Representative image (Generated by AI)

India has allowed a duty concession on imports of only 5 lakh tonnes of dried distillers’ grains (DDGS) from the US under the first phase of the bilateral trade pact, an official told PTI stressing that the volume is equivalent to about 1 per cent of the country’s total consumption.The official said the limited quota is designed to supplement domestic animal feed availability while ensuring that food grains meant for human consumption are not diverted.

“Animal feed domestic consumption is 500 lakh tonnes, whereas the quota given to the US is only 5 lakh tonnes, which is equivalent to only 1 per cent of total consumption,” the official said, as quoted PTI. The imports, the official added, can help reduce dependence on corn and soyabean imports for feed use.Officials said access to DDGS is expected to help reduce feed cost volatility, offering protection to poultry, dairy, aquaculture and livestock producers, while also helping contain food inflation pressures.The imports are also expected to ease pressure on domestic corn and soybean markets, helping support the availability and affordability of staple food grains.“India’s feed demand growth is large, structural and long-term. Only 1 per cent quota of DDGS imports is a pragmatic, low-risk measure. It diversifies small quantities of imports to the US, reduces corn and soyabean imports for feed, supports livestock growth, stabilises prices, and aligns with national food security and export objectives,” the official added.Demand for animal-based products in India is rising steadily, driven by population growth, rising income levels and rapid urbanisation, leading to a parallel rise in demand for animal feed.Currently, corn consumption for feed is estimated at about 200 lakh tonnes, wheat at about 65 lakh tonnes and soybean meal at about 62 lakh tonnes. Together, these account for nearly two-thirds of India’s total animal feed consumption of about 500 lakh tonnes.Domestic feed supply is facing structural constraints due to limited arable land and productivity challenges. Officials said feed demand is expected to grow faster than domestic supply, making imports increasingly necessary by the early 2030s under most realistic growth scenarios.India had earlier imported about 15 lakh tonnes of soybean meal in 2021 due to domestic price pressures.At present, India imports more than 6 lakh tonnes of animal feed from suppliers such as Sri Lanka, China, US, Thailand and Nepal. The country also imports about 6 lakh tonnes of soyabean from Niger, Togo, Benin and Mozambique, and about 9 lakh tonnes of corn from Myanmar, Ukraine, Singapore and UAE.

Nepal’s captain Rohit Paudel (AP Photo/Rafiq Maqbool)

Nepal earned massive praise from former cricket stars after their thrilling four-run loss to England in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. Even though they didn’t win, many felt Nepal showed incredible fight and proved they are a rising team in world cricket.Yuvraj Singh praised their spirit, writing, “Huge respect to Nepal. Took on one of the best teams in the world, stayed in the fight till the very last ball and showed what belief and heart can do. This is how teams grow, and champions rise. The cricketing world is watching!”

Ravichandran Ashwin also applauded them, saying, “Incredible from Nepal. They are surely among the best of the emerging cricketing nations. Huge potential and upside.” Irfan Pathan added, “So the finishing touches were missing, but Nepal are clearly on the right path. Great to see them put England under the pump,” while Dale Steyn joked, “Nepal, I offer my services to you if you ever need ’em! Up, up and UP!”England won the match by just four runs after scoring 184 runs. Jacob Bethell and captain Harry Brook played key roles with half-centuries, while Jos Buttler reached a major T20 World Cup milestone. For Nepal, bowlers like Dipendra Singh Airee and Nandan Yadav picked important wickets to keep England in check.Chasing 185, Nepal started strongly but lost early wickets. Rohit Paudel and Dipendra Singh Airee built a big partnership and kept Nepal in the game. However, both got out in quick succession, which hurt their chase. Lokesh Bam played a brilliant unbeaten knock at the end, but Nepal finished on 180/6, falling just four runs short.Despite the loss, Nepal’s performance impressed the cricket world and showed they are a team to watch in the future.

In a heartbreaking yet historic night at the Wankhede Stadium, England narrowly escaped a monumental upset by defeating Nepal by just four runs in T20 World Cup 2026. Chasing 185, Nepal pushed the defending champions to the absolute limit, falling agonisingly short in a last-ball thriller on February 8, 2026. While England walked away with the points, the spirit shown by the Associate nation left the global cricketing community in awe. The match will be remembered not for the result, but for the incredible resilience of a rising Nepal side.

T20 World Cup 2026: Nepal players under Rohit Paudel salute Wankhede crowd with emotional lap of honour

Despite the crushing weight of a four-run defeat, the Nepal players displayed extraordinary grace and composure in a moment that transcended the game itself. Following the final delivery, led by captain Rohit Paudel, the entire squad took a lap of honour around the Wankhede Stadium to express their gratitude to the fans. The stadium saw an impressive attendance exceeding 17,000, a remarkable figure for a non-India fixture, with a massive, vocal section of Nepal supporters turning the stands into a sea of red and blue.

While the players were understandably hurting deep within after coming so close to a historic victory, they remained dignified, waving to the supporters who had travelled from across the globe to witness their journey. The lap was a tribute to their loyal fans and a thank-you to the Mumbai crowd that had cheered their every boundary, solidifying Nepal’s reputation as the ‘people’s team’ of the T20 World Cup 2026.

