‘We believe Brooklyn’: David Beckham trolled after son’s statement
Brooklyn Peltz Beckham, son of the British celebrity couple David and Victoria Beckham, said he did not want to reconcile with his parents after a family rift he described in a lengthy post on social media on Monday.
The 26-year-old said that his parents have been controlling narratives in the press about his family and tried to “ruin” his relationship with his wife Nicola Peltz Beckham.
“I do not want to reconcile with my family,” he wrote in a post to his 16.2 million Instagram followers.
“I’m not being controlled, I’m standing up for myself for the first time in my life.”
Brooklyn is the eldest son of the former England football captain, David and his fashion designer and former pop star wife, Victoria.
During his first appearance since Brooklyn criticized his family, David Beckham was asked about his relationship with his son at the World Economic Forum’s (WEF) 56th Annual Meeting in Davos, Switzerland.
The former footballer, however, smiled and chose not to comment.
Meanwhile, people flocked to David Beckham’s last Instagram post shared four days ago to express their views in the comments section.
While some people joked about how David and Victoria “were right about Nicola”, multiple followers said they believed Brooklyn Beckham.
Brooklyn married Nicola, an American actress and the daughter of billionaire businessman Nelson Peltz and former model Claudia Heffner Peltz, in 2022.
Spokespeople for David and Victoria Beckham did not immediately respond to request for comment on their son’s statements.
Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental condition, affecting about 5 to 10% of school-aged kids in India. For these students, the traditional, high-stress academic environment in Indian schools often presents a unique set of challenges. ADHD does not indicate a lack of intelligence or self-control; rather, it reflects a variation in how the brain manages attention, impulse control, and activity levels.
Understanding these specific challenges is the vital first step in building an inclusive and supportive educational framework.
The Six Core Challenges in the Indian Classroom
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The six primary challenges encountered by students with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in Indian classrooms as shared by Dr. Sonam Kothari, Pediatric Neurologist, Co- founder and CEO of Butterfly Learnings:
1. Staying Focused on Repetitive Tasks: ADHD children have a problem maintaining focus on tasks that involve repetitive monotony, such as rote-lectured lessons and note-taking. These children tend to zone out, make numerous careless mistakes, and are often unable to complete assignments, hence performing poorly.
2. Key Problems with Hyperactivity and Staying Still: The hyperactivity aspect of ADHD makes it challenging for students to sit still and be quiet for a sufficient amount of time without movement, which results in what may be seen as and classified as defiant and disruptive behaviors. This often leads to extreme exclusion and discipline for what may truly be ADHD symptoms.
3. Issues with Impulsivity in Social Situations: The impulsiveness exhibited by elementary-aged children makes them act without thinking, which leads to them breaking into conversations, having emotional outbursts, and interrupting an educational exchange with a peer. The impacts of this are not only difficult for a teacher trying to lead a class, but also cause enormous social problems at playgrounds and in informal peer groupings, resulting in the lack of peers willing to participate in circles of play or friendship.
4. Organization and Time Management: They find it challenging to keep their workspace tidy and often have difficulty breaking down large projects into smaller, more manageable parts. The rigorous school curriculum in India exacerbates this issue, leading to a persistent pattern of missing deadlines and misplacing school items.
5. Routine Changes Devastate Children with ADHD: Children thrive on a consistent routine, but even minor changes like switching subjects or moving from the classroom to the playground can be quite disconcerting. These unexpected shifts can trigger anxiety and behavioral problems, making it difficult for the child to remain engaged and attentive.
6. Shortage of Teacher Training and Supporting Structures: Many teachers do not have adequate training concerning ADHD, and thus, symptoms are viewed as willful misbehavior rather than a neurological difference. This lack of knowledge filters down to a lack of early diagnosis and the absence of appropriate flexible classroom strategies.
A pediatric neurologist comments on the necessity of school-based participation, highlighting that the reaction must not be punitive but should include adaptation, organization, and positive reinforcement. This adjustment must be made. Indeed, the philosophy must be, to adapt the educational context to the learner. To do this, the school must first provide structure and consistency.
This means that an external set of organizational skills must be provided that the child lacks, such as clear rules, sitting at the front away from competing distractions, and warnings before all transitions. Teachers must adapt their teaching and assign smaller pieces of work. Learning must be adjusted to smaller steps for larger tasks, instructions should be given one part at a time, there should be opportunities for brief, non-disruptive movement breaks, or fidget tools should be used to control excessive energy. Furthermore, instructions should provide multiple channels for feedback, and students should be asked to repeat instructions to ensure they know what to do.
