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“If we don’t act now CCP will erode our freedom”: Mike Pompeo pitches for a new “alliance of democracies” to tackle China

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“If we don’t act now CCP will erode our freedom”: Mike Pompeo pitches for a new “alliance of democracies” to tackle China

Upping the ante against Beijing, US state secretary Mike Pompeo on Thursday called for the creation of a “new alliance of democracies” to fight against the authoritarian Chinese regime. “If we bend the knee now, our children’s children may be at the mercy of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP)”, said Pompeo, fearing that if concrete and timely actions are not taken against the tyrannical Chinese regime, it won’t be long before the Chinese Communist Party “erode our freedoms” and undermine the rules-based international order.

“If we do not act now, ultimately, the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) will erode our freedoms and subvert the rules-based order that our societies have worked so hard to build”, said Mike Pompeo, in a speech in California on Thursday.

Chinese Consulate in Houston a hub of spying and intellectual property theft: Mike Pompeo

Speaking of USA’s sudden decision to shut the Chinese Consulate in Houston, the US State Secretary said that the consulate was a centre of espionage, operating to illegally obtain USA’s trade secrets.

“This week we closed down China’s consulate in Houston because it was a hub of spying and intellectual property theft,” Pompeo said.

Casting aspersions on Beijing and its relations with Washington, Pompeo added: “China ripped off our prized intellectual property and trade secrets costing millions of jobs across America”.

USA ordered China to shut down its Consulate in Houston

In an unprecedented move, the USA government had ordered China to shut down its Consulate in Houston, Texas within 72 hours, on July 22. Soon after, videos of Chinese staffers burning documents at the consulate had gone viral on social media.

Condemning the action, China had vowed to retaliate after what they called an ‘unprecedented escalation’ of the US’s actions against China.

China retaliates

Now, in what can be seen as an eye for an eye escalation between China and the US, China on Friday ordered the United States to close its consulate in the western city of Chengdu.

China’s foreign ministry said the closure was a “legitimate and necessary response to the unreasonable actions taken by the United States”, in a statement.

Pinning the blame on the US, the Chinese foreign ministry added: “The current situation between China and the United States is something China does not want to see, and the US bears all responsibility for that.”

Haryana man Jumma arrested after confessing that he killed his 5 children over the last 5 years

OpIndia Staff
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Haryana man Jumma arrested after confessing that he killed his 5 children over the last 5 years

A man named Jumma was arrested by the Jind police in connection with the killing of his two daughters—Muskan (11) and Nisha (7) —in an incident of drowning. The police had recovered their body on July 20 from the Hansi-Butana Link (HBL) canal after they had gone missing on July 15 from Didwara village of Safidon town.

Bodies of two girls recovered from canal raised suspicions

A complaint of missing persons was lodged by the parents– Jumma, a labourer, and his pregnant wife, who is bearing their sixth child. However, the manner in which the two girls’ bodies were retrieved from the canal, raised suspicions among the police about the possibility of them being murdered. The cops then registered a murder case.

Meanwhile, the man, Jumma, apparently confessed to his crime of killing his daughters, claiming that he did so because of his abject poverty. According to the police, the man allegedly administered intoxicants to his daughters and later, when they were unconscious, threw them into the canal.

Jumma confessed of killing all his 5 children

This was not enough. The man also confessed to the panchayat that he had killed all his 5 children over the last 5 years. First, his son was found dead while sleeping 5 years ago. Then, a couple of years later, his daughter suddenly died while playing. Then, a year ago, his other son started vomiting and later died. However, despite the unusual and suspicious circumstances in which his children died, the man did not approach any doctor or hospital for a postmortem of his three children earlier.

While the sympathies flowed in for the man and his wife for losing all their five children, they were shocked after hearing the man’s confession to his crimes. Unnerved by his confession, the shocked villagers took the man to the police but the cops did not take any strict action against him. The man had again acknowledged his crime in front of about 30 villagers and the police were called and the man was handed over to them.

