Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

02 Jan

After Extensive Ladakh Shoot, ‘Dhurandhar’ Declared Tax-Free in UT

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAditya Dhar, Bollywood box office, Dhurandhar, Kavinder Gupta, Ladakh, tax-free film

Leh (Ladakh), January 2, 2025: The Ladakh administration on Friday announced that filmmaker Aditya Dhar’s blockbuster Dhurandhar has been declared tax-free in the Union Territory, citing the film’s extensive shooting across the region and its contribution to promoting Ladakh’s natural beauty. Lieutenant Governor Kavinder Gupta said the decision reflects the administration’s efforts to project Ladakh as a preferred destination for film production and tourism. He added that the Union Territory is in the process of formulating a new film policy and assured full institutional support to filmmakers choosing Ladakh as a shooting location. In a post on X, the Office…

02 Jan

MHA Restores Financial Approval Powers to Ladakh LG for Projects Up to ₹100 Crore

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiafinancial powers restored, Ladakh Lieutenant Governor, MHA order, Union Territories

New Delhi: The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on Friday restored the delegation of financial powers to the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, allowing appraisal and approval of projects worth up to ₹100 crore under the Delegation of Financial Powers Rules (DFPRs), 2024. In an official order, the ministry said the Centre has approved similar financial powers for Administrators and Lieutenant Governors of Union Territories without legislatures. These include Ladakh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep. The order, issued by MHA Under Secretary Lendup Sherpa, stated that the approval of the…

02 Jan

Afganistan flash floods: 17 dead, thousands affected amid heavy rainfall

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsAfganistan, Floods

National Times Bureau :- At least 17 persons have lost their lives and 11 others have been injured following flash floods triggered by the first heavy rains and snowfall of the season in Afghanistan, officials reported. The sudden floods have impacted multiple regions, causing damage to homes, roads, and livestock. According to Mohammad Yousaf Hammad, spokesperson for Afghanistan’s National Disaster Management Authority (ANDMA), most fatalities have occurred since Monday in the districts most severely affected by the flooding. The extreme weather has disrupted daily life across central, northern, southern and western provinces. Hammad added that the floods have damaged infrastructure,…

02 Jan

Contaminated water confirmed behind Indore vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak; 9 dead, over 1,400 taken ill

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaContaminated Water, Indore

National Times Bureau :- A laboratory investigation has confirmed that contaminated drinking water was responsible for a severe vomiting and diarrhoea outbreak in Indore, Madhya Pradesh’s commercial capital, claiming at least nine lives and affecting more than 1,400 people, officials said on Thursday. The outbreak originated in the Bhagirathpura area, raising serious concerns over water safety in a city that has consistently been ranked India’s cleanest for the past eight years. Leakage in pipeline led to contamination Indore’s Chief Medical and Health Officer (CMHO), Dr Madhav Prasad Hasani, said laboratory tests conducted by a city-based medical college confirmed contamination caused…

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…