MET Financial News

According to a report from Radar Online, sources reveal that the couple will exchange vows aboard Bezos’ $500 million superyacht, Koru, cruising the Italian coastline in June. And while speculation initially suggested a lavish winter ceremony in Aspen, the final plan is as grand as expected—if not more.

licence plates “all manner of alphabetical permutations and combinations were on view”. This included JA (Jamaica), WAG (West Africa and Gambia), FM (Federated Malay States), BI (British India), M (Mandatory Palestine), EA (Kenya and East Africa) and SAU (South African Union). ToI explained that the UK allowed drivers from most countries to use their cars without paying any charge for 90 days, but because the US had not signed the relevant international convention: “American cars are required to be registered with British number plates and this is done at the ship’s side.” Licence plate-spotting goes back a while.

Jammu and Kashmir government is working for proper rehabilitation of the victims of a major fire that gutted 40 residential houses in Anantnag district, social welfare minister Sakina Itoo assured the legislative assembly here on Saturday. The minister, who led a four-member team of legislators to visit the scene of Thursday's devastating fire in Kadipora area, said some relief had been given to the victims and more is underway. As the House met on Saturday, National Conference legislator from Bijbehara Bashir Ahmad Veeri tried to raise the issue but the speaker Abdul Rahim Rather asked him to take up his seat, assuring that the government will make a statement. «A total of 40 houses were gutted in the fire, causing massive loss to the victims. I along with MLAs Peerzada (Feroze Ahmad), Altaf Kaloo and Abdul Majid Bhat Larmi met the fire victims yesterday (Wednesday) on the directions of the chief minister (Omar Abdullah). »The district administration had already made arrangements for their food and shelter, while we also had met with the district development commissioner and concerned officers to ensure their rehabilitation," Itoo, who also holds the health and medical education portfolio, told the House after the question hour. She said the victims will be provided relief under Chief Minister's relief fund, while the cheques have been prepared under natural calamity fund for them.

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the premature redemption schedule for Sovereign Gold Bonds (SGB) 2025 for the period from April to September 2025. According to the schedule, there are three SGBs that are due for premature redemption in the month of April.

Elliot Rosenberg moved abroad and now lives comfortably for less than ₹1 lakh per month.

Joe Biden has privately signaled his willingness to assist Democrats in countering Trump-era policy reversals, offering to fundraise, campaign, and support rebuilding efforts. During a recent meeting with Democratic National Committee (DNC) chair Ken Martin, Biden emphasized his commitment to revitalizing the party, which currently faces historic lows in public approval. However, many within the party remain skeptical, viewing Biden as a relic of past electoral setbacks rather than a bridge to future success. A recent NBC News poll underscores the challenge: only 27% of voters hold positive views of the Democratic Party, the lowest since 1990.

AstraZeneca said on Friday it will spend $2.5 billion on a research and development hub in Beijing, as the drugmaker scrambles to revive business in its second-biggest market after scandals including the arrest of its China president last year. Chief executive Pascal Soriot was in Beijing and met with the city's mayor to reveal the investment, along with two licensing deals with Chinese companies, saying they all showed the company's commitment to the world's No. 2 economy. «This $2.5 billion investment reflects our belief in the world-class life sciences ecosystem in Beijing, the extensive opportunities that exist for collaboration and access to talent, and our continued commitment to China,» Soriot said in a statement. The R&D centre «will partner with the cutting-edge biology and AI science in Beijing and be a critical part of our global efforts to bring innovative medicines to patients worldwide,» Soriot said. The Chinese government has launched several investigations into AstraZeneca's executives and activities in the country, where it has invested billions of dollars to build factories and license experimental drug candidates from Chinese biotech firms.

Donald Trump Jr.’s surprise visit to Serbia this month has sparked intense scrutiny, intertwining U.S. foreign relations with the Trump family’s business ambitions. Arriving during escalating protests against President Aleksandar Vučić, Trump Jr. met with the embattled leader, later framed by his spokesperson as part of a podcast interview. Critics, however, see the trip as a strategic move to bolster Vučić’s political standing while advancing plans for a Trump International Hotel in Belgrade. The project, spearheaded by Jared Kushner’s Affinity Global Development, aims to transform a NATO-bombed government site into a luxury complex, stirring opposition over its historical significance and alleged conflicts of interest.

