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What if adding years to your life was as simple as taking a stroll? According to a new study, being more active could be the key to unlocking a longer, healthier life — especially for those over 40. <h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;">5 extra years, just by moving more</h3>The study revealed that if everyone in the U.S. were as active as the top 25% of the population, individuals over 40 could add five years to their lives. The secret? <keyword id="20053428" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="physical-activity" source="keywords">Physical activity</keyword>. Researchers discovered this by using accelerometers — devices that track movement with precision — rather than relying on self-reported activity levels. The result are that the benefits of exercise are twice as strong as previously thought. <h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;">Risk of death drops by 73%</h3>The most active quarter of the population had a whopping 73% lower risk of death than the least active group. But here’s where it gets exciting: for the least active group, even a small step (literally) makes a huge difference. For example, just a one-hour walk could give you six additional hours of life. Think of it as trading one Netflix binge for a half-day extension on your lifespan! <h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;">The biggest gains for the least active</h3>Lead researcher Professor Lennert Veerman highlighted the potential for the least active group: “If the least active quartile of the population over age 40 were to increase their activity level to that of the most active quartile, they might live, on average, about 11 years longer,” he said. Here’s the best part — it’s doable. The most active group isn’t climbing mountains or running marathons. Their activity level is equivalent to just under three hours of walking per day, proving that even moderate movement can pay off big. Low levels of physical activity could be as damaging as smoking, the researchers suggested. Just as each cigarette can shave off 11 minutes of life, inactivity has its toll. Conversely, moving more acts as a shield, helping prevent heart disease, stroke, certain cancers, and other chronic conditions. <h3 style="line-height:1.38;margin-top:14pt;margin-bottom:4pt;">Revolusionising health recommendations</h3>The study’s findings indicate a need to revisit national guidelines on physical activity. Dr. Veerman emphasised how underestimated physical movement has been: “If there's something you could do to more than halve your risk of death, physical activity is enormously powerful,” he said. He also stressed the importance of creating environments that encourage movement: walkable neighbourhoods, affordable public transport, and spaces for cycling could benefit individuals and society alike by boosting health outcomes and reducing strain on healthcare systems. Medical boards such as the WHO and the ICMR advise adults to engage in at least 150 minutes of moderate aerobic activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity per week, alongside muscle-strengthening exercises twice a week. Children and teens should aim for 60 minutes of daily physical activity, including muscle and bone-strengthening activities three times a week. Older adults are encouraged to follow similar guidelines with added focus on balance and flexibility exercises to prevent falls. The government promotes physical activity through initiatives like the <keyword id="20284979" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Fit-India-Movement" source="keywords">Fit India Movement</keyword>, though experts emphasise the need for better access to parks, sidewalks, and fitness programs to make exercise more achievable for all. Don’t worry — you don’t need to leap into intense workouts. Even modest increases in activity can yield significant results. A short walk, an evening dance, or even taking the stairs instead of the elevator could be your ticket to a longer, healthier life. The findings of this study have been published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and can be accessed <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bjsports-2024-108125">here</a>.

Doing this simple thing could add years to your life, research says

As the United States heads into a decisive phase in its presidential election, <keyword id="19954681" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Sundar-Pichai" source="keywords">Sundar Pichai</keyword>, CEO of Alphabet and <keyword id="19902762" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="google" source="keywords">Google</keyword>, has called on employees to ensure the company maintains its reputation as a reliable information provider. In an internal memo, as per an IANS report, <keyword id="20234972" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pichai" source="keywords">Pichai</keyword> underscored Google’s critical role during this period, saying it is essential for “the products they build” to be a trusted source for people of all backgrounds. "Let’s remember the role we play at work, through the products we build and as a business: to be a trusted source of information to people of every background and belief," he said in the memo. The <keyword id="20239922" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Google-CEO" source="keywords">Google CEO</keyword> also reportedly reminded employees to adhere strictly to Google’s Community Guidelines and Personal Political Activity Policy. Pichai stressed that safeguarding the integrity of the platform is of utmost importance, especially during such a significant event. “We must maintain that trust,” he wrote, saying that it is part of Google’s broader mission to make information accessible and useful. “We will and must maintain that. In that spirit, it’s important that everyone continue to follow our Community Guidelines and Personal Political Activity Policy,” he wrote in the internal memo as reported by IANS. Highlighting the teams’ ongoing efforts, Pichai mentioned that staff across Google and YouTube have been working diligently to provide accurate and reliable information to voters. This commitment is consistent with Google’s approach during elections around the world. In 2024 alone, the tech giant supported major elections in countries like France, India, and the UK, benefiting over a billion voters. Pichai also noted that the outcome of the U.S. election would have far-reaching implications, influencing discussions in homes across the globe. However, he reassured employees that regardless of the result, Google’s mission to organise global information and make it widely accessible would remain steadfast. He highlighted how artificial intelligence continues to play a significant role in driving this mission, contributing to innovation and economic growth. The tech leader’s remarks came in the context of growing scrutiny on how digital platforms manage information during elections. <keyword id="19933162" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Misinformation" source="keywords">Misinformation</keyword> remains a major concern, and tech companies face increased pressure to act responsibly. To address this, Pichai reminded employees of their shared responsibility to uphold the company’s standards. In a related move, Meta, formerly Facebook, extended its ban on new political ads beyond the original November 5 end date, aiming to mitigate potential misinformation and maintain a secure online environment during and after the election period.

