Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

28 Dec

Mission Memorial Hospital to Close Emergency Department Overnight as Staffing Pressures Continue

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaEmergency Department Closed, Health Care, Mission Memorial Hospital

Vancouver ( Rajeev Sharma): Mission Memorial Hospital in Metro Vancouver will temporarily close its emergency department overnight for more than a week as Fraser Health works to manage staffing shortages and broader system pressures across the region. The emergency department will operate only between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m. from December 29 through January 6, with full 24-hour service expected to resume on January 7.Fraser Health says the decision was made to ensure patient safety and provide more stable, predictable care during a period when there are not enough emergency physicians available to staff overnight shifts. Health officials have acknowledged…

27 Dec

7.0-Magnitude Earthquake Hits Off Taiwan’s Northeast Coast, Tremors Felt in Taipei

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsNational Fire Agency, seismic activity Taiwan, Taipei tremors, Taiwan earthquake, Yilan coast quake

Taipei (Taiwan): A powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter scale struck off Taiwan’s northeastern coast late on Saturday, causing buildings to shake in the capital city of Taipei, according to the island’s weather administration. The quake occurred about 32 kilometres off the coastal city of Yilan and had a focal depth of approximately 73 kilometres. Authorities said tremors were widely felt across northern parts of the island, prompting residents to rush outdoors as a precaution. The National Fire Agency said damage assessment operations were underway to determine the impact of the seismic activity. No immediate reports of casualties or…

27 Dec

Supreme Court Quashes Rape Conviction After Couple Marries, Citing Consensual Relationship

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaArticle 142, consensual relationship, rape conviction quashed, Supreme Court

New Delhi, December 27, 2025— The Supreme Court has quashed the conviction of a man from Madhya Pradesh who was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment for rape, after noting that the complainant woman and the convict are now married and living together. A Bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice S.C. Sharma observed that the relationship between the two appeared to be consensual and had been given a criminal colour due to a misunderstanding. The court remarked that it had a “sixth sense” that the parties could be reunited and noted that they were married in July 2025…

27 Dec

Unnao Rape Case: Survivor Seeks FIR Against Former IO After Sengar Gets Bail

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaCBI, Delhi High Court bail, Investigating Officer, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, Unnao rape case

New Delhi, December 27, 2025— The survivor in the 2017 Unnao rape case on Saturday strongly objected to the Delhi High Court’s decision to grant bail to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, demanding that the Central Bureau of Investigation register an FIR against the then Investigating Officer for alleged collusion with the convict. Sengar’s sentence in the rape case has been suspended by the High Court during the pendency of his appeal against the December 2019 trial court conviction. However, he will continue to remain behind bars as he is serving a separate 10-year sentence in the custodial death…

27 Dec

Indian Consulate in Toronto Launches One Stop Centre to Support Distressed Women Nationals

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaIndian Consulate Toronto, Indian women in distress, One Stop Centre for Women

Toronto, Dec 27, 2025 — The Consulate General of India in Toronto has set up a dedicated ‘One Stop Centre for Women’ to provide structured support to Indian women nationals facing distress in Canada. The Centre has been launched to assist Indian passport holders dealing with situations such as domestic violence, abuse, family disputes, abandonment, exploitation and legal difficulties. Alongside the facility, the Consulate has also activated a 24x7 helpline to ensure immediate access to help. According to the Indian mission, the One Stop Centre for Women will function as a coordinated, beneficiary-focused support system. It will connect affected women…

27 Dec

Over 10.5 Lakh Voter Names Dropped from Assam Rolls After Special Revision Ahead of Assembly Polls

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAssam Assembly elections, Assam electoral rolls, D-Voters, voter list revision

Guwahati, December 27, : More than 10.56 lakh names have been removed from Assam’s electoral rolls following a Special Revision exercise conducted ahead of the state Assembly elections, which are due in less than six months. According to the integrated draft electoral rolls released by the Election Commission on Saturday, Assam now has a total of 2,51,09,754 registered voters, excluding 93,021 doubtful voters, commonly referred to as D-Voters. The Election Commission said the deletions were carried out after a detailed house-to-house verification process conducted between November 22 and December 20. Of the total deletions, 4,78,992 names were removed due to…

27 Dec

Warrant Issued for Burnaby Teen Following Targeted Shooting

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, Canada, TrendingBurnaby

Burnaby, B.C. (Rajeev Sharma)—Authorities are on the lookout for an 18-year-old suspect linked to a shooting incident last week that left a local man hospitalized. Burnaby RCMP responded to a call near Phillips Avenue and Woodbrook Place on the evening of December 19, where they found the victim injured. The man was promptly transported to a hospital and treated for his injuries. Police have described the shooting as targeted. Charges have now been formally approved against Ronin Tajali, a Burnaby resident. On Christmas Day, authorities authorized charges including discharging a firearm with intent, aggravated assault, and possession of a loaded…

27 Dec

Alberta Probes Grey Nuns Hospital Death Amid Staffing and Health Funding Concerns

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingAlberta

Edmonton ( Rajeev Sharma): Alberta has launched a joint investigation into the death of Prashant Sreekumar, a 44-year-old father of three, who died on December 22, 2025, after reportedly waiting more than eight hours in Grey Nuns Hospital’s emergency department with severe chest pain. Matt Jones, Minister of Health For Hospitals & Surgical Minister of Hospital and Surgical Health Services, Matt Jones, said the review, conducted with Acute Care Alberta and Covenant Health, will examine both the immediate circumstances and broader system pressures. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is also investigating. Sara Hoffman, NDP, Shadow Minister of Health…

27 Dec

Ontario Colleges Face Uncertain Future as Federal International Student Cap Triggers Cuts and Layoffs

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, Ontario, TrendingOntario

Ontario (Rajeev Sharma): Ontario’s college sector is grappling with significant upheaval as federal restrictions on international students force program suspensions, service reductions, and staff layoffs, leaving both students and faculty uncertain about the coming academic year. The federal government recently announced it will issue up to 408,000 study permits in 2026, down from 437,000 in 2025 and 485,000 in 2024, continuing a policy aimed at limiting Canada’s temporary population. Colleges across Ontario, which heavily rely on international student tuition to fund programs and services, are feeling the impact. Several institutions have already suspended dozens of courses, including popular hospitality programs…

27 Dec

Heavy Airstrikes Shake Ukrainian Capital Hours Before Planned Trump–Zelenskyy Talks

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World NewsUkraine

Kyiv (Rajeev Sharma): Kyiv and surrounding regions were jolted by a powerful overnight barrage of missiles and drones, plunging residents into shelters and heightening tensions just ahead of a scheduled meeting between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. The attack marked one of the most intense aerial assaults on the capital in recent weeks. Air raid sirens sounded repeatedly as Ukrainian air defence units engaged incoming threats. Residents reported hearing a series of loud blasts across different parts of the city, while flashes in the night sky indicated active interception efforts. Strikes were also felt in nearby…