World
Bernie Sanders visits hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico
San Juan, Oct 28 (IANS) Former US presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders travelled to Puerto Rico to meet with officials and get a first-hand view of the widespread damage caused by Hurricane Maria.
Puerto Rico Governor Ricardo Rossello received the Vermont Senator at San Juan’s Luis Munoz Marin International Airport on Friday, reports Efe news.
Sanders later joined San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz on a tour of Playita, an area in the capital city which was one of the hardest hit by hurricane Maria, the most powerful storm ever to strike the island.
The Category 4 hurricane slammed into Puerto Rico on September 20, knocking out water and power and rendering most of the island’s roads impassable.
More than 50 people were killed.
“I want the people in Puerto Rico, as well as those in the Virgin Islands, to know that they are not alone, they have not been forgotten,” Sanders said in Playita.
“Only 26 per cent of Puerto Rico has electrical power and around 90 per cent of the US Virgin Islands is still without any electricity.
“The level of destruction in Puerto Rico is unprecedented. Rebuilding will require significant resources over a long period of time.”
At a subsequent joint press conference with Yulin, Sanders joined the mayor in denouncing the awarding of a $300 million contract for repairing Puerto Rico’s power grid to a firm whose main investor made contributions to President Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign.
State-owned utility AEE’s decision to hire Whitefish Energy Holdings was controversial in Puerto Rico even before the Daily Beast reported on Tuesday that the firm behind Whitefish, HBC Investments, was founded and led by Joe Colonetta, who donated more than $50,000 to the Trump campaign and the Republican National Committee.
“It smells bad,” Sanders said of the deal, pledging that he and his colleagues on the Senate Energy Committee would closely examine every aspect of the contract with Whitefish, a Montana-based firm with only two permanent employees.
–IANS
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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.