General Motors reported a dip in fourth-quarter US auto sales Monday, reflecting a sharp decline in electric vehicle transactions amid a broader slowing car market.But the US auto giant also achieved an annual sales increase, pointing to growth in pickups and crossovers sales as evidence of resonance with consumers despite offering lower incentives than the industry average.The Detroit giant reported 703,000 deliveries in the final quarter of 2025, a drop from the year prior of 6.9 percent, in a period characterized by tepid consumer confidence surveys.Other carmakers to report a drop in US sales in the fourth quarter included Honda, Nissan and Volkswagen, while Toyota and Stellantis were higher.Analysts at Cox Automotive had estimated a 4.7 percent drop in overall US car sales in the fourth quarter, with concerns about a weakening job market, high interest rates and cost-of-living pressures weighing on sentiment.A driver of GM’s decline was a pronounced fall in EV sales from the third quarter, when consumers raced to take advantage of a $7,500 tax credit that expired at the end of September, earlier than initially intended due to legislation championed by US President Donald Trump.EV sales at GM were 25,219 in the October to December period, less than half the level in the third quarter of 2025.GM’s annual sales were 2.8 million, up 5.5 percent from 2024. Among the vehicles with sizable gains were the Chevrolet Equinox, a small “crossover” sport utility vehicle and the GMC Sierra line of pickup trucks.“Demand for our brands and products is strong at every price point, and we are well-positioned to build on this momentum in the year ahead,” said GM senior vice president Duncan Aldred.At Toyota, fourth-quarter sales rose about eight percent to 652,195, in line with annual growth of comparable percentage. Total sales were 2.5 million for 2025.Toyota models with significant year-over-year sales increases included the Grand Highlander SUV and Tacoma pickup.Tariff effect?Stellantis, meanwhile, scored a four percent increase in the fourth-quarter to 332,321, helping to reduce the size of its annual drop after a number of weak quarters. Stellantis annual sales fell three percent to 1.3 million.“With consecutive quarterly sales increases and market share growth, it’s clear that we are taking the right steps to reset our business in the US,” said Jeff Kommor, head of US retail sales, who pointed to five new vehicle launches scheduled for 2026.Throughout 2025, automakers were faced with a fast-changing policy environment as Trump announced myriad tariff actions and moved to gut climate measures enacted under predecessor Joe Biden.Tariff costs did not lead to significant hikes in retail prices in 2025, in part because dealers were selling autos from inventory.However, analysts say consumers may see greater car price hikes in 2026 due to tariffs, potentially affecting demand.Cox estimates that US sales will come in at 15.8 million in 2026, or 2.4 percent below its projection for 2025 sales.

Former England skipper Joe Root has backed Jamie Smith after the wicketkeeper-batter came under fire for his poor dismissal late on Day 2 (Monday, January 5) of the New Year’s Ashes Test at the SCG. Root said that it is easy to be overly critical of individual moments and added that mistakes are part of the game.

Smith threw away his start with a poor dismissal in the first innings. After scoring 46, he tried to smash a harmless bouncer from part-time bowler Marnus Labuschagne. However, he chipped the ball straight to the only fielder in front of square on the off-side, leaving commentators and experts stunned.

Jamie Smith’s Dismissal Triggers England Collapse at SCG

England let control slip at a crucial moment on day two at the SCG, with Jamie Smith’s dismissal proving to be the turning point. The visitors were well placed at 323 for 5, with Joe Root batting confidently on 129.

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Smith fell to a poor shot against part-time bowler Marnus Labuschagne, backing away to a short ball and hitting it straight to deep cover despite a packed boundary. The soft dismissal stunned observers and immediately shifted the momentum.

That moment triggered a collapse, as England lost five wickets for just 61 runs and failed to push past 400. Australia seized the opening, and England were eventually bowled out for 384. Smith has managed only one half-century in the series so far, scoring 60 in Adelaide.