T-shirts with slogans on the issue of delimitation of parliamentary and assembly constituencies. Krishna Prasad Tenneti, who was in the Chair, requested the Opposition members to come back to the House in «proper shape». «We have a discussion on agriculture. Such an important topic of the country you are not allowing the discussion to take place. I request you to cooperate and let the proceedings go on,» he urged the Oposition members. When they did not comply, Tenneti adjourned the House for the day. Lok Sabha on Thursday witnessed repeated adjournments over this matter. Earlier, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla objected to the DMK members wearing T-shirts with slogans written on them, and said such actions were against the rules of procedure of the House.

Congress MP and Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Thursday met with the Congress MPs from Punjab, who are protesting in the Parliament premises over the issue of farmers'. Punjab Congress MPs, including the party's Punjab chief, Amarinder Singh Raja Warring, staged a protest against both Punjab and central governments over the eviction of farmers from the Punjab-Haryana Khanauri and Shambhu Borders. Congress leaders also raised concerns over various other issues affecting farmers in the region. Warring condemned the treatment of farmers, stating, «The way atrocities have been done on farmers, I condemn it. The real face of the governments that used to say that we are well-wishers of the farmers has been exposed.» He specifically accused Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and Union Home Minister Amit Shah of being responsible for the forceful removal and violence against farmers. «Bhagwant Mann and Union Home Minister Amit Shah have done the work of beating them (farmers), this should not happen,» Warring added.

Saurabh Rajput has sent shockwaves through Meerut. His wife, Muskan Rastogi, and her alleged lover, Sahil Shukla, have been accused of murdering him, dismembering his body, and hiding it in a drum filled with cement. Saurabh’s mother, Renu Devi, is demanding the death penalty for both. Saurabh had been missing since March 4. The crime came to light when laborers, hired to move a heavy drum from the couple’s rented house, found it unusually heavy. When questioned, Muskan reportedly dismissed their concerns, calling it «house junk.» As they attempted to shift it, the lid accidentally opened, releasing a foul smell. Suspicious, the laborers alerted the police.

Microsoft Corp., the biggest backer of Sam Altman’s OpenAI, and BlackRock Inc., which has an executive on the artificial intelligence startup’s board, are joining forces with one of its chief rivals. Abu Dhabi’s MGX, Microsoft and BlackRock said Elon Musk’s xAI is joining their effort to build $30 billion worth of data centers and other artificial intelligence infrastructure. The AI chipmaker Nvidia Corp., which was already named as a technical adviser to the group when it was announced last year, is also formally joining, according to a statement on Wednesday that didn’t detail member commitments.

Lahaul and Spiti and Kinnaur (above 2,900 metres), a yellow alert (partly unsafe conditions) for Kullu and a green alert (isolated instability) for the Shimla district. Weather remained mainly dry in the state over the past 24 hours since Tuesday evening. However, light snow was witnessed near the Atal Tunnel, Rohtang, and Lahaul and Spiti police have advised commuters to be cautious and stay updated about weather conditions. The road is open for traffic but as a precautionary measure, all tourist 4x4 vehicles have been directed to return towards Manali from the north portal of the tunnel, the police said. The Met office has predicted light rain and snow at isolated places in Lahaul and Spiti, Kinnaur and the higher reaches of Chamba, Kangra and Kullu districts on Thursday and Friday. Keylong recorded the lowest night temperature of minus 5.8 degrees Celsius.

Microsoft cofounder and philanthropist Bill Gates met prime minister Narendra Modi on Monday to discuss collaboration across the fields of artificial intelligence (AI), healthcare and agriculture, as well as on the digital infrastructure front. Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the India AI Mission and the Gates Foundation is expected soon. “AI solutions for better crops, stronger healthcare, smarter education, and climate resilience—MoU soon between India AI Mission and the Gates Foundation,” Vaishnaw posted on X.

NASA astronaut Sunita Williams has safely returned to Earth after spending nine months stranded aboard the International Space Station. She, along with NASA astronauts Nick Hague and Butch Wilmore, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Aleksandr Gorbunov, successfully splashed down in SpaceX’s Dragon capsule at 5:57 PM EDT. After more than nine months in space, the Crew-9 astronauts breathed Earth’s air once again. Following protocol for long-duration missions, they were carried out on stretchers as a precautionary measure, CNN reported. SpaceX routinely follows this procedure to help astronauts readjust to gravity after extended stays in space. Apart from Elon Musk, many were overjoyed by their return, one of them being Mahindra Groups chairman.

