Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

28 Mar

New Leader, Old Team: Can Carney Convince Voters the Liberals Have Changed?

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada election, Liberals, Mark Carney, Pierre Poilievre

Ottawa, March 28, 2025: Canada’s federal election is in full swing, with the Liberals and Conservatives locked in a fierce contest. While the race was expected to be a referendum on the governing party’s record, Donald Trump’s threats of tariffs and annexation have shifted the focus to leadership and national security. The Liberals, once trailing by 25 points, have staged a comeback under Prime Minister Mark Carney—largely by adopting Conservative policies.Blurring the Lines Between Liberals and ConservativesWith both parties running on nationalist slogans—“Canada Strong” for the Liberals and “Canada First” for the Conservatives—their policy platforms have become strikingly similar. Both…

28 Mar

Lucknow Super Giants Crush Sunrisers Hyderabad with Dominant Chase

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSportsIPL 2025, LSG vs SRH, Mitchell Marsh, Nicholas Pooran, Shardul Thakur

National Times Bureau, March 28, 2025: Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) stormed to a commanding five-wicket victory over Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) in their IPL 2025 clash at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium. Nicholas Pooran’s explosive 70 off just 26 balls powered LSG to a successful chase of 191, sealing the win with 23 balls to spare.Opting to bowl first, LSG’s bowlers made early inroads, with Shardul Thakur leading the attack. His brilliant spell of 4/34 kept SRH in check, preventing them from capitalizing on a solid start. Despite a fighting effort from SRH’s top order, they could only post 190/9 in…

28 Mar

Canada Tightens Immigration Rules: Record Visa Rejections for Foreign Workers, Students, and Tourists

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada immigration, visa rejection

Ottawa, March 28, 2025: Canada has intensified its immigration restrictions, rejecting a record number of temporary visa applications in 2024. Immigration officials denied 2.35 million applications, pushing the overall rejection rate to 50%, a sharp rise from 35% in 2023.Visitor visas faced the highest scrutiny, with a 54% rejection rate. Study permits were denied at an alarming 52%, reflecting concerns over housing shortages and rising living costs. Work permit rejections slightly dropped to 22%. The policy shift follows growing public pressure to manage immigration levels.Despite these hurdles, many foreign nationals are applying for visitor records, allowing them to stay legally…

27 Mar

Putin to Visit India Soon, Says Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsNarendra Modi, Russia-India relations, Vladimir Putin India visit

New Delhi, March 27, 2025: Russian President Vladimir Putin has accepted Prime Minister Narendra Modi's invitation to visit India, and preparations for the visit are underway, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov confirmed on Thursday.In a video address at the “Russia and India: Toward a New Bilateral Agenda” conference hosted by the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC), Lavrov said, "Arrangements are currently being made for Putin to visit India." The state-run TASS news agency also quoted him as saying that the visit is in the works, though no dates have been announced.Lavrov pointed out that Prime Minister Modi's first foreign visit…

27 Mar

Amit Shah Promises to End Illegal Immigration in Bengal if BJP Wins in 2026

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsPoliticsAmit Shah, BJP, illegal infiltration, India-Bangladesh border, West Bengal elections 2026

New Delhi, March 27, 2025: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday vowed to put a complete stop to illegal infiltration in West Bengal if the BJP comes to power in the state in 2026. He accused the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government of shielding and legitimizing illegal immigrants, including Rohingyas and Bangladeshi infiltrators.Speaking in the Lok Sabha during a debate on the Immigration and Foreigners Bill 2025, Shah alleged that illegal immigrants have been issued Aadhaar and voter ID cards in Bengal’s 24 Parganas district, allowing them to spread across India. He claimed that if the Bengal government stopped providing…

27 Mar

India and Canada Strengthen Ties Amid Trump’s Reciprocal Tariff Move

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaIndia-Canada relations, Trump reciprocal tariff, USCIRF India report

Ottawa, March 27 – With former U.S. President Donald Trump set to impose Reciprocal Tariffs from April 2, India and Canada have decided to collaborate to counter the impact. Trump has justified the tariff as a response against countries that "exploit" the U.S..According to Bloomberg sources, India and Canada are also planning to reinstate their diplomatic representatives after recalling them last year due to tensions over the Khalistan issue.USCIRF Report Draws ControversyA recent U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) report has sparked a new debate by comparing India to Vietnam’s communist regime. The report suggests that both countries should…

27 Mar

Canada Slams Trump’s Auto Tariffs as a “Direct Attack” on Economy

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada-U.S. trade war, Doug Ford, Mark Carney, Trump auto tariffs

Ottawa, March 27, 2025: Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has strongly criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's latest move to impose a 25% tariff on all auto imports, calling it a "direct attack" on Canada. The tariffs, which also apply to spare and ancillary components, were announced as a "permanent" measure by Trump on Wednesday.Carney, who was in the middle of an election campaign, cut his trip short and returned to Ottawa to chair an emergency Cabinet meeting on U.S.-Canada relations. He assured Canadian auto workers that the government would take steps to protect them, including a $2 billion (CAD) strategic…

27 Mar

India’s Child Mortality Reduction Efforts Praised by UN as ‘Exemplar’

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAyushman Bharat, India child mortality, India's healthcare progress, UN report on child deaths

New Delhi, March 27, 2025 – The United Nations has hailed India’s progress in reducing preventable child deaths, recognizing its healthcare initiatives, including Ayushman Bharat, as a model for the world. The UN Inter-Agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation report, released on Tuesday, named India, Nepal, Senegal, Ghana, and Burundi as exemplar countries that have made significant strides in reducing child mortality.India’s Success in Child Mortality ReductionAccording to the report, India has reduced under-five mortality by 70% and neonatal mortality by 61% since 2000. This success stems from strategic investments in health coverage, infrastructure, and workforce development.The Ayushman Bharat scheme,…

27 Mar

Quinton de Kock’s Unbeaten 97 Powers KKR to Dominant Win Over Rajasthan Royals

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsSportsIPL 2025, KKR vs RR, Kolkata Knight Riders, Quinton de Kock, Rajasthan Royals

Guwahati, March 27, 2025 – Quinton de Kock delivered a masterclass in controlled aggression, remaining unbeaten on 97 to guide Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to a comfortable eight-wicket win over Rajasthan Royals (RR) in their IPL 2025 clash at Barsapara Stadium.KKR's Clinical ChaseChasing a modest 152, KKR lost Moeen Ali (5) and Ajinkya Rahane (18) early, but De Kock held the innings together, forging a match-winning 83-run stand with young Angkrish Raghuvanshi (22 off 17 balls). KKR sealed the chase in 17.3 overs, registering their first win of the season.De Kock’s 61-ball innings featured eight fours and six sixes, showcasing…

26 Mar

Laura Loomer Suggests ‘China Link’ in Signal Chat Leak, Offers No Proof

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsAlex Wong, Laura Loomer, Signal chat leak, Trump administration

Washington, March 26, 2025 – Right-wing commentator Laura Loomer has stirred controversy by suggesting a potential “China link” in the recent Signal chat leak involving the Trump administration. However, she did not provide any concrete evidence to support her claims.Loomer pointed to principal deputy national security advisor Alex Wong’s wife, Candice Chiu Wong, claiming her family ties to Hong Kong could be significant. She noted that Chiu Wong’s parents worked in Hong Kong, and that she previously served as a U.S. Attorney under both Obama and Biden, including work on prosecuting January 6 rioters.Her social media post came after The…