Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

01 Oct

Centre Approves 3% Hike in DA and DR for Over 1.1 Crore Beneficiaries

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusiness, IndiaCentral Government employees, DA hike 2025, DR increase, pensioners

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved a 3 per cent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) and Dearness Relief (DR) for 49.19 lakh Central Government employees and 68.72 lakh pensioners. The hike, effective from July 1, 2025, raises the current rate to 58 per cent of basic pay or pension.According to Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, the decision will put an additional annual burden of ₹10,083.96 crore on the exchequer. He said the step aims to offset the impact of rising prices and provide relief to both serving employees and pensioners.The announcement follows the recent rationalisation…

01 Oct

Calgary Marathi Association to Celebrate Annual Kojagiri Pournima Utsav on October 4

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCalgary Marathi Association, Garba, Navratri

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): The Calgary Marathi Association (CMA) has announced its much-awaited annual Kojagiri Pournima Utsav, which will take place on Saturday, October 4, 2025, at the Ukrainian Church in Calgary. The celebration, commencing at 5:00 PM, promises to be an evening of cultural vibrancy, spirituality, and community fellowship.Kojagiri Pournima, also known as Sharad Pournima, is a festival traditionally celebrated under the full moon. It symbolizes prosperity, devotion, and cultural unity, bringing families and communities together to honor age-old traditions.This year’s event will feature a rich cultural program, including: • Navratri Kanayapujan – A ritual honoring young girls as embodiments…

01 Oct

Massive 6.9 magnitude earthquake strikes Philippines, officials declare ‘state of calamity’

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsEarthquake, Philipiness

National Times Bureau :- At least 60 people have been killed and several others injured after a powerful 6.9 magnitude struck off the coast of the central Philippine island province of Cebu. Rafaelito Alejandro, the deputy administrator of the Philippines Office of Civil Defence, confirmed the new death toll on Wednesday, a steep increase on the 26 people reported killed earlier by the country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. “We are receiving additional numbers of reported casualties, so this thing is very fluid. We are receiving reports [that] as high as 60 individuals are reported to have perished…

01 Oct

Shooting at South Asian Radio Station in Surrey Sparks Fear; Linked to Extortion Probe

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaAttack, Canada News, Police, Radio station, South Asia, Surrey

Rajeev Sharma :- In a shocking incident early Tuesday morning, gunfire was reported at a South Asian radio station in Surrey, British Columbia, spreading panic across the local community. Authorities believe the attack may be connected to a wave of extortion threats targeting South Asian business owners across Canada. The shooting took place at Swift 1200 AM, a radio station located on 76 Avenue in Surrey, formerly known as Spice Radio. What Happened According to reports, employees arriving at the station on Tuesday morning discovered bullet holes on the main entrance door. Surrey Police confirmed that the damage was caused…

01 Oct

RBI Maintains Repo Rate at 5.5%, Revises Growth and Inflation Estimates

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusiness, India, Trending

NEW DELHI (RAJEEV SHARMA): The Reserve Bank of India announced on Wednesday that it will keep the repo rate steady at 5.5 percent, reflecting a balanced view of current economic conditions both within the country and globally. The decision came after the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) convened for its three-day meeting. RBI Governor Sanjay Malhotra confirmed that the MPC members were unanimous in their choice to hold the key policy rate unchanged. The central bank’s stance remains neutral, indicating flexibility to adjust interest rates if economic developments warrant it. The repo rate serves as the benchmark rate for lending by…

01 Oct

Trump Says Denying Him Nobel Prize Would Shame the Nation

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World News

QUANTICO, VA (Rajeev Sharma): US President Donald Trump has asserted that failing to award him the Nobel Peace Prize would be a national embarrassment, citing what he described as his unmatched record in resolving global conflicts, including a new initiative to bring an end to the war in Gaza. Addressing military officials at a gathering in Quantico on Tuesday, Trump claimed that his efforts have led to the resolution of seven international disputes and that his recently announced Gaza peace plan could soon mark an eighth. “I think we’ve figured it out. Hamas just needs to agree — and if…

01 Oct

Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge Under Observation at Bengaluru Hospital

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsHealth, Politics, Trending

BENGALURU (Rajeev Sharma): Senior Congress leader and party president Mallikarjun Kharge has been admitted to MS Ramaiah Hospital after developing a fever and experiencing leg discomfort, party insiders revealed on Wednesday. The 83-year-old leader was taken to the hospital on Tuesday evening for medical evaluation. Doctors are currently monitoring his condition, which sources say is stable and not alarming. “He is doing fine. There’s no serious issue. It was a routine decision to have him checked after he complained of fever and leg pain,” said a Congress functionary close to the developments. Medical staff are continuing treatment and observation as…

01 Oct

Indonesia School Collapse: 91 Students Still Missing as Rescue Efforts Continue in Sidoarjo

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World NewsIndonesia

SIDOARJO (Rajeev Sharma): Emergency crews in East Java are in a tense race against time as at least 91 students remain unaccounted for following the collapse of a school building in Sidoarjo earlier this week. The tragedy occurred at Al Khojini Islamic Boarding School during afternoon prayers on Monday, when a section of the nearly 100-year-old building gave way, burying dozens of students under debris. Officials say unauthorized renovation work was being carried out at the time of the collapse. Rescue teams, including personnel from the military, police, and disaster management agency, have been working non-stop since Monday to sift…

30 Sep

Modi Government Stands With Punjab: Full Support for Flood Relief and Restoration, says Union Home Minister Amit Shah

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, PunjabAmit Shah, disaster relief, Modi government, NDRF, Punjab floods, SDRF

New Delhi, September 30, 2025: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah on Tuesday assured that the Modi government is fully committed to supporting the people of Punjab affected by recent floods.The Chief Minister of Punjab, Shri Bhagwant Mann, met Shri Shah in New Delhi to discuss the extent of damage caused during the monsoon season and requested additional funds for relief and restoration efforts. During the meeting, the Chief Minister was informed that the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) holds Rs 12,589.59 crore, which can be utilized immediately for relief measures as per Government of India…

30 Sep

Bihar Publishes Final Electoral Roll Ahead of Assembly Polls Amid Controversy

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaBihar Assembly Elections, Bihar final electoral roll 2025, Special Intensive Revision

Patna, September 30, 2025: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday released the final electoral roll for Bihar, incorporating all claims and objections raised during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' lists. The announcement was made by Bihar’s Chief Electoral Officer through an official Facebook post, directing citizens to check their names at voters.eci.gov.in.The final roll comes ahead of the likely announcement of the Bihar assembly elections and follows a mammoth SIR exercise intended for nationwide implementation in due course. The draft voters’ list had previously recorded 7.24 crore voters after approximately 65 lakh names were deleted as…