OpenAI CEO&nbsp;Sam Altman has replied to Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak and other tech leaders who recently signed a letter calling for a six-month halt on Artificial Intelligence (AI) research.&nbsp;

Altman was speaking at an MIT event when he said the letter was not the 'optimal' way to address the issue and that it missed the 'technical nuance' about where the technology needed to hit pause.&nbsp;

"There's parts of the thrust that I really agree with," said Altman before adding, "I think moving with caution and increasing rigor for safety issues is really important, the letter, I don't think is the optimal way to address it."

“I also agree as capabilities get more and more serious, that the safety bar has got to increase. We are doing other things on top of GPT-4 that I think have all sorts of safety issues that are important to address and were totally left out of the letter,” he added.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-chatgpt-an-ai-chatbot-that-have-taken-internet-by-storm-can-it-replace-humans-540182">ALSO READ |&nbsp;What is ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that has taken internet by storm? Can it replace humans?</a>

<h2>The letter calling for AI ban</h2>

Earlier in March, an open letter by the&nbsp;Future of Life Institute, a thinktank, signed by Musk, Wozniak amongst others took a very cautious approach to the next generation of AI. The letter cited 12 pieces of research from experts that included former employees of OpenAI, Google as well as DepMind.&nbsp;

"Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable," the letter stated.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-chatgpt-explained-how-does-the-platform-work-553272" target="_blank">WATCH | Gravitas | ChatGPT Explained: How does the platform work?</a>

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<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ultron-reincarnated-ai-tool-chaosgpt-is-out-and-about-to-destroy-humanity-from-the-face-of-earth-581813#" id="jqclosemark">×</a>

"AI labs and independent experts should use this pause to jointly develop and implement a set of shared safety protocols for advanced AI design and development that are rigorously audited and overseen by independent outside experts," it added.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/trending/ultron-reincarnated-ai-tool-chaosgpt-is-out-and-about-to-destroy-humanity-from-the-face-of-earth-581813">ALSO READ |&nbsp;Ultron reincarnated? AI tool ChaosGPT is out, to destroy humanity from the face of Earth</a>

Musk, who co-founded OpenAI which is now run by Microsoft has been one of the most vocal voices demanding that AI research be regulated. In an interview, Musk stated that AI has the potential to destroy&nbsp;an entire civilisation.&nbsp;

"AI is more dangerous than, say, mismanaged aircraft design or production maintenance or bad car production.&nbsp;In the sense that it has the potential, however small one may regard that probability, but it is non-trivial - it has the potential of civilisation destruction."

(With inputs from agencies)

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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has replied to Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak and other tech leaders who recently signed a letter calling for a six-month halt on Artificial Intelligence (AI) research.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has replied to Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak and other tech leaders who recently signed a letter calling for a six-month halt on Artificial Intelligence (AI) research. Altman was speaking at an MIT event when he said the letter was not the 'optimal' way to address the issue and that it missed the 'technical nuance' about where the technology needed to hit pause. "There's parts of the thrust that I really agree with," said Altman before adding, "I think moving with caution and increasing rigor for safety issues is really important, the letter, I don't think is the optimal way to address it." “I also agree as capabilities get more and more serious, that the safety bar has got to increase. We are doing other things on top of GPT-4 that I think have all sorts of safety issues that are important to address and were totally left out of the letter,” he added. ALSO READ | What is ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that has taken internet by storm? Can it replace humans? The letter calling for AI ban Earlier in March, an open letter by the Future of Life Institute, a thinktank, signed by Musk, Wozniak amongst others took a very cautious approach to the next generation of AI. The letter cited 12 pieces of research from experts that included former employees of OpenAI, Google as well as DepMind. "Powerful AI systems should be developed only once we are confident that their effects will be positive and their risks will be manageable," the letter stated. WATCH | Gravitas | ChatGPT Explained: How does the platform work? × "AI labs and independent experts should use this pause to jointly develop and implement a set of shared safety protocols for advanced AI design and development that are rigorously audited and overseen by independent outside experts," it added. ALSO READ | Ultron reincarnated? AI tool ChaosGPT is out, to destroy humanity from the face of Earth Musk, who co-founded OpenAI which is now run by Microsoft has been one of the most vocal voices demanding that AI research be regulated. In an interview, Musk stated that AI has the potential to destroy an entire civilisation. "AI is more dangerous than, say, mismanaged aircraft design or production maintenance or bad car production. In the sense that it has the potential, however small one may regard that probability, but it is non-trivial - it has the potential of civilisation destruction." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman disagrees with parts of Musk's letter calling for AI pause

The Kenyan police have launched an investigation into the death of four people suspected to have starved to death, following the commands of a controversial cult leader.

