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How did Rahul Gandhi manage to bypass COVID regulations for his Milan vacation? Netizens raise suspicions

OpIndia Staff
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How did Rahul Gandhi manage to bypass COVID regulations for his Milan vacation? Netizens raise suspicions

On Sunday, we were informed by the media that Rahul Gandhi is off to one of his foreign trips again. Ahead of New Years eve, the senior Congress leader left for Milan on a Qatar Airlines Flight. The Congress party has not confirmed the departure but they have not denied the media reports either as of now.

Under normal circumstances, Rahul Gandhi’s foreign trip at a time when his party is backing the ‘farmer protests’ while almost begging him to return as the party president would not raise eyebrows, it is what the country has come to expect of him.

But amidst the Wuhan Coronavirus pandemic, a certain aspect of his purported visit to Milan has come to light that demands a closer inspection. People on social media have pointed out that under the Covid norms that are in place Italy, it will be extremely difficult for Rahul Gandhi to enter the country.

India is currently in List E countries according to the official government website. According to the rules in force for the Christmas and New Year period, people in List E countries can travel to Italy only for work, health or study reasons, absolute urgency and return to one’s own domicile, home, or residence.

The rules state, “Return/entry into Italy from this group of countries is always allowed to Italian/EU/Schengen citizens and their family members, as well as to holders of long-term resident status and their family members.”

“The Ministerial Decree of December 3, 2020 also confirms the possibility of entry into Italy, from these countries, for people who have a proven and stable relationship (even if not cohabiting) with Italian/EU/Schengen citizens or with individuals who are legally resident in Italy (long-term residents), who need to reach their partner’s home/domicile/residence (in Italy),” it adds.

One wonders what specific reason did Rahul Gandhi provide for entering Italy. Health or study reasons seem unlikely. And it is also unlikely that Italy will consider New Year celebrations as an “absolute urgency”. Then the two options that remain are either work or personal familial reasons.

Rahul Gandhi is the leader of a political party in India, therefore, a secretive trip for work-related reasons to a foreign country would naturally raise suspicions. And if it is for work related purposes that he was allowed entry, then Indians deserve more details about the nature of the work.

The other possibility is that Rahul Gandhi has family in Italy who he visits. A lot of people on social media appear to find this reason to be far more plausible. Rahul Gandhi’s maternal family is of Italian origins. Hence, that would be one possibility. Only other family he could have in Italy would be through marriage. And that is not a possibility, as far as we know.

But all of this is a matter of speculation and only the Congress party and the politician himself can provide more clarity to the situation.

BJP leaders have regularly cornered Rahul Gandhi on his foreign trips. In 2017, Amit Shah had stirred the hornet’s nest by asking Rahul Gandhi why he had not taken his SPG cover on his foreign trips and asked him what he was trying to hide. Rajnath Singh, then Home Ministerm, revealed that in the previous two years, Gandhi had been on 6 foreign tours spread over a total of 72 days where he did not take along his SPG cover.

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale gives new slogan for new coronavirus strain

OpIndia Staff
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Union Minister Ramdas Athawale gives new slogan for new coronavirus strain

Union Minister Ramdas Athawale on Sunday gave a new slogan to combat the new strain of coronavirus, “No corona, corona no”.

Earlier this year, when the pandemic had broken out, Athawale had given a slogan, ‘Go corona, corona go’, which had gone viral on social media.

In March this year, he was spotted chanting ‘Go corona’ slogan with candles, wishing for the virus to go back to China, where it originally originated.

He had also said how after his slogan, the virus subsided in 8 months and with the vaccine on its way, the pandemic is likely to end soon. Union Minister Athawale himself had eventually tested positive for coronavirus and has since recovered.

Flights of UK origin suspended after mutated virus

A new strain of Covid-19 was reported in the UK, after which the civil aviation ministry has suspended flights originating from the United Kingdom from December 22. The new mutated virus is believed to having higher transmissibility.

