Viktor Gyoekeres of Arsenal (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

Arsenal settled any fears of a wobble in their pursuit of a first Premier League title in 22 years by winning 4-0 at Leeds on Saturday.The Gunners’ advantage over Manchester City and Aston Villa, who are both in action on Sunday, stretches to seven points as Mikel Arteta‘s men took another step towards the title at Elland Road.A first home defeat of the season last weekend to Manchester United capped a run of just two points from a possible nine in Arsenal’s previous three league games.After finishing runners-up for the past three seasons, questions were raised over the mentality of Arteta’s men to get over the line in a title race.The visitors were dealt another blow before kick-off as Bukayo Saka was injured in the warm-up.But his replacement Noni Madueke played a major part in inflicting just a second defeat in 12 games on Leeds.Madueke’s cross was headed in by Martin Zubimendi to open the scoring.Leeds goalkeeper Karl Darlow could then only parry another dangerous delivery from the England winger into his own goal before half-time.Despite a fine run of form, Leeds remain only six points above the relegation zone.Their first defeat at home since November was confirmed when the much-criticised Viktor Gyokeres latched onto Gabriel Martinelli’s cross to blast in his 11th goal since joining Arsenal from Sporting Lisbon.Gabriel Jesus came off the bench to round off the scoring with a blistering strike four minutes from time.Arsenal will be hoping local rivals Tottenham can do them a favour when City visit north London, while Villa host Brentford on Sunday.Chelsea can climb into the top four later should they maintain their bright start under Liam Rosenior against West Ham at Stamford Bridge.Liverpool are aiming to ease the pressure on Arne Slot at Anfield in Saturday’s late kick-off when they host Newcastle.Everton snatched a 1-1 draw at Brighton thanks to Beto’s 97th-minute equaliser in a result that does little for either side’s aspirations of European football next season.Pascal Gross’ first goal since returning to the Seagulls from Borussia Dortmund put Brighton in front.Bournemouth ended any remaining worries of being dragged into a relegation fight as goals from Eli Kroupi and Alex Scott earned a 2-0 win at bottom-of-the-table Wolves.The Cherries climb up to 12th and 13 points clear of the relegation zone.

New York/New Delhi: Billionaire Gautam Adani and his nephew, Sagar Adani, have agreed to receive a legal notice from US Securities and Exchange Commission in a civil fraud lawsuit alleging they misled investors about a bribery scheme, according to a court filing. The stipulation is subject to court approval, reports PTI.In a filing in a federal court in Brooklyn, SEC and US-based lawyers for Gautam and Sagar Adani said lawyers had agreed to accept service of the regulator’s legal papers, removing the need for a judge to rule on how defendants should be served. The joint application has been submitted for approval from the court concerned. This is a standard procedural step in US legal proceedings.SEC case against Adanis: Judge to weigh joint pleaIf agreed by the judge, the joint application will allow the SEC matter to progress while giving time to the Adanis to either file their motion to dismiss or their defence within 90 days. The SEC thereafter can file their opposition within a further period of 60 days. The defendants can file their replies to such opposition within 45 days.The SEC had filed a lawsuit in Nov 2024 alleging that the two violated US securities laws by making false and misleading representations about Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL). In addition to the SEC’s civil complaint, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn have charged the Adanis and others with allegedly helping to drive a $265 million bribery scheme in India to secure solar power contracts. The Adani Group has repeatedly denied all accusations made against it or the founder family.Both lawsuits have been stalled for more than a year as both Adanis remain in India and couldn’t be served the notices. Last week, SEC asked a US judge to allow alternative methods to notify them of the suit, including service by email and through other US law firms representing the Adanis.AGEL said the defendants — Gautam and Sagar Adani — agreeing to accept the notice is a procedural step and they would seek dismissal of the SEC’s complaint or file responsive pleadings. “We understand that on Jan 30, 2026, counsel for defendants filed an application agreeing to accept service on behalf of the defendants without accepting the jurisdiction of the Eastern District of New York and reserving all defences the defendants may raise, including as to jurisdiction,” it said.AGEL went on to cite its previous statement that the Gautam Adani and Sagar Adani who are directors on its board, have not been “charged with violation/(s) of the United States Foreign Corrupt Practices Act i.e. there are no charges of bribery or corruption against the defendants.” Also, the “company is not a party to these proceedings, and no charges have been brought against it,” it said. PTI

Pakistan prime minister Shehbaz Sharif revealed that both he and field marshal Asim Munir were forced to ‘beg’ billions in loans from friendly nations to bridge the country’s external financing gap.Speaking to leading exporters and business leaders at an event in Islamabad, Sharif said Pakistan’s growing dependence on foreign loans is humiliating and often forces officials to agree to unjustifiable demands.“We feel ashamed when Field Marshal Asim Munir and I go around the world begging for money,” he said, reported ANI citing local news.

