World
Duterte slams UNHCR
Manila, April 4 (IANS) Philippines President Rodrigo Duterte has hit back at the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, a month after the latter said that the Philippines leader needed a “psychiatric evaluation”.
The Philippines presidential press office said on Wednesday that Duterte responded to Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein in a speech on Tuesday night during the inauguration of a bridge in Oriental Mindoro province.
“Look, you have a big head but it’s empty. There is no gray matter between your ears. It’s hollow. It cannot even sustain a nutrient for your hair to grow,” Duterte said, according to the transcript provided by his office.
The hostility between the two began when the UN criticized Duterte’s anti-drug campaign — which has led to thousands of deaths since he came to power — over alleged extra-judicial killings, Efe news reported.
In November, Duterte threatened to slap Agnes Callamard, UN special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions, for criticizing the anti-drug campaign when she was on an unofficial visit to the Philippines.
In March, Al Hussein said Duterte’s remark was unacceptable and he needed a “psychiatric evaluation”.
His comments triggered protests from the Philippines government, which called them “irresponsible” and “disrespectful”, saying that it set a dangerous precedent at the UN by insulting the head of a member-state.
Duterte said that he had been advised not to respond to the UN high commissioner but in the end decided to take “revenge”.
Since coming to power in June 2016, Duterte has led an aggressive campaign against the drugs trade, which international rights groups say have led to the deaths of over 12,000 people.
–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.