Also, schools should try to integrate and emphasize positive behavior support. A focus on negative behavior alone is detrimental to a child’s self-image. From a neurological standpoint, systems that encourage positive behavior, such as daily report cards and token systems that reward staying on task, are vital. Teachers can use non-verbal techniques and signals to redirect students discreetly, avoiding public humiliation. Last, and perhaps most importantly, is a systematic shift to an ongoing culture of teacher training and empathy.
Teachers need training to learn that ADHD is a neurological difference, and to shift away from the idea that the child “won’t” follow the rules to an understanding that they “can’t” without support. This training helps facilitate collaboration with parents to develop and implement accommodation plans, and helps teachers to be the first line of support for timely referrals, ensuring children with ADHD receive the scaffolding they need to thrive.
(This article is based on information available in the public domain and on input provided by experts consulted.)
Watch: Veronika the cow shows off her unique skills
Scientists are rethinking what cattle are capable of after an Austrian cow named Veronika was found to use tools with impressive skill.
The discovery, reported by researchers in Vienna, suggests cows may have far greater cognitive abilities than previously assumed.
Veronika, a cow living in a mountain village in the Austrian countryside, has spent years perfecting the art of scratching herself using sticks, rakes, and deck brushes.
Word of her behaviour eventually reached animal intelligence specialists in Vienna, who found Veronika used both ends of the same object for different tasks.
Antonio J Osuna Mascaró
Veronika, a Swiss brown cow living in Austria
This kind of tool use is rarely seen in the animal kingdom and has never been documented in cattle before.
Dr Antonio Osuna-Mascaro of the University of Veterinary Medicine in Vienna said: “We were not expecting cows to be able to use tools, and we were not expecting a cow to use a tool as a multipurpose tool. Until now this has only been consistently reported in chimpanzees.”
The researchers believe other cows may have similar abilities that have gone unnoticed.
Her owner Witgar Wiegele, hopes her unexpected talents will inspire people to value the natural world.
As he puts it: “Save the nature, then you protect yourself. Nature diversity is the key to survive on this planet.”
There are days when you wake up tired even before your feet hit the floor. You move from one responsibility to the next without a pause, and somewhere in all this, you don’t realise how tense your body has been for weeks, maybe months.
Stress becomes part of the background, like a hum you get used to. You don’t think about what it’s doing to you on a chemical level, but it quietly changes things – hormones, blood sugar, your sleep, your cravings.
Dr. Malini Saba, Psychologist, Businesswoman, Human & Social Rights Activist shares how and emotional burnout becomes the hidden cause of diabetes crisis.
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Reaching for Sugar Without Thinking
You might not notice when it starts. A sweet here, something sugary late at night, a quick snack because you’re drained and need a lift. You tell yourself it’s harmless. And honestly, in that moment, it feels harmless. When you’re emotionally exhausted, sugar feels like the shortest route to relief. It’s not a lack of discipline- it’s your brain signalling that it’s overwhelmed. But slowly, without any dramatic signs, your body becomes dependent on that quick comfort. Sugar highs, sugar drops, more cravings, more fatigue. It all blends into your daily routine until it’s hard to separate what’s stress and what’s habit.
Your Body’s Subtle Warnings
Your body is actually talking to you long before any doctor’s report does. Not in big dramatic ways – more like irritability that wasn’t there before, brain fog, a kind of tiredness that sleep doesn’t fix, and random hunger at odd hours. Your blood sugar goes up and down depending on how stressed you are, and you don’t see it happening. Emotional burnout and diabetes don’t look related from the outside, but inside your body the connection is painfully real.
Small Shifts, Nothing Fancy
You don’t need a massive lifestyle overhaul. You don’t need a new routine that sounds like a punishment. Sometimes it’s as simple as taking a real pause in your day. A quiet cup of tea without your phone. A walk without rushing. Cooking something simple but fresh, not because it’s “healthy”, but because it slows you down. Pick one small thing that doesn’t drain you. When you’re stressed, your body feels out of control; tiny, manageable choices help you slowly take yourself back.
Your Mind Matters More Than You Think
We usually talk about diabetes like it’s only about diet, or weight, or genetics. Rarely does anyone talk about what constant emotional strain does to your blood sugar. But the truth is: when your mind is drowning, your body follows. Your hormones shift, your cravings change, and your sleep gets disturbed and all of that nudges you toward a problem you don’t see coming.