The Kenyan police have launched an investigation into the death of four people suspected to have starved to death, following the commands of a controversial cult leader. The police found 15 frail, haggard-looking parishioners on the property of the said cult leader who acted as a church pastor in the coastal area of Kilifi. The police have identified the pastor as Makenzie Nthenge who told his followers to starve themselves as a way to meet Jesus and gain a place in heaven. When the authorities found them, most of the followers could barely stand up, walk or even talk. "A contingent under the command of SCPC and SCCIO Malindi visited the scene for fact-finding. The team was able to reach few households and managed to rescue fifteen people among them six who were emaciated," read the police report. "We found them in a very bad state, others fainted on the way to hospital," a security officer told Kenya's Nation Media Group. The police said they began the operation after receiving a secret tip that 'ignorant' followers of Good News International Church were 'starving themselves to death' on the pretext that they will meet Jesus after being brainwashed by a suspect. ALSO READ | Kenya: Man poses as woman wearing 'niqab' at chess championship, nearly cheats his way through Of the 15 rescued, only 11 made it to the hospital alive. The local law enforcement agencies are now looking into reports of a mass grave in the nearby forest. There have suspicions that the controversial pastor buried his dead followers in the cemetery. "The team was unable to identify the mass grave by virtue of vast land (area) and hostile residents in the forest. It is further suspected that there are many victims in the forest land believed to belong to the suspect," the report added. Local reports stated that Nthenge was arrested last month after two children were starved to death by the parents, based on his advice. WATCH | WION Climate Tracker: People in Kenya struggle to feed their families due to drought × Previous instances of cult killing Kenya is a highly religious country and this is not the first instance when a cult leader has seemingly led their followers down an astray path. One of the most infamous cases remains the death of British woman Lutfunisa Kwandwalla who died in 2020 at the house of a spiritual leader in Mombasa. Kwandwalla resided in the city of Leicester but went to Kenya in August 2019 to visit members of her husband's family. However, she joined a controversial cult upon reaching there. Kwandwalla was to return to England after a few months but a coronavirus lockdown and travel restrictions meant that her stay was prolonged and she was pushed deeper into the cult. Her family alleged that the cult members killed her and buried the body quickly to hide evidence. Meanwhile, local officials blamed "natural causes" and no arrests were made. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Kenya: Four cult members starve to death after being told they will ‘meet’ Jesus

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said it was Army Chief General Asim Munir who had been working behind the scenes&nbsp;to secure bilateral financing&nbsp;from friendly countries such as UAE and Saudi Arabia&nbsp;to meet the pre-condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure a bailout package.&nbsp;

Sharif, while addressing a ceremony, said he was now hopeful that the IMF will not delay in releasing the $1.1 billion payment as part of the bailout package agreed upon in 2019.&nbsp;

"Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir has contributed to the government's efforts to secure funds from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Hopefully the IMF will now have no excuse to delay the agreement (to release a tranche of USD 1.1 billion)," said Sharif.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/is-pakistans-economic-crisis-getting-worse-550882">WATCH |&nbsp;Is Pakistan's economic crisis getting worse?</a>

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<h2>UAE and Saudi Arabia step up to help</h2>

The cash-strapped country has been looking to secure the IMF package for a long time. However, the international lender has been reluctant to open its wallet, unless Islamabad satisfies its pre-requisites.&nbsp;

After seeing no light at the end of the tunnel, UAE on Friday confirmed that it would provide a $1 billion loan to Islamabad. A week earlier,&nbsp;Saudi Arabia assured that it would provide $2 billion in the loan amount.&nbsp;

"Realising our problems, China provided a rollover of $2 billion loan, besides returning back previous debt amount paid back by Pakistan. The UAE had committed a loan of $3 billion,"&nbsp;added Sharif.&nbsp;

The statement by Sharif come in stark contrast to the announcement made by the Pakistani Army wherein it was said that General Munir had no role in the politics of the country.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/pakistan-gets-a-step-closer-to-getting-imf-bailout-after-uae-saudi-arabia-pledge-billions-in-assistance-582451">ALSO READ |&nbsp;Pakistan a step closer to getting IMF bailout after UAE, Saudi Arabia pledge billions in assistance</a>

<h2>Pakistan needs IMF's help</h2>

Pakistan is in dire need of funds. Last week, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank projected the&nbsp;country’s gross domestic product to grow by a measly 0.4 per cent and 0.6 per cent respectively. Additionally, the inflation for FY23 was projected at 29.5 per cent and 27.5 per cent.&nbsp;

Notably, fresh readings issued by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) last month showed that yearly short-term inflation rose by 46.65 per cent during the week that ended on March 22 — the highest recorded in the country's history.

According to reports, Pakistan has less than a month’s worth of foreign exchange reserves.&nbsp; Moreover, the global credit rating agency Moody's downgraded Pakistan's local and foreign currency credit ratings from Caa1 to Caa3.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

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Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said it was Army Chief General Asim Munir who had been working behind the scenes to secure bilateral financing from friendly countries such as UAE and Saudi Arabia to meet the pre-condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure a bailout package.

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said it was Army Chief General Asim Munir who had been working behind the scenes to secure bilateral financing from friendly countries such as UAE and Saudi Arabia to meet the pre-condition set by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to secure a bailout package. Sharif, while addressing a ceremony, said he was now hopeful that the IMF will not delay in releasing the $1.1 billion payment as part of the bailout package agreed upon in 2019. "Chief of Army Staff General Asim Munir has contributed to the government's efforts to secure funds from Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Hopefully the IMF will now have no excuse to delay the agreement (to release a tranche of USD 1.1 billion)," said Sharif. WATCH | Is Pakistan's economic crisis getting worse? × UAE and Saudi Arabia step up to help The cash-strapped country has been looking to secure the IMF package for a long time. However, the international lender has been reluctant to open its wallet, unless Islamabad satisfies its pre-requisites. After seeing no light at the end of the tunnel, UAE on Friday confirmed that it would provide a $1 billion loan to Islamabad. A week earlier, Saudi Arabia assured that it would provide $2 billion in the loan amount. "Realising our problems, China provided a rollover of $2 billion loan, besides returning back previous debt amount paid back by Pakistan. The UAE had committed a loan of $3 billion," added Sharif. The statement by Sharif come in stark contrast to the announcement made by the Pakistani Army wherein it was said that General Munir had no role in the politics of the country. ALSO READ | Pakistan a step closer to getting IMF bailout after UAE, Saudi Arabia pledge billions in assistance Pakistan needs IMF's help Pakistan is in dire need of funds. Last week, the World Bank and Asian Development Bank projected the country’s gross domestic product to grow by a measly 0.4 per cent and 0.6 per cent respectively. Additionally, the inflation for FY23 was projected at 29.5 per cent and 27.5 per cent. Notably, fresh readings issued by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics (PBS) last month showed that yearly short-term inflation rose by 46.65 per cent during the week that ended on March 22 — the highest recorded in the country's history. According to reports, Pakistan has less than a month’s worth of foreign exchange reserves. Moreover, the global credit rating agency Moody's downgraded Pakistan's local and foreign currency credit ratings from Caa1 to Caa3. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Pakistan Army chief helped secure funds from UAE, Saudi to fulfill IMF pre-condition, says PM Sharif

A female bear named JJ4 who had been sentenced to death for killing a trail runner last week has been granted a stay on the execution. The killer bear was to be 'tracked and euthanised' but the decision was overturned after animal rights groups successfully intervened.

