Latest news with #Calculator
News18
06-06-2025
- News18
Travelling to France? Here's Why You Must Book Your Visa Appointment Online
Last Updated: France now requires online booking for visa appointments to simplify applications for long-stay and short-stay visas. France has launched a new digital system that makes it mandatory for all visa applicants to book their appointments online. The updated process, now in force, is intended to make applications faster, more organised, and user-friendly. Whether you are applying for a short-stay Schengen visa or a long-stay national visa, this rule applies to all foreign visitors. The move is also expected to cut down on intermediaries and streamline documentation. Here's a detailed look at how the new process works. Step 1: Check If You Need A Visa To begin the process, applicants should head to the official Visa Wizard page. This online guide helps you figure out whether you need a visa, and if so, which type suits your travel purpose. It also outlines the documents you'll need to prepare and provides details on the applicable fees. If you have visited the Schengen Area recently, you can use the Visa Calculator tool to check how many days you're still allowed to stay. Step 2: Confirm Eligibility Before Scheduling Before moving forward, applicants must ensure that the Visa Wizard confirms their need for a visa. Only those who meet the eligibility criteria outlined by the tool can book an appointment. This step helps prevent invalid applications and streamlines the overall process. Once the appointment request is approved, applicants will receive an email containing the date, time, and location of their visa appointment. To secure the slot, they must reply and confirm their availability. If confirmation isn't sent, the appointment will be automatically cancelled. Before attending the scheduled visa appointment, applicants must complete their visa application on the official France-Visas website. On the day of the appointment, they should bring a printed copy of the application form along with all required supporting documents. Incomplete paperwork or mismatched personal details may lead to delays or rejection. At the visa appointment, officials will review your documents, take biometric data (photo and fingerprints), and collect the application fee. However, if you've provided fingerprints for a Schengen visa within the past 59 months, you may be exempt from appearing in person.
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Time of India
France introduces mandatory online visa appointment system: What travellers need to know
As per the latest development, France has implemented a new mandatory online system for booking visa appointments, effective immediately. This move aims to improve efficiency and streamline the application process, and will apply to all foreign visitors pursuing either long-stay national visas or short-stay Schengen visas. Here's all you need to know about the process. Step 1: Determine visa requirements Applicants must first visit the official Visa Wizard page. This resource helps determine whether a visa is required based on individual circumstances and specifies the appropriate visa type, necessary documentation, and applicable fees. For those who have recently spent time in the Schengen Area, the Visa Calculator tool will assist further in calculating the remaining authorised stay duration. Step 2: Verify eligibility before booking Only applicants who are confirmed by the Visa Wizard as needing a visa can proceed ahead for booking an appointment. This verification step is designed to reduce unnecessary bookings and improve processing efficiency. Read more: 10 cheapest countries to visit from India in 2025 Step 3: Submit appointment request via Démarches Simplifiées To seek an appointment for a visa, eligible candidates will be required to register on the Demarches Simplifiées platform. Candidates fill out a questionnaire upon registration that asks about their length of stay, reason for visiting, and departure date. Complete and accurate information is essential to prevent rejection or delays. Step 4: Confirm appointment via email Upon acceptance of the appointment request, applicants receive an email with the appointment details. It is essential to confirm availability by replying to this email; failure to do so will result in cancellation of the appointment. Step 5: Prepare for the appointment Applicants must finish their visa application on the France-Visas website prior to the appointed meeting. The printed application form and any other supporting documentation should be brought by candidates on the day of the appointment. Refusal may result from incomplete applications or inconsistent identity information. Read more: Tourist fined INR 13k for bringing durian into