Google CEO Sundar Pichai asks team to safeguard trust during US elections, sends internal memo

<keyword id="19898109" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="Paytm" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Paytm" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Paytm">Paytm</keyword> has regained approval from the National Payments Corporation of India (<keyword id="19998946" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NPCI" source="keywords">NPCI</keyword>) to onboard new UPI users, marking a significant turnaround for the fintech giant. This development follows a setback earlier this year when <keyword id="20410154" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Paytm-Payments-Bank-Limited" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Paytm Payments Bank Limited" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Paytm Payments Bank Limited">Paytm Payments Bank Limited</keyword> (PPBL), an associate company of Paytm, was barred from adding new users to its UPI platform due to regulatory concerns raised by the <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reserve Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reserve Bank of India">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (RBI). <h2>Paytm gets permission to onboard new UPI users </h2> In a regulatory filing on Tuesday evening, Paytm disclosed that NPCI granted permission for the company to resume onboarding UPI users, provided it complies with all procedural guidelines and circulars issued by the corporation. “We would like to inform you that vide letter dated October 22, 2024, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) has granted approval to the Company to on-board new UPI users, with adherence to all NPCI procedural guidelines and circulars,” Paytm said in the filing. This move is seen as a relief for the company, which has been under scrutiny following the RBI’s intervention in January. The NPCI, which had previously allowed Paytm to operate as a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP) for UPI transactions, has now reinstated its ability to bring new users onto the platform, albeit with strict conditions. Paytm can continue UPI operations through its partnerships with major banking institutions, including SBI, HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, and YES Bank. The NPCI’s approval comes after a thorough review of Paytm’s compliance with procedural guidelines, including those pertaining to risk management, app branding, multi-bank participation, and data privacy. The fintech firm has been instructed to adhere to key regulatory frameworks, such as the Payments and Settlement Act of 2007 and the Digital Personal Data Protection Act of 2023. This approval follows a request by Paytm’s parent company, <keyword id="20253123" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="One97-Communications" source="keywords">One97 Communications</keyword> Ltd (OCL), in August, seeking permission to resume UPI onboarding. The NPCI’s decision also reflects that Paytm has addressed concerns raised in the RBI’s directive from earlier this year, which had highlighted persistent non-compliance issues with its banking subsidiary, PPBL. On a related note, Paytm reported a strong financial performance for the quarter ending September 2024. The company posted a net profit of ₹928.3 crore, a marked improvement from the ₹290.5 crore loss it recorded during the same period last year. <h2>What had happened? </h2> For the unversed, in January 2024, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) told Paytm Payments Bank Limited (PPBL) to stop accepting deposits and processing UPI top-ups. This decision stemmed from ongoing concerns about the bank’s compliance and serious issues that needed addressing. As a result, Paytm found itself unable to onboard new UPI users, significantly disrupting its growing customer base and raising doubts about its future in the crowded <keyword id="19989657" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="digital-payments" source="keywords">digital payments</keyword> market. However, things took a turn for the better in March 2024 when the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) gave Paytm the green light to resume UPI transactions. The catch? Paytm could only operate as a Third-Party Application Provider (TPAP), meaning it had to partner with established banks like SBI, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, and YES Bank for its UPI services. While this arrangement posed some limitations, it allowed Paytm to keep moving forward and adapt to the regulatory challenges it faced in India’s digital payment landscape. (with PTI inputs)

Paytm can onboard new UPI users again, receives NPCI nod months after RBI restrictions

