Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

16 Jul

Putin Firm on Ukraine War Goals Despite Trump’s Sanctions Threats, Kremlin Sources Say

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsDonald Trump, NATO, Putin, Russia sanctions, Ukraine war

Moscow/Kyiv, July 16, 2025: Russian President Vladimir Putin remains determined to continue the war in Ukraine until Western nations engage with him on his terms for peace, undeterred by U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest threats of tougher sanctions, sources close to the Kremlin said.According to three individuals familiar with Kremlin thinking, Putin believes that both Russia’s economy and its military are strong enough to endure further Western measures. These sources indicated that as Russian forces gain ground, Putin’s territorial demands could expand even further.Earlier this week, Trump voiced frustration over Putin’s refusal to agree to a ceasefire. He announced a…

16 Jul

Dozens of Independents Join Crowded Field as Poilievre Eyes Comeback in Battle River—Crowfoot Byelection

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaBattle River—Crowfoot byelection, Longest Ballot Committee, Pierre Poilievre

Battle River Crowfoot, Alberta, July 16, 2025: The Alberta riding of Battle River Crowfoot is preparing for a remarkable byelection, with dozens of independent candidates already registered in a race that could see Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre return to the House of Commons.The surge of independent hopefuls comes from the efforts of the Longest Ballot Committee, an electoral reform advocacy group determined to set records by registering hundreds of candidates. The group says its goal is to draw attention to the flaws of Canada’s first-past-the-post voting system.While most candidates are running as independents, others have filed nominations under banners such…

16 Jul

PV Sindhu Suffers First-Round Exit at Japan Open, Lakshya Sen and Doubles Pair Advance

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSportsbadminton, Japan Open 2025, Lakshya Sen, PV Sindhu

Tokyo, July 16: India’s star shuttler and two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu’s struggles in 2025 continued as she crashed out of the Japan Open in the first round on Wednesday, losing in straight games to South Korea’s Sim Yu Jin.Playing her first match since the Indonesia Open in June, Sindhu, currently ranked 16th in the world, fell 15-21, 14-21 to the world number 14 Sim, marking her first-ever loss in four meetings against the Korean opponent.Sindhu began the match on a shaky note, quickly trailing 3-9 in the opening game. Although she clawed back to narrow the gap at 13-12,…

16 Jul

NATO Chief Warns India, China, Brazil of Heavy Sanctions Over Russia Ties Amid Trump’s Ultimatum

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, World NewsBrazil, China, Donald Trump, India, Mark Rutte, NATO, secondary sanctions

Washington DC, July 17, 2025: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has issued a stark warning to nations like Brazil, China, and India, cautioning that they could face severe economic consequences if they continue business relations with Russia amid heightened Western pressure over the Ukraine war.Speaking to reporters on Wednesday after meetings with US lawmakers, Rutte urged leaders in Beijing, New Delhi, and Brasília to reassess their ties with Moscow in the wake of looming secondary sanctions threatened by US President Donald Trump.“My encouragement to these three countries, particularly is, if you live now in Beijing, or in Delhi, or you…

16 Jul

Parliamentary Panel Proposes 285 Changes to Income Tax Bill, 2025 Ahead of Monsoon Session

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusiness, IndiaBaijayant Panda, Income Tax Bill 2025, Lok Sabha, Parliamentary panel

New Delhi, July 16, 2025: A parliamentary panel scrutinising the landmark Income Tax Bill, 2025 has suggested as many as 285 changes to the draft legislation, which aims to overhaul and modernise India’s income tax laws.The Select Committee of the Lok Sabha, chaired by BJP leader Baijayant Panda, finalised its report on Wednesday. The report is set to be tabled in the Lok Sabha on Monday, coinciding with the opening day of Parliament’s Monsoon session.“We have made 285 suggestions to the Bill,” confirmed a member of the committee, reflecting the panel’s extensive engagement with the proposed legislation.The government is expected…

16 Jul

Virat Kohli Becomes First Batter to Cross 900 Rating Points in All Formats of Cricket

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSports900 rating points, cricket records, ICC rankings, India cricket, Virat Kohli

New Delhi, July 16, 2025: Indian cricket superstar Virat Kohli has scripted yet another chapter in cricketing history, becoming the first batter ever to cross the 900-point mark in ICC Men’s Cricket Rankings across all formats of the game, following an update to his T20I rating on Wednesday.The International Cricket Council (ICC) revised Kohli’s all-time T20I best rating from 897 to 909 points, according to Wisden. This places him third on the list of highest T20I ratings ever, behind compatriot Suryakumar Yadav (912) and England’s Dawid Malan (919).With this milestone, Kohli has now achieved the rare feat of breaching the…

16 Jul

Cabinet approves the Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, Trending

New Delhi (National Times): The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi today approved the “Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana” for a period of six years, beginning with 2025-26 to cover 100 districts. Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana draws inspiration from NITI Aayog’s Aspirational District Programme and first of its kind focusing exclusively on agriculture and allied sectors. The Scheme aims to enhance agricultural productivity, increase adoption of crop diversification and sustainable agricultural practices, augment post-harvest storage at the panchayat and block levels, improve irrigation facilities and facilitate availability of long-term and short-term credit. It is in pursuance of…

16 Jul

Alberta investing $10 million to make it easier for landowners to conserve natural areas while keeping people working

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, TrendingAlberta

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta’s government is launching two new and improved private land conservation programs to better meet the needs of landowners, conserve more land, and prioritize the needs of Albertans. With $10 million in funding now available, the enhanced Private Land Conservation Program and the new Ecosystem Services Grant Program will better protect natural areas across the province while still enabling landowners to use their land for farming, ranching and other work. Private landowners across Alberta strongly support conservation, with more than 142,000 acres conserved since 2019. However, decisions made today may not make sense 50 years from now,…

16 Jul

Calgary police officer charged with two counts of second-degree murder

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, TrendingCalgary

Calgary (National Times): On May 29, 2023, the Alberta Serious Incident Response Team (ASIRT) was directed to investigate a police shooting in Calgary. Earlier that day, a Calgary Police Service officer shot at occupants of a van on Memorial Drive following a slow speed pursuit. Two of the occupants were struck and later pronounced deceased. The evidence gathered during ASIRT’s investigation provided reasonable grounds to believe that offences had been committed. As is required by the Police Act, the investigation was forwarded to the Alberta Crown Prosecution Service (ACPS) to determine whether the evidence met the standard for prosecution. Following…

16 Jul

PM Mark Carney Convenes Incident Response Group Amid Escalating Wildfire Crisis in Manitoba and Ontario

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanada, TrendingMark Carney

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): As wildfires continue to spread across parts of Canada, particularly Manitoba and Ontario, Prime Minister Mark Carney has convened the Incident Response Group to coordinate the national emergency response and reinforce federal support. The high-level meeting brought together senior ministers and federal officials to assess the situation and streamline efforts to manage the escalating wildfire threat. With thousands of residents already displaced and emergency operations underway, the federal government reaffirmed its full support for provincial and local authorities. The Prime Minister emphasized ongoing coordination with Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew and First Nations leadership, who are playing a…