The US Supreme Court is likely to announce its final ruling on President Donald Trump’s global tariffs on Friday, with regards to its legality that has put global economies on edge. According to Reuters, the court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, will also address cases involving voting rights, conversion therapy bans, and future matters concerning transgender athletes and Federal Reserve leadership.

The last hearing on tariffs was in November, when, both conservative and liberal justices questioned the legality of using a 1977 emergency powers law to impose trade restrictions. Trump has defended his actions strongly on social media, stating “Because of Tariffs, our Country is financially, AND FROM A NATIONAL SECURITY STANDPOINT, FAR STRONGER AND MORE RESPECTED THAN EVER BEFORE.”The US president used the International Emergency Economic Powers Act to tackle what he called trade deficit emergencies. He also applied it to pressure China, Canada, and Mexico to help fight fentanyl trafficking. Trump recently expressed worry about possibly losing the case, calling such an outcome a “terrible blow” to the United States.The court is also weighing other significant matters. In October, they heard arguments about the Voting Rights Act’s Section 2, which protects minority voting power. The conservative majority seemed likely to limit this protection. They also considered a challenge to Colorado’s ban on conversion therapy for LGBT minors, with justices appearing to favor a Christian counselor’s free speech argument.Looking ahead, the court will hear cases about transgender athletes in school sports on January 13. Later this month, they’ll also consider Trump’s unprecedented attempt to remove Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, a case that could affect the central bank’s independence.

The TOI correspondent from Washington: US President Donald Trump pulled another hyperbole out of his MAGA hat on Tuesday, claiming that India had ordered 68 Apache attack helicopters from the United States, the delivery of which was so slow that Prime Minister Narendra Modi deferentially sought a meeting with him to raise concern over the delays. A review of official contracts, delivery records, deployment details and conversations with military and diplomatic sources shows that the claim does not align with facts: India ordered only 28 Apache helicopters in total, and as of December 2025, all of them have been delivered.

The discrepancy reinforces a pattern critics have frequently noted in Trump’s public remarks where numbers are often inflated and timelines simplified to emphasise US leverage or personal involvement, like for instance in his persistent claim that he forced India and Pakistan into a truce with threat of tariffs. In this case, while delivery delays were real and did frustrate New Delhi, the scale described by Trump was not; neither was his claim that PM Modi asked “Sir, may I see you, please?” to raise the issue.In Trump’s recalls, everyone – even foreign leaders (except Putin and Xi Jinping) – is always calling him “sir.”India’s acquisition of the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters took place in two distinct phases, not one massive order. The first deal was signed in September 2015, during the final months of the Obama administration, when India signed an agreement to buy 22 Apaches for the Indian Air Force (IAF) in a contract worth about $2.2 billion. These helicopters were delivered on schedule, with the final units arriving by 2020 during the first Trump administration. They were inducted into two frontline squadrons and quickly became a central part of India’s attack helicopter capability.The second deal was signed in February 2020 during Trump’s visit to India. This follow-on contract, valued between $600 million and $800 million, covered six Apaches for the Indian Army Aviation Corps. This is the order that experienced repeated delays and became a talking point in US and Indian political discussions, including PM Modi flagging it during his visit to the White House in February 2025, one of many topics that were on the agenda. Combined, both deals amount to 28 helicopters—less than half of the figure cited by Trump.While the Air Force’s Apaches arrived on time, delivered at the end of Trump’s first term, the Army’s six helicopters were significantly delayed. Deliveries were initially scheduled to begin in early 2024. Instead, the first batch reached India only in July 2025—about 15 months late. The final three helicopters arrived in December 2025, completing the order nearly two years behind schedule.Several factors contributed to the delays. Boeing’s Apache production line in Mesa, Arizona, was affected by post-pandemic supply chain disruptions, including shortages of engines, gearboxes, and specialised electronics. In addition, India reportedly had a relatively low priority ranking within the US defence priorities and allocations system (DPAS) in 2024, meaning other customers—including the US. Army—were ahead in the queue for certain components.There were also technical and logistical complications. Boeing briefly paused some Apache deliveries worldwide due to electrical and power-generation concerns that required additional safety testing. In a final twist, the last batch bound for India in November 2025 had to turn back mid-flight after Turkey denied overflight clearance to the Antonov-124 transport aircraft carrying the helicopters, adding several more weeks of delay.Also read: ‘If they don’t help on Russian oil issue…’; Donald Trump’s new tariff warning to India; praises PM ModiThese genuine frustrations likely form the basis of Trump’s comments, but the numerical exaggeration undermines their credibility. Is it possible that Trump may have conflated two separate Indian helicopter purchases from Boeing: the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter and the CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter? Both deals were signed around the same time, both involved Boeing (for which Trump claimed to be the all-time best salesman), but they still add up to only 43, since India ordered 15 Chinooks, all of which have been delivered between 2019 and 2020. There is no record in India’s ministry of defence or US foreign, military Sales (FMS) notifications of any additional Apache orders beyond the 28 units. While the Army originally projected a requirement for 39 Apaches, no new contracts have been signed.In fact, despite the Apache’s formidable firepower, India’s experience with dodgy US supply chains issues and increasingly mercurial strategic shifts vis-a-vis China and Pakistan is such that it is now peeling away from American, and for that matter, any foreign dependency. Instead, New Delhi is increasingly prioritising indigenous solutions under its “Make in India” policy. In this case, it is leaning on the HAL Prachand Light Combat Helicopter. A lighter chopper optimized for extreme altitudes, Prachand can operate where the heavier Apache struggles, including at heights above 20,000 feet like in Siachen. India plans to induct 156 Prachand helicopters across the Army and Air Force, gradually reducing reliance on foreign attack helicopters.The emerging strategy is clear: Apaches will remain India’s heavy strike platforms in plains and desert sectors, but the future of India’s rotary-wing combat power will be increasingly domestic. Trump’s claim of 68 helicopters may have overstated the scale, but it has inadvertently highlighted why India is determined to avoid dealing with a maverick.

