LUCKNOW: Uttar Pradesh government has made newspaper reading compulsory for students of all state-run secondary and basic schools to cultivate reading habits, reduce screen time and develop critical, and logical thinking skills among them.An order issued by additional chief secretary (basic and secondary education) Partha Sarthi Sen Sharma, on December 23 says newspapers, both English and Hindi, should be made an integral part of the daily reading culture of schools.This is in continuation of an earlier order in November, which had discussed ways to inculcate reading culture among students. Discouraging excess screen time, the December 23 order advises students to read “physical” newspapers as it would help them enhance their focus and concentration.“A 10-minute slot should be allocated for ‘news reading’ from newspapers during the daily morning assembly. Students, on a rotational basis, will read out the main points of editorial articles and major positive news from national, international, and sports events,” says the December 23 order.

Asked about the directive, Sen Sharma told TOI: “These are directions as well as advice, to be followed by state-run schools, but others can also follow if they find sense.”The order lists manifold benefits of regular newspaper reading. “To begin with, it will strengthen students’ GK and understanding of current affairs, which is extremely important for future competitive examinations. Second, regular reading improves vocabulary and language style. Reading various types of articles and editorials develops their writing skills.”Sen Sharma stressed that reading diverse perspectives “develops critical thinking and the ability to distinguish between right and wrong in students, making them aware in the era of fake news”.Another benefit of reading newspapers is that students become aware of their local community, events, and public projects. “This connects them to their surroundings and helps them understand how local events are connected to national and global issues,” the order states.In addition, human interest stories and news related to social issues published in newspapers help students understand the experiences and challenges of others. This develops empathy in them and guides them towards becoming responsible citizens. Sudoku, crosswords, and word puzzles available in newspapers are not just for entertainment; they train students’ brains for logical challenges and problem-solving, the order says.The order says students focus on favourite subjects, while newspapers exposes them to science, culture and sports.

BHOPAL: On a forested stretch of Bhopal-Jabalpur national highway, the National Highways Authority of India has introduced what it describes as India’s first integrated “wildlife-safe” road corridor, combining speed-calming design, fencing, animal underpasses and electronic monitoring on a section of NH-45 that cuts through a critical tiger habitat in MP. The features, on a 12km stretch through Veerangana Durgavati Tiger Reserve, aim to reduce animal road deaths by addressing not just where wildlife crosses, but how vehicles move.On this section, traffic volumes and speeds have risen sharply as a two-lane road has been widened to four, carrying faster vehicles, heavier loads and far less tolerance for interruptions.It’s country’s first wildlife-sensitive ‘red road’: NHAIHighways cutting through forests often place animals at risk as they cross roads to reach different parts of their habitat. Speeding vehicles on such stretches have historically led to frequent & often fatal collisions. At the centre of the new design is a 2km zone that looks, at first glance, almost decorative. The asphalt is overlaid with raised red thermoplastic markings, 5mm thick, laid out in a continuous band across the carriageway.

“To mitigate this risk, NHAI applied a 5mm thick red surface layer – the ‘table-top’ – over the road in the designated danger zone within the tiger reserve. The bright red texture signals to drivers that they are entering a wildlife-sensitive stretch and its slightly raised surface automatically reduces vehicle speed,” said S K Singh, regional officer, NHAI. “As per my knowledge, it is the first such concept implemented in the country,” he added.Officials involved in the project say the markings serve two purposes. Visually, they announce that the driver is entering a forest stretch where the rules of the road subtly change. Physically, they produce a mild vibration under the tyres, enough to encourage drivers to ease off the accelerator without the abrupt jolt of a speed breaker, which is considered unsafe on high-speed highways. The technique is widely used in other countries but has rarely been seen on Indian national highways, particularly in wildlife zones.Speed, conservation scientists have long argued, is the variable that determines whether an animal crossing a road is seen in time, and whether a driver has the distance needed to stop or swerve. Underpasses and fencing decide where animals cross; speed decides what happens when something goes wrong. On NH-45, the red-marked stretch is meant to slow vehicles gradually, well before they reach the points where animals are most likely to emerge.Below the road, the more conventional work has been done. Along the forest section, 25 wildlife underpasses have been built, their locations chosen on the basis of observed animal movement rather than engineering convenience. Continuous iron fencing runs on both sides of the highway, guiding animals towards these openings and preventing them from wandering onto the carriageway at random. Similar structures elsewhere in the country, including near Pench, have shown that when crossings align with natural routes, animals do use them, from ungulates to large carnivores.Former IFS officer and wildlife expert Jagdish Chandra said the red-road concept could make a significant difference. “There will be positive results. This is the first such project implemented in the country,” he said.

