Rahul Shivshankar
@RShivshankar • 317,579 subscribers
Author: MODI AND INDIA|Editorial Affairs Director CNN NEWS 18|Anchors #TheHardFacts|Ex-Editor-In-Chief TIMES NOW| Progressive Conservative|Writes @Openthemag
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"I AND ITALY NEVER BEG" MELONI SLAYS TRUMP AFTER HE SAY: "Meloni? She begged me for a photo, I felt sorry for her" Giorgia Meloni's rasping response: "Donald Trump's statements are completely made up, I'm frankly appalled. I don't know why the President of the United States behaves this way with his own allies; after all, it's not the first time it's happened. I can only say it's a shame that he doesn't show the same determination with the enemies of the West, with the enemies of the United States, with leaderships toward which he instead proves much more accommodating; however, one thing he must remember: I and Italy never beg."
Rahul Shivshankar2,595,146 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
NO AUTOMATIC RED CARPET AWAITS "MADE IN U.S.A." IF TRUMP WANTS FAIR TRADE TERMS THEN INDIA RESERVES RIGHT TO GET FAIREST DEAL. India's 5th Generation AMCA fighter programme may be looking beyond American engines. Sources say DRDO is exploring alternatives to the GE F414 amid rising costs and concerns over delivery timelines. French giant Safran and Britain's Rolls-Royce are already in the race. The AMCA is currently designed around the GE-414, but as prototype work begins, India appears determined to keep its options open rather than put all its thrust in one basket.
Rahul Shivshankar1,147,681 Aufrufe • vor 26 Tagen
WHY DENY CHOICE? WHY NOT ALLOW MOTORISTS TO USE E10, E0? PETROLEUM MINISTER HARDEEP PURI: "Choice has to be to something better."..."I have never heard of choice being asked for to go back into something which is more toxic." Rahul Shivshankar: But critics point to Brazil. Brazil gives a choice. Hardeep Singh Puri: Yes, Brazil gives a choice but between E27 and higher Segments. Not the other way round.
Rahul Shivshankar265,844 Aufrufe • vor 11 Tagen
"WHAT ABOUT ARAI REPORT THAT SAYS E20 DAMAGES AUTO PARTS?" SIGNIFICANTLY, UNION MINISTER PURI DOESN'T DENY. Question: "The ARAI reportedly found... E20 could accelerate deterioration of certain fuel-system components... What exactly did the testing reveal and how were those concerns addressed? Many people are saying... perhaps the time has come that you compensate people... But this business of E20 eating into the fuel system..." Answer: Hardeep Singh Puri: "Let me answer that question to you frankly. The one conclusion that all the people I've talked to have said is that if you have a very old vehicle, then some of the plastic parts, particularly the gasket, which normally would be replaced after 50,000 km, you might have to change it after 30,000. Now the warranty issue comes in... the change after 30,000 km of a gasket, which normally would have to be changed after 50,000, it's such a small price."
Rahul Shivshankar259,044 Aufrufe • vor 11 Tagen
DUBAI IS SCARRED. But little is emerging. Dubai government has threatened to slap fines upto 200K Dhirams on anyone making videos of Iranian drone hits. Dubai doesn't want reels to shatter billions it invested to pivot towards an economic future less dependent on oil.
Rahul Shivshankar3,666,117 Aufrufe • vor 4 Monaten
FEMALE GYM TRAINER ALLEGEDLY CONVERTED MILLIONAIRE'S SON TO ISLAM; CHANGED HIS NAME AND ENCOURAGED HIM TO GROW A BEARD AFTER NIKAH. Pakistan Link Surfaces in Probe, FIR Filed Against 10 Including 3 Maulvis. Police claim that the young man was "trapped" in a relationship as part of a pre-planned conspiracy and was pressured into converting to Islam.
Rahul Shivshankar941,003 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
THE E20 DEBATE: FACTS VS HYPOCRISY. HERE'S AN UNDENIABLE FACT: The E20 programme did not begin under the Modi government. Ethanol blending was approved years earlier, during the UPA. The difference is in execution. Blending remained stuck at roughly 1–1.5% for years before accelerating significantly under the NDA. So, let's first get the politics out of the way. If ethanol blending was acceptable in principle then, why is it suddenly portrayed as anti-people now? Now, let's look at the arguments being presented by critics: CRITICS ARGUMENT 1: E20 FUEL IS BEING PUSHED BY NDA TO KEEP SUGAR CANE FARMERS HAPPY. There's no doubt Ethanol is creating an additional income stream for sugarcane farmers. But governments have always handed out subsidies or incentives to farmers. + MSP exists for 23 crops. Sugar cane farmers get SAP or State Advised Price. + Fertiliser subsidies. + Cheap or free electricity. + Irrigation subsidies. + Procurement policies. If these benefits to farmers are accepted as legitimate public policy, why is E20 policy being targeted in isolation for market distortion? CRITICS ARGUMENT 2: ETHANOL PRODUCTION IS WATER CONSUMING. Yes, sugarcane consumes a great deal of water. But so do + Paddy cultivators. Just look at the tumbling water tables in Punjab, Haryana. + AI and data centers. + Semiconductor manufacturing. + Steel and cement production. The question is not whether something uses water, but whether the benefits justify the costs. Again why are critics holding E20 alone to a test that they don't set for others? CRITICS ARGUMENT 3: THE GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT MAKE E20 MANDATORY. LEAVE IT TO CHOICE. We're in a democracy and choice matters. But governments routinely make decisions that we, the people have no choice but to accept. + Taxation rates + Emission norms. + Fuel quality standards. + Safety regulations. + Identity Proof. These are often choices imposed to achieve broader national goals. Shouldn't E20 should be judged in the same way? Here's how E20 usage serves NATIONAL INTEREST: + India imports 85–90% of its crude oil. E20 seeks to address that by replacing up to 20% of petrol volume with domestically produced ethanol, helping diversify the fuel mix and reducing import costs. + With E20 NDA estimates saving Rs 1 lakh crore in foreign-exchange. CRITICS ARGUMENT 4: COST OF CAR ENGINE WEAR AND TEAR, MILEAGE INEFFICIENCY OUTWEIGHS BENEFITS. It is true that Ethanol has about 34% less energy per litre than petrol. But because E20 contains only 20% ethanol, the overall energy content of the fuel falls by roughly 4%–7%. So at 5% a car that gives 20 km/L on pure petrol will give 19km/L. But usage also improves air quality. Which increases longevity in humans and lowers healthcare costs over time. That is s fair trade-off. CONCLUSION: Every policy is a trade off. E20 isn't perfect. But if agricultural subsidies, procurement, irrigation policy and fuel regulations are accepted as legitimate public policy, then judge ethanol using the same yardstick.
Rahul Shivshankar259,913 Aufrufe • vor 15 Tagen
BRUTAL TAKE DOWN BY A VINDICATED PM MODI. "THEY TRIED TO FRIGHTEN PEOPLE, BUT INDIA'S DIPLOMACY SAVED THE DAY. OUR FRIENDSHIPS SAVED THE DAY" Prime Minister Narendra Modi: "Attempts were made to frighten and mislead people. Political games were played. Yet, those with malicious intent did not succeed. Even in remote areas, apart from minor hiccups, there were no major challenges regarding supply. Between April and June alone, companies had to absorb a loss exceeding Rs 75,000 crore on diesel and petrol... The burden of covering this loss was borne by the public exchequer. We also reduced the excise duty by RS 10 per litre, ensuring the public did not face an excessive burden. During this very period of war, India’s friendships with other nations proved invaluable. Before the crisis began, India imported fuel and energy from only twenty-five or twenty-six countries. However, the crisis showcased the prowess of Indian diplomacy... Amidst the war, India began sourcing fuel from over forty countries. India sent a clear message to the world that national interest and the welfare of its citizens are paramount
Rahul Shivshankar225,314 Aufrufe • vor 16 Tagen
When Pollsters chickened out from calling Bengal and others wouldn't risk their neck by projecting a defeat for DMK one pollster Amitabh Tiwari got Bengal right and TN directionally right. The day Amitabh Tewari projected a loss for DMK he called a BJP agent. Yes he didn't read the Vijay wave but getting 3.5 out of 4 is commendable.
