NEW DELHI: The Government of India is seeking suggestions for the upcoming Budget 2026 from the general public to help make new rules and plans for the country. According to a post on X by MyGovIndia, the government encouraged people to participate in this important task. The government stated on X, “Building the Budget with Public Insight. Share your suggestions for Union Budget 2026-27 and contribute to the policies that promote inclusive growth and National development.” The message invites everyone to visit the MyGov website to submit their views on what the new budget should focus on for the next year.Earlier in the previous month, Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs Nirmala Sitharaman completed multiple rounds of Pre-Budget Consultations in New Delhi as part of the preparations for the forthcoming Union Budget 2026-27. The series began with consultations with leading economists, followed by representatives from farmer associations and agriculture economists. Subsequent sessions engaged stakeholders from MSMEs, capital markets, startups, manufacturing, BFSI (Banking, Financial Services and Insurance), information technology, tourism and hospitality, and finally trade unions and labour organisations.Earlier this month, various industry bodies also gave their suggestions for the pre-budget. Industry body PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PHDCCI) presented a set of pre-budget suggestions for the micro, small and medium enterprises (MSME) sector to the Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, seeking easier taxes, cheaper credit and simpler rules for small businesses.The proposals focused on changes in income tax, bank loans, export support and equity funding so that MSMEs could run their businesses with less cost and delay. The chamber said these steps could help small units grow, pay back loans on time and compete better with firms in other countries.This upcoming Budget comes in the backdrop of strong GDP numbers and moderate inflation in the economy. As always, the annual Budget document is presented in the Parliament on February 1 each year. In the run-up to it, a series of mandatory pre-Budget meetings is held between the Finance Minister, secretaries and various stakeholders to make the budget-making process all-inclusive.

Aditya Dhar‘s ‘Dhurandhar’, starring Ranveer Singh, has been shattering all the box office records with every passing day. The ‘Dhurandhar’ fever even took over Priyanka Chopra‘s husband, Nick Jonas, who danced to a track of the film. And now, Singh has reacted to the American pop singer’s dance video.

Ranveer Singh reacts to Nick Jonas and his team grooving to the ‘Dhurandhar’ song

Nick Jonas dropped a video of himself grooving to the ‘Shararat’ track from ‘Dhurandhar’. Soon, Ranveer Singh arrived in the comment section of his post. The actor wrote, “Hahahaha JiJuuuu Jaane Deeee.” Nick also commented, “@ranveersingh Bhai! Dhurandhar title track is up next! Love to you and the family. Let’s go.” Nick’s comment has received thousands of likes.

Sara Arjun, who plays the female lead in the Aditya Dhar directorial, also commented on the post. She wrote, “Hahaha insane!!! Love this.” Even Jacqueline Fernandez dropped laughing emojis in the comments.

Nick Jonas’ recent love for Bollywood music

Nick Jonas is currently enjoying Bollywood music, it seems. After dancing to ‘Aavan Javan’ from ‘War 2’, Nick Jonas grooved to the ‘Dhurandhar’ track. Along with the post, he wrote, “New pre-show hype song unlocked.”Earlier, Nick danced to the ‘Aavan Javan’ song from Hrithik Roshan and Kiara Advani’s ‘War 2’. On the video, he wrote, “My hype up song before every show on the tour.”

More about ‘Dhurandhar’

Directed by Aditya Dhar, the film stars Ranveer Singh as an Indian spy who infiltrates the Lyari town of Pakistan. The movie also features Akshaye Khanna, R Madhavan, Sanjay Dutt, Arjun Rampal, Rakesh Bedi, and Sara Arjun. Actors like Danish Pandor, Naveen Kaushik, and Saumya Tandon played pivotal roles in the action adventure. The second installment of the film is scheduled to hit cinemas on March 19, 2026. Meanwhile, at the box office, the film has been raking in massive numbers. Released on December 5, 2025, the film has earned Rs 472 crore until now, according to the Sacnilk report.

Nathan Lyon has produced a moment of absolute magic at the Adelaide Oval on Day 4 of the Adelaide Test between England and Australia, delivering a ball that will be replayed in coaching manuals for years to come.

Nathan Lyon’s fiery spin forces Harry Brook’s departure on Day 4 of Adelaide Test

Having already troubled Harry Brook with his flight and dip earlier in the over, Lyon switched to around the wicket and tossed this one up with generous air, tempting the batter into a drive. Brook, perhaps anticipating a straighter delivery, planted his front foot and aimed to punch through the covers, but he failed to account for the prodigious revolutions Lyon had imparted on the Kookaburra.

