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Cheating software ‘not corporate decision’: Volkswagen

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Washington: The CEO of Volkswagen Group of America apologised for the software that was installed in its diesel vehicles to deceive environmental regulators, but he said a handful of “individuals” were responsible for the trickery.

In a hearing before the US House Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, Michael Horn on Thursday said most of the affected vehicles would continue to emit excessive pollutants for at least a couple of more years.

The executive denied having any prior knowledge of the software, which detected when emissions testing was taking place and turned on emissions’ controls only when the vehicles were being operated in a test laboratory.

When those same vehicles were being driven under normal conditions, the controls were turned off and they spewed up to 40 times the allowable amount of nitrogen oxide, which contributes to the formation of smog and acid rain.

The deactivation of emissions controls during normal driving can improve a diesel-fuelled car’s performance, experts say.

Horn learned about the defeat devices on September 1 of this year, two days before VW admitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency that nearly 500,000 VW and Audi diesel vehicles sold in the US had the illegal software.

The vehicles in question were from the model years 2009 to 2015.

The EPA issued a notice of violation of the Clean Air Act to Volkswagen on September 18, when the scandal erupted.

Horn also cleared other senior officials of the German automaker of wrongdoing, saying the trickery was “not a corporate decision” and “a couple of software engineers… put this in for whatever reason”.

The VW Group of America chief said cars covered by the allegations could be fixed by 2017 because the solution requires the installation of new equipment.

Volkswagen Group CEO Martin Winterkorn stepped down on September 23 even though he also said he did nothing wrong.

VW said 11 million vehicles worldwide were equipped with the illegal software.

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Foodman Vishal Singh Honored for Hunger Free World Mission in Bangkok

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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.

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