A female bear named JJ4 who had been sentenced to death for killing a trail runner last week has been granted a stay on the execution. The killer bear was to be 'tracked and euthanised' but the decision was overturned after animal rights groups successfully intervened. 26-year-old Andrea Papi was mauled by a bear last week when he went running near his village, Caldes, in north-east Italy’s Trentino region. After Papi did not return home, his family raised the alarm and the search and rescue team was pressed into service. His body was found overnight with deep wounds to the neck, arms and chest. DNA samples were found on a stick at the scene which Papi apparently used to defend himself but to no avail. However, the authorities, upon investigating the scene and Papi's clothes, concluded that it was the job of 17-year-old JJ4. The autopsy confirmed the theory as well. ALSO READ | Polar bear kills woman and child in Alaska. Know what's pushing the arctic animal to attack humans Trento governor orders putting down the bear Afterwards, Trento Governor Maurizio Fugatti signed an order to euthanise the bear. However, Italian Anti Vivisection League (LAV), an animal rights campaign group, protested the decision and went to a regional court and petitioned to impose a stay. The tribunal of Trento eventually agreed and the bear was granted a reprieve. LAV took to its Twitter account to celebrate the decision by posting a picture of a baby bear and its mother. "The order has been suspended by the regional tribunal which accepted our requests," LAV tweeted. +++VITTORIA LAV! +++👏 TAR sospende l'esecuzione di #JJ4, accolte le motivazioni del nostro ricorso!!! Battuta d'arresto all'arroganza del Presidente @MaurizioFugatti @ProvinciaTrento. 🐻Gli orsi e i cittadini trentini hanno diritto a vivere in pace pic.twitter.com/7ZneG7vDOS — LAV (@LAVonlus) April 14, 2023 × LAV targeted Fugatti and called him arrogant for the decision to euthanise the bear. "It's evidently clear the desire of Mr Fugatti, he has no intention of working with us for a peaceful solution between bears and humans." "What he wants is a vendetta towards bears, all he wants to do is kill them or move them out of the area." × Fugatti and the local administration have now until May 11 to appeal the decision. While local animal rights groups are against the killing of JJ4, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), which had previously batted to keep the female bear alive, told CNN they agree that the bear should be put down. Notably, this is not the first instance when a euthanisation order has been passed against JJ4. In 2020, the bear attacked a different father and son but a court intervened and stayed the execution. A GPS monitoring device was attached to the bear for monitoring but the battery died a few days before the attack on Papi. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Female bear that killed Italian man gets stay on execution after animal rights groups intervene

An era is about to draw close in Germany. The country will shut down operations in its remaining three nuclear power plants on Saturday — marking the end of the atomic age that spawned more than six decades.

An era is about to draw close in Germany. The country will shut down operations in its remaining three nuclear power plants on Saturday — marking the end of the atomic age that spawned more than six decades. The European nation and its populace have always harboured a strong anti-nuclear sentiment. The campaign to exit nuclear energy started during the Cold War after the Chernobyl disaster in Ukraine and it was accelerated after the 2011 Fukushima Daichi disaster in Japan. Shutters are coming down 12 years later. "The risks of nuclear power are ultimately unmanageable," said Environment Minister Steffi Lemke as she visited the Japanese plant earlier this week. The three plants to shut down later on Saturday provided six per cent of Germany's energy last year — down from the highs of nearly 31 per cent that all nuclear plants provided in 1997. Notably, Germany has shut down 16 reactors since 2003. Extension of power plants It was last year in October that Chancellor Olaf Scholz announced to keep the three plants running till April amid a looming power crisis, exacerbated by the Russia-Ukraine war. "The legal basis will be created to allow the operation of the nuclear power plants Isar 2, Neckarwestheim 2 and Emsland beyond December 31, 2022, until April 15, 2023," said Scholz at the time. ALSO READ | Amid looming power crunch, Germany decides to extend operations of remaining 3 nuclear plants Russia supplies about 40 per cent of the European Union's gas. And Germany relies on Moscow for 55 per cent of its gas needs. Though it has managed to reduce this to 35 per cent and wants eventually to reduce imports to zero, Germany has been mulling increasing the use of coal and extending the life of power stations despite the negative environmental impact. WATCH | Germany keeps two nuclear reactors on standby amid Europe's energy crisis × Experts, however, are puzzled that Berlin is going ahead with its plan to use coal energy, despite the serious environmental ramifications it has. “At a time of heightened concern about energy security, Germany will be abandoning assets that can displace 34 billion cubic metres of gas a year," Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the UK’s Nuclear Industry Association was quoted as saying in The Guardian. To offset the loss of nuclear plants and the energy they provided, Scholz has called for installation of "four to five wind turbines a day" over the next few years. However, the ground reality remains different as only 551 wind turbines were installed last year. With the country planning to close all coal-fired power plants by 2038 with the first round of closure planned in 2030 — the clock is ticking for Scholz's administration to ensure energy stability for the public. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Nuclear power phase-out: Germany switches off remaining three reactors permanently

After the US Treasury and State departments sanctioned nearly 120 targets, including Chinese firms to squeeze Russia for its ongoing war with Ukraine, Beijing has responded, calling it an 'illegal' move.