Registering a case against Jumma, DIG of Jind district, Ashwin Shenvi said, “Prima facie, he accepted his crimes but more information in the case is awaited. We are investigating the case and will soon make the case public.”

Jammu and Kashmir: Remote villages in Shopian get electricity for the first time with PM’s Soubhagya scheme

OpIndia Staff
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Jammu and Kashmir: Remote villages in Shopian get electricity for the first time with PM’s Soubhagya scheme

Some far-flung villages in Jammu and Kashmir’s Shopian area were finally provided with electricity for the first time. Various villages of Dunnadi in Sopian’s Keller Tehsil were without electricity even after 70 years of India’s Independence.

These villages in the Keller Tehsil are remote and difficult to access. The areas are within steep hills and forests, making electrification a challenging task.

Villages in Sopian get electricity under Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar (Saubhagya) Yojana

The electricity to these villages has been provided under the central government scheme, Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana which was launched by the Prime Minister in 2017.

The Saubhagya Scheme or Pradhan Mantri Sahaj Bijli Har Ghar Yojana is a Modi government initiative through which the central government aims to ensure electrification of all willing households in the country in rural as well as urban areas.

According to reports, five transformers have been installed in the area and were commissioned within seven days ot bring electricity to these villages.

“We had never seen electricity in our life. We feel good that this remote area finally received the electricity,” an elated local Muhammad Aslam told a local news channel. Another resident Muhammad Awan, an elderly person said these villages were without electricity since he was born. “We are happy now. Our homes have been lit up,” he said.

Since there was no electricity in these villages until now, the humble villagers were having to make do with candles and oil lamps, but things will now be different for these villagers.

Farooq Ahmed, Asst Executive Engineer in the Power Development Board, has stated that the villages are in high-altitude areas and the households were unelectrified through all these decades. Under the Soubhagya Scheme, the households were identified and steps were taken to electrify the hilly area.

Bengaluru: Municipal officials barricade residences of coronavirus patients by nailing tin sheets on doors, removes it after uproar

OpIndia Staff
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Bengaluru: Municipal officials barricade residences of coronavirus patients by nailing tin sheets on doors, removes it after uproar

On Thursday, the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) sealed-down two residences in an apartment with tin sheets after a resident tested positive for coronavirus in Domlur, Bengaluru.

However, the BBMP had to remove it after residents of the housing society took to social media to post such images, leaving the civic authorities red-faced.

A resident of a housing complex in Bengaluru posted images of BBMP officials sealing down two flats in the complex with tin sheets after one resident test positive for the coronavirus. Satish Sangameshwaran posted two photographs on social media, in which BBMP officials were seen ‘sealing’ down the residence of a coronavirus person.

The resident soon alerted the BBMP Commissioner on the issue and pointed out that it would be extremely dangerous if there was a fire hazard and asked what would senior citizens or children do when such a situation arises.

Soon, netizens joined the residents of the apartment to appraise the situation to the BBMP officials and demanded them to remove the barricades as soon as possible.

As the news spread, BBMP officials soon took notice of the lapse and rushed to the spot to remove the sheets. BBMP Commissioner N Manjunatha Prasad said that he has asked to remove the barricade immediately. He also added that the BBMP was committed to treating all persons with dignity. The purpose of containment is to protect the infected and to ensure uninfected are safe, he said in a tweet.

The BBMP commissioner said action will be taken against officials for the dereliction of the duty.

Hours after BBMP Commissioner promised of removing barricades, the BBMP officials visited the housing complex and removed the barricades put up across the doors of the residents of the coronavirus patients.

Satish, who had flagged the matter confirmed the same as well. Taking to Twitter again, Satish said that BBMP team visited the residence and removed the tin sheets from outside both the flats and the staircase access area.

Another social media user also posted a image showing that the sheets have been removed from the doors.

