England captain Ben Stokes has struck a defiant tone in the face of mounting off-field scrutiny, choosing to shield his squad rather than fuel the growing drinking culture narrative. Following a controversial mid-series break in Noosa that sparked debate over professionalism, Stokes made his priorities clear ahead of the high-stakes Boxing Day Test.

With England already 3-0 down and the Ashes series effectively lost, the captain is focusing on the human element of leadership, emphasizing player welfare over the external noise. His stance comes as the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) acknowledges viral footage involving opener Ben Duckett. For Stokes, the role of a leader in these turbulent moments is to serve as a protective barrier for his players against harmful public scrutiny.

Don’t know what happens to Ben Duckett in Australia. Generally he is One of The Nicest Cricketers but in Australia he is completely opposite. During 2017/18 Ashes he poured a drink over James Anderson’s Head and now this video.He has put his career on riskpic.twitter.com/KVsCbv73jX

— Aryan Goel (@Aryan42832Goel) December 23, 2025

England captain Ben Stokes addresses drinking controversy ahead of Boxing Day Test against Australia

Addressing the media at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, Stokes sidestepped specific allegations of misconduct to focus on the psychological toll such public scrutiny takes on his teammates. Amid allegations that several players engaged in heavy drinking during a four-day break on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, the captain refused to join the chorus of critics. He insisted that his primary objective is to safeguard the mental well-being of his squad as they look to rebuild momentum and avoid a 5–0 whitewash in the final two Tests. By framing his role as one of protection, Stokes is attempting to maintain a supportive environment within a team that has struggled to gain traction throughout a challenging tour.

“How I handle this moment right now is the most important thing to me. The welfare of everyone in there and probably some certain individuals as well is the most important thing to me right now as England captain. I know how this kind of stuff can affect people, and my role as England captain is to protect my players as much as I possibly can. This kind of stuff is very—I don’t know if ‘close to me’ is the right wording—but something that I have first-hand experience of how it can affect people. And as I said, my role as England captain is to protect my players as much as I possibly can. Right here, right now, that is my main job as England captain is to ensure that they know that they have my backing.”

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Scrutiny in the wake of Ashes 2025-26 defeat vs Australia

While wanting to be protective, Stokes acknowledged that the only way for his team to escape the current level of criticism is by performing on the field. He was brutally honest about the team’s standing, admitting that losing the first three Tests in just 11 days of play has left them with zero leverage to argue against their detractors. Despite the devastation within the camp, the captain is urging his players to view the remaining matches at the MCG and SCG as a privilege. He reminded the group that representing England remains a lifelong dream that should not be overshadowed by a few days of negative headlines, even as the ECB establishes facts regarding the Noosa trip.

“When you’re 3–0 down and you’ve lost the series, everything you say, everything you do gets scrutinised, and rightly so. You don’t really have a leg to stand on when you’ve lost three games in a huge series like this. When you win, everything’s great; when you’re losing, it’s not. We have a goal still to try and achieve out here on this trip. It’s not gone anywhere near to plan whatsoever, but we’ve still got two games of cricket to play.” Stokes concluded.

Also READ: Australian Cricket Awards 2026: Will the event be scrapped? Here’s everything we know

NEW DELHI: Union minister for road transport and highways Nitin Gadkari flagged Delhi’s worsening air pollution, saying the capital’s toxic air was so severe that he fell ill after spending just two days in the city, while stressing that the transport sector was a major contributor to the problem.“I stay in Delhi for 2 days and get an infection, it is so polluted,” Gadkari on Tuesday said while speaking at the book launch of My Idea of Nation First – Redefining Unalloyed Nationalism.Linking the capital’s smog to India’s dependence on petrol and diesel, Gadkari said the transport sector alone was responsible for around 40 per cent of Delhi’s pollution. He argued that moving away from fossil fuels towards electric and hydrogen-based mobility was not just an environmental necessity but also a matter of nationalism.“Today, the biggest form of nationalism, Uday ji, is to reduce the country’s imports and increase exports. What situation have we created for ourselves? I can barely stay for two days; I get sick. I got an infection. Why is there pollution everywhere in Delhi? I am the transport minister, and 40 per cent of it is because of us, because of fossil fuels like petrol and diesel,” Gadkari said.The minister questioned India’s continued reliance on imported fossil fuels, saying it imposed a heavy economic and environmental cost. According to Gadkari, the country spends nearly Rs 20 lakh crore every year on fossil fuel imports.“Even today, we are spending Rs 20 lakh crore. What kind of nationalism is this? In this country, we are spending Rs 20 lakh crore on fossil fuels and importing pollution. Can we not create an alternative India?” he said.Gadkari said India already had the capacity to produce cleaner fuel alternatives domestically and pointed to the growing role of farmers in energy production. Recalling earlier discussions on the subject, he said farmers were no longer limited to food production alone.“Sudarshan ji used to tell me many times that the farmer of this country, the annadata, will also become an energy provider, a fuel provider, even an aviation fuel provider. Now all of that has happened. Even vitamins are being made. But no one is ready to trust it,” Gadkari said.Citing advances in clean mobility, the minister said electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles were now economically viable. He claimed that newer technologies were helping reduce both running costs and emissions.“I came here in a car. The world’s first car that runs 100 per cent does not generate 60 per cent electricity. If you compare the cost, on average, this car runs at the equivalent of Rs 25 per litre of petrol. Pollution is zero. Hydrogen is there, we can make it,” he said.Gadkari also pointed to the sharp decline in battery costs over the years as a key factor driving the adoption of electric vehicles. “Electric vehicles have become so popular. When I first spoke about electric vehicles and launched the first one, the lithium battery cost was $150 per kilowatt hour. Now it has come down to $55,” he said.Referring to emerging innovations, he added, “Now sodium technology has arrived. Just yesterday, it came to my house. A boy with a BTech degree developed this technology in five years. Aluminium sheets, which are usually used, are fuel. This is lemon technology.”Gadkari’s remarks came as air quality across Delhi remained in the severe category, with monitoring stations at Anand Vihar recording an AQI of 466, Ashok Vihar 444 and Chandni Chowk 425. Areas around India Gate, Kartavya Path and Rashtrapati Bhavan continued to record very poor air quality.In response to the deteriorating situation, the Commission for Air Quality Management invoked Stage IV of the Graded Response Action Plan across Delhi NCR, including measures such as the deployment of truck-mounted water sprinklers to control dust and particulate pollution.

Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and Sakibul Gani

NEW DELHI: Bihar rewrote the history books in emphatic fashion on Wednesday, piling up the highest team total ever recorded in List A cricket during their Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025–26 Plate Group match against Arunachal Pradesh in Ranchi. Powered by breathtaking centuries and a relentless assault that lasted the full 50 overs, Bihar amassed a staggering 574/6, eclipsing the previous world record of 506/2 set by Tamil Nadu — also against Arunachal Pradesh — in the same tournament in 2022.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!At the heart of the carnage was Bihar captain Sakibul Gani (128 not out off 40 balls), who etched his name into the record books by smashing the fastest List A century by an Indian. Gani raced to his hundred in just 32 balls, surpassing Anmolpreet Singh’s 35-ball effort from last season, and provided the final, brutal flourish to an innings that had already spiralled beyond control for the opposition.

While Gani supplied the exclamation point, the foundation — and much of the spectacle — was laid by 14-year-old prodigy Vaibhav Suryavanshi. Already one of the most talked-about names in Indian age-group cricket, Suryavanshi produced a knock that bordered on the unreal, hammering 190 off just 84 balls. His innings featured a jaw-dropping 15 sixes and 16 fours, as he brought up his century in only 36 deliveries, now the third-fastest by an Indian in List A cricket.In the process, Suryavanshi became the youngest centurion in List A history at 14 years and 272 days, eclipsing the long-standing record held by Pakistan’s Zahoor Elahi. Only Jake Fraser-McGurk (29 balls) and AB de Villiers (31 balls) have reached a List A hundred quicker worldwide than Gani.The run-fest did not end there. Ayush Loharuka (116 off 56) also registered a century, ensuring Bihar never lost momentum after choosing to bat first. Arunachal Pradesh’s bowlers, struggling for penetration and consistency, were unable to stem the flow as boundaries rained in all directions through the innings.The sheer scale of the achievement — 574 runs in a 50-over match — underlines the extraordinary nature of the performance.

Representative image (AI-generated)

The Income Tax Department on Tuesday issued a press release clarifying why several taxpayers have received emails and SMS alerts seeking a review of their tax deduction and exemption claims.The department urged taxpayers to review their deduction and exemption claims for the current assessment year and take corrective steps before the revised deadline of December 31 to avoid penalties or further scrutiny.

Why are taxpayers getting intimations?

According to the release, advanced risk analytics under its risk management framework have flagged certain Income Tax Returns (ITRs) for Assessment Year 2025-26.These include cases where deductions or exemptions appear to be ineligible, such as claims related to bogus donations to Registered Unrecognised Political Parties (RUPPs).The department also observed errors in some returns, including incorrect or invalid PAN details of donees and discrepancies in the amount of deductions or exemptions claimed.Taxpayers are being contacted via SMS and email under the department’s NUDGE (Non-intrusive Usage of Data to Guide and Enable) campaign. They are advised to review their returns and file revised ITRs, if required, by December 31, to avoid further enquiries.

What is the department asking taxpayers to do?

The Income Tax Department said the initiative reflects a “trust-first” approach, which gives taxpayers an opportunity to voluntarily correct mistakes instead of facing immediate enforcement action.Taxpayers are advised to verify their deduction and exemption claims using supporting documents and reconcile details with Form 16, Form 26AS, the Annual Information Statement (AIS) and the Taxpayer Information Summary (TIS). If errors are found, they should revise their returns within the prescribed timeline.Those whose claims are genuine and legally correct do not need to take any further action, the department clarified.The department added that taxpayers who miss the December 31 deadline may still file an updated return from January 1, 2026, as permitted under the law, though this would involve payment of additional tax.During FY 2025-26, more than 21 lakh taxpayers have already updated their ITRs for assessment years ranging from 2021-22 to 2024-25, paying over Rs 2,500 crore in taxes. For the current assessment year (AY 2025-26), over 15 lakh returns have already been revised.