“Taking loans is a huge burden on our self-respect. Our heads bow down in shame. We cannot say NO to many things they want us to do,” Sharif added.Sharif praised Pakistan’s key allies—China, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar—for standing by Islamabad through difficult times, calling China the country’s “all-weather friend.”This is not the first time the premier has expressed discomfort over seeking loans. In January 2023, he said it embarrassed him to ask for further loans, despite acknowledging Saudi Arabia’s financial support. He has repeatedly stressed the need for Pakistan to achieve self-sufficiency and reduce dependence on IMF programmes.Notably, Pakistan is currently facing a severe debt crisis, with total public debt exceeding Rs 76,000 billion as of March 2025, nearly doubling in just four years. The nation relies heavily on IMF bailouts and loans from China–particularly for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) projects–to manage debt servicing and avoid default.In September 2024, the IMF approved a $7 billion bailout for Pakistan under its Extended Fund Facility (EFF), followed by a $1.4 billion loan under its climate resilience fund in May 2025, aimed at strengthening economic stability and climate resilience.

In a major strategic disclosure ahead of the T20 World Cup 2026, the Indian cricket team finalized its preparations with a dominant 46-run victory over New Zealand in Thiruvananthapuram on January 31. This emphatic win allowed India to seal the five-match series with a 4–1 scoreline, serving as a powerful statement of intent for the defending champions.

The match was defined by historic individual landmarks and a high-intensity clinical performance that effectively dismantled the Kiwi challenge. Leading the charge were Ishan Kishan, who smashed a breathtaking maiden century and Arshdeep Singh, who overcame a difficult start to claim a decisive five-wicket haul. Under the leadership of Suryakumar Yadav, the Men in Blue have now entered the final countdown to the World Cup with their tactical combinations appearing remarkably settled.

Ishan Kishan’s maiden T20I century and Suryakumar Yadav’s historic milestone

Opting to bat first on a batting paradise at the Greenfield International Stadium, India posted a mammoth 271/5, their third-highest total in T20I history, fueled by a masterclass from Kishan. Returning to the side after a minor niggle, Kishan went on a ruthless rampage, reaching his maiden T20I century in just 42 balls, an innings that featured 10 towering sixes and six boundaries. He found an ideal partner in skipper Suryakumar, who played a scintillating supporting role with a 30-ball 63.

During this explosive knock, Suryakumar scripted history by becoming the fastest batter to reach 3,000 T20I runs in terms of balls faced, achieving the feat in only 1,822 deliveries. The duo shared a devastating 137-run partnership off just 57 balls for the third wicket, effectively batting New Zealand out of the game before the powerplay was even over. Late-inning cameos from Hardik Pandya (42 off 17) ensured that India maintained a scoring rate of over 13.5 runs per over, setting a target that required the visitors to script a world-record chase.

Also READ: IND vs NZ: Fans erupt as Ishan Kishan’s explosive maiden T20I Ton dismantles New Zealand in Thiruvananthapuram

Arshdeep Singh’s resilient fifer derails the New Zealand chase

New Zealand’s pursuit of the massive target began with aggressive intent, as opener Finn Allen threatened to turn the game on its head with a blistering 80 off 38 balls. The Kiwis were comfortably placed at 131/2 after 10 overs, largely due to Allen taking a particular liking to Arshdeep, who conceded 40 runs in his first two overs. However, the game shifted dramatically in the second half as India’s bowlers tightened their grip through tactical discipline and clever variations.

Arshdeep produced a sensational comeback in his return spell, utilizing a lethal combination of knuckleballs and wide yorkers to trigger a middle-order collapse. He finished with career-best figures of 5/51, claiming the crucial wickets of Daryl Mitchell and Rachin Ravindra to sap the momentum from the chase. Supported by Axar Patel, who stifled the scoring with 3/33 and Varun Chakravarthy, the Indian attack bowled New Zealand out for 225 in 19.4 overs. The 46-run win not only secured the series 4–1 but also confirmed that India’s bowling depth remains its greatest asset heading into the marquee event next week.