The ball drifted in beautifully to hold its line in the air before biting into the crumbling Day 4 surface and ripping sharply away from the right-hander. It was a classic off-spinner’s dismissal, beating the bat not just by a fraction, but by a comfortable distance, before crashing into the top of the off-stump with a sickening sound that silenced the Barmy Army. The sheer extent of the turn left Brook looking back at the pitch in disbelief, his aggressive stay ended by a piece of bowling artistry that exposed the vulnerability of England’s “Bazball” approach against high-quality spin on a wearing track. Lyon’s roar of delight told the story; he knew he had just removed the biggest threat to Australia’s dominance with a delivery that was simply unplayable.

Here’s the video:

Also WATCH: Marnus Labuschagne grabs a screamer to remove Ollie Pope on Day 4 of the third Ashes 2025-26 Test in Adelaide

Ashes 3rd Test: Lyon spins web around England as visitors crumble in pursuit of record 435

The third Test at the Adelaide Oval has swung decisively in Australia’s favor on Day 4, with Lyon delivering a masterclass in spin bowling to dismantle England’s middle order. Chasing a colossal target of 435 for victory, set up earlier by Travis Head’s marathon 170 and Alex Carey’s rapid 72 which lifted Australia to 349 in their second innings, the visitors have crumbled under the mounting pressure and a deteriorating surface. While Brook offered brief resistance with a counter-attacking 45 (62), his dismissal in the 56th over (55.4) proved to be the fatal blow, as Lyon’s drift and sharp turn left the young batter bewildered and his off-stump pegged back.

This critical strike came just four overs after the GOAT had already removed England captain Ben Stokes for a mere 5 (18) in the 52nd over (51.6), producing a magic ball that squared him up completely and rattled the timber. England, now reeling at 158/5 and still trailing by 277 runs, face an insurmountable mountain to climb with their recognized batting lineup decimated against the pink ball under lights. Lyon’s current spell of 3/42 underscores his dominance, as he exploited the footmarks created by the pacers to devastating effect, leaving the tourists Bazball philosophy in tatters. With the tail exposed and Pat Cummins rotating his bowlers aggressively, Australia is now on the verge of taking an unassailable 3-0 series lead to retain the urn.

Also READ: Ashes 2025–26: Fans erupt as Travis Head hits dazzling century on Day 3 of Adelaide Test

India’s telecom sector ended 2025 on a strong footing, with the department of telecommunications (DoT) recording major gains in digital connectivity, infrastructure expansion and technology self-reliance, according to a year-end review released by the ministry of communications.A key development during the year was the launch of the National Broadband Mission (NBM) 2.0 in January. The initiative aims to speed up digital inclusion by expanding high-speed broadband access to villages, schools, health centres and other critical institutions, supporting the government’s long-term vision of a “Viksit Bharat” by 2047.The review highlighted a sharp rise in internet and mobile usage. Total internet connections crossed the 100-crore mark, nearly four times higher than in 2014. Broadband subscriptions also touched close to 100 crore, while average monthly data consumption per wireless user jumped to 24 GB, placing India among the highest data-consuming nations globally. Median mobile broadband speeds rose sharply as well, reaching over 130 Mbps by October 2025.The nationwide rollout of 5G stood out as one of the year’s defining achievements. 5G services are now available across all states and Union Territories, covering 99.9 per cent of districts and reaching around 85 per cent of the population. Telecom operators have installed more than 5.08 lakh 5G base stations, supported by a doubling of optical fibre cable length since 2019.Rural connectivity also expanded rapidly, with rural telephone connections rising nearly 43 per cent since 2014, almost twice the growth rate seen in urban areas. Overall tele-density reached 86.65 per cent by September.The year also marked a technological milestone, with India becoming the world’s fifth country to develop an indigenous 4G technology stack. Built by C-DOT, Tejas Networks and TCS and deployed by BSNL, the system is fully software-driven and upgradeable to 5G, news agency ANI reported. Progress was also recorded under the Bharat 6G Mission.On the citizen services front, platforms such as Sanchar Saathi gained wide adoption. The portal logged 22 crore visits, while its mobile app saw over 1.5 crore downloads. The Financial Fraud Risk Indicator helped prevent losses of about Rs 450 crore by flagging more than 70 lakh suspicious transactions.Manufacturing also showed strong momentum, with the telecom PLI scheme generating cumulative sales of over Rs 96,000 crore and exports exceeding Rs 19,000 crore, reinforcing India’s shift towards becoming a global digital and innovation hub.

