Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

28 Jun

Shefali Jariwala, ‘Kaanta Laga’ Sensation and Bigg Boss 13 Star, Passes Away at 42

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsEntertainment, TrendingShefali Jariwala

Mumbai (National Times): The entertainment industry is in mourning after the sudden and untimely demise of actress and dancer Shefali Jariwala, who shot to fame with the iconic 2002 music video ‘Kaanta Laga’. She was 42. According to sources, Shefali was rushed to Bellevue Multispeciality Hospital in Mumbai late Friday night by her husband Parag Tyagi, but was declared dead on arrival. The cause of death has not yet been made public. Her body has been moved to Cooper Hospital for postmortem examination. Police officials are currently present at her residence, questioning domestic staff, including the cook and house help,…

28 Jun

Trump Terminates Trade Talks With Canada Over Digital Services Tax, Slams 400% Dairy Tariffs

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusiness, CanadaCanada, Donald Trump

Washington DC (National Times): In a fiery social media post on Friday, U.S. President Donald J. Trump announced the immediate termination of all trade discussions with Canada, accusing the country of imposing a “Digital Services Tax” on American technology firms and unfair tariffs on U.S. farmers. Taking to his platform Truth Social, President Trump called Canada “a very difficult Country to TRADE with” and alleged that Canadian policies have long targeted American producers, specifically pointing to 400% tariffs on dairy products. Trump’s remarks came after reports that Canada had introduced a new tax targeting digital services, a move similar to…

27 Jun

Canadian Tourist Dies After Being Reported Missing on Dominican Republic Beach

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanadian tourist death, Dominican Republic, missing person, Punta Cana beach

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, June 27, 2025 — A Canadian citizen has died in the Dominican Republic after being reported missing from a beach in the early hours of the morning, local authorities confirmed.Around 2 a.m., civil defence officials received a 911 call reporting that a person was missing along the shoreline. Civil defence teams and police swiftly responded to the scene and launched a search operation.Tragically, the individual’s body was discovered in the water during high tide at approximately 4:15 a.m., officials said.Reached for comment, a spokesperson for Global Affairs Canada confirmed the department is “aware of the death…

27 Jun

Canada Issues Update on Efforts to Help Citizens Leave Middle East Amid Israel-Iran Tensions

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada evacuation Middle East, Canadians abroad, Israel Iran conflict

Ottawa, June 27, 2025 — As tensions remain high between Israel and Iran, the Canadian government says it is continuing efforts to help Canadians safely leave the region, while urging all citizens to remain cautious and register their presence with authorities.Global Affairs Canada confirmed it has been working closely with allies and partners in the Middle East to monitor the situation and assist Canadian citizens who wish to depart. Officials noted that commercial flights remain available in many areas, though the situation could change rapidly given the volatile security environment.“Canada’s priority is the safety and security of Canadians abroad,” Global…

27 Jun

IBC to Celebrate Dalai Lama’s 90th Birthday with Global Event in New Delhi

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, World NewsBuddhism and science, Dalai Lama 90th birthday, International Buddhist Confederation

New Delhi, June 27, 2025 — The International Buddhist Confederation (IBC) will host a significant event on Sunday, July 13, at the Ashoka Hotel in New Delhi to mark the 90th birth anniversary of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, honouring his profound influence, spiritual leadership, and enduring contributions to global peace and compassion.The full-day event is set to draw an array of international scholars, Buddhist leaders, and experts with long-standing ties to the Dalai Lama, underscoring the global resonance of his teachings and humanitarian efforts.Among the key highlights will be panel discussions exploring critical themes that reflect the Dalai…

27 Jun

India Plans Major Upgrade of Sukhoi-30MKI Fleet with Advanced Avionics and Indigenous Systems

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaIndo-Russian defence ties, Rajnath Singh, Sukhoi-30MKI upgrade

New Delhi, June 28, 2025 — India is set to undertake a significant upgrade of its fleet of Sukhoi-30MKI fighter jets, integrating advanced avionics, modern radars, and indigenous systems, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh confirmed following discussions with his Russian counterpart, Andrey Belousov.The proposed upgrade, aimed at enhancing the operational capabilities of the Indian Air Force (IAF), will involve 78 per cent indigenous content, a major push toward self-reliance in defence manufacturing.Singh met Belousov on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Defence Ministers’ meeting in Qingdao, China, where both leaders held wide-ranging discussions on geopolitical developments, cross-border terrorism, and…

27 Jun

Road Closures and Safety Measures Announced Ahead of 2025 Calgary Stampede Parade

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCalgary, Public Safety Announcement, Road Closure, The Calgary Stampede Parade

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): As the city prepares for one of its most iconic events, Calgary officials have announced essential road closures and public safety measures ahead of the 2025 Calgary Stampede Parade, scheduled to commence on Friday, July 4, 2025. According to the City of Calgary, roads along the parade route will be closed starting at 7:30 a.m. sharp and will remain shut until 2:00 p.m., or until the last participant has completed the route. “No vehicles will be allowed on the parade route during the closure window,” city officials emphasized. “This is for everyone’s safety, including parade participants, spectators,…

27 Jun

PM Modi to Embark on Five-Nation Tour from July 2, Attend BRICS Summit in Brazil

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaBRICS 2025, Global South diplomacy, India Brazil Argentina Ghana visit, PM Modi BRICS tour

New Delhi, June 27, 2025 — Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to embark on a five-nation tour beginning July 2, aimed at strengthening India’s engagement with key nations of the Global South and attending the 17th BRICS Summit in Brazil. The eight-day diplomatic tour will include visits to Ghana, Trinidad and Tobago, Argentina, Brazil, and Namibia.According to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the visit reflects India’s commitment to deepening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation on strategic and multilateral fronts.In the first leg of the trip, PM Modi will visit Ghana from July 2 to 3 marking the first…

27 Jun

Haryana Chief Secretary Hosts Financial Dialogue with Tanzanian Delegation

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsHaryanaAnurag Rastogi, Finance Commission, Fiscal Dialogue, Haryana, Tanzania

Chandigarh, June 27 — Haryana Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi today chaired a high-level meeting with the Joint Finance Commission (JFC) of the United Republic of Tanzania, held here to discuss fiscal structures and financial governance.During the session, Mr. Rastogi outlined India’s fiscal framework, elaborating on the division of tax collection responsibilities, sources of revenue, debt financing mechanisms, and the distribution of loans and grants between the central and state governments. Reiterating Haryana’s commitment to fiscal discipline, he noted that the state refrains from off-budget borrowings.Explaining the principles of fiscal federalism in India, Mr. Rastogi said that states receive a share…

27 Jun

India’s Post Offices to Accept Digital Payments Nationwide by August

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaDynamic QR code, India Post digital payments, UPI rollout post offices

New Delhi, June 27, 2025 — Post offices across India will begin accepting digital payments from August as the Department of Posts completes the rollout of a new IT application integrating advanced digital transaction features, official sources confirmed.Until now, post offices have struggled to accept digital payments because their accounts were not synced with the Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system. The new initiative aims to change that by equipping counters with technology to support transactions using Dynamic QR codes.“The Department of Posts is implementing its IT infrastructure which will have new applications that are enabled to perform transactions with Dynamic…