Singapore hotel; find out why you need to be careful Additional considerations During the visa appointment, staff will verify documents, collect biometric data (photo and fingerprints), and collect the visa application fee. Applicants may not be required to attend in person if their fingerprints were taken within the last 59 months. The French Government advises against using dubious websites that claim to be able to assist with visas and emphasises the need of using official procedures. To guarantee a smooth visa application procedure, applicants are advised to plan ahead, ensure that all information provided by them is accurate, and they carefully adhere to the new criteria. This upgraded system reflects France's commitment to digitizing consular services and improving the overall visa application experience. One step to a healthier you—join Times Health+ Yoga and feel the change
Fashion Value Chain
15-05-2025
- Business
- Fashion Value Chain
Unlock Lower Gold Loan Interest Rates: Bajaj Finance Shares Tips to Save on Borrowing Costs
A gold loan is a simple way to borrow money by pledging your gold jewellery. Many people choose this option when they need quick funds for personal or emergency needs. Since gold loans are secured, they usually come with lower interest rates compared to personal loans. Understanding how gold loan interest rates are calculated can help you make better borrowing decisions and save money in the long run. Bajaj Finserv Gold Loan offers a simple borrowing process with competitive interest rates, making it a reliable and affordable option for those seeking quick funds. Bajaj Finserv Gold Loan What is a gold loan interest rate The gold loan interest rate is the amount charged by the lender on the borrowed sum. It depends on factors like the loan amount, repayment period, and the purity of the gold you pledge. Bajaj Finance offers gold loans starting from Rs. 5,000 to as high as Rs. 2 crore, with flexible tenures of 1 day to 12 months. Interest rates can range between 9.50% and 24% per annum. Tips to lower your gold loan interest rate Securing a gold loan can provide quick financial relief, but managing the interest rate is crucial for keeping overall costs down. Here are some effective tips to help you reduce your gold loan interest rate: Choose a shorter tenure : Opting for a shorter repayment period can significantly lower your overall interest charges. With a reduced loan tenure, lenders usually offer lower interest rates, as the risk is spread over a shorter time frame. Pay interest regularly : If you make regular payments towards your interest, such as on a monthly or bi-monthly basis, it can help you reduce the compound interest that accrues. Staying punctual with payments ensures you avoid penalties and interest accumulation. Make part-prepayments: Making part-prepayments towards your loan can lower your principal balance. By reducing the outstanding principal, you decrease the amount of interest charged over the loans life, leading to significant savings. By adopting these strategies, you can effectively manage your loan and keep interest rates low, making your gold loan more affordable in the long run. Importance of gold rate per gram The gold rate per gram is a key factor in deciding your loan amount. The higher the gold price, the more you can borrow. Bajaj Finance values your gold based on current market prices, gold purity, and weight, and then offers a loan accordingly. So, when gold prices are high, you may get a better deal. To make things easier, you can use the Bajaj Finserv Gold Loan Calculator to check how much loan amount you may be eligible for. It helps you plan better by giving a quick estimate based on the gold rate per gram and gold purity you enter. Simple and quick application process Getting a gold loan from Bajaj Finance is quick and easy: Click on 'Apply' to initiate online application. Enter your 10-digit mobile number and click on 'Get OTP.' Submit the OTP to verify your identity. Fill in your personal details and select the nearest gold loan branch. Download the loan eligibility letter After evaluating the gold and verifying your documents, your loan is approved and disbursed, usually on the same day. Final thoughts A gold loan is a simple and smart way to meet urgent financial needs. With the right plan, you can keep your gold safe, get money when needed, and repay at your pace. Bajaj Finance offers competitive gold loan interest rates, easy processes, and the flexibility you need. Keeping track of the gold rate per gram and making timely payments can help you save more in the long run. To learn more or to apply for a gold loan, visit the nearest Bajaj Finserv branch or apply online today. T&C Apply. About Bajaj Finance Limited Bajaj Finance Ltd. ('BFL', 'Bajaj Finance', or 'the