India recorded its highest-ever annual renewable energy capacity addition this year, installing 44.5 GW of new capacity till November, nearly doubling the additions seen in the same period last year, according to the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE).With this expansion, the country’s renewable energy installed capacity has reached 253.96 GW, while overall non-fossil fuel-based power capacity stood at 262.74 GW as of November. Non-fossil sources now account for 51.55 per cent of India’s total installed electricity capacity of 509.64 GW, helping the country achieve its Paris Agreement target five years ahead of schedule.Solar energy led the growth, with nearly 35 GW added during the year, taking installed solar capacity to 132.85 GW, a rise of over 41 per cent from November 2024. Wind energy capacity also increased by 5.82 GW, lifting total wind installations to 53.99 GW.India crossed the 250 GW non-fossil capacity milestone in August 2025 and achieved its highest-ever renewable share in electricity generation on July 29, when renewables met 51.5 per cent of total power demand on a single day.Globally, India ranks third in solar power capacity and fourth in both wind power and total renewable energy capacity, according to the latest International Renewable Energy Agency statistics.The MNRE said the expansion aligns with India’s commitment to achieve 500 GW of non-fossil energy capacity by 2030. Several flagship schemes, including PM Surya Ghar: Muft Bijli Yojana and PM-KUSUM, also saw significant progress during the year, alongside major advances under the National Green Hydrogen Mission, according to the government statement.The ministry also highlighted rapid growth in domestic solar manufacturing, policy reforms in wind energy, the launch of India’s geothermal energy policy, and increased international cooperation as key contributors to the country’s clean energy transition.

The Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) has been handed an ‘unsatisfactory’ pitch rating by the International Cricket Council (ICC) match referee following the fourth Ashes Test of the 2025-26 series, a game that ended inside two days with a staggering 36 wickets falling. The verdict represents a rare black mark against one of cricket’s most storied venues and has triggered internal reviews ahead of the next Test in Sydney.

The match statistics told a blunt story. Australia were dismissed for 152 and 132, while England collapsed for 110 in their first innings, as bowlers dominated proceedings from the opening session to the final ball.

ICC pitch rating system: How surfaces are judged?

In November 2023, the ICC streamlined its pitch assessment framework, reducing ratings to four categories (with three for outfields):

• Very good: A balanced surface offering consistent bounce and carry, limited early seam, and natural spin later in the match.
• Satisfactory: Acceptable for competitive cricket, with minor inconsistencies but no excessive bias towards bat or ball.
• Unsatisfactory: Excessive seam movement, uneven bounce, one-sided assistance, or rapid deterioration – resulting in one demerit point.
• Unfit: Dangerous or unplayable conditions that compromise player safety – earning three demerit points.

Demerit points are tracked over a five-year rolling period. A venue accumulating five or more points faces suspension from hosting international matches for 12 months, while 10 points triggers a 24-month ban.

Why the MCG surface was rated ‘unsatisfactory’?

Match referees assess pitches using a standardised report that tracks bounce, seam movement, wear and overall balance across the match. In this case, the MCG surface was deemed to have failed the fairness test.

The pitch featured around 10mm of grass, producing extreme seam movement throughout the contest. Rather than easing as the match progressed, conditions remained hostile for batters, leading to erratic bounce and exaggerated lateral movement that consistently favoured fast bowlers.

Despite pre-match requests from both captains for a balanced wicket, the surface delivered a one-sided contest where survival, rather than skill, defined batting. Officials concluded that while the pitch was not dangerous, it did not provide a fair contest between bat and ball, warranting the ‘unsatisfactory’ label.

Also READ: Ashes 2025-26: Ben Stokes and Steve Smith slam MCG pitch after 4th Test ends in two days

A rare demerit for an iconic venue

First such rating in years for the MCG

The MCG has historically enjoyed a strong reputation for producing competitive Test wickets, making this assessment particularly notable. This is the first unsatisfactory rating for the venue in several years, underlining the seriousness of the ICC’s findings.

While a single demerit point does not place the MCG in immediate danger of sanctions, it serves as a formal warning and puts future preparations under closer scrutiny.

