Jen Psaki, 41, has held a number of senior positions, including White House communications director for the Barack Obama-Biden administration. AFP
Jen Psaki, 41, has held a number of senior positions, including White House communications director for the Barack Obama-Biden administration. AFP
Jen Psaki, 41, has held a number of senior positions, including White House communications director for the Barack Obama-Biden administration. AFP
Jen Psaki, 41, has held a number of senior positions, including White House communications director for the Barack Obama-Biden administration. AFP

Biden names all-women senior communications team


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US President-elect Joe Biden on Sunday announced an all-women senior White House communications team, which his office said made history.

Among those named was Jen Psaki, who will serve as White House press secretary.

Psaki, 41, has held senior positions before, including White House communications director for the administration of Barack Obama.

Mr Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris have sought to emphasise diversity in their appointments and nominations so far, before they assume office on January 20.

"I am proud to announce today the first senior White House communications team comprised entirely of women," Mr Biden said.

"These qualified, experienced communicators bring diverse perspectives to their work and a shared commitment to building this country back better."

Six other appointments were announced, including Kate Bedingfield, who was Mr Biden's deputy campaign manager, as White House communications director.

Ms Bedingfield also served as Mr Biden's communications director when he was vice president under Mr Obama.

Ashley Etienne will be communications director for Ms Harris, and Symone Sanders her senior adviser and chief spokeswoman.

Pili Tobar will be deputy White House communications director, and Karine Jean Pierre will be principal deputy press secretary.

Elizabeth Alexander was named communications director for Jill Biden.

The appointments do not require Senate confirmation, unlike most cabinet-level positions.

Mr Biden also revealed appointees and nominees for economic roles, as the US grapples with a downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

If confirmed by the Senate, Janet Yellen will become the first woman to serve as treasury secretary.

Neera Tanden will be the first woman of colour to lead the Office of Management and Budget, and Wally Adeyemo would be the first black deputy secretary of the treasury.

“We face great challenges as a country right now,” Ms Yellen wrote on Twitter after her nomination.

“To recover, we must restore the American dream - a society where each person can rise to their potential and dream even bigger for their children.”

Avatar: Fire and Ash

Director: James Cameron

Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana

Rating: 4.5/5

In numbers: China in Dubai

The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000

Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000

Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000

Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent

What can you do?

Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses

Seek professional advice from a legal expert

You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor

You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline

In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support

Who's who in Yemen conflict

Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government

Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council

Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south

Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory

How to report a beggar

Abu Dhabi – Call 999 or 8002626 (Aman Service)

Dubai – Call 800243

Sharjah – Call 065632222

Ras Al Khaimah - Call 072053372

Ajman – Call 067401616

Umm Al Quwain – Call 999

Fujairah - Call 092051100 or 092224411

Nepotism is the name of the game

Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad. 

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

The specs

Engine: 4-litre twin-turbo V8

Transmission: eight-speed PDK

Power: 630bhp

Torque: 820Nm

Price: Dh683,200

On sale: now

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GOLF’S RAHMBO

- 5 wins in 22 months as pro
- Three wins in past 10 starts
- 45 pro starts worldwide: 5 wins, 17 top 5s
- Ranked 551th in world on debut, now No 4 (was No 2 earlier this year)
- 5th player in last 30 years to win 3 European Tour and 2 PGA Tour titles before age 24 (Woods, Garcia, McIlroy, Spieth)

ICC men's cricketer of the year

2004 - Rahul Dravid (IND) ; 2005 - Jacques Kallis (SA) and Andrew Flintoff (ENG); 2006 - Ricky Ponting (AUS); 2007 - Ricky Ponting; 2008 - Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI); 2009 - Mitchell Johnson (AUS); 2010 - Sachin Tendulkar (IND); 2011 - Jonathan Trott (ENG); 2012 - Kumar Sangakkara (SL); 2013 - Michael Clarke (AUS); 2014 - Mitchell Johnson; 2015 - Steve Smith (AUS); 2016 - Ravichandran Ashwin (IND); 2017 - Virat Kohli (IND); 2018 - Virat Kohli; 2019 - Ben Stokes (ENG); 2021 - Shaheen Afridi