India is organizing the 'Global <keyword id="22243491" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IndiaAI-Summit-2024" source="keywords">IndiaAI Summit 2024</keyword>' under the aegis of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, scheduled for July 3-4 in New Delhi. According to a press release by the Ministry of Electronics and IT, the summit aims to foster collaboration and facilitate knowledge exchange among international <keyword id="22243492" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-experts" source="keywords">AI experts</keyword>, reinforcing India's dedication to ethical and inclusive AI growth. The Global IndiaAI Summit 2024 will serve as a vital platform for stakeholders from diverse sectors, including science, industry, civil society, governments, international organizations, and academia. These experts will convene to discuss key AI issues, share insights, and address the challenges faced by the <keyword id="20055332" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="AI-ecosystem" source="keywords">AI ecosystem</keyword>. By hosting this summit, India is reaffirming its role as a proactive player in the global AI community, focusing on advancing technologies that are safe, secure, and beneficial to society. As the lead chair of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), India is set to host member countries and experts to advance GPAI's commitment to trustworthy AI practices. The summit aims to showcase India's capability to lead in the AI domain and emphasizes the country's goal of ensuring that AI benefits are accessible to all, thereby contributing to the nation's socio-economic development. Central to the summit is the <keyword id="20869035" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="IndiaAI-Mission" source="keywords">IndiaAI Mission</keyword>, an initiative designed to build a comprehensive ecosystem that promotes AI innovation across the country. This mission focuses on democratizing access to computing resources, enhancing data quality, developing indigenous AI capabilities, attracting top AI talent, fostering industry collaboration, providing risk capital to startups, ensuring the societal impact of AI projects, and promoting <keyword id="20750054" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="ethical-AI-practices" source="keywords">ethical AI practices</keyword>, read the press release. The IndiaAI Mission is built upon seven key pillars, each targeting a crucial aspect of AI development and deployment. The first pillar, IndiaAI Compute Capacity, aims to establish a scalable AI computing ecosystem with over 10,000 GPUs through public-private partnerships. This will include the creation of an AI marketplace offering AI as a service and pre-trained models, providing essential resources for AI innovators and researchers. The second pillar, IndiaAI Innovation Centre, focuses on developing and deploying large multimodal models (LMMs) and domain-specific foundational models tailored to the unique needs of India's diverse industries and sectors. The third pillar, IndiaAI Datasets Platform, seeks to streamline access to high-quality non-personal datasets through a unified platform. This initiative will support Indian startups and researchers by providing seamless data access, thereby aiding in the development of robust AI models. The fourth pillar, IndiaAI Application Development Initiative, aims to promote AI applications across critical sectors by addressing problem statements from various government bodies and institutions, focusing on creating impactful AI solutions for large-scale socio-economic transformation, read the press release. The fifth pillar, IndiaAI FutureSkills, is dedicated to reducing barriers to AI education by increasing the availability of AI courses at different academic levels and establishing Data and AI Labs in Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. This effort is crucial for building a steady pipeline of skilled AI professionals, ensuring that talent development keeps pace with technological advancements. The sixth pillar, IndiaAI Startup Financing, supports deep-tech AI startups by providing streamlined access to funding and risk capital, nurturing a vibrant ecosystem of AI startups that drive technological advancements and economic growth. The seventh pillar, Safe &amp; Trusted AI, emphasizes responsible AI development through the implementation of projects focused on ethical AI practices. This includes developing indigenous tools and frameworks and establishing guidelines for the transparency and trustworthiness of AI technologies. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/vraj-iron-and-steel-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/111394752.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/stock-market/news/vraj-iron-and-steel-ipo-allotment-how-to-check-allotment-ipo-gmp-listing-date-and-more/articleshow/111394752.cms" target="_blank">Vraj Iron and Steel IPO allotment – How to check allotment, IPO GMP, listing date and more</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-and-airtel-price-hike-new-plans-and-how-you-can-save-money/articleshow/111331794.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/telecom/news/reliance-jio-and-airtel-price-hike-new-plans-and-how-you-can-save-money/articleshow/111331794.cms" target="_blank">Reliance Jio and Airtel price hike – new plans and how you can save money</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-july-2024/slidelist/111304902.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/webstories/upcoming-smartphones-launching-in-india-in-july-2024/slidelist/111304902.cms" target="_blank">Upcoming smartphones launching in India in July 2024</a>

