MET Financial News

Surat diamond workers have given a strike call on March 30 if the Gujarat government fails to address their long-standing issues, which include a n increase in salaries, a financial package for the workers and an announcement of the Ratandeep scheme for the unemployed diamond workers, who have been laid off due to a slowdown in diamond demand in the global markets in the last two yeas. The strike call on March 30 may impact the cutting and polishing of diamonds worth Rs 500 crore. Bhavesh Tank, vice-president of the Diamond Workers Union, Gujarat, said «We had sent a letter to the Chief Minister of the state through the Surat Collector informing him about the situation pitiful condition of the diamond workers. We had asked that their salaries should be increased and a Gem Artist Welfare Board should be formed. We had demanded that a financial package should be announced for the workers.» The union has demanded a 30 per cent salary hike and formation of a committee for increasing the salary on a periodic basis. There are 4,000 diamond-cutting and polishing units in Surat, which employs around 8 lakh people. India cuts and polishes nine out 10 diamonds available in the global markets.

Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus here on Friday, official media reported. Yunus, on a four-day visit to China, took part in the country's Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference in Hainan after his arrival there on Wednesday. He arrived in Beijing on Thursday and was received at the airport by Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong. Gearing up for his meeting with Xi, Yunus called on China on Thursday to reduce interest rates for Chinese loans and waive commitment fees on Chinese-funded projects. In his meeting with the Chinese Executive Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang on the sidelines of the Boao Forum for Asia Annual Conference, Yunus sought Chinese support in an array of development projects, Bangladesh media reports said. He also called for a reduction of interest rates for Chinese loans from three per cent to 1-2 per cent to Bangladesh and sought a waiver of commitment fees on the Chinese-funded projects in Bangladesh. China is Bangladesh's fourth-largest lender after Japan, the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank, with total loans disbursed since 1975 coming to USD 7.5 billion, according to a report in the Daily Star newspaper of Bangladesh.

BEIJING — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday met with global executives and made a case for investing in the country, as Beijing focuses on reaching out to businesses amid escalating trade tensions with the U.S.

National Security Adviser Mike Waltz has come under fire after a sensitive information was unintentionally leaked to The Atlantic's editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, as per reports.

Jenna Bush Hager, daughter of former US President George Bush and his partner Laura Bush, is garnering praise for her Today show where she has remained pretty vocal about her upcoming career projects and her personal life, especially with her husband, Henry Chase Hager. Although the couple got married at a private ceremony in 2008, the two of them have remained together for over two decades now and are co-parenting their three children.

Walt Disney World’s Magic Kingdom is set to temporarily close one of its long-standing attractions this summer for a major overhaul. The famed Buzz Lightyear’s Space Ranger Spin will go dark in August and officials predict its rebuilding will finish in the following year. The enhancements to the ride experience will not be limited to basic maintenance, according to Michael Hundgen, who serves as creative portfolio executive producer at Walt Disney Imagineering. The maintenance work includes more than the original minimal operation. The enhancement stands as a cheerful makeover to this legendary ride, according to him.

Justice Yashwant Varma, from whose residence burnt cash was allegedly found, met a team of lawyers on Wednesday, ahead of his appearance before an in-house inquiry committee. According to sources, the high court judge sought legal opinion from senior advocates Siddharth Aggarwal, Maneka Guruswamy, Arundhati Katju and advocate Tara Narula who visited his Lutyens' Delhi residence. The three-member in-house committee appointed by the Supreme Court is expected to meet Justice Varma this week. The committee visited Justice Varma's 30, Tughlak Crescent residence here on Tuesday as it commenced its inquiry into the allegations against him. Chief Justice Sheel Nagu of the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, Chief Justice G S Sandhawalia of the High Court of Himachal Pradesh and Karnataka High Court Justice Anu Sivaraman were inside Justice Varma's residence for around 30-35 minutes. The findings of the crucial inquiry will decide the fate of Justice Varma who is facing allegations that «four to five semi-burnt sacks of Indian currency notes» were found at his home following a fire on March 14.