Rahul Shivshankar1,021,373 Aufrufe • vor 2 Monaten
ATMANIRBHARTA ON NETANHAYU'S LIPS. NETANYAHU: "Our GDP per capita is $67000. We're going to be a $1 trillion economy soon. Our economy is no longer a small economy... we can finance ourselves this fraction of a percent of our GDP that we receive from the United States. I want to stop American aid. It's like welfare; I don't want it. I want this process to start this year."
Rahul Shivshankar178,699 Aufrufe • vor 19 Tagen
TRUMP WAS IN SUCH A HURRY TO EXTRICATE THE U.S. THAT HE'S PAID OFF IRAN FOR "PEACE"! NO WONDER NETANYAHU ISN'T ON BOARD. A $300 bn "reconstruction" commitment pledged to Iran and an upfront $24 bn for agreeing to an MoU!!! Here's a quick run through of how the Peace MoU is asymmetrically loaded in Iran's favour. Clearly, U.S. is desperate for the war to end.
Rahul Shivshankar330,988 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat
BRUTALISED. LOADED INTO WASHING MACHINE. DUNKED INTO TOILET BOWLS. TODDLERS BRUTALISED. Their wails shocked a nation. But the Bengaluru police are yet to arrest the 5 accused "care givers" of Capgemini day care center! In fact, even if arrested the accused won't even spend 5 years in jail if convicted because the charges filed by the police are disproportionately lenient.
Rahul Shivshankar162,069 Aufrufe • vor 18 Tagen
"NOT TRUE, WE HAVE A FRIEND, 1.4BN INDIANS" Netanyahu pushes back on VP Vance's claim that the U.S. is the last country that still supports Israel and claimed he is getting a lot of support from India on his Facebook page. Netanyahu: We have some other friends, like a small country called India. It has 1.4 billion people, uh, and boy, do we have tremendous support there? This Facebook thing, and I'm just flooded by by these, by the overwhelming support there, and we have many others."
Rahul Shivshankar125,790 Aufrufe • vor 14 Tagen
"I WANT TO DIE AS AN INDIAN": 94-YEAR-OLD GIVES UP US CITIZENSHIP A 94-year-old woman from Andhra Pradesh has renounced her US citizenship and appealed to authorities to restore her Indian citizenship, saying her final wish is to spend the rest of her life in her motherland. Kondragunta Mahalakshmamma, who became a US citizen in 2000 and lived there for nearly 18 years, returned to India in 2018.
Rahul Shivshankar194,010 Aufrufe • vor 24 Tagen
ALAS, THE WORST FEARS APPEAR TO BE COMING TRUE. THERE APPEARS TO BE A SCAM IN THE NAME OF RAM LALLA. AND HERE'S WHY IT IS MORE THAN AN ACT OF CRIMINAL IMPROPRIETY. The latest is that the SIT is preparing legal action against Champat Rai aide Tinnu Yadav in the Ram Mandir donation theft probe, sources say. Cases may also be registered against donation-counting staff and bank officials. Arrests are possible. Complainant Anil Mishra alleges no receipt was issued for donated gold and claims he was later told the gold had already been melted down. It is deeply painful to be reporting these details. The Ram Mandir isn't just a bricks-and-mortar tribute to a deity. It is much more than that. It is a symbol that consecrates the reclamation of Hindu civilizational heritage. A heritage that was first endangered by settler colonisation and later by a political ideology that wrongly portrayed any attempt to reclaim or appreciate the grandeur of Hindu civilization as an assault on secularism. That is precisely why these allegations are so troubling. One would have thought that the symbols of this great project to reclaim Hindu heritage would have been safest in the hands of those who led the movement. It is now incumbent upon these self-styled "guardians of the faith" to prove themselves by ensuring they do not become complicit in the very acts of vandalism and desecration they have long fought against.
Rahul Shivshankar238,119 Aufrufe • vor 1 Monat