World
44 killed, over 500 injured in China blasts
Beijing: At least 44 people were killed and over 500 injured in two massive explosives that ripped through a warehouse in China’s port city of Tianjin, destroying hundreds of cars, shattering window panes and with huge flames leaping into the night sky.
Twelve fire-fighters were among those killed in the blast late Wednesday at the warehouse, which stores dangerous goods, in the Binhai New Area, a news agency reported.
The first explosion occurred at 11.30 p.m. and was followed by a second more powerful blast, seconds later, BBC reported.
A total of 520 people have been hospitalized, including 66 who are critically injured, rescuers said.
Tianjin, about half an hour from Beijing by train, is home to 14.72 million people.
Zhang, who lives a 10-minute-drive from the site, said the blast made the night sky as bright as it was in the daytime, reported China Daily citing sohu.com.
A video clip of a witness showed that the heavy smoke covered the sky, and shortly after fires raged. There were loud bangs.
Truck driver Hu Xiaoliang, 32, woke up on Wednesday night due to a ear-shattering blast which threw him away from beneath his truck, where he and his co-workers were resting.
“It’s all black and smog, I can’t see anything inside. Some of my colleagues had even worse injuries,” an injured fire-fighter in his 20s told Xinhua.
Smog billowed from the site. In a nearby apartment complex, the balconies of many apartment buildings were shattered.
Du Wenjun never imagined that he would see a “mushroom cloud” outside the window of his home.
Zhao Lirong, a 35-year-old businesswoman, was asleep when the blast blew off the windows and doors of her apartment, hitting her head, her son’s neck and her husband’s feet.
Blood stains were splattered on the floors of hospitals that received injured patients.
People rushed into the streets in their pyjamas, and some worried that an earthquake could occur.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang have vowed to investigate the accident.
Xi ordered authorities to spare no effort to treat the injured, search for the missing and contain the fire.
Li urged authorities to intensify search and rescue operations.
Hundreds of fire-fighters struggled to contain the flames.
Around 1,000 fire-fighters and 143 fire engines were rushed to the warehouse. Xinhua reported that the volatility of the goods meant the fire is unpredictable and dangerous to approach.
At least 200 armed police officers were deployed at the warehouse.
China shut down supercomputer Tianhe-1A, which can perform 2.57 quadrillion computing operations per second, due to the blasts. Tianhe-1A is located at the National Supercomputing Center in Tianjin.
The shockwaves due to the blasts shattered windows at the centre and and led to the collapse of ceilings inside the building, according to the centre’s staff.
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.