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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.New Delhi: Youngsters riding bikes at high speed without hands on the handlebars and performing stunts have long been a common sight in India, raising serious safety concerns for both riders and other motorists and even pedestrians.This could soon change.The government is planning a three-layer “hands-free” safety system for two-wheelers, requiring manufacturers to install technology that can detect whether riders have both hands on the handlebars and step in if they do not, amid rising road accidents in the country.According to an internal draft of the proposal, reviewed by Mint, the planned safety standards would require bikes and scooters to prevent ignition without both hands on the grip, issue audio and visual alerts if hands are removed while riding, and gradually slow down the vehicle in such cases.The introduction of new standards will lead to additional costs for automakers, which are typically passed on to consumers, with the proposed measures expected to increase prices by ₹800-1,000 per unit for installing sensors on handlebars, at least two industry executives said. The move marks a fresh push by the Centre to tighten two-wheeler safety norms even as its attempt to mandate anti-lock braking systems (ABS) across all categories of two-wheelers irrespective of engine capacity remains stuck amid industry resistance and cost concerns.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.For all the noise around artificial intelligence—new models, new assistants, new tools—there’s a quieter shift underway. It’s not about which chatbot is smarter this month or which latest device has the most AI features. It’s about something far more fundamental: how people actually use these systems.Across workplaces, classrooms, and creative studios, the gap between people who get consistently good results from AI tools and those who don’t is widening.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.From its early days mailing DVDs to becoming a major feature film studio, Netflix isn’t done disrupting the entertainment industry.Speaking at the Licensing Expo in Las Vegas on Tuesday, Netflix Chief Marketing Officer Marian Lee announced the company is expanding into new family-oriented business segments, with “major moves” into toys and candy.Netflix in a press release cited the popularity of its “kids and families” content as one of the reasons for moving further into consumer products.The streaming company said it is working with Ferrero Group to bring Charlie and the Chocolate Factory offerings to market, beginning with 10 seasonal and limited-edition chocolates, plus sugar confectionery, ice cream, and cereals. These products will launch this fall in the U.S.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.You are blessed with a baby girl and want to begin investing in her name. For many parents, the first option that comes to mind is the Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY).Backed by the government and offering fixed returns with tax benefits, the scheme has become one of the most popular long-term investment options for daughters.However, while the returns may look attractive, there are important restrictions around lock-in and liquidity that parents often overlook before investing.The current interest rate on SSY is 8.2%.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Coming soon to ChatGPT: help with your personal finances based on insights from your actual accounts. OpenAI says subscribers to the Pro version of its artificial-intelligence chatbot will be able to connect their financial accounts to it and get personalized guidance.OpenAI is relying on Plaid, a fintech company, to securely link users’ bank accounts to ChatGPT, according to an OpenAI announcement on Friday.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The polar regions fascinated Daniel Liss ever since he was a child.He would study maps and globes, picturing the people and animals who call the coldest reaches of the Earth home. As an adult, he crisscrossed the Alaskan frontier, lived in Sweden, and visited the Norwegian island town of Longyearbyen, one of the world’s northernmost settlements.In December, he crossed a big item off his bucket list, sailing on an Antarctic cruise with Oceanwide Expeditions.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.NEW DELHI: Telecom operator Reliance Jio has opened its low-cost 4G feature phone recharge plans to rival devices after the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) flagged device-specific tariffs as “discriminatory”, according to people aware of the matter and changes seen on the company’s website.The move, analysts said, could widen Jio’s reach among feature phone users but dilute one of its key customer lock-in advantages.The change means users of 4G feature phones with physical keypads from brands such as Nokia, Lava and itel can now access Jio’s low-cost recharge plans that were earlier restricted to its own JioBharat and JioPhone devices.The move follows Trai’s March directive asking Jio to stop certain tariff practices that the regulator said violated transparency norms and disadvantaged consumers. “(D)evice-specific tariffs are treated as discriminatory and disadvantageous to the consumers as the offered tariff plans can be accessed only upon purchase of particular make/technology device,” Trai said.Jio communicated compliance with Trai’s March 24 directions to the regulator a few weeks ago, according to two people aware of the matter.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.There’s a subtle shift that happens the moment you pack a bag, you have permission to dress for a completely different version of yourself. Vacation wear isn't about throwing random linens together; it’s about a deliberate kind of carefully careless feel. This week, the Lounge radar is on pieces that balance laid-back comfort with sharp, intentional construction.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.For strict institutional gatekeepers, Billboard has been quite lax about allowing fake artists on its charts. By November, several AI performers were featured, including country music’s Breaking Rust and R&B’s Xania Monet.It’s the kind of casual absurdity that AI music startups like Suno are hoping will become, well, casual. “The technology finally allows for billions of people to be creative, to have the fruits of their labor, to feel fulfillment in a different way,” Suno co-founder Mikey Shulman told Forbes in April.But the inclusion of those fruits—AI creations—on the music charts is an existential emergency signal, raising logistical questions for the music industry.