India to host Global India AI Summit 2024 in New Delhi on July 3-4

Doctors in India are grappling to diagnose and treat unexplained and persistent symptoms of <keyword id="9814327" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="long-covid" source="Orion">long Covid</keyword> patients due to limited guidelines, whereas researchers have flagged inadequate studies on the condition. With the <keyword id="19896311" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="world-health-organization" source="keywords">World Health Organization</keyword> declaring an end to <keyword id="19896627" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="covid" source="keywords">Covid</keyword> as a global <keyword id="416511" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-emergency" source="Orion">health emergency</keyword> in May last year, focused efforts are underway around the world to estimate the burden of long Covid among the population. The condition refers to the set of lingering symptoms affecting varied body parts and persisting well beyond the acute Covid infection period, including cough, muscle and joint pain, fatigue, brain fog and difficulty in focusing. The viral disease is caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. While studies have suggested that about a third of those moderately or severely infected are likely to suffer from long Covid, region-wise though, incidence could vary. A study by researchers, including those from <keyword id="19988007" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="harvard-medical-school" source="keywords">Harvard Medical School</keyword>, US, estimated that 31 % of the once-infected people in North America, 44% in Europe, and 51% in Asia, have long Covid, which is "challenging the healthcare system, but there are limited guidelines for its treatment". It was published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases in September. In India, however, studies on long Covid are few and far between. One such study by Maulana Azad Medical College in New Delhi, conducted from May 2022 to March 2023 on 553 patients who had recovered from Covid, found that about 45% had lingering symptoms, persistent fatigue and dry cough being the most common. "There is limited exploratory research on the long Covid syndrome with scarce data on long-term outcomes," the authors wrote in the study published in the journal Cureus in May this year. Understanding the long-term effects of the virus is important for developing management strategies, optimising healthcare delivery, and providing support to recovered Covid patients in the community, they said. Dr Rajesh Sagar, Professor of Psychiatry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, said, "Looking at the current state of long Covid studies in India, it is too premature to say that we understand the condition well enough to know how to diagnose or treat it." Animesh Samanta, assistant professor at School of Natural Sciences in <keyword id="19897094" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="shiv-nadar-university" source="keywords">Shiv Nadar University</keyword>, Greater Noida, said, "While studies in India highlight the growing recognition of neurological complications in long Covid patients, more focused research on neuroinflammation is needed." Doctors, too, have reported a rise in patients complaining of symptoms that they did not have pre-Covid. "People who never had <keyword id="6465125" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="asthma" source="Orion">asthma</keyword> in the past, post-Covid, with every viral infection, they get a long cough, shortness of breath and wheezing, which require the use of <keyword id="31257" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="inhalers" source="Orion">inhalers</keyword> or nebuliser," senior consultant Dr Neetu Jain, who runs a post-Covid care clinic at Pushpawati Singhania Hospital and Research Institute, New Delhi, said. Dr Arun Garg, chairman, Neurology and Neurosciences, Medanta-The Medicity, Gurugram, said he was noticing a spike in stroke cases among young patients not suffering from known risk factors such as diabetes, hypertension and obesity. "Similarly, we are seeing more cases of encephalopathy (swelling of the brain) without reason and having a confused state of mind following one or two days of fever. Their MRI scans show no changes. These patients have increased significantly after Covid," he said. In the absence of medical guidelines to diagnose long Covid, doctors are having to resort to broad, non-specific tests and questionnaires to gauge a patient's 'quality of life'. Studies have shown that the fatigue experienced in long Covid is similar to that in cancer patients, with a quality of life similar to patients of Parkinson's disease. "We really do not have any test to diagnose long Covid, even though it is definitely a clinical diagnosis. We diagnose long Covid for people who had at least moderate to severe infection, following which they could never regain the quality of life pre-Covid. Checking for inflammatory markers like C-reactive proteins (CRP) can support the diagnosis," Dr Jain said. "Other than routine blood tests that measure inflammation, we do antibody tests to look for direct markers. In many of these patients, we are finding rare antibodies which are very new to us and were not there pre-Covid," Dr Garg said. Inflammation persisting despite recovery from acute Covid infection is thought to lie at the heart of long Covid. However, tests to measure this specific immune response are lacking, even as researchers have been working in this direction worldwide. One such effort comes from Shiv Nadar University, where a team led by Samanta has developed a fluorescent probe capable of detecting inflammation in brain cells that can arise due to Covid infection. The probe measures nitric oxide levels in brain cells, especially in human microglia cells, where increased NO levels are linked to the SARS-CoV-2 infection. Microglia are immune cells in the brain that fight disease and help maintain brain health. Lysosomes within microglia, which help clear foreign disease-causing agents like the SARS-CoV-2 virus, produce nitric oxide as part of an immune response to infection. The probe detects nitric oxide produced in lysosomes in response to infection and thereby allows for a measurement of inflammation levels. This examination method can provide "qualitative information on infection status", said Samanta, corresponding author on the study published in the journal Analytical Chemistry in American Chemical Society. He explained that patients with pre-existing conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease or multiple sclerosis (an autoimmune disorder) could exhibit prolonged neuroinflammation and loss of brain cells following Covid infection. While the probe has shown efficacy in cell cultures, animal studies would need to be done, before testing it in humans, Samanta said. Looking at the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, the study by Harvard Medical School had found that 587 clinical studies were conducted on long Covid, of which about 53% (312) were testing potential treatments. Most of these were found to be conducted in the US (58), followed by India (55) and Spain (20). The trials looked at interventions including physical exercise, psychotherapy, and pharmacological ones such as paxlovid and fluvoxamine. However, "to date, only 11 of these 312 studies have published their results that were not confirmative," the researchers wrote. The team called for studies to look into sleep disorders which were rarely included in the registered clinical studies. Further, interventions targeting the biological processes responsible for long Covid are needed but currently lacking, they said.