The garden city of Bengaluru, till Thursday, reported a total of 39,200 coronavirus cases, while active cases stand at 29,090. The death tally in Bengaluru stands at 783 out of the total 1,616 deaths in the state due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Rajasthan Congress MLA Babulal Bairwa staying in Fairmont hotel develops breathing problems, admitted to hospital

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan Congress MLA Babulal Bairwa staying in Fairmont hotel develops breathing problems, admitted to hospital

Babulal Bairwa, the Congress MLA from Rajasthan’s Kathumar, has been admitted to Sawai Man Singh Hospital in Jaipur after facing breathing problem. Bairwa is one of the Congress MLAs from the Ashok Gehlot camp, who is currently staying at the Fairmont Hotel in Jaipur.

According to the reports, the Congress MLA been admitted to Sawai Man Singh Hospital in the city after he complained of breathing problems.

Fairmont is a five-star hotel where the senior congress leaders of the Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot are staying amidst the ongoing political crisis in the state. Currently, 80 MLAs are lodged at the Fairmont Hotel, where a single room cost around Rs 9,000 per night.

The development comes as Rajasthan High Court is all set to deliver its judgement on the disqualification notices sent by Speaker CP Joshi to former deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot and other rebel Congress lawmakers after they failed to attend the legislative party meet.

Delhi: COVID positive minor girl sexually assaulted by another patient at ITBP facility, case registered

OpIndia Staff
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Delhi: COVID positive minor girl sexually assaulted by another patient at ITBP facility, case registered

The Delhi Police has reportedly arrested a man and his accomplice for sexually assaulting a minor girl and filming her at a Coronavirus care centre, managed by the ITBP, in the national capital. The incident took place on July 15. The victim, reportedly a 14-year-old girl, who was diagnosed with the Chinese virus, was admitted to the said facility earlier this month.

Reportedly, a 19-year-old boy sexually assaulted the victim while she was inside the bathroom of the facility. As per the report, his accomplice recorded the incident on his mobile phone. The duo was admitted to the facility around the same time the victim was admitted. The accused responsible for assaulting the minor girl was admitted to the ITBP Care centre along with a family member.

 An ITBP official has informed, “The men and women have separate bathrooms here. We are looking into the matter.”  The staff member stated that the victim had got up to use the washroom late at night and the accused entered the women’s toilet, despite separate washrooms. The victim is currently undergoing counselling session and has been kept at another facility with a family member. According to a senior district administration official, CCTV cameras have been installed and that arrangements have been made to accommodate everyone. The official conceded, “The SHO has the complaint, and two men have been held The police will submit their report and then judicial proceedings will take place.”

Police action against the accused

The victim informed about the said incident to her family members, following which a complaint was filed with the ITBP doctors working at the facility. They subsequently informed the police who then took cognizance of the incident. According to the additional DCP (South district)  Parvinder Singh, a case had been registered against the duo under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POSCO) Act and Section 376 (lays down punishment for sexual assault) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). 

He, however, added that the perpetrators will be under institutional care until they recover from the disease.  “We are investigating the matter further,” Singh emphasised. As per the report, the accused have been shifted to AIIMS. The police informed that the accused will be put behind bars after the duo tests negative for the Wuhan Coronavirus.

Rajasthan Fertiliser scam: Agrasain Gehlot, brother of Ashok Gehlot named as a part of smuggling syndicate in DRI and custom department report

OpIndia Staff
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Rajasthan Fertiliser scam: Agrasain Gehlot, brother of Ashok Gehlot named as a part of smuggling syndicate in DRI and custom department report

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) has reportedly accused Agrasain Gehlot, the elder brother of incumbent Rajasthan CM Ashok Gahlot, of deliberately being a part of a ‘smuggling syndicate’ that executioner the ‘fertiliser scam’. The accusations were made in an investigative report that was prepared jointly by DRI and custom authorities.

