File photo: US President Donald Trump (Picture credit: AP)

US President Donald Trump has said any peace deal to end the war between Ukraine and Russia will ultimately depend on his approval, casting himself as the final decision-maker ahead of talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Florida.Speaking in an exclusive interview with Politico on Friday, Trump appeared unenthusiastic about Zelenskyy’s latest peace proposal, a revised 20-point framework that the Ukrainian leader is expected to present during their meeting on Sunday. The plan includes ideas such as a demilitarised zone and requests for US security guarantees.“He doesn’t have anything until I approve it,” Trump said, referring to Zelenskyy’s proposal. “So we’ll see what he’s got.”Zelenskyy has said the meeting will focus on key unresolved issues, including security guarantees, control of the Russian-occupied Zaporizhzhia nuclear power plant and territorial questions surrounding the Donbas region in eastern Ukraine. According to the New York Times, Zelenskyy has described the agenda as broad and said “a lot can be decided before the New Year”.Trump’s remarks underline how dependent Kyiv’s future strategy has become on convincing the US president that Ukraine is prepared to compromise. While Washington has pushed Zelenskyy to soften some of his earlier demands, Russia has largely held to its hardline position and has not publicly responded to the latest proposal, reported Politico.Despite his scepticism, Trump said he expected the talks to be constructive. “I think it’s going to go good with him. I think it’s going to go good with [Vladimir] Putin,” he said, adding that he hopes to speak with the Russian president “soon”.The comments came a day after Zelenskyy held discussions with Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and the president’s son-in-law Jared Kushner, which the Ukrainian leader later described as a “good conversation”. As per the New York Times, Zelenskyy said those talks produced “good ideas” and new thinking on formats and timelines for pushing diplomacy forward.Zelenskyy’s proposal includes the creation of a demilitarised zone in parts of Donbas still under Ukrainian control, but only if Russia withdraws its forces from a corresponding area in Donetsk. Moscow has shown no sign of accepting anything short of full control of the region, highlighting the wide gap between the two sides.Trump also said Russia was under economic pressure. “Their economy is in tough shape, very tough shape,” he told Politico.During the interview, Trump confirmed that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would also visit him this weekend. “I have Zelenskyy and I have Bibi coming. They’re all coming,” he said. “They respect our country again.” According to an NBC report cited by Politico, Netanyahu is expected to brief Trump on the growing threat from Iran.Trump’s remarks followed US airstrikes against ISIS targets in Nigeria, which he said were delayed by a day for symbolic reasons. “I said, ‘nope, let’s give a Christmas present,’” he told Politico, claiming the strikes had heavily damaged militant camps.As diplomacy continues, Zelenskyy has said Ukraine is ready to show flexibility but warned that if Russia refuses to engage seriously, stronger pressure from the West would be needed to bring the war closer to an end, reported the New York Times.

Josh Tongue announced himself on the world stage in spectacular fashion, becoming the first England bowler of this century to claim a five-wicket haul in a men’s Test at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground in Melbourne on Friday (December 26).

Josh Tongue Takes Stunning Five-Wicket Haul To Script History at MCG

England finally had a moment to celebrate at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), and it came through a stunning effort from Josh Tongue on a day full of drama in the ongoing Boxing Day Test of the Ashes 2025-26 against Australia.

Read Also: Josh Tongue extends incredible streak against Steve Smith as he cleans him up with a beauty

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With the Ashes series already slipping away at 3-0, England badly needed something special, and Tongue delivered exactly that. The fast bowler ran through Australia’s batting order and finished with excellent figures of 5/45, and helped England bowl Australia out for just 152 in their first innings in the ongoing fourth Ashes Test at the MCG.

Breaking the Drought: The Historical Significance of 5/45

In doing so, Tongue achieved something no England bowler has managed at the MCG in men’s Test cricket in this century. It was a rare achievement for England at this famous venue. Tongue’s heroics ended a 27-year wait for an English five-wicket haul at the iconic MCG.

The last to achieve the feat were Darren Gough (5/96) and Dean Headley (6/60) during England’s famous 12-run win in 1998. Nearly three decades later, Tongue joined the rare club on Friday.

This performance also marked the best spell of Josh Tongue’s Test career. He surpassed his previous best of 5/66 against Ireland at Lord’s earlier in 2023 and showed great control throughout the day.