You’re not weak. You’re not careless. You’re just human, stretched thin in a world that demands more than it gives back. The sugar trap isn’t about food; it’s about exhaustion. Once you start noticing what stress is doing to you, you can gently step out of the cycle. You deserve that. Not in a grand, dramatic way; just in the small everyday ways that help you feel human again.
Netflix has significantly increased its all-cash offer to acquire Warner Bros Discovery’s studio and streaming business, intensifying an ongoing takeover battle with rival Paramount Skydance.
The deal valued the business at around $82.7bn (£61.5 bn). However, shares in Netflix have dropped by almost 15 per cent since the deal was first announced.
Paramount had launched a hostile bid for Warner Bros Discovery in an attempt to derail the firm’s agreed 72 billion dollar (£54 billion) deal with Netflix (Alamy/PA) (Alamy/PA)
The US-based streaming giant has said it will now offer $27.75 (£20.64) per share in cash to buy the business, which will include Warner Bros’ extensive library of film and TV rights, as well as its HBO Max streaming service.
Analysts have said the new terms are favourable for investors in Warner Bros Discovery.
Despite the improved financial terms, Warner Bros Discovery continues to back Netflix over a competing bid from Paramount Skydance.
The rival studios and media giant had put forward an offer of $30 per share in cash, but crucially, this was for the entire Warner Bros Discovery company, rather than just its studio and streaming divisions, highlighting a key difference in the acquisition strategies.
David Zaslav, president and chief executive of Warner Bros Discovery, expressed his enthusiasm for the impending merger.
He stated: “Today’s revised merger agreement brings us even closer to combining two of the greatest storytelling companies in the world and with it even more people enjoying the entertainment they love to watch the most. By coming together with Netflix, we will combine the stories Warner Bros has told that have captured the world’s attention for more than a century and ensure audiences continue to enjoy them for generations to come.”
Warner Bros. Discovery President and CEO David Zaslav has approved of the merger (Getty Images)
Greg Peters, Netflix’s co-chief executive, underscored the strategic and financial benefits of the amended agreement.
He commented: “By amending our agreement today, we are underscoring what we have believed all along: not only does our transaction provide superior stockholder value, it is also fundamentally pro-consumer, pro-innovation, pro-creator and pro-growth. Our revised all-cash agreement demonstrates our commitment to the transaction with Warner Bros and provides WBD stockholders with an accelerated process and the financial certainty of cash consideration, while maintaining our commitment to a healthy balance sheet and our solid investment grade ratings.”
The agreed deal is contingent on Warner Bros Discovery completing a proposed spin-off of its cable channels, which include CNN, TBS, and TNT Sports in the UK.
Iowa cracked the top 10 for the first time in two years and UConn remained the unanimous No. 1 choice in The Associated Press Top 25 women’s basketball poll released Monday.
The Hawkeyes last were ranked this high in the final poll of Caitlin Clark‘s senior year. They had been as high as 11th a few times this season.
UConn received all 30 first-place ballots from a national media panel as the top six teams were unchanged from a week earlier. The Huskies have won 34 consecutive games dating back to last season. UConn was hosting former Big East rival Notre Dame late Monday; the Fighting Irish fell out of the poll this week.
No. 2 South Carolina and No. 3 UCLA were next. Texas remained fourth despite losing to South Carolina 68-65 last week. Vanderbilt and LSU were next while Michigan moved up a spot to seventh with Louisville, TCU and Iowa rounding out the top 10. Each team climbed one place after Kentucky lost to Mississippi State on Sunday. The Wildcats fell four spots to 11th.
Soaring Blue Devils
Duke vaulted back into the poll at No. 21 after winning its 10th straight game last week. The team was seventh in the preseason Top 25 before dropping six of its first nine games to fall out. Duke has been on a hot streak over the past month to get back into the poll.
Rising Tigers
Princeton moved up to No. 20, the team’s best ranking since the Tigers were 13th in the final poll of 2015. They had a 13-game winning streak heading into Monday’s game against Harvard. The lone defeat on the season came against Maryland.
Falling Cyclones
Iowa State dropped out of the poll for the first time this season after losing its fifth consecutive game Sunday. The Cyclones were 10th on Dec. 22 but steadily fell down the rankings since.
Conference supremacy
The SEC has nine teams in the Top 25 for the second straight week. The Big Ten is next with seven as Washington reentered the poll and Illinois fell out. The Big 12 has five ranked teams after West Virginia returned to the rankings. The ACC has two while the Big East and Ivy League each have one.
