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Trump vows tougher economic measures on Iran and supporting countries
Donald Trump has said he will launch tougher economic measures against Iran, as well as any country that helps or does business with it.
The US president wrote in all capital letters on Truth Social that he was launching “the most crushing economic operation ever taken against any country”, without providing further details or the names of any nation other than Iran.
It comes after a 60-day ceasefire formally expired on Monday without any sign of a diplomatic settlement to the war the US and Israel began at the end of February. Tehran said Trump’s threat would only bring further animosity.
If realised, it would extend a campaign of economic pressure on Iran aimed at forcing it into submission.
The US launched a wave of sanctions on foreign banks and firms that do business with Iran in April when it became apparent that military action had not led to the overthrow of the regime in Tehran nor its surrender, as Trump had initially hoped.
Conversely, since the start of the war, Iran has been able to stem the flow of marine traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, raising energy prices globally.
Ahead of the US midterm elections in November, Trump is facing pressure over how much the war is costing American consumers.
The US president wrote on Wednesday evening that he was launching “economic D-Day” on Iran because it had failed to make a deal with the US.
“ANY country that allows its financial institutions, businesses, airports, or government entities to provide any type of lifeline to Iran will itself face TREMENDOUS Economic Consequences,” Trump said.
He did not specify what punishment countries might face.
Trump continued: “Oil smuggling, swap lines, cash transfers, exchange houses, ship registries, front companies – it all needs to stop NOW. You know who you are.”
It comes a day after the United Arab Emirates (UAE), a US ally, announced it would be severing all financial and economic ties with Iran, following a new missile threat from the country.
The UAE’s defence ministry said it had detected two ballistic missiles launched from Iran targeting maritime traffic, both of which landed in the sea.
Iranian entities have long used Dubai’s financial system to transfer money through exchange houses and shell companies.
Following the UAE’s decision, Iran’s armed forces warned neighbouring Gulf states against providing support to the US military, saying any assistance would be considered collusion.
While China was not named in the post, businesses there are the biggest buyers of oil from Iran, a key source of Tehran’s funding.
Since the start of the war, Washington has sanctioned several so-called teapot refineries – privately owned oil processing plants, mostly based in Shandong province, eastern China.
At the time, China’s Ministry of Commerce said the sanctions were “in violation of international law and the basic norms governing international relations” and ordered that the sanctions “shall not be recognised, enforced or complied with”.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Trump’s latest post was “a diversion” from America’s own economic problems.
“Doubling down on failed policies will only bring further defeat – and enmity of Iranians,” he wrote on X.
Operation Economic Fury, announced by the US Treasury Department and the Pentagon in April, aimed at degrading Tehran’s warfighting capability by cutting off its revenue streams, and also included a naval blockade aimed at stopping Iranian exports.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week that the US would soon impose economic isolation on Iran “like the world has never seen before”.
Trump recently also reportedly threatened to bomb Oman – a US ally – if it “gets in the way” of his administration’s own talks with Iran.
The US and Oman have been negotiating separately with Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital trade route through which around 20% of the world’s crude oil and liquefied natural gas usually flows.
The BBC has contacted the Chinese embassy in Washington, the White House and the US Treasury Department for comment.
[BBC]
The Asian Youth Games gold medallist who has run sub four minutes previously returned a time of 3:55.97 seconds to become the first athlete in his age category at these championships to run the distance under four minutes.
Achintha who has a personal best of 3:53.05 from last year was representing Prince College Ratnapura today.
In another impressive 1,500 m feat Tharushi Abhisheka of Lyceum International School, Wattala established a new meet record in the Under-20 Girls’ 1,500m as she returned a time of 4:34.59 seconds to win.
By the end of the second day of the meet seven new meet records had been established.
D. V. C. de Soysa (of Galewela Central College) Under-16 Boys’ Discus Throw – 55.83m.
D. G. Lahiru Achintha (of Ratnapura Kumara Vidyalaya) Under-18 Boys’ 1,500m – 3:55.97 secs.
W. P. Nethula Induwara (Rahula College, Matara) Under-14 Boys’ 100m – 11.70 seconds
K. V. R. Gayesha (Ira Handa Kotuwa Wewa Maha Vidyalaya, Polonnaruwa) Under-16 Girls’ High Jump – 1.70m
H. M. D. S. Herath (Maris Stella College, Thimbirigaskatuwa) Under-20 Boys’ Long Jump – 7.65m
P. M. Amaya Semindi (Vijitha Central College, Dikwella) Under-14 Girls’ High Jump – 1.58m
A rare pink diamond is going on display in France for the first time since it was stolen almost 100 years ago to the day – the last time it was shown to the public.
The nine-carat, pear-shaped gemstone known as the “Grand Condé” was pilfered in an overnight raid on the Château de Chantilly in October 1926 and concealed in a hollowed-out apple.
