Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

02 Jan

Ontario Police Investigate Fatal Shooting on Walpole Island First Nation

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, Ontario, TrendingOntario

Ontario (Rajeev Sharma): Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) reported that a 29-year-old was found dead from gunshot wounds on the Walpole Island First Nation near the Canada-U.S. border on New Year’s Day. Authorities said they were called to a disturbance shortly after 8 a.m. at the First Nation community, located approximately 120 kilometres east of Windsor, Ontario, near Michigan. Upon arrival, officers confirmed the individual had died at the scene. One person has been taken into custody in connection with the incident. The Walpole Island Police Service is assisting the OPP with the investigation. No further information about the circumstances of…

02 Jan

Dashmesh Culture Centre Calgary Gurdwara Sahib Marks New Year with Prayers and Community Service

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, CanadaCalgary, Calgary Gurdwara Sahib

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma) : The New Year was observed with devotion and gratitude at the Dashmesh Culture Centre Calgary Gurdwara Sahib, as the Managing Committee extended warm greetings to the Sangat and prayed for peace, prosperity, and spiritual growth for all in the year ahead. Welcoming the New Year with the sacred invocation “Waheguru Ji Ka Khalsa, Waheguru Ji Ki Fateh,” the Managing Committee conveyed heartfelt congratulations to the Sangat. Special prayers were offered that the New Year may bring happiness, joy, success, and the blessing of a Gursikhi way of life to every household. Speaking on the occasion, Ranbir…

02 Jan

Thousands Welcome New Year with Devotion at Calgary Temples

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingCalgary

Calgary ( Rajeev Sharma): The New Year was celebrated with great devotion and community participation at the ISKCON Calgary Temple – Radha Madhav Cultural Association (RMCA), and the Hindu Society of Calgary, as thousands of devotees gathered to offer prayers and seek blessings on December 31 and January 1, 2026. ISKCON Calgary Temple – Radha Madhav Cultural Association Hosts New Year’s Eve Program The ISKCON Calgary Temple , Radha Madhav Cultural Association (RMCA) organized a special New Year’s Eve program on December 31, from 6:00 PM to midnight. The program featured devotional kirtan, creating a spiritually uplifting atmosphere, followed by…

02 Jan

Fresh Wave of Economic Protests Shakes Iran, Leaving Seven Dead

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World NewsIran

Iran (Rajeev Sharma): Iran is witnessing a renewed surge of public unrest as demonstrations driven by economic hardship spread beyond major cities, resulting in at least seven deaths over the past two days, officials and independent monitors said. The incidents mark the most serious escalation since protests began earlier this week over inflation, job insecurity and the plunging value of the national currency. While gatherings in Tehran appeared to lose momentum, unrest intensified in provincial towns, particularly in western and southern regions populated largely by the Lur ethnic community. Fatal incidents were reported from four separate locations between Wednesday and…

01 Jan

Air India Grounds Pilot After Canadian Authorities Flag Fitness Concerns Ahead of Vancouver–Delhi Flight

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAir India, Canadian authorities, pilot grounded, Vancouver–Delhi flight

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: Air India on Thursday confirmed that one of its pilots has been taken off flying duties after Canadian authorities raised concerns over his fitness to operate a Vancouver–Delhi flight last month, leading to a last-minute delay. According to the airline, the incident occurred on December 23, 2025, when Flight AI186 from Vancouver to Delhi was preparing for departure. One of the cockpit crew members was deplaned shortly before take-off after Canadian authorities flagged issues related to the pilot’s fitness for duty. In a statement, Air India said the pilot was subjected to further inquiry by…

01 Jan

Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor Assumes Charge as Vice Chief of the Air Staff

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAir Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, Indian Air Force, Vice Chief of the Air Staff

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor SYSM PVSM AVSM VM on Thursday took over as the Vice Chief of the Air Staff of the Indian Air Force, marking a key leadership transition at Air Headquarters. The appointment was confirmed in an official statement issued by the Ministry of Defence. An alumnus of the National Defence Academy, Air Marshal Kapoor was commissioned into the fighter stream of the Flying Branch on December 6, 1986. Over a career spanning nearly four decades, he has established himself as an accomplished fighter pilot, a Qualified Flying Instructor and a Fighter Combat…

01 Jan

New Excise Duty on Cigarettes to Take Effect From February 1, Prices Likely to Rise

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiacigarette excise duty, cigarette price hike, finance ministry order, tobacco taxation India

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: The Centre has announced a fresh excise duty on cigarettes, a move that is set to increase retail prices from February 1 and impact smokers nationwide. An order issued by the finance ministry said the revised duty will be imposed based on the length of cigarettes, ranging between ₹2,050 and ₹8,500 per 1,000 sticks, in addition to the existing 40 per cent Goods and Services Tax. The new levy comes at a time when the overall tax burden on cigarettes in India is estimated at about 53 per cent, well below the 75 per cent…

01 Jan

ED Seizes Fresh Cash and Jewellery Worth Nearly Rs 10 Crore in Probe Against Absconding Criminal Inderjit Yadav

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaED raids Delhi, Enforcement Directorate, Inderjit Yadav, money laundering case

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday seized Rs 1.22 crore in cash and jewellery valued at Rs 8.5 crore during fresh searches linked to a money-laundering investigation against UAE-based absconding criminal Inderjit Yadav, officials said. The latest recovery was made from a farmhouse in Delhi owned by Sunil Gupta. According to officials, Gupta had earlier extended loans to Aman Kumar, an alleged associate of Yadav. The agency suspects that Kumar attempted to divert and conceal proceeds of crime by transferring funds to Gupta after the ED initiated its probe. A day earlier, the ED had…

01 Jan

India, Pakistan Exchange Nuclear Installations List for 35th Consecutive Year Despite Strained Ties

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusinessconfidence building measures, India Pakistan relations, nuclear installations list

New Delhi, January 1, 2025: India and Pakistan on Thursday carried out their annual exchange of lists detailing nuclear installations and facilities, continuing a long-standing confidence-building measure even as bilateral relations remain tense following military hostilities last year. The exchange was conducted simultaneously through diplomatic channels in New Delhi and Islamabad, in accordance with the Agreement on the Prohibition of Attack against Nuclear Installations and Facilities. Confirming the development, the Ministry of External Affairs said both countries shared the required information as mandated under the pact. Signed on December 31, 1988, and brought into force on January 27, 1991, the…

01 Jan

India to Launch First Vande Bharat Sleeper Train on Kolkata–Guwahati Route, PM Modi to Flag Off Service

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaIndian Railways, Kolkata Guwahati train, PM Narendra Modi, Vande Bharat Sleeper Train

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: India is poised to achieve a significant milestone in railway travel with the launch of its first-ever Vande Bharat Sleeper Train on the Kolkata–Guwahati corridor. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will flag off the 16-coach semi-high-speed train in the coming days, Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced on Thursday. The new sleeper variant of the Vande Bharat Express has been designed to offer long-distance passengers a modern, comfortable, and affordable travel option. Capable of carrying more than 800 passengers, the train combines advanced technology with passenger-centric features aimed at enhancing overnight journeys between eastern and northeastern…