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.About a decade ago, when I told one of my aunts about my first job at a news agency, she said, “You will become jhola-chappal wali now”. Jhola meant cloth bag, and chappal, Kolhapuris, the clichéd Indian journalist’s uniform. I did become that person, quite proudly.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Originating in the US in 1908 as a day to honour the sacrifices mothers make—and officially recognised in 1914 by then US president Woodrow Wilson—Mother’s Day, celebrated every second Sunday in May, has since grown into a global commercial event embraced by brands across categories. Yet amid the flood of discounts, flowers and freebies, the sentiment at its core remains unchanged: celebrating mothers and their unconditional love. Keeping this in mind, Lounge’s compilation brings together gifts that feel both personal and enduring.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.For Gurugram-based marketing professional SP, 34, eating out was once a way to unwind after long workdays with sushi dinners and Sunday brunches that often doubled as preparation for the week ahead. Over time, the routine led to weight gain and lifestyle concerns, though she wasn’t ready to give up on it.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.This year’s Met Gala, the fancy-dress competition for the ultra-wealthy, was a memorable one. Not just because one of the world’s richest tech bros, Jeff Bezos, and his wife, Lauren Sánchez Bezos, served as honorary chairs—a first—but also because the evening of 4 May saw the largest Indian contingent yet ascend the steps of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, with each attendee reportedly paying $100,000 to attend fashion’s most exclusive fund-raiser.Ananya Birla, Isha Ambani, Karan Johar, Manish Malhotra, Sudha Reddy, Natasha Poonawalla, Sawai Padmanabh Singh and Gauravi Kumari were in attendance, presenting their interpretation of the 2026 Met Gala dress code, “Fashion is Art”, which challenged guests to treat the body as a canvas, express their relationship with fashion “as an embodied art form and celebrate the countless depictions of the dressed body throughout art history”.Did the Indian contingent get the memo right? That depends on whether you believe fashion as art is best expressed through spectacle, symbolism or genuine risk-taking.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.It’s almost a clash of ideologies. On the one hand, you have Sennheiser with the HDB 630, leaning into its audiophile roots with a focus on precision, tuning, and comfort, while on the other, the AirPods Max 2 doubles down on Apple’s ecosystem magic, seamless switching, and computational audio wizardry.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.A savings bank account is the default parking spot for emergency funds. It is liquid, familiar and easy to access.But large idle balances kept “for safety” often earn just 2–4% interest — not enough to beat inflation.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.It’s a hot day in Hanoi, the humidity hanging heavy, but we’re cutting a cool path through the water of Ha Long Bay, heading towards the uber-luxury Vinpearl Resort, built on an island with spectacular views of the bay. This isn’t a vacation though. We’re here to test drive VinFast’s new MPV 7.Before we get to the cars, we’re shown the entire repertoire of the Vin’s group’s strength since the group has ambitious plans for India.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Is there anyone who doesn't know that Monday, May 4, is Met Gala? Social media and conversations everywhere are awash about the annual fashion gala that has, in the last few years, turned into a global spectacle that's impossible to ignore or replicate. As is custom, the gala's theme this year is “Costume Art” that places focus on the "centrality of the dressed body".The dress code for the event being chaired by Beyoncé, Nicole Kidman, Venus Williams and Anna Wintour, along with honorary chairs Jeff and Lauren Bezos, is “Fashion Is Art”.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Broking firm Sahi has raised about $33 million in a funding round led by venture capital firm Accel Global, more than tripling its valuation to about $200 million, the company’s top executives told Mint.Less than a year ago, it had raised funds at a valuation of $60 million.“It has come on the back of the trajectory of the business in terms of how fast we have been able to grow, but more importantly, it's the quality of the business,” said Dale Vaz, founder and chief executive, Sahi.Accel Global led the round with a $20 million investment, with the rest coming from existing investors Elevation Capital and Accel Partners India. This takes the company’s total funding to over $43 million in under 18 months of operations.Founded in December 2024 by former Swiggy chief technology officer Dale Vaz and ex-Kotak Securities executive Manish Jain, Sahi offers a chart-first interface with features like real-time Greeks, open-interest tracking, technical indicators and one-click execution.“Since launch, we’ve been able to onboard about 400,000 demat accounts.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.WASHINGTON—Hours after gunfire erupted outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Sen. Kevin Cramer called President Trump to check on him.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.In the attention economy, where user time is the scarcest commodity, platforms such as content sites, OTT services and social networks are competing for every second of engagement. Several studies peg Gen Z attention spans at just around eight seconds, less than that of a goldfish.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The AI hack we unlocked today is based on: Skills in Chrome.Here’s a situation most of us don’t notice because we’ve accepted it as normal: you craft a great AI prompt that works perfectly—say, one that extracts key information from any product page. It works.