Canada's Liberal Party revoked Indian-origin MP Chandra Arya's bid to run for the party leadership and his nomination in his own Ottawa Nepean constituency over his alleged ties to the Indian government, a media report said on Wednesday. Citing a source with top-secret clearance, the Globe and Mail daily reported that Arya, who visited India last August and met Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had not informed the government of that trip even though bilateral relations are in a deep freeze. The Liberals have never revealed why they barred the three-term Liberal MP from the party's recent leadership race or from running again in Nepean constituency, the paper said. Citing the source, the daily reported that the Canadian Security Intelligence Service had briefed the government about Arya's «alleged close ties to the government of India, including its High Commission in Ottawa». Liberal Party officials who have security clearances and had received a general CSIS briefing on foreign interference also had concerns about Arya, a Liberal source said. The decisions to remove Arya as a candidate for the leadership and Nepean nomination were solely made by the Liberal Party and were not on the advice of CSIS, sources said.

solar storm could cause the Northern Lights to appear tonight in parts of the United Kingdom. If the conditions are right, lucky skywatchers may see the aurora borealis in all its glory. Here's where and when to witness this rare natural phenomenon. Tonight, as a 'High-Speed Stream' from a coronal hole hits Earth, parts of the United Kingdom will view the Northern Lights, commonly known as the Aurora Borealis. According to the Met Office, the aurora is caused by a 'high-speed stream' emitted by a coronal hole, a breach in the sun's outer surface. The possibility of viewing the aurora borealis rises with approach to the sun.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. President Trump acknowledged that his rapid drive to end the war in Ukraine had hit a snag, observing that Russia appeared to be slow-walking the U.S.-brokered negotiations as it angles for further concessions from the West. Trump’s comments came hours after the White House announced a Black Sea cease-fire deal and Russia promptly demanded additional steps from the West on sanctions relief before complying with such a truce.

«Today I learned that knowing a particular language might be necessary even to get basic services like bathroom cleaning in my own home. Thanks for the lesson, @urbancompany_UC @UC_Assist,» said the man in a post on X. «I had booked a bathroom cleaning service via Urban Company. Two people arrived, and I showed them the bathroom to be cleaned. One of them started speaking in a language I couldn’t understand. I told them “Kannada,” but the conversation continued in an unfamiliar language. Then the second person started speaking—again, not in Kannada,» added the man. Here's the post

Delhi, can be overwhelming. A woman recently experienced this firsthand when she shifted to the city without a working phone. Struggling to book a ride, she had to rely on shopkeepers and tea vendors for assistance, though some hesitated, fearing she might run away with their phones. However, on her first day in Delhi, she was left in utter disbelief after her driver realised that she did not have a phone and had to reach her PG. When she finally managed to book a ride, her driver, a man in his 40s, noticed that her destination seemed unsafe. Concerned for her well-being, he insisted on waiting until she reached her accommodation and met the PG owner. He explained that as a father himself, he wouldn’t mind spending extra time ensuring her safety. Since she only had cash and no digital payment options, she asked her mother to send money to the driver. However, he reassured her that payment wasn’t an issue and that he would earn more throughout the day. This unexpected act of kindness left her deeply moved, reaffirming her belief that good people still exist.

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Summer’s only just set in, but several states have already seen heatwaves as well as warm nights. The Met department has forecast a spike in mercury in the coming days.

Sukanta Majumdar, Leader of Opposition (LoP) in state assembly Suvendu Adhikari and BJP Bengal co-incharge Amit Malviya. Meanwhile, an all-party meeting will be held at the Election Commission’s state office on March 28 to discuss the fake voter issue. BJP State President Sukanta Majumdar blamed “the politics of appeasement” in Bengal and alleged that the Hindus being removed from the voter lists. The MoS has met Union Home Minister Amit Shah yesterday and apprised him about it. “Failed CM @MamataOfficial's politics of appeasement has reached dangerous levels. Hindus are being selectively removed from West Bengal’s voter list while Bangladeshi infiltrators are being rewarded with voting rights! Evidence of this grave conspiracy was handed over to Union Home Minister @AmitShah Ji yesterday. @AITCofficial’s dream of turning Bengal into #GreaterBangladesh is no longer a secret,” Majumdar posted in his X Handle. Majumdar said that names of several infiltrators have been included in the voter list. Citing an example, Majumdar wrote in his post, “Shahidul Biswas, a resident of Jessore, Bangladesh, is on the voter list of Bagda Assembly. And it’s not just one Shahidul—lakhs of infiltrators have been added, ensuring a slow demographic takeover. This is nothing less than an attack on India’s sovereignty! Mamata Banerjee wants to erase the Hindu identity of Bengal, the land won through the sacrifices of Bharat Kesari Syama Prasad Mukherjee. How long will true sons of Bengal tolerate this betrayal?”