It’s Very Easy To Over-Analyse Certain Dismissals – Joe Root On Jamie Smith

Joe Root defended Jamie Smith, saying individual dismissals are often judged too harshly. He explained that mistakes are part of the game and players learn from them rather than dwell on one moment. Root added that no one feels the disappointment more than the batter who gets out.

“It’s very easy to over-analyse certain dismissals, but sometimes you just make a mistake, and you have to learn from it and make sure you don’t make the same mistake again,” Root responded.

“Whenever someone loses a wicket, you’d be frustrated, but there’s no one more frustrated than the guy who’s lost his wicket. He’s working incredibly hard. There are times when you have to absorb pressure and understand when to put it back on, but I think that was an opportunity, and I back him 100 per cent to take that option again.”

You’re Always Trying to Read the Game – Joe Root

Joe Root said that batting is about reading the situation rather than forcing the pace. He stated that players should trust their judgment and back teammates who have proven ability to make the right calls.

“I think you’re always trying to read the game and play what’s in front of you. It’s not about deciding to suddenly score at 15 an over. You see an opportunity and back yourself to make the right decisions. When you’re batting with someone who averages over 40 and has had the start he’s had to his international career, you back him 100 per cent.”

Also read: Joe Root suffers back injury during Sydney Test vs Australia, England rocked by fresh blow

DEHRADUN: Uttarakhand high court has ordered the release of a man who had been serving a life sentence in a 2003 murder case, after it found he was a juvenile at the time of the offence. Mobin, who spent over 13 years in prison, was declared a juvenile in conflict with law, rendering his continued detention unlawful under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. The order was passed by a division bench comprising justices Ravindra Maithani and Ashish Naithani.Mobin had been convicted of murder and robbery under sections 302 and 393 of IPC by the additional district and sessions judge in Roorkee on Feb 15, 2008. His conviction was later upheld by HC on March 20, 2013, with the Supreme Court dismissing his appeal for grant of innocence in Aug 2013.The case dated back to June 24, 2003, when Mobin and four others — Imran, Shaharwan, Mustakeem and Farman — intercepted two men travelling on a scooter near Kaliyar in Roorkee. One of the victims, Jaipal Singh, was killed, while the other, Mahendra Singh, sustained injuries and was robbed. During the course of trial, Mustakeem and Farman were declared juveniles, while the remaining three, including Mobin, were sentenced as adults.Several years after his conviction, Mobin filed an application from jail, stating that he too had been a minor on the date of the offence, requesting that his case be reconsidered in light of the applicable juvenile law. The HC received this communication on June 15, 2021, and subsequently sought a report from police to verify his age. However, the report failed to offer a conclusive determination.On Aug 19, 2025, the court directed its registrar (judicial) to conduct an independent inquiry into Mobin’s age at the time of the incident. The registrar submitted a detailed report based on school records, witness statements and official documents, confirming that Mobin’s date of birth was May 22, 1988 — a finding the court deemed credible and reliable.

India’s Suryakumar Yadav(PTI Photo/Shashank Parade)

Former Australia captain Ricky Ponting has expressed his confidence in out-of-form India skipper Suryakumar Yadav ahead of the T20 World Cup, which is set to begin on February 7. Despite a rough run in 2025, where Yadav has scored just 218 runs in 19 innings at a strike rate of 123.16, Ponting urged the Indian batter to trust his natural game and maintain his aggressive approach. “That’s as big a surprise for me, just looking at his recent form. He’s been such a solid and consistent contributor for India in T20 cricket for a long time and just hasn’t been able to find it of late,” Ponting told ICC. He added, “He’s an interesting one because when I’ve seen him play his best, he’s taken six or eight or 10 balls to get going and then just lets it all go.”