Here’s how fans reacted:

Looks like the brief to Ishan before the series was “Daya darwaza todd do!” He’s running hot! However even after scoring 271 India were still under pressure at halfway stage when NZ were 131/2! But the bowlers held their nerve led by Arsh fifer. Bring on the World Cup 💪🏼 #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/lGkBjfm1Ds

— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) January 31, 2026

Ishan Kishan’s Runs & Surya Kumar’s form was the biggest positive from this series vs New Zealand. Let’s go for the world cup now.

— Irfan Pathan (@IrfanPathan) January 31, 2026

Kishan on a m𝑰𝑺𝑯𝑨𝑵! ✍️🔥

Maiden T20I century for the southpaw. Well played! 🙌

📸: BCCI | #PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/OvASsIRxto

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) January 31, 2026

1️⃣0️⃣ sixes, 6️⃣ fours, one 💯.
Take a bow, Ishan 🫡🔥#WhistlePodu #INDvNZ
📸: JIOHOTSTAR pic.twitter.com/qJVnf3KURu

— Chennai Super Kings (@ChennaiIPL) January 31, 2026

Accolades for the explosive batting which makes India such a force in T20s is well-earned, but the bowling hasn’t been a whit behind

— Cricketwallah (@cricketwallah) January 31, 2026

Arshdeep Singh finished the match in this over. Went for 40 runs in his first two overs, but this is how a champion makes a comeback. pic.twitter.com/wMUMgOEGES

— R A T N I S H (@LoyalSachinFan) January 31, 2026

A fine fifer for Arshdeep 🤩 pic.twitter.com/7c67kFf5tu

— KolkataKnightRiders (@KKRiders) January 31, 2026

Come back ability from Arshdeep singh in this series been absolutely phenomenal.

— Prasanna (@prasannalara) January 31, 2026

It should be considered as blasphemy to put Arshdeep out of the T20I XI.

— Kusha Sharma  (@Kushacritic) January 31, 2026

India win the T20I series, 4-1 🔥#INDvNZ #TeamIndia pic.twitter.com/EoyNKV9BeY

— CricketTimes.com (@CricketTimesHQ) January 31, 2026

Also READ: IND vs NZ: Fans left boiling after Sanju Samson disappoints home crowd at Greenfield International Stadium as flop show continues in 5th T20I

India’s Ishan Kishan (PTI Photo)

Thiruvananthapuram: Ishan Kishan’s blistering 42-ball century was the heartbeat of India’s mammoth 271/5 at the Greenfield Stadium on Saturday, transforming what might have been a competitive total into a match-winning one. On the smallest playing area of the series, and on a pitch dry on top yet tacky underneath, India’s innings was a masterclass in timing, power, and ruthless intent. In pursuit, New Zealand were bundled out for 225, with only Finn Allen’s 80 off 38 offering any semblance of resistance. The 46-run victory capped a dominant 4–1 series triumph for India.

The partisan Thiruvananthapuram crowd had come expecting fireworks from local hero Sanju Samson, but it was Kishan who stole the show. Lockie Ferguson, making his international comeback after 2024 for New Zealand, supplied the only early sting with genuine pace and bounce, removing both Samson and Abhishek Sharma. Abhishek’s 30 off 16 set the tone with brisk aggression, but Samson’s six-ball six ended in silent disappointment — a forlorn walk off the field greeted by a deafening silence from the home fans. Kishan, returning from a niggle, started measured and non-fussy, letting the pitch and outfield settle beneath him. Once in rhythm, he unleashed sheer carnage. Partnering captain Suryakumar Yadav, who carved 63 off 30 with effortless elegance, India torpedoed from 100 to 200 in just 5.2 overs, the duo adding a 137-run stand for the third wicket. Kishan’s ruthlessness was particularly brutal against leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, whom he hammered for 29 runs in a single over. The defining moment came in the 17th over against New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner: two consecutive sixes brought up Kishan’s century, immediately celebrated with a bear hug from Hardik Pandya at the non-striker’s end. Ten sixes and six fours punctuated a knock of explosive efficiency, power, and timing in perfect harmony. Even after Kishan and Suryakumar departed, the carnage continued. Hardik Pandya bludgeoned 42 off 17, while Rinku Singh and Shivam Dube closed the innings with flair. The Kiwi chase began in flames. Tim Seifert fell for 5 in the first over to Arshdeep Singh, and though Finn Allen — the Big Bash run-topper with 466 runs at a 184.2 strike rate — played a scintillating 80 off 38, wickets at key moments slowed the momentum. By 10 overs, New Zealand were 131/2, needing 141 from the remaining 10 overs — a near-impossible ask. The visitors surged to 166 by 14 overs, but from there, the asking rate ballooned to alarming proportions. The wrecker-in-chief during this phase was Arshdeep, who bore the brunt of Finn’s early assault before returning to remove Rachin Ravindra, Mitchell Santner, and Kyle Jamieson, finishing with figures of 5/51 from four incisive overs. “Great learning for me to stay in the game. That was the message from the coaching staff. Lately, I’ve been going for runs consistently, I’m trying to stay in the game with Morne Morkel’s help,” Arshdeep said after the game. Beyond the numbers, the match carried a subtle T20 World Cup subtext: Kishan taking over wicketkeeping duties from Samson signals India’s intent to finalise combinations for the showpiece event starting next week.

