The meeting touched on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts being made to confront its fallout…reports Asian Lite News
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Mohammad Haneef Atmar, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Afghanistan, reviewed the prospects of fostering relations between the two nations across various fronts.
This came as the UAE top diplomat welcomed the Afghan minister and discussed growing cooperation in the fields of logistics and food security in addition to exchanging views over a number of regional and international issues of interest.
The meeting touched on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts being made to confront its fallout.
Sheikh Abdullah reaffirmed the UAE’s determination to reinforce relations with Afghanistan across various domains.
The Afghan minister congratulated Sheikh Abdullah on the 49th UAE National Day, commending the developmental achievements and the prestigious stature boasted by the UAE regionally and internationally.
Attending the meeting was Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs.
The meeting touched on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts being made to confront its fallout…reports Asian Lite News
Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, and Ignazio Cassis, Head of the Department of Foreign Affairs of Switzerland, reviewed the prospects of fostering the cooperation and friendship ties between the two nations across various fields.
This came as the UAE top diplomat welcomed the Afghan minister today and discussed growing cooperation in the fields of education, AI, technology, health and economy in addition to exchanging views over a number of regional and international issues of interest.
The meeting touched on the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic and the efforts being made to confront its fallout.
Sheikh Abdullah reaffirmed the UAE’s determination to further enhance the privileged relations with Switzerland across various domains to the best interests of the two countries’ peoples.
The Swiss minister congratulated Sheikh Abdullah on the 49th UAE National Day, wishing the UAE continued progress and prosperity.
Attending the meeting was Khalifa Shaheen Al Marar, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs.
“With the participation of the countries of the SCO, the EAEU, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other regional blocs, we will be able to build the Greater Eurasian Partnership, a space for joint development and security,” Mishustin added…reports Asian Lite News
Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin said that his country and its partners are “actively” dovetailing the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU) with the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).
Agreements have been reached covering several areas of cooperation, Mishustin said on Monday at the 19th meeting of the Council of Heads of Government of Member States of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) held via video link, reports Xinhua news agency.
“It is necessary to work out specific parameters for connecting national strategies and multilateral projects.
“The SCO serves as a key link in the formation of an open, mutually beneficial and equal space for cooperation in Eurasia,” he said.
Mikhail Mishustin attended the SCO Council of Heads of Government meeting. More on trade and economic cooperation, projects and priorities of the member states https://t.co/rvL5PvtBNppic.twitter.com/9j8NJMCFgl
The SCO has “a strong potential” to ensure sustainable economic development and security in the region, and its member states have “large room for cooperation” in many areas from economics and politics to security and humanity, Mishustin said.
The Prime Minister said the SCO should pay great attention to the digital economy, the introduction of modern technologies, the development of transport infrastructure, and inter-regional cooperation.
“With the participation of the countries of the SCO, the EAEU, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations and other regional blocs, we will be able to build the Greater Eurasian Partnership, a space for joint development and security,” Mishustin added.
US President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris.
The inauguration of Biden as President and Harris as Vice President is slated take place on January 20, 2021, as mandated by the constitution when they will formally take over the offices…reports Arul Louis
US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have appointed Indian-American Maju Varghese, who steered their campaign, to be the executive director of their inauguration – the swearing-in ceremony and the festivities around it.
The announcement on Monday makes Varghese the fifth Indian-American to be appointed to an important position by Biden and Harris.
Earlier on Monday, Biden had formally announced the appointment of Neera Tanden as the Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Varghese played an important part in the successful Biden-Harris campaign as its chief operating officer and as a senior adviser to the former Vice President.
He ran the logistics for the nationwide, multi-million-dollar effort to elect Biden, mobilising tens of thousands of staff and volunteers.
No Malarkey.Humbled by the texts and posts about joining #TeamJoe Grateful for the endless opportunities this country has given my family.Wish my Dad was still with us.Not sure about the specific dreams he had for us as he drove his cab around NYC but I hope he's proud tonight.🇺🇸 https://t.co/eLiOkeNR9G
He had worked for former President Barack Obama as his special assistant and deputy director of advance, a position in which he worked on organising his travel in the US and abroad.
One of those assignments was organising Obama’s 2015 historic trip to India for the Republic Day celebrations.
Varghese later became assistant to the President for administration and management and oversaw the White House complex.
His parents immigrated from Thiruvalla, Kerala, to the US, where he was born, and is a lawyer by training.
The inauguration of Biden as President and Harris as Vice President is slated take place on January 20, 2021, as mandated by the constitution when they will formally take over the offices.
This will be the 59th inauguration and it will take place under the shadow of the Covid-19 pandemic and the festivities would have to balance the exuberant outpouring of joy by Biden supporters with the need to prevent the spread of the disease.
US President-Elect Joe Biden and Vice President-Elect Kamala Harris.
Tony Allen, who was named the CEO of the inauguration committee, said: “This year’s inauguration will look different amid the pandemic, but we will honour the American inaugural traditions and engage Americans across the country while keeping everybody healthy and safe.”
He is the president of Delaware State University in Biden’s home state and had been his speech-writer when he was a Senator.
More than a million have come to some previous inaugurations.