After the US Treasury and State departments sanctioned nearly 120 targets, including Chinese firms to squeeze Russia for its ongoing war with Ukraine, Beijing has responded, calling it an 'illegal' move. Reportedly, five firms based in mainland China and Hong Kong were put on the sanctions list - meaning they cannot engage in trade with any US-based firms without receiving a special licence, which is highly unobtainable, to begin with. “It is a typical unilateral sanction and a form of ‘long-arm jurisdiction’ which seriously damages the legitimate rights and interests of enterprises and affects the security and stability of the global supply chain. China firmly opposes this,” read a statement released by the Chinese Commerce Ministry. “The US should immediately correct its wrongdoing and stop its unreasonable suppression of Chinese companies. China will resolutely safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese companies,” it added. WATCH | US releases new Russia sanctions list, top energy, telecom firm prime target in list × The companies sanctioned Avtex Semiconductor Limited, Allparts Trading Co., Maxtronic International Co., ETC Electronics Ltd., and STK Electronics Co. - all based and registered in Hong Kong were put on the new sanctions list. Washington justified its decision to sanction the companies by saying that they were suspected to be involved, or "pose a significant risk of being or becoming involved in activities contrary to the national security or foreign policy interests of the United States". This is the second instance in as many months when the US has issued an embargo on Chinese companies. In February, Beijing lodged a similar protest after Changsha Tianyi Space Science and Technology Research Institute Co. Ltd. was barred by the US state department. ALSO READ | US releases fresh sanctions list targeting firms, individuals supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine US sanctions list The list released on Wednesday primarily targetted Russian billionaire businessman Alisher Usmanov. It is believed that Usmanov is extremely close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev, the former Russian president. The Treasury Department accused him of having a "wide network of businesses in financial safe havens and family members through which to conduct financial transactions, enabling him to potentially circumvent sanctions". Apart from China, firms from Turkey and the UAE which have been allegedly selling drones and other electronic gadgets to the Russian defence sector were also slapped with sanctions. China's 'neutral' stance on Russia-Ukraine war Notably, ever since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, China has established a "no-limits" friendship with Russia where it has refused to denounce Moscow's aggressiveness, all the while presenting itself as impartial. However, there have been hushed reports, ascertaining that China has been supplying arms to Russia. Other reports suggest that Chinese companies have been helping Russia in its surveillance programme. Beijing has time and again denied the claims saying it does not want to get involved in the war. On Friday, after German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock met her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang, the latter reiterated the same line. “Regarding the export of military items, China adopts a prudent and responsible attitude. China will not provide weapons to relevant parties of the conflict, and manage and control the exports of dual-use items in accordance with laws and regulations,” he said. ALSO READ | Germany urges China to call out aggressor ‘Russia’ on Ukraine war, Beijing sticks to neutral line (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Beijing lodges protest after US sanctions Chinese firms dealing with Russia

Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo will not be joining the race to become the country's next president in 2024. Amid rumours that Pompeo was going to stand against his former boss Donald Trump, he took to his Twitter account to announce the decision.

Former US secretary of state Mike Pompeo will not be joining the race to become the country's next president in 2024. Amid rumours that Pompeo was going to stand against his former boss Donald Trump, he took to his Twitter account to announce the decision. "Susan and I have concluded, after much consideration and prayer, that I will not present myself as a candidate to become President of the United States in the 2024 election," tweeted Pompeo while posting a letter. He said the decision was 'personal' and that the time 'is not right' for him to take the plunge in the presidential election. "As a soldier, as a member of the US House of Representatives, and then as Director the Central Intelligence Agency and as your Secretary of State - I've been blessed to have the opportunity to advance America in a way that fit the time and the moment. This is not that time or that moment for me to seek elected office again." Susan and I have concluded, after much consideration and prayer, that I will not present myself as a candidate to become President of the United States in the 2024 election. pic.twitter.com/hxujBzGgkI — Mike Pompeo (@mikepompeo) April 14, 2023 × The former soldier and CIA director hinted at his future saying he was only 59 years old and that remained opportunities for the taking. "To those of you this announcement disappoints, my apologies. And to those of you this thrills, know that I'm 59 years-old. There remain many more opportunities for which the timing might be more fitting as presidential leadership becomes even more necessary." Pompeo was appointed as the state secretary by Donald Trump in 2018 and served till 2021. Throughout his tenure, he remained in the good books of Trump and was known for his routine attacks on China. However, a few weeks ago Pompeo was seen criticising Trump's fiscal policy. Appearing in an interview with Fox News, Pompeo joked that he would have managed the country's debt better as a president than Trump. "$6 trillion more in debt. That's never the right direction for the country," Pompeo was quoted as saying by Axios. ALSO WATCH | Gravitas: Trump outsmarts the democrats × While Pompeo steps back, Trump is concentrating on securing the party nomination for the presidential election. Despite facing a potential conviction in the Stormy Daniels hush-money payments, Trump is not willing to go down easily. When asked if there was anything, including a potential conviction, that could make him drop out, Trump said, “No, I’d never drop — it’s not my thing. I wouldn’t do it." ALSO READ | 'It’s not my thing': Trump on dropping out of 2024 US presidential elections, if convicted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis appears to be the strongest Republican competitor in front of Trump. The former prez knows it and has been going all out in targeting DeSantis. Last month, Trump launched a scathing attack on DeSantis by poking fun at his sliding popularity in the opinion polls. "He’s dropping like a rock and I wonder why," said Trump before adding, "But when a man, you know, you get him elected and there’s no quid pro quo. He gets the nomination because of you, he wins the election because of you." "Two years later, the fake news is up there saying, 'Will you run against the president? Will you run?’ And he says, 'I have no comment.' I say that’s not supposed to happen. 'I have no comment.' No. So I’m not a big fan." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'Time is not right...': Trump ally Mike Pompeo drops out of 2024 presidential race

French President Emmanuel Macron officially promulgated the controversial pension reforms into law on Saturday. Macron&nbsp;signed into law the bill raising&nbsp;the country’s retirement age by two years, showed the official journal, after France’s constitutional court approved the widely unpopular pension reforms. 
 