Also READ: Ashes 2025/26 – Sunil Gavaskar takes swipe at ICC over pitch ratings after Melbourne Test ends in two days

US stock markets opened in red Monday, with major indices slipping despite a strong year dominated by tech companies. The S&P 500, Dow Jones, and Nasdaq fell in early trading, in a week that’ll mark the end of 2025.The S&P 500 slipped 0.2 per cent in early trading. With just three sessions remaining in 2025, the benchmark index is up more than 17 per cent for the year and is on course for its eighth consecutive monthly gain. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 44 points, or 0.1 per cent, while the Nasdaq composite declined 0.3 per cent. Bond markets saw Treasury yields ease, even as European and Asian equities traded mixed.Despite some recent concerns about whether AI stocks are priced too high and whether funding for large projects will remain strong, the Nasdaq has been the best-performing major index in 2025. This has been driven mainly by strong gains in shares of Nvidia, Google parent Alphabet, and other technology companies.Twenty minutes after markets opened, the numbers showed clear declines. The S&P 500 dropped 0.4 per cent to 6,904.93, though it’s still up more than 14 percent for the year. The Dow Jones fell 0.3 percent to 48,585.06, while the tech-heavy Nasdaq saw the biggest dip, falling 0.6 percent to 23,461.39.“There is some tech profit taking and no information to really drive markets,” said Jack Ablin from Cresset Capital. He suggested that the quiet trading environment might actually help stocks rise in the year’s final days, as quoted by AFP.In company-specific news, athletic wear maker Lululemon saw its stock rise 1.4 percent. This came after news broke that company founder Chip Wilson was pushing to get three new directors appointed to the company’s board through a proxy fight.

NEW DELHI: Supreme Court’s decision on Monday — its last working day of 2025 — to stay its own 40-day-old order on the Aravali controversy was only the latest in a series of flip flops witnessed in the year, during which orders were set aside within months after they were passed — a fact noticed by SC itself, which emphasized in one of its judgments that the trend would cost the court’s credibility.The cases and issues that witnessed judicial reversals include menace of stray dogs, a governor’s power regarding assent to bills forwarded by a state legislature, ban on firecrackers, retrospective environmental clearance, insolvency of Bhushan Steel Ltd, and finally, the Aravali controversy.

This phenomenon of one bench’s order being overturned by another within a short interval, even when there was no change in circumstances, perhaps indicates that the original orders were passed in a hurry without analysing all relevant issues related to the case. It also reflects the judge-centric approach, rather than principle-centric approach, in deciding a case.In the Bhushan Steel case, SC on May 2 quashed acquisition of bankrupt company Bhushan Power & Steel Ltd (BPSL) by JSW Steel under the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) and ordered liquidation of the debt-laden company. Three months later, the court on July 31 recalled the order. It passed a judgment on Sept 26 upholding the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal’s decision approving the Rs 19,700-crore resolution plan of JSW Steel to takeover BPSLIn the stray dogs case, SC took suo motu cognisance and passed a slew of directions on Aug 11 for catching of strays and putting them in shelter homes in view of rising number of dog bites and death caused by rabies. The case was transferred to another bench within a week and the new bench had on Aug 22 modified the order and directed that strays after being sterilised, vaccinated must be released to their territories under the Animal Birth Control Rules and they should not be confined to shelter homes.A similar thing happened in the Vanashakti petition, when SC on May 16 declared ex post facto (retrospective) environmental clearances illegal under the Environment (Protection) Act but the three judge bench of the court by a 2:1 majority recalled that order in Nov.Expressing concern over benches overturning orders passed by earlier benches, SC mentioned this in a judgment delivered on Nov 26, and said that it was “painfully” observing this growing trend which would “undermine this court’s authority”.In a rare instance of self-introspection on SC’s functioning, a bench of Justices Dipankar Datta and AG Masih had said public confidence in the judiciary would be undermined if cases are reopened and special benches are set up to re-hear a case at the behest of some party aggrieved by the verdict.“In the recent past, we have rather painfully observed a growing trend in this Court (of which we too are an indispensable part) of verdicts pronounced by judges, whether still in office or not and irrespective of the time lapse since pronounced, being overturned by succeeding benches or specially constituted benches at the behest of some party aggrieved by the verdicts prior in point of time,” it had said.“To us, the object of Article 141 of the Constitution seems to be this: the pronouncement of a verdict by a bench on a particular issue of law (arising out of the facts involved) should settle the controversy, being final, and has to be followed by all courts as law declared by the Supreme Court,” the bench had said.It had held that judicial discipline, propriety and comity, which are also inseparable parts of a just and proper decision-making process, demand that a subsequent bench of different combination defers to the view expressed by the earlier bench, unless there is something so grossly erroneous on the face of the record or palpably wrong that it necessitates a re-look in exercise of inherent jurisdiction either by a review petition or through a curative petition.