Despite Capt Amarinder’s appeal, ‘protesting farmers’ destroy 150 telecom towers overnight

OpIndia Staff
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Despite Capt Amarinder’s appeal, ‘protesting farmers’ destroy 150 telecom towers overnight

In spite of Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh’s appeal, the ‘protesting farmers’ have destroyed 150 more telecom towers overnight. This takes the total number of telecom towers damaged to 1,388.

The ‘protestors’ have been targetting Reliance Jio towers because of the claims that Reliance as well as Adani group, are out to exploit the farmers with help of new farm laws. However, it is not true. The corporates do not stand to gain anything as they do not procure foodgrains from farmers.

News agency PTI citing sources said that site managers were slapped and abused for trying to stop the protestors from destroying the infrastructure. Power lines are snapped and attempts to axe towers were undertaken by the ‘protesting farmers’.

The attacks have impacted telecom services and operators who are struggling to maintain services in absence of action by law enforcement agencies, the report said.

On Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder had appealed to the ‘protesting farmers’ to not inconvenience the general public by disrupting power and destroying infrastructure. He had also urged the ‘protestors’ who are supported and given logistical support by the Congress leaders, to not shut down connectivity and manhandle the telecom workers.

However, it seems the ‘protesting farmers’ did not pay any heed to the chief minister’s appeal.

Trump will suffer from a ‘mysterious’ disease, assassination attempt on Putin: Here are Bulgarian Blind Baba Vanga’s predictions for 2021

OpIndia Staff
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Trump will suffer from a ‘mysterious’ disease, assassination attempt on Putin: Here are Bulgarian Blind Baba Vanga’s predictions for 2021

Bulgarian blind Baba Vanga, who predicted 9/11 attacks, had also made some predictions for the upcoming year 2021. According to Blind Baba, the world will face cataclysms, disasters in 2021 and a strong dragon will seize humanity.

For the uninitiated, Baba Vanga’s real name was Vangelia Gushterova. She was nicknamed as the ‘Nostradamus of the Balkans’ for making bizarre claims. Baba Vanga, who lost her vision at the age of 12 during a massive storm, had claimed that she was given a very rare gift from God to see into the future.

Her claims about the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the death of Princess Diana and the Chernobyl disaster have all become true. She was believed to have got 85 per cent of her predictions right.

Strangely, Baba Vanga, a blind psychic, who died in 1996 at the age of 85, has rightly predicted the September 11 terror attack and Brexit. Now her predictions for the year 2021 have been revealed.

“The world will suffer from a lot of cataclysms and great disasters. The consciousness of people will change. Difficult times will come. People will be divided by their faith. We are witnessing devastating events that will change the fate and destiny of humanity,” she had claimed.

The Nostradamus of the Balkans had also predicted that 2021 will be when a cure for cancer is found. “At the beginning of the 21st century, humanity will get rid of cancer. The day will come when cancer will get tied with iron chains,” Baba Vanga had claimed.

Trump will get ‘mysterious’ disease, assassination attempt on Putin

The Bulgarian mystic has also prophesied that US President Trump will apparently suffer from a “mysterious disease”. She had claimed that the 45th President of the United State will get infected with a “mysterious disease” that will leave him deaf, and cause brain trauma.

Baba Vanga had also claimed that Europe’s economy will fall, an assassination attempt will be carried out against Russian President Vladimir Putin by someone within his own country and Islamic terrorists will stage an attack in Europe.

She had predicted doom for Trump and Putin in 2019 and 2020. However, both of them have survived although Trump contracted coronavirus in October this year and an attempt to assassinate Putin was stopped in 2012.

Baba Vanga had also said, “The extremists will use an arsenal of chemical weapons against Europeans.” The deceased prediction maker had also added, “The petrol production will stop, and the Earth will rest” and “trains will “fly” by using sunlight.

‘Dragon will rise’, Baba Vanga predicts rise of China?

One of the most bizarre predictions by Baba Vanga for the year 2021 is that a dragon will take over the planet. “A strong dragon will seize humanity. The three giants will unite. Some people will have red money. I see the numbers 100, 5, and many zeros.”

Some people belive that the “dragon” Baba Vanga referred to is China. The three giants may be Russia, India and China. They interpret that the money could be the Yuan or Ruble notes, which are red in colour.

She had also predicted an end to world hunger by 2028, Mars colonies acquiring nuclear weapons by 2256 and that Earth will become uninhabitable by 2341. Her prophesies run until the year 5079 when she said the world will come to an end.

However, only time will tell whether Baba Vanga has predicted right or not. It is also interesting to see how many of these prophesies of Baba Vanga will turn out to be true.

Ahead of New Years eve, Rahul Gandhi takes off to Milan: Reports

OpIndia Staff
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Ahead of New Years eve, Rahul Gandhi takes off to Milan: Reports

Media reports suggest that Rahul Gandhi has left for Milan, Italy early this morning on a Qatar Airlines flight.

His vacation to Milan comes a day before Congress’ foundation day where there were the party had decided to take up the nationalism pitch.

Congress had also been exchanging barbs with the BJP over the farm laws. Punjab Congress leaders have been providing logistical support to the protesting Punjab farmers who have taken the national capital as hostage.

Recently, senior Congress leaders had questioned the frequent vacations by Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra instead of leading the party.

In November, after the Bihar election debacle, these leaders again wrote to Sonia Gandhi demanding organisational elections for the party president’s post be held at the earliest. The letter also pointed towards a lack of faith in the leadership of Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, suggesting in a censorious tone that at the peak of Bihar campaigning and even on result day, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra were holidaying in Shimla instead of being with the party and leading the way.

In November this year, he had planned a 2-day luxurious vacation in Jaiselmer, which he ‘cancelled’ due to ‘personal reasons’.

2000 years old Roman-era food stall buried in volcanic ash unearthed in Pompeii in Italy

OpIndia Staff
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2000 years old Roman-era food stall buried in volcanic ash unearthed in Pompeii in Italy

The Italian archaeologists have unearthed a 2,000 years old fast-food stall from the ashes in Pompeii, Italy. The researchers have dug out an ancient restaurant from the vast archaeological site in the city of Southern Italy, that could now give new clues about the snacking habits of the ancient Romans.

According to the reports, the Italian archaeologists who have been carrying out excavations at the ancient lost city of Pompeii on Saturday said that they had discovered a frescoed ‘thermopolium’ or fast-food counter in an exceptional state of preservation.

The ornate snack bar counter, decorated with polychrome patterns and frozen by volcanic ash, was partially taken off from the ground last year but archaeologists had continued their work on the site to reveal it in its full glory.

Pompeii was buried in a sea of boiling lava when the volcano on nearby Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD, killing between 2,000 and 15,000 people. The massive site that spreads over 44 hectares (110 acres) is what remains of one of the richest cities in the Roman empire.

The Thermopolium of Regio V, which is believed to have been present at a busy intersection of Silver Wedding Street and Alley of Balconies, was the Roman-era equivalent of a fast-food snack stall. The thermopolium was very popular in the Roman world. Pompeii alone had around 80 such stalls.

A fresco bearing an image of a Nereid nymph riding a seahorse and gladiators in combat has also been unearthed at the spot.

Remains of ancient food-stall in Pompeii/Image Source: Luigi Spina/AFP

The team has discovered duck bone fragments as well as the remains of pigs, goats, fish and snails in earthenware pots. Some of the ingredients had been cooked together like a Roman era paella. The excavators have found crushed fava beans, used to modify the taste of wine at a bottom of one jar.

Reportedly, the food stall appears to have been closed in a hurry and abandoned by its owners, believed to be after the first rumblings of the eruption were felt, said Massimo Osanna, director general at the Archaeological Park of Pompeii.

A fresco depicting a nymph riding a horse had been discovered previously. Photograph: Luigi Spina/AP

Alongside human remains, amphorae, a water tower and a fountain were found. The remains of a man believed to have been aged around 50 has also been discovered near a child’s bed.

“It is possible that someone, perhaps the oldest man, stayed behind and perished during the first phase of the eruption,” Osanna said. The remains of another person were also found and could be an opportunist thief or someone fleeing the eruption who was “surprised by the burning vapours just as he had his hand on the lid of the pot that he had just opened”, he added.

The archaeologists, in the latest stage of their work, have excavated a number of still life scenes, including depictions of animals believed to have been on the menu, notably mallard ducks and a rooster, for serving up with wine or hot beverages.

Pompeii is Italy’s second most visited site after the Colisseum in Rome and last year attracted around four million tourists.

Andhra Pradesh: BJP’s Raja Singh accuses YSRCP MLA of aiding one Razaq in controlling Srisailam Temple, says cows from goshala slaughtered

OpIndia Staff
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Andhra Pradesh: BJP’s Raja Singh accuses YSRCP MLA of aiding one Razaq in controlling Srisailam Temple, says cows from goshala slaughtered

BJP MLA from Goshamahal, T. Raja Singh, has alleged that the Srisailam Temple in Andhra Pradesh has fallen into the control of Muslims and all contracts and shops have been monopolized by them, Deccan Chronicle has reported. He has claimed that cows in the Goshala are being slaughtered for their meat.

Raja Singh has claimed that one Razaq is the contractor at the Srisailam Temple and his wife is employed as the supervisor there. According to him, Razaq is a close aide of Srisailam MLA Silpa Chakrapani Reddy (YSRCP) while Razaq’s brother is a TDP leader. Therefore, irrespective of who is in power, the Razaq brothers are controlling the Temple.

As per the report, Raja Singh said that there are several cases pending against Razaq, including one related to the transportation of mutton in flower baskets. The same flowers are used to perform puja at the Temple. He also alleged that cows were being killed with help from his supervisor wife, which is prohibited.

Silpa Chakrapani Reddy has denied the allegations and said he was ready for the debate with the BJP MLA after Sankranti. He called the allegations “baseless, malicious, mischievous,” meant only to provoke people. Reddy claims to be a staunch Hindu who has built temples with his own money.

A Temple official said that the Endowments Act states that people of other religion are not allowed to live in Temple towns. But Muslims living in Srisailam approached the Court and the matter is now pending before the Court. He also said that the goshala supervisor was transferred after allegations of cow slaughter surfaced. The goshala run by the Srisailam Bhramaramba Mallikarjuna Swamy temple is reported to have around 1,542 cows including ox.

Rajasthan: Man gifts plot of land on Moon to his wife on wedding anniversary

Shashank Bharadwaj
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Rajasthan: Man gifts plot of land on Moon to his wife on wedding anniversary

A man from Ajmer named Dharmendra Anija has achieved a unique feat by gifting three acres of land on the moon to his wife Sapna Anija for their wedding anniversary. According to the reports, Dharmendra gifted her wife a piece of land on the moon as he wanted to do something special for his wife on their eighth wedding anniversary.

“It was our wedding anniversary on December 24. I wanted to do something special for her. Everyone gifts earthly possessions like cars and jewellery, but I wanted to do something different. Therefore, I purchased land on the moon for her,” he said.

Reportedly, Dharmendra bought the land through Luna Society International, a firm in New York City, USA. He said the entire process to buy the land took about a year to complete. He said he was happy to buy the plot. ‘I think I am the first man in Rajasthan to buy land on the Moon’, he added.

Wife says she is happy to receive ‘out of the world’ gift from her husband

Dharmendra’s wife Sapna said she never expected to receive such a special “out of the world” gift from her husband.

“I’m extremely happy. I never expected he would gift me something so special. The party was organised by professional event organisers, and the setting was surreal. It felt like we are literally on the moon. There during the ceremony, he gifted me a framed certificate of the property document,” said Sapna.

The land purchase at the moon by Anijas comes after Neeraj Kumar, a resident of Bodh Gaya, also purchased one-acre land on the moon on his birthday. Kumar bought land at the moon, inspired by actors Shahrukh Khan and late Sushant Singh Rajput.

Can one buy land on Moon?

The selling and buying of land on the moon is bound by the laws of ‘Outer Space Treaty’, signed in 1967 between the Soviet Union, the United States and the United Kingdom. It is illegal to sell lunar land to anyone, according to the treaty. The international treaty, signed by 109 other countries, including India has to uphold provisions under the treaty.

As per the Treaty, “outer space is not subject to national appropriation by claim of sovereignty, by means of use or occupation, or by any other means”. This prevents any treaty member countries from using outer space in any business activities. However, there is a debate on whether or not the treaty’s prohibition are also valid as far as private appropriation is concerned.

Hence the question arises, how did the likes of Anijas or Kumars, even for that matter Shahrukh Khan and the late Sushant Singh Rajput bought the land on the moon.

These above buyers bought their land through agencies such as US-based portal called Lunar Land Registry or Luna Society International. These portals assure people to sell them a piece of Lunar land.

If any people intend to buy land on the moon, they will be claiming the property in compliance with Title IV of the Space Resource Exploration and Utilization Bill of 2015, Section 402 in the USA. The bill states, “A U.S. citizen engaged in commercial recovery of an asteroid resource or a space resource shall be entitled to any asteroid resource or space resource obtained, including to possess, own, transport, use, and sell it according to applicable law, including U.S. international obligations“.

Reportedly, the non-US citizens can possess Lunar property and resources by contracting a proxy (agent) with US citizenship or commercial rights. However, this bill was never passed in the US parliament.

As far as today, it is illegal to buy land on the moon as per the International treaty. The treaty only allows states to carry out projects on all forms of outer space exploration, including lunar exploration, that would only be for the benefit of all mankind. It also explicitly states that no individual can purchase a piece of lunar land and call it his or her own.

This means agencies such as Lunar Land Registry, Luna Society International, buying land for private ownership of the moon on behalf of other people is impossible and illegal. The ownership certificates they provide only act as souvenirs.

“Aajkal apun khatarnak mood main hain”, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan warns mafia

OpIndia Staff
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“Aajkal apun khatarnak mood main hain”, Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan warns mafia

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday issued a stern warning to the mafia elements in the state asking them to leave Madhya Pradesh or else he will bury them 10 feet deep. Addressing a Good Governance Day event, organised to mark the birth anniversary of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Shivraj Singh said he has been in a “dangerous” mood lately and will not spare those who are involved in illegal activities.

“Leave, Madhya Pradesh, otherwise, I will bury you 10 feet deep and no one will know about your whereabout,” the Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister warned.

In a video that has gone viral on the internet, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was heard saying that Good governance, which means a regime where people do not face any trouble, is prevailing in MP now.

Warning mafia and others involved in illegal activities, the Chief Minister added state government will hold talks with central departments to solve the drug problem in the state. Drug peddlers, land mafia, chit fund mafia, goons and other such people will not be spared, he added.

The CM had earlier said that the BJP government in the state is ‘softer than flowers for law-abiding citizens’ and ‘deadlier than a thunderbolt for those who are evil’.

The warning to the illegal mafia in the state comes just weeks after the CM had ordered a crackdown on drug mafia. The Madhya Pradesh government had directed authorities to launch a special campaign from December 15 to December 22 on advice from the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Uttar Pradesh: Flaunting your caste on your cars may get you in trouble

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Flaunting your caste on your cars may get you in trouble

Flaunting your caste on your cars as sticker could get you in legal trouble. As reported by Live Hindustan, such vehicles which flaunt caste identity on their cars may be seized if rules are framed. A Maharashtra-based teacher, Harshal Prabhu had reportedly written to PMO wherein he had expressed concerns of increase in casteism by such flaunting of caste on cars.

A lot of vehicles like cars, bikes, tractors and even e-rickshaws show off the caste of the owners like “Jaat”, “Rajput”, “Yadav”, “Mughal”, “Qureshi” etc. Prabhu drew PMO’s attention towards this and said that this destroys the social fabric of our country. This is also against the law, he wrote.

He added how India is still susceptible to caste-based crimes and such flaunting of caste should be banned.

As per the report, upon receiving the complaint, the PMO sent the letter to the Transport Department and asked to do the needful.

Letter from UP transport dept

Uttar Pradesh transport department has been advised to do the needful as per the rules regarding number plates and stickers on cars.

In June 2019, over 1400 vehicles were penalised for name and caste on number plates amongst others in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.

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