Game of the week
No. 5 Vanderbilt at No. 2 South Carolina on Sunday. The Commodores will put their undefeated SEC record on the line against the Gamecocks in a key SEC matchup. Vanderbilt is off to its best start in two decades.
The spread of digital technology has made screens almost essential for the younger generation, including infants and toddlers. While digital devices are able to provide educational and entertaining content, extremely high screen time in infancy can hinder the child’s physical, intellectual, and emotional development.
Medical specialists advise that children’s screen time should be as short as possible and that the content should be appropriate for the child’s age. It is most desirable to keep children under two years of age away from screens completely, except for video calls with relatives.
Raj Singhal, the CEO and co-founder of Footprints Childcare shares what parents should know about early exposure to screen- first world. For children aged 2 to 5 years, the screen time should be restricted to a maximum of one hour per day, and the primary emphasis should be on educational and good-quality content. In situations where children are not supervised or are allowed to have uninterrupted access to digital devices for long periods of time, it may cause developmental delays, sleep disorders, and a lack of social interaction, among other things.
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Learning through the real world is the most efficient way for children to mature. The parents, along with other family members who take care of the kids, have the greatest impact on the formation of beneficial screen habits in them. Watching with the kids, discussing what the kids see and hear, and even planning without the use of digital devices, especially during meal times and at sleep times, can all be methods of maintaining the correct balance. In the meantime, sports, reading, and creative play can be wonderful accompaniments to a child’s developmental journey.
In summary, if used properly and in moderation, screen usage is not intrinsically harmful. The factors that make the greatest difference in guaranteeing a healthy childhood and growth are parental guidance, favourable content, and limited time.
Dr Ajay Dogra, Consultant Psychiatrist, Kailash Hospital further adds:
In today’s digital world, screens are a part of most children’s daily lives. Tablets, phones, and televisions can be useful tools for learning and communication, but when screen time becomes excessive, it can interfere with how young children grow, learn, and interact with the world.
Why it matters
● Brain development: The first five years are critical for building neural connections. Every conversation, every game, and every physical exploration helps strengthen the pathways that support learning, attention, and problem-solving. When screens take the place of these experiences, children may face challenges with focus, memory, and early learning skills.
● Language and social skills: Young children learn how to communicate, recognize emotions, and build relationships by observing and interacting with people. Passive screen use reduces these opportunities and can slow the development of communication and emotional understanding.
● Sleep and behavior: Screens emit blue light, which suppresses melatonin, the hormone that regulates sleep. Using devices near bedtime can delay sleep, reduce its quality, and lead to irritability, difficulty concentrating, and lower energy during the day.
Guidelines for healthy screen use
● Children under two should have minimal screen exposure, limited to video calls that help maintain social connections.
● Preschool-aged children should have no more than one hour a day of interactive, age-appropriate screen content.
● Parents should co-view and discuss content to help children understand and process what they see.
Supporting healthy development
● Encourage outdoor play and movement
● Maintain screen-free meals and bedtime routines
● Include storytelling, music, drawing, and imaginative play
● Model balanced screen habits, as children learn by observing adults
When screen time is intentional, limited, and accompanied by active parental involvement, technology can support rather than replace the experiences that are essential for healthy growth and development.
Dr. Aparna Darswal, Senior Consultant, Sharp Sight Eye Hospitals also adds, “Screens are now an integral part of childhood but parents and doctors continue to worry about the amount of time children spend on screens at an early age and it’s effect on their eyes and overall physical, social & emotional development.”
While digital devices can entertain and even educate, experts agree that moderation is the key, especially in early childhood especially children under the age of two . It is advised that toddlers should ideally have little to no screen time as at this stage, young brains learn best through real-world experiences—talking, playing, touching, and exploring their surroundings.
For those between the age of 2 and 5 years, use of screens should be restricted to one hour each day with supervision and from quality educational sources. There is an increased risk for developing early myopia (nearsightedness) with the use of screens especially devices such as phones/tablets and may develop rapidly at earlier ages of growth.