Anthony Joshua involved in a car accident in Nigeria

Former world heavyweight boxing champion Anthony Joshua was involved in a serious car accident in Nigeria on Monday that resulted in the deaths of two other passengers. Joshua, who is Nigerian-British, was also injured and is currently receiving medical treatment.The accident was confirmed by Lagos State Commissioner for Information Gbenga Omotoso through a post on X. He said that emergency services were sent to the crash site immediately after the incident. Local media reports later said that Joshua was taken to a hospital, though details about his condition remain limited. The exact cause of the accident has not yet been made public.Images shared widely on social media showed a damaged vehicle and Anthony Joshua being pulled out by rescue workers. In the photos, the boxer appeared to be in visible pain as he was helped away from the wreckage. The crash happened on a busy road that connects Ogun State to Lagos, Nigeria’s main economic hub. This stretch of road is known for heavy traffic and frequent accidents.Police officials also confirmed Joshua’s hospitalisation.The police chief of the local station where the accident occurred told the Associated Press, “Anthony Joshua is in an undisclosed hospital being treated for his injuries.” He added that he did not have further details about the nature or seriousness of the injuries.Nigeria holds deep personal meaning for Joshua. It is the homeland of his parents, and he spent a short period of his childhood there. Joshua attended boarding school in Nigeria when he was around 11 years old, and he has often spoken proudly about his Nigerian roots.The accident comes just days after Joshua returned to the ring. Nine days ago, he defeated YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul in a high-profile bout in Miami. That fight was part of his effort to regain form and confidence as he prepares for a possible return to the top of the heavyweight division. Joshua lost his world titles in 2021 to Oleksandr Usyk and has since been working toward another title shot.Reports also suggest that Joshua has been in talks for a long-anticipated fight against fellow British boxer Tyson Fury in 2026. For now, however, the focus remains on his recovery as fans around the world await updates on his health.

NEW DELHI: Horizon Industrial Parks, backed by global private equity firm Blackstone, on Monday filed preliminary papers with markets regulator Sebi to raise Rs 2,600 crore through an initial public offering (IPO). The issue is entirely a fresh offer of equity shares, with no offer for sale (OFS) component. According to the draft red herring prospectus (DRHP), about Rs 2,250 crore from the proceeds will be used to repay borrowings. Blackstone currently holds 89 per cent stake in the company, the draft papers showed. Ahead of the public issue, the company has already raised nearly USD 200 million (around Rs 1,650 crore) in a pre-IPO round, with participation from investors such as 360 ONE, SBI Life Insurance, SBI, Radhakishan Damani, EAAA and DSP Investments. Including the pre-IPO placement, Horizon is targeting a total fund raise of about Rs 4,250 crore (USD 500 million). Horizon Industrial Parks is an industrial and logistics infrastructure developer, owner and operator with a pan-India portfolio of about 60 million square feet spread across 46 assets in 10 cities. Blackstone made its first acquisition in the platform in 2020 and has scaled it to the current size over the past five years. The company operates across fulfilment centres, industrial facilities and in-city logistics assets. Its portfolio is around 95 per cent committed, with more than 100 customers, nearly 60 per cent of which are Fortune 500 companies. JM Financial, IIFL Capital Services, SBI Capital Markets and 360 ONE WAM are the merchant bankers to the issue.