JAKHWALI (FATEHGARH SAHIB): In the season of giving, a 75-year-old Sikh woman has donated land for the construction of a mosque in a village in Punjab’s Fatehgarh Sahib district, with Sikh and Hindu families also pitching in with money. The heart-warming gesture comes from Jakhwali, a predominantly Sikh village (400-500 families) with sizable Hindu (150 families) and Muslim (100 families) populations. Located 55km from Chandigarh, the village has a gurdwara and a Shiva temple, but until now, no mosque.“Our Muslim friends here didn’t have a mosque and had to go for namaz to the next village. I thought of giving them five marlas of land (around 1,360 sqft) so that they have a place to pray,” Bibi Rajinder Kaur told TOI, adding with a smile, “We feel very happy that they will be happy.”Her grandson Satnam Singh said Sikh, Muslim and Hindu families in the village live “like brothers” and have done so for generations. “Whenever there is a religious event, everyone contributes and participates,” Singh added.The absence of a mosque had long been felt, but with no solution emerging at the panchayat level, Bibi Rajinder Kaur volunteered her land. “After discussions within the family, we felt we had a field in an area where there is already a temple, gurdwara and another shrine. We asked the Muslim community if the place suited them, and they said it was perfect,” Satnam said. As the land was in his grandmother’s name, it was registered in the name of the mosque committee.“They participate in our events like sabha langar and do sewa. We believe every religion should be respected,” he said. Satnam’s brother Monu Singh, a village panch, said since government land cannot be allotted for religious construction, the family decided to donate its own land. “The entire village, irrespective of religion, is contributing to the mosque’s construction,” he said.Former sarpanch and local BJP leader Ajaib Singh recalled that Muslims and Sikhs had contributed when the temple was built, just as all communities had supported the construction of the gurdwara. “This is how we live. We will contribute till the last brick is laid,” he said.Gursewak Kumar from the Brahmin community said the village’s unity was a matter of pride. Masjid committee president Kala Khan thanked the villagers for their support. “People of all communities live here in harmony. We expect to complete construction by February,” he said, adding that around Rs 3.5 lakh has already been collected.Punjab Shahi Imam Maulana Usman Ludhianvi, who laid the foundation stone, said Punjab has long been known for such examples of communal harmony.

NEW DELHI: PM Narendra Modi on Thursday joined a large congregation of Christians at a Christmas service at the Cathedral Church of the Redemption here, as he continued with his outreach to the minority community. “The service reflected the timeless message of love, peace and compassion. May the spirit of Christmas inspire harmony and goodwill in our society,” he said.As part of the governing BJP’s concerted efforts to strengthen its connect with Christians, party president JP Nadda participated in celebrations at the Christian Higher Secondary School, organised by the Mao Naga Christian Fellowship Delhi (MNCFD), and dwelt at the govt’s focus on development in the northeast, a region with significant population of the community.PM’s outreach part of continuous efforts to engage with minoritiesAs part of his engagement with Christians, Modi had addressed a Christmas celebration organised by the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India in 2024, attended an Easter event at the Sacred Heart Cathedral in 2023, and hosted a programme at his residence to mark Christmas the same year.Opposition was, however, quick to target him for incidents of vandalism and harassment aimed at Christians in some parts of the country. Congress posted on X a video purportedly showing members of right-wing outfits vandalising Christmas decorations in Raipur in BJP-governed Chhattisgarh, alleging it exposed the true face of BJP.BJP’s efforts to reach out to Christians over the last few years have met with limited success as a section of the community continues to harbour distrust due to the Sangh Parivar’s antipathy to conversion, which has led to the enactment of stringent laws in several states as the party’s influence surged since 2014.In terms of absolute numbers, Kerala has the highest Christian population in the country, and the state will be heading to assembly polls in a few months along with Tamil Nadu, which has the second highest population of the community.​​Their numbers in Kerala and Tamil Nadu are over 18% and 6% respectively, according to the 2011 census.​​With over 25%, Christians are a significant presence in Goa, but they wield maximum political influence in the northeast due to their dominant majority status in Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya.

