MS Dhoni made his international debut on this day in 2004 against Bangladesh (Photo by ICC)

NEW DELHI: On this day in 2004, Indian cricket welcomed a name that went on to change the game’s history forever. Mahendra Singh Dhoni made his international debut for India in an ODI against Bangladesh in Chittagong. At the time, there was little fanfare.

He was just another debutant, a long-haired wicketkeeper from Ranchi, a town rarely associated with Indian cricketing stardom. Few outside close cricketing circles truly knew who he was. Fewer still could have imagined that this young man would one day become one of the most influential figures the game has ever seen.Dhoni did not come through elite academies or age-group teams with heavy media attention. Instead, his rise was built on performances in domestic cricket and strong outings for India A. What caught the selectors’ eyes was not just his ability to score runs, but how he scored them: with power and a fearless approach. Besides his batting duties, he was also a natural wicketkeeper, quick behind the stumps and unafraid of responsibility.When Dhoni was handed his debut cap in Chittagong, India were in a phase of transition. Senior players were nearing the end of their careers, and the team was searching for new match-winners. Dhoni was slotted in at No. 7, a position that demanded adaptability more than glamour. His role was clear: keep wickets and finish games when required.What followed, however, was not the fairytale start many might expect. Dhoni’s first international innings lasted just a few seconds. A misunderstanding with Mohammad Kaif led to a run-out, and Dhoni walked back to the pavilion on a golden duck. For a dubutant, going out like that means confidence can shatter, and opportunities often dry up. But Dhoni was made of a different material.Even in that brief appearance, those watching closely noticed something special. There was no visible panic, no sign of being overwhelmed by the occasion. Behind the stumps, he was lively and alert. His movements were sharp, his throws flat and fast. He spoke little, observed a lot, and seemed comfortable at the highest level almost immediately. Inside the Indian dressing room, there was a growing belief that this was not a one-match experiment.Just two matches later, Dhoni walked out to bat against Pakistan in Visakhapatnam and played an innings that would change the course of his career, and Indian cricket to a certain extent. His 148 off 123 balls was fearless, brutal, and utterly unforgettable. He took on some of the best bowlers in the world with audacity, launching them over the boundary with ease. The long hair, the helicopter-like bat swing, and the sheer confidence of that knock captured the imagination of fans overnight.From that moment, Dhoni was no longer just another wicketkeeper. He was a match-winner. Indian cricket had found a player who could turn games on their head, especially under pressure. More importantly, he redefined what was expected from a wicketkeeper-batter. No longer was the role limited to glovework and modest contributions with the bat. Dhoni showed that a wicketkeeper could be a team’s most dangerous batter.The raw aggression of his early days turned into calculated calm. Soon, he became a master of reading match situations as he would take games deep before delivering the final blow. Fans grew used to seeing him finish matches with boundaries.Leadership soon followed. Dhoni was handed the captaincy in stages, first in T20s and then in ODIs and Tests. Many questioned whether a player with such a short international career was ready to lead. Dhoni answered those doubts in his manner. India won the 2007 T20 World Cup, the 2011 ODI World Cup, and the 2013 Champions Trophy under his captaincy as he became the only captain in cricket history to win all three major ICC trophies.Off the cricket field, he backed young players, absorbed pressure, and rarely let emotions dictate decisions. His calm presence in the dressing room became legendary. Teammates spoke of how his silence could be reassuring. In a country obsessed with cricketing heroes, Dhoni stood out for his nonchalant attitude.Looking back from 2025, Dhoni’s debut feels almost poetic. A run-out for a duck, followed by a career that taught patience, resilience, and belief. His story reminds us that first impressions can be misleading, and that true greatness often reveals itself over time. Not every beginning is loud.Twenty-one years on, that day in Chittagong holds a special place in Indian cricket history. It was the day a legend took his first step, unaware of the path ahead. From a small-town boy with long hair to a global icon known simply as “Captain Cool” Dhoni’s journey remains one of the most inspiring tales the sport has ever told.

