Vinesh Phogat (Getty Images)

NEW DELHI: India’s trailblazing wrestler Vinesh Phogat has officially reignited her Olympic journey. On Friday, the 31-year-old announced her return to competitive wrestling — ending her 18-month retirement with a powerful declaration that her “fire never left,” and that she is ready to chase her dream of stepping onto the Olympic podium at Los Angeles 2028.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Vinesh, who had retired in the aftermath of the Paris Olympics controversy, shared an emotional and introspective post on Instagram confirming her comeback. Her retirement had followed one of the most heartbreaking episodes in Indian sporting history: she reached the gold-medal bout in Paris, but was disqualified hours before the final for being 100 grams overweight, losing the opportunity to become the first Indian woman to fight for an Olympic wrestling gold.

“For the first time in years, I allowed myself to breathe,” Vinesh wrote, describing how stepping away from the sport helped her confront the highs, heartbreaks and sacrifices of the past decade. “And somewhere in that reflection, I found the truth — I still love this sport. I still want to compete.”She revealed the emotional reconstruction that happened during her time off the mat. “In that silence, I found something I’d forgotten — the fire never left. It was only buried under exhaustion and noise.”

Vinesh’s comeback is also intertwined with a new chapter in her personal life. The Olympian, who won the Julana Assembly seat in 2024 before taking maternity leave, welcomed a baby boy in July 2025. This time, she says, she returns with her “biggest motivation” by her side. “My son is joining my team — my little cheerleader on this road to the LA Olympics.”Her Olympic journey has been turbulent: forced withdrawal due to injury in Rio 2016, a shock early exit at Tokyo 2021 despite being world No. 1, and the devastating disqualification in Paris after defeating three continental champions en route to the final. Her appeal to UWW was rejected, and even her escalated plea to the Court of Arbitration for Sport could not overturn the decision.The emotional toll pushed her into retirement — but today marks a new beginning.With her comeback officially underway, Vinesh Phogat is set to rejoin the elite cadre of Indian athletes who have returned stronger after motherhood.

Investors await crucial data releases including India’s CPI and figures today. (AI image)

Stock market today: Nifty50 and BSE Sensex, the Indian equity benchmark indices, opened in green on Friday. While Nifty50 was near the 26,000 mark, BSE Sensex was up over 300 points. At 9:16 AM, Nifty50 was trading at 25,976.75, up 78 points or 0.30%. BSE Sensex was at 85,108.90, up 291 points or 0.34%.Indian stock markets moved upwards on Thursday, breaking a three-day downward trend in Nifty. Foreign institutional investors continued their selling streak for the eleventh consecutive session. Investors await crucial data releases including India’s CPI and figures today.Dr. VK Vijayakumar, Chief Investment Strategist, Geojit Investments Limited says, “A healthy feature of the investment behaviour of retail investors is the steady inflows into mutual fund SIPs, which have been consistently above 29000 crores during the last three months. This has strengthened the DIIs in the FIIs vs DIIs tug of war and has enabled the DIIs to absorb the sustained selling by FIIs. It would be difficult for the FIIs to sell continuously and maintain a high short position in the market in the context of healthy SIP inflows, particularly when the economy is doing well and the prospects for earnings growth are improving.” “It is important to understand that rupee depreciation, sustained FII selling, delay in the finalisation of the US-India trade deal and the ongoing AI trade are all temporary drags on the markets. The most important factor that will dictate the direction of the market is the earnings growth, and this looks promising for FY 27. In December so far, FIIs have sold equity worth Rs 14845 crores through the exchanges. This sell figure has been completely eclipsed by the DII buying for Rs 36097 crores during this period. Sustained selling in India when the prospects for growth and earnings look bright is not a sustainable policy. This can lend support to the market.”Regional Asian equities opened higher, following record-setting performances in US and global markets, supported by the Federal Reserve’s third sequential rate reduction.The S&P 500 and Dow Jones reached new closing highs on Thursday after the Federal Reserve’s policy announcement proved less aggressive than anticipated. The technology-focused Nasdaq declined as Oracle’s financial report caused wariness regarding AI investments.Gold prices fell on Friday following a more than seven-week peak in the previous session, as investors took profits.Foreign portfolio investors sold shares worth Rs 2,021 crore net on Thursday. DIIs were net purchasers at Rs 3,796 crore.(Disclaimer: Recommendations and views on the stock market, other asset classes or personal finance management tips given by experts are their own. These opinions do not represent the views of The Times of India)

The United States on Thursday imposed new sanctions on Venezuela, targeting three nephews of President Nicolas Maduro’s wife, along with six crude oil tankers and associated shipping companies. The action coincided with a large-scale US military buildup in the southern Caribbean and President Donald Trump’s campaign for Maduro’s ouster. On Wednesday Trump said the US had seized a sanctioned oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela, Reuters reported.