JAMMU: After Rajouri and Poonch, now authorities in Jammu’s Kathua district have suspended Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) for two months, citing security concerns.The preventive action has been taken under section 163 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita as VPN services are being misused by certain individuals and groups to bypass cyber restrictions and access prohibited applications, websites and digital content, the order issued by district magistrate Rajesh Sharma on Wednesday stated.The suspension came into force with immediate effect (Dec 24), and will apply to all individuals, institutions, cyber cafes and internet service providers operating within the district, “except those explicitly permitted by govt through a specific official order”. Any violation will invite legal action under the relevant provisions of law, the order said.Kathua SSP has been directed to ensure strict enforcement of the order.On Nov 30, Poonch DM Ashok Kumar Sharma had ordered suspension of all VPN services in the border district for two months, citing their potential misuse for unlawful activities. “The SSP informed that there has been an unprecedented high usage of VPNs in the past few days at different locations of the district by suspicious internet users,” Sharma said in the order.It was informed that VPN transmit gets encrypted and creates a point-to-point tunnel, masks IP addresses, and sidesteps website blocks and firewalls on the internet, thus making sensitive data vulnerable to cyber attacks.A day before, on Nov 29, Rajouri DM Abhishek Sharma had issued a similar order following a communication from police.Prior to this, the Doda administration had, through an order on May 6, ordered suspension of VPNs citing public safety, cybersecurity and integrity of digital governance in the district.

And just like that, 2025 is nearing its end, giving us a moment to look back at how the year unfolded at the box office. Cinema has always been a gamble, but one truth continues to hold firm, strong content eventually finds its audience. While the big-ticket films arrive with expectations of ringing the cash registers, every year also throws up a few surprises in the form of sleeper hits. 2025 was no exception. Here’s a look at the biggest hits of the year and what trade experts have to say about the trends, learnings and the road ahead.

Summing up the year

‘Thodi Khushi thoda gham,’ is what we say every year lately and this year seems no different. “Well, it’s been a mixed bag, actually. There have been films that became hits and there have also been failures. But the good part is that content has been driving the audiences to theatres. Stardom can work for a day or two, but after that, it’s the content that people talk about. If you look at films from ‘Chhaava’ to now Dhurandhar, of course stardom is there, no denying that, but the content is speaking louder than words,” explains trade expert Taran Adarsh.

He further added, “A good example is ‘Saiyaara’, which starred newcomers and worked purely on the strength of its content and music. There was ‘Sitaare Zameen Par’, there was ‘Raid 2’ this year, and ‘Dhurandhar’, of course. Films like ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’ and ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ have also done well.” Trade expert Girish Wankhede echoes a similar sentiment and adds, “Overall, 2025 has been an average year for Bollywood. Whereas we usually see 15–18 bonafide superhits annually, this year produced fewer big winners. Still, a handful of films like ‘Chhaava’, ‘Saiyaara’ and ‘Dhurandhar’ and ‘Kantara: Chapter 1’ — have delivered enormous box-office returns. ‘Dhurandhar’ in particular, shows no sign of slowing down, posting strong numbers even in midnight shows; it looks set to become the fastest film to join the Rs 1,000 crore club and could potentially go as high as Rs 1,500 crore. Those blockbuster performances are a welcome respite in an otherwise muted year for Hindi cinema.”

The K-shape model

Producer and Film Business expert, Girish Johar explains it at length by giving it a name. He calls it the ‘K-shape model’. Further elaborating on it, he adds, “The big hits have become bigger. Medium hits are no longer visible, and the number of washouts is also increasing. So, as I say, I believe we are seeing a K-shaped model. If a film does well and is appreciated by the public, it shoots up from Friday evening onwards or from day one of its release, and then amplifies further over Saturday and Sunday. But if a big film releases on day one and is not liked by the audience, earlier we used to say that three days would see it through, but that’s no longer happening.” He adds, “Hope you can imagine that. So, it’s a K-shaped model, as I call it. Having said that, yes, quite a few films we all know, ‘Chhaava’, ‘Dhurandhar’, and others like ‘Saiyaara’, ‘Mahavtar Narsimha’, and also ‘Tere Ishq Mein’. These are not the only ones, obviously, but they are the standout performers of the year. They have done fantastic numbers and, more importantly, have been liked by the audience. While the year still has few more days to end, overall, I can say there’s a growth of 10-12 percent this year overall at the box office as compared to 2024.”

Biggest hit in terms of ROI (Return On Investment)