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday seized on stronger-than-expected third-quarter growth to claim an “economic golden age,” arguing that tariffs and his tax policies were driving a sharp acceleration in activity even as official data pointed to lingering inflation pressures and a softening labour market.In a post on Truth Social, Trump said the US economy’s 4.3% annualised growth rate in the July–September quarter had “BLOWN PAST expectations” and credited his policies for the performance. “The SUCCESS is due to Good Government, and TARIFFS,” he wrote, adding that “Consumer spending is STRONG, Net Exports are WAY UP, Imports and Trade Deficits are WAY DOWN, and there is NO INFLATION.” He also claimed that investment was “SETTING RECORDS” because of his tax bill and tariffs, declaring that the “Trump Economic Golden Age is FULL steam ahead.”The Commerce Department’s data showed that gross domestic product expanded at a 4.3% annual rate in the third quarter, accelerating from 3.8% growth in the April–June period and comfortably beating forecasts of around 3%, according to analysts surveyed by FactSet. It was the first of three official estimates for the quarter, released after delays linked to the government shutdown.Growth was supported by robust consumer spending, exports and government outlays. Consumer spending, which accounts for roughly 70% of US economic activity, rose at a 3.5% annual pace, up from 2.5% in the previous quarter. Exports increased at an 8.8% rate, while imports fell 4.7%, providing a boost to headline GDP.A measure of the economy’s underlying strength — combining consumer spending and private investment while excluding volatile components such as inventories, trade and government spending — grew at a 3% annual rate, slightly higher than the 2.9% pace recorded in the second quarter.However, the growth report also showed that inflation remains above the Federal Reserve’s comfort zone. The Fed’s preferred inflation gauge, the personal consumption expenditures (PCE) index, rose at a 2.8% annual pace in the third quarter, up from 2.1% in the previous quarter. Core PCE inflation, which strips out food and energy prices, climbed to 2.9% from 2.6%.The labour market data has also been mixed. The government reported last week that the US economy added 64,000 jobs in November but lost 105,000 in October, while the unemployment rate rose to 4.6%, the highest level since 2021. Despite inflation staying above the Fed’s 2% target, the central bank cut its benchmark interest rate three times toward the end of 2025, citing concerns about slowing momentum in hiring.

