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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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Global Village announces opening date for Season 29

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Season 29 of Global Village will kick off on October 16, 2024, the outdoor destination announced. The season will run until May 11, 2025. The popular destination remains closed during the summer months. This year, Global Village is expanding its offerings, featuring more cultural representations, never-before-seen entertainment, and exciting infrastructure upgrades.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/C_Z2t2cNI40/?igsh=MTh1c3NvdGlqZW9yOQ%3D%3D

Visitors to the family-friendly destination can experience a diverse range of performances, shopping, and dining experiences from cultures around the world.

Opening more than 25 years ago, the destination set a new record of over 10 million visitors in its 28th season, the longest season to date, hosting 27 pavilions representing over 90 cultures from around the globe, as well as 3,500 shopping outlets and 250 dining options.

The destination is expecting millions of visitors from around the globe to gather for the park’s attractions during the upcoming season.

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Gaming meets speed: Ferrari launches first-ever esports arena in Abu Dhabi

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Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi’s acclaimed Ferrari-themed park, has once again redefined entertainment by launching the world’s first Ferrari-themed Esports Arena. This state-of-the-art venue is set to become the go-to destination for racing enthusiasts, Formula 1 aficionados, and thrill-seekers alike.

The newly unveiled Ferrari World Esports Arena features an impressive lineup of 20 Gran Turismo simulators, thoughtfully designed to cater to a broad audience. Fourteen simulators are dedicated to adult racers, while six are specifically designed for younger guests, creating a family-friendly atmosphere that welcomes visitors of all ages.

The arena also includes three specialised F1 simulators, offering participants the exhilarating experience of sitting in the driver’s seat of a Ferrari race car and racing on legendary F1 Grand Prix circuits, including the Yas Marina Circuit. Open daily from 10am to 6pm, the Ferrari World Esports Arena offers access to the Gran Turismo simulators as part of the theme park ticket until the end of the year. The exclusive F1 simulators are available for an additional fee, starting from Dh60 per race.

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Privacy and Comfort: Inside Sharjah’s newly announced women’s beach retreat

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A new beach, only for women, has been announced in Sharjah under the orders of the emirate’s ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi. The 500-meter beach is located in the Lulu’iya area of ​​Khorfakkan and will offer complete privacy for women. The beach will also have other amenities like a cafe, a medical clinic, and a prayer room. 

Other than this beach, Sharjah has the Sharjah Ladies Club beach and in 2023, Sheikh Dr Sultan announced the development of women’s only beaches in Kalba and at Al Hamariya Beach.  In May this year, the Crown Prince of Dubai Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed launched the Dubai Quality of Life Strategy 2033, which includes designating new beaches for only women.

In further orders, the Sharjah Ruler directed the construction of a pedestrian bridge linking Al Bardi 6 and Al Batha areas in Khorfakkan city.

Speaking on the Sharjah’s Direct Line radio programme, Yousef Khamis Al Othmani, Chairman of RTA Sharjah said that the new bridge will help the movement of residents between the two areas.

He also said the RTA will implement modifications to the internal roads in the Hayawa area.

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