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Australia to host Indian Ocean Conference in Perth in February 2024: Foreign Minister Penny Wong

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New Delhi [India], November 21 (ANI): Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong said her country will host the Indian Ocean Conference in Perth in February next year.

She said the conference will be an opportunity to discuss practical solutions for the key challenges facing the region.

“I’m pleased to confirm today that Australia will host the Indian Ocean Conference in Perth in February of next year. It’s an opportunity to discuss practical solutions for the key challenges facing the region. And I also look forward to welcoming Jaishankar to Australia,” the Australian Foreign Minister said during a press briefing on the India-Australia Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue alongside External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar.

The Indian Ocean Conference started in 2016 in Singapore featuring 30 countries.

In the last six years, the Conference has emerged as a consultative forum for countries in the region over regional affairs.

The Indian Ocean Conference works towards bringing critical states and principal maritime partners of the region together on a common platform to deliberate upon the prospects of regional cooperation for Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).

Wong on Tuesday met Jaishankar in New Delhi for the Foreign Ministers’ Framework Dialogue.

The two leaders held discussions on advancing the strategic partnership between the two countries.

Wong said at the press briefing, “Today, we did discuss many issues. We discussed, amongst other things, our work in the Indian Ocean region, how we can collaborate on shared challenges climate change, maritime security, the health of the oceans.”She said India, Australia are at either end of the Indian Ocean, and “we have the largest Indian Ocean coastlines of any nation. So we share a lot. So it’s central, defining both of us, and it brings us together.”She said the two countries are working hard to expand their cooperation, “including through a new 1.5-track strategic dialogue”.

The Australian Foreign Minister said, “Today, I also announced an Australia-Indian Audio Visual Coproduction agreement, which has come into force, which we are very interested in and which will, we hope, open up new markets and allow more Australian and Bollywood films and series to reach new audiences.””We are, as Jaishankar said, we are comprehensive strategic partners. We’re also Quad partners. We share traditions. We also share an interest in the sort of region we live in, an Indo-Pacific that is peaceful, stable and prosperous, in which sovereignty is respected and where all countries can benefit from a strategic equilibrium,” she said.

Wong added, “We can only build and sustain this region by working with others. And I can’t emphasise sufficiently how important we see India to that project.”She added, “I thank Jaishankar for his kind comments about our support for the G20. We certainly did want to ensure we worked with India as much as we were able to make it a successful G20 year. India is also hosting the Quad meeting early next year, so we equally would want to work with India to ensure that that is as successful and positive as it can be.”On Australia-China relations, Wong said, “…China is a country with whom we will continue to engage. In the way which we describe, – we will cooperate where we can, we will disagree where we must and we will engage in our national interests.”Penny Wong recently said that Canberra deeply values its bilateral relationship with New Delhi, adding that it is “crucial to a region” where sovereignty is respected.

In her opening remarks at the India-Australia 22 Defence and Foreign Ministerial Dialogue in New Delhi, Wong noted that the two nations have done a lot together bilaterally and hope to do more. She recalled Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s State visit to Australia.

“We’ve done a lot of work together bilaterally and we hope to do more again today. I think what I would emphasise is that we value deeply the bilateral relationship, economic ties, two-way trade and investment, and the people-to-people links the climate initiatives particularly … that we’re working on together. But to again underline what we all know which is this is a partnership which is consequential for us but it is crucial for our region and we see you India as central, crucial to the sort of region we continue to work for peaceful, stable, prosperous where sovereignty is respected and we look forward in this discussion to going further on the ways in which we can both work to deliver that,” she added.

The India-Australia 22 Defence and Foreign Ministerial Dialogue was co-chaired by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Australian Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Richard Marles and Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong. (ANI)

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OSCAR SHOCKS AND SURPRISES: WHO IS LIKELY TO WIN BIG ON HOLLYWOOD’S BIGGEST NIGHT

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On the big screen, Deadpool clashed with Wolverine in a spectacle that set social media abuzz, while animated darling Inside Out 2 stormed the box office — leaving Joker’s sequel in its shadow. Off-camera, there was more drama as Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni found themselves locked in a bitter legal feud.

The off-screen action, however, didn’t stop there. There were debates over The Brutalist’s daring use of AI and Anora’s controversial decision to forgo an intimacy coordinator sparked plenty of heated exchanges on social media.

As the Academy Awards draw near on Sunday, March 2,  2025, the anticipation is palpable. We look at some of the possible winners on Hollywood’s biggest night.