RBI deputy governor Poonam Gupta is upbeat on India’s growth prospects, especially due to a series of reforms. In her first interview since taking charge eight months ago, she tells TOI that the recent movement of the rupee is not a concern. Excerpts:What’s your overall assessment on growth and inflation, and are we nearing the end of the current interest rate cycle?On the growth front, if one simply plots India’s growth rate over the past four decades, the trend exhibits steady acceleration. Currently, we are in a position similar to the East Asian economies when they transitioned to high-middle-income status. Beyond demographics, India has the advantage of large domestic consumption and a diversified economic base, unlike countries reliant on a couple of sectors such as natural resources or manufacturing.Across different sectors, agriculture is becoming more resilient to natural shocks, with rising productivity driven by greater mechanisation, scale, and diversification. Manufacturing remains aspirational and is growing broadly in line with the average of agriculture and services, at about 7-8%. Within manufacturing, diversification is also increasing. Services, where India is a global leader, continues to be the largest and the fastest growing part of the economy.Reforms have picked up pace in recent years and have now cumulated to a point where they can deliver even stronger growth outcomes. That is why, despite a 50% US tariff and elevated global uncertainty, the Indian economy is performing well. With no new structural risks in sight, growth could easily come at 7-7.5% in the coming years, with limited downside risks. Given the reforms already undertaken, their ongoing momentum, and the underlying strengths of the economy, growth could move to an even higher trajectory in the years to come.What is the outlook on inflation?From a medium term perspective, inflation has been trending downwards. We are just about to complete 10 years of inflation targeting. Inflation has declined on average during the last 10 years and has become less volatile. Inflation has been exceptionally benign this year, and is likely to remain so for several months. RBI’s forecast for 2025-26 stands at 2%, the lower end of the tolerance band. Structurally, as economies become larger, more mature, and more prosperous, inflation tends to decline. This happens for several reasons: their capacity increases, productivity improves, and their supply response becomes faster.If one goes by these global trends, inflation in India too should continue to trend lower and become more stable in the medium term.As for the current policy rate cycle, the Monetary Policy Committee has already reduced it by a cumulative 125 basis points in less than a year. Thus, a significant action has already occurred in the current cycle. Yet, the current neutral stance gives it the flexibility to take further action depending on incoming data. If the inflation outlook remains benign and the inflation-growth outlook so warrants, then hypothetically the MPC could consider further action.Given trade tensions, how do we build buffers?The economy is doing well despite the recent tariff shock because of its in-built strengths and buffers. It is partly owing to diversification and partly attributed to quick and nimble policy responses. The increasing number of FTAs signed, alongside GST and labour reforms, is leading to further strengthening of these buffers.Forex volatility is a concern. How will it impact the economy and to what extent can RBI defend the rupee?India’s external position has been and remains resilient across both the current and capital accounts. On the current account, three pillars hold. First, we have always had a merchandise trade deficit, but it has not been accelerating. Second, services continue to perform ever more strongly. Third, remittances are large and roughly match the services surplus at about 3% of GDP. For a fast-growing emerging market economy such as ours, a 2-3% current account deficit is considered sustainable. This year’s CAD estimate is much below that at around 1-1.2% of GDP, reflective of a growing economy.On the capital account, India receives a healthy dose of FDI. Besides FDI, it receives foreign portfolio investment and other sources of capital such as bank flows and external commercial borrowings, among others. This year, foreign portfolio investment has been relatively weak. Research shows a pecking order for capital flows for their stability, with FDI being the most stable, and portfolio flows being more fickle.The current observed pattern of India’s capital flows aligns with this ranking.The rupee’s current trajectory aligns well with its historical trends. Average depreciation over the past decade is about 3% a year. There are variations from year-to-year around the 3 % average. There are years when the exchange rate depreciation has been higher, followed by relatively stable periods. This year’s slide, at around 4.5%, is aligned with past experience and is in the ballpark. The inflation pass-through of such a rate of depreciation is likely to be very mild, limited to a few basis points. Instead, it should work as an automatic stabiliser and be somewhat positive, in net terms, for the economy.You said there is enough room for expansion in the economy. You want to touch on your reading of the output gap?Going by RBI’s capacity-utilisation survey, utilisation is currently at about 74% and has not risen. Although we do not have hard data on the level of capacity utilisation when fresh investment actually kicks in, my working hypothesis is that the trigger threshold has likely moved up and that it varies by sector—some sectors may run close to 90% before adding capacity.Going by this, we still have slack in the economy and the capacity for the economy to grow faster.Besides, the production process itself has possibly changed. Services—and parts of manufacturing—have turned nimble. Through gig-style supply, and contract hiring they can meet demand faster than before, stretching their existing capacity further. Hence, strong growth—about 8.2% this quarter and near 8% in the last quarter—coexists with benign inflation. Headline, food, and even core ex-gold inflation remains moderate. Besides, wage pressures are absent suggesting that there is still slack in the economy, implying that we are unlikely to see inflationary pressures or overheating anytime soon.There have been some criticism of RBI’s inflation forecasting…Forecast errors are a common feature around the world. Inflation forecasting is even more challenging in India, given the high and outdated weight of food in the CPI basket and the volatile nature of food prices.Just like most other central banks, professional forecasters or multilateral institutions, RBI makes forecast errors too. However, there’s no systematic bias in these errors. Besides, we are constantly striving to improve our approach to forecasting inflation. RBI uses a suite of structural and time-series models to forecast inflation. These models are continuously reviewed