To ensure children’s healthy vision, outdoor activities should be an important priority for their parents.Spending time outdoors provides children with at least 1.5–2 hours of exposure to natural light every day, which slows the growth of myopia and helps to relieve the eyes after prolonged periods of focusing on near objects. Early warning signs of myopia may include:
– Blurring of vision for distant objects
– Rubbing or redness of the eyes
– Sitting very close to a screen
– Having frequent headaches or blurred vision
– Short attention span
Too much screen time can cause dry eyes and repeated rubbing of eyes can lead to secondary problems like infections and allergy. The best way to promote good eyesight in children is by regulating screen time , encouraging to engage in outdoor activities and following the 20-20-20 Rule as well as getting regular eye check-ups starting at 3-4 years of age for children, especially if they have a family history of needing glasses.
(This article is based on information available in the public domain and on input provided by experts consulted.)
The average American checks their phone over 140 times a day, clocking an average of 4.5 hours of daily use, with 57% of people admitting they’re “addicted” to their phone. Tech companies, influencers and other content creators compete for all that attention, which has incentivized the rise of misinformation.
Considering this challenging information landscape, strong critical reading skills are as relevant and necessary as they’ve ever been.
Unfortunately, literacy continues to be a serious concern. Reading comprehension scores have continued to decline. The majority of Gen Z parents are not reading aloud to their young children because they view it as a chore. Many college students cannot make it through an entire book.
With their endless scrolling and easy reposting and sharing of content, social media platforms are designed to encourage passive engagement that people use to relieve boredom and escape stress.
As a cognitive scientist and a literacy expert, we research the ways people process information through reading. Based on our work, we believe that deep reading can be an effective way to counter misinformation as well as reduce stress and loneliness. It can be tough to go deeper than a speedy skim, but there are strategies you can use to strengthen important reading skills.
Deep reading versus doomscrolling
People use smartphones and social media for a variety of reasons, such as to relieve boredom, seek attention, make connections and share news. The infinite amount of information available at your fingertips can lead to information overload, interfering with how you pay attention and make decisions. Research from cognitive science helps to explain how scrolling trains your brain to think passively.
To keep people engaged, social media algorithms feed people content similar to what they’ve already engaged with, reinforcing users’ beliefs with similar posts. Repeated exposure to information increases its believability, especially if different sources repeat the information, an effect known as illusory truth.
Counterintuitively, social media can make you feel more bored and lonely (Getty/iStock)
Deep reading, on the other hand, refers to the intentional process of engaging with information in critical, analytical and empathetic ways. It involves making inferences, drawing connections, engaging with different perspectives and questioning possible interpretations.
Deep reading does require effort. It can trigger negative feelings like irritation or confusion, and it can very often feel unpleasant. The important question, then: Why would anyone choose the hard work of deep reading when they can just scroll and skim?
Motivating mental effort
Mindless scrolling may come with unintended consequences. Smartphone and social media use is associated with increased boredom and loneliness. And doomscrolling is related to higher levels of existential anxiety and misanthropy.
In contrast, attention and effort, despite being exhausting, can deepen your sense of purpose and strengthen social connection. People also feel motivated to complete tasks that help them pursue personal goals, especially when these tasks are recognized by others. For these reasons, sharing books may be one tool to promote deep reading.
About the authors
JT Torres is a Director of the Harte Center for Teaching and Learning at Washington and Lee University.
Jeff Saerys-Foy is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Quinnipiac University.
One example is a teacher who guides students through longer texts, like novels, paired with active discussions about the books to reinforce comprehension and interpretation. While the debate over the ongoing practice of assigning excerpts over full books in schools continues, evidence does suggest that sustained reading in social settings can promote lifelong enjoyment in reading.
With social connection in mind, social media can actually be used as a positive tool. BookTok is a popular online community of people who use TikTok to discuss and recommend books. Fans post in-depth analyses of “K-Pop Demon Hunters” and other movies or shows, demonstrating that close analysis still has a place in the endless scroll of social media.
Slowing yourself down to read deeply
There are steps you can take to meaningfully engage with the constant stream of information you encounter. Of course, this process can be taxing, and people only have so much effort and attention to expend. It’s important to both recognize your limited cognitive resources and be intentional about how you direct those resources.
Simply being aware of how digital reading practices shape your brain can encourage new attitudes and habits toward how you consume information. Just pausing can reduce susceptibility to misinformation. Taking a few extra seconds to consciously judge information can counteract illusory truth, indicating that intentionally slowing down even just a bit can be beneficial.
Reading deeply means being able to intentionally choose when to read at different speeds, slowing down as needed to wrestle with difficult passages, savor striking prose, critically evaluate information, and reflect on the meaning of a text. It involves entering into a dialogue with the text rather than gleaning information.
Awareness does not mean that you never doomscroll at the end of a long day. But it does mean becoming conscious of the need to also stick with a single text more frequently and to engage with different perspectives.