Company'), a subsidiary of Bajaj Finserv Ltd., is a deposit taking Non-Banking Financial Company (NBFC-D) registered with the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and is classified as an NBFC-Investment and Credit Company (NBFC-ICC). BFL is engaged in the business of lending and acceptance of deposits. It has a diversified lending portfolio across retail, SMEs, and commercial customers with significant presence in both urban and rural India. It accepts public and corporate deposits and offers a variety of financial services products to its customers. BFL, a thirty-five-year-old enterprise, has now become a leading player in the NBFC sector in India and on a consolidated basis, it has a franchise of 80.41 million customers. Bajaj Finance has a credit rating of AAA/Stable for its Fixed Deposit program from CRISIL and ICRA, AAA/Stable for long-term borrowing from CRISIL, India Ratings, CARE and ICRA, and A1+ for short-term borrowing from CRISIL, India Ratings and ICRA. It has a long-term issuer credit rating of BBB-/Stable and a short-term rating of A-3 by S&P Global ratings. To know more, visit
Time of India
21-04-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Highest savings account interest rate: Comparison of ICICI Bank vs HDFC Bank vs Axis Bank vs YES Bank
In a fresh round of interest rate revisions, several major private lenders, including ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, and Axis Bank, have reduced their savings account interest rates by 25 basis points (bps) following the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) decision to lower the repo rate by 25 bps during its monetary policy meeting on April 9, 2025. DCB Bank and YES Bank are among other banks that have revised their savings account interest rates. Income Tax Guide Income Tax Slabs FY 2025-26 Income Tax Calculator 2025 New Income Tax Bill 2025 Let's take a look at the latest savings account interest rates offered by these banks: ICICI Bank ICICI Bank, the second-largest bank in the country by market capitalisation, has slashed the interest rates on its savings accounts by 25 basis points (bps). Under the revised structure, ICICI Bank now offers an interest rate of 2.75% per annum for end-of-day balances under Rs 50 lakh, compared to the earlier rate of 3%. For balances of Rs 50 lakh and above, the interest rate has been reduced to 3.25% from 3.50% per annum earlier. These rates are calculated based on the daily closing balance and reflect the broader trend of banks realigning their deposit offerings amid prevailing monetary conditions. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Also read: Now ICICI Bank cuts FD, savings account interest rates; check details On Balances (in ₹) Rate of Interest (% p.a.) For end of day balance below ₹ 50 Lakhs 2.75% For end of day balance ₹ 50 Lakhs and above 3.25% Live Events HDFC Bank According to the data available on HDFC Bank's website, under the newly revised structure effective April 12, 2025, the interest rate for savings account balances has been lowered across both deposit slabs: For balances less than Rs 50 lakh, the bank has revised the interest rate to 2.75% per annum, down from 3% per annum earlier. For balances of Rs 50 lakh and above, the interest rate now stands at 3.25% per annum, compared to the earlier rate of 3.50% per annum. Also read: HDFC Bank reduces FD interest rates by up to 50 bps: Check the latest fixed deposit rates Savings Account Balance Interest Rate p.a Less than ₹50 Lakh 2.75% Of and above ₹50 Lakh 3.25% Axis Bank After the revision, Axis Bank now offers an interest rate of 2.75% per annum for end-of-day balances below Rs 50 lakh. For balances of Rs 50 lakh and up to Rs 2,000 crore, the interest rate is now 3.25%; for balances above Rs 2,000 crore, Axis Bank offers overnight MIBOR + 0.70%. These rates are applicable from April 15, 2025. DCB Bank DCB Bank has revised its savings account interest rates effective from April 16, 2025. Balance Range (₹) Interest Rate (% p.a.) On balances up to 1 lakh in the account 1.50% On balances above 1 lakh to less than 5 lakh in the account 2.50% On balances from 5 lakh to less than 10 lakh in the account 4.50% On balances from 10 lakh to less than 50 lakh in the account 6.60% On balances from 50 lakh to less than 1 crore in the account 7.25% On balances from 1 crore to less than 2 crore in the account 7.50% On balances from 2 Crore to less than 3 Crore in the account 8.00% On balances from 3 crore to less than 50 Crore in the account 7.00% On balances from 50 crore to less than 300 Crore in the account 8.00% On balances from 300 crore and above 5.50% YES Bank YES Bank has revised its savings account interest rates for domestic and non-resident savings accounts. After the revision, the savings account interest rates offered by the bank vary between 3% and 5% depending on the balance in the account. The revised rates are effective from April 21, 2025. Note that YES Bank will calculate interest on incremental balances in each interest rate slab at applicable rates. DOMESTIC & NON-RESIDENT SAVINGS ACCOUNTS (Rupee Deposits) Daily Balance in the Savings Account (INR) Applicable Interest Rates (p.a.) w.e.f. 21st April'25 Up to Rs.10 Lac 3.00% Rs.10 lacs and above to less than Rs.25 lacs 3.50% Rs.25 lacs and above to less than Rs.50 lacs 4.00% Rs.50 lacs and above to less than Rs.100 Crs 5.00%