Doctors struggle to treat long Covid patients in India; researchers point to inadequate studies

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Avi Singh and Rishi Rajpal left their stable jobs to open a New York City cocktail bar in 2019.</li><li>They hired David Muhs as their head bartender.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Avi Singh, 30, and Rishi Rajpal, 34, the co-owners of Sama Street, and David Muhs, 40, the head bartender at Sama Street. All three also own and operate another New York City cocktail bar, Monkey Thief.This conversation has been lightly edited for length and clarity.Avi: Rishi and I go way back. We grew up together in <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/visit-india-2016-3">New Delhi, India</a>. Our parents were friends.Fast forward to 2016, Rishi was living with my brother in New York City, and we reconnected.Rishi: After I graduated college, I worked in event management. Two years later, I pivoted and started working for a tech startup where I was leading <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-double-dip-work-two-jobs-2023-9">quality assurance.</a>I liked the creative aspect of getting to work with different companies. But my <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/tech-worker-left-job-opened-natural-wine-bar-brooklyn-2024-11">work was very monotonous</a>. It got boring. And I didn't like being behind a desk for 10 to 13 hours a day.Avi: I went to college at Emory in Atlanta. My peers were entering one of three fields: finance, marketing, or consulting. The thing that intrigued me most was consulting because of its <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-get-hired-top-consulting-firms-bcg-mckinsey-pwc-2024-7">problem-solving nature. </a>I took a job at a consulting firm that would allow me to move to New York City. Reality hit pretty quickly with regard to what you actually do as a business analyst at a consulting firm. It was 80 hours a week sitting on Excel and PowerPoint, building models, and putting together decks. I didn't feel like I got to see any of my work being implemented. I had a hunger to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/six-figure-consulting-job-not-fulfilling-quit-start-business-2024-11">make more of an impact.</a>Rishi: When I reconnected with Avi, we were both in a position where we didn't know what we wanted to do with our lives. We didn't like where we were at. We didn't want to go through life like that, so we started talking about what would happen if we followed our dreams.<h2 id="891d925d-e92d-4743-9282-ab8459339509">We wanted to go into food and beverage</h2>Avi: Growing up in India, food was a big part of our social and familial interactions. That's where the love started.We knew how <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/restaurants-america-eating-out-crisis-your-fault-labor-shortage-tipping-2024-2">difficult the industry</a> was, but we were still fairly young, so we just said let's give it a shot. In the worst-case scenario, we can always come back to our desk jobs.Rishi: I started working as a dishwasher, busser, server, and then manager at an Indian restaurant to gain experience while we came up with our concept.Avi: It was definitely a risky move. Coming from Asian households, we were guided toward a more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/modern-career-path-2018-7">traditional career path</a>. I had to present my dad with a full business plan and pitch the bar to him. But we had done our market research and knew we had a good idea.We wanted Sama Street to be based on our upbringing and experiences. We wanted a cocktail bar where we utilized ingredients in ways people might not be used to.<div type="image" title="A photo of the interior of Monkey Thief" height="5268" width="7898" msid="115385467" hostid="261" sizebytes="4338152"></div>There are some bars in New York where you don't necessarily feel welcome. Maybe you need to be dressed a certain way, or you're afraid to be loud with your friends. We wanted to create a space where, whether you're wearing sweatpants or coming in on a date night, you are welcome and treated equally.That's where the name comes from. Sama is from the Sanskrit word meaning true equality to all beings.We were looking for a head bartender and posted an ad on Craiglist. That's how we met David. He helped us realize our vision.David: I was working as a general manager at the time, but wanted to get back behind the bar. I saw the ad and skipped over it a few times because they seemed pretty green. But my wife convinced me to call them. We talked for an hour and a half and just clicked right away. We had all the same sort of ideas about hospitality.<h2 id="88091082-fd0e-4bc0-9939-3fbe42de37fc">We opened Sama Street in 2019</h2>David: We learned so much during that process. We <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/changes-restaurants-pandemic-qr-codes-self-service-kiosks-2024-10">survived the pandemic.</a>Avi: It was rough. We celebrated our one-year anniversary over FaceTime. But Sama Street is in Greenpoint, a very close-knit neighborhood, so our regulars showed up for us. The other bars and restaurants did, too. There was a lot of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-its-like-to-eat-restaurant-outdoor-dining-nyc-pandemic-2020-6">local industry support.</a>We basically did everything that we were <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/new-york-restaurants-are-struggling-2020-12">legally able to do</a> to get as many people drinks and food during the lockdown.We're definitely still feeling the ripples of COVID, but it was a great learning experience and taught us that anything can change overnight, and you have to be able to pivot.<div type="image" title="four craft cocktails" height="5464" width="8192" msid="115385469" hostid="261" sizebytes="2130388"></div>I still get worried about financial security some days. As an entrepreneur, you can't pay yourselves unless the business is doing well.<h2 id="e8d53f13-0f83-4bae-9d07-d009ad306ed7">We knew we wanted to expand</h2>David: We searched and searched and searched and came across a spot in Hell's Kitchen and fell in love immediately.Avi: We opened Monkey Thief in October.David: It was very fast. We didn't have to do a lot with the space, mostly cosmetic changes and getting staff trained. The fast opening was good for our pocketbooks but also very high stress. We've all been doing 18-hour days for the last two months.Rishi: We couldn't have asked for a better opening. We've had so much support from the neighborhood, and our regulars from Sama Street have come in to see the new concept.David: It's been a learning curve because it's <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/restaurant-owners-how-to-run-a-successful-profitable-small-business-2023-10">bigger than Sama Street. </a>But it's a good problem to have. We've got people waiting outside to come in.Rishi: Hopefully, we will open a couple more spaces in the future.Avi: One of the things I love about this industry is that every day is different, though not necessarily in a good way. You might walk in and see the AC has stopped working or the gas is turned off. It's never boring.David: This is not an industry for everyone. The reason we've been successful is that we love coming to work every day. We love the chaos. We love the community.

