Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

01 Jan

ATF Prices Cut by Over 7%, Commercial LPG Becomes Costlier as Oil Firms Revise Rates

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaATF price cut, aviation turbine fuel, commercial LPG price hike, oil marketing companies

New Delhi, January 1, 2026: State-owned oil marketing companies on Thursday revised fuel prices in line with global benchmarks, reducing the price of aviation turbine fuel (ATF) by 7.3 per cent while increasing the rate of commercial LPG cylinders by Rs 111. According to official data, the price of ATF in the national capital was lowered by Rs 7,353.75 per kilolitre, bringing it down to Rs 92,323.02 per kl. The reduction is expected to provide some relief to airlines, for whom fuel accounts for a significant portion of operating costs.In contrast, commercial LPG prices saw an upward revision. The cost…

01 Jan

Historic Midnight Swearing-In: Mamdani Takes Oath as New York City’s 112th Mayor

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsMamdani oath ceremony, New York City mayor, Old City Hall subway station, Quran swearing-in

New York (USA), January 1, 2025l6: New York City marked the start of the New Year with a moment of political significance as Mamdani was sworn in as the city’s 112th mayor during a private midnight ceremony at the abandoned Old City Hall subway station. The understated event, attended only by close family members and advisers, formally ushered in his tenure and set the tone for an administration he says will prioritise working New Yorkers. Mamdani took the oath of office on a Quran, administered by New York State Attorney General Letitia James, becoming the city’s second-youngest mayor. His wife,…

01 Jan

Hindu Trader Brutally Attacked in Bangladesh’s Shariatpur, Set Ablaze in Suspected Hate Crime

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsBangladesh violence, communal violence, Hindu trader assaulted, Shariatpur attack

Dhaka (Bangladesh), January 1, 2026: A disturbing incident has once again highlighted rising communal tensions in Bangladesh after a Hindu trader was brutally assaulted and set on fire by unidentified attackers in Shariatpur district. The victim, identified as 50-year-old Khokan Chandra Das, is currently battling for his life after sustaining serious injuries. According to local sources, the incident took place late Wednesday night in the Kadamya area under the jurisdiction of the Damudya police station. Khokan Chandra Das, who runs a grocery and mobile banking business in Keraniganj market, was returning home on his motorcycle after closing his shop around…

01 Jan

California Pauses Mass Cancellation of Trucking Licences Amid Legal Dispute

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World NewsCalifornia

California (Rajeev Sharma): California has temporarily halted plans to revoke nearly 17,000 commercial driving licences after a legal challenge from Sikh and immigrant rights organisations, offering short-term relief to thousands of truck and bus drivers across the state. The licences will now remain valid until March while authorities review eligibility and compliance issues. The decision follows a class-action lawsuit filed by the Sikh Coalition and the Asian Law Caucus, which alleged that immigrant drivers were being disproportionately targeted despite holding valid qualifications. The groups argued that sudden licence cancellations threatened the livelihoods of drivers who depend on commercial driving for…

01 Jan

Explosion at Swiss Mountain Resort Bar Leaves Multiple Dead on New Year

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World NewsSwitzerland

Switzerland (Rajeev Sharma): New Year celebrations turned tragic at a renowned Swiss ski destination after a powerful explosion ripped through a bar in Crans-Montana, resulting in several deaths and injuries. The incident was reported in the early hours of Thursday, with police confirming casualties but withholding specific numbers. According to law enforcement officials, the blast took place around 1:30 am local time at a bar named Constellation. Emergency responders, including police, fire services and medical teams, were immediately dispatched to the scene following reports of an explosion heard in the area. Those injured in the incident were rushed to nearby…

01 Jan

New Year Ushers in Showers Across Tricity as Cold Wave Intensifies

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Punjab, TrendingNew Year

Chandigarh (Gurpreet Singh): The first day of 2026 began on a cool and cloudy note in Chandigarh, Panchkula and Mohali, with light rain reported from several localities. The brief spells of drizzle, forecast in advance by the India Meteorological Department (IMD), further lowered temperatures and added to the winter chill in the region. Across Punjab, Haryana and other parts of northern India, similar weather conditions prevailed, with overcast skies and occasional showers observed through the day. Meteorologists said the ongoing weather activity has strengthened cold conditions, particularly in the plains where sunshine remained limited. Earlier forecasts from the IMD had…

01 Jan

Books to Boots: Academic Excellence Meets Endurance in Vivek Dhande’s 176-km Ultra Run

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingCalgary, Vivek Dhande

Calgary ( Rajeev Sharma): Vivek Dhande’s mother, Priya Dhande, who resides in Calgary, has shared details of her son’s ultra distance run across Maharashtra, highlighting a journey that combined endurance with history and geography. Mumbai-born endurance runner Vivek Dhande, 23, completed a 176 kilometre run from Pune’s historic Shaniwar Wada to the Gateway of India in Mumbai over three days, transforming the athletic effort into a passage through Maharashtra’s landscape and his own personal narrative. Dhande said the choice of start and finish points was intentional. Shaniwar Wada, he noted, represents Pune’s historical and cultural legacy, while the Gateway of…

31 Dec

New Financial and Tax Rules Take Effect From January 1, 2026, Impacting Taxpayers and Bank Customers

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiacredit score update, income tax changes, New Year 2026 rules, PAN Aadhaar linking

New Delhi, December 31, 2025— As the new year begins on January 1, 2026, a series of major financial and tax-related changes have come into force across India, directly affecting individual taxpayers, salaried employees and banking customers. The changes relate to income tax return filing, PAN-Aadhaar linking, credit score updates, implementation of the Eighth Pay Commission and possible revisions in LPG prices. From January 1 onwards, taxpayers will no longer be allowed to file revised income tax returns for the assessment year 2025–26. The deadline for submitting a revised return ended on December 31, 2025. After this date, those seeking…

31 Dec

Jaishankar Delivers PM Modi’s Condolence Letter to Tarique Rahman as Bangladesh Bids Farewell to Khaleda Zia

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, World NewsIndia-Bangladesh relations, Khaleda Zia funeral, S Jaishankar, Tarique Rahman

New Delhi/Dhaka (Rajeev Sharma)— External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Wednesday met Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader Tarique Rahman in Dhaka and handed over a personal letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, conveying India’s condolences over the death of former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia as large crowds gathered for her funeral. Shortly after his arrival in the Bangladeshi capital, Jaishankar called on Rahman, the acting chairman of the BNP and Khaleda Zia’s eldest son, and expressed sympathy on behalf of the Indian government and people. Jaishankar is in Dhaka to represent India at the funeral of the veteran leader,…

31 Dec

ED Attaches ₹150 Crore London Property Linked to S Kumars Bank Fraud Case

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiabank fraud, Enforcement Directorate, money laundering, Nitin Kasliwal, S Kumars Nationwide

New Delhi, December 31, 2025: The Enforcement Directorate has provisionally attached an immovable property valued at ₹150 crore near Buckingham Palace in London as part of its probe into an alleged bank loan fraud and money laundering case involving textile major S Kumars Nationwide Ltd and its former chairman and managing director, Nitin Kasliwal. In a statement issued on Wednesday, the federal agency said the attachment was carried out under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The property, described as high-value real estate, is held under the beneficial ownership of Kasliwal and his family members. According to the ED,…