Gates, the billionaire Microsoft co-founder turned global health philanthropist, met with the National Security Council as well as Republican and Democratic lawmakers in recent weeks to press that case, the sources said. Soon after his January 20 inauguration, President Donald Trump moved to dismantle the U.S. Agency for International Development, cutting more than 80% of contracts and freezing billions of dollars for everything from emergency food assistance to malaria prevention. The Trump administration, led by the State Department, is reviewing what kinds of foreign aid will remain under its «America First» policy, with a list of around 30 global health projects for consideration, one of the sources said. «Bill was recently in Washington D.C. meeting with decision makers to discuss the life-saving impact of U.S. international assistance and the need for a strategic plan to protect the world's most vulnerable while safeguarding America's health and security,» said a spokesperson for the Gates Foundation, his charitable organization.

new tax regime has become even more alluring after the personal income tax amendments in Budget 2025. However, this shift comes with a price — the inability to claim deductions on investments that save taxes. For investors who primarily invested in Section 80C instruments to avail tax benefits, the shift to the new tax regime presents an important dilemma—should they continue with these investments or discontinue them altogether? While the new tax regime eliminates the advantage of deductions, discontinuing certain investments like Public Provident Fund (PPF), Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana (SSY), and National Pension System (NPS) without careful consideration can have unintended consequences. Also read: NSC vs bank FDs: Which is a better tax saving option?

green card holders are increasingly facing secondary inspections and overnight detentions by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers at American airports. According to TOI's Lubna Kably, immigration attorneys have reported a growing trend of CBP officials questioning elderly Indians who spend winter months in India and pressuring them to voluntarily surrender their green cards by signing Form I-407. Under the US Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), a lawful permanent resident (LPR), or green card holder, returning to the US after an absence of more than 180 days is treated as seeking «re-admission» and becomes subject to grounds of inadmissibility. Although green card abandonment is typically considered when someone stays outside the US for more than a year, attorneys are now seeing increased scrutiny even for shorter absences. Ashwin Sharma, an immigration attorney based in Florida, said, “I have personally handled cases recently where the CBP has targeted elderly Indian green card holders, particularly grandparents who happen to have spent a bit longer outside the US, and pressured them to sign Form I-407 to ‘voluntarily’ surrender their lawful permanent resident status (green card). And the moment they have tried to push back, they have been met with threats of detention or ‘removal’ by the CBP officers who have been emboldened by Trump to see themselves as judge, jury, and executioner.”

Rajnath Singh and the US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard met and held bilateral talks in the national capital on Monday. On Saturday, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval held a meeting with Gabbard, and according to sources, they discussed several facets of the India-US relationship in detail. Gabbard is visiting India as a part of her multi-nation visit. The Asia leg of Gabbard's trip will culminate in an address on March 18 at the Raisina Dialogue, a multinational gathering of security officials in Delhi, to which Prime Minister Narendra Modi invited her. The US intel chief Gabbard will hold bilateral meetings with Indian officials and officials from other countries, The New York Times reported, citing a Trump administration official. Her visit to India follows Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the US in February this year.

Destiny Church, to violate teenage boys has been convicted and jailed for his despicable acts. The 29-year-old Kiwa Hemi Tamati Edward Hamiora-Te Hira had in December 2024 pleaded guilty to the charges of sexual offences and was on Monday (March 17) sentenced to six years and four months in prison by the Manukau District Court. While reading out the sentence to Hamiora-Te Hira, Judge Clare Bennett observed that his victims were aged between 13 and 24 years. They had come to the convict, who was a member of the Destiny Church, for counselling where he won their trust and then went on to sexually abuse them, the judge noted. The convict was working with Boys2Men and Youth Nation when he met his victims who were young boys then. Hamiora-Te Hira was found guilty after many of his victims described the details of what transpired between them. One of the victims described Hamiora-Te Hira as a «brother and a father figure», outlining the deep faith and trust they had placed on the perpetrator. «He was like a brother… father figure to me. I have flashbacks and nightmares about what happened,» stated the victim. Judge Bennett pointed out that Hamiora-Te Hira was “persistent and pernicious” in his predatory behaviour.