OpenAI and its powerful CEO Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT, have been making headlines for disrupting the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and bringing technological advances to a never-known pedestal. 
 
However, on November 17, the dysfunctional corporate relations of OpenAI's boardroom came into public view after Altman was fired by four of its members over a 'quick' call on Google Meet. 
 
The sudden dismissal of the man at the helm was followed by five turbulent days as nearly 770 employees of the company were rallied by Altman for his reinstatement and the resignation of the entire board. 
 
On Tuesday night (Nov 21), 38-year-old Altman made a shocking comeback to the company and replaced almost the entire board which once ousted him and cemented his position at the helm of OpenAI.

<h2>Who is Sam Altman – the poster boy of AI?</h2>

Sam Altman is one of the co-founders of OpenAI, which is the company that created the chatbot ChatGPT and is based in San Francisco. Altman came into the spotlight after the ChatGPT's explosion since it arrived a year ago and generative AI, which had the capability to produce passages of text, novel imagery and other media, saw its rapid commercialisation. 
 
In no time, Altman became the most sought-after voice of Silicon Valley on the potential dangers and benefits of this technology.&nbsp; OpenAI was transformed into a world-renowned startup by Altman.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chatgpt-makers-sam-altman-greg-brockman-fired-over-quick-call-on-google-meet-660056">ChatGPT makers Sam Altman, Greg Brockman fired over 'quick' call on Google Meet</a>

Altman even received $1 billion from Microsoft in funding, as the Big Tech giant agreed to licence and commercialise some of the technology of OpenAI. 
 
Even after a for-profit subsidiary's establishment, OpenAI worked continuously towards its core mission: to control the development of artificial general intelligence to “benefit all humanity”.

<h2>Why Altman had a fallout with other board members?</h2>

The sudden success of ChatGPT was reported to have sparked tensions among the top leadership of OpenAI. As per the media reports, board members like one of the co-founders and AI researcher Ilya Sutskever grew increasingly worried about their technology posing potential dangers to society. 
 
The members also felt that Altman was not looking into these risks and was more concerned about growing the business of OpenAI. 
 
The rift in the boardroom culminated in a coup on November 18 as Altman was ousted. The board of directors of OpenAI had the power to decide the leadership of the company without any influence from its investors, which gave them the autonomy to kick out Altman. 
 
Sutskever along with other board members which included Adam D’Angelo (CEO of Q&amp;A forum Quora), Helen Toner (an AI safety researcher at Georgetown University), and Tasha McCauley (entrepreneur) sacked Altman, who was also a board member but lacked the majority needed for overturning the decision. 
 
President, co-founder of OpenAI and board member Greg Brockman, who was not a part of the decision-making process, also quit after Altman's dismissal.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/openais-board-which-sacked-sam-atlman-replaced-except-for-one-661953">OpenAI's board which sacked Sam Altman replaced, except for one</a>

The board stated that after a review they found that Altman was “not consistently candid in his communications” with the board. “The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI,” the artificial intelligence company said in a statement. 
 
The statement further said that the behaviour of the CEO was “hindering” the ability of the board to exercise its responsibilities.

<h2>How did Sam Altman return to OpenAI within five days?</h2>

Soon after Altman was fired, more than 500 of 770 employees of OpenAI signed an open letter which called for the resignation of the board. The board was accused in the letter of being “incapable of overseeing OpenAI”. 
 
“We are unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgement and care for our mission and employees,” it added. The signatories threatened to resign and instead work for Altman and Microsoft's newly formed subsidiary. 
 
Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella extended support to Altman after his firing. The board members of OpenAI rejected any pressure to reverse the decision from Microsoft and other investors. 
 
On November 20, Nadella announced that both Altman and Brockman will be heading a new advanced AI research team at Microsoft. “We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI and have confidence in our product roadmap, our ability to continue to innovate with everything we announced at Microsoft Ignite, and in continuing to support our customers and partners," announced Nadella.

Watch:&nbsp;Sam Altman to launch new AI firm?

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Microsoft is the largest investor in OpenAI with a stake worth more than $10 billion. Former Twitch boss Emmett Shear was appointed as interim CEO of OpenAI on November 20. 
 
The OpenAI saga came to an end on November 22 after the announcement of the return of Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. "We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo," said the company in a post on X. 
 
After the announcement, Nadella said that this is "a first essential step" to build a "more stable, well-informed, and effective governance" in OpenAI. A full stop was placed to the chaotic period with the dismissal of almost all the board members who participated in the coup.

(With inputs from agencies)

OpenAI and its powerful CEO Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT, have been making headlines for disrupting the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and bringing technological advances to a never-known pedestal.

OpenAI and its powerful CEO Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT, have been making headlines for disrupting the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and bringing technological advances to a never-known pedestal. However, on November 17, the dysfunctional corporate relations of OpenAI's boardroom came into public view after Altman was fired by four of its members over a 'quick' call on Google Meet. The sudden dismissal of the man at the helm was followed by five turbulent days as nearly 770 employees of the company were rallied by Altman for his reinstatement and the resignation of the entire board. On Tuesday night (Nov 21), 38-year-old Altman made a shocking comeback to the company and replaced almost the entire board which once ousted him and cemented his position at the helm of OpenAI. Who is Sam Altman – the poster boy of AI? Sam Altman is one of the co-founders of OpenAI, which is the company that created the chatbot ChatGPT and is based in San Francisco. Altman came into the spotlight after the ChatGPT's explosion since it arrived a year ago and generative AI, which had the capability to produce passages of text, novel imagery and other media, saw its rapid commercialisation. In no time, Altman became the most sought-after voice of Silicon Valley on the potential dangers and benefits of this technology. OpenAI was transformed into a world-renowned startup by Altman. Also read: ChatGPT makers Sam Altman, Greg Brockman fired over 'quick' call on Google Meet Altman even received $1 billion from Microsoft in funding, as the Big Tech giant agreed to licence and commercialise some of the technology of OpenAI. Even after a for-profit subsidiary's establishment, OpenAI worked continuously towards its core mission: to control the development of artificial general intelligence to “benefit all humanity”. Why Altman had a fallout with other board members? The sudden success of ChatGPT was reported to have sparked tensions among the top leadership of OpenAI. As per the media reports, board members like one of the co-founders and AI researcher Ilya Sutskever grew increasingly worried about their technology posing potential dangers to society. The members also felt that Altman was not looking into these risks and was more concerned about growing the business of OpenAI. The rift in the boardroom culminated in a coup on November 18 as Altman was ousted. The board of directors of OpenAI had the power to decide the leadership of the company without any influence from its investors, which gave them the autonomy to kick out Altman. Sutskever along with other board members which included Adam D’Angelo (CEO of Q&A forum Quora), Helen Toner (an AI safety researcher at Georgetown University), and Tasha McCauley (entrepreneur) sacked Altman, who was also a board member but lacked the majority needed for overturning the decision. President, co-founