World
Last-minute bid to save two Australian convicts in Indonesia
Canberra: Foreign Minister Julie Bishop on Thursday made a last-minute bid to save two Australian convicts from being executed in Indonesia.
Andrew Chan, 31, and Myuran Sukumaran, 33, were sentenced to death for smuggling 8.3 kg of heroin from Indonesia to Australia in 2005.
Bishop had proposed to repatriate three convicted Indonesian drug criminals in return for the lives of the two men, ABC reported.
Hoever, Indonesia has not accepted Bishop’s offer. Speaking at a vigil for the duo outside Canberra’s Parliament House, Bishop again urged Indonesia to show mercy to the two men.
“We ask the Indonesian government, indeed we appeal to the Indonesian president to grant a stay of clemency,” said Julie.
“First, there are still legal avenues open to the men and an appeal is being sought before the state administrative court. Secondly, there are allegations being considered by their judicial commission regarding bribery charges arising from the original trial,” she added.
Earlier, Indonesian president Joko Widodo said,”he had a constitutional responsibility to follow through with the executions”. However, “the planned executions would not take place this week,” Joko said.
Chan and Sukumaran were transferred on Wednesday from Bali’s Kerobokan prison to isolation cells in Nusakambangan island prison in Central Java to await news about the timing of their executions.
The Australian pair are among a group of 11 prisoners who have been recently approved for execution by the Indonesian government. The list also includes prisoners from France, Ghana, Brazil, Nigeria, the Philippines and Indonesia.
National
Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok
Lucknow: Vishal Singh, a renowned social worker from Lucknow, also known as Foodman, has once again made India proud. He was honored by the Happy Hands Gloves Cooperative Limited Company in Korathai, Thailand, for his work with the Hunger Free World Mission.
The Hunger Free World Mission’s meeting was held in Korathai, Thailand, under Vishal Singh’s leadership. Representatives from several countries, including Mr. Raja Dwivedi (Managing Director of Happy Hands Gloves Limited), Thailand Coordinator Mr. Raja Mishra, and member Mr. Varun Singh, attended the event.
Under Vishal Singh’s leadership, the attendees took a pledge to work together toward creating a hunger-free world.
Speaking on the occasion, Vishal Singh explained that the main goal of the Hunger Free World Mission is social participation. He said the mission is not just about feeding people but also about meeting other basic needs of those who are struggling. The mission focuses on helping families of terminally ill patients in hospitals by providing food and shelter. It also works to fulfill essential needs like education, jobs, and care for the elderly.
For the last 16 years, the Vijay Sri Foundation has been providing free services, benefiting thousands of people. Vishal Singh highlighted that the mission aims to gain global recognition like other organizations such as WHO, WWF, and Red Cross, which work for social causes.
During this meeting, Vishal Singh was appointed as the Chairman of the Hunger Free World Mission by representatives from various countries. They also discussed holding regular meetings in different countries to push the mission forward.
Business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has also supported this humanitarian mission, vowing to promote the idea of “Seva Parmo Dharma” (Service is the highest duty) worldwide. Vishal Singh praised him, stating that people like Dr .Abhishek Verma inspire others to work for the betterment of society.
Recently, Romania’s Ambassador, Mr . Daniela Sezonov Ţane, invited Vishal Singh to the Romanian Embassy in Delhi, where they discussed the mission in detail. Impressed by his humanitarian work, she honored Vishal Singh and invited him to Romania to take the mission forward .
Food man Vishal Singh has been serving the people of India for the past 16 years. Through the Vijay Sri Foundation, he provides free meals to cancer patients & their families ,shelter, and education for women & children along with running free old-age homes in Lucknow.
In addition to his humanitarian work, Vishal Singh also addresses issues like crime and corruption through his role as Chairman of Seva Path Media and Managing Director of Vijay Sri Foundation.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Vishal Singh and his team worked tirelessly to provide food and help to the needy, including starving children, elderly citizens, and pregnant women. Despite contracting the virus himself, he continued to assist others after his recovery. He even created a life-saving oxygen regulator using household items, which was praised by doctors both in India and abroad.
In his address at the meeting, Vishal Singh spoke about his mission to create a hunger-free world. He pointed out that India’s large population, along with issues like unemployment and poverty, has caused the country to fall on the Hunger Index. He urged people to contribute just one handful of grains daily to help create a hunger-free world.
He concluded by saying that through social participation, we can empower the people around us, meet their basic needs, and work together to build a stronger, more prosperous, and developed society.