While in terms of numbers, ‘Dhurandhar’ looks like the biggest grossing movie of the year and it is still running in theatres so it will continue to bring in numbers even in the next year. However, it terms of the return on investment, one can say that films like ‘Mahavtar Narsimha’, ‘Saiyaara’ and ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’ stole the show and surpassed expectations. Johar adds, “In terms of ROI, ‘Mahavtar Narsimha’ is the biggest hit. It was an animated film with no big stars or even voice over from any big star. The profit it earned was ten folds of its making.” Wankhede points out, “The biggest surprise of the year was undoubtedly ‘Mahavatar Narasimha’, a devotional animated film originally made in Kannada. Produced on a modest budget of around Rs 40 crore and released across Hindi, Tamil and Telugu, it went on to earn approximately Rs 327 crore, an exceptional return for an animation with mythological themes. Another unexpected hit was ‘Ek Deewane ki Deewaniyat’, starring Harshvardhan Rane and Sonam Bajwa; made for roughly Rs 25 crore, it proved a sleeper success. ‘Saiyaara’ resonated strongly with GenZ, emerging as one of the season’s major blockbusters, produced for around Rs 45 crore. And, of course, ‘Dhurandhar’ surprised many with its runaway success, made on a budget of about Rs 250 crore, it has crossed the ₹1,000 crore mark worldwide, solidifying its position as the year’s dominant tentpole.”

Is there a trend? Is romance back as a genre?

This year, with ‘Saiyaara’, ‘Tere Ishk Mein’ and ‘Ek Deewane Ki Deewaniyat’, it seemed like romance is back and how. Taran Adarsh says, “I was happy to see that romance is back. And if you notice all these three films are love stories, but the music played an integral part in their impact, more than just the genre.” However, Johar doesn’t feel we should consider this as a trend for romantic movies. “I don’t think audiences are favouring any particular genre; they are favouring good content. What has happened post-COVID, with the OTT onslaught and everything else, is that traditional stardom has diminished a little. But the same actor, backed by a good concept and strong content, multiplies their appeal manyfold. So, for me, the content and the concept have now become the real stars.”

Key learnings to take from 2025

One of the things which need to be learnt is to cater to the masses and not just the multiplex audience. Taran Adarsh opines, “I think we should not neglect our Tier 2 and Tier 3 centres. Filmmakers have been neglecting them for a long time. They’ve been making metro-centric films, which is not right. What happens to the Tier 2 and Tier 3 centres then? They stop coming to theatres. That’s the reason why, earlier in the 70s and 80s, and I’ve seen this with my own eyes, is that every film used to get an opening. Every film would take a start and then either run or collapse.”

Johar adds that one of the things to take notice of this year is that eventually, it’s not stardom which works but the emotion behind a film. He says, “Emotion is the content. If you look at animation, the quality is at a good level because we are exposed to global animation like Disney and others. But it was the emotion that connected with audiences in case of ‘Mahavtar Narsimha’. They went into theatres, taking their slippers and shoes off outside and all that. It’s the emotion that truly connects with people.” He further explained, “Just to elaborate on this further that it’s no longer about stars, Ranveer Singh did ‘Jayeshbhai Jordaar’, which was not appreciated. But the same Ranveer Singh has done ‘Dhurandhar’, which is backed by the right making, the right concept, and everything else. People have connected with the film, and it is probably becoming the biggest Hindi film of all time.” “I can say that the last star whom people wanted to watch purely for stardom is hands down, Salman Khan, because even his weaker films open to Rs 100 crore. I probably feel Ranbir Kapoor also has that potential, but he operates in a slightly different space. To me, the trend this year or learning this year is that, actor-driven stardom has come down a little, while concept and genre-driven films are now creating stars and superstars.”

Expectations from 2026

All the trade experts have their eye on 2026 and unanimously are looking forward to some big movies lined up – from ‘Ramayana’ to ‘Love And War’ and of course, ‘Dhurandhar 2’. Girish Johar says, “2026 is again going to be one of the biggest years for Indian cinema, both in terms of box office and overall scale. Mammoth releases are being planned. Obviously, we have Hollywood content Nolan films, ‘Avengers’, and many other big releases. We also have Shah Rukh Khan’s ‘King’, a couple of releases by Akshay Kumar, ‘Dhurandhar 2’, and the biggest of them all, ‘Ramayana’.” He adds, “Ramayana will probably be one of the biggest films of all time, if done right. From whatever little I know, they’re planning to dub it into numerous languages using lip-sync technology. So, if audiences watch the film in Spanish, the lip-sync and audio will both be in Spanish. That’s what they’re planning. We don’t know how much of this will actually unfold, we’re too far ahead to say—but if done right and if expectations are met, it’s going to be a massive film. There are several other films as well.”Wankhede says, “The biggest film of 2026 is widely expected to be Dhurandhar Part 2, which is slated for an Eid release and has already started building the kind of pre-release buzz usually reserved for mega-franchises like Pushpa 2. Industry chatter suggests it could post one of the biggest openings of the year and become the top box-office generator, establishing itself as the season’s standout success.” He lists out the releases of 2025 further saying, “Several other high-profile releases are generating strong anticipation. Border 2, arriving in January with Sunny Deol attached, looks set to energize the patriotic crowd. Shah Rukh Khan’s much-awaited project King, his first major outing after a quiet 2025, is also being touted as a potential blockbuster. Alpha, a proposed female-led spy-universe film featuring Alia Bhatt, has been postponed but remains one of the most talked-about titles. Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s Love and War, reportedly starring Ranbir Kapoor, Vicky Kaushal and Alia Bhatt, is another prestige project on the radar. Priyadarshan’s Bhoot Bangla with Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgn and Tabu’s Drishyam 3, and the ambitious Ramayana, directed by Nitesh Tiwari and featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Yash, round out a slate that promises a busy and commercially exciting 2026 for Indian cinema.”Adarsh concludes, “I’m a born optimist, and I’m very confident about 2026. There are several big films lined up, but there could be smaller surprises as well. We should not underestimate any film.”

