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League leading Barça cruise past Celta
Barcelona, Dec 23 (IANS) FC Barcelona will head into the new year three points clear of their nearest La Liga rivals after a 2-0 victory over Celta Vigo, a match in which most of the excitement occurred in the first 45 minutes.
With their victory at Camp Nou in front of nearly 80,000 spectators here on Saturday, Barça continued a dominant run of form in the Spanish league in which they have scored 13 goals and not allowed any over their last four games, Efe news reported.
The home side scored in their first opportunity of the match, with Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba playing their trademark two-man game to perfection before goalkeeper Ruben Blanco’s save of a shot by the Argentine superstar went to Ousmane Dembele, who scored at close range in the 10th minute.
Although Alba failed to stretch that lead on a counter-attack when his shot was blocked by a defender at the goal line, he and Messi combined once again just before halftime on a play that the Argentine finished off in a one-on-one opportunity against Blanco.
Barça, however, played more passively in the second half, content to cede possession and seek out chances on the counter-attack.
Celta started to create chances in the hosts’ area, although goalie Marc-Andre ter Stegen was up to the task to stymie chances by Brais Mendez and Fran Beltran.
Barça’s best chance in the latter stages came on a shot by Luis Suarez that went just wide of the left upright.
Celta attempted 11 shots to Barcelona’s nine during the match, although only one of those tries by the visitors was on target.
With the win, the Catalans (37 points) have a three-point lead over second-place Atletico Madrid in the Spanish league.
Third-placed Sevilla also can move to within three points of Barça by defeating Leganes on Sunday.
–IANS
ajb/mag/
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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.