Best Picture: Anora leads, but there others 

Anora is just barely ahead—but only by a hair. Why? A string of major wins, including the Critics Choice, Producers Guild, and Directors Guild Awards, put it in prime position. But rivals like Conclave and The Brutalist are lurking. We could see a historic upset here.

Best Director: Close fight between Sean Baker and Brady Corbet

Two directors, one golden statuette. Sean Baker (Anora) and Brady Corbet (The Brutalist) are neck and neck. But history favours Baker, thanks to the Directors Guild Awards’ near-flawless Oscar track record. Still, nothing is certain.

Best Actor: Both Adrien Brody and Timothée Chalamet are in the race

Adrien Brody (The Brutalist) was cruising toward his second Oscar—until Timothée Chalamet (A Complete Unknown) crashed the party with a major SAG win! Brody is still the favourite, but don’t be shocked if Chalamet pulls off a dramatic last-minute upset.

Best Actress: Demi Moore has a fair chance 

Demi Moore (The Substance) has swept the Golden Globes, Critics Choice, and SAG Awards. But with Anora’s Mikey Madison taking the BAFTA and I’m Still Here’s Fernanda Torres still in play, Moore’s victory lap could be premature.

Best Supporting Actor: Could Kieran Culkin lose?

Kieran Culkin (A Real Pain) has dominated awards season. Could someone else steal the statue? Sure. But at 87.7% likelihood, this one looks locked in.

Best Supporting Actress: This could be a clean sweep for Zoe Saldana 

Despite chatter that controversy around Emilia Pérez could hurt her chances, Zoe Saldaña is sweeping through the competition. The numbers say she’s almost certain to take home gold.

Best Animated flick: The Wild Robot could go for gold

Chris Sanders has been nominated four times — but never won. At 55 per cent, The Wild Robot is the favourite. But Flow and Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl are still in the game.

Best International movie: A twist in the tale

Emilia Pérez was expected to dominate — but controversy, critic-audience divides, and I’m Still Here gaining ground could mean a shocking upset.

Final Thoughts: Who will win, who’ll lose

There’s no such thing as a sure thing at the Oscars — but if the data is right, expect major moments, potential heartbreaks, and perhaps a few historic wins.

(Source: Hollywood Reporter, BBC)

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Bollywood power couple Govinda’s marriage on the rocks after 40 years

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Salman Khan’s ‘Nepotism’ Joke Steals the Show at Nephew Ayaan’s Song Launch in Dubai

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Salman Khan has never been one to hold back, and at a recent event in Dubai, he added his signature dose of humour to the oft-debated topic of nepotism in Bollywood. The superstar, fondly known as Sallubhai, was in town to launch his nephew Ayaan Agnihotri’s debut song, “Universal Laws”, and in true Salman style, he had the audience in splits with his witty remark.

As Dubai’s DJ Bliss – who hosted the event – praised the Khan family for their unwavering support for Ayaan, Salman quipped, “That’s what nepotism is!” His playful jab left everyone in the room in splits.

And as the crowd cheered, Salman officially launched the song, marking Ayaan’s much-anticipated entry into the music world.

A Star-Studded Affair

The event turned into a Bollywood reunion, with stars like Arbaaz Khan, Sohail Khan, Neha Dhupia, Angad Bedi, and other celebrities coming together to celebrate Ayaan’s big moment.

During his speech, Salman highlighted that Ayaan, the son of Atul Agnihotri and Alvira Khan Agnihotri (Salman’s sister), hails from a family of seasoned film producers. He also mentioned that Ayaan’s cousin, Alizeh Agnihotri, who recently made her Bollywood debut, shares the same film-driven lineage.

Ayaan and Salman’s Previous Collaboration

This isn’t the first time the uncle-nephew duo has joined forces. Salman and Ayaan previously worked together on the track, “You Are Mine”, where the young artist showcased his rap skills alongside the Bollywood megastar. The song, composed by Vishal Mishra, became a talking point among fans.

Salman & Sanjay Dutt Spotted in Saudi Arabia

Meanwhile, Salman is keeping busy with multiple projects. A recent video circulating on social media showed him and actor Sanjay Dutt filming on the streets of Saudi Arabia. The clip, shared by an X user, captured the two actors casually chatting with crew members.

The buzz is that Salman and Sanjay are working on a cameo appearance in the Bollywood remake of the 2021 Argentine film Seven Dogs. While details remain under wraps, fans are excited to see the duo share screen space again.

From family celebrations in Dubai to shooting in Saudi Arabia, Salman Khan is proving yet again that his star power knows no boundaries.

(Inputs from Hindustan Times, Zee News)

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