Despite the&nbsp;approval by the constitutional court, the unions vowed to oppose the changes, including raising the retirement age from 62 to 64.&nbsp;The French court on Friday approved President Emmanuel Macron's controversial pension reform plan to raise the retirement age. The decision was validated by the nine-member Constitutional Council after almost three months of protests across the country.&nbsp;

The council was of the view that the government's actions were in line with the constitution and that the retirement age should be raised.&nbsp;

According to&nbsp;reports, the court rejected six minor proposals, which included forcing large companies to publish data regarding how many employees above 55 were working for them and creating a special contract for older workers.&nbsp;

Additionally, the council rejected a proposal put forth by the leftist parties which sought to organise a referendum on the pension reform.&nbsp;

<h2>Stage set for another round of clashes</h2>

The decision, however, has set the stage for another round of protests from the opposition as well as the common citizens.&nbsp;Unions made it clear that they were organising mass protests for Labour Day on May 1, while some cities saw violence erupt after the verdict was declared.

French hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melencho vowed that the fight against Macron's reform plan would continue despite the court's decision.&nbsp;

"The fight continues and must gather force," said Melecho, leader of the France Unbowed (LFI) party.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/france-pension-reform-verdict-live-country-awaits-constitutional-ruling-on-higher-retirement-age-582536">ALSO READ |&nbsp;France pension reform verdict LIVE: Court approves key elements of Macron's proposed plan</a>

The police are anticipating over 10,000 people to gather in Paris late on Friday night to protest the decision. Aspersions have also been cast over leftwing radicals attempting to vandalise the streets and engage in violent clashes.&nbsp;

At the height of the protests, over 1.3 million had taken to the streets. After the court's decision, in a last-ditch attempt, French trade unions released a joint statement urging Macron to not sign the legislation.&nbsp;

"Given the massive (public) rejection of this reform, the unions request him solemnly to not promulgate this law, the only way to calm the anger which is being expressed in the country,"&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/emmanuel-macron-wins-pension-reform-backing-from-french-upper-house-572678">WATCH |&nbsp;Emmanuel Macron wins pension reform backing from French upper house</a>

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The Macron government is of the view that extending the pension age will prevent the French service system from collapsing under the weight of deficits.

Notably, the workers in France tend to retire much earlier than their European Union (EU) counterparts. The direct repercussion is that the French exchequer has to foot a bigger pension bill than most countries in the bloc.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
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French President Emmanuel Macron officially promulgated the controversial pension reforms into law on Saturday. Macron signed into law the bill raising the country’s retirement age by two years, showed the official journal, after France’s constitutional court approved the widely unpopular pension reforms.

French President Emmanuel Macron officially promulgated the controversial pension reforms into law on Saturday. Macron signed into law the bill raising the country’s retirement age by two years, showed the official journal, after France’s constitutional court approved the widely unpopular pension reforms. Despite the approval by the constitutional court, the unions vowed to oppose the changes, including raising the retirement age from 62 to 64. The French court on Friday approved President Emmanuel Macron's controversial pension reform plan to raise the retirement age. The decision was validated by the nine-member Constitutional Council after almost three months of protests across the country. The council was of the view that the government's actions were in line with the constitution and that the retirement age should be raised. According to reports, the court rejected six minor proposals, which included forcing large companies to publish data regarding how many employees above 55 were working for them and creating a special contract for older workers. Additionally, the council rejected a proposal put forth by the leftist parties which sought to organise a referendum on the pension reform. Stage set for another round of clashes The decision, however, has set the stage for another round of protests from the opposition as well as the common citizens. Unions made it clear that they were organising mass protests for Labour Day on May 1, while some cities saw violence erupt after the verdict was declared. French hard-left leader Jean-Luc Melencho vowed that the fight against Macron's reform plan would continue despite the court's decision. "The fight continues and must gather force," said Melecho, leader of the France Unbowed (LFI) party. ALSO READ | France pension reform verdict LIVE: Court approves key elements of Macron's proposed plan The police are anticipating over 10,000 people to gather in Paris late on Friday night to protest the decision. Aspersions have also been cast over leftwing radicals attempting to vandalise the streets and engage in violent clashes. At the height of the protests, over 1.3 million had taken to the streets. After the court's decision, in a last-ditch attempt, French trade unions released a joint statement urging Macron to not sign the legislation. "Given the massive (public) rejection of this reform, the unions request him solemnly to not promulgate this law, the only way to calm the anger which is being expressed in the country," WATCH | Emmanuel Macron wins pension reform backing from French upper house × The Macron government is of the view that extending the pension age will prevent the French service system from collapsing under the weight of deficits. Notably, the workers in France tend to retire much earlier than their European Union (EU) counterparts. The direct repercussion is that the French exchequer has to foot a bigger pension bill than most countries in the bloc. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