Why are refunds being delayed for some?

Several salaried taxpayers, particularly those under the old tax regime, have reported receiving intimations stating that their refund processing has been temporarily put on hold due to discrepancies in deduction claims.Tax experts say many such cases involve deductions like Sections 80C, 80D or HRA that were claimed directly in the ITR but were not declared to employers during TDS calculations.Chartered accountants have clarified that this does not automatically make a taxpayer non-compliant, as the Income Tax Act allows eligible deductions to be claimed directly while filing returns, even if they were not considered by the employer.

What happens if the intimation is ignored

Experts warn that ignoring such communications can have consequences. If discrepancies are not addressed, the department may disallow the deductions, leading to additional tax demand, interest, penalties, delay or cancellation of refunds and even detailed scrutiny or assessment.Tax professionals advise taxpayers not to panic but to promptly review their returns and respond appropriately to avoid future complications.

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Brahmin MLAs hold meeting during UP Assembly session, focus on community upliftment

LUCKNOW: During the Uttar Pradesh legislative assembly winter session, Brahmin community MLAs organised a meeting with about four dozen MLAs in attendance. MLA Ratnakar Mishra, who attended the meeting, said the purpose was to discuss the problems faced by the community. “The purpose of this meeting was just one topic: that today our community is fragmenting. Earlier, three generations used to live under one roof, but now, as our children are moving towards Western civilisation, our community is fragmenting,” he said.

“Our only one objective was to bring these children in one direction and how to unite everyone. Today, our parents are going to old age homes, which is a matter of concern for us. How to keep them under one roof? With this purpose, this meeting was held,” Mishra added.He further explained the role of Brahmins in society, saying, “Giving values/culture is the work of Brahmins, so if a meeting is being held by Brahmins to give values/culture, then what is wrong in it? Rather, every community should hold a meeting to bring everyone into the mainstream of Bharat Mata.”Political discussions were not the aim of the gathering, Mishra said.“Political brainstorming is not necessary for us because under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ji’s government, there is no mafia rule, and all systems are better, so there was no need for political brainstorming,” he added.Mishra also clarified party participation.“About four dozen MLAs participated in this meeting, so which party’s MLAs were there, I do not have their information. I reached a little late, so I could not get an introduction with everyone,” he said.He noted that other communities had previously held similar meetings.“Earlier, Thakur community MLAs had also held their meeting, which was a very good thing. Kurmi community MLAs had also held their meeting, and I say that other communities should also hold their meetings so that the community can be connected to the mainstream,” Mishra said.Meanwhile, P N Pathak, Bharatiya Janata Party MLA from Kushinagar and organiser of the meeting, said, “Yesterday we held a big meeting of Brahmin MLAs. In this meeting, no MLA from any other party was present. This meeting had no political purpose.”He dismissed media reports, adding, “Various things are being circulated in the media that Brahmins are angry, but nothing like that is true. Brahmins are only talking for upliftment and social welfare.”He also mentioned other discussions during the gathering.“However, we also discussed SIR and issues related to the Legislative Assembly session, and a party feast was also organized in which we all participated together. There is nothing else in this, otherwise,” Pathak said.

MUMBAI: A 63-year-old retired banker lost Rs 1.35 crores in an online investment fraud involving fake IPOs, call options and mutual fund schemes promoted through YouTube and WhatsApp groups.The East Region Cyber police have have registered an offence against unknown fraudster and are carrying out money trail.Complainant, a former bank employee who retired in 2022 residing in Kanjurmarg (West), alleged that on November 10, she came across a YouTube advertisement related to share trading and IPO investments purportedly run by “Jainam Broking Limited.”After clicking the advertisement, her mobile number was added to a WhatsApp group titled “121 Community Hub Jainam.” The group administrators, identifying themselves as company representatives, promised weekly payouts of Rs 5,000–10,000 for voting support, 10 percent returns on call options, and even 10 percent daily returns on mutual fund investments.The complainant was later directed to download a mobile application named “JAINVEHNI” and transfer funds to bank accounts provided by the alleged customer support executive. Initially, she invested Rs 80,000, which showed fake profits on the app, prompting her to invest further amounts in IPOs, call options and mutual funds. On one occasion, she successfully withdrew Rs 2.01 lakh, reinforcing her trust.However, on December 11, 2025, the app reflected an inflated balance of Rs 3.5 crore, later showing over Rs 10 crore, allegedly due to a “loan” credited to her account. When she attempted to withdraw Rs 70 lakh, she was told to first repay a so-called loan amounting to Rs 1.5 crore, which was later raised to Rs 15 crore.Realising she had been deceived, she lodged a complaint with the Cyber Crime Helpline 1930. Police are examining the role of WhatsApp group administrators, app handlers and beneficiary bank accounts in the alleged scam.