The TOI correspondent from Washington: US President Donald Trump pulled another hyperbole out of his MAGA hat on Tuesday, claiming that India had ordered 68 Apache attack helicopters from the United States, the delivery of which was so slow that Prime Minister Narendra Modi deferentially sought a meeting with him to raise concern over the delays. A review of official contracts, delivery records, deployment details and conversations with military and diplomatic sources shows that the claim does not align with facts: India ordered only 28 Apache helicopters in total, and as of December 2025, all of them have been delivered.

The discrepancy reinforces a pattern critics have frequently noted in Trump’s public remarks where numbers are often inflated and timelines simplified to emphasise US leverage or personal involvement, like for instance in his persistent claim that he forced India and Pakistan into a truce with threat of tariffs. In this case, while delivery delays were real and did frustrate New Delhi, the scale described by Trump was not; neither was his claim that PM Modi asked “Sir, may I see you, please?” to raise the issue.In Trump’s recalls, everyone – even foreign leaders (except Putin and Xi Jinping) – is always calling him “sir.”India’s acquisition of the Boeing AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters took place in two distinct phases, not one massive order. The first deal was signed in September 2015, during the final months of the Obama administration, when India signed an agreement to buy 22 Apaches for the Indian Air Force (IAF) in a contract worth about $2.2 billion. These helicopters were delivered on schedule, with the final units arriving by 2020 during the first Trump administration. They were inducted into two frontline squadrons and quickly became a central part of India’s attack helicopter capability.The second deal was signed in February 2020 during Trump’s visit to India. This follow-on contract, valued between $600 million and $800 million, covered six Apaches for the Indian Army Aviation Corps. This is the order that experienced repeated delays and became a talking point in US and Indian political discussions, including PM Modi flagging it during his visit to the White House in February 2025, one of many topics that were on the agenda. Combined, both deals amount to 28 helicopters—less than half of the figure cited by Trump.While the Air Force’s Apaches arrived on time, delivered at the end of Trump’s first term, the Army’s six helicopters were significantly delayed. Deliveries were initially scheduled to begin in early 2024. Instead, the first batch reached India only in July 2025—about 15 months late. The final three helicopters arrived in December 2025, completing the order nearly two years behind schedule.Several factors contributed to the delays. Boeing’s Apache production line in Mesa, Arizona, was affected by post-pandemic supply chain disruptions, including shortages of engines, gearboxes, and specialised electronics. In addition, India reportedly had a relatively low priority ranking within the US defence priorities and allocations system (DPAS) in 2024, meaning other customers—including the US. Army—were ahead in the queue for certain components.There were also technical and logistical complications. Boeing briefly paused some Apache deliveries worldwide due to electrical and power-generation concerns that required additional safety testing. In a final twist, the last batch bound for India in November 2025 had to turn back mid-flight after Turkey denied overflight clearance to the Antonov-124 transport aircraft carrying the helicopters, adding several more weeks of delay.Also read: ‘If they don’t help on Russian oil issue…’; Donald Trump’s new tariff warning to India; praises PM ModiThese genuine frustrations likely form the basis of Trump’s comments, but the numerical exaggeration undermines their credibility. Is it possible that Trump may have conflated two separate Indian helicopter purchases from Boeing: the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter and the CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopter? Both deals were signed around the same time, both involved Boeing (for which Trump claimed to be the all-time best salesman), but they still add up to only 43, since India ordered 15 Chinooks, all of which have been delivered between 2019 and 2020. There is no record in India’s ministry of defence or US foreign, military Sales (FMS) notifications of any additional Apache orders beyond the 28 units. While the Army originally projected a requirement for 39 Apaches, no new contracts have been signed.In fact, despite the Apache’s formidable firepower, India’s experience with dodgy US supply chains issues and increasingly mercurial strategic shifts vis-a-vis China and Pakistan is such that it is now peeling away from American, and for that matter, any foreign dependency. Instead, New Delhi is increasingly prioritising indigenous solutions under its “Make in India” policy. In this case, it is leaning on the HAL Prachand Light Combat Helicopter. A lighter chopper optimized for extreme altitudes, Prachand can operate where the heavier Apache struggles, including at heights above 20,000 feet like in Siachen. India plans to induct 156 Prachand helicopters across the Army and Air Force, gradually reducing reliance on foreign attack helicopters.The emerging strategy is clear: Apaches will remain India’s heavy strike platforms in plains and desert sectors, but the future of India’s rotary-wing combat power will be increasingly domestic. Trump’s claim of 68 helicopters may have overstated the scale, but it has inadvertently highlighted why India is determined to avoid dealing with a maverick.

