Russia MP Wants Shawarma to be Served at the Duma

A man slices cuts of shawarma inside a restaurant cafe in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, November 30, 2017 (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
A man slices cuts of shawarma inside a restaurant cafe in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, November 30, 2017 (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
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Russia MP Wants Shawarma to be Served at the Duma

A man slices cuts of shawarma inside a restaurant cafe in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, November 30, 2017 (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
A man slices cuts of shawarma inside a restaurant cafe in Frankfurt, Germany, Thursday, November 30, 2017 (AP Photo/Michael Probst)

A Russian MP has called to open a kiosk to sell Shawarma at the Russian Parliament, Duma, and to assign this mission to a chef from Syria or the Caucasus.

During a Duma session on Monday, United Russia MP Vitaly Milonov spoke about the difficulty of leaving his workplace to buy food.

"Cooks should be from Syria or the Caucasus. I’m sure no one will go to the restaurants, and all MPs will wait in line for a kebab, I say to you!" the MP said.

Milonov insisted on his request and recommended 250 rubles ($4) as the price of one shawarma at the Duma.

This suggestion comes as debate on shawarma stores rises in the Russian capital, after the commission concerned in food monitoring revealed violations in shawarma shops, including the neglect of health standards.

In this regard, Milonov considered that the shawarma sold in these shops is "disgusting" when compared to the genuine shawarma.

Over the past few years, shawarma has become widespread in different Russian cities. Shops selling it have seen a remarkable turnout compared to other fast food restaurants.

Shawarma has reportedly become the number one meal, and made headlines on Russian social media websites and pages such as the "Beauty and Shawarma" dedicated to share photos of Russian women eating shawarma sandwiches.



Italy’s Olympic Flag Bearer Tamberi Loses His Wedding Ring in the Seine River

Gianmarco Tamberi waves an Italian flag as the Italian team parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024 (AP)
Gianmarco Tamberi waves an Italian flag as the Italian team parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024 (AP)
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Italy’s Olympic Flag Bearer Tamberi Loses His Wedding Ring in the Seine River

Gianmarco Tamberi waves an Italian flag as the Italian team parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024 (AP)
Gianmarco Tamberi waves an Italian flag as the Italian team parades along the Seine river in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 26, 2024 (AP)

Drama is never far from the surface when it comes to flamboyant high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi and big events.

This time it involved what went below the surface.

The Italian lost his wedding ring in the Seine River during the rainy opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

“I’m sorry my love, I’m really, really sorry,” Tamberi wrote in an open letter of apology he posted on Instagram on Saturday to his wife of two years, Chiara Bontempi.

“Too much water, too many kilograms lost over the last few months and maybe the uncontrollable enthusiasm of what we were doing. Probably all three things,” added Tamberi, who shared flag-bearing duties for Italy with fencer Arianna Errigo during Friday's ceremony, which featured boats parading athletes instead of the usual procession inside a stadium.

Last month, Tamberi pretended to hide springs in his shoes when he won gold at the European Championships then jumped into the arms of Italy President Sergio Mattarella. And when he shared gold with his good friend Mutaz Barshim at the Tokyo Games, Tamberi celebrated wildly, which drew more attention than his performance.

Tamberi, along with Errigo, had the honor of flying to Paris on the presidential plane with Mattarella, which he called “the most emotional flight of my life” — a play on words with his jumping “flights."

Tamberi said he felt the ring sliding off his finger and saw it dropping as Italy cruised down the Seine on a boat with Israel and Jamaica.

“I followed it until I saw it bounce inside the boat,” he said. “But the rebound went in the wrong direction unfortunately. ... But if it had to happen, if I really had to lose this ring, I couldn’t imagine a better place. It will remain forever on the riverbed in the City of Love.”

Tamberi is favored to win another gold when the men’s high jump competition starts Aug. 7.

“Hopefully this is a sign that I’ll come home with an ever bigger gold medal,” he said.

Tamberi invited his wife to throw her ring into the Seine, too.

“Then they’ll be together forever,” Tamber said, “and we’ll have another reason to renew our vows.”