A Debut Spell for the Ages: Reliving Josh Tongue’s Five-Wicket Haul

The 25-year-old Worcestershire seamer produced a blistering spell of fast bowling, exploiting the MCG conditions with precision and pace. His landmark moment came when he dismissed Scott Boland after clean-bowling Michael Neser, as the Englishman completed his third Test five-for and etched his name alongside English greats.

Read Also: Jacob Bethell left embarrassed after massive on-field goof up during Ashes match at the MCG

Australia never looked comfortable after choosing to bat first, as Tongue’s impact was immediate. The Englishman removed three of Australia’s top three batters, including Jake Weatherald (10), Marnus Labuschagne (6), and Steve Smith (9), in a devastating morning session.

After lunch, Usman Khawaja was sent back following a successful review. Alex Carey tried to fight back but was caught at leg slip, while Cameron Green’s innings ended in disappointment when he was run out just as batting conditions started to ease. Then, the Englishman returned to wrap up the tail with clinical efficiency and complete his five-wicket haul.

England’s Ashes Woes in Australia Worsen

Despite Tongue’s heroics, England failed to build on the advantage with the bat. Their lineup collapsed quickly, and they were bowled out for just 110, allowing Australia to take a crucial 42-run lead. Harry Brook was the only batter who looked comfortable and was the top scorer with 41 runs, while number nine Gus Atkinson chipped in with 28 in the ongoing fourth Ashes Test.

England’s batting collapse has added another unwanted chapter to their Ashes history away from home. This collapse now goes down as England’s third lowest all-out total in an away Ashes Test since 2000. Only two innings have been worse in that period.

Back in 2021, England were bundled out for a miserable 68 at the same Melbourne ground, and in 2002, they could only manage 79 at the Gabba.

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Ajinkya Rahane and Ravindra Jadeja (AP/PTI)

On this day in 2020, December 27, Ajinkya Rahane played an innings that quietly altered the course of Indian Test cricket. It did not come wrapped in noise or bravado. It arrived in the aftermath of trauma. India had been bundled out for their lowest-ever total in the previous match – a humiliating 36 all out in Adelaide. Captain Virat Kohli had flown home on paternity leave. Mohammed Shami was ruled out of the tour. Umesh Yadav was injured. Confidence was fractured, belief questioned, and Australia sensed blood. What followed at the Melbourne Cricket Ground was not merely a response but a reclaiming of dignity, led by a stand-in captain who spoke with his bat.India began the second Test carrying the weight of collapse and expectation. When Day 2 started, they were 36 for 1 after Australia had been bowled out for 195, the echoes of Adelaide still loud. The morning was overcast, the ball moved, and Australia’s fast bowlers bowled disciplined lines.