Ponting highlighted Yadav’s fearless style, comparing him to Australia’s Travis Head. “He plays all of his shots and backs himself, and a bit like Travis Head, where it almost looks like they don’t ever fear getting out,” he said. “That’s what I’d say to him. I’d be saying, think about scoring runs, don’t think about getting out. Trust yourself, back yourself. You’re proven to be as good as anybody in the world in the T20 format and go and prove it to everybody once again.” The former Aussie great also praised India’s decision to appoint 31-year-old Axar Patel as vice-captain for the T20 World Cup. Ponting lauded Patel’s versatility, noting, “I mean, actually, Patel’s been their go-to man, really hasn’t he? The last few series, he’s been their pinch hitter at different times. They’ve batted him up the order at number three. When they’ve needed that left-hand, right-hand combination, he’s been the man to go out and try and do it for them, and he’s obviously ever consistent with his left-arm off spin as well.” Ponting admitted he was surprised by the exclusion of India ODI and Test captain Shubman Gill from the T20 squad. Gill, who has struggled in recent white-ball cricket, has 291 runs in 15 innings with a highest score of 47. “Yeah, I couldn’t believe that,” Ponting said during an appearance on The ICC Review with host Sanjana Ganesan. He added, “I know his recent form hasn’t been great in white-ball cricket. And the last time that I really saw much of him play was the Test series against England in the UK, where he batted as well as I’ve ever seen anybody bat.” Despite his surprise, Ponting praised India’s batting depth, suggesting that leaving Gill out reflects the strength of the squad. “I mean one, I’m surprised, but two, it just shows the depth of Indian cricket,” he explained. “If you can think that someone as good as Shubman Gill doesn’t get picked in a World Cup squad, then it goes to show how many good players they do have.” Ponting’s comments underline his belief that while individual form can fluctuate, backing one’s instincts and leveraging team depth remain key in high-pressure tournaments like the T20 World Cup.

In its fifth day of release, Agastya Nanda’s inaugural film ‘Ikkis’, a stirring biopic about Arun Khetarpal, has encountered a stark decline at the box office, raking in only Rs 1.35 crore. Being the only major release has not shielded it from disappointing results, with an overall collection of THIS amount.

Agastya Nanda‘s ‘Ikkis’ became the first Hindi film to release in theaters in the year 2026. The highly anticipated war drama failed to live up to the expectations of the audiences. The movie has been showing a downward trend in its box office collections since the release. On the fifth day after arriving in cinemas, the movie has its lowest earnings. Let’s take a look at the box office numbers.

‘Ikkis’ box office collection Day 5

‘Ikkis’ marked the big screen debut of Agastya Nanda. According to the Sacnilk report, the movie has earned Rs 1.35 crore at the box office. With this, the total collection of the film now stands at Rs 21.50 crore. Even after being a solo release, the Arun Khetarpal biopic has failed to impress the masses.

Day-wise collection

Day 1 [1st Thursday]: Rs 7 croreDay 2 [1st Friday]: Rs 3.5 croreDay 3 [1st Saturday]: Rs 4.65 croreDay 4 [1st Sunday]: Rs 5 croreDay 5 [1st Monday]: Rs 1.35 croreTotal: Rs 21.50 crore

‘Ikkis’ vs ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri‘

Agastya Nanda’s film seems to be following the path of the Kartik Aaryan and Ananya Panday starrer ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’ at the box office. Meanwhile, on January 5, 2026, (Day 12—2nd Monday), the rom-com has managed to earn Rs 0.30 crore. The total collection is now Rs 32.30 crore. The film has been struggling to cross the Rs 35 crore mark at the box office.

‘Ikkis’ vs ‘Dhurandhar’

Even on its fifth Monday since the release, Aditya Dhar’s ‘Dhurandhar’ earned more than the collections of both ‘Ikkis’ and ‘Tu Meri Main Tera Main Tera Tu Meri’ combined. The espionage thriller raked in Rs 4.5 crore at the box office on its 32nd day (January 5, 2026). The total collection in India stands at Rs 776.75 crore.

More about ‘Ikkis’

Directed by Sriram Raghavan, the film also stars the late legendary actor Dharmendra, Jaideep Ahlawat, Simar Bhatia, Sikander Kher, and Vivaan Shah. The movie is based on the life of Paramvir Chakra (posthumously) awardee Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, who was martyred in the India-Pakistan war of 1971.The movie is also the last screen appearance of the Hindi cinema icon Dharmendra.It was released in theaters on January 1, 2026.