South African pace legend Dale Steyn heaped rich praise on Hardik Pandya after the India all-rounder’s explosive display in the fifth T20I, calling him a player who operates on a different mental plane and carries an unmatched presence on the field. Pandya smashed a 63 that included India’s second fastest T20I fifty, while Tilak Varma’s composed 73 laid the foundation for a dominant showing. India finished with a daunting total of 232, which proved far too much for South Africa as the hosts sealed a 30-run win on Friday.

Speaking on JioStar, Steyn likened Pandya’s on-field persona to that of a larger-than-life character. He said Pandya has moved beyond being just a sportsman and now walks out with the confidence and authority of a superhero, someone who dictates terms and refuses to bend. Steyn felt this was not arrogance but sheer dominance, reflected in Pandya’s body language, stance, and ability to stay mentally untouchable in a game where mindset often decides outcomes. According to Steyn, while many players possess skill, Pandya has taken things to another level. Steyn also criticised South Africa’s batting approach during the chase, particularly their decision to play cautiously against Jasprit Bumrah and Varun Chakaravarthy. He felt the plan to simply survive Bumrah’s spell and target other bowlers worked against them. Steyn pointed out that Bumrah’s impact goes beyond his own wickets. He said South Africa allowed Bumrah to bowl without enough pressure, and once he dismissed Quinton de Kock, the momentum swung sharply. That moment, according to Steyn, opened the door for further damage, including the fall of Hardik’s wicket and Chakaravarthy finding his rhythm. He stressed that when chasing targets in the 230 to 240 range, teams cannot afford to wait and hope. Attacking elite bowlers, even at risk, is necessary because they will get breakthroughs regardless. On Varun Chakaravarthy, Steyn admitted that the mystery spinner holds a clear advantage over South Africa’s middle order. He said several batters struggle to read Chakaravarthy’s variations, with Aiden Markram being the only one who picks him reasonably well, though even he often gets out while trying to attack. Others, like Ferreira, were described as completely unsettled by Chakaravarthy’s subtle changes in pace and spin. Steyn concluded by noting that Chakaravarthy’s control has even forced Markram into a more cautious approach, something he believes is the worst possible mindset for a batter facing the Indian spinner.

Sonakshi Sinha and Zaheer Iqbal’s interfaith wedding in 2024 became a talking point across the internet, with rumours doing the rounds that the actor’s parents, Shatrughan Sinha and Poonam Sinha, were unhappy with her decision. There was also speculation that her brothers, Luv and Kush, had skipped the celebrations in protest over her marriage to her ‘Double XL’ co-star. Despite the chatter, Sonakshi’s parents were present throughout the wedding and were actively involved in all the festivities.Now, a year and a half after the wedding, Poonam Sinha has opened up about what really happened during a candid conversation when Farah Khan visited the couple at their home. During the chat, a curious Farah asked Poonam, “Did you know before the engagement they dated for five years?” Poonam responded honestly, “No, that I don’t know.”

Sonakshi was quick to call her out, pointing at her mother and saying, “Mummy, please don’t lie. You were the first person I told this to. You didn’t tell papa about it.”She went on to clarify, “I only got to know about it two years ago, and those two years I used to pacify her dad (Shatrughan Sinha) and make him accept them.” Zaheer then chimed in, adding, “But the other five years, she did have a feeling about this.”Poonam nodded in agreement and explained her instincts, saying, “Yes, I did know something was fishy when I saw her doing household chores to butter us. Nothing remains hidden from mothers. They know everything.” The conversation soon included Zaheer’s mother, Mumtaz Ratansi, when Farah asked, “When did your mothers meet each other?”Sonakshi revealed that the meeting happened much before the wedding. She said, “They met long before our wedding. We had actually arranged a party at Huma Qureshi’s house where we had invited all of our parents. It was their first unofficial introduction kind of meeting. But they didn’t know we were dating.”Adding her own observation, Poonam said, “I had a doubt, because I saw Sonakshi sitting by Mumtaz’s feet.” Farah couldn’t resist teasing, quipping, “I know, these kids never sit at their own mother’s feet.”Recently, in an interview with ETimes, Sonakshi opened up on some of the hate she got for her interfaith wedding and now how people actually love them together as a couple. The actress told us, “”I’ve always believed that love always wins, no matter what. No matter how much hate people can throw at you, but if there’s… where there’s love, there is love, and it will always win, I’ve always believed that. And it’s not like we tried doing something, we would just… I literally… people were like, oh, you’re so brave that you followed your heart and got married to him. No, I just got married to the man I love. And literally, I’m not the first woman to do it, and I won’t be the last, certainly. And, you know, so I think it wasn’t something that we tried to do consciously. Or, you know, anything. It just happened, and the switch happened immediately after we got married. I think people could just see so much love, so much authenticity, so much. You know, merit in everything, that all the noise just kind of faded away on its own.”