Australia struck early. Shubman Gill and Cheteshwar Pujara fell in quick succession, briefly threatening another collapse. Yet Rahane stood firm. From the very first delivery he faced, there was clarity in his intent. He drove straight when the ball was full, pulled with control when it was short, and trusted his defence when Australia searched for errors. A dropped catch on 78 off the second new ball proved decisive. Rahane marched on, making Australia pay for every missed chance.He stitched the innings together patiently. Partnerships with Hanuma Vihari, Rishabh Pant, and eventually Ravindra Jadeja rebuilt India’s hold on the match. Vihari and Pant showed promise before falling, but Jadeja became the perfect partner. Jadeja left well, chose his scoring areas carefully, and allowed Rahane to dictate the tempo. Their century stand for the sixth wicket broke Australia’s resistance. The bowlers tired, the new ball lost its threat, and frustration crept in. Even when Starc struck Rahane on the handle late in the day, fortune stayed with him as another chance was spilled. By stumps, India had surged to 277 for 5 and momentum had firmly shifted. Rahane’s century was not just technically sound; it was emotionally stabilising. It gave India belief when very little existed.Rahane’s stay ended on 112 off 223 balls the following morning, in unfortunate fashion — run out after a mix-up following Jadeja’s call. There was no visible frustration or anger. Instead, Rahane walked back and gently patted Jadeja on the shoulder, a quiet acknowledgement that such moments are part of the game. Only a week earlier in Adelaide, Rahane himself had been involved in Virat Kohli’s unfortunate run-out, a moment that triggered India’s dramatic collapse in the first innings. Perspective came easily to him. India eventually added a few more runs to be bowled out for 326, but by then the damage to Australia had already been done.Australia’s second innings only deepened the shift. India strangled their scoring, conceding almost nothing. Australia were bowled out for 200 in 103.1 overs, their slowest home Test innings in decades. They did not manage a single half-century. R Ashwin closed it out, Jasprit Bumrah provided the hostility, and Mohammed Siraj continued his remarkable rise. India were left chasing just 70.There were flickers of tension. Mayank Agarwal fell early. Pujara followed. Memories of 36 briefly hovered. But this was not the India from Adelaide. Shubman Gill batted with freedom, and fittingly, it was Rahane who struck the winning runs. India went from humiliation to dominance in the space of a week.That hundred at Melbourne did more than win a Test. It reset the tour. It restored belief. It laid the foundation for what would become one of India’s greatest Test series victories. Quietly, without theatre, Ajinkya Rahane played one of the most important innings in Indian cricket history.Rahane will forever remain an enigma in Indian cricket. Over the years, he played several outstanding overseas innings, often in some of the most difficult conditions imaginable. He remains one of the rare Indian batters whose Test average away from home is better than his record in India, a statistic that speaks volumes about his technique and temperament. Remarkably, India have never lost a Test match when Rahane scored a century, and under his captaincy, the team remains unbeaten in Test cricket.At the same time, his overall numbers never quite reflected the full extent of his ability. An average of 38.46 does not truly capture the quality of a batter who delivered when conditions were hostile and margins were fine. Rahane’s last few home series were particularly challenging, played on surfaces where batting was extremely difficult and excessive turn made run-scoring a constant struggle. These conditions did not affect him alone. The averages of Cheteshwar Pujara, Rahane, and Virat Kohli all took a hit during this phase, largely because India played on wickets where survival itself was an achievement.Rahane played his final Test in 2023 against the West Indies. He had earned a recall for the World Test Championship final earlier that year and responded by finishing as India’s highest run-scorer in the match, with scores of 89 and 46 in the two innings. That performance briefly suggested a late-career revival.However, the subsequent tour of the West Indies proved disappointing. India played two Tests, but the runs did not come. Soon after, he was dropped from the Test side. Since then, Rahane has remained out of the national team, and it appears highly unlikely that he will represent India in Test cricket again.His career, much like his personality, defied easy definition. Understated, resilient, and often underappreciated, Rahane leaves behind a legacy that stats alone cannot fully explain.

‘Dhurandhar’, directed by Aditya Dhar and starring Ranveer Singh in the lead, has created history at the box office by crossing the Rs 1000 crore mark worldwide, just as it entered its fourth week at the box office. The film that began its box office run on December 5, has emerged as one of the biggest blockbusters in Indian cinema.

‘Dhurandhar’ box office collection Day 22

The film has maintained a strong run well into its fourth week at the Indian box office. On Day 22, early box office reports on sacnilk indicate that ‘Dhurandhar’ earned an estimated Rs 15 crore net in India. This is said to be a good start for a film in its fourth weekend at the box office. Over its first three weeks, the film collected approximately Rs 207.25 crore in its opening week, and followed it up with an impressive collection of Rs 253.25 crore in week two. In week 3, the film earned a total of Rs 173 crore. With Friday’s collections, the film’s total India net collection stands at around Rs 648.50 crore.

‘Dhurandhar’ occupancy

Occupancy on Friday reflected steady audience interest, with the Hindi version registering an overall footfall of 28.20%. Morning shows opened on a slower note with footfalls at 14.74%, while evening shows saw the highest turnout at 34.90%.

‘Dhurandhar’ gross total collections

The film’s all-India gross collection now stands at an estimated Rs 778 crore. As per the report, the film received a significant boost from its overseas markets, which helped push it into the record books. The latest reports indicate that the film’s international collections have crossed the Rs 200 crore mark with an estimated collection of around Rs 225 crore. This makes ‘Dhurandhar’ the rare few films that has been able to achieve this this record in overseas markets.

‘Dhurandhar’ hits the Rs 1000 crore mark

With these figures, the ‘Dhurandhar’ worldwide gross collections now stand at approximately Rs 1003 crore.The film reached the Rs 1000 crore milestone in just 22 days, making it the second fastest Bollywood film to do so. The Shah Rukh Khan starrer ‘Jawan’, which released in 2023, holds the record by hitting the milestone in just 18 days.This achievement, however, is noteworthy, considering that ‘Dhurandhar’ received an ‘A’ rating, thus significantly limiting its audience to just adults. With this, the Ranveer Singh-led film has become only the ninth Indian film to enter the elite 1000-crore club and the first release of 2025 to hit this milestone.