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Yahoo
I Changed These 8 iPhone Settings First After Installing iOS 18.3
I've covered the iPhone since the beginning, so believe me when I say that there is a lot to its system software -- especially with the features and settings added in iOS 18.3. You may be feeling overwhelmed, as I was at first, and that's OK. Part of the joy of using an iPhone is exploring what it can do, and there's plenty here to choose from. But where to begin? I've put together this collection of eight settings and features that flex what the new system and your iPhone are capable of. Stay safe: Make sure you install the latest iOS 18.3.1 update that fixes bugs related to an "extremely sophisticated attack." If you have an iPhone that runs Apple Intelligence, be sure to check out the features you're going to use most. Or if you have no interest in the AI features -- which are now enabled automatically -- learn how to turn off Apple Intelligence. For more on what's new in iOS 18, learn about improvements to the overhauled Calculator app and the Mail app. And don't forget to consult our iOS 18 upgrade checklist, which includes making sure you have a proper backup before upgrading. In real estate, location is everything, and the bottom corners of the iPhone lock screen are the prime spots, each an easy thumb press away when your device is still locked. Before iOS 18, those posts were held by the flashlight and camera buttons, with no way to change them. In iOS 18, you can finally replace them with other buttons -- or remove them entirely, a balm for folks who unknowingly activate the flashlight (believe me, there's a better way to turn it on). You can add buttons to recognize music via Shazam, enable Dark Mode, set an alarm/timer, enable Airplane Mode, open your Wallet, send money via Tap to Cash and more. Here's how: 1. On the iPhone's lock screen, touch and hold anywhere on the display until you see the Customize button. You'll need to unlock the phone using Face ID, Touch ID or your passcode. If it opens the home screen, swipe down from the center-top of the screen (not the right edge, which brings up Control Center. 2. Tap Customize and then choose Lock Screen. 3. Remove one of the buttons by tapping the – (minus) button on the icon. 4. To replace the button with another function, tap its space (now with a + icon) and then choose the one you want on the next screen. (You can also opt to leave that space empty with no button.) 5. Repeat those steps for the other button if you want to change it. 6. Tap Done when you're finished. 7. Tap the lock screen again to exit the customize mode. The Action button on the iPhone 15 Pro, iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro replaced the dedicated mute switch found on every earlier iPhone model with a configurable control. By default it serves the same purpose -- hold it to turn Silent Mode on or off -- but you can configure it for other actions like opening the Camera app, performing multiple actions at once or even ordering coffee. In iOS 18, the Action button gets new capabilities. You can bypass Control Center and choose a control of your choice, such as opening the Remote interface for navigating Apple TV or using Shazam to identify a song. To choose a different action for the Action button, go to Settings > Action Button. Swipe sideways to select and activate one of the available actions. For the Controls, Shortcut and Accessibility options, tap the Choose button to pick which specific action to run. You wouldn't think that putting icons where you want is a radical new feature, but that's because iOS has always had a locked arrangement. Apps get added from top to bottom, left to right. You could rearrange the order in which icons appear and move them to other screens, but that was about it. In iOS 18, apps can be positioned nearly anywhere. You no longer need to deal with a wallpaper image of your kids or pets being obscured by icons. They still adhere to a grid -- Apple isn't about to sanction anarchy -- but can be placed freely. Also, Dark mode finally applies to all of the iPhone's home screen, with options for coloring icons and affecting the brightness of the wallpaper image. Here's