Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

18 Apr

Close Aide of Terrorist Rinda, Gangster Happy Passia, Arrested in the US

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, World NewsHappy Passia

New Delhi (National Times): Harpreet Singh, alias Happy Passia, a notorious gangster with alleged terror links, has been arrested in the United States, in what marks a key success for Indian security agencies. Passia is a known close associate of Pakistan-based terrorist Harvinder Singh Sandhu, alias Rinda. Passia was wanted in India for his alleged involvement in multiple grenade attacks, including on a private house in Chandigarh and police stations in Punjab. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) had earlier declared a Rs 5 lakh bounty on him, seeking public assistance in tracing his whereabouts. According to officials, Happy Passia was…

17 Apr

Odisha to Get ‘America-Like’ Highways as Gadkari Unveils ₹4,000-Crore Projects

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia000 crore projects, American-style roads, Nitin Gadkari, Odisha highways, ₹4

Bhubaneswar, April 17, 2025: Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari unveiled a massive infrastructure push in Odisha, promising highways on par with American standards. At a public event in Baramunda, Bhubaneswar, Gadkari announced 19 new national highway projects worth ₹4,137 crore to improve connectivity and boost tourism.Gadkari said the Centre had already spent ₹60,000 crore on completed highway works in the state, with another ₹60,000 crore worth of projects in progress. He added that ₹75,000 crore in future projects had also been approved, taking the total investment close to ₹2 lakh crore.One of the highlights of the announcement was the…

17 Apr

SC Extends Time for Election Commission to Reply in Jairam Ramesh’s PIL on Rule Amendments

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaElection Commission, Jairam Ramesh, Rule 93, Supreme Court

New Delhi, April 17, 2025 — The Supreme Court on Thursday gave the Election Commission of India three more weeks to respond to a Public Interest Litigation filed by Congress leader Jairam Ramesh. The PIL challenges changes to Rule 93 of the Conduct of Election Rules, 1961, which allegedly restrict public access to key electoral records.A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna had earlier asked the Centre and the Election Commission to file their responses by January 15. However, senior advocate Maninder Singh, appearing for the Election Commission, sought more time to submit a detailed reply. The court has…

17 Apr

India Flags Concern Over F-1 Visa Scrutiny, Deportations of Indian Nationals from U.S.

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaF-1 visa, Indian students, Ministry of External Affairs, U.S. deportation

New Delhi, April 17, 2025: The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) confirmed Thursday that the Indian government is actively investigating reports of Indian students in the United States receiving notices regarding their F-1 visa status. MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said the Indian Embassy and consulates were in touch with affected students and monitoring the situation closely.The response came amid growing concerns about the treatment of Indian nationals in the U.S., including recent cases involving visa revocations, green card holders being denied re-entry, and Indian tourists being stopped at airports.Adding to the tension, Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan…

17 Apr

Canada Braces for Economic Storm as U.S. Tariffs Threaten Deep Recession

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaBank Of Canada, Canada recession, U.S. tariffs

Ottawa, April 17, 2025: Canada's central bank has sounded the alarm, warning of a looming deep recession as trade tensions with the United States escalate. The Bank of Canada held its key interest rate at 2.75 percent—the first pause after seven consecutive cuts—citing uncertainty caused by U.S. tariffs and the threat of a prolonged global trade war.Governor Tiff Macklem acknowledged the gravity of the moment, calling it a “once-in-a-century economic shock.” He admitted the central bank could not offer reliable forecasts and instead laid out two stark scenarios. In the best-case outcome, tariffs are gradually rolled back through negotiation, leading…

17 Apr

Four major party leader in french leaders’ debate draws out spirited exchanges on pipelines, immigration and Trump

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada Election 2025, Jagmeet Singh, Mark Carney, Pierre Poilievre, Yves-François Blanchet

MONTREAL (National Times): The leaders of Canada’s four main political parties will square off for a second and final leaders’ debate tonight in Montreal, after an initial French-language faceoff on Wednesday. Liberal Leader Mark Carney, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh and the Bloc Québécois’ Yves-François Blanchet will meet onstage for a final time before the April 28 vote, after a first debate that saw them spar on pipelines, the economy and U.S. President Donald Trump’s trade war. Carney is leading in the polls and was the frequent target of attacks from his rivals yesterday. Poilievre accused Carney…

17 Apr

Trump’s Tariffs, Economic Risks Dominate Canadian Election Talk as Carney Steps Up Attacks

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada Election 2025, Donald Trump tariffs, Mark Carney

Ottawa, April 17, 2025: With just days left before Canadians head to the polls, Prime Minister Mark Carney has zeroed in on U.S. President Donald Trump as the defining issue of the 2025 federal election. In a fiery French-language debate held in Montreal, Carney asked voters to consider who is best prepared to face the economic and diplomatic turbulence stirred by Trump’s tariff-heavy agenda.Carney, who took over Liberal leadership earlier this year after Justin Trudeau stepped down, has portrayed himself as the steady hand needed to defend Canada's economy. He used the debate platform to highlight his credentials as a…

17 Apr

Kailash Mansarovar Yatra to Resume This Summer After Five-Year Hiatus

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaIndia-China, Kailash Mansarovar Yatra, Pilgrimage

New Delhi, April 17, 2025: The sacred Kailash Mansarovar Yatra is finally set to resume this summer, ending a five-year break triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic and diplomatic strains with China. India and China have agreed in principle to restart the pilgrimage, with modalities currently being worked out.Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh confirmed the development in Parliament, noting that discussions have been ongoing since 2024. These included meetings during the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, the Foreign Ministers’ meet in Johannesburg, and bilateral engagements in Beijing. Singh emphasized that India has consistently urged China to…

17 Apr

VP Dhankhar Slams SC Ruling on Presidential Timelines, Warns Against ‘Judicial Overreach’

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaJagdeep Dhankhar, Presidential powers, Supreme Court

New Delhi, April 17, 2025: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar has sharply criticised the Supreme Court’s recent directive mandating a three-month deadline for the President to act on Bills referred by governors. Addressing a gathering of Rajya Sabha interns on Thursday, Dhankhar questioned the judiciary’s expanding role, cautioning against what he described as a trend of judges assuming legislative and executive powers.“There is a directive to the President by a recent judgment. Where are we heading? What is happening in the country?” he asked, expressing alarm over the perceived judicial encroachment on executive functions. The Vice President emphasised that the Constitution…

17 Apr

Lights, camera, Alberta! Boosting cultural industries

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaAlberta, Calgary

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta's government is boosting the economy by investing in cultural industries, putting a spotlight on Alberta for film, television, music and publishing opportunities. Budget 2025 invests $8 million in the Alberta Media Fund to support the province’s creative sectors. This investment will continue the momentum of Alberta’s growing cultural industries by creating jobs and developing skilled local talent. Behind the scenes, the Film and Television Tax Credit is revitalizing communities across the province, including communities in rural Alberta. These productions are expected to spend about $1.5 billion in Alberta across a range of industries, generating an estimated…