World
Siege in Sydney: Gunman takes hostages in cafe
Sydney: A gunman took over 30 people hostage at a busy cafe located not far from the Indian consulate in this Australian city.
The dramatic siege took place in Sydney’s bustling centra
l business district, days ahead of Christmas.
The hostages were seen standing with their hands up at the windows of the Lindt Chocolate Cafe in Martin Place. There was also a black and white flag, believed to be a jihadi flag, being held up in a window, as per reported.
Heavily armed police responded quickly and surrounded the building. There were conflicting reports about the number of hostages. While one account put the number of hostages at 20, another account said that there were over 30 hostages.
Three hostages managed to flee, police said and added that nobody was harmed in the initial hours.
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott called for calm as security personnel tried feverishly to tackle the siege.
Thousands of workers across the city have been sent home early and some of the city’s major buildings including the Opera House, the State Library, Channel Seven, the New South Wales parliamentary executive offices, the NSW Supreme Court’s criminal courts, the Downing Centre and several city legal chambers were evacuated.
The Indian consulate is located less than a kilometre away.
Abbott said police “are currently responding to a reported hostage taking incident in Martin Place in Sydney”.
The National Security Committee of the Cabinet has also been convened for briefings on the situation.
The prime minister described it as a “deeply concerning incident, but all Australians should be reassured that our law enforcement and security agencies are well trained and equipped and are responding in a thorough and professional manner”.
In New Delhi, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed concern over the siege.
“The incident in Sydney is disturbing. Such acts are inhuman and deeply unfortunate. I pray for everyone’s safety,” the prime minister said in a statement.
New South Wales (NSW) police commissioner Andrew Scipione said police were yet to make contact with the the one or more offenders who laid seige at the Lindt Chocolat Cafe, the Sydney Morning Herald reported.
“We are still determining what it is that may well be the motivation. We are not in a position to determine where the individual is from,” the paper quoted Scipione as saying.
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.
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