India has urged the US to roll back the additional 25% tariffs, senator Lindsey Graham claimed on Sunday. Graham said that Vinay Mohan Kwatra, the Indian Ambassador to the United States, met him last month to discuss New Delhi’s reduced purchases of Russian oil and asked him to convey the same to the US President Donald Trump, seeking the removal of the additional duties.Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, alongside Trump, the senator said, “I was at the Indian Ambassador’s house a month ago, and all he wanted to talk about was how India is buying less Russian oil. And he asked me to tell the President to relieve the 25% tariff.” These additional duties were imposed by Trump in August last year, alleging that India’s purchase of Russian oil was supporting Moscow’s war machine in Ukraine. With these in effect, the overall duties came to 50%.

Remarks from the US senator came amid renewed trade tensions between the two countries, as Trump has once again threatened India over the continued imports of Russian oil. “PM Modi’s a very good man. He’s a good guy. He knew I was not happy. It was important to make me happy. They do trade, and we can raise tariffs on them very quickly,” the US president told reporters. Meanwhile, India has maintained a firm stance, defending its energy purchases from Russia, highlighting the need to secure domestic energy supplies.The issue came to light after the recent US strike on Venezuela, the South American oil-producing nation. Venezuela holds the world’s largest proven oil reserves, estimated at over 303 billion barrels, around 17% of global reserves. The production has, however, fallen to about 1 million barrels per day due to sanctions and underinvestment, according to OPEC.Back in December, Trump and PM Modi held a telephonic conversation, which coincided with the fresh round of negotiations between the two nations. During the call, both leaders highlighted the importance of maintaining momentum in bilateral trade despite ongoing tariff tensions. Just days before the call, Trump had threatened new tariffs on Indian rice imports after a US farmer representative at a White House roundtable raised concerns about alleged dumping by India, China and Thailand

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.

Naseem Shah and Kieron Pollard (Image credit: ILT20)

NEW DELHI: The International League T20 (ILT20) final delivered high drama on Sunday evening at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, with emotions running high as a fiery exchange between Pakistan pacer Naseem Shah and MI Emirates captain Kieron Pollard took centre stage. The verbal spat, which forced on-field umpires and teammates to intervene, added a combustible edge to an already intense title clash and highlighted just how personal the battle for silverware can become, even in franchise cricket.

The flashpoint came during the 11th over of MI Emirates’ chase. After Pollard solidly defended a sharp delivery back down the pitch, Naseem appeared to direct a few words towards the veteran West Indies all-rounder. Pollard, renowned for his aggressive approach and competitive fire, reacted instantly, charging towards the bowler to voice his displeasure. What followed was a brief but heated confrontation that quickly drew the attention of players from both sides, including Jason Roy, as well as the match officials, who stepped in to defuse the situation before it escalated further.While tempers cooled, Naseem ensured he had the decisive say in cricketing terms. The young fast bowler returned later in the innings to remove Pollard, dismissing him for a valuable 28 and dealing a major blow to MI Emirates’ hopes of mounting a successful chase. WATCH:That breakthrough shifted momentum firmly in Desert Vipers’ favour. Naseem went on to complete an outstanding spell, finishing with figures of 3 for 18, as the Vipers tightened their grip on the contest.His performance proved pivotal as the Desert Vipers surged to a commanding 46-run victory, sealing their maiden ILT20 title in emphatic fashion. The win capped a memorable campaign and underlined the impact of Naseem’s pace and composure under pressure.Reflecting on the triumph after the match, Naseem told the broadcasters: “The pressure of a final is unlike any other. The acknowledgment for this victory belongs to the entire team, both for their batting and their bowling efforts. Our combination worked extremely well; we had excellent options on both fronts, and the team management effectively orchestrated those choices. Each player gave their utmost, and the final result is there for everyone to see.“

Russia’s overnight strikes on Kyiv province killed two people on Monday after air raid alerts were issued across the country, Ukrainian authorities said. One person was killed in the capital Kyiv, according to Tymur Tkachenko, head of the city’s military administration. Another victim, a man in his 70s, died in the neighbouring city of Fastiv, Kyiv regional governor Mykola Kalashnyk said.

“One person has been killed so far as a result of the attack. The attack is continuing,” Tkachenko said in a post on the Telegram messaging app, according to Reuters.The latest strikes come as Russia has stepped up attacks on Ukraine. Meanwhile, Kyiv and its allies are seeking to finalise a US-brokered plan aimed at ending Europe’s deadliest conflict since World War II.The violence follows a deadly weekend of cross-border attacks. On Sunday, two people were killed in Ukrainian drone strikes in Russia’s border regions, according to local officials. In the Belgorod region, one person died and two others, including a young child, were wounded when a drone hit a car, regional governor Vyacheslav Gladkov said. Another person was killed in a drone strike on a village in the Kursk region, regional governor Alexander Khinshtein said.In Ukraine, drone strikes overnight into Sunday also wounded three people in the Kharkiv region, the country’s State Emergency Service said.The escalation comes amid intensified diplomatic efforts to end the nearly four-year-old war. National security advisers from Europe and other allied countries visited Kyiv on Saturday to discuss security guarantees and economic support as part of a US-led push for peace.President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said work on peace proposals could now move faster after Ukraine shared key documents with 18 national security advisers, including those related to security guarantees. He said representatives from Ukraine’s General Staff and military sector were due to meet on Monday in Paris, followed by talks among European leaders on Tuesday.Zelenskyy, who is preparing to travel to Paris, said he hoped documents on security guarantees would be finalised during the meetings. He added that the discussions with US representatives were also expected.