and upgraded. In addition, we have enhanced our engagement and have stepped up stakeholder consultation including with agriculture experts, industry bodies, and professional forecasters. We engage more, listen harder, and treat criticism as input, not noise.Bottom line: RBI does its job well, without systematic bias. Still, we stay on our toes. The intention is that policy must keep pace with fast changing economy, with expanding digital commerce, shifting consumption baskets and changes in financing.MoSPI will be undertaking changes to GDP, inflation and industrial production data. What are the points that you are watching closely?RBI has a close, two-way engagement with MoSPI. We exchange views and inputs year-round. MoSPI has run an impressively extensive, rigorous, and consultative process in revising the series and we are keenly awaiting the revised data series.It is being widely anticipated that food’s weightage in the CPI index will likely fall in the revised CPI series. Equally importantly, the composition of food is likely to change too. If it results in a lower weight of volatile food items like specific vegetables, that will make inflation series even more stable. If inflation volatility drops, policymaking will become smoother and business decisions steadier.Another important issue to watch out for would be reweighting: which items in the price basket will gain as the weightage of food weightage shrinks. Overall, we must wait and watch to assess the net implication of a revised series on the level of inflation and its volatility.You spoke about following economies that have lowered inflation targets and narrowed the tolerance band, do you see RBI adopting multiple targets as well?Most countries which have adopted inflation target have a single objective of price stability. India follows flexible inflation targeting. Flexibility comes from the tolerance band and from the mandate itself—price stability, while keeping in mind the objective of growth. The US is one of the few economies which has a dual target, pairing inflation with employment.We recently reviewed global practice for our discussion paper on inflation targeting and found no shift across countries toward multiple targets. Countries are choosing to retain a single target of price stability. There have also been instances of countries like New Zealand which reverted to price stability as the sole mandate before briefly working with a dual mandate.Another issue to consider is whether central banks have adequate policy tools to target multiple different targets.Take the target of employment, for example. Employment depends on a number of factors: economic growth, skills, efficiency of labour markets; regulation; sectoral mix of the economy and their respective employment elasticities; policies at the state level; labour market regulations etc. Central banks don’t control most of these levers. Their main policy tool is the policy rate.Targets without tools would not be effective. That’s why central banks generally avoid multiple targets. I guess one must stay humble about what all monetary policy can deliver.Most IT frameworks target headline as the metric. Globally countries review their frameworks every few years. Some emerging markets have lowered targets and narrowed bands during such periodic reviews.Having once adopted it, no country has ever abandoned inflation targeting. It is believed to have worked well for the most part, and no credible alternative has emerged. Thus far, it remains the global default.What is your view on the debate over whether the focus should be on headline or core inflation?This issue is under review, so I’ll respond more narrowly based on my previous work on cross country experiences and the extensive consultations that we have conducted around the framework. Globally, many economies have recently reviewed inflation targeting—the US, Canada, the European Central Bank—each via different routes. We chose a consultative path. We issued a discussion paper, in which we invited views on a few focused aspects of the framework. We have collated the responses that we have received and are sharing them with the government.The response we have collated articulated clear messages. The majority of the responses favour retaining headline inflation. They have backed a 4% target for India’s current trajectory. They have cautioned against narrowing or reshaping the band amidst global and climate related uncertainty.What is being done to improve research and monetary policy communication?RBI houses one of the country’s largest pool of economists/statisticians. We are continually trying to build and leverage that strength harder. We are engaging more internally as well as with the wider research community. We are striving to improve the relevance, rigour and reach of our research offerings.Results are emerging, but this is a continuous process. Timely, relevant, and rigorous policy research is a moving target.In terms of communication, both the literature and practices have evolved. Earlier, it was believed that there ought to be surprises in monetary policy announcements in order for them to be effective. After the advent of inflation targeting, it is increasingly believed that more transparency, more engagement, and fewer surprises yield better outcomes. In fact, communication and forward guidance are now being considered as additional policy tools at the disposal of central banks.What are your thoughts on the FTAs being signed by India with other countries? Will they help diversify exports and imports?I see FTAs strengthening India’s resilience and speeding prosperity. Opening more external markets will help. Even amid a shock as large as a 50% tariff by the US, the economy has stayed calm—and new market access will further cushion it. Among the feedback that we hear, most stakeholders are comfortable and optimistic about the outcomes of the trade deals being signed.Will FTAs curb over-reliance on specific export/import partners? In principle, yes—but trade diversions can take some time. Capacity must exist in the trading partners; they must be able to supply what we import, at competitive prices, and vice versa.More markets opening—and a potential US deal—could make external demand stronger than before. That additional demand would have the potential for us to use our existing capacity better, spur investment, and lift growth. Taken together, this appears to be an inflection point, setting the stage for an accelerated take-off.So, there will not be any risk of overstimulation?I do not perceive any overstimulation risk at this point. Enhanced demand can be met without strain with capacity utilisation sitting at nearly 74%. If demand accelerates beyond what the current capacity can handle, then more investment will follow and result in additional capacity creation. I see no roadblocks to more investment occurring in such a situation. There is ample and affordable financing available to fund any such investment push. Most nominal indicators do not point to overheating in the foreseeable future.