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When the Don blinks, it’s only to wink at the system to get his way time and againPOTUS was adamant that he wasn’t sleeping on the job like his predecessor “Sleepy Joe” when he appeared to nod off during a Cabinet meeting in December. He had only closed his eyes because “it got pretty boring, no offense.”You can’t really blame Donald Trump. It does tend to get boring when you have to keep listening to fawning cabinet members singing your praises for two hours, 18 minutes — just 59 minutes short of the record one last August.“I don’t sleep much, let me tell you,” he said at the start of his first Cabinet meeting of 2026 Thursday. He had closed his eyes “because I wanted to get the hell out of there.”He did “love” his Cabinet. But instead of discussing mundane issues from TrumpRx to tariffs, wouldn’t our action hero rather watch his commandos grab some foreign leader from their palace or bomb another nation. Or better still see his ICE immigration police beat the hell out of illegal immigrants.Or may be just go gaga over a screening of ‘Melania,’ documenting the First Lady in the twenty days before his second presidential inauguration even as the fallout of ICE agents shooting down two protesters in Minnesota roiled the nation. Amazon paid Melania Trump’s production company $40 million for the film and $35 million to promote it. Who cares if some carping critics call it a bribe to curry favor with Trump?As the situation boiled over, Trump wanting to “de-escalate a little bit” in Minnesota, did send his border czar Tom Homan to calm the waters. But as Homan raised the possibility of pulling out ICE agents from Minneapolis, Trump returned to his old ways calling Alex Pretti, the ICU nurse fatally shot by federal agents, an “agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist.”Pretti appeared “crazed” during a separate confrontation with federal agents 11 days before his death, posted the President on Truth Social resurrecting some real or manufactured clip.The New York Times saw Trump’s messaging on Minneapolis as “part of a pattern of dialing back his rhetoric only to change again if the political winds are shifting.”George E. Bogden, a former Trump administration trade official, cited by the Washington Post, went a step further suggesting those who mock Trump’s tariff tactics are missing his secret sauce.“For months, a spiteful acronym has passed for analysis in Washington and on Wall Street: TACO, or ‘Trump always chickens out,’” he noted. “Tariffs would be announced with theatrical menace, critics said, only to be paused, trimmed or forgotten at the first sign of consequences.”“But all along, from Inauguration Day to Liberation Day to Davos, the president has been eating his favorite dish: TACO salad. And the unsung ingredient is GUAC,” wrote Bogden. Donald Trump, he suggested, “has been ‘gaining unmatched American clout’ through his strategic use of economic pressure.”Meanwhile, as thousands of protesters marched through downtown Minneapolis and several other cities Friday in protest against Operation Metro Surge, Senate passed a deal to avert a second dreaded shut down. The deal gives Democrats two weeks to negotiate restrictions on Trump’s immigration crackdown in Democratic ruled blue cities.And as the Justice Department announced release of three million more documents from Epstein files, including 2,000 videos and 180,000 images, Trump, concerned it may not be enough to quell criticism from lawmakers, survivors and some of the president’s own supporters, resorted to familiar diversionary tactics.In what critics saw a huge conflict of interest, he sued the IRS and the Treasury Department for $10 billion, alleging they failed to take necessary steps to prevent a leak of his tax returns to news outlets between 2018 and 2020.And still unreconciled to his defeat in the 2020 presidential election, he sent the FBI to raid a Georgia election center to look for ‘stolen votes’ with his Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard joining the party.The chief spook’s presence baffled national security experts and raised questions about whether she is seeking new relevance in the eyes of a president who had soured on her, suggested the NBC.Gabbard has for months continued “our extensive investigations around exposing the very serious issues we have related to election integrity,” but few expect her to find the results Trump wants.Election officials from across the country have pushed back against the Trump administration’s increasingly combative tactics following the FBI’s raid and a growing number of Justice Department demands for voter rolls.And as Federal Reserve Chair “Jerome ‘Too Late’ Powell,” as Trump calls him, “again refused to cut interest rates, even though he has absolutely no reason to keep them so high,” he announced plans to nominate Kevin Warsh to be the next chair of the central bank.Now he needs to find a way to install his loyalist at the bank as Powell, whose term as chair ends in May, concurrently also serves as a governor with a term running until 2028.Trump has castigated Powell for months, calling him a “numbskull,” a “moron” and a “jerk” for not lowering interest rates more quickly. He even launched a criminal investigation against Powell leading him to issue an extraordinary rebuke of Trump’s efforts to politicize the independent central bank.Meanwhile, Jon McNaughton, described as “America’s most popular relentlessly pro-Trump artist,” unveiled a new painting of “MAGA symphony of our time” showing Trump conducting an orchestra of his team.“You can feel it—the music is coming together—rising and stirring something deep inside,” wrote McNaughton. “It’s the sound of a nation waking up and remembering who it is.”A follower called it “brilliant! God is the creator of the anthem, Trump is the Conductor that gets it done!” — with all others playing second fiddle, as always!(By arrangement with The American Bazaar)