We left stable careers in tech and consulting to open a cocktail bar in New York City. It was professionally risky but worth it.

<ul><li>The determination of interest rates for credit facilities, as well as the conditions for resetting interest rates, will be closely regulated by the applicable regulatory instructions. </li><li>Penal charges cannot be capitalized, which means that no further interest can be calculated on these charges. </li><li>Whenever reminders for installment payments are sent to borrowers, the applicable penal charges must also be communicated to them, said RBI. </li></ul>Banks and NBFCs cannot charge you a higher rate of interest or charge you an interest on late fees in case you default on your EMI payments. To ensure fairness and openness in disclosing penal interest, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has issued several guidelines to Regulated Entities (REs) on Wednesday. These new guidelines allow lending institutions to create their own board-approved policy for charging penal rates of interest in case of defaults or non-compliance by borrowers with the terms of their credit facilities. However, the RBI has noticed that many REs are imposing penal rates of interest on top of the regular interest rates when borrowers default or fail to comply with the terms of their credit facilities. The purpose of imposing penal interest or charges is primarily to encourage credit discipline among borrowers by using negative incentives and to provide fair compensation to the lender. It is not intended to be used as a way to increase revenue beyond the contracted interest rate. However, it has been seen that there are varying practices among REs when it comes to charging penal interest or fees, which can result in customer complaints and disputes. The new guidelines intend to alter this practice. <keyword id="8814215" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="emi-defaulters" source="Orion">EMI defaulters</keyword> cannot be charged a penal interest The determination of interest rates for credit facilities, as well as the conditions for resetting interest rates, will be closely regulated by the applicable regulatory instructions. REs are not permitted to introduce any extra components to the interest rate, as per the new guidelines. “Banks and NBFCs can no longer charge penal interest on overdue payments from borrowers. So, for e.g. you had a loan at 16% interest. In case of default some banks and NBFCs, would charge you incremental penal interest on the overdue amounts (and sometimes on the principal), over and above the agreed interest rate,” says Aditya Kumar, co-founder &amp; CEO, NIRO, a fintech platform that provides embedded credit solutions to consumer internet platforms. This is now prohibited. Also, if a borrower defaults or fails to comply with significant terms and conditions of the loan agreement, any penalty that is charged should be considered as 'penal charges'. It should not be in the form of 'penal interest', which is added to the interest rate applied to the advances. Penal charges cannot be capitalized, which means that no further interest can be calculated on these charges. However, this does not affect the standard procedures for compounding interest in the loan account. “While banks and NBFCs are permitted to levy penal charges for late payments, these can no longer be capitalized. Let us say you have an EMI of ₹3,000 and a late payment fee of ₹500, you can not treat ₹3,500 as overdue and start charging interest on it,” says Kumar. Clear communication of penal charges REs must clearly communicate penal charges and the conditions under which they may be imposed to customers through the loan agreement and other important terms and conditions documents or Key Fact Statement (KFS), as applicable, RBI said in its new guidelines. REs must also display this information on their website under the section on Interest Rates and Service Charges. Whenever reminders for installment payments are sent to borrowers, the applicable penal charges must also be communicated to them. "The RBI Circular on penal charges represents a significant move towards greater disclosure and transparency on penal charges to customers. As a part of customer complaints, penal interest and hidden charges have been a significant area of concern for the customers and the regulator has taken cognizance of the same and come up with these guidelines,” says Vivek Iyer, partner and leader, financial services risk, Grant Thornton Bharat. Iyer says that distinguishing penal charges from penal interest is a significant change in these guidelines. “We expect customers to have greater clarity on penal charges going forward,” he added.