Michael Jordan (Image via: Getty Images)

Michael Jordan is one of the greatest players in NBA history. Beyond his unmatched achievements on the court, the legend has built extraordinary wealth. After retiring, Jordan turned several of his business ventures into huge financial successes. When it comes to net worth, the legend has earned massive fortunes that reflect his lasting impact on and off the game.Apart from his 15-year NBA career earnings, Jordan has earned huge amounts of money through his long-term partnership with top brands, including Nike, and his ownership in two professional sports teams. Jordan’s off-court impact is also huge, he is said to have donated $100 million in 2020 for various humanitarian causes like supporting racial equality, social justice, and education for all.

What is Michael Jordan’s net worth in 2025?

As of 2025, Michael Jordan’s net worth is said to be around $3.8 billion, per Forbes. He earned $90 million from his contracts in the big league over the 15 seasons he played in, and his off-court earnings are also said to have increased when he partnered with major brands like McDonald’s and Nike. In 2023, Jordan sold his majority share in the Charlotte Hornets for $3 billion, becoming the first professional athlete to appear on Forbes’ list of the 400 richest Americans.

Michael Jordan’s investments, contracts, and more

Michael Jordan built much of his financial income through his team ownerships and business contracts. In 2010, he bought the majority of shares in the NBA Charlotte Hornets team for about $275 million. In August 2023, he sold that share for $3 billion, making it one of the biggest team trades in the history of sports. He still owns a small share of the team.Michael Jordan also co-owns the 23XI NASCAR Racing team, which he started in 2020 with Denny Hamlin. The team has grown very fast, with its funds increasing quickly over the years. Overall, Jordan’s success off the court has played a major role in making him one of the richest athletes ever.Also Read: “It’s just God disguised” – NBA legend shares rare insight he had while meeting Michael Jordan for the first time

US consumer confidence weakened in December, sliding to its lowest level since President Donald Trump rolled out sweeping tariffs earlier this year, as households grew more anxious about high prices, trade levies and job prospects, according to a survey by the Conference Board.The Conference Board said its consumer confidence index fell 3.8 points to 89.1 in December from an upwardly revised 92.9 in November, AP reported. The reading is close to the 85.7 level recorded in April, when the Trump administration introduced import taxes on key US trading partners, AP reported.

Consumers’ assessment of current economic conditions saw a sharper drop. The present situation index fell 9.5 points to 116.8, reflecting growing unease about inflation and employment conditions. Write-in responses to the survey showed that prices and inflation remained the biggest concern for consumers, alongside tariffs.Short-term expectations for income, business conditions and the labour market were little changed at 70.7, but remained well below 80 — a threshold that can signal a recession ahead. This was the 11th straight month that expectations stayed under that level.Perceptions of the job market also weakened. The share of consumers who said jobs were “plentiful” fell to 26.7% in December from 28.2% in November, while those who said jobs were “hard to get” rose to 20.8% from 20.1%.The softer sentiment follows recent labour market data showing mixed signals. Government figures released last week showed the US economy added 64,000 jobs in November after losing 105,000 jobs in October. The unemployment rate climbed to 4.6% last month, its highest level since 2021.Economists say the labour market is stuck in a “low hire, low fire” phase, as companies remain cautious amid uncertainty over tariffs and the lingering effects of high interest rates. Since March, average monthly job creation has slowed to about 35,000, down from 71,000 in the year ended March. Federal Reserve chair Jerome Powell has said he suspects those figures could be revised even lower, AP reported.

The Justice Department’s largest disclosure yet includes FBI interviews, victim accounts, emails involving Ghislaine Maxwell, and flight record allegations linked to Donald Trump.The US Department of Justice on Tuesday released nearly 30,000 pages of documents, photographs, and investigative material related to Jeffrey Epstein, marking the biggest tranche of files disclosed so far.

Alongside the release, the DOJ warned that the records include “untrue and sensationalist claims” involving President Donald Trump, though it did not specify which allegations it was referring to.Also read |Epstein files: Trump’s name appears in latest file drop; listed as passenger on 8 private jet flightsTrump addressed the partial release of the Epstein files for the first time at a press conference on Monday. He warned that the disclosure process could “ruin” reputations and said it was overshadowing his policy agenda.With the latest batch representing the most extensive release to date, the newly disclosed records show several key findings.

