TOI correspondent from Washington: In a scene without precedent in the 237-year history of the American judiciary, US President Donald Trump on Wednesday attended the Supreme Court hearing in the birthright citizenship case, highlighting the profound significance of the outcome even as critics saw his appearance as an attempt to intimidate the nine justices.At the heart of the case is Trump’s January 2025 executive order that seeks to dismantle the long-standing interpretation of the 14th Amendment, denying automatic citizenship to approximately 250,000 children born annually in the US to undocumented parents or temporary visa holders. The administration’s architect for the argument, Solicitor General John Sauer, contended that the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof” excludes those without “full allegiance” or permanent domicile in the United States.The bench, however, appeared skeptical as they grilled Sauer. Justice after justice probed whether an executive order could overrule 160 years of settled law. Representing the challengers, ACLU National Legal Director Cecillia Wang argued that birthright citizenship is an “indefeasible” right, applying to nearly everyone born on US soil except for the children of foreign diplomats or invading forces.While Wang held the podium, the intellectual “blueprint” for the opposition’s case was visible in the research of Indian-American legal scholar Smita Ghosh. As a lead author of the “Brief of Scholars of Constitutional Law and Immigration,” Ghosh’s historical evidence—asserting that the 14th Amendment was explicitly intended to be status-blind—formed the backbone of the respondents’ defense.The President’s presence in the court – unprecedented in its history – cast a foreboding shadow in the chamber where six of the nine justices are conservative, and three of them his nominees. Still, the hearing appeared to lean towards the respondents with at least two conservative justices sounding skeptical of the government’s case. Outside, the SC plaza was a cacophony of protesters and supporters, reflecting a nation divided over the definition of “American.” With lower courts having already blocked the order, the nation now waits for a final ruling, expected by early summer.

The fifth match of IPL 2026 between Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and Delhi Capitals (DC) at the Ekana Cricket Stadium turned into a showcase of disciplined bowling, with DC making full use of their decision to field first. After winning the toss, skipper Axar Patel backed his bowlers to deliver—and they responded emphatically by dismantling LSG’s batting lineup with consistent breakthroughs.

Among the standout moments of the innings was a stunning delivery from Lungi Ngidi that sent back the dangerous Nicholas Pooran, shifting the momentum further in DC’s favor.

Lungi Ngidi’s slower delivery gets rid of Nicholas Pooran

The key moment came on the fifth ball of the ninth over, when Ngidi unleashed a perfectly disguised slower ball. Pooran, known for his aggressive stroke play, attempted to flick the delivery towards the leg side but was completely deceived by the lack of pace.

His balance faltered as he committed early to the shot, only to see the ball sneak under his bat and crash into the stumps. The dismissal highlighted Ngidi’s mastery of variations, particularly his off-cutters that have troubled batters across formats.

This wasn’t the first time Ngidi has used such tactics effectively. His slower balls were a major weapon during the T20 World Cup 2026, and he carried that form seamlessly into the IPL, once again proving his value in the shortest format.

Here’s the video:

Through the defence 😯

🎥 Lungi Ngidi foxes Nicholas Pooran with his brilliance 🔥

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LSG struggle despite Mitchell Marsh and Abdul Samad’s efforts

While Ngidi’s breakthrough was crucial, it was part of a larger collapse that saw LSG fail to build any meaningful partnerships. Mitchell Marsh provided some resistance at the top with a composed 35, trying to anchor the innings during the early phase.

Later, Abdul Samad chipped in with a valuable 36 runs, ensuring that LSG crossed the 140-run mark. However, the lack of support from the rest of the batting unit meant that these contributions were not enough to challenge a disciplined DC bowling attack.

LSG were eventually bowled out for 141 in 18.4 overs, a total that looked below par on a surface offering decent batting conditions.

Also READ: Delhi Capitals face fans backlash after Prithvi Shaw snub in IPL 2026 clash against Lucknow Super Giants

DC bowlers deliver a complete team performance

Delhi Capitals’ bowling unit functioned like a well-oiled machine throughout the innings. Ngidi and T Natarajan led the charge with three wickets each, consistently applying pressure with tight lines and clever variations.

Spin also played its part, with Kuldeep Yadav picking up two crucial wickets in the middle overs. Captain Axar contributed with a wicket as well, rounding off a complete team performance in the field.

The Capitals’ ability to strike at regular intervals prevented LSG from gaining any momentum, ultimately restricting them to a modest total.

With a target of 142, DC will head into the chase with confidence, backed by a dominant bowling display. For LSG, the focus will be on regrouping and finding ways to bounce back, especially after a batting performance that lacked cohesion.

Also WATCH: Rishabh Pant’s opening gamble ends in freak run-out during LSG vs DC clash