As per the Times of India report, a complaint was filed by the customs authority in early July, with regards to the case involving Agrasain Gehlot that dates back to 2013. The authority noted that the accused was privy to the fact that it was a smuggling syndicate. It stated that Gehlot had confessed to receiving ‘cash payment’ when he was interrogated with substantial documentary evidence at hand. Reportedly, the accused received kickbacks while fraudulently exporting potash, meant for farmers, through his firm Anupam Krishi to Saraf Impex Private Limited.

The total export of ‘subsidised potash’ weighed about 30,000 tonnes and was worth ₹130 crores. As per reports, the customs authority had also imposed a whopping penalty of ₹61 crores on Gehlot in 2013. According to a senior officer familiar with the investigation,  Gehlot was the ‘agent, dealer, and custodian’ of the subsidised fertiliser. When Times of India reached out to Agrasain Gehlot, he refused to respond to the accusations made by the DRI in the investigative report.

ED raids premises of Agrasain Gehlot

Earlier, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) had raided the premises of Ashok Gehlot’s brother in connection with the fertiliser scam. Reportedly, the raids were conducted at six places in Rajasthan, including Jodhpur, two places in West Bengal, four in Gujarat and one in Delhi.

The Fertiliser Scam

According to an exclusive Opindia report, the fertiliser scam largely took place when Ashok Gehlot was leading the State government in Rajasthan and Manmohan Singh was leading the Central government in Delhi. It is alleged that Agrasain Gehlot, during the period 2007 to 2009, was part of a conspiracy to export tonnes of Muriate of Potash (MOP) against shipping bills by falsely declaring it mostly as Feldspar Powder or industrial salt; the total value was also falsely declared against the then correct actual value. This resulted in the diversion of items that were actually meant for the farmers.

Meet Latoya Ferns-Advani: Maharashtra Youth Congress spokesperson who wants ISIS ‘fighters’ legitimised by ‘giving’ them a state

OpIndia Staff
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Meet Latoya Ferns-Advani: Maharashtra Youth Congress spokesperson who wants ISIS ‘fighters’ legitimised by ‘giving’ them a state

On July 11, Congress selected one Latoya Ferns-Advani as Maharashtra Youth Congress’ Spokesperson and Media Coordinator.

Youth Congress is the youth wing of the grand old party Indian National Congress and is currently headed by Rahul Gandhi who is the chairperson. Latoya Ferns-Advani has studied at Durham University and University of Warwick if one to believe her LinkedIn profile which further describes her as a ‘media and policy strategist’.

Latoya Ferns-Advani, who likes to write columns in Pakistani publication like Daily Times believes that the terror organisation ISIS should be legitimised by giving the ‘fighters’ their own state. In an article on the Pakistani publication’s website, Ferns-Advani writes that by not identifying the ISIS as a ‘state’ we are not able to distinguish between ‘combatants’ and civilians. Latoya not only waters down ISIS terrorists as ‘combatants’ but also as ‘fighters’. She says that “ISIS fighters” not having to wear “identifiable fatigues” gives them the benefit of stealth and surprise attack. “Nevertheless, armed forces are still permitted to neutralise ISIS fighters as civilians directly participating in hostilities. Statehood for ISIS would aid counterinsurgency by obligating fighters to make themselves identifiable,” she argues.

Further, Latoya wants to ‘purge’ the word ‘terrorist’ which is used to describe, well, terrorists. She claims that the ISIS is “embodiment of the US’s haphazard democracy promotion and hurried exit strategy”. In reality, ISIS promotes religious violence, and regards Muslims who do not agree with its interpretations as infidels or apostates. As per Australian National Security website, since its formation, the ISIS has focussed on capturing and consolidating its control over areas of Iraq and Syria by stoking sectarian tensions between, and within, Sunni and Shia; capitalising on Sunni disenfranchisement. Maharashtra Youth Congress spokesperson wants to legitimise this.

In the same article, Latoya justifies the brutality and barbaric beheadings carried out by ISIS by saying that “state-formation throughout history has been brutal — beheadings in public squares acting as deterrents in the absence of policing.” We checked it twice, the article is not filed under satire. Maharashtra Youth Congress spokesperson actually wrote all this.

Whitewashing terrorists is not the only thing Latoya Ferns-Advani has done. She regularly likes to speak in the language of terrorists by taking ‘cow piss’ jibes on Hindus.

And thinks “BJP is certifiably insane” for the beef ban. And of course has a desire to go to Pakistan. If on odd days, her heart bleeds for Pakistan, on even days, she calls PM Modi a ‘Pakistani stooge’.

Latoya Ferns-Advani also likes to show solidarity for terror and riot accused.

She also believes that there is no evidence of Ram Mandir being there on the site where Babri mosque once stood.

Well, to be fair to her, as per her LinkedIn profile, she currently works at office of Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar.

Latoya Ferns-Advani

Mani Shankar Aiyar, as we know, also has a soft corner for Pakistan. In January this year, he went there to lie about PM Modi and HM Amit Shah. He has frequently hailed Pakistan and shamed India.

Maharashtra Youth Congress spokesperson is a Mani Shankar Aiyar protege. How delightful!

Maharashtra govt to distribute Rs 1.80 crores to 121 Madarsas in the state for salaries of their teachers

OpIndia Staff
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Maharashtra govt to distribute Rs 1.80 crores to 121 Madarsas in the state for salaries of their teachers

The Maharashtra government-led by secular political parties of Shiv Sena, NCP and the Congress has announced to distribute Rs 1.80 crores as salaries to Islamic clerics and Madarsa teachers in the state.

According to the reports, Maharashtra’s Minority Development Minister Nawab Malik said that the Uddhav Thackeray-led government has decided to distribute Rs 1.80 crores among the teachers of 121 Madarsas in the state, for their salaries under Dr Zakir Hussain Madarsa Modernisation Scheme.

The Maharashtra government had launched the Dr Zakir Hussain Madarsa Modernisation Scheme to modernise these Islamic religious centres by developing infrastructure and for the appointment of teachers to educate children in modern subjects and grant of scholarships.

The scheme was launched in 2013 under the then Congress-NCP alliance government.

Need to borrow to pay salary in August: Maharashtra minister

Earlier in the first week of July, Maharashtra Minister Vijay Wadettiwar had said that the government was facing a severe funds shortage and will need to resort to borrowing to pay the salaries of its staffers from next month.

Maharashtra Minister Wadettiwar had said the state has not received any funds from the centre and had noted that the state government will have to take a loan to pay next month salaries of government employees.

Uttar Pradesh: Communal tension prevails in Sitapur village after a 14-year old minor girl was raped

OpIndia Staff
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Uttar Pradesh: Communal tension prevails in Sitapur village after a 14-year old minor girl was raped

 A local court has sent a man named Khaleel to judicial custody for raping a 14-year-old girl in Sakran village, Sitapur in Uttar Pradesh, reports Amar Ujala.

As per the report, on Wednesday, the accused raped the minor girl when she was alone in the fields. After committing the heinous crime, Khaleel threatened to murder the victim in a bid to silence her. When the girl was successful in getting out of his clutches, she reached home and informed her family members about the incident. The family then filed a complaint at the Sakran police station. The cops registered a case and also arrested the accused.

Communal tension in Sitapur

Meanwhile, the victim was sent to the District Women’s Hospital for medical examination. The incident has created tension between the communities as the victim and the perpetrator belonged to different religions. On Thursday, Assistant Superintendent of Police (North) Rajiv Dixit and CO Biswan Piyush Kumar took cognisance of the ground situation and patrolled the said village. Keeping in mind the sensitive nature of the case, a large contingent of police has also been deployed in the area.

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