French President Emmanuel Macron signs controversial pension reforms into law

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has tempered his expectations regarding solving the illegal migrants' issue — one that may not sit well with the staunch Conservative leaders in his party, During an interview, Sunak conceded that his plan to stop small boats crossing the Channel 'won't happen overnight' as he pushed the timeline beyond the general elections.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has tempered his expectations regarding solving the illegal migrants' issue — one that may not sit well with the staunch Conservative leaders in his party, During an interview, Sunak conceded that his plan to stop small boats crossing the Channel 'won't happen overnight' as he pushed the timeline beyond the general elections. At the start of the year, the Tory leader, amid much pomp laid out five pledges for 2023, of which one was to stop migrants from entering the UK illegally. “I’ve always said that this is not something that is easy – it is a complicated problem, where there’s no single, simple solution that will fix it. And I’ve also said that it won’t happen overnight,” Sunak said in an interview with the website ConservativeHome. "People should know it's very important to me, it's hugely important to the country that we need to fix the system, as a matter of fairness. It's not fair that people are breaking the rules and coming here illegally," he added. When asked if the objective could be achieved by the next general elections, scheduled to take place in 2024, Sunak appeared to dodge the question. However, to regain some of the favour from his partymen, the former chancellor stated his government's approach to tackle the issue was 'ambitious' and that he wasn't 'going to make any apologies for that'. WATCH | UK announces law to stop illegal immigrants × We will detain you: Sunak on illegal migrants last month After Home Secretary Suella Braverman last month tabled the 'Illegal Migration Bill' before the House of Commons, Sunak was a charged man as he issued ultimatum to the illegal migrants crossing the Channel. "Stopping the boats is not just my priority, it's the people's priority. Our position is clear, if you arrive here illegally you will not be able to claim asylum," argued Sunak. "People must know that if they come here illegally it will result in their detention and swift removal. Once this happens, and they know it will happen — they will not come, and the boats will stop." ALSO READ | 'We will detain': UK PM Rishi Sunak defends new bill for crackdown on illegal immigrants Notably, former interior minister Priti Patel in April last year brought the 'Rwanda Asylum Policy' under which immigrants arriving in the UK through 'illegal' means would be sent to the African country of Rwanda to seek asylum. The immigration crisis reached a peak in 2022 when over 45,000 entered the UK, breaking the record of the previous year with more than 17,000. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

'It won't happen overnight...': UK PM Rishi Sunak appears defeatist on illegal migrants issue

An earthquake measuring 7.0 magnitude on the Richter Scale hit Indonesia on Friday evening. The string quake was recorded in the sea north of the Indonesian island of Java, as per a report by the US Geological Survey (USGS). There have been no reports of casualties or damage so far.&nbsp;

The quake struck around 4:55 pm local time (0955 GMT) and the epicentre was detected at a depth of approximately 594 kilometres (370 miles). Despite the intensity of the quake,&nbsp;USGS ruled out the possibility of a tsunami.&nbsp;

Images and videos going viral on social media platforms showed local residents as well as tourists panicking and leaving their houses as buildings swayed for a good few seconds.&nbsp;

Authorities issued evacuations in certain places as a safety measure before allowing the people back.&nbsp;

"I thought the wind was blowing, causing my keys to rattle, but it lasted for a while.&nbsp;After that, I felt a tremor which was quite strong and long," a teacher, who was hosting an online class, was quoted as saying by AFP.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/earthquake-of-magnitude-49-hits-indonesias-tanimbar-islands-report-581898">ALSO READ |&nbsp;Earthquake of magnitude 4.9 hits Indonesia's Tanimbar Islands: Report</a>

Indonesia, a country of over 270 million people suffers frequent earthquakes, primarily because it lies in the&nbsp;"Pacific Ring of Fire", a seismically active zone where different plates of the earth's crust meet.

A day before, a 4.9-magnitude&nbsp;hit the Tanimbar Islands of Indonesia.&nbsp;There were no casualties. Local media said there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries but&nbsp;some residents said their homes shook for a good measure.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/killer-earthquake-in-indonesia-strong-tremors-topple-houses-in-java-536179">WATCH |&nbsp;Killer Earthquake in Indonesia: Strong tremors topple houses in Java</a>

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Earlier this month, on April 3, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Sumatra island, shaking homes but causing no casualties.&nbsp;

Last year in November, a 5.6 magnitude quake hit the West Java province and caused tremendous devastation. 602 people lost their lives while&nbsp;thousands were left injured.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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An earthquake measuring 7.0 magnitude on the Richter Scale hit Indonesia on Friday evening. The string quake was recorded in the sea north of the Indonesian island of Java, as per a report by the US Geological Survey (USGS).

An earthquake measuring 7.0 magnitude on the Richter Scale hit Indonesia on Friday evening. The string quake was recorded in the sea north of the Indonesian island of Java, as per a report by the US Geological Survey (USGS). There have been no reports of casualties or damage so far. The quake struck around 4:55 pm local time (0955 GMT) and the epicentre was detected at a depth of approximately 594 kilometres (370 miles). Despite the intensity of the quake, USGS ruled out the possibility of a tsunami. Images and videos going viral on social media platforms showed local residents as well as tourists panicking and leaving their houses as buildings swayed for a good few seconds. Authorities issued evacuations in certain places as a safety measure before allowing the people back. "I thought the wind was blowing, causing my keys to rattle, but it lasted for a while. After that, I felt a tremor which was quite strong and long," a teacher, who was hosting an online class, was quoted as saying by AFP. ALSO READ | Earthquake of magnitude 4.9 hits Indonesia's Tanimbar Islands: Report Indonesia, a country of over 270 million people suffers frequent earthquakes, primarily because it lies in the "Pacific Ring of Fire", a seismically active zone where different plates of the earth's crust meet. A day before, a 4.9-magnitude hit the Tanimbar Islands of Indonesia. There were no casualties. Local media said there were no immediate reports of damage or injuries but some residents said their homes shook for a good measure. WATCH | Killer Earthquake in Indonesia: Strong tremors topple houses in Java × Earlier this month, on April 3, a 6.1-magnitude earthquake struck Sumatra island, shaking homes but causing no casualties. Last year in November, a 5.6 magnitude quake hit the West Java province and caused tremendous devastation. 602 people lost their lives while thousands were left injured. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Strong earthquake of magnitude 7.0 hits Indonesia's Java Islands: Reports

Days after French President Emmanuel Macron visited China, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has also dropped anchor&nbsp;in the capital city of Beijing. After a meeting with her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang, Baerbock urged Beijing to call out 'aggressor' Russia to stop the ongoing war in Ukraine.

