Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

17 Jan

Delhi–NCR air quality worsens sharply, GRAP III restrictions enforced with immediate effect

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaNew Delhi, Weather

National Times Bureau :- Air quality in Delhi and the surrounding National Capital Region (NCR) has deteriorated rapidly, prompting the Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) to impose Stage III of the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP-III) with immediate effect on Friday. According to official data, Delhi’s Air Quality Index (AQI), which stood at 343 on Thursday, climbed further to 354 by Friday evening, placing the city firmly in the ‘Very Poor’ category. Weather experts have warned that the situation could worsen further in the coming days due to low wind speed and unfavourable meteorological conditions, potentially pushing AQI levels…

17 Jan

Poonam Patnaik Donates $1,000 to Support Ottawa Food Bank

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada

Ottawa ( Rajeev Sharma ): Mrs. Poonam Patnaik, wife of Mr. Dinesh Patnaik, High Commissioner of India to Canada, has generously donated CAD 1,000 to support the Ottawa Food Bank, reaffirming her strong commitment to community service and social responsibility. The donation was raised through a Christmas Bazaar, an initiative that not only supported a vital local charity but also promoted Indian artisans and their craftsmanship, reflecting Mrs. Patnaik’s belief in empowering communities while celebrating culture and tradition. Mrs. Patnaik expressed her appreciation for the impactful work of the Centre de ressources communautaires Rideau-Rockcliffe / Rideau-Rockcliffe Community Resource Centre (CRC),…

16 Jan

Alberta Court Splits Pet Ownership After Separation, Says Pets Are Not Children

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada

Fort McMurray (Rajeev Sharma): An Alberta judge has ruled that a group of cats shared by two former partners must be divided between them, stressing that pets cannot be treated the same way as children under Canadian family law. In a written decision issued last month, Justice Douglas Mah stated that while people often form deep emotional bonds with their pets, the legal framework governing parenting disputes does not apply to animals. “Parenthood and pet ownership are not the same and should not be treated as such,” the judge wrote, adding that courts must apply a different legal standard when…

16 Jan

Doug Ford Criticises Ottawa’s China Trade Deal, Warns of Risks to Canadian Auto Jobs

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada-China trade deal, Chinese electric vehicles, Doug Ford, Mark Carney, Ontario auto sector

Toronto (Rajeev Sharma): Ontario Premier Doug Ford has sharply criticized Prime Minister Mark Carney’s newly announced trade agreement with China, warning that it could undermine Canada’s auto sector and threaten domestic jobs by opening the door to a surge of Chinese electric vehicles (EVs). In a social media post on Friday, Ford said the deal would give China a strategic entry point into the Canadian market, allowing it to compete aggressively at the expense of Canadian workers. He argued that the agreement lacks safeguards to protect domestic manufacturing and long-term economic interests. Prime Minister Carney earlier announced that Canada had…

16 Jan

Canada–China Reset: PM Mark Carney Seals Strategic Partnership on Energy, Trade, and Agri-Food

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada, China, China visit, PM Mark Carney

Beijing ( National Times): Prime Minister Mark Carney has unveiled a major new strategic partnership with China during his landmark visit to Beijing, the first by a Canadian prime minister since 2017 aimed at boosting Canada’s economic resilience through deeper cooperation in energy, agri-food, and trade.Following high level meetings with President Xi Jinping and other top Chinese leaders, both countries released a joint statement outlining collaboration on clean energy, climate competitiveness, and technology, including batteries, solar, wind, and energy storage. Canada is also encouraging increased Chinese investment in its clean-tech and manufacturing sectors.A key outcome includes Canada allowing up to…

16 Jan

Toronto Pearson Declares ‘Recovery Day’ After 23 cm Snowfall, Crews Work 24/7 to Restore Operations

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, Ontarioflight delays, recovery day, snow-clearing operations, Snowfall, Toronto Pearson Airport, winter storm

Toronto (Rajeev Sharma): Toronto Pearson International Airport is in recovery mode after a powerful winter storm dumped 23 centimeters of snow across the airfield, prompting one of the largest snow-clearing operations of the season. Airport crews are removing an estimated 30,000 to 80,000 tones of snow to keep flights operating safely at Canada’s busiest airport. The snowfall blanketed approximately 55 kilometers of pavement, including runways, taxiways, and large apron areas used for aircraft parking and servicing. By midday, airfield teams were clearing as much as 10 to 30 kilograms of snow per square meter, a critical task required before aircraft…

16 Jan

Massive Fire Breaks Out at Construction Site in Conrich, East of Calgary

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingCalgary

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): A large fire erupted at a construction site on Durham Way, just off Range Road 285 in Conrich, east of Calgary, prompting an urgent response from local fire crews. Thick smoke and towering flames were visible from a considerable distance as firefighters worked aggressively to contain and extinguish the blaze. Emergency crews battled the fire for several hours, focusing on preventing it from spreading to nearby properties and open areas. No injuries have been reported so far, and officials have not yet disclosed the cause of the fire. RCMP also responded to the scene to assist fire…

16 Jan

Rakesh Aggarwal Appointed Director General of National Investigation Agency

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, TrendingRakesh Aggarwal

New Delhi ( Rajeev Sharma): In a major boost to India’s internal security and counter-terrorism framework, senior IPS officer Rakesh Aggarwal has been appointed as the Director General (DG) of the National Investigation Agency (NIA). The appointment was approved by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC), chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, following the premature repatriation of outgoing NIA DG Sadanand Vasant Date to his parent cadre, Maharashtra. The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) confirmed that Aggarwal, a 1994-batch IPS officer of the Himachal Pradesh cadre, will hold the top post at the NIA until August 31, 2028, or…

16 Jan

Machado Says She Handed Nobel Peace Prize Medal to Trump in Symbolic White House Encounter

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World NewsMaría Corina Machado, Nobel Peace Prize

Washington (Rajeev Sharma): Venezuelan opposition figure María Corina Machado said she personally handed her Nobel Peace Prize medal to U.S. President Donald Trump during a private meeting at the White House on Thursday, framing the gesture as a tribute to his role in confronting Venezuela’s authoritarian leadership. Speaking to reporters after leaving the White House, Machado described the exchange as symbolic, saying she offered the medal to Trump in appreciation of what she called his commitment to Venezuela’s struggle for freedom. Trump later confirmed the encounter on social media, writing that Machado had left the medal with him and praising…

15 Jan

Canada Expands Privacy Probe Into Elon Musk’s X and xAI Over AI-Generated Deepfakes

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaAI deepfakes, Canada privacy commissioner, Elon Musk X, Grok AI, xAI investigation

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Canada’s Privacy Commissioner has expanded an ongoing investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X and its affiliated artificial intelligence firm xAI, following reports that the chatbot Grok is being used to generate and circulate explicit images of individuals without their consent. Privacy Commissioner Philippe Dufresne said the growing misuse of artificial intelligence to create deepfake images, including intimate content, poses a serious threat to personal privacy. He described the practice as a rapidly emerging concern with the potential to cause significant harm to individuals. Given the seriousness of the issue, Dufresne said his office will broaden…