Epstein’s preferences: 23 was “too old”

Among the newly released documents is a grand jury interview with an unnamed FBI agent from May 2007. The agent described an allegation that Epstein recruited a 15-year-old girl to give him a topless massage.The agent said a witness had recruited other girls from among their peer group, adding: “Epstein liked girls like her, which is thin and blonde and attractive,” as quoted by the Independent.Another witness quoted in the files described Epstein as selective and highly focused on the age of the girls he allowed to work for him, adding that Epstein rejected some girls he “didn’t really like” and once dismissed a potential masseur as “too old” at 23.A handwritten note from a May 2019 interview states the financier was “asking for ID to girl, wanted make sure under 18 b/c he wasn’t believing them b/c [redacted] messed up by bringing more older girls.”

Trump referenced in alleged note

A letter allegedly written by Jeffrey Epstein to Larry Nassar, the former USA Gymnastics team doctor who was convicted of sexual abuse, was also found.In the letter, postmarked August 13, 2019, three days after Epstein’s death in a Manhattan jail cell, Epstein allegedly wrote: “As you know by now, I have taken the ‘short route’ home.”“We shared one thing, our love and caring for young ladies and the hope they’d reach their full potential,” he added.Epstein reportedly mentioned President Donald Trump, writing, “Our president also shares our love of young, nubile girls. When a young beauty walked by he loved to ‘grab snatch,’ whereas we ended up snatching grub in the mess halls of the system.”“Life is unfair,” and signed: “Yours, J. Epstein

Maxwell’s ‘lack of remorse for her central role in procuring victims for Epstein’

A December 2020 email included in the files contains a statement from one of Jeffrey Epstein’s victims prepared for a court bail hearing involving Ghislaine Maxwell, Epstein’s former girlfriend and associate.In the statement, the victim described Maxwell’s background and behavior, saying she had “lived a life of privilege” and abused her position of power. The statement added that fleeing the country “would fit with her long history of anti-social behavior.”“I believe that she is a psychopath… She has demonstrated a complete failure to accept responsibility in any way for her actions and demonstrated a complete lack of remorse for her central role in procuring victims for Epstein.”The victim also described Maxwell’s role in the grooming process, stating that she was “both charming and manipulative with me during the grooming process.”

Victim described lasting trauma

A February 1, 2008 email written by an assistant US attorney in Florida following interviews with Epstein’s victims.“We just finished interviewing three of the girls. I wish you could have been there to see how much this has affected them,” the email reads. “One girl broke down sobbing so that we had to stop the interview twice within a 20 minute span… she said that she was having nightmares about Epstein coming after her.”

Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet 8 times

A document released is a January 7, 2020 email discussing Epstein flight records.The email states that “Donald Trump traveled on Epstein’s private jet many more times than previously has been reported (or that we were aware).”The sender and recipient are redacted, but the email is attributed to an assistant US attorney in the Southern District of New York.According to the email, Trump was “listed as a passenger on at least eight flights between 1993 and 1996,” including four flights on which Maxwell was also present. The email also states Trump traveled with Marla Maples, his daughter Tiffany, and his son Eric.It further claims that one 1993 flight listed only Epstein and Trump as passengers, while another listed Epstein, Trump, and a then-20-year-old individual whose name is redacted.

Alleged fake video of Epstein’s death

The newly released documents reportedly include a 12-second video sent to the FBI that claimed to show Jeffrey Epstein’s suicide in his New York jail cell in August 2019. The video appears to have been submitted by a member of the public who had seen it circulating online and contacted the FBI to ask whether it was authentic.Also read |DOJ releases video of Epstein committing suicide, turns out it is AI-generated

Emails link Maxwell to ‘Balmoral Summer Camp’

Newly released documents also show email correspondence involving Ghislaine Maxwell from August 2001.In one message, a person identified as “A” or “The Invisible Man” wrote: “I am up here at Balmoral Summer Camp for the Royal Family.” The email references “new inappropriate friends.”Maxwell replied: “So sorry to dissappoint [sic] you, however the truth must be told. I have only been able to find appropriate friends.”“A” later responded: “Distraught!”Jeffrey Epstein entered a plea deal with prosecutors in 2008 after the parents of a 14-year-old girl reported to Florida police that he had molested their daughter.Investigators found photographs of girls throughout his residence, and Epstein was convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor. The plea agreement allowed him to avoid a lengthy prison sentence.More than a decade later, he was charged again, accused of operating a network that exploited underage girls for sex. Epstein died in prison in 2019 while awaiting trial, and his death was ruled a suicide.

