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Ex-spy’s poisoning may be beneficial to Britain: Russian FM
Moscow, April 2 (IANS) Russia had no interest in poisoning ex-spy Sergei Skripal, but Britain’s special services and government could gain from the incident, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday.
“It may well be beneficial to the British special services, known for their ability to act with a license to kill,” Lavrov said at a news briefing, obviously referring to fictional British spy James Bond, also known as 007, reported Xinhua.
“It may be beneficial to the British government, which found itself in an uncomfortable situation after not fulfilling promises to its electors over Brexit,” he added.
Former Russian intelligence officer Skripal and his daughter were reportedly exposed to a nerve agent in the British city of Salisbury on March 4. Britain and its allies accused Russia of launching a chemical attack against them.
Although Moscow has repeatedly denied any involvement, 25 countries, including Britain and the US, have expelled a total of more than 100 Russian diplomats, incurring tit-for-tat from Moscow.
At the news briefing, Lavrov reiterated that Moscow had no interest in poisoning Skripal, especially ahead of the presidential election on March 18 and the FIFA World Cup to be held in Russia in June and July.
If Moscow had any claims to Skripal, it would not set him free during a spy exchange several years ago, he said.
Lavrov said Russia would insist on getting access to the investigation of the incident and to Skripal’s daughter, who is recovering.
Russia has also called an extraordinary session of the Executive Council of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) on Wednesday, demanding answers to some questions regarding the incident.
“If our British colleagues are unable to provide answers to all of them, this will mean only one thing: all this is a fake, or, speaking more concretely, a gross provocation,” Lavrov said.
–IANS
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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma
World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.
Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.
During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.
On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”
Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.
It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.
Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.
Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”
On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”
The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.