World
Germany rejects Greek demands for Nazi crime reparations
Berlin: The German government has rejected Greek demands for reparations for Nazi crimes during the Second World War, according to media reports.
“The question of reparations and compensation is completed legally and politically,” said German government spokesman Steffen Seibert on Wednesday, responding to Greek Justice Minister Nikos Paraskevopoulos’s demand that German property should be confiscated by Greece, according to a report on Wednesday.
Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had asked Germany on Tuesday to pay reparations and indemnities.
He also accused the German government of using legal tricks decades ago to avoid reparations for German occupation during the Second World War.
Seibert said that it was clear that Germany is “absolutely and constantly aware” of its historical responsibility “for the suffering that National Socialism brought (to) many countries in Europe”.
“We should focus on the issues of the present and the hopefully good future for our two countries,” said Seibert, adding that the issue was not addressed either in the talks between German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Tsipras, or between Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble and his Greek counterpart Yanis Varoufakis.
There have been disagreements between Germany and Greece over the latter’s debt crisis and Greek Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis had urged Germany not to humiliate Greece over its debts.
Among the eurozone countries, Germany is seen as the strongest opponent to any reduction of Greece’s 323 billion euro ($369 billion) debt.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel had ruled out any cancellation of the debt, which is about 175 percent of Greece’s GDP, and said that lenders had already made concessions.
German lawmakers last month approved the extension of a Greek bailout programme.
The far-left Syriza party, which came to power in Greece in January, is opposed to austerity measures and had made debt reduction and renegotiation of the bailout agreement a priority.
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.