US stocks were largely steady near record levels in early trade on Tuesday after government data showed the American economy expanded at a stronger-than-expected pace in the third quarter, pushing Treasury yields higher even as equity moves stayed muted in holiday-thinned trading. The S&P 500 hovered close to its all-time high set earlier this month, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped marginally and the Nasdaq was little changed. S&P 500 little changed and trading close to the record high it touched earlier this month. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 27 points, or 0.1%, while the Nasdaq composite was broadly flat, AP reported. Shares of Novo Nordisk rose after US regulators cleared a pill version of its blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, marking the first daily oral treatment approved for obesity. US government figures showed economic growth in the July–September quarter surprised on the upside, reinforcing the view that the economy remains resilient despite higher interest rates and slowing factory activity. The data nudged bond yields higher, reflecting expectations that the Federal Reserve will stay cautious on further rate cuts. Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the S&P 500, Dow and Nasdaq were largely flat, signalling a subdued start as markets brace for early closes on Wednesday and a full shutdown on Thursday for Christmas. Among individual stocks, Novo Nordisk jumped sharply after US regulators approved a daily pill version of its blockbuster weight-loss drug Wegovy, marking the first oral medication cleared for obesity treatment. The approval lifted sentiment around the Danish drugmaker and the broader healthcare space. In commodities, gold extended its rally, touching fresh record levels as investors continued to seek safety amid global uncertainty. Silver also gained, while oil prices edged higher after the US Coast Guard said it was pursuing another sanctioned oil tanker in the Caribbean. Despite recent gains, crude prices remain sharply lower for the year, weighed down by weak demand indicators and soft factory activity. Attention in the days ahead will turn to a clutch of US economic reports scheduled during the shortened week. These include additional GDP estimates, consumer confidence data from the Conference Board and weekly jobless claims, which investors watch closely as a gauge of labour market health. Overseas markets were mixed. European stocks traded narrowly, with Germany’s DAX edging higher while France’s CAC 40 slipped. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei was flat as the yen strengthened after officials warned of possible intervention to curb excessive currency weakness. Markets in China and South Korea posted modest gains, while Australian equities rose more than 1%.

Jasprit Bumrah. (Image: AP)

MUMBAI: At a time when the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has instructed all Indian players, including senior stars and former captains Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli, to feature in at least two matches of the upcoming Vijay Hazare Trophy, an exception has been made for Jasprit Bumrah. The decision has been taken with a clear focus on managing the fast bowler’s workload.

India are set to enter a packed white-ball calendar. From January 11, they will host New Zealand for an eight-match white-ball series, starting with three ODIs, followed by five T20Is from January 21. After that, India begin their T20 World Cup campaign on February 7 against the USA at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai. With so much cricket lined up, the team management has opted to carefully manage Bumrah’s schedule. As a result, Bumrah will not represent Gujarat in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, which begins on Wednesday. The 32-year-old pacer has a history of injury concerns and underwent back surgery in New Zealand in 2023. Given that background, rest has been prioritised over domestic participation. “Bumrah will not feature in VHT as he is taking rest,” Gujarat Cricket Association secretary Anil Patel told TOI from Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Bumrah has been on a demanding run in recent months. He played in the Asia Cup (T20 format), featured in all four home Tests against the West Indies and South Africa, toured Australia for a five-match T20I series, and then played a five-match home T20I series against South Africa. During this period, he was rested for the three-match ODI series against Australia (away) and South Africa (home). In the recent T20I series against the Proteas, Bumrah picked up four wickets in three matches at an average of 19.75, while maintaining an economy rate of 7.18. Meanwhile, Gujarat will still have international representation in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. Left-arm spinner Axar Patel, who missed the last two T20Is against South Africa due to viral fever, is set to feature in the tournament. Gujarat are scheduled to play their league matches in Bengaluru. Veteran all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will also be in action, turning out for Saurashtra in their Vijay Hazare Trophy matches on January 6 and 8.