how to customize the looks. Arrange apps: Touch and hold the home screen to enter "jiggle mode," and then drag the icons to new positions. It will still slide them around to fill spaces, but with patience, you can move them into the spots you want. You can also quickly turn compatible apps into widgets that display more information. Maps, for instance, can be a map of your current location with shortcut buttons to search for places or bring up a list of nearby places (such as dinner spots). Touch and hold the app icon and look for a row of resize buttons in the menu that appears. Once expanded beyond the standard icon size, you can drag the handle in the bottom-right corner of the new icon. To get it back to its single icon size you need to touch and hold again and choose the single-icon button Set Dark mode: If you've ever subjected yourself to the retina blast of black text on a white background late at night in a darkened room, you will appreciate the new Dark mode option for the home and lock screens. iOS has previously included a Dark mode, where light backgrounds switch to black or dark gray, text switches to white or light gray and other interface elements are dimmed to coexist in a dark environment. That's never been applied to the home and lock screens in any significant way -- only the dock and some widgets -- until iOS 18. First, touch and hold the home screen to enter jiggle mode. Tap the Edit button in the top-left corner and choose Customize from the menu. At the bottom of the screen, choose a mode for the icons and background: Automatic, Dark or Light (I'll get to Tinted in a moment). In Dark mode, the icons gain black backgrounds, and folders and the Dock become dark gray. (Developers have the option of making Dark mode icons for their apps. In the meantime, apps not yet optimized get a generally darker appearance.) In Dark mode, the background image also changes. Apple's default iOS 18 wallpaper dynamically changes from light to dark as the day progresses, or you can choose colors that offer both a light and dark option. If you use a photo, its overall exposure is reduced to dim the light output. If you want dark icons but aren't a fan of the dimmed photo treatment, tap the sun icon in the corner of the options sheet at the bottom of the screen to toggle back to Light mode just for the background. Tinted icons: A new and different option is to tint all of the app icons so they share the same color. In the Customize options at the bottom of the screen, choose Tinted as the icon style. You can then adjust the Hue (the slider with the color spectrum) and Luminosity (the slider with the dark to light range) to choose the color tint you prefer. What if you want to match a color from a background image? Tap the eyedropper button and then drag the reticle to pinpoint the color you want -- the border indicates the selected color. The tint is applied not only to icons but to widgets as well. For a widget such as Photos, the images it displays show up as duotones to match the theme. Large icons: Do the labels below each app icon seem redundant to you? Now you can remove the labels and increase the size of the icons with one setting. Open the Customize options as described above and tap the Large button. After making any of these changes, tap anywhere on the screen to apply them and exit the Customize interface. Control Center was once a convenient place to quickly access controls such as playback volume and Airplane mode, but under iOS 18 it's a configurable playground. You can position controls where you want, resize many to reveal more information and add new controls on multiple screens. Swipe down from the top-right corner to reveal the Control Center (or swipe up from the bottom on the iPhone SE). To enter edit mode, touch and hold or press the + button at the top-left corner. Just as with moving apps, drag a control to another slot on the screen to reposition it. Many of the controls also include a bottom-right handle that can resize the control -- in most cases, it reveals the name of the control and its current status (such as Flashlight Off). Control Center also now spans multiple screens. Swipe up to view controls for media currently playing, Home controls for smart lights and appliances and a page dedicated to the communication options that appear when you long-press the Connectivity block containing Airplane Mode, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Cellular and others. Look closely and you'll see that those screens are actually individual controls expanded to occupy the entire Control Center area. You can rearrange the order of those screens by moving their controls. Suppose you want Home controls to be the first swipe instead of Now Playing: In the editing mode, drag the large Home control up to the