With technology at the helm, global capability centre (GCC) leaders are rewriting leadership slates, prioritising site leaders with a deep engineering focus. In the India business case, the mandate moved well beyond setting up a sourcing base, liaising with headquarters, or acting as a talent scout, to demonstrating strong engineering leadership and rapid adoption of AI playbooks. As advisory firms increasingly take on the archetypes of erstwhile India leadership roles, GCC heads are being pushed to demonstrate deeper technology ownership to raise the bar within their parent firms and across client ecosystems. Leadership expectations shifted decisively from operational oversight to owning global technology outcomes. Last year marked an inflection point for GCCs, with over 2 dozen leaders appointed during the period. Several executives moved to new firms as part of broader leadership reshuffles and mandate changes, reflecting rising expectations and a growing willingness among global firms to reset leadership quickly.Pradeep Menon moved from his role as CEO and country head of HSBC SDI, where he also served as managing director and head of technology for India, to take over as country head and MD of Charles Schwab India. Satya Prakash Ranjan was appointed country head of technology at First Citizens India, part of US-based First Citizens Bank, a top-20 US financial institution with assets exceeding $200 billion. Prashanti Bodugum joined as head of Evernorth Health Services India, moving from Walmart Global Tech India, where she served as Vice President for e-commerce US omni platforms technology for its India operations.Lalit Ahuja, founder of ANSR, said as GCCs assume larger product, platform, and engineering mandates, leaders are increasingly appointed based on the specific business and engineering outcomes they are expected to deliver—whether in digital transformation, AI, cloud, cybersecurity, or emerging technologies. “Today, site leaders spend nearly 80% of their time operating in global functional roles, with only about 20% focused on traditional site responsibilities such as brand building, culture, and ecosystem engagement. This marks a significant departure from the past, when site leaders were largely administrative heads. Today, GCC leaders are domain experts and strategic partners, deeply embedded in enterprise priorities and accountable for key business-critical mandates.” Ahuja said site leaders spend nearly 80% of their time operating in global functional roles, with only about 20% focused on traditional site responsibilities such as brand building, culture, and ecosystem engagement.Venkat Shastry, founder and CEO of leadership advisory firm QuantumV, said GCCs are no longer judged as cost or delivery centres but are increasingly measured as product, platform and IP engines. “Boards have dramatically shortened their patience cycles. If a GCC leader can’t articulate an AI-led transformation and operating model within 6–12 months, companies are far quicker today to reset leadership than they were even two years ago. India’s GCC ecosystem has matured to the point where leadership replacement feels lower risk. With a deep bench of experienced leaders, companies believe they can ‘upgrade’ leadership fast—and that confidence itself is accelerating movement. Arindam Sen, GCC partner at EY India, said the rise in leadership roles at GCCs reflects natural career progression and capability. “It also reflects a shift from traditional, execution-led leadership archetypes to more globally embedded, advisory-driven ones. This shift requires a new league of leaders—who combine strategic thinking, business insight, and execution excellence, qualities that India’s talent is uniquely demonstrating.”Pari Natarajan, CEO of global management consultancy firm Zinnov, said shifts are being accelerated by GenAI. As automation takes over routine execution, enterprises are becoming more deliberate about where engineering judgement, product ownership, and architectural decisions sit. Increasingly, that work is moving into GCCs, raising the leadership bar. “We’ve seen centres once measured on headcount and SLAs now being asked to own global engineering roadmaps or AI platforms with direct business impact. When the mandate changes that fundamentally, leadership change is often a consequence of evolution, not a response to failure.”

The road to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 (starting in February) takes a sharp turn through Dambulla this week. With the mega-event just around the corner, this three-match series serves as a critical dress rehearsal for both Asian giants.