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday noted that some individuals are attempting to gain “political advantage” after lawyers for expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar claimed that allegations had been made against the Delhi high court judges who had suspended his life sentence in the Unnao rape case.“We understand it. We are not sitting in ivory towers. We understand that people are trying to take political advantage and there are people who are trying to take advantage,” said CJI Surya Kant, who was heading a three-judge vacation bench.

Senior advocate N Hariharan, representing Sengar, highlighted that certain individuals were making allegations against the high court judges who handled the case. He urged such persons to refrain from making statements or accusations against the judges, noting that a circulating video containing these allegations was a matter of concern.“They are doing that on national television,” Hariharan said, as cited by PTI.Another lawyer representing Sengar said that photographs of the high court judges were also being circulated. The bench noted that such actions overlook the fact that Sengar was convicted by the judiciary itself.“Very frankly, these judges are one of the finest we have,” said the bench, also comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih, during the hearing.Later, when asked about the allegations against the judges, solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, stated unequivocally that both the high court judges are “brilliant judges with unimpeachable integrity,” adding that any attempt to malign them must be strongly condemned, as cited by PTI. The Supreme Court stayed a Delhi high court order that had suspended Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s life sentence and granted him bail in the 2017 Unnao rape case. The apex court also issued a notice to Sengar, directing him to respond within four weeks to the CBI’s plea challenging the high court order.The high court had suspended Sengar’s sentence pending the outcome of his appeal against the 2019 trial court verdict in the rape case. However, he will remain in jail, as he is also serving a 10-year sentence in the custodial death case of the victim’s father and has not been granted bail in that matter.The survivor on Monday vowed to pursue the death penalty for Sengar and welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to stay the Delhi High Court’s suspension of his life sentence.“I am very happy. I had faith in the Supreme Court. I will ensure that he is given a death sentence,” she said while speaking to reporters. The Unnao rape survivor, who was a minor in 2017, was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted by Kuldeep Singh Sengar between June 11 and 20, and was later sold before being rescued from the Maakhi police station.

The Pink City witnessed an electrifying crossover of sports and music last night as Indian cricket’s rising star, Abhishek Sharma, made a surprise appearance at AP Dhillon’s final stop of the “One of One” India Tour. The concert, held at the Jaipur Exhibition & Convention Centre (JECC) on December 28, 2025, reached a fever pitch when the global Punjabi sensation invited the explosive opener to share the spotlight.

AP Dhillon calls Abhishek Sharma on stage in style

As the bass dropped for one of his chart-topping hits, Dhillon paused to introduce a special guest to the thousands in attendance. “Punjabi munda aaya hai yaar itthe!” (A Punjabi boy has come here, friends!) Dhillon announced, sending the crowd into a frenzy.

Abhishek, known for his aggressive batting for India and Sunrisers Hyderabad, walked out looking every bit the rockstar. Sporting a stylish oversized black shirt, trousers, and a pearl necklace, the cricketer shared a warm hug with Dhillon before soaking in the roar of the Jaipur crowd.

The interaction wasn’t just for show; the two shared a genuine moment of camaraderie on stage. Dhillon was heard asking Sharma, “I hope you’re enjoying the show, brother,” to which the cricketer nodded enthusiastically.

Following the event, Abhishek took to Instagram to share a clip of the night, captioning it: “Different arena, same roar. Thank you Jaipur.” Fans quickly flooded the comments, calling it the “crossover of the year” and noting the “unmatched aura” of two Punjabis dominating their respective fields.

Here’s the video:

Also READ: Vaibhav Suryavanshi to lead India U19 in South Africa tour, Ayush Mhatre named captain for U19 World Cup 2026

Abhishek’s explosive 2025 cements his rise to T20 superstardom

For Abhishek, 2025 has been nothing short of a career-defining year, solidifying his status as the most explosive opening batter in the T20 circuit. The Punjab left-hander began the year with a bang, smashing a record-breaking 135 off just 54 balls against England in February, which remains the highest individual T20I score for India. His dominance continued into the 2025 Asia Cup, where he finished as the tournament’s leading run-scorer (314 runs) and was named Player of the Tournament after leading India to the title.