Supreme Court has taken cognisance on its own of a controversial Allahabad High Court ruling that mere grabbing of the breast and pulling the string of a 'pyjama' do not amount to offence of rape. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and Augustine George Masih is slated to hear the matter on Wednesday. Legal experts had deplored the observation of the Allahabad High Court on what constitutes a rape charge, calling for a restraint by judges and underlining the drop in public confidence in the judiciary due to such statements. The high court on March 17 had ruled that mere grabbing of the breast and pulling the 'pyjama' string do not amount to offence of rape but such offence falls under the ambit of assault or use of criminal force against any woman with the intent to disrobe or compel her to be naked. The order was passed by Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra on a revision petition filed by two persons who moved the court, challenging the order of a Special Judge of Kasganj by which the court had summoned them under Section 376 of IPC apart from other sections. According to facts of the case, an application was moved before the court of Special Judge, POCSO Act, alleging that around 5:00 pm on November 10, 2021, she (informant) was returning from the home of her sister-in-law (husband's sister) along with her minor daughter aged about 14 years.

According to Downdetector, complaints began around 9 a.m. ET and spiked at approximately 1 p.m. in the UK (6:30 p.m. IST). Reports flooded in from across the East and West Coasts of the US, while users in the UK also experienced similar issues.

Sonu Sood’s wife, Sonali Sood, was involved in a severe car accident on the Mumbai-Nagpur highway on March 24, 2025. She was traveling with her sister and nephew when their vehicle met with a crash. Her nephew, who was behind the wheel, also suffered injuries, while her sister escaped with only minor wounds. Following the accident, Sonali and her nephew were rushed to Max Hospital in Nagpur, where they are undergoing treatment. Doctors have kept them under close observation for 48 to 72 hours to monitor their recovery. Upon hearing about the incident, Sonu Sood immediately rushed to the hospital to be by his wife’s side. A spokesperson confirmed the accident and stated that Sonu is currently unavailable as he remains with his family during this critical time.

Donald Trump at the White House on Monday. The investment includes a new $5.8 billion Hyundai Steel plant in Louisiana that will produce over 2.7 million metric tons of steel annually, creating more than 1,400 jobs. The steel plant is expected to supply steel to auto plants in Alabama and Georgia. Of the total, Hyundai also plans to invest $9 billion by 2028 to boost U.S. production capacity to 1.2 million vehicles in the United States and $6 billion to expand strategic partnerships with U.S. companies in autonomous driving, robotics, artificial intelligence, and advanced air mobility, the company said. Hyundai Motor plans to hold an opening ceremony for its new $7.59 billion car and battery factory in Georgia on Wednesday. The automaker has a factory in Alabama, while its affiliate Kia has a plant in Georgia. The two older plants can produce 700,000 vehicles a year and the new Georgia plant will have a 300,000-vehicle production capacity when fully operational. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry had travelled to South Korea in October and met with Hyundai to discuss the investment plan.

Xiaomi Corp kicked off a share sale that may fetch as much as $5.3 billion, capitalising on a surge in the Chinese company's stock price to help raise funds to expand its electric-vehicle business. The Beijing-based company is offering 750 million shares at HK$52.80-54.60 apiece, according to terms of the deal. That's a discount of 4.2% to 7.4% versus the stock's last close in Hong Kong. Investor demand met the size of the offering by Monday evening, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because they're not authorised to speak publicly about the matter. The offering, which comes weeks after EV giant BYD Co's $5.6-billion fundraising, builds on what's shaping up to be a bumper year for share sales in Hong Kong. After years of slumping, the city's benchmark stock index is among the world's best performers this year, fuelling optimism for a rebound in deals in the Asian financial hub.

reservation bill to Muslims in public contracts by the Karnataka assembly and the purported remarks of deputy chief minister DK Shivakumar, that if need be the Congress can amend the Constitution, rocked the Rajya Sabha on Monday with the BJP alleging that religion-based quota was against the Constitution while the main Opposition insisted Sivakumar has not said what was attributed to him. Soon after the Upper House met for the day, minority affairs minister Kiren Rijiju alleged that a Congress leader, holding a Constitutional position, has said his party can change the Constitution to give reservation to Muslims. While Rijiju did not name the person, leader of the House JP Nadda said Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar has given a statement that if need be we will change the Constitution to give reservation to Muslims. «I have to say with great sadness that the Congress which claims to protect the Constitution is flouting it. Baba Saheb Ambedkar, who drafted the Constitution, said reservations will not be given on the basis of religion. But in Karnataka, the Congress government has passed a bill to give 4% reservation in public contracts to Muslims… They want to shred the Constitution,» Nadda said. However, leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge, who also hails from Karnataka, refuted the charges. «I will only say that nobody can change or end the Constitution made by Ambedkar. We carried out the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir to protect the Constitution… We are the ones who stand for protecting the Constitution,» he said. As the Congress and BJP members shouted slogans against each other, the House was adjourned till 2pm.

Flight delays and cancellations are usually met with frustration, but one pilot’s refusal to take off from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) left passengers not only understanding but actually applauding his decision. His reason? A gut instinct that something just wasn’t right—despite experts giving the green light.