The US Treasury Department said in a statement it imposed sanctions on six shipping companies moving Venezuelan oil, and on six crude oil tankers that it said “have engaged in deceptive and unsafe shipping practices and continue to provide financial resources that fuel Maduro’s corrupt narco-terrorist regime.” Four of the tankers, including the 2002-built H. Constance and the 2003-built Lattafa, are Panama-flagged, with the other two flagged by the Cook Islands and Hong Kong. The targeted vessels are supertankers that recently loaded crude in Venezuela, according to internal shipping documents of state oil company PDVSA. Franqui Flores and Efrain Antonio Campo Flores, nephews of Venezuelan first lady Cilia Flores, were also sanctioned. The two were detained in Haiti in 2015 in a US Drug Enforcement Administration operation, convicted in 2016 of attempting a multimillion-dollar cocaine deal and sentenced to 18 years in prison, but released in a 2022 prison swap with Venezuela. A third nephew, Carlos Erik Malpica Flores, sanctioned for his alleged role in a corruption plot at PDVSA, was also designated. Wednesday’s seizure of a Venezuelan oil cargo was the first under US sanctions in force since 2019 and the first known tanker action by the Trump administration since the military buildup. The administration plans further tanker seizures, according to sources. US Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on X that the FBI, Homeland Security and Coast Guard, backed by the US military, carried out a warrant authorising the seizure of a crude tanker transporting sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran. The move sent oil prices higher and sharply escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas.President Maduro on Thursday slammed the US seizure of an oil tanker from his country, calling it an act of “naval piracy” that escalated tensions between Washington and Caracas.“They kidnapped the crew, stole the ship and have inaugurated a new era, the era of criminal naval piracy in the Caribbean,” Maduro said at a presidential event, adding “Venezuela will secure all ships to guarantee the free trade of its oil around the world.” Trump has repeatedly raised the possibility of military intervention in Venezuela, accusing it of sending narcotics to the United States. The US has already conducted more than 20 strikes against suspected drug vessels, raising concerns among lawmakers and legal experts.

Mexico’s Senate approved a bill imposing 5-50% tariffs on over 1,400 Asian products, including India’s, starting next year. This move, targeting China’s massive output, could significantly impact India’s automotive and auto parts exports, valued at $1.1 billion. The tariffs aim to boost Mexican revenue and potentially ease US trade pressure.

Mexico’s Senate Wednesday voted in favour of a bill that imposes tariffs of 5% to 50% on over 1,400 products from Asian nations, including India. The levies will take effect from next year and hit products ranging from clothing to auto parts, with the massive output of Chinese factories emerging as the legislation’s focus.

Exports Of Auto, Components, Among Others Will Be Hit

For India, which has a trade surplus with Mexico, this could be bad news for automobiles and auto parts. Annual exports of firms such as Volkswagen, Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki added up to around $1.1bn with 90,000 units being shipped. Two-wheeler brands like Royal Enfield, TVS, Bajaj and Honda may also be hit.