The social highlight of inaugurations has been the inaugural ball, a formal dance by the President and the Vice President and their spouses, and the invitees, with the women dressed glamorously in designer outfits that get widely discussed.
Several entertainments are also organised for the rest of the crowds attending the inaugurations.
Congress is officially in charge of the formal swearing-in portion of the inauguration and has the bi-partisan Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies to hold the ceremony at the Capitol, the Congress complex.
The current committee is headed by Republican Senator Roy Blunt and includes Democrat Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
But the winning presidential candidates set up their own committees to work with it and to organise other celebrations and raise funds for the events.
The other Indian-Americans named to important positions by Biden include former Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, who was appointed co-chair of his Covid-19 task force last month in one of his first acts after the media proclaimed him the winner of the presidential election.
Two Indian-Americans were named to head the committees in charge of transition to the new administration –- Arun Majumdar for the Department of Energy and Kiran Ahuja for the Office of Personnel Management.
In addition, 19 Indian-Americans were appointed to the various transition teams and two others, Atul Gawande and Celine Gounder, to the Covid-19 task force.
Revealing vignettes of Sikh heritage founded in its distinctive socio-cultural and visual identity and manifesting a lived faith pictorially, a series of works of art by artist Harshdeep Kaur will go on view from November 30, Guru Nanak Jayanti. The works celebrate cultural nuances of Sikhism and natural landscapes
The solo exhibition titled ‘Engaging With The Ultimate’ runs from November 30-December 8 at Delhi-based Arpana Art Gallery. Presented by Dhoomimal Gallery and curated by Dr Seema Bawa, the soloo presents a varied mix of canvases showcasing landscapes & figurative works. Her work speaks of the social and natural landscapes that surround our physical and imaginative selves while evoking an intrinsic emotive charm.
The series that sets her work apart is based on Sikh men and women; embedded as it is in her own lived experience, on her observation of the lives of the Sikh people, their festivals and rituals.
“Sikh people and rituals inspire me to create new dimension in Sikh art. The Khalsas wearing kesari turbans; engaged in meditation, working in the fields or as horse riding soldiers, skilled in warfare have left a lasting impression on my art and me,” explains Harshdeep.
“Each of my works from portraits, figures & landscapes have one thing in common which is the peaceful nature of it. Looking around at what’s happening in the world and how simple things are getting complicated, I wanted my works to speak for themselves. Since childhood, I observed my parents follow a very specific routine of path, Shabad & belief in God and that made me connect with my own self very quickly. That experience was so strong and peaceful that I wanted to show it in my works. This exhibition celebrates the life of Sikh people, their festivals, rituals, the Khalsa’s in meditation and also skilled in warfare,” the artist told IANSlife.
There are also two contemplative works, Prasad and Prayer that represent the Sikh peoples’ communitarian and egalitarian world through ritual practice of service and meditative silence revealed through the Word, shabd and nama; both leading towards realization of the Ultimate Reality, explains the gallery.
“Another trait marker of the Sikhs is their appearance, especially the turban, especially the Dumala or domala, a turban wound with lesser number of folds, worn by devout members of both genders. Her paintings, big and small format, depict these Dumala wearers not only as devout and committed Sikhs but also bring out their individual and communitarian identity. A slightly whimsical work shows a dumala wearing lady sporting dark glasses and western wear, a mark of the diaspora’s struggle to adapt to changing milieu,” said the gallery.
Her landscapes explore silent spaces marked by the absence of humans, where it is the trees, birds, lakes and waters that suggest a narrative of peace and calm. Then there are the short poesies painted into a bunch of flowers in bloom or a pair of trees conversing in shadows of dusk, in reflections of forms in still waters.
The natural world has been magnified in her landscape paintings while it has been abstracted in her ink on paper works that use Chinese ink whose adaptability she discovered during a visit to Hong Kong. The play and experimentation with monochromatic tonalities of ink, is seen in her forms, creating lots of depth in figures and landscape both. The visceral feel of the thick handmade paper and canvas surface, splattered with of ink and water layers her work with light and shade that for her is intrinsic to experiencing form.
The overall number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed the 63 million mark, while the deaths have surged to more than 1.46 million, according to the Johns Hopkins University.
In its latest update on Tuesday, the University’s Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and death toll stood at 63,189,103 and 1,466,762, respectively.
The US is the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 13,536,216 and 267,987, respectively, according to the CSSE.
India comes in second place in terms of cases at 9,431,691, while the country’s death toll soared to 137,139.
The other countries with more than a million confirmed cases are Brazil (6,335,878), Russia (2,275,936), France (2,275,016), Spain (2,275,016), the UK (1,633,733), Italy (1,601,554), Argentina (1,424,533), Colombia (1,316,806), Mexico (1,107,071) and Germany (1,069,763), the CSSE figures showed.
Brazil currently accounts for the second highest number of fatalities at 173,120.
The countries with a death toll above 20,000 are Mexico (105,655), the UK (58,545), Italy (55,576), France (52,819), Iran (48,246), Spain (45,069), Russia (39,491), Argentina (38,730), Colombia (36,766), Peru (35,923) and South Africa (21,535).
