Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

15 Sep

US Trade Envoy Brendan Lynch to Hold Talks in India on Bilateral Deal

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, World NewsBilateral Trade Agreement, Brendan Lynch, India-US trade deal, tariffs on Indian goods

New Delhi, September 15, 2025: US chief negotiator Brendan Lynch will arrive in India late Monday for a day-long discussion on the proposed India-US bilateral trade agreement (BTA), a senior commerce ministry official confirmed.The upcoming talks are expected to serve as a precursor to the sixth round of negotiations, which had been scheduled for August 25–29 but were postponed after the United States imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods.This marks the continuation of efforts to resolve trade tensions, with five rounds of negotiations already completed between both sides. “Tomorrow’s dialogue will set the stage for the next…

15 Sep

Exports Hit USD 69.16 Billion in August, Deficit Shrinks Sharply

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusinessIndia exports August 2025, merchandise exports, Trade Deficit

New Delhi: India’s combined exports of goods and services climbed to USD 69.16 billion in August 2025, registering a 9.34% increase from USD 63.25 billion in the same month last year, according to the Union Commerce Ministry.Merchandise shipments rose from USD 32.89 billion to USD 35.10 billion, while services exports advanced from USD 30.36 billion to USD 34.06 billion during the month.Imports fell to USD 79.04 billion in August, down from USD 84.99 billion in August 2024, leading to a trade deficit of USD 9.88 billion — less than half of the USD 21.73 billion recorded a year earlier.Between April…

15 Sep

CM Dhami Shares Memoir Highlighting PM Modi’s Discipline and Dedication

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiadiscipline, leadership, memoir, Narendra Modi, Pushkar Singh Dhami, Varanasi

Dehradun, September 15, 2025: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami shared a personal account about Prime Minister Narendra Modi on social media platform X, praising his discipline, dedication, and patriotic spirit.In his post, Dhami said he has had the opportunity to closely observe the Prime Minister’s working style and that each interaction with him provides new lessons in leadership.Recalling an incident from Varanasi, Dhami wrote that during a late-night meeting of BJP-ruled state Chief Ministers, which ended around 1 a.m., Modi surprised everyone by saying one important task was still pending. To avoid inconvenience to the public, Modi preferred to…

15 Sep

PM Modi to Unveil ‘Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan’ with Poshan Maah on September 17

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaPM Modi, Poshan Maah 2025, Swasth Nari Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan, women health

New Delhi, September 15, 2025: Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to inaugurate the Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan on September 17, alongside the 8th edition of Poshan Maah, in a nationwide effort to boost healthcare and nutrition services for women, adolescent girls, and children.The campaign, coordinated by the ministries of health and family welfare and women and child development, will combine medical outreach with nutrition-based awareness drives. The health ministry will provide preventive and curative services through health camps and public facilities, while the women and child development ministry will mobilise women and girls via Anganwadi centres for counselling,…

15 Sep

Post-Match Handshake Row Sparks Tensions Between India and Pakistan at Asia Cup

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Sports, TrendingIndia, Pakistan

Colombo (Rajeev Sharma): Tensions flared off the field following the high-voltage India-Pakistan clash in the Asia Cup, as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) formally lodged a protest with the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) over what it described as “unsporting conduct” by the Indian team. The protest stems from Indian players’ refusal to engage in the customary post-match handshake after defeating Pakistan by seven wickets. The decision, as explained by Indian captain Suryakumar Yadav, was taken collectively as a tribute to the victims of the recent terror attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 Indian tourists and was reportedly…

15 Sep

Cabinet Expansion Speculation Grows in Uttarakhand as CM Dhami Meets Party Legislators

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, TrendingUttarakhand

Dehradun: Political activity in Uttarakhand has picked up pace amid growing speculation over an imminent cabinet expansion. The buzz intensified after Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami returned from Delhi and held a flurry of meetings with several Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislators and one independent MLA on Sunday. The meetings, held at the Chief Minister’s official residence in Dehradun, have fueled anticipation that a reshuffle or expansion of the state cabinet could take place soon — possibly during the upcoming Navratri festival. With just under two years left before the 2027 Assembly elections, political observers see the potential cabinet rejig…

15 Sep

Supreme Court Partially Stays Provisions of Waqf (Amendment) Act 2025

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Politics, TrendingSupreme Court

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): In a significant development, the Supreme Court of India on Monday stayed the implementation of certain provisions of the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, citing concerns over constitutional propriety and the separation of powers. A bench headed by Chief Justice of India BR Gavai and Justice AG Masih issued interim directions while hearing a batch of petitions challenging the validity of specific amendments introduced in the 2025 legislation. Five-Year Religious Practice Clause Put on Hold The Court stayed the operation of the clause under Section 3(1)(r), which required an individual to have practiced Islam for at least…

15 Sep

B.C. Misses Out on Initial Federal Housing Projects, Despite Surplus Land and Readiness

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, TrendingCanada

Vancouver (Richa Walia): British Columbia is notably absent from the federal government's first wave of housing construction on public land, prompting concern from the province’s housing minister, Christine Boyle, despite her support for the broader initiative. Prime Minister Mark Carney announced over the weekend that the federal government, through its newly launched Build Canada Homes agency, will begin construction of 4,000 housing units across six federal land sites. The initiative is part of a broader strategy to fast-track affordable housing by using underutilized government-owned land. However, none of the six projects announced are located in British Columbia — a province…

15 Sep

“Build Canada Homes” Launched to Tackle National Housing Crisis with Unprecedented Federal Investment

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, TrendingCanada, Mark Carney

Ottawa, ON (Rajeev Sharma): In a sweeping new move to address Canada's growing housing crisis, Prime Minister Mark Carney today unveiled Build Canada Homes, a landmark federal initiative aimed at massively increasing affordable housing supply through direct public intervention and partnerships with the private sector. With homeownership and rental costs soaring beyond reach for many Canadians — especially younger generations — and homelessness on the rise in major cities, the federal government is taking bold action to reverse decades of underbuilding and bureaucratic delays. “Too many Canadians are locked out of the housing market,” said Prime Minister Carney. “Build Canada…

15 Sep

“Bring Harjit Home”: Community Outrage Grows After Elderly Punjabi Woman Detained by ICE

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsTrending, World NewsHarjit Kaur

HERCULES, CA (Rajeev Sharma): A wave of community anger and emotional appeals is sweeping through California’s East Bay after Harjit Kaur, a 73-year-old grandmother and longtime resident, was taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) last week. Her detention has sparked growing protests, social media campaigns, and pressure on elected officials — all united by a single demand: “Bring Harjit Home.” Kaur, a widowed immigrant from Punjab, India, has lived in Hercules since the early 1990s. On September 8, what was supposed to be a routine check-in with immigration officials in San Francisco turned into a nightmare…