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Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Iran’s rulers have a problem as they attempt to negotiate an end to the war: Their new supreme leader is noticeably MIA and silent on the talks.U.S. and Iranian officials say Mojtaba Khamenei was severely injured in a February airstrike, which killed his wife, son and father, former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.There has been growing awareness about credit cards in India, but the number of users still remains low, with 118.6 million credit cards issued as of end-March, a penetration of only 8.5%. This is because of strict credit appraisal processes that leave a large segment of the population underserved.In such a scenario, customers can opt for a secured or fixed deposit (FD)-backed credit card instead of the ubiquitous unsecured card.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has put out a draft amendment to its earlier directions on prudential norms for the capital adequacy of commercial banks. It deals with Pillar 3 (disclosure requirements) of the Basel III framework, adopted by RBI in 2013.The rationale, according to the central bank, is to ensure greater consistency with that framework, as prescribed by the Bank for International Settlements, the global collective of central banks.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Growing up, the highlight of every summer vacation in my hometown of Mangaluru was the wild mango curry. My cousins and I would abandon all dignity over plates of hot rice and the golden curry like it was our last meal.Back then these wild mangoes were deemed far too rustic for professional kitchens. But that is changing.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Buying a home is the largest financial commitment most Indians will make. Choosing the right lender matters as much as choosing the right property. Today, that choice sits between banks and housing finance companies (HFCs), a specialised category of NBFC, and each serves a genuine purpose for different kinds of borrowers.As of May 2026, banks offer floating-rate home loans starting from 7% for eligible borrowers.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Once seen as competition to mutual funds, portfolio management services (PMS) providers are increasingly using them as building blocks. They are offering curated mutual fund (MF) portfolios to high-net-worth individuals (HNIs) who want the simplicity of MFs combined with professional, end-to-end portfolio management and execution.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.India’s music industry is finally witnessing a long-awaited shift from free to paid consumption, with revenues and subscriptions climbing steadily.Yet the transition remains fragile. Sustaining the move from free to paid listening is critical, especially at a time when AI-generated versions of songs threaten to divert streams from original works and pirated sources continue to undercut legitimate consumption.Speaking to Mint, Victoria Oakley, chief executive officer of IFPI (International Federation of the Phonographic Industry)—the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide—said the recent uptick in paid streaming marks a long-promised transition for India.However, she cautioned that the regulatory framework around AI remains unclear, even as governments, including India’s, grapple with how to balance technological innovation with rights protection and fair monetization for the creative community.According to a recent Ficci EY report, the Indian music segment, measured as revenues earned by music labels from licensing and other income, grew by 10% to reach ₹5900 crore in 2025.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.The sudden exit of a chairperson is often accompanied by off-the-shelf explanations like ‘personal reasons’, ‘strategic realignment’ or the pursuit of ‘other opportunities.’ The recent abrupt resignation of HDFC Bank’s chair was a reminder that at the summit of corporate power, where the air is thin and minutes are curated, such reasons are rarely taken at face value.This is curious because a corporate organization chart resembles something between a pyramid and a theological hierarchy. At the base: employees. Above them: managers.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Srinagar: A prized forest delicacy among the world’s most expensive mushrooms is collapsing in the wild even as scientists in Kashmir say they may have found a way to cultivate it.Gucchi, or morel mushroom, has seen output fall sharply across Jammu and Kashmir—from around 2,000 quintals in 1991 to just 88 quintals in 2018—as erratic snowfall, shifting rainfall patterns and forest degradation disrupt the fragile ecological conditions it depends on.It is primarily found in the foothills and forested belts across districts including Poonch, Doda, Kishtwar, Ramban, Anantnag, Bandipora, Kupwara and Pulwama.In Kashmir’s higher forests, collectors describe damp pine floors layered with decaying needles and logs—exactly the moisture-rich microhabitat where the mushroom once emerged reliably in spring. That seasonal rhythm, they say, has become increasingly erratic.At the same time, global competition is intensifying, with countries such as China advancing morel cultivation techniques and putting additional pressure on prices.Now, researchers at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K) say they have successfully standardized cultivation of Gucchi under controlled greenhouse and open-field conditions, a breakthrough in a species long considered nearly impossible to farm.“This is a game-changing breakthrough,” said SKUAST-K vice chancellor Nazir Ahmad Ganai.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.Investors cheered ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co.’s March quarter (Q4FY26) results, sending the stock up around 3% to ₹560. Its annualized premium equivalent (APE) stood at ₹3,830 crore, up 9.3% year-on-year — a sharp improvement from 3.6% growth in Q3.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories.On warm evenings in Delhi, bartenders are swapping vodka and gin for jamun (java plum), kaccha aam (raw mango) and chilli mango, signalling India's palate is expanding beyond plain white spirits.This shift is beginning to reshape how alcohol producers such as Diageo Plc, Allied Blenders and Distillers Ltd, Radico Khaitan Ltd and NV Group approach their white spirits portfolios, as the country now stands as the fourth-largest flavoured spirits market globally by value, according to industry estimates.Driven by younger consumers, at-home drinking and cocktail culture, India is catching on to a global trend in which flavoured spirits account for a significant share of consumption, but with a twist: it is instead drawing from local kitchens, street snacks and seasonal fruits rather than traditional profiles such as citrus or berry.Kunal Madan, chief marketing officer of Radico Khaitan, which makes Magic Moments vodka, told Mint that its flavoured spirits portfolio is driving 60% of vodka volume growth. Magic Moments also reported around 18% volume growth in the third quarter and sales of ₹1,050 crore for the nine months ended 31 December, driven by flavour-led innovations.In September 2025, it launched Magic Moments vodka in the ‘Jamun SpicyMint’ flavour.