Delhi schools have ended hybrid learning and returned to normal physical classes for students of Classes 6 to 9 and 11. The move follows the lifting of GRAP 4 restrictions after a clear improvement in air quality levels across the national capital.If you are a student or parent, this means regular classroom learning is back. You no longer need to switch between online and offline classes every day.The Directorate of Education issued a circular directing all government, government-aided and recognised private schools under DOE, NDMC, MCD and the Delhi Cantonment Board to conduct physical classes. The order applies with immediate effect and covers thousands of students across Delhi.

Decision taken after air quality improvesThe decision came after the Commission for Air Quality Management revoked actions under GRAP 4. In its order, the commission noted that Delhi’s air quality had shown “significant improvement” due to favourable weather conditions. The AQI was recorded in the poor category, allowing authorities to ease emergency measures.R.K. Agarwal, Director (Technical) and Member Convenor of the Sub-Committee on GRAP, said in a statement issued by the commission that actions under GRAP 4 were revoked with immediate effect. He added that measures under GRAP stages 1, 2 and 3 would remain in force to prevent further deterioration.What changes for studentsAccording to the DOE circular, normal physical classes will now be held for Classes 6 to 9 and 11. Classes for students up to Class 5 will continue in hybrid mode, meaning both physical and online learning where feasible. Classes 10 and 12 will remain fully offline, as they were earlier.Dr Rita Sharma, Additional Director of Education (School), said in a circular issued by the DOE that all heads of schools must ensure immediate compliance. She directed schools to inform parents and guardians without delay and ensure smooth implementation of the instructions.Schools asked to ensure smooth complianceDistrict and zonal education officers have also been asked to monitor the situation closely. The DOE has instructed them to ensure that schools follow the directions properly and without disruption.The Commission for Air Quality Management stated that it would keep a close watch on air quality trends. It said the situation would be reviewed regularly, especially during winter, when conditions can change quickly.Authorities have also urged citizens to continue following the citizen charter under GRAP stages 1 to 3. The aim is to make sure that air quality levels do not slip back into the severe category while schools function normally again.Read the official notice here

Beijing on Thursday rejected a Pentagon report that accused China of using easing border tensions with India to weaken US-India ties, calling the claims false and aimed at creating discord.“The Pentagon’s report distorts China’s defence policy, sows discord between China and other countries, and aims at finding a pretext for the US to maintain its military supremacy,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said at a media briefing in Beijing, firmly opposing the report.

Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Zhang Xiaogang also rejected the findings, including references to growing defence and space cooperation between China and Pakistan and suggestions about a possible military base. Zhang called the report biased and said that it exaggerated the so-called “Chinese military threat” and misled the international community. He further urged the US to stop spreading false narratives and provoking confrontation.

China on ties with India

Responding to sections of the report that discussed India-China relations, Lin said Beijing viewed its ties with New Delhi from a long-term and strategic perspective.“We stand ready to strengthen communication, enhance mutual trust, promote cooperation, and properly handle differences with India, and advance a sound and stable bilateral relationship,” he said.On references to the Line of Actual Control, Lin said the boundary issue was a matter between China and India, and that the current border situation was stable.“The boundary question is a matter between China and India, and the current border situation between the two countries is generally stable with smooth communication channels.”

What Pentagon said

In its annual report to Congress titled ‘Military and security developments involving the People’s Republic of China 2025, the US department of war said China may seek to use easing tensions along the Line of Actual Control to stabilise relations with India and prevent closer US-India ties.The report referred to a meeting between Chinese president Xi Jinping and Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in October 2024. The report also said China has expanded the definition of its “core interests” to include Taiwan and sovereignty claims in the South China Sea, the Senkaku Islands, and Arunachal Pradesh.It further highlighted cooperation between China and Pakistan in areas such as defence and space, adding that Beijing has “likely also considered” setting up a military base in Pakistan.