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European Parliament supports Saudi Arabia arms embargo
Strasbourg (France), Oct 25 (IANS) Lawmakers in the European Parliament on Thursday threw their weight behind an European Union-wide halt in arms sales to Saudi Arabia in the wake of the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the country’s consulate building in Turkey earlier this month.
In the resolution, the MEPs said that the torture and murder of Khashoggi on October 2 was not likely to have been carried out without the knowledge of powerful Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, who during a financial forum on Wednesday finally spoke out about it and described it as a “revolting incident”.
“MEPs condemn in the strongest possible terms the torture and killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi in Turkey,” the European Parliament said in a statement.
It called “for an impartial, international investigation to find out what actually happened inside the Saudi consulate”, Efe news reported.
“Following the brutal murder, the resolution reiterates the European Parliament’s previous call on all EU governments to reach a common position in order to impose an EU-wide arms embargo on Saudi Arabia,” the statement continued.
The lawmakers asked the head of EU foreign policy, Federica Mogherini, to prepare possible sanctions and visa bans for Saudi nationals.
Riyadh at first distanced itself from Khashoggi’s disappearance, before claiming last week that the Washington Post writer died in a brawl inside the consulate.
Saudi state prosecutors on Thursday said they believed Khashoggi’s killing was “premeditated”, bringing its official line closer to that of the Turkish government, which said it was in possession of audio and visual evidence that the journalist was tortured and murdered in the consulate building.
Around 15 EU countries have or have recently had arms deals with Saudi Arabia. They are the US, Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Spain, Sweden and the UK, according to the most recent report released in 2016.
Meanwhile, the Elysee Palace said in a statement late Wednesday that French President Emmanuel Macron told Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince that France would take action against Riyadh if an investigation proves the kingdom was behind Khashoggi’s killing.
“Macron expressed his profound indignation and asked that all light be shed on the circumstances that led to this tragedy,” the Elysee added.
–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.