You can start small, perhaps with poems, short stories or essays, before moving up to longer texts. Partner with a friend or family member and set a goal to read a full-length novel or nonfiction book. Accomplish that goal in small chunks, such as reading one chapter a day and discussing what you read with your reading buddy. Practicing deep reading, such as reading novels, can open you up to new perspectives and ideas that you can explore in conversation with others, in person or even on TikTok.
The Islamic State claimed responsibility on Monday for a suicide blast at a Chinese restaurant in Afghanistan that killed more than half a dozen people.
Abdul Mateen Qani, a spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, told The New York Times the attack was carried out by one person linked to ISIS-Khorasan, commonly known as ISIS-K, one of the terrorist group’s most lethal branches.
ISIS-K has claimed it targets Chinese citizens as retaliation for Beijing’s treatment of Uyghurs, a Muslim minority group, and has also denounced the Afghan government’s relationship with China, according to the Times.
Workers clean the scene as Taliban police secure the area after an explosion at a Chinese restaurant, right, killed at least seven people, including a Chinese national, a day earlier in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.(Siddiqullah Alizai/AP)
Kabul police command spokesman Khalid Zadran said on X that seven people were killed in the explosion, including six Afghans and one Chinese national. Several others were injured.
Zadran said the blast occurred around 3 p.m. local time at a Chinese noodle restaurant in Kabul’s Shahr-e-Naw neighborhood that was jointly run by Abdul Majeed, a Chinese Muslim from Xinjiang province, his wife, and an Afghan named Abdul Jabbar Mahmoud.
“The explosion occurred near the kitchen. The nature of the explosion is still unknown, investigations are ongoing,” he added.
The interior of a Chinese restaurant is seen a day after an explosion killed at least seven people, including a Chinese national, in Kabul, Afghanistan, Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026.(Siddiqullah Alizai/AP)
China’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun told reporters at a press conference on Tuesday that one Chinese national was killed and five others were wounded in the attack.
Jiakun offered condolences to the families and said officials from the Chinese Embassy in Afghanistan have visited the wounded in the hospital. He said China urged the Afghan government to do more to keep Chinese nationals and institutions safe.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun takes a question from a journalist at a press conference in Beijing, China, Jan. 7, 2025.(Florence Lo/Reuters)
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“China strongly condemns and firmly opposes any form of terrorism, supports Afghanistan and regional countries in jointly fighting all forms of terrorist and violent activities,” he said.
“Given the current security situation in Afghanistan, the Ministry once again advises Chinese nationals not to travel to Afghanistan in the near future and asks Chinese nationals and companies already in Afghanistan to take extra precautions, step up security and depart high-risk regions as soon as possible.”
New Delhi: The combined Index of Eight Core Industries (ICI) increased by 3.7 per cent (year-on-year) in December 2025 as production of cement, steel, electricity, fertiliser and coal recorded positive growth last month, the government data showed on Tuesday.
The final growth rate of Index of Eight Core Industries for November 2025 was observed at 2.1 per cent.
The cumulative growth rate of ICI during April to December, 2025-26 is 2.6 per cent (provisional) as compared to the corresponding period of last year, the Commerce Ministry data showed.
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According to the data, steel production increased by 6.9 per cent in December 2025 over December, 2024. Its cumulative index increased by 9.5 per cent during April to December, 2025-26 over corresponding period of the previous year.
The coal production increased by 3.6 per cent last month over December 2024 and its cumulative index declined by 0.7 per cent during April to December 2025-26 over corresponding period of the previous year.
Moreover, fertiliser production increased by 4.1 per cent in December 2025 over December 2024, its cumulative index increased by 1.7 per cent during April to December 2025-26 over corresponding period of the previous year.
The data further showed that cement production increased by 13.5 per cent in December 2025 over December 2024. Its cumulative index increased by 8.8 per cent during April to December, 2025-26 over corresponding period of the previous year.
Also, electricity generation was up by 5.3 per cent last month and its cumulative index increased by 0.3 per cent during April to December 2025-26.
Meanwhile, the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) registered a record high growth of 6.7 per cent (quick estimate) in November, compared to 5 per cent in the same month last year. The manufacturing sector grew strongly on a year-on-year basis by 8 per cent in November.
This acceleration is attributed to the fact that 20 out of 23 industry groups at the “NIC 2-digit-level” have recorded a positive growth in November 2025 over November 2024 in the manufacturing sector.
