World
EU initiative to label products from settlements slammed
Jerusalem: The EU’s deliberation on labelling products made in the West Bank settlements will only push the Israeli-Palestinian peace talks away, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin has said.
Rivlin, in his meeting with President of the European Council Donald Tusk, discussed the EU deliberations of whether to mark products manufactured in Jewish settlements, a news agency reported.
“Peace cannot be imposed,” Rivlin said in a statement.
“The labelling of Israeli products will only be a obstacle to peace,” the president said, adding “barriers to trade and cooperation” will not be able to bring both sides back to the negotiations table.
The last round of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians took place between July 2013 and April 2014, but ended abruptly without results.
The EU have deliberated for several years on whether to mark products originating from the settlements on lands that Israel occupied in the 1967 Mid-east War.
These lands were slated to be part of a future Palestinian state amid the two-state solution.
While proponents say the move would increase pressure on Israel to resume negotiations amid the economic sanction, opponents of the move say it is part of a delegitimisation campaign against Israel, which would push peace talks further away.
In April, 16 European countries urged EU officials to advance the labelling of the products in member countries originating from the settlements.
The EU’s foreign affairs chief Federica Mogherini on Sunday said the union will finalise its decision on the matter in the near future.
Israel’s status deteriorated on the international front in recent years amid the halt of negotiations, the ongoing construction in the settlements orchestrated by right-wing governments, as well as nationalist legislation moves by the parliament.
Several countries have already announced their recognition of a Palestinian state, a move that Israel said would motivate Palestinians to make gains outside of the negotiations table.
The international Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement (BDS), calling to boycott Israel, had made significant gains worldwide in recent months.
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.