Rajeev Sharma, Author at National Times

07 Feb

Alberta MLAs to engage Oregon leaders to strengthen cross-border ties

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingAlberta

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Two Alberta legislators will travel to the United States this month as part of efforts to deepen economic and political engagement with key American states. MLA for Leduc-Beaumont Brandon Lunty and MLA for Cypress–Medicine Hat Justin Wright are scheduled to visit Salem, Oregon, from February 8 to 11 to take part in the Pacific NorthWest Economic Region’s (PNWER) 2026 Capital Visits. The trip is aimed at reinforcing Alberta’s role as a strategic partner to U.S. states and advancing shared economic interests. During the visit, the MLAs are expected to meet with Oregon lawmakers, senior state officials, academics…

07 Feb

Alberta leads national job gains, adds nearly 42,000 full-time positions

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingAlberta

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta continues to outperform the rest of the country on the employment front, recording a sharp rise in full-time jobs despite ongoing global economic uncertainty, according to Jobs, Economy, Trade and Immigration Minister Joseph Schow. In a statement released Friday, Schow said the province added 41,800 full-time jobs in the most recent month, underscoring Alberta’s ability to weather broader economic headwinds that are affecting other parts of Canada. The minister credited the gains to the provincial government’s focus on economic diversification and investment attraction, noting that Alberta has posted the strongest employment growth in the country over…

07 Feb

Alberta reaches labour deal with health care support workers, says Minister Horner

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsAlberta, Canada, TrendingAlberta

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): Alberta’s government has announced the successful conclusion of collective bargaining with thousands of health care support staff, marking the end of negotiations across the province’s major health sectors for the current round. Treasury Board President and Finance Minister Nate Horner confirmed that the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) has finalized a new collective agreement covering general support services (GSS) employees working with Alberta Health Services (AHS), provincial health agencies (PHAs) and provincial health corporations (PHCs). The agreement affects nearly 31,000 workers employed in a wide range of roles across hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities…

07 Feb

Tariffs cut to 18%, $500 Billion trade objective: India, US unveil interim trade pact

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsIndia, World News

National Times Bureau :- India and the United States on Saturday announced a plan for a temporary trade agreement, showing progress toward a larger trade deal after months of talks and recent disputes over tariffs. Under this new plan, tariffs imposed by Donald Trump on India will be reduced to 18 per cent. In a joint statement, both countries said they would quickly put this plan into action and work toward finalising the temporary agreement, with the aim of completing a full Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) that benefits both sides. The plan shows their commitment to strengthening trade and economic…

07 Feb

Why Ola, Uber and Rapido have announced nationwide strike today ?

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsBusinessgig workers, Strike

National Times Bureau :- Gig-workers associated with app-based ride platforms such as Ola, Uber and Rapido have announced a 6-hour nationwide strike on Febraury 7. The drivers have decided to remain offline for six hours as part of their 'All India Breakdown'. The strike has been called by by the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union, also known as TGPWU. The union represents app-based transport workers operating on platforms such as Ola, Uber and Rapido. The drivers have announced a nationwide strike in order to press their demands including minimum base fare and redressal of grievances about the installation of…

06 Feb

Springlike Vancouver and Snowbound Toronto Highlight Canada’s Stark Winter Divide

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanada winter weather, cherry blossoms, climate extremes, Toronto snowfall, Vancouver warm winter

Vancouver (Rajeev Sharma): While parts of Canada remain locked in deep winter, Vancouver is already showing signs of spring, underscoring the dramatic contrasts of the country’s climate this season. An unusually mild winter on the West Coast has left the city green and blooming, even as eastern Canada continues to dig out from heavy snow and extreme cold. Vancouver is on track to experience its first snow-free winter in more than four decades. January temperatures were among the warmest on record, allowing cherry blossoms, daffodils and other flowers to bloom weeks ahead of schedule. Even bees were spotted out foraging…

06 Feb

Texada Island Residents Fined for Failing to Report Grizzly Bear Killing

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaB.C. Conservation Officer Service, failure to report, grizzly bear, Texada Island, wildlife conviction

Vancouver (Rajeev Sharma): Two residents of Texada Island have been convicted and fined after failing to report the killing of a grizzly bear that sparked widespread controversy in the coastal B.C. community last year, according to the B.C. Conservation Officer Service. Conservation officers said Kody Bevan and Seneca Antony were each fined $3,000 after pleading guilty to failing to promptly report the wounding or killing of a grizzly bear. The sentencing took place Thursday, following charges laid in September related to the bear’s death in July 2025. The Conservation Officer Service confirmed that $4,000 from the total fines will be…

06 Feb

Canada Loses Jobs in January, but Shrinking Labour Force Pushes Unemployment Lower

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanadian jobs report, labour force decline, manufacturing jobs, Statistics Canada, unemployment rate

Ottawa (Rajeev Sharma): Canada’s economy recorded a net loss of 25,000 jobs in January, but the national unemployment rate edged down to 6.5 per cent as fewer people participated in the labour market, according to new data released by Statistics Canada. The decline in employment was largely driven by losses in the private sector and part-time positions, with women aged 25 to 54 most affected. Despite the drop in jobs, the unemployment rate fell from 6.8 per cent in December, reflecting a notable decrease in the number of Canadians actively seeking work. Ontario accounted for a significant share of the…

06 Feb

Trump Faces Backlash After Sharing Racist Video Targeting Barack and Michelle Obama

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsWorld NewsAI-generated content, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, Michelle Obama, racist video, Truth Social, U.S. politics

Washington (Rajeev Sharma): U.S. President Donald Trump sparked widespread condemnation on Friday after sharing a video on his Truth Social account that portrayed former president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama as monkeys, an act critics across party lines described as openly racist. The video, which circulated widely online, prompted sharp reactions from Democrats and rare public criticism from within Trump’s own party. While opponents denounced the imagery as dehumanizing and offensive, the White House dismissed the backlash as exaggerated. The roughly one-minute clip promotes conspiracy theories surrounding Trump’s false claim that the 2020 presidential election was stolen.…

06 Feb

Deportation Process Advances for Driver Convicted in Humboldt Broncos Bus Tragedy

Rajeev Sharma0 CommentsCanadaCanadian immigration law, deportation proceedings, Humboldt Broncos crash, Jaskirat Singh Sidhu

Calgary (Rajeev Sharma): The truck driver responsible for the 2018 Humboldt Broncos bus crash is closer to being deported from Canada after federal immigration officials rejected one of his final requests to remain in the country, according to his lawyer. Michael Greene, who represents Jaskirat Singh Sidhu, said Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada has denied a pre-removal risk assessment, a decision that clears the way for removal proceedings to move forward. “With this decision, the process is now underway, and the Canada Border Services Agency is legally required to act as soon as possible,” Greene said in an interview on…