Parliament on Wednesday passed amendments to the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) aimed at expediting resolution of stressed companies and reducing case backlogs, with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman underlining that the objective is to revive firms rather than liquidate them, according to PTI.The Rajya Sabha cleared the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (Amendment) Bill, 2026 by voice vote, after it was passed by the Lok Sabha on March 30.Replying to a discussion in the Upper House, Sitharaman said the IBC is designed to preserve enterprise value and resolve financial stress in a market-driven manner.“It (IBC) was never intended to be a debt recovery tool. Recovery values are incidentally a by-product. The IBC process is market-driven.“Recoveries are reflective of underlying asset quality and commercial viability of the distressed enterprise,” she said, responding to concerns over haircuts and recovery rates.As of December 2025, the IBC has facilitated resolution of 1,376 companies, enabling recovery of Rs 4.11 lakh crore, with financial creditors recovering over 34 per cent of their claims.Sitharaman said recoveries depend on sectoral conditions and asset quality, adding that the code realises 94.95 per cent of fair value at admission, while recoveries exceeding 171.54 per cent of liquidation value reflect the distressed nature of firms entering the process rather than shortcomings of the framework.She said the IBC has strengthened the banking sector by enabling asset recovery and improving balance sheets.“One concrete thing that I can say for India is that the Code actually has contributed to improving the health of our banking sector. One of the reasons why India’s banking sector has actually gotten better in itself is because of the way in which IBC has recovered assets and gone through the process and given back money to the banks,” PTI quoted her as saying.Banks have recovered Rs 1,04,099 crore through various channels, of which Rs 54,528 crore, or 52.3 per cent, came via the IBC route.Citing a World Bank report, Sitharaman said reforms in India’s insolvency regime improved creditor recovery rates from 26.5 cents to 71.6 cents per dollar.“Even just after a few years of its introduction, it has been recognised world over,” she said.The minister said the amendments are aimed at making the law more responsive to evolving economic needs.“IBC was not brought with the intention of liquidating companies. It was brought in to address the stress that the companies are facing and give a resolution which will make them come back to some form and then attain the status that they were earlier running with quite a few guardrails,” she said.Key changes include faster admission of insolvency applications, with adjudication limited to establishing default and increased reliance on information utilities.Applications will need to be admitted within 14 days if default is established, while appeals before the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) must be resolved within three months.The amendments also aim to strengthen the liquidation process through greater creditor oversight, ensure independence of liquidators and remove procedural overlaps.An enabling framework for group insolvency and cross-border insolvency has been introduced to improve investor confidence and align with global best practices.The bill replaces the underutilised fast-track process with a creditor-initiated insolvency framework that allows out-of-court initiation and follows a debtor-in-possession and creditor-in-control model, with safeguards.Stricter timelines and penalties have also been proposed to deter frivolous litigation and delays.Sitharaman noted that MSMEs have been exempted from disqualification under Sections 29A, 29AC and 29AH, allowing promoters to participate in the resolution process and helping preserve smaller businesses.The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, enacted in 2016, has undergone seven amendments so far as the government seeks to refine the framework in line with industry requirements.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Wednesday honored fallen commanders of Hezbollah and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, calling their deaths a testament to the resistance movement’s struggle against the United States and Israel, as the conflict in West Asia entered its second month.In a series of posts shared on the account purportedly attributed to Khamenei, he remembered senior Hezbollah and Iranian military figures, including Hassan Nasrallah, Hashem Safieddine and Qasem Soleimani, while praising what he described as their role in the resistance movement.He wrote on X, “Before any of the other fighters, the commanders of the Resistance offered their lives on this path, from Martyr Sheikh #Ragheb_Harb and #Sayyid_Abbas_Mousavi to the Master of the Martyrs of the Resistance, #Sayyid_Hassan_Nasrallah, and #Sayyid_Hashem_Safieddine.”In another post, he said, “The sacrifices of precious martyrs such as Haj Qasem Soleimani and other senior commanders of IRGC and the Army stand as the greatest testament to the correctness of the path of resistance against the US and the Zionist regime.”He also said, “Without a doubt, steadfastness and patience in the face of the most obstinate enemies of the Islamic world — namely the United States and its proxy in the region, the brutal Zionist regime — were some of the most outstanding characteristics of the martyred Leader and Imam.”Referring to the wider history of the movement, Khamenei added, “The history of the Islamic Resistance has been filled with struggle, courage, and the pursuit of martyrdom.”Earlier this week, Khamenei also reiterated Iran’s support for resistance movements in a message addressed to Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem, according to Iranian state media and other reports.According to those reports, the message reaffirmed that the Islamic Republic’s policy remains rooted in “ongoing support for the resistance against the Zionist and American adversary”, while also describing the current phase as a critical moment for the movement.Khamenei said the policy follows the path laid down by the late Iranian leader Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and Hezbollah’s former chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.He also stressed that “standing firm and steadfast in the face of the fiercest enemies of the Islamic Ummah (Nation), namely the United States and the Zionist regime, was among the most outstanding characteristics of the martyred Imam,” referring to his predecessor.According to Press TV, as cited by ANI, Khamenei also thanked Qassem for his condolence message following the death of the former Iranian leader and acknowledged the support expressed by Hezbollah fighters towards Iran.Calling the current moment “sensitive” for the resistance, Khamenei said Hezbollah’s chief “bears the responsibility of leading the movement.”US President Donald Trump on Wednesday (local time) claimed that Iran had approached the United States for ceasefire negotiations, but said such a move would only be considered once the Strait of Hormuz is opened. Iran later denied the claim, with Iranian media and international reports saying Tehran called the remarks false and baseless.

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LSG vs DC (Photo by BCCI)

NEW DELHI: Delhi Capitals captain Axar Patel won the toss and chose to bowl first against Lucknow Super Giants in their IPL clash on Wednesday, banking on early assistance from a fresh pitch. With both teams fielding strong XIs, the contest promises a balanced battle between bat and ball. However, a notable omission was Arjun Tendulkar, who found no place in either the playing XI or the bench. The son of Sachin Tendulkar had been traded to LSG ahead of the mini auction but remains on the sidelines.