previous screen (Now Playing will shift to the right to make room). To remove controls, tap the – (minus) button that appears. You can also add other controls: Tap Add a Control and scroll through the available options ranging from starting a Screen Recording to a host of accessibility options. Read more: Best iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases Our phones carry some of our most sensitive data, and yet it's not uncommon to hand a phone to a friend to view photos or look up something online. That doesn't mean they're going to snoop, but it doesn't not mean they might be more curious than you're comfortable with. For data you want to ensure stays out of sight or to add a layer of protection in front of sensitive information, iOS 18 adds the ability to lock and hide apps. For example, let's say you keep an ongoing set of lists of gift ideas for family members in the Notes app. You can lock individual notes, but that requires a separate step. Maybe a few ideas were made as individual quick notes or drawings. Instead of micromanaging access, you can lock the entire Notes app by doing the following: Touch and hold the app icon you want to lock and choose Require Face ID or Require Touch ID (or Require Passcode if Face ID or Touch ID are not enabled) from the menu that appears. Confirm your choice by tapping Require Face ID (or similar) in the next dialog. To remove the authentication step, touch and hold the app and choose Don't Require Face ID (or similar). Nothing outwardly indicates that an app is locked -- you'll find out when you try to open it. There's one more level of app security available, which is to hide apps in a special locked folder. Touch and hold the app and choose Require Face ID and then tap Hide and Require Face ID in the dialog. Confirm the action by tapping Hide App on the next screen. The app disappears from the home screen and gets slotted into a Hidden folder at the bottom of the App Library (swipe left beyond your last home screen to view the App Library). To access apps there, tap the Hidden folder and authenticate with Face ID. iOS 18 imposes some limitations on hidden apps. Some, such as many of the built-in ones like Notes or Reminders, can only be locked and cannot be hidden at all. Also, the Hidden folder locks itself when you launch an app or swipe away from the App Library. Many apps have implemented a small but annoying (to me) feature, and now Photos under iOS 18.2 has it too: Videos automatically replay when you watch them until you tap the Pause button. That can be fun once or twice, or when viewing short clips. I'm not a fan of having to take action to make them stop each time. Now I can take action once. Go to Settings > Photos, scroll down until you see Loop Videos and turn the option off. A video will play on its own but then stop at the end as it should. If you'd rather the video didn't play at all until you tap the Play button, also turn off Auto-Play Motion in the same Settings screen. Big new features like locking and hiding apps are great additions but so are the tiny changes that you encounter every day. The Calendar app includes two new ways to view your schedule. In iOS 18, when you're in the Month view in portrait orientation, pinch with two fingers to view more or fewer details. As you "zoom in," individual events appear as colored bars and then as labeled events with times, all while keeping the monthly grid of days and weeks. The Day view, which breaks down your day hour by hour, now has a new Multi Day view that shows two consecutive days to give you context for what's coming without turning the phone into landscape orientation and viewing the Week view. Tap the View button at the top of the Single Day view and choose Multi Day from the popup menu. Trouble hearing dialogue in movies and television shows isn't a new problem -- for example, the Apple TV has had a feature for a while where you can ask Siri, "What did she say?" and it will automatically back up a few seconds, turn on subtitles and replay that section of the video. You can even buy soundbars that can overcome muffled TV speech. There are a lot of reasons it's harder to hear dialogue, but the TV app in iOS 18 includes a high-tech workaround to make dialog easier to discern. While you're watching a video in the TV app, tap the More (…) button and then expand the Audio heading in the menu that appears; if the phone is in horizontal orientation, tap the Audio Adjustments button. Tap Enhance Dialogue and choose Enhance or Boost. They each dampen background noise and raise the dialogue's audio. These are just a few new features and changes in iOS 18. Check out our broader coverage of Apple Intelligence, more impressions of the system after using it for months and how these all work together with the iPhone 16 models.