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is set to present her record ninth straight Union Budget, with markets closely tracking headline numbers ranging from the fiscal deficit and capital expenditure to borrowing and tax revenue projections, as India charts its course as the world’s fastest-growing major economy.The Budget will be presented in a paperless format, continuing the practice of recent years. Sitharaman had, in her maiden Budget in 2019, replaced the traditional leather briefcase with a red cloth–wrapped bahi-khata, marking a symbolic shift in presentation.Here are the key numbers and signals that investors, economists and policymakers will be watching in the Union Budget for 2025-26 and beyond:

Fiscal deficit

The fiscal deficit for the current financial year (FY26) is budgeted at 4.4 per cent of GDP, as reported PTI. With the government having achieved its consolidation goal of keeping the deficit below 4.5 per cent, attention will turn to guidance for FY27. Markets expect the government to indicate a deficit closer to 4 per cent of GDP next year, alongside clarity on the medium-term debt reduction path.

Capital expenditure

Capital spending remains a central pillar of the government’s growth strategy. Capex for FY26 is pegged at Rs 11.2 lakh crore. In the upcoming Budget, the government is expected to continue prioritising infrastructure outlays, with a possible 10–15 per cent increase that could take capex beyond Rs 12 lakh crore, especially as private investment sentiment remains cautious.

Debt roadmap

In her previous Budget speech, the finance minister had said fiscal policy from 2026-27 onwards would aim to keep central government debt on a declining trajectory as a share of GDP. Markets will look for a clearer timeline on when general government debt-to-GDP could move towards the 60 per cent target. General government debt stood at about 85 per cent of GDP in 2024, including central government debt of around 57 per cent.

Borrowing programme

Gross market borrowing for FY26 is estimated at Rs 14.80 lakh crore. The borrowing number announced in the Budget will be closely scrutinised, as it signals the government’s funding needs, fiscal discipline and potential impact on bond yields.

Tax revenue

Gross tax revenue for 2025-26 has been estimated at Rs 42.70 lakh crore, implying an 11 per cent growth over FY25. This includes Rs 25.20 lakh crore from direct taxes—personal income tax and corporate tax—and Rs 17.5 lakh crore from indirect taxes such as customs, excise duty and GST.

GST collections

Goods and Services Tax collections for FY26 are projected to rise 11 per cent to Rs 11.78 lakh crore. Projections for FY27 will be keenly watched, especially as GST revenue growth is expected to gather pace following rate rationalisation measures implemented since September 2025.

Nominal GDP growth

Nominal GDP growth for FY26 was initially estimated at 10.1 per cent but has since been revised down to about 8 per cent due to lower-than-expected inflation, even as real GDP growth is pegged at 7.4 per cent by the National Statistics Office. The FY27 nominal GDP assumption—likely in the 10.5–11 per cent range—will offer clues on the government’s inflation and growth outlook.

Spending priorities

Beyond the headline aggregates, the Budget will also be scanned for allocations to key social and development schemes, as well as spending on priority sectors such as health and education.Together, these numbers will shape expectations on fiscal discipline, growth momentum and policy support as India navigates a complex global economic environment.