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Australia may send more troops to Afghanistan
Canberra, Aug 23 (IANS) Australia is open to sending more troops to Afghanistan if the Trump administration asks the country to boost its commitment to the conflict, Prime Minister Malcom Turnbull said on Wednesday.
Responding to Trump’s Monday announcement that the US would reorient the mission towards “killing terrorists” rather than nation building, Turnbull promised to “work through” any request for an increased troop commitment, ABC News reported.
“Australia is a substantial contributor to the US-led coalition in Afghanistan and is willing to consider sending more troops to bolster the US-led coalition forces,” Turnbull told reporters in the town of Tumut, 410 km from Sydney.
“The President (Donald Trump) has not set out precisely what additional US resources will be deployed. So we’ll be having close consultation with the US … the outcome of those consultations may result in additional resources being deployed to Afghanistan, but I don’t want to speculate on it,” Turnbull said.
The Prime Minister also praised Trump’s declaration the US would not allow terrorist groups like Al Qaeda and Islamic State to regain a stronghold in Afghanistan.
Earlier this year, Australia agreed to send another 30 troops to training missions in Afghanistan, taking the country’s total troop deployment to 300.
The Opposition did not rule out backing a troop increase, but Labour leader Bill Shorten said on Tuesday he would not write a “blank cheque” to Trump.
Turnbull had been a staunch supporter of US foreign policy under Trump.
Earlier this month, he committed that Australia will be involved in any conflict in the event North Korea attacks the US, earning a sharp rebuke from North Korea that supporting Trump would be “suicidal”.
Asked on Wednesday about whether it was wise to be “joined at the hip” with the US, Turnbull said: “The US alliance is the bedrock of our national security, we are staunch allies, strong allies, none stauncher or stronger.”
–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.