Here’s the video:

A fight for the ages! 👏

Team Nepal will take plenty of inspiration from this performance, as will their fans who gave it their all ❤️

Watch them next in #T20WorldCup 👉 #NEPvITA | THU, 12 FEB, 3 PM pic.twitter.com/a3GRcIKLno

— Star Sports (@StarSportsIndia) February 8, 2026

Also READ: Fans react as England survive massive Nepal scare in dramatic last-over T20 World Cup 2026 win

England survives last-over scare in Wankhede T20 World Cup 2026 thriller against Nepal

After being put in to bat, England posted 184/7, largely thanks to debutant Jacob Bethell’s 55 and Harry Brook’s 53, though Nepal’s bowlers kept the pressure high with Dipendra Singh Airee taking 2/23. In response, Nepal’s top order attacked fearlessly, with Rohit Paudel (39) and Dipendra Airee (44) putting together an 82-run partnership that brought them to the brink of victory.

The required rate remained manageable until Sam Curran and Liam Dawson struck in quick succession to remove the set batters. However, Lokesh Bam reignited the chase with a sensational 39* off 20 balls, bringing the equation down to 10 runs needed off the final over. With the Wankhede crowd erupting, Curran held his nerve, executing perfect yorkers to concede only five runs. Nepal finished on 180/6, losing by a mere four runs in a contest that exposed England’s death-bowling vulnerabilities. The victory keeps England’s campaign alive, but Nepal earned a standing ovation for pushing the world champions to the final ball.

Also READ: Jacob Bethell equals Kevin Pietersen with rare England feat in T20 World Cup 2026 match vs Nepal

NFL Super Bowl LX (Image Source: Instagram)

The 60th championship match of the NFL will be Super Bowl LX, and it is set to be held on a Sunday, February 8, 2026, at Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California, USA, featuring the New England Patriots vs. the Seattle Seahawks in a highly anticipated rematch of their 2015 Super Bowl encounter. The game will also reunite the best teams in the AFC and NFC at the largest sports event of the year.

Start timings of each region

United States

6:30 p.m. – Eastern Time ET5:30 p.m. – Central Time CT4:30 p.m. – Mountain Time MT3:30 p.m. – Pacific Time PT

United Kingdom

Sunday, February 8, at 11:30 p.m GMT

India

5:00 a.m. IST on Monday, February 9.

Brazil

Sunday, February 8, 8:30 pm BRT

Mexico

Sunday, February 8, 5.30 p.m CST

How to watch Super Bowl LX: All you need to know

In the United States, the game will be broadcast live on NBC, with Spanish-language coverage provided by Telemundo and Universo. The game can be streamed on NBC’s official streaming partner, Peacock. It is also coming to NFL Plus on mobile and to live TV streaming services like YouTube TV, Hulu + Live TV, and DirecTV Stream.Super Bowl LX will be aired on free TV and on Sky Sports NFL in the United Kingdom on Channel 5. The game is also available on the NFL Game Pass of DAZN, which allows fans to stream it.In India, the game is available to viewers via JioHotstar or NFL Game Pass on DAZN, depending on regional broadcast rights.In Brazil, the game will be streamed on NFL Game Pass and televised on Globo and other domestic sports channels.In Mexico, the local sports channels and NFL Game Pass or affiliates allow fans to view the game.The hosting of Super Bowl LX will be in Levi Stadium in Santa Clara, California, and it will become the second stadium to have hosted the Super Bowl, following its hosting of Super Bowl 50. Coverage of the game will begin several hours before it starts. The opening ceremony will include Green Day, and Charlie Puth will sing the National Anthem. Bad Bunny will be the halftime show, which will likely be held between 8:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.Super Bowl LX is sure to bring another night of quality football, international viewership, and on-field and off-field experiences.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and Britain’s ambassador to the United States Peter Mandelson

UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, resigned on Sunday after taking responsibility for advising the prime minister to appoint Peter Mandelson as the UK ambassador to the United States, despite Mandelson’s past links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In a statement, McSweeney said the decision had proved damaging. “The decision to appoint Peter Mandelson was wrong. He has damaged our party, our country and trust in politics itself. When asked, I advised the Prime Minister to make that appointment and I take full responsibility for that advice,” he said. Starmer is under mounting pressure following the release of newly published documents in the United States, part of a large cache of Epstein-related files made public by the US Justice Department. The documents suggest that Mandelson, while serving as the UK’s business secretary during the 2008 financial crisis, shared market-sensitive information with Epstein. The revelations have triggered a political storm in the UK, raising sharp questions about Starmer’s judgment in appointing Mandelson, 72, to one of Britain’s most important diplomatic posts in 2024. Mandelson, a former Cabinet minister, ambassador and senior figure within the Labour Party, has not been arrested or charged. Starmer’s government has said it will release its own emails and documentation related to Mandelson’s appointment, maintaining that these records will show Mandelson misled officials about the extent of his contacts with Epstein. Mandelson was removed from his ambassadorial role in September following earlier disclosures about his Epstein ties. However, critics argue that the latest documents have intensified concerns and that Starmer should not have approved the appointment in the first place. Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police confirmed that officers searched Mandelson’s London residence and another property linked to him on Friday. Police said the investigation is complex and will require “a significant amount of further evidence gathering and analysis.” The resignation of McSweeney marks the most serious political fallout so far for Starmer, as scrutiny grows over how Mandelson’s appointment was approved and whether warning signs were ignored.