stranded in Doha on transit or short-term visits have departed on Qatar Airways flights over the last three days.”Indian govt is keen to have more flights to West Asia. Civil aviation ministry will hold a meeting with airlines and other stakeholders on this issue on Tuesday.
