Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

28 Oct

Uttarakhand Government Hikes Dearness Allowance for Pensioners by 3%

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiapensioners, Pushkar Singh Dhami, Seventh Pay Commission, Uttarakhand DA hike

Dehradun, October 28, 2025: In a significant relief to thousands of retired employees, the Uttarakhand Government led by Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has announced a 3 percent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for state pensioners. The hike, based on the recommendations of the Seventh Pay Commission, will provide much-needed financial support to retirees across the state.According to an official notification issued by the Finance Department, the revised DA—now at 58 percent, up from 55 percent—will take effect from July 1, 2025. The decision aims to help pensioners cope with inflation and maintain their purchasing power amid rising living costs.The…

28 Oct

Prashant Kishor Refutes Dual Voter Allegations, Says He’s Registered Only in Bihar’s Kargahar

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiadual voter ID case, Election Commission of India, Prashant Kishor

Araria (Bihar), October 28, 2025: Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Tuesday rejected allegations of holding voter registrations in two states, asserting that he has been a registered voter in Bihar’s Kargahar Assembly constituency since 2019.The clarification came after the Election Commission of India (ECI) issued a notice to Kishor over alleged double enrolment in Bihar and West Bengal. Responding to the notice, Kishor questioned the ECI’s move, saying, “If the ECI claims my name appears in multiple places, why carry out a Special Intensive Revision and trouble everyone? I have nothing to do with their notice.”Explaining his voter registration…

28 Oct

Deepening Cost-of-Living Crisis: Alberta Among the Hardest Hit

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaAlberta, Cost of Living, Crisis

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Canada is experiencing unprecedented levels of food insecurity, with food bank visits doubling compared to six years ago. According to new national data, nearly 2.2 million visits were recorded in a single month this year the highest ever reported.Food Banks Canada attributes the surge in demand to rising inflation, escalating housing costs, and wages that fail to keep pace with living expenses. The organization warns that food banks were never intended to replace the social safety net, and many are now struggling to meet the growing demand.The report reveals that one-third of all visits are made by…

28 Oct

Delhi Bans Entry of Polluting Commercial Vehicles from November 1, 2025

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaBS-VI vehicles, CAQM order, commercial vehicle ban, Delhi pollution control

New Delhi, October 28, 2025: The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM) has ordered a complete ban on the entry of commercial goods vehicles—Light, Medium, and Heavy Goods Vehicles (LGVs, MGVs, and HGVs)—that do not meet BS-VI emission norms into Delhi, starting November 1, 2025.Only BS-VI compliant, CNG, LNG, and electric vehicles will be allowed entry, with an exception for vehicles registered in Delhi. However, BS-IV commercial goods vehicles will be granted temporary permission to operate in the capital until October 31, 2026.The decision aims to curb vehicular pollution, one of the primary contributors to Delhi’s worsening air quality. Authorities…

28 Oct

Kirpan Ban Sparks Outrage at Diljit Dosanjh Concert in Australia

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, World NewsConcept, Diljit Dosanjh, Sikh, Sydney

National Times Bureau :- A controversy erupted at Punjabi singer-actor Diljit Dosanjh’s first-ever stadium concert in Sydney, Australia, after Sikh attendees were stopped from entering the venue for wearing the kirpan, a sacred religious symbol in Sikhism. Thousands of fans had gathered at the Parramatta Stadium in Western Sydney, which was completely sold out with around 25,000 people in attendance, many of them from the Punjabi and Sikh communities. However, those who wore the kirpan as part of their faith were denied entry by security officials. When some attendees protested the restriction, they were reportedly asked to leave, leaving many…

28 Oct

Delhi acid attack case turns shocking: Survivor’s own father accused of plotting assault

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsEntertainment, India, TrendingAcid Attack, Big news, New Delhi, Top news

National Times Bureau :- In a shocking turn of events, the father of a 20-year-old Delhi University student, who had reportedly been attacked with acid, was arrested on Monday in a rape case after admitting to having staged the assault to frame another man, Jitender, according to sources. The accused, identified as Akil Khan, was taken into custody after Jitender’s wife accused him of sexually assaulting her and sharing her obscene photos with her husband. She filed a rape complaint, prompting police to register an FIR. To escape the allegations, investigators said, Akil and his daughter fabricated the acid attack…

28 Oct

Premier Smith Embarks on Middle East Mission to Promote Alberta’s Energy and Investment Strengths

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, TrendingAlberta, Canada, Premier Smith

Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta Premier Danielle Smith has departed on a 10-day trade and investment mission to the Middle East, where she will highlight Alberta’s leadership in responsible energy production, technology, agriculture, and manufacturing. The trip, spanning Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) from October 27 to November 5, aims to position Alberta as a top destination for global investment and collaboration. Strengthening Global Energy and Investment Partnerships While in Saudi Arabia, Premier Smith will hold meetings with government officials, energy executives, and sovereign wealth fund managers, including representatives from Saudi Aramco, the world’s largest oil company. Discussions…

28 Oct

Alberta Tables ‘Back to School Act’ to End Teachers’ Strike and Restore Classroom Stability

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, TrendingAlberta, Canada

Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta’s government has introduced Bill 2, the Back to School Act, a sweeping measure aimed at ending the province-wide teachers’ strike and restoring normalcy to classrooms disrupted for weeks by stalled negotiations. The proposed legislation seeks to legislate a new collective agreement and ensure that students can return to school without further loss of instructional time. Premier Danielle Smith said the province could no longer allow the strike to continue, emphasizing that the prolonged shutdown was harming students’ academic progress and emotional well-being. “This strike has gone on long enough,” Smith said in a statement Monday. “It’s…

28 Oct

Alberta Launches Task Force to Tackle Growing Classroom Complexity and Aggression

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, TrendingAlberta, Canada

Edmonton (Rajeev Sharma): With teachers across Alberta reporting rising classroom challenges — from increasingly diverse learning needs to a surge in aggressive behaviour — the provincial government is taking new action to ensure safer, more supportive learning environments. Premier Danielle Smith announced the creation of a Class Size and Complexity Task Force, a move aimed at addressing the mounting concerns raised by educators about classroom safety and student support. The initiative follows the work of the recently established Aggression and Complexity in Schools Action Team, which was tasked with identifying practical, classroom-focused solutions. The action team’s draft final report has…

28 Oct

Himachal Faces Climate Crossroads: UNDP Report Flags Warming, Erratic Rainfall and Mounting Losses

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, TrendingHimachal Pradesh

Shimla (Rajeev Sharma): A new report by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) has sounded the alarm for Himachal Pradesh, warning that the state could experience a temperature rise of up to 3°C by 2050, alongside increasingly unpredictable rainfall and faster glacial retreat. The findings, part of the Himachal Pradesh Human Development Report 2025, paint a worrying picture of how climate change could reshape the state’s economy, ecology, and way of life. The report notes that the effects of a changing climate are already visible — from cloudbursts and shifting monsoon cycles to rising forest fires and erratic snowfall. Despite…