Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

01 Dec

Centre Reports 90% Drop in Farm Fires in Punjab and Haryana Since 2022

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaCAQM, Delhi AQI, farm fires, Haryana, Punjab, Stubble Burning

New Delhi, December 1, 2025: The Centre on Monday informed Parliament that Punjab and Haryana together recorded nearly 90 per cent fewer stubble-burning incidents during the 2025 paddy harvesting season compared to 2022. Responding to a question from Congress MP Charanjit Singh Channi, Environment Minister Bhupender Yadav said that while farm fires remain an “episodic event,” they intensify winter air pollution in the region.Yadav added that Delhi registered its lowest January–November average air quality index since 2018, excluding the nationwide Covid lockdown in 2020. Channi had raised concerns about Delhi’s AQI crossing 450 this year despite a reported 20 per…

01 Dec

Supreme Court Orders Nationwide CBI Probe into Digital Arrest Scams, Questions RBI on Lack of AI Use

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaartificial intelligence, CBI Investigation, digital arrest scam, RBI, Supreme Court

New Delhi, December 1, 2025 — The Supreme Court on Monday directed the CBI to conduct a unified, nationwide investigation into digital arrest scam cases, expressing concern over the rapid rise of this sophisticated cybercrime. The court also questioned the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on why artificial intelligence tools were not being used to identify and freeze bank accounts operated by cybercriminals.Digital arrest scams involve fraudsters impersonating police officers, court officials or government agency representatives. They intimidate victims through audio and video calls, holding them virtually hostage and forcing them to transfer money. Senior citizens are among the most…

01 Dec

Supreme Court Says Delhi-NCR Air Pollution Cannot Be Treated as a Seasonal Issue, Orders Year-Round Monitoring

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAir Quality, CJI Surya Kant, Delhi-NCR pollution, Stubble Burning, Supreme Court

New Delhi, December 1 — The Supreme Court on Monday said the problem of air pollution in Delhi-NCR cannot be viewed as a “customary” matter taken up only in winter. In a major shift from past practice, the court announced it will hear the issue twice a month throughout the year to examine both short-term and long-term measures to tackle pollution.A bench of Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi said the matter demands continuous attention. The CJI stressed that stubble burning should not become a political or ego-driven debate. He questioned the common narrative that crop residue burning…

01 Dec

Winter Session opens with PM Modi’s tribute to new RS Chairman; warns Opposition against turning House into ‘theatre’

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Politics, TrendingNarendra Modi, Parliament, Winter Session

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Parliament’s Winter Session commenced on Monday with Prime Minister Narendra Modi using the first day to both congratulate newly appointed Rajya Sabha Chairman C.P. Radhakrishnan and deliver a pointed message to Opposition parties about their conduct inside the House. Speaking in the Upper House, the Prime Minister said Radhakrishnan’s elevation brought “a sense of pride” to the institution, noting that his background in grassroots social work and his years spent engaging with remote communities would enrich parliamentary functioning. Modi recounted the Chairman’s travels through some of Jharkhand’s least-accessible tribal areas, praising his “service-first approach” and his…

01 Dec

Opposition gears up for confrontational Parliament session, to push debates on SIR lapses, BLO fatalities and Delhi smog crisis

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Politics, TrendingParliament

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): As Parliament readies to open its latest session on Monday, signs already point toward a volatile week ahead, with Opposition parties preparing to challenge the government on multiple fronts — from alleged irregularities in the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls to the deteriorating air quality choking the national capital. The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party have submitted fresh adjournment notices, demanding that the House set aside routine business to take up what they describe as urgent matters of public interest. Central to their protest is the reported distress among Booth Level Officers (BLOs) deployed…

01 Dec

Markets soar to new records as upbeat GDP numbers energize investors

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusiness, India, TrendingGDP

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): Indian stock markets kicked off Monday’s session with a strong upward burst, pushing the key indices to unprecedented levels after fresh economic data signaled stronger-than-expected momentum in the country’s growth engine. The Sensex leapt to a new milestone of 86,159.02, rising over 450 points within minutes of opening, while the Nifty climbed past 26,325, also setting a new all-time high. The rally reflected a surge in investor confidence following India’s 8.2% GDP expansion in the July–September quarter — the quickest growth seen in six quarters. Buying was particularly strong in several major index components. Adani Ports,…

01 Dec

Indian High Commissioner Strengthens Engagement with Diaspora During First Official Visit to Vancouver

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, Canada, TrendingIndian High Commissioner, Surrey, Vancouver

Surrey (Rajeev Sharma): High Commissioner of India to Canada Shri Dinesh K. Patnaik, accompanied by Mrs. Poonam Patnaik and Shri Masakui Rungsung, Consul General of India, undertook a series of community outreach engagements during his inaugural visit to Vancouver, reinforcing India’s commitment to its diaspora in Canada. The delegation commenced the visit by paying obeisance at the Laxmi Narayan Temple in Surrey, where they were received with a traditional welcome by the temple management. In his remarks, High Commissioner Patnaik acknowledged the Indian diaspora’s valuable contributions to Canadian society and to India–Canada relations. He urged community members to continue serving…

01 Dec

Breakthrough Blood Protein Discovery Sheds New Light on Long COVID

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingCovid

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): A groundbreaking study has identified a set of blood proteins that play a crucial role in determining why some individuals develop long COVID while others recover quickly. This discovery provides one of the most comprehensive biological explanations to date for the persistent and debilitating symptoms that follow a COVID-19 infection. Researchers conducted an in-depth analysis of thousands of protein markers circulating in the blood of both long COVID patients and those who fully recovered. They identified distinct patterns that point to disruptions in immune regulation, inflammation, and cellular repair pathways factors that may fuel ongoing fatigue, cognitive…

30 Nov

Eleven Killed, Over 20 Injured as Two State-Run Buses Collide Head-On Near Karaikudi

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiagovernment bus collision, Karaikudi bus accident, Tamil Nadu road crash

Karaikudi, November 30, 2025— Eleven people, including eight women, two men and a child, lost their lives on Sunday when two government buses collided head-on about 15 km from Karaikudi, police officials said. All the victims died on the spot due to the impact of the crash.More than 20 passengers sustained injuries and were immediately taken to nearby government hospitals for treatment, a senior district police officer confirmed.When asked about the cause of the collision, the official said that investigators are still examining the circumstances. “It was a head-on collision, the reason is not clear, we are looking into it,”…

30 Nov

Centre Enforces New SIM-Binding Rules, Apps Like WhatsApp Web and Telegram to Auto-Logout Every Six Hours

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaDoT cyber security, messaging apps regulation, SIM-binding rules India, WhatsApp Web auto logout

New Delhi, November 30, 2025— The Union government has introduced strict SIM-binding rules that will significantly change how users access messaging platforms such as WhatsApp Web, Telegram, Signal, Arattai and Snapchat. Under the new mandate, these apps must stay linked to a physical SIM card inserted in the device, preventing them from functioning if the SIM is removed or inactive. The move is being seen as one of the most assertive cybersecurity actions taken by the Centre in recent years.The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) said the tightened measures are designed to counter rising cyber fraud, particularly scams originating outside India…