Mexico’s decision to impose 5-50% tariffs to affect India

After the US, now Mexico is erecting tariff barriers for countries with which it does not have a trade agreement, including India.Mexico’s Senate on Wednesday voted in favour of a bill that imposes tariffs between 5% and 50% on more than 1,400 products from Asian nations, Bloomberg reported. The new levies will take effect starting next year and hit a wide range of products from clothing to metals and auto parts, with the massive output of Chinese factories emerging as the legislation’s focus.For India, which has a trade surplus with Mexico, the move could be bad news for automobiles and auto parts. Companies such as Volkswagen, Hyundai and Maruti Suzuki, whose exports added up to around $1.1 billion in 2024-25, shipments of around 90,000 units may be hit.“India has been a strong export base for Skoda Auto Volkswagen for many years and that continues to guide how we build and engineer cars for global markets… Mexico has consistently been one of our important export markets, given rising demand there and traction of India-made models. We are monitoring the situation. For the moment, we have come to the conclusion that our business activities are not affected,” Skoda Auto Volkswagen said.Two-wheeler brands such as Royal Enfield, TVS, Bajaj and Honda are also understood to be exporting to the Latin American country. Besides, component exports to Mexico were estimated at around $850 million in 2024-25 and some of these were used by companies to manufacture vehicles headed to the US.“India’s auto component exports to Mexico largely comprise powertrain and driveline parts, precision forgings, chassis and brake systems, and key electrical and after-market products. There is a strong demand, especially for forgings and precision machined components,” Auto Component Manufacturers Association director general Vinnie Mehta told TOI.While higher taxes will yield around $2.8 billion revenue for the Mexican govt, it is seen to have facing US President Donald Trump’s pressure on Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum to reduce imports from China.“…(It) is a signal of deepening global trade tensions, closely linked to future bilateral agreements. This is likely to disrupt established supply chains that used Mexico as a base to push exports into US … sectors such as auto components, textile, and engineering goods are likely to be impacted by these tariffs. The new Mexico tariffs ranging from 35% to 50% on these products will make Indian exports through the countries with US FTA more cost-competitive if Indian is able to conclude long-term bilateral agreements with those nations,” said Saurabh Agarwal, tax partner at EY India.

South Africa’s players celebrate the wicket of Shubman Gill during the second T20 International cricket match between India and South Africa, at Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, in New Chandigarh. (PTI Photo)

NEW DELHI: India fell short in their chase of 214 and were bowled out for 162 in 19.1 overs at New Chandigarh’s Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, which hosted its first men’s international match on Thursday. South Africa won the second T20I by 51 runs and levelled the five-match series 1-1.India lost wickets regularly and never built momentum in the chase. Tilak Varma scored 62 off 34 balls and was the lone warrior for the Men-in-Blue. South Africa put India under pressure early by removing Shubman Gill, Abhishek Sharma and Suryakumar Yadav in the powerplay, and continued to strike at regular intervals.

Ottneil Baartman took four wickets for South Africa, while Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, and Lutho Sipamla picked up two each.Earlier, Quinton de Kock scored 90 off 46 balls and took South Africa to 213 for four. He hit seven sixes and five fours, with most of the sixes going towards deep square leg.De Kock, who recently reversed his ODI retirement and was uncertain about his T20 plans after last year’s World Cup, returned with strong intent. An innings like this just less than a week before the IPL mini auction will also create the buzz among the franchises, who might indulge in a bidding war for the multi-skilled cricketer.India chose to bowl first after winning the toss. Arshdeep Singh, who dismissed de Kock in the series opener, went for runs this time. De Kock began with a six over mid-wicket off Arshdeep before adding another with a pull shot. Jasprit Bumrah also conceded 16 runs in his second over after Reeza Hendricks hit him for a six. Hendricks was later dismissed by Varun Chakravarthy, but de Kock kept scoring and took South Africa to 53 for one in the powerplay.Arshdeep returned in the 11th over but struggled with his lines after de Kock hit him for a straight six. The over included seven wides and went for 18 runs. De Kock looked set for a second T20I hundred but was run out by wicketkeeper Jitesh Sharma while attempting a single.South Africa continued to score quickly after his dismissal. Donavan Ferreira made 30 not out off 16 balls and David Miller added 20 not out off 12 in the final overs.Bumrah also went for runs at the end, conceding 18 in the 20th over as Ferreira hit two sixes. India gave away 123 runs in the last 10 overs.The five match series now stands at 1-1 with the third match scheduled in Dharamsala on December 14.

Abhishek Sharma (AP Photo)

NEW DELHI: As Abhishek Sharma gears up to play his first international match at home when India face South Africa in the second T20I in Mullanpur on Thursday, those who shaped his journey insist that his rapid rise is anything but a surprise. Behind the six-hitting power and effortless elegance sits a work ethic sculpted from childhood — and a strict mentor he is still “scared” of.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Abhishek’s father and childhood coach, Rajkumar Sharma, recalls a teenager who already lived like a seasoned pro. “His days started at 4am,” Rajkumar told The Indian Express. “From gym and exercise to running and swimming — he did everything he could to constantly improve as a player.”

Once the fitness grind was done, Abhishek wanted only one thing — to bat. Punjab junior coach Arun Bedi still marvels at the sight of an 11- or 12-year-old effortlessly lifting bowlers over the ropes.“Abhishek would hit sixes with lofted shots at an age when boys are still learning to middle the ball. It spoke volumes about his skill,” Bedi said.

