HAVANA (AP) — Cuba’s government on Monday confirmed that it had recently met with U.S. officials on the island as tensions between the two sides remain high over the U.S. energy blockade of the Caribbean country.
Senior U.S. State Department officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, had said on Friday that American diplomats flew earlier in April to the island for the first time since 2016 in a new diplomatic push. Neither U.S. nor Cuban officials have said exactly when the meeting took place nor which U.S. officials took part.
Alejandro García del Toro, deputy director general in charge of U.S. affairs at the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said on Monday that the U.S. delegation included assistant secretaries of state, and that the Cuban delegation included representatives at the level of deputy foreign minister.
The exchange was conducted “respectfully and professionally," he said, adding that the U.S. delegation did not issue any threats or deadlines as has been reported in some U.S. media.
“The elimination of the energy embargo against the country was a top priority for our delegation,” García del Toro said. “This act of economic coercion is an unjustified punishment of the entire Cuban population.”
He added: “It is also a form of global blackmail against sovereign states, which have every right to export fuel to Cuba, under the rules that govern free trade.”
Among conditions for a lifting of U.S. sanctions on Cuba, Washington is pressing the Cuban government to end political repression, release political prisoners and liberalize its ailing economy.
In late January, U.S. Donald Trump threatened tariffs on any country that sells or supplies oil to Cuba. Trump also has threatened to intervene in the country, and Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel said last week that his country is prepared to fight if that should happen.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, center, attends a celebration marking the 65th anniversary of the proclamation declaring the Cuban Revolution socialist, in Havana, Cuba, Thursday, April 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Ramon Espinosa)
AHMEDABAD, India (AP) — Mumbai Indians' losing streak in the Indian Premier League ended in stunning fashion after they bowled out Gujarat Titans for 100 on Monday.
Mumbai's 99-run win wasn't forecast. The Indians had lost four in a row, Rohit Sharma was still unfit, they picked two debutants, and were 44-3 in the powerplay.
But Tilak Varma's unbeaten 45-ball 101 — his maiden IPL century — gave his bowlers something to defend, and they defended 199-5 in rousing style.
Impact substitute and left-arm fast bowler Ashwani Kumar took 4-24, Mitchell Santner 2-16, and spinner Allah Ghazanfar 2-17.
Jasprit Bumrah and Hardik Pandya took a wicket each in the powerplay as Gujarat's stacked top order of Sai Sudharsan, captain Shubman Gill, Jos Buttler, Washington Sundar and Glenn Phillips were blown away inside eight overs and reduced to 55-5 on their home ground.
The Titans were all out inside 16 overs and their three-win streak was crushed.
“Ahmedabad has been a tough place for Mumbai Indians,” captain Pandya said. “We played some good cricket. Feels very special because (the win) was much needed.”
Left-hander Varma came into Mumbai's sixth game with a season-best score of 20.
Varma was 19 off 22 balls. Then he scored 82 off 23. He was especially aggressive in the last six overs. Varma smacked Ashok Sharma for 26 runs from three sixes and two fours in the 18th, and reached his hundred with a six and a four off Prasidh Krishna’s last two balls in the final over that went for 22.
“Last five games I haven't had much time in the middle. So this game I wanted to spend time in the middle,” Varma said. “So you saw the first 20 balls I was just batting ball by ball. Then later on I knew the ability I have. I was just seeing the situation and what the team needs and I was just stable and keeping my head still and following my basics. I have all the fancy shots.”
He's the first IPL batter to outscore the opposition since 2020 when Lokesh Rahul's 132 trumped Royal Challengers Bangalore's 109.
Varma finished with seven sixes and eight boundaries. Naman Dhir supported him with 45.
Gujarat never got any momentum after Bumrah finally got his first wicket in the sixth game when his first delivery was sent by Sudharsan straight to point.
The IPL's biggest win of the season by runs lifted Mumbai off the bottom of the table.
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AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Mumbai Indians' Ashwani Kumar, left, and Mumbai Indians' captain Hardik Pandya celebrates the wicket of Gujarat Titans' captain Shubman Gill during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in Ahmedabad, India, Monday, April 20, 2026.(AP Photo/ Ajit Solanki )
Mumbai Indians' Tilak Verma celebrates his century during the Indian Premier League cricket match between Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians in Ahmedabad, India, Monday, April 20, 2026.(AP Photo/ Ajit Solanki )
