Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

10 Feb

Macron to Visit India from February 17; Talks with PM Modi, AI Summit on Agenda

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaAI Impact Summit, Emmanuel Macron India visit, India France relations, Macron Modi talks

New Delhi, February 10: French President Emmanuel Macron will pay a three-day official visit to India starting February 17, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) announced on Tuesday. The visit is expected to further deepen the strategic partnership between India and France. During his stay, President Macron will hold comprehensive discussions with Prime Minister Narendra Modi covering a wide range of bilateral issues. The talks will focus on strengthening cooperation in key sectors, including defence, technology, innovation, climate action and economic engagement. The French President is also scheduled to attend the AI Impact Summit, reflecting the growing collaboration between the…

10 Feb

Hindu Shopkeeper Killed in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh, Family Alleges Robbery After Attack

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, World NewsBangladesh Hindu killing, minority safety Bangladesh, Mymensingh trader murder, Trishal violence

Mymensingh (Bangladesh) February 10: A 62-year-old Hindu businessman was brutally killed inside his shop in Trishal upazila of Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district, triggering fresh concerns over the safety of minority communities ahead of the country’s parliamentary elections. The incident occurred late Monday night at the Bogar Bazar intersection under Trishal Police Station limits. Police said unidentified assailants attacked the trader with a sharp weapon, left him inside the shop and locked the shutters before fleeing. The victim was identified as Susen Chandra Sarkar, the owner of Bhai Bhai Enterprise and a resident of Southkanda village. According to Trishal Police Station officer-in-charge…

10 Feb

Former Army Chief Clarifies Memoir Status Amid Publishing Row

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia

New Delhi, February 10: Former Chief of the Indian Army General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Tuesday stated that his memoir, Four Stars of Destiny, has not yet been published in any form. Sharing a clarification on social media platform X, Naravane said that no printed or digital copies of the book have been released to the public so far. Naravane reposted a statement issued by Penguin Random House India, the official publisher of the memoir, which sought to clear confusion arising from recent public discussion and media reports. The publisher said it holds exclusive publishing rights for the book and…

10 Feb

Via Rail Cancels Additional Trains on Ottawa–Montreal–Toronto Route Amid Operational Strain

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanadian rail services, Ottawa Montreal Toronto trains, travel disruption, Via Rail cancellations

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Via Rail has cancelled seven more passenger trains along the busy Ottawa–Montreal–Toronto corridor on Tuesday, citing what it describes as a period of “heightened operational pressure.” The latest cancellations come a day after eight trips on the same corridor were called off on Monday. According to information posted on Via Rail’s website, a total of 35 trains across eight different routes have been cancelled so far this week. For each affected service, passengers are being notified that the train has been cancelled from origin to destination, with no alternative transportation available due to operational limitations. Responding to…

10 Feb

Ottawa Pays for Parts of More F-35 Jets While Reviewing Future Fighter Purchases

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada F-35 deal, Canadian Armed Forces, CF-18 replacement, defence spending, fighter jet procurement

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Ottawa has begun making payments for critical components needed for 14 additional U.S.-built F-35 fighter jets, even as the federal government continues to reassess Canada’s long-term fighter aircraft plans amid strained trade relations with the United States, told sources. These payments are separate from Canada’s confirmed purchase of an initial batch of 16 F-35 aircraft, which are scheduled to begin arriving with the Canadian Armed Forces later this year. According to sources familiar with the matter, the latest expenditures are for long-lead items — specialized parts that must be ordered years in advance to keep aircraft production…

10 Feb

Abandoned Montreal Church Seeks Court Approval for Demolition Amid Safety Fears

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadachurch redevelopment, Montreal church demolition, Quebec churches, St-Eusèbe-de-Verceil, urban decay

Montreal (Rajeev Sharma): An abandoned Catholic church in Montreal has become the centre of a legal battle, as church authorities move the court seeking permission to demolish the deteriorating structure, citing serious safety risks, repeated vandalism and mounting financial pressure. The long-shuttered St-Eusèbe-de-Verceil Church, once a prominent place of worship, now stands barricaded behind plywood fencing marked with graffiti and handwritten messages. Among them is a poem lamenting the church’s decay—an expression that reflects the concerns of officials who say the building has reached a point of no return. Years of neglect, unauthorized intrusions and a major fire in 2019…

10 Feb

Canada to Add Thousands of EV Chargers as Ottawa Steps Up Push for Electric Mobility

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaauto strategy, Canada EV infrastructure, electric vehicle chargers, federal funding, Mark Carney

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): The federal government is moving to significantly expand Canada’s electric vehicle charging network in a bid to reduce range anxiety and encourage more drivers to switch to EVs. On Tuesday, the ministers of environment, energy and transport are expected to announce an investment of 84.4 million dollars to support the installation of more than 8,000 new public charging stations across the country. The funding is part of a broader effort to prepare Canada for a rapid increase in electric vehicle adoption over the next decade. In addition to charging infrastructure, the government will allocate 5.7 million dollars…

10 Feb

SUV sprayed with bullets: Indian-origin techie shot dead in car in Toronto’s shopping mall

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada News, Toronto

National Times Bureau :- An Indian-origin IT professional was shot dead by unidentified men in his car parked in a parking of a shopping mall in Canada's Toronto. The victim hailed from Thyamagondlu in Nelamangala on the outskirts of Bengaluru. The parents of an Indian IT professional who was shot dead in Canada said they had repeatedly urged their son to return home, but he chose to stay abroad. Chandan Kumar’s family is devastated after he was fatally shot in Toronto. His parents suspect that his involvement in forming a Kannada community group in the city may have played a…

10 Feb

Churachandpur Shuts Down as Protests Turn Violent Against Kuki MLAs’ Political Move

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia

Churachandpur, Manipur (Bureu) : Fresh violent clashes erupted in Manipur’s Kuki-dominated Churachandpur district in early February 2026 after protests broke out against Kuki-Zo MLAs joining the newly formed BJP led government under Chief Minister Y. Khemchand. The unrest signals a dangerous return of instability in a region already scarred by prolonged ethnic violence. Large crowds gathered near Tuibong Bazaar to oppose the political move, accusing the MLAs of betraying community interests. What began as a protest soon turned violent as mobs confronted security forces deployed to maintain order. Protesters burned tyres, blocked key roads and hurled stones at police and…

10 Feb

Centre Revises Re-employment Rules, Broadens Ex-Servicemen Eligibility for Central Civil Posts

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndiaarmed forces re-employment policy, Central civil services recruitment, DoPT notification India, Ex-servicemen amendment 2026, Military Nursing Service ex-servicemen status

New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): The Central government has notified fresh amendments to the Ex-servicemen (Re-employment in Central Civil Services and Posts) Rules, 1979, expanding the scope of who qualifies as an ex-serviceman for government employment. The move is intended to eliminate confusion and ensure uniform recognition of service across various branches and categories of the armed forces. Officials said the revised definition now clearly covers personnel who have served in any rank—combatant or non-combatant—in the Army, Navy or Air Force. The amendment also formally includes members of the Military Nursing Service within its ambit. The key revision has been made…