"It is good that China has signalled its commitment to a solution but I have to say frankly that I wonder why the Chinese position so far does not include a call on the aggressor Russia to stop the war," said Baerbock.&nbsp;

Qin replied to Baerbock's statement by saying, "The only way to resolve the Ukraine crisis is to promote peace and talks."

"Territory is indivisible, and security is also indivisible.&nbsp;Without recognition of the security interests of a particular party, crises and conflicts are inevitable," added Qin.&nbsp;

Soon after&nbsp;Baerbock's meeting with Qin, the Chinese side issued a statement announcing that Defence Minister&nbsp;Li Shangfu will be embarking on a trip to Russia from Sunday.&nbsp;

Germany has been supplying arms to Ukraine throughout the war while there have been allegations that China has armed Russia. However, Beijing has time and again denied the claims saying it does not want to get involved in the war.&nbsp;

“Regarding the export of military items, China adopts a prudent and responsible attitude.&nbsp; China will not provide weapons to relevant parties of the conflict, and manage and control the exports of dual-use items in accordance with laws and regulations,” Qin said at a news conference alongside&nbsp;Baerbock.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>China and its neutral stance</h2>

Notably, ever since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, China has established a "no-limits" friendship with Russia where it has refused to denounce Moscow's aggressiveness, all the while presenting itself as impartial.

When President Xi Jinping visited Russia last month, the Chinese side prepared a 12-point peace plan for ending the war. The paper reiterates Beijing's talking points for Ukraine. However, the Western world at the time stated that if Beijing's plan was followed, it will allow Putin to “freeze” the territorial gains in the country.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/xi-jinping-departs-russia-after-series-of-meetings-with-vladimir-putin-five-key-points-574572">ALSO READ |&nbsp;Xi Jinping departs for Beijing after series of meetings with Putin. Five key points of his Russia visit</a>

<h2>Russia-China denounce the Western world</h2>

The joint statement issued after the Xi-Putin summit&nbsp;took potshots at the Western countries by terming them as the 'confrontational bloc' which did not want the war to end.&nbsp;

“Russia reaffirmed that it was committed to restarting peace talks as soon as possible, and China expressed its approval,” read an excerpt from the joint statement.&nbsp;

“Settlement of the Ukraine crisis must respect the reasonable security concerns of every country and prevent the formation of confrontational blocs that add fuel to the flames,” it added.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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Days after French President Emmanuel Macron visited China, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has also dropped anchor in the capital city of Beijing. After a meeting with her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang, Baerbock urged Beijing to call out 'aggressor' Russia to stop the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Days after French President Emmanuel Macron visited China, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock has also dropped anchor in the capital city of Beijing. After a meeting with her Chinese counterpart Qin Gang, Baerbock urged Beijing to call out 'aggressor' Russia to stop the ongoing war in Ukraine. "It is good that China has signalled its commitment to a solution but I have to say frankly that I wonder why the Chinese position so far does not include a call on the aggressor Russia to stop the war," said Baerbock. Qin replied to Baerbock's statement by saying, "The only way to resolve the Ukraine crisis is to promote peace and talks." "Territory is indivisible, and security is also indivisible. Without recognition of the security interests of a particular party, crises and conflicts are inevitable," added Qin. Soon after Baerbock's meeting with Qin, the Chinese side issued a statement announcing that Defence Minister Li Shangfu will be embarking on a trip to Russia from Sunday. Germany has been supplying arms to Ukraine throughout the war while there have been allegations that China has armed Russia. However, Beijing has time and again denied the claims saying it does not want to get involved in the war. “Regarding the export of military items, China adopts a prudent and responsible attitude. China will not provide weapons to relevant parties of the conflict, and manage and control the exports of dual-use items in accordance with laws and regulations,” Qin said at a news conference alongside Baerbock. China and its neutral stance Notably, ever since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out, China has established a "no-limits" friendship with Russia where it has refused to denounce Moscow's aggressiveness, all the while presenting itself as impartial. When President Xi Jinping visited Russia last month, the Chinese side prepared a 12-point peace plan for ending the war. The paper reiterates Beijing's talking points for Ukraine. However, the Western world at the time stated that if Beijing's plan was followed, it will allow Putin to “freeze” the territorial gains in the country. ALSO READ | Xi Jinping departs for Beijing after series of meetings with Putin. Five key points of his Russia visit Russia-China denounce the Western world The joint statement issued after the Xi-Putin summit took potshots at the Western countries by terming them as the 'confrontational bloc' which did not want the war to end. “Russia reaffirmed that it was committed to restarting peace talks as soon as possible, and China expressed its approval,” read an excerpt from the joint statement. “Settlement of the Ukraine crisis must respect the reasonable security concerns of every country and prevent the formation of confrontational blocs that add fuel to the flames,” it added. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Germany urges China to call out aggressor ‘Russia’ on Ukraine war, Beijing sticks to neutral line

Four years after scientists captured the rare image of a black hole, situated at the centre of the galaxy M87, located 53 million light-years from Earth, artificial intelligence has given a major touch-up to the cosmic photograph.&nbsp;

The image captured by the Event Horizons Telescope (EHT) in 2019 revealed a blurry, red-orange fiery, doughnut-shaped object. The updated picture using AI has been published in the&nbsp;Astrophysical Journal Letters which shows the same shape of the black hole, albeit with a much sharper resolution. Meaning, the ring around the black hole appears skinnier and centre, much 'darker'.&nbsp;

To provide a better image, the scientists used PRIMO, a dictionary-learning-based algorithm that used simulations of the accretion disk as a training set.&nbsp;

"By learning the correlations between the different regions of the space of interferometric data, this approach allows us to recover high-fidelity images even in the presence of sparse coverage and reach the nominal resolution of the EHT array," stated the new research.