RBI bats for borrowers, releases guidelines to prevent lenders from levying penal interest on loan defaults

On Thursday, the <keyword id="19899810" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Reserve-Bank-of-India" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Reserve Bank of India" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Reserve Bank of India">Reserve Bank of India</keyword> (<keyword id="19899808" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="RBI" source="keywords">RBI</keyword>) sought action against four non-banking financial companies (<keyword id="19938300" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="NBFCs" source="keywords">NBFCs</keyword>), barring them from making new loan sanctions and disbursements, effective October 21, 2024. A report by <keyword id="19977638" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Morgan-Stanley" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Morgan Stanley" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Morgan Stanley">Morgan Stanley</keyword> suggests that more lending companies might face similar scrutiny in the coming days. As named by the RBI in its order yesterday, <keyword id="20146314" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Asirvad-Microfinance" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Asirvad Microfinance" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Asirvad Microfinance">Asirvad Microfinance</keyword>, Arohan Financial Services, DMI Finance, and Navi Finserv failed to adhere to the <keyword id="21471399" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Fair-Practices-Code" source="keywords">Fair Practices Code</keyword> and did not properly assess borrower's income and repayment capacities before disbursing loans, especially when it came to their microfinance loans. Additionally, these companies also resorted to dubious asset classifications and incomplete interest rate and fee disclosures, which in turn led to alarming practices like loan evergreening and more. RBI also found that the weighted average lending rate (WALR) and the interest spread charged over their cost of funds by these NBFCs were over the stipulated norms. Earlier this month, the apex had already issued a stern warning to the NBFC sector, discouraging them from pursuing aggressive loan book expansion at the cost of regulations and fair practices. Per the bank, it would be ideal if NBFCs self-corrected their ways and refrained from giving incentives and fixed targets to their employees for granting loans. As for these four NBFCs, RBI flagged significant deviations with respect to Income Recognition and Asset Classification (IR&amp;AC) norms in their functioning and gross mismanagement of their gold loan portfolios. As RBI noted, these NBFCs had outsourced several of their core financial services as well. The restrictions on these 4 NBFCs will be effective at the close of business as of October 21, 2024. But this will not affect the existing, active loans of the companies. Also, loan collection and recovery processes will also continue in line with existing guidelines. However, Morgan Stanley, in a recent report, has questioned this move, asking whether lending rates alone were the cause for concern by RBI against specified NBFCs or whether broader issues are at play. "Based on an observation of lending rate data collated and presented by MFIN (the industry body for microfinance lenders), we note that Asirvad Microfinance's lending rates are not very different from other lenders," the report said. The report also observes that more regulatory action might follow in the sector, but the intention here was not to shut down new lending by <keyword id="21739781" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="microfinance-institutions" source="keywords">microfinance institutions</keyword> and NBFCs entirely. RBI's restrictions will stay in place until these NBFCs show that they have fully aligned their practices with regulatory guidelines. In response, Navi Finserv Limited has noted that it is committed to conducting its business operations with the highest standards of compliance, customer service, and transparency. "The company is reviewing the directions received from the Hon’ble Reserve Bank of India and will work with them and address all the concerns raised with promptness and completeness," it further added.

Reserve Bank may act against more NBFCs to keep obscure lending practices in check, says Morgan Stanley

New <keyword id="19900881" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi" source="keywords">Delhi</keyword>, The Delhi government on Tuesday issued fresh guidelines for handling end-of-life vehicles in public places, stipulating a penalty of Rs 10,000 for four-wheelers and Rs 5,000 for two-wheelers to be imposed on owners of impounded vehicles before being released. According to the guidelines, continuous enforcement drives should be conducted to phase out such vehicles from public places in the national capital and daily reports sent to the environment department for onward submission to the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM). The government has classified the release procedure of impounded vehicles under two categories -- those who wish to shift their vehicle out of Delhi-NCR and those who wish to park the vehicle in private spaces which are not shared parking places. "On plying and parking of ELVs in public place in NCT of Delhi, once impounded for the first time it can be released on the basis of submission of an undertaking that vehicle will not be plied or parked in any public place within the territory of Delhi and will be removed from the city...," the guidelines read "In case of 4-wheeler, a penalty of Rs 10,000 along with towing charge and parking fee as notified in <keyword id="20667071" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="delhi-maintenance-and-management-of-parking-places-rules" source="keywords">Delhi Maintenance and Management of Parking Places Rules</keyword>, 2019, shall be charged before releasing of such ELVs. In case of 2-wheeler, a penalty of Rs 5,000 along with towing charge and parking fee as notified in Parking Rules 2019 shall be charged...," it said. According to the guidelines, any end-of-life vehicle impounded for the second time and transport vehicles running on diesel fuel and aged more than 10 years old cannot be released. The application for the release of a vehicle along with necessary documents should be submitted within three weeks of impounding of the vehicle and an online platform will be developed for this purpose, it said. According to the guidelines, impounded vehicles will be scrapped in case of three scenarios -- non-submission of application for release within three weeks of impounding of the vehicle, rejection of application submitted for release and impounding of the same vehicle for the second time. All scrap value shall be paid through digital mode only to the bank account in the name of the vehicle owner within 15 days of the vehicle being accepted by the <keyword id="20663769" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="registered-vehicles-scrapping-facility" source="keywords">Registered Vehicles Scrapping Facility</keyword>, it added. SEE ALSO:<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/xiaomi-14-to-launch-in-india-on-march-7-to-take-on-the-galaxy-s23-and-oneplus-12/articleshow/107841326.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/mobile/news/xiaomi-14-to-launch-in-india-on-march-7-to-take-on-the-galaxy-s23-and-oneplus-12/articleshow/107841326.cms" target="_blank">Xiaomi 14 to launch in India on March 7, to take on the Galaxy S23 and OnePlus 12</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/fire-boltt-noise-lead-indias-wearable-market-growth-which-sees-a-34-spike/articleshow/107813888.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/fire-boltt-noise-lead-indias-wearable-market-growth-which-sees-a-34-spike/articleshow/107813888.cms" target="_blank">Fire Boltt, Noise lead India’s wearable market growth which sees a 34% spike</a><a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/kawasaki-z650rs-hits-the-road-with-a-price-tag-of-6-99-lakh/slidelist/107846400.cms" target="_blank"></a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/kawasaki-z650rs-hits-the-road-with-a-price-tag-of-6-99-lakh/slidelist/107846400.cms" target="_blank">Kawasaki Z650RS hits the road with a price tag of ₹6.99 lakh</a>

