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From overwhelming perfume to clumsy sunglasses, the French president's quirky habits may be more than mere personal quirks; they may be deliberate shows of strength. French President Emmanuel Macron's image management seems to be designed to reinforce charisma, control, and presence, blending political theater and personal branding in a distinctly French manner. According to a shocking new book, Emmanuel Macron makes fun of his aides by wearing «industrial amounts» of cologne and carrying a box of «ugly» sunglasses.

Vodafone Idea (Vi) has started initial discussions with banks and global vendors to buy 4G and 5G network gear against letters of credit (LCs) instead of making full upfront payments, backed by the government's debt conversion. Switching back to an LC-based payments model with global vendors is likely to give Vi far more cash-flow flexibility and allow it to accelerate its 4G network expansion and 5G rollouts via bigger volume equipment purchases, multiple people aware of the discussions said. The telco needs to speedily expand its 4G services as it aims to narrow the network coverage difference with rivals Reliance Jio and Bharti Airtel, and stem rapid user losses.

Not for nothing did Geet Dhillon say proudly, “Main aapni favourite hoon!” (I am my favourite). Kareena Kapoor Khan recently gave a lovely message on self-love. At the launch event of celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar’s latest book, the '3 Idiots' actress spoke candidly about her perspective on food and her relationship with it. She revealed that she has always maintained a relaxed approach to eating and never hesitated to indulge in a bag of chips without guilt. Sharing a personal experience, she disclosed that after the birth of her younger son, Jeh, she gained around 45 kilograms. Although there was a fleeting moment when societal expectations made her feel pressured to regain her pre-pregnancy physique, she quickly dismissed the thought and reassured herself that she still looked «fab».

Bajaj Finance shares will be in focus on Friday after the company reported strong Q4 FY25 results, with assets under management (AUM) rising 26% year-on-year to Rs 4.17 lakh crore as of 31 March 2025. The company added Rs 18,700 crore to its AUM during the quarter, reflecting steady demand for its financial products.

Mickey 17, directed by Bong Joon Ho, will soon be available for home viewing. Warner Bros. has announced that the sci-fi film will be released digitally on April 8, with physical copies arriving on May 13.

Tulane University quarterback, TJ Finley, was arrested in New Orleans on charges of illegally possessing a stolen vehicle valued at more than $25,000. The 23-year-old, whose full name is Tyler Jamal Finley, was booked into jail before being released. As per the media reports, University police responded to a complaint about a truck blocking a driveway. Upon checking the vehicle’s license plate, officers discovered that it was registered as stolen in Atlanta. According to a Fox 8 live report, Finley arrived shortly after to move the truck and informed the police that he had recently purchased it. He is scheduled to appear in court on June 1.

Kim Kardashian has announced her next project, a satirical comedy show Group Chat, which has been signed on by streaming platform Hulu. Hulu has officially handed a pilot order for Group Chat, which will be executive produced and led by La La Anthony, Deadline reported. The show will be written by Black-ish creator Kenya Barris, who will also serve as its executive producer along with Kardashian. Apart from that, the reality TV star will also feature in it.

Business of word play- Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday spoke about the government's attempt to revive BSNL. After he completed his reply during question hour in the Rajya Sabha, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar said that BSNL now means 'Bhai Sahab Nishchit Lagega' while in the past people used to criticise BSNL for poor connection by mocking it as 'Bhai Sahab Nahi Lagega'. Happy about screen time- Sansad TV’s decision to show the presiding officer and the MP speaking at the moment in a split frame on the screen has made panellists chairing the proceedings happy. While the initial reaction was that this has been done to give more footage to the Rajya Sabha Chairman and the Lok Sabha Speaker, the panellists are delighted as they get more visibility in the few minutes that they get to preside over the proceedings. People from their constituency and the state concerned see the panellists almost throughout the period they chair the proceedings.

HDFC Bank, India's biggest private lender by assets, said on Thursday its growth in deposits outpaced that of loans in the three months to March 31, compared with the preceding quarter. Deposits rose 5.9% to 27.15 trillion rupees ($318.5 billion), the Mumbai-based bank said, higher than the 2.5% rise in the October-December quarter. Its low-cost current and savings account deposits rose 8.2%.

Securis Finance, a subsidiary of FirstPay Technologies, has received approval from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to operate as a non-banking financial company (NBFC). The company plans to disburse Rs 100 crore in education loans in its first year, initially targeting key educational hubs such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Hyderabad, and Pune on a pilot basis. Securis Finance is a fully owned subsidiary of FirstPay Technologies, which operates Junio, a digital pocket money smart card for teenagers. Securis Finance aims to offer loans ranging from Rs 50,000 to Rs 5 lakh, addressing a major gap in access to credit for teenagers. Its lending solutions will cover diverse educational needs, including school fees, college tuition, coding boot camps, and entrance exam coaching.

