Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

15 Sep

CALGARY LANDFILL FIRE: AIR QUALITY CLOSELY MONITORED AS PM2.5 EMERGES AS MAIN CONCERN

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingCalgary

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta authorities are continuing to monitor air quality around the fire at the ECCO recycling facility in Calgary’s Shepard Industrial area, with officials saying fine particulate matter from smoke remains the primary air-quality concern. Environment and Protected Areas Minister Grant Hunter said the province deployed environmental specialists, a mobile air-monitoring laboratory and additional equipment after receiving a request for assistance from the Calgary Fire Department. According to the latest assessment, monitoring data indicate a low overall health risk for the general Calgary population. However, exposure levels can vary considerably depending on location, wind direction and the movement…

15 Sep

Surrey Transformed into a Punjabi Village as Heritage Festival Celebrates Culture, Tradition and Community

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBritish Columbia, Canada, TrendingSurrey

Surrey (Amrit Dhot): The sights, sounds and spirit of rural Punjab took centre stage in Surrey as the Punjabi Heritage Festival -Surrey 2026 brought the community together for a vibrant celebration of Punjabi culture, heritage and family traditions near Mud Bay Park. The festival offered more than a cultural gathering, it created an immersive village-style experience, allowing visitors to reconnect with the traditions and everyday life of Punjab while celebrating the cultural identity that continues to thrive in British Columbia. From a traditional Punjabi village café and food to food trucks and village-style kitchens, the event featured an array of…

15 Sep

Punjabi Truck Driver Stabbed 20 Times in US, Racial Slur Allegedly Preceded Attack

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World NewsPunjabi

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): A Punjabi truck driver was allegedly stabbed around 20 times at a US rest area on Monday morning, with members of the Punjabi community describing the incident as a possible racially motivated attack. The victim has been identified as Gurvinder Singh, who is employed by WJ Transport. According to Pavitar Singh, a member of the Punjabi community who shared details of the incident, Gurvinder was resting at the truck stop when the alleged attacker directed a racial slur at him before attacking him with a knife. Gurvinder was later found seriously injured and lying in a…

14 Sep

Trump Claims Ukraine and Russia Agreed to Halt Attacks on Energy Infrastructure

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld Newsdiesel prices, Donald Trump, energy infrastructure, Russia, Ukraine

Washington DC (Rajeev Sharma): United States President Donald Trump announced on Monday that Ukraine and Russia have reached an understanding to refrain from targeting each other’s energy facilities, tying the move to mounting global fuel pressures. Writing on Truth Social, Trump declared that Kyiv had agreed to stop striking Russian energy assets and that Moscow had pledged reciprocal restraint. In the same post, he asserted that recent worldwide surges in diesel prices stem primarily from the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine rather than regional hostilities involving Iran. The announcement followed remarks Trump made during a weekend trip to Ireland,…

14 Sep

Calgary Media-Thon Raises Approximately $821,000 for Gobind Sarvar School Expansion

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlbertaCalgary, campus expansion, community education, fundraiser, Gobind Sarvar School, media-thon

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): A community media-thon has raised approximately $821,000 for the planned expansion of Gobind Sarvar School, organizers said. The funds will support the “5 Acres for Our Future” campaign and help secure additional land for expanded educational facilities. Organized in support of Gurdwara Darbar Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji, Calgary Savana, the media-thon was supported by Ethnic Media Calgary and brought together donors, media organizations, volunteers and community members. Organizers said the expansion will provide students with an enhanced learning environment while promoting the Punjabi language, culture and heritage and strengthening connections to their cultural and linguistic roots.…

14 Sep

California Killing Puts US Immigration Policies Under Fresh Scrutiny

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World NewsCalifornia

Washington (Rajeev Sharma): The killing of 38-year-old Indian-origin woman Shalini Thakur in California has reignited debate in the United States over illegal immigration, border enforcement and the release of migrants after their initial apprehension. The case has also become part of a wider political discussion over immigration policy as the US heads towards the November midterm elections, with border security expected to remain a prominent issue. The US Department of Homeland Security has used the case to criticise immigration policies implemented during the Biden administration. In a statement, a DHS spokesperson alleged that the suspect had entered the country illegally…

14 Sep

IAF Airlifts Four NCC Cadets From Remote 18,500-Foot Point in Ladakh

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, TrendingLadakh

Leh (Rajeev Sharma): Four women cadets taking part in a high-altitude NCC expedition in Ladakh were evacuated by the Indian Air Force after an emergency medical request triggered a challenging helicopter rescue at around 18,500 feet. The cadets were part of Aparajita, an all-India NCC women's high-altitude trekking expedition. Following an SOS call, the IAF's Siachen Pioneers helicopter unit based in Leh launched the rescue during the first hours of the day. The operation presented significant challenges for the crew. At such elevations, thin air reduces helicopter performance, while the rugged landscape offered no prepared helipad for a conventional landing.…

14 Sep

Amazon Halts 21 Air Partnership After Fatal Miami Cargo Plane Crash

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World NewsAmazon

Miami (Rajeev Sharma): Amazon has temporarily stopped using cargo carrier 21 Air following last week's fatal runway accident in Miami involving a Boeing 767 carrying packages for the e-commerce giant. The decision came after the aircraft overshot the runway on September 6 and travelled about 1,300 feet (396 metres) beyond its end before striking a van operated by an aircraft-cleaning company. Five people inside the vehicle were killed, while five others suffered injuries. Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said the company had been assisting authorities with the investigation and reviewing the circumstances surrounding the accident before deciding to suspend its operations…

14 Sep

Call Grows for Pakistan to Open Wagah Route for Sikh Pilgrims Heading to India

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsPunjab, TrendingPakistan

Amritsar (Gurpreet Singh): Calls are growing for Pakistan to allow Sikh pilgrims travelling to India to use the Wagah-Attari Joint Check Post, after more than 100 Pakistani Sikhs with valid Indian visas were reportedly stopped from boarding a flight for their onward journey. The demand follows an incident in which 104 Pakistani Sikh pilgrims were allegedly prevented from flying from Faisalabad to Sharjah on Thursday. The group was scheduled to travel onward to India and visit Gurdwara Hemkunt Sahib in Uttarakhand. According to reports, the pilgrims were stopped because they did not possess a no-objection certificate, despite holding valid Indian…

14 Sep

Indian-Origin Man Wanted in US Over Alleged $93 Million Medicare Genetic-Test Fraud

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World NewsUS

Washington (Rajeev Sharma): US authorities have declared an Indian-origin man a fugitive after accusing him of orchestrating a scheme that allegedly generated about USD 93 million in fraudulent Medicare claims for genetic testing. The US Department of Health and Human Services said Khadeer Khan Mohammed allegedly used a company called American Premier to file, or arrange for others to file, claims for genetic laboratory tests that did not qualify for Medicare reimbursement. Authorities said the scheme resulted in Medicare paying out at least USD 65 million on the claims. During one 10-day period in 2023, suspected fraudulent claims linked to…