Delhi govt issues guidelines for handling end-of-life vehicles in public places

<ul><li>The government has announced a new scheme aimed at increasing investment in the EV market.</li><li>The scheme is aimed at increasing domestic EV manufacturing by offering a short-term reduction in import duty.</li><li>This is expected to pave the way for <keyword id="6355315" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="elon-musk" source="Orion">Elon Musk</keyword>’s <keyword id="107096" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="tesla" source="Orion">Tesla</keyword> in India.</li></ul>In what may come as a big boost to Tesla’s plans to enter India, the Indian government has announced a new scheme aimed at boosting domestic manufacturing of electric vehicles. The Indian government aims to achieve the dual goal of promoting less-polluting EVs as well as ensuring ‘make-in-India’ through the upcoming policy changes. The lower import taxes on certain electric vehicles are contingent on companies committing an investment of at least $500 million in setting up manufacturing facilities within three years. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Here’s what the new policy entails" comment="subhead" text="Here’s what the new policy entails">Here’s what the new policy entails</cmsannotation> As part of this policy, companies will be able to import a limited number of electric vehicles in India. These companies will have to invest a minimum of $500 million to establish local manufacturing facilities within three years. Additionally, at least 25% of the components will have to be sourced domestically within three years and at least 50% within five years. Companies that follow this will be allowed to import 8,000 completely built-up (CBU) electric cars per year at an import duty of 15% on cars costing above $35,000 (approx. ₹28.99 lakh). At present, India levies a tax of 70% to 100% on imported cars, based on their value. This means that the import duty has been reduced by up to 85% for companies under this scheme. The investment commitment made by companies will be backed by a bank guarantee which will be invoked if the company fails to follow the policy guidelines. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Would the new policy pave the way for Tesla’s entry?" comment="subhead" text="Would the new policy pave the way for Tesla’s entry?">Would the new policy pave the way for Tesla’s entry?</cmsannotation> Many industry experts believe that the new policy could pave the way for the entry of Tesla into the country. Musk has been at loggerheads with the India government over the imposition of import duties on electric vehicles. Four models of Tesla, including the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y were reportedly<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/tesla-inches-closer-to-its-india-debut-as-four-models-approved/articleshow/85792404.cms"> approved</a> in India in 2021 but a 2022 report revealed that the company’s India debut was put on<a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/elon-musk-dashes-hopes-of-tesla-fans-in-india-entry-plan-put-on-hold/articleshow/91543214.cms"> hold</a> as Musk was not able to obtain lower tariffs for the company. It’s not just Tesla, other electric vehicle makers will also benefit from this policy. Vietnamese EV maker VinFast recently announced its plans to invest $2 billion in India and has started constructing its first factory in Tamil Nadu. <cmsannotation type="cmsannotation" annotationid="Impact on existing companies" comment="subhead" text="Impact on existing companies">Impact on existing companies</cmsannotation> The move could come as a hit to companies like Tata Motors and Mahindra and Mahindra, which have been reportedly lobbying officials to not lower import taxes on electric vehicles to protect the domestic industry. Tata Motors is India’s biggest electric car maker and enjoys a market share of over 70%. It’s not just these companies, other existing EV makers are also expected to be impacted by Tesla’s entry. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/retail-auto-sales-grow-by-13-in-february-but-elevated-inventory-levels-a-concern/articleshow/108289901.cms">Retail auto sales grow by 13% in February, but elevated inventory levels a concern</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/byd-seal-electric-sedan-launched-in-india-starting-at-41-lakh/articleshow/108234000.cms">BYD Seal electric sedan launched in India starting at ₹41 lakh</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/auto/news/electric-two-wheeler-sales-grow-by-24-in-february-2024-ola-electric-leads-with-over-40-market-share/articleshow/108227956.cms">Electric two-wheeler sales grow by 24% in February 2024, Ola Electric leads with over 40% market share</a>

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