Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

24 May

Centre Reviews COVID Surge: Mild Cases Dominate, No Hospitalisations Reported

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaCOVID-19 India 2025, Health Ministry Review, Mild COVID cases

New Delhi, May 24, 2025: The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has confirmed that the recent rise in COVID-19 cases across India consists predominantly of mild infections, with no hospitalisations reported. In a high-level review chaired by Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava, central agencies including ICMR, DGHS, and NCDC noted that active surveillance is being maintained and that all patients are recovering at home.The assessment was prompted by localized case increases in Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka. Despite the surge, officials emphasized that no alarming trends have emerged. Of the current 257 active COVID cases nationwide, Kerala…

24 May

Centre and States Must Act as ‘Team India’ for Viksit Bharat by 2047: PM Modi at NITI Aayog Meet

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia2047 Vision, NITI Aayog, PM Modi, Team India, Viksit Bharat

New Delhi, May 24, 2025 – Emphasizing the transformative potential of cooperative federalism, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday urged the Centre and all states to act in unison as "Team India" to achieve the collective vision of a developed India Viksit Bharat by 2047.Addressing the 10th Governing Council meeting of NITI Aayog, PM Modi stated, “If Centre and States work together like Team India, no goal is impossible.” He added that the development of individual states directly contributes to the advancement of the entire nation. “When every state is Viksit, then Bharat will be Viksit,” he said, calling for…

24 May

Baloch Journalist Abdul Latif Baloch Killed in Front of Family, PEC Demands Independent Probe

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsAbdul Latif Baloch, Balochistan journalist killed, Pakistan press freedom

Geneva, May 24, 2025 – The Press Emblem Campaign (PEC), a global media safety and rights watchdog, has strongly condemned the killing of veteran Baloch journalist Abdul Latif Baloch and demanded a credible and transparent investigation into the murder, which allegedly involved a Pakistani state-backed militia.Abdul Latif Baloch, 55, who worked with Daily Intekhab and Aaj News, was gunned down in front of his wife and children in Mashkay, Awaran district, Balochistan, in the early hours of Saturday. His family and colleagues have accused Pakistan’s state-sponsored militias of orchestrating the assassination, calling it a targeted act of intimidation against journalists…

24 May

ISKCON Calgary’s 21st Annual Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra on June 22

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCalgary, Chariot Fest, ISKON

Calgary, (Rajeev Sharma) : The Radha Madhav Cultural Association (ISKCON Calgary) will present the spirit of devotion and cultural vibrancy to the city with the 21st Annual Sri Jagannath Rath Yatra Chariot Festival on Sunday, June 22, 2025. In an interview with National Times, Krishna Vidyadas Prabhu, one of the key organizers, highlighted the festival’s message of unity, love, and cultural harmony, welcoming all Calgarians regardless of background or faith. He stated that this highly anticipated spiritual and cultural event will commence with a grand chariot parade at 11:00 AM from 421 Riverfront Avenue, near the Harry Hays Building. Devotees…

24 May

Abhishek Banerjee Calls Pakistan ‘Wild Handler of Terrorism’ During Japan Visit

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, World NewsAbhishek Banerjee, Japan, Operation Sindoor, Pakistan terrorism

Tokyo, May 24, 2025 – Trinamool Congress MP Abhishek Banerjee, representing India as part of an all-party parliamentary delegation to Japan under Operation Sindoor, made a forceful statement against Pakistan’s role in terrorism, likening terrorism to a “rabid dog” and Pakistan to its “wild handler.”Speaking in Tokyo, Banerjee emphasized that in matters of national security, opposition and ruling parties must speak in one voice. "Terrorism is like a rabid dog, and Pakistan is its wild handler. You can't tame it, you can't predict it. It can bite anyone, anywhere," Banerjee said. He asserted that India's unified response to cross-border terrorism…

24 May

Explosions Rock Kyiv as Russia Launches Massive Airstrike After Prisoner Exchange

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsKyiv airstrike, prisoner exchange, Russia-Ukraine war

Kyiv, May 24, 2025: Ukraine’s capital came under a heavy overnight air assault by Russian forces just hours after a major prisoner exchange between Moscow and Kyiv. The coordinated drone and missile barrage marked one of the largest air attacks on Kyiv in months and underscored the volatility of the ongoing war despite brief moments of diplomatic engagement.Kyiv’s military administration reported explosions across multiple districts of the capital, including Solomianskyi and Obolon. Falling debris from intercepted aerial objects caused fires in residential buildings, with at least six civilians reported injured and requiring medical treatment. Emergency crews rushed to affected areas…

24 May

India Slams Pakistan’s “Disinformation” on Indus Water Treaty at UNSC, Links Terrorism to Treaty Suspension

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaIndia-Pakistan relations, Indus Water Treaty, UNSC

New York, May 24, 2025 (Babushahi Network) – India has forcefully rebutted Pakistan’s allegations on the Indus Water Treaty (IWT) at the United Nations Security Council, accusing Islamabad of distorting facts and using disinformation tactics to cover its record of sponsoring terrorism.Speaking during the Arria Formula Meeting on “Protecting Water in Armed Conflict – Protecting Civilian Lives,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Parvathaneni Harish, asserted that while India has always honored the IWT in good faith, Pakistan’s conduct has violated the spirit of the 65-year-old treaty through repeated wars and relentless cross-border terror.“India entered into the Indus Water Treaty…

24 May

Bollywood Actor Mukul Dev Dies at 54, Leaves Behind a Legacy of Memorable Roles

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsEntertainmentMukul Dev

Mumbai (National Times): Actor Mukul Dev, known for his rich body of work across Indian cinema and television, has passed away at the age of 54. His demise was confirmed by close friend Vindu Dara Singh, who noted that the actor had been hospitalized recently following a period of ill health and emotional withdrawal after the passing of his parents. “Mukul kept to himself lately,” Singh said. “He was a beautiful soul and will be sorely missed.” Tributes have poured in from across the entertainment world. Manoj Bajpayee, visibly shaken, described Dev as “an artist whose warmth and passion were…

24 May

Judge Halts Trump Move to Block Foreign Student Enrollment at Harvard, for Now

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsDonald Trump, US

Boston, MA (National Times): A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order preventing the Trump administration from stripping Harvard University of its ability to enroll foreign students, pausing what could have been a major shakeup for one of the world’s most internationally recognized academic institutions. The ruling, issued Friday by U.S. District Judge Allison Burroughs, comes just one day after the Department of Homeland Security announced it was revoking Harvard’s access to the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), a federal system used to track and manage non-citizen students. The administration claimed that Harvard had failed to address rising…

24 May

Enhancing Alberta’s veterinary diagnostic capacity

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaAlberta, Canada

Calgary (National Times): Alberta’s government is increasing funding to UCalgary’s Faculty of Veterinary Medicine’s Diagnostic Services Unit to support Alberta’s livestock producers and veterinarians. Alberta is famously a livestock province, renowned for producing some of the world’s best meat. Livestock is also a significant driver of Alberta’s economy, with livestock market receipts totalling almost $12 billion in 2024. For this essential industry to keep growing and thriving, it needs quick, affordable diagnostics and robust disease preparedness. Beginning with Budget 2025, Alberta’s government is providing the University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine (UCVM) with a total of $9.5 million over…