The diamond – one of few royal jewels to survive the French Revolution – was recovered a few weeks later when a hungry maid at the hotel in which the thieves were staying took a bite of the apple.
It will once again be on display in the Condé Museum at the Château de Chantilly until 3 January.
The museum’s director Mathieu Deldicque said that while the apple story may sounds far-fetched, it was widely covered by newspapers at the time.
Deldicque has faced questions about whether the exhibition may be tempting fate, especially given the string of heists on European cultural institutions in the past 12 months, including the daring daylight robbery of jewellery from the Louvre museum in Paris.
While he declined to reveal to CNN how much the diamond was insured for, he noted that extensive academic study into the properties of the diamond had taken place to make it uniquely identifiable.
The results of this analysis, as well as previously unseen archive material about the gem’s history and theft, form part of the exhibition, according to the museum.
Naturally occurring pink diamonds are exceptionally rare and often sell for tens of millions of dollars. The highest price ever fetched for one at auction was $71.2m (£53.6m) in 2017, according to Sotheby’s.
The exact origins of the Grand Condé remain a mystery.
It was first mentioned in 1740 in an inventory of Louis Henri de Bourbon, Prince of Condé, drawn up following his death, the Château de Chantilly said.
It then became part of the collection of Queen Marie-Amélie of Bourbon-Sicily, the wife of French King Louis Philippe I, and then her son, Prince Henri of Orléans, the Duke of Aumale.
He bequeathed it to the Institut de France, which now owns the Château de Chantilly, 50km (31 miles) north of Paris, along with thousands of artworks and manuscripts which became the Musée Condé collection.
(BBC)
Sri Lanka’s men begin this match having won an international in the past week. This is more significant than it sounds. Their 2026 has been abysmal, with the team losing 22 matches to the 10 they have won. New captain Kusal Mendis had carried his team to that victory with his 87 not out off 48 balls, after Sri Lanka’s seamers had also had an encouraging outing.
But the game was only a dead rubber, Pakistan having sewn up the T20I series already. Pakistan have hardly been lighting up 2026 either, but they have had substantially more success than Sri Lanka. They had won their most recent ODI series, against Australia, 2-1. In that series, Pakistan may even have discovered a bright young all-round talent, left-arm spinner and lower-order batter Arafat Minhas, who claimed the Player of the Series award for his seven wickets at an average of 12.28. He has been in penetrative form in the past 10 days as well, having claimed five wickets across the three T20Is against Sri Lanka. Against Australia, Pakistan had also had excellent performances from Shaheen Afridi and legspinner Abrar Ahmed. It had, in fact, been Pakistan’s bowlers who dominated in a low-scoring series.
The tri-series is important for all three sides because there is now officially less than 12 months before the World Cup, which is set to begin on October 2 next year. Sri Lanka still have plenty to figure out – their white-ball squads having been in serious flux this year, as a new set of selectors searches (often fruitlessly) for a winning combination. Pakistan have players and stratetgies to trial as well.
In the series against Australia, Babar Azam had top-scored for Pakistan, hitting 40, 16, and 69 to average 41.66 across the matches. No one will call it a return to his heyday, but it was an encouraging sign following a modest run in 2025, in which he averaged 34 across 17 innings. Sri Lanka has been one of his favoured opponents over the years, Babar having struck four of his 20 centuries against them, averaging 58.33. The tracks in Rawalpindi at least are expected to be good for batting. Can he build up some form in the one format he now plays?
Lahiru Udara has reason to feel miffed at the selectors, many think. Having hit 188 against West Indies three Tests ago, he was left out of the squad entirely for the forthcoming Test series. But with Pathum Nissanka having been ruled out of the ODIs through an ongoing hamstring problem, Udara has surged into ODI contention on the back of a good T20I innings last week. At age 32, he knows his chances at this level are numbered. With the World Cup on the horizon, there is perhaps no better format to impress in right now than ODIs.
With neither Sahibzada Farhan nor Maaz Sadaqat in the ODI squad, Saim Ayub and Fakhar Zaman may open.
Pakistan (possible): Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Hasan Nawaz, Babar Azam, Salman Ali Agha, Shadab Khan, Ghazi Ghouri (wk), Minhas Arafat, Shaheen Afridi (capt.), Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah
Sri Lanka may bring Avishka Fernando straight into the XI, with Kamil Mishara having had a run of modest scores. Sri Lanka also have some decisions to make on the spin-bowling front, although they are likely to favour Maheesh Theekshana over legspinner Sachindu Colombage.
Sri Lanka (possible): Lahiru Udara, Avishka Fernando, Kusal Mendis (capt, wk), Kamindu Mendis, Sahan Arachchige/Pavan Rathnayake, Janith Liyanage, Dasun Shanaka, Dunith Wellalage, Dushmantha Chameera, Eshan Malinga, Maheesh Theekshana, Asitha Fernando
(Cricinfo)
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