Ananya Yadav, a Class 1 student, came at the digital forefront when she rushed to save her schoolbooks during a bulldozer demolition drive that targeted her family’s home. The emotional moment, where she is seen running out clutching her schoolbag, quickly went viral, drawing attention from the Supreme Court, political leaders, and social media users alike. The incident unfolded on March 21, when Ananya returned home from her primary school to find a bulldozer arriving at her makeshift home. The district administration had brought the bulldozer to demolish what they deemed illegal structures built by Ananya’s family on government land. While her family was still in the midst of disputing the claims, Ananya noticed an adjacent hut catch fire, and without hesitation, she sprinted into her home to retrieve her most prized possession—her schoolbag. «I am the first person in my family who goes to school. I study in Class 1 in a government primary school. My younger brother Adarsh has also started going to school,» Ananya shared. Despite her parents being daily wage workers and unlettered, Ananya expressed immense pride in attending school. «Since no fee is charged, my brother and I are able to attend the school,» she explained, noting that the books were a gift from her teachers and local villagers after she excelled in tests. When asked what inspired her to dream big, Ananya enthusiastically shared, «A senior officer once visited my school. I do not know his name, but teachers told us he was an IAS officer. He became my inspiration, and therefore I too want to be an IAS,» she said, her eyes shining with determination.

In the July 2024 Union budget, a new category was added to an already humongous list of payments that attract tax deduction at source, or TDS: the payment of salary, remuneration, bonus, commission, and interest by a partnership firm to its partners.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Kissht, an online lending platform, is preparing to tap the capital markets with an initial public offering and has hired investment bankers for the process, two people aware of the development told Mint. The company hired ICICI Securities, UBS Securities India Private Limited and Motilal Oswal Investment Banking and is finalising a fourth banker, one person said.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. The Indian stock market often reveals hidden gems, especially during phases of active buying and short covering. The goal is to identify key factors that, when combined, can generate meaningful returns in the coming weeks.

Washington, here’s a piece of news that is getting far too little attention: The US is on course for fiscal breakdown. That’s the unambiguous message from the Congressional Budget Office’s newly updated long-term projections. Unless Congress changes course, there’ll be a reckoning, and it will be grim. As the CBO details, deficit spending is more out of control than ever. Both parties share the blame, as do both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue. And all should remember that investors’ appetite for US government debt isn’t limitless. The federal government is currently spending roughly $7 trillion and collecting only $5 trillion in taxes annually. The resulting deficit is a little over 6% of gross domestic product, a disturbingly high number for an economy around full employment. The CBO expects public borrowing to remain at this elevated level or higher for decades. Assuming no recessions, public debt will rise to 100% of GDP this year and 118% by 2035 — and it just keeps rising from there. A responsible Congress would make deficit reduction its overriding priority. Instead, Republicans are discussing ways to borrow more — and not just a little more. New tax cuts are under consideration. And many want to extend provisions of the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which would otherwise expire at the end of this year.

Tom Holland’s fans have much reason to cheer as the actor is set to reprise his role as Peter Parker/Spider-Man next year. The title of the fourth part of the franchise, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, was announced at CinemaCon on April 1. While everyone is waiting for the next part of Marvel Cinematic Universe’s Spider-Man movies, there are very few details available about Brand New Day. The movie will be released on July 31 next year. The secrecy around the film has prompted director Destin Daniel Cretton to not confirm even the cast of Spider-man: Brand New Day. While Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are expected to reprise their roles as MJ and Ned, there is little clarity on the rest of the characters. Sadie Sink was reportedly cast in an unspecified role. With the title announcement of Spider-Man 4, there are several theories around what role the actress could play.

Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) has given workspace solutions provider IndiQube the green light for its initial public offering (IPO). The company, which is backed by WestBridge Capital, had filed a draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) last December seeking to raise Rs 850 crore through the IPO. This comprises Rs 750 crore in fresh capital and Rs 100 crore in an offer for sale. Founders Rishi Das and Meghna Aggarwal plan to sell shares worth Rs 100 crore through the offer-for-sale segment. According to online news platform Entracker, IndiQube intends to use Rs 427 crore of the fresh funds on capital expenditure, Rs 100 crore to repay or prepay existing loans, and the rest on general corporate activities.

Bharat Electronics Ltd. (BEL) declined 6% to Rs 274.5 in Wednesday's intraday trade on BSE after the company reported lower-than-expected order inflows for the financial year 2025. Despite the shortfall, BEL’s revenue growth for the year surpassed its own projections.

app-based bike driver in Gurgaon. She recounted the incident on Reddit, describing how the driver deviated from the intended route and stopped in a secluded area, leaving her in a state of panic. The incident occurred when her friend booked a ride for her at 10:07 PM, from one location to Sikanderpur metro station in Gurgaon. Since it was late, her friend booked the ride from his phone to ensure her safety and track her journey. However, instead of heading directly to the metro station, the driver unexpectedly took a different turn. She noticed that the metro station was right in front, yet the driver insisted that he was following the map. Soon, she found herself on an unfamiliar and isolated road, which raised her suspicion. As the driver slowed down and started looking around, she felt increasingly uneasy. Before she could react, he stopped the bike near parked trucks in a sketchy location. At the same moment, a cab pulled up right beside them, intensifying her fear. She froze, convinced that she was about to be kidnapped. Fortunately, the cab drove away, and the bike driver resumed the ride, but instead of heading back on track, he attempted to take another turn.

KEC International will be in focus on Wednesday after the company announced that it has secured new orders worth Rs 1,236 crore in both domestic and international markets. According to an exchange filing, the company’s Transmission & Distribution (T&D) business has secured new orders for projects in both India and the Middle East. These include transmission line and substation orders in the UAE and Kuwait, as well as a substation order from a private TBCB player in India.