<h2>AI filled the gaps&nbsp;</h2>

When the image was released in 2019, it was a monumental feat, for it was the first time humanity had seen what an actual black hole looked like. It was made using the EHT which employs&nbsp;numerous synchronized radio telescopes situated across the planet, forming one giant telescope, roughly the size of the Earth.

However, despite an Earth-sized telescope working night and day, gaps remained in the data. The scientists using AI relied on the same data but filled the gaps using machine learning.&nbsp;

<img alt="Black hole" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="91e13e4b-8947-4c92-b7e9-9f9c684c1189" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Copy%20of%20Untitled%20%283%29.png" />

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/a-supermassive-blackhole-has-changed-direction-and-now-facing-earth-say-scientists-576080">ALSO READ |&nbsp;A supermassive blackhole has changed direction and now facing Earth, say scientists</a>

At first glance, the black hole picture might confuse a layman. However, the picture captured is the same as shown in Interstellar — an Oscar-winning movie that simulated a black hole with remarkable accuracy.&nbsp;

In the movie, the black hole, named Gargantuan was&nbsp;shown from the plane of the accretion disk, while the one&nbsp;captured by the EHT shows it in an angular way, up from the poles.

<h2>Black hole captured at the centre of our galaxy</h2>

While scientists captured the image of a black hole situated in a distant galaxy, three years later, they released an image of another&nbsp;supermassive black hole called Sagittarius A* (pronounced “Sagittarius A-star”, and abbreviated as Sgr A*) — this time&nbsp;situated in the heart of our Milky Way galaxy.&nbsp;

Both images of the black holes were similar but the scientists said capturing&nbsp;Sgr A* was much more difficult.&nbsp;

“The gas in the vicinity of the black holes moves at the same speed — nearly as fast as light —&nbsp;around both Sgr A* and M87*. But where gas takes days to weeks to orbit the larger M87*, in the much smaller Sgr A* it completes an orbit in mere minutes. This means the brightness and pattern of the gas around Sgr A* was changing rapidly as the EHT Collaboration was observing it — a bit like trying to take a clear picture of a puppy quickly chasing its tail," said&nbsp;EHT scientist Chi-kwan (‘CK’) Chan.&nbsp;

Most black holes are formed when stars reach the end of their lives. While a significant number of stars inflate to become red giants, they later cool down to&nbsp;metamorphose into a white dwarf. However, those much bigger than our solar system's star (10 to 20 times massive) become super-dense neutron stars or so-called stellar-mass black holes.

(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE:&nbsp;

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Four years after scientists captured the rare image of a black hole, situated at the centre of the galaxy M87, located 53 million light-years from Earth, artificial intelligence has given a major touch-up to the cosmic photograph.

Four years after scientists captured the rare image of a black hole, situated at the centre of the galaxy M87, located 53 million light-years from Earth, artificial intelligence has given a major touch-up to the cosmic photograph. The image captured by the Event Horizons Telescope (EHT) in 2019 revealed a blurry, red-orange fiery, doughnut-shaped object. The updated picture using AI has been published in the Astrophysical Journal Letters which shows the same shape of the black hole, albeit with a much sharper resolution. Meaning, the ring around the black hole appears skinnier and centre, much 'darker'. To provide a better image, the scientists used PRIMO, a dictionary-learning-based algorithm that used simulations of the accretion disk as a training set. "By learning the correlations between the different regions of the space of interferometric data, this approach allows us to recover high-fidelity images even in the presence of sparse coverage and reach the nominal resolution of the EHT array," stated the new research. AI filled the gaps When the image was released in 2019, it was a monumental feat, for it was the first time humanity had seen what an actual black hole looked like. It was made using the EHT which employs numerous synchronized radio telescopes situated across the planet, forming one giant telescope, roughly the size of the Earth. However, despite an Earth-sized telescope working night and day, gaps remained in the data. The scientists using AI relied on the same data but filled the gaps using machine learning. ALSO READ | A supermassive blackhole has changed direction and now facing Earth, say scientists At first glance, the black hole picture might confuse a layman. However, the picture captured is the same as shown in Interstellar — an Oscar-winning movie that simulated a black hole with remarkable accuracy. In the movie, the black hole, named Gargantuan was shown from the plane of the accretion disk, while the one captured by the EHT shows it in an angular way, up from the poles. Black hole captured at the centre of our galaxy While scientists captured the image of a black hole situated in a distant galaxy, three years later, they released an image of another supermassive black hole called Sagittarius A* (pronounced “Sagittarius A-star”, and abbreviated as Sgr A*) — this time situated in the heart of our Milky Way galaxy. Both images of the black holes were similar but the scientists said capturing Sgr A* was much more difficult. “The gas in the vicinity of the black holes moves at the same speed — nearly as fast as light — around both Sgr A* and M87*. But where gas takes days to weeks to orbit the larger M87*, in the much smaller Sgr A* it completes an orbit in mere minutes. This means the brightness and pattern of the gas around Sgr A* was changing rapidly as the EHT Collaboration was observing it — a bit like trying to take a clear picture of a puppy quickly chasing its tail," said EHT scientist Chi-kwan (‘CK’) Chan. Most black holes are formed when stars reach the end of their lives. While a significant number of stars inflate to become red giants, they later cool down to metamorphose into a white dwarf. However, those much bigger than our solar system's star (10 to 20 times massive) become super-dense neutron stars or so-called stellar-mass black holes. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Scientists re-release first image of black hole with AI makeover. Watch

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