After years of predictions that global oil demand was about to reach its peak due to a rapid move towards renewable energy, 2025 saw a clear reversal of that narrative, with oil and gas regaining importance and India emerging as a key engine of global consumption.Major energy outlooks from BP, McKinsey and the International Energy Agency pushed expectations of peak oil demand into the 2030s, while also revising projected demand for 2050 upwards, according to news agency PTI.Across these forecasts, India was consistently identified as the centre of future growth, with its increase in energy demand expected to exceed that of China and Southeast Asia combined.

Policy delays and geopolitics revive fossil fuels

In 2025, oil regained strength due to a combination of delayed clean-energy policies, limited infrastructure, and geopolitical tensions. European countries, even though they are leaders in clean energy, relied more on fossil fuels because of ongoing supply shortages and high prices during the Russia-Ukraine war. In the United States, President Donald Trump supported fossil fuels, which helped bring oil back to the centre of the global energy mix.

India’s shifting import patterns

India’s oil and gas sector is changing due to global trends, with shifts in how it imports oil, new policies, and increasing demand. The country still relies heavily on crude oil imports, and Russian oil remains a key player despite international pressure.The US has urged India to cut back on Russian oil purchases and has even placed a 50 percent tariff on Indian goods.However, Russian crude oil made up more than one-third of India’s imports for most of the year. It supplied domestic refineries that produce petrol, diesel, and other fuels. Imports from Russia started to decline after sanctions were placed on major exporters Rosneft and Lukoil in late November. According to PTI, average imports dropped from about 1.7 to 1.8 million barrels per day to below 1 million barrels per day. Since Russian oil itself was not sanctioned, it was unlikely that imports would completely stop. Refiners found ways to shift to non-sanctioned Russian suppliers to continue getting discounted crude.

Supply diversification and policy reforms

India has increased its oil imports from various sources to avoid relying too much on one country. It has bought more crude oil from the US, especially after new tariffs were announced. Additionally, trade in liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has grown.The government has introduced new rules for the oil and gas industry, called the Petroleum and Natural Gas Rules, 2025. These rules create a new regulatory framework to make it easier to get licenses and to encourage new investments in exploring and producing oil and gas.

Rising demand and refining expansion

Demand remained strong through the year. India’s oil consumption was projected to grow faster than China’s in 2025, with forecasts showing the country accounting for a large share of global demand growth in the coming decade.India’s refining capacity is growing, which strengthens its role as a global refining centre. However, the production of crude oil and gas is struggling due to old oil fields. To fix this issue, the state-owned company ONGC partnered with the major company BP to help boost production at its key Mumbai High fields. The use of natural gas is also rising due to improvements in pipelines and the expansion of city gas distribution networks. This aligns with government efforts to promote cleaner fuels.

Calm oil prices offer fiscal relief

In 2025, oil prices were surprisingly stable despite ongoing wars, sanctions, and trade issues. Brent crude mostly stayed between $60 and $70 per barrel, dropping to about $59–60 by mid-December, according to PTI.This stability came from higher oil production in countries outside OPEC, like the US, Brazil, Guyana, and Canada. OPEC+ managed their supply well, and demand in China and Europe grew slowly. There was also an increase in floating storage.For big oil importers like India, these steady prices were a relief. Similar to the Covid period, the government raised taxes on petrol and diesel but did not increase retail prices. They used the drop in crude prices to manage the tax hike and boost revenue.As 2025 ends, the oil and gas sector faces a complex outlook. While geopolitical risks and demand growth continue to shape supply dynamics, climate pressures and strategic shifts by global energy companies point to an industry still in transition as it heads into 2026, according to PTI.