Cricketing legends have shaped him along the way — VVS Laxman and Rahul Dravid with India, Ricky Ponting and Brian Lara in the IPL. But no influence has been stronger, or sterner, than Yuvraj Singh, who began training with Abhishek during the lockdown.Rajkumar laughs as he describes the tough love that drives the youngster even today. “Even now, when he thinks Abhishek has made a mistake, he will pick up the phone and call and scold him,” he said. “And Abhishek is scared of him too.”The 25-year-old has also embraced golf thanks to Lara and Yuvraj — not as a pastime but as a tool to refine his batting rhythm. “It has improved his bat swing, made it cleaner,” Rajkumar explained.

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday repeated his claim that Union home minister Amit Shah appeared ‘nervous’ and used ‘foul language’ during his Lok Sabha speech the previous day.Also Read | SIR row debate in Lok Sabha: Rahul Gandhi interrupts Amit Shah with ‘open challenge’; gets ‘I will decide’ reply “He (Shah) used foul language. His hands were trembling. Mentally, he is under pressure, and it was seen in Parliament. Whatever I had asked, he gave no replies and provided no proof. I challenged him openly to discuss over my press conferences, but nothing happened. Everyone now understands the reality,” Gandhi told reporters.During his Lok Sabha speech on electoral reforms, Shah clashed with Gandhi over the Congress leader’s repeated claims of vote chori’ (theft)” by the Election Commission and the ruling BJP.The Lok Sabha leader of opposition, who has held three press conferences on the issue, challenged the home minister to a debate based on those briefings. In response, Shah remarked that the “House will not function according to his (Gandhi’s) wishes.”The heated exchange erupted when Gandhi interjected during Shah’s address in the Lok Sabha on electoral reforms. Criticising the opposition over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, the senior BJP leader argued that he had responses to all their accusations, including those raised in Gandhi’s three press conferences.“In his press conference, the LoP claimed the voter list is flawed and needs correction. That is exactly what SIR is — a process to clean up the rolls. Yet he opposes it. Your defeat is certain; the voter list has nothing to do with it. Double standards won’t work in a democracy. When you win, the EC is great; when you lose, the EC is biased. I have answers to all these allegations — those three press conferences included,” Shah remarked.Gandhi then interrupted and challenged him to a debate. “Yesterday, I asked why Election Commissioners were given full immunity. We want to understand the reasoning behind it. He (Amit Shah) mentioned Haryana, but there are many other examples — including 19 lakh fake voters. Let’s debate my press conferences. Amit Shah ji, I challenge you to a debate on all three,” the Rae Bareli MP asserted.Shah responded that Gandhi could not dictate the order of his speech and should remain patient. “You cannot run Parliament through obstinacy. I will decide the order of my address. The House won’t function like this. He should be patient. I will respond to every point,” he countered.Opposition MPs walked out of the Lok Sabha during Shah’s reply to the discussion on electoral reforms.

Donald Trump has announced what is being termed ‘gold card’ – an expedited visa that will grant US residency to immigrants in ‘record time’. The Trump administration has also launched a website accepting applications for the $1 million gold card. During the announcement, Trump told reporters that the company will be happy with the new gold card, specifically naming iPhone maker Apple and its CEO Tim Cook. “The companies will be very happy and I know Apple will be happy. Nobody talked to me more about it than Tim Cook who said it’s a real problem,” Trump told reports, adding “It’s not going to be a problem anymore.”

What is Trump’s $1 million ‘gold card’

The new ‘gold card’ visa program has been in the works for months. In an executive order dated September 19, 2025, the ‘gold card’ visa is aimed to “facilitate the entry of aliens who have demonstrated their ability and desire to advance the interests of the United States by voluntarily providing a significant financial gift to the Nation.” As per an official government webpage, applicants will have to pay a $15,000 DHS processing fee and, after background approval, a contribution of $1 million. With the new ‘gold card’ visa, immigrants will “receive U.S. residency in record time,” the website states.The card will be subject to availability. Applicants who are eligible and approved for the gold card will get legal status as an EB-1 or EB-2 visa holder. While the application and approval process is expected to take weeks, officials noted that “a small number of countries may have wait times of up to a year or more based on visa availability.”“A direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people. SO EXCITING! Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent,” wrote Trump in a social media post announcing the $1 million ‘gold card’ visa.