While Sri Lanka will look to maximize their home advantage and fine-tune their spin combinations, Pakistan arrives with a new-look squad. The visitors have opted to rest several marquee players (including Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, and Shaheen Afridi, who are featuring in the BBL), handing the reins to Salman Ali Agha to test the nation’s bench strength.

Squad outlook of Sri Lanka and Pakistan

Playing at home in Dambulla, Sri Lanka has doubled down on their greatest strength: spin. The squad features a terrifying array of slow-bowling options, including Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dunith Wellalage, and the uncapped off-spinner Traveen Mathew. Dasun Shanaka continues to lead, bringing stability to a volatile format. The inclusion of “Slingers” like Matheesha Pathirana and Nuwan Thushara, alongside young talent Eshan Malinga, ensures that even when spin isn’t operating, the attack remains unorthodox and difficult to pick. The return of experienced campaigners like Kusal Perera and Dhananjaya de Silva adds muscle to the batting lineup, supporting the flair of Pathum Nissanka and Kusal Mendis.

With their seniors in the BBL, Pakistan have unleashed a squad full of PSL performers and raw talent. The biggest headline is the inclusion of Usman Tariq, the mystery spinner whose paused action has baffled domestic batters. All eyes are on Shadab Khan. His return from injury is vital for Pakistan’s World Cup balance. Wicketkeeper-batter Khawaja Nafay is expected to bring explosive power to the top order, while Sahibzada Farhan gets another extended run to cement his spot. Even without Shaheen and Rauf, the pace attack looks lethal with Naseem Shah leading the line, supported by the skiddy Mohammad Wasim Jnr and the emerging Mohammad Salman Mirza.

Sri Lanka vs Pakistan T20I series scheudule

Also READ: No Mohammad Rizwan as Pakistan unveils provisional squad for the T20 World Cup 2026

Squads

Sri Lanka: Pathum Nissanka, Kamil Mishara, Kusal Mendis, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya de Silva, Charith Asalanka, Dasun Shanaka (c), Janith Liyanage, Kamindu Mendis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Dunith Wellalage, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushan Hemantha, Traveen Mathew, Dushmantha Chameera, Matheesha Pathirana, Nuwan Thushara, and Eshan Malinga.

Pakistan: Salman Ali Agha (c), Abdul Samad, Abrar Ahmad, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Khawaja Nafay, Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Salman Mirza, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Sahibzada Farhan, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Usman Khan, Usman Tariq

Broadcast and Live Streaming details:

• Sri Lanka: Siyatha Television
• India: Sony Sports Network, Fan Code
• Pakistan: Tapmad

Also READ: Maheesh Theekshana set to become father, shares baby bump photo with wife Arthika

NEW DELHI: Pacer Jacob Duffy was included in New Zealand’s squad for the Twenty20 World Cup on Wednesday, capping an outstanding 2025 in which he claimed 81 international wickets. The 31-year-old surpassed Richard Hadlee’s 40-year-old record of 79 wickets in a calendar year and climbed to second place in the world T20 bowling rankings. Despite being part of a New Zealand squad that collectively boasts 1,064 T20 international caps, Duffy is the only player yet to feature in a T20 World Cup.Duffy slots into an experienced pace unit featuring Matt Henry, Lockie Ferguson, Adam Milne and all-rounder Jimmy Neesham for the tournament in India and Sri Lanka from February 7 to March 8. Kyle Jamieson will travel with the squad as the reserve fast bowler.

The squad will be led by all-rounder Mitchell Santner, who anchors a spin group that includes specialist Ish Sodhi along with Michael Bracewell, Glenn Phillips and Rachin Ravindra. Both Santner and Sodhi were part of New Zealand’s campaign at the 2016 T20 World Cup in India.Finn Allen, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Daryl Mitchell and Tim Seifert make up the specialist batting contingent. Seifert, who will also keep wicket, is set to join the squad after the conclusion of Australia’s Big Bash League.Allen (finger/hamstring), Chapman (ankle), Ferguson (calf), Henry (calf) and Santner (adductor) are currently undergoing treatment. Ferguson and Henry are also likely to be granted short-term paternity leave during the tournament.Duffy led New Zealand’s pace attack across all three formats during the domestic season in the absence of Henry, Will O’Rourke, Ben Sears, Jamieson, Nathan Smith and Ferguson, who were all sidelined with injuries. His 81 wickets in 2025 came from 36 matches at an average of 17.New Zealand will play a white-ball series in India in January, followed by a warm-up match against the United States, before beginning their World Cup campaign in Group D alongside Afghanistan, UAE, South Africa and Canada.New Zealand squad: Mitchell Santner (captain), Finn Allen, Michael Bracewell, Mark Chapman, Devon Conway, Jacob Duffy, Lockie Ferguson, Matt Henry, Daryl Mitchell, Adam Milne, James Neesham, Glenn Phillips, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Ish Sodhi.