Mint. “This let the impersonator collect the publishing royalties, while my artist page absorbed the poor performance signals from the fake streams.”Tewari says the tracks weren’t just misattributed but appeared to be generated and uploaded at scale.

credit score can severely impair an individual’s ability to secure a home loan. It indicates elevated credit risk, prompting financial institutions to apply more stringent underwriting norms.

money psychology.For instance, people whose childhood was spent in an austere home where parents struggled to make ends meet might grow up to be extremely careful with money because they don’t want to face scarcity again, said Pamarthi. “When they think of money, they get scared,” she said.

A portfolio is built around a family’s risk profile, return expectations, time horizon, liquidity needs, taxation and diversification. In that sense, it is purpose-built, designed for specific outcomes rather than market conditions.Such a portfolio carries a strategic intent.

brand deals and a rise in income since her collaboration with this agency, having worked with top brands such as Netflix, Audible, Britannia and Canva. “With my current team, the income graph has risen. There is consistency and growth,” she said.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently issued draft amendments to its Responsible Business Conduct Regulations. These cover the advertising, marketing and sales of financial products and services by banks, non-bank financial companies and other all-India financial institutions either by their own staff or by direct sales or marketing agents. The most consequential element in RBI’s proposals is that for the first time they define ‘mis-selling’ to include any sale of a product or service that is neither suitable nor appropriate for a customer profile even with customer consent.

large-caps.In an interaction with Mint, Sahil Kapoor, head-products and markets strategist, DSP Mutual Fund, explains why he believes the current setup offers a contrarian opportunity.We recently put out an ad hoc update, which is quite rare for us. The trigger was that markets had hit several extremes at the same time.A number of private banks, IT companies, some FMCG names and housing finance firms, were trading at valuations last seen during the global financial crisis. Many others were at or below their long-term average valuations.

₹6,835 crore (about $735 million) from five foreign banks to fund its ₹91,000 crore semiconductor fabrication (fab) facility in Gujarat. The lenders have put conditions on ownership, branding and equity that reflect their reliance on the Tata Group’s credit profile and the tight financing terms shaping India’s chip manufacturing push, according to company filings and executives aware of the matter.The lenders have stipulated that the Tatas retain a 51% stake in TSML, the wholly owned subsidiary of the privately held Tata Electronics, and continue using the ‘Tata’ brand, according to documents filed with the ministry of corporate affairs.

Artificial intelligence presents a transformative moment for society, but it appears that the number of people focused on making sure it’s safe might fit on a single transatlantic flight.Perhaps that shouldn’t surprise given the global arms race that has propelled generative AI companies to stratospheric valuations, but it should cause some alarm. The technology makes errors, is largely untested in the wild and has shown toxic side effects on mental health.

Digital Personal Data Protection (DPDP) Act emphasizes "purpose limitation", which should, in theory, prevent a burger chain from harvesting our facial micro-expressions or vocal tremors without explicit consent. However, the temptation to label these as productivity tools rather than biometric profiling remains a loophole.As we chase our "IndiaAI" mission, we must decide if we want to be the world’s back-office laboratory for invasive experiments or a leader in "Sovereign AI" that respects the sanctity of the human spirit.The New Normal: The world is at an inflexion point. Artificial intelligence (AI) is set to be as massive a revolution as the Internet has been. The option to just stay away from AI will not be available to most people, as all the tech we use takes the AI route. This column series introduces AI to the non-techie in an easy and relatable way, aiming to demystify and help a user to actually put the technology to good use in everyday life.Mala Bhargava is most often described as a ‘veteran’ writer who has contributed to several publications in India since 1995. Her domain is personal tech, and she writes to simplify and demystify technology for a non-techie audience.Catch all the Business News, Market News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on Live Mint.