DHS secretary Kristi Noem praises new ‘gold card’ visa program

Sharing a post on X, the Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem wrote:“The Department of Homeland Security is working closely with @CommerceGov to facilitate the rollout of President Trump’s Gold Card program.Under this historic initiative, qualified individuals and corporations, who contribute $1 million and $2 million respectively, will receive expedited EB-1 or EB-2 green cards following rigorous vetting.This landmark program fulfills President Trump’s promise to attract the world’s most successful entrepreneurs and investors to America while guaranteeing they have skin in the game.”

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday unveiled his long-anticipated “gold card,” a high-priced immigration offering designed to grant legal status, and eventually US citizenship, to individuals and companies willing to pay significant sums. Framed as a replacement for the three-decade-old EB-5 investor visa, the new programme opens the door to permanent residency for foreign nationals ready to invest $1 million personally or $2 million through their employers. Trump has cast the gold card as a way to attract the world’s “best people,” pitching it not only as a magnet for elite graduates from US universities but also as a revenue generator for the federal government.The rollout comes against the backdrop of Trump’s strict immigration crackdowns. Even as his government has pursued mass deportations and tightened border controls, Trump has repeatedly argued that exceptional foreign-born talent should be allowed to stay.Also read: Trump launches Gold Card, cites corporate demand — what it means“THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT’S TRUMP GOLD CARD IS HERE TODAY! A direct path to Citizenship for all qualified and vetted people. SO EXCITING! Our Great American Companies can finally keep their invaluable Talent,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

What ‘Gold Card’ gets you?

Fastrack legal residency and US citizenship

Despite its branding, the “gold card” is essentially a revamped green card, but one that Trump touts as “much better” and offering a “stronger path.” Holders receive permanent legal residency, meaning they can live and work in the United States indefinitely and, over time, pursue US citizenship. Unlike the EB-5 programme, which hinges on job-creation requirements, the new card’s criteria appear streamlined: payment of the required fee and completion of background vetting.Green Cards are accessible via multiple routes including sponsorship, lotteries, or EB-5 investments starting at $800,000 with job creation requirements. Gold Cards require a $5 million direct payment (or sometimes cited as $1 million for a base version), bypassing traditional processes for faster approval aimed at economic benefit.Under the Gold Card program, a successful applicant would receive lawful permanent resident status under the EB-1 or EB-2 visa categories, as determined by the US department of homeland security and subject to availability.

Access for top tier graduates and skilled labour

One of Trump’s central arguments for the programme is its ability to retain highly skilled graduates from US universities, particularly those from China, India, and France. Businesses, he has said, routinely lose world-class candidates because their visa status is uncertain. The gold card aims to remove that barrier, offering companies the opportunity to secure permanent residency for prized recruits, with each card tied to a single individual.“Tremendous people won’t have to say they graduated from college and have to go back to India, China, France; we’re taking care of that,” Trump said as he launched the card.“You can’t hire people from the best colleges because you don’t know whether or not you can keep the person,” the US president said.

$15,000 vetting fee

Every application includes a $15,000 vetting fee to fund thorough background checks, according to commerce secretary Howard Lutnick.The administration has framed this level of scrutiny as ensuring only top-qualifying individuals obtain residency. Meanwhile, Trump emphasized the programme’s fiscal upside, promising all proceeds will go directly to the US government to fund “positive” national initiatives.Also read: Gold Card visa cost, eligibility, application timeline, and how to apply — explained

What it doesn’t get you

No job obligations, no mention of caps

Unlike the EB-5 system it replaces, the gold card comes with no stated requirements for job creation by investors or employers. Trump’s announcement also omitted any reference to annual caps or limitations on the number of cards available. This leaves questions about oversight, scalability, and how the programme fits into broader immigration policy frameworks.

No guarantee of lower costs for businesses

While corporations can purchase multiple cards, each one applies to only one employee, meaning costs scale directly with the number of hires. Companies seeking to retain multiple foreign-born graduates could find themselves paying millions, a model that favors well-capitalized employers and wealthy individuals but may not help smaller firms struggling with talent shortages.

Not a departure from merit-based immigration politics

Despite Trump’s hardline stance on immigration elsewhere, the gold card neither resolves nor escapes the political tensions within his base. Critics within the MAGA movement have objected to policies that increase legal immigration, even in selective forms. Although framed as “bringing in the best people,” the programme does not address broader concerns around fairness, accessibility, or the treatment of immigrants without wealth or elite credentials.