His domestic and franchise form was equally terrifying for bowlers; he etched his name into the history books by becoming the first Indian to hit 100 sixes in T20 cricket in a single calendar year. In the IPL 2025, he donned the Orange Army colors for Sunrisers Hyderabad and hammered a historic 141 off 55 balls against Punjab Kings, the highest score by an Indian in the league’s history. Ending the year as the ICC’s No. 1 ranked T20I batter with a record-high 931 rating points, Abhishek has officially transitioned from a promising youngster to a global cricketing powerhouse.

Also READ: Jasprit Bumrah, Hardik Pandya to get break as India plan rotation for New Zealand ODIs

Mumbai: In an important ruling clarifying the boundaries between judicial administration and consumer law, the South Mumbai District Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission dismissed a complaint against the Registrar of the Bombay City Civil & Sessions Court. The commission held that litigants seeking certified copies of court records are not “consumers” and that the functioning of a court registry does not constitute a “commercial service”.“The court does not run a commercial enterprise to supply copies for profit; it administers justice and maintains court records. The law recognises a distinction between a charge levied under statutory rules and consideration paid under a contract for a commercial service,” the commission said. The commission further said that the fees paid for court documents are statutory levies rather than commercial “consideration” for profit.“Several reported decisions of superior courts have accordingly drawn the distinction between statutory/sovereign functions and commercial services and have held that consumer fora cannot be used to question or supervise the judicial or quasi-judicial functioning of courts and similar institutions. The principle is not that administrative errors never give rise to any remedy; rather, the correct forum and the correct legal vehicle for redress are the judicial or administrative channels established for that purpose. Similarly, decisions held that statutory fees collected by courts are not to be equated with “consideration” paid for a commercial service so as to create a consumer-vendor relation,” the commission said.The dispute originated when Mitesh Varshney, a law graduate, filed a complaint alleging a deficiency in service by the court’s registry. Varshney applied for certified copies of a 2002 suit in Sept 2018, citing an urgent need for the documents in a separate matter involving illegal construction. Despite paying an initial deposit and following up repeatedly, Varshney claimed the delay in receiving the documents caused significant mental and physical stress, leading to a demand for compensation and reimbursement of legal and travel expenses.The Registrar of the City Civil Court countered the allegations by placing the timeline within the framework of the Civil Manual. The registry explained that because Varshney was a third party to the original suit, the application could not be processed automatically and required a judicial order from a judge. Documents showed that while the judge granted permission in Oct 2018 and the copies were prepared shortly thereafter, Varshney failed to pay a deficit of Rs 274 in copying charges. Consequently, the application remained “under objection” in accordance with standard court procedure.The commission observed that the relationship between a litigant and a court registry is statutory, not contractual. “The relationship between an ordinary litigant and the Court Registry is not a contractual or commercial relationship in the ordinary sense. It is a statutory relationship governed by procedural rules and the Civil Manual,” the commission noted.Addressing the attempt to use consumer forums to oversee court staff, the commission ruled that such a move would undermine the judicial hierarchy. The commission stated that grievances against a registry should be addressed through internal administrative channels or the High Court rather than a consumer commission.“Consumer fora are not designed to supervise judicial administration or the internal working of courts. To treat such procedural compliance as a deficiency would upend the statutory scheme and enable litigants to turn administrative objections into actionable consumer complaints.”Citing Supreme Court precedents, the commission reiterated that sovereign and judicial functions remain outside the ambit of the Consumer Protection Act. The commission concluded that Varshney failed to establish a “consumer-service provider” relationship. “A litigant seeking certified copies is merely availing a statutory right. There is no hiring of service. Thus, the complainant does not fall within the definition of ‘consumer’.“The complaint was ultimately dismissed for want of jurisdiction, with the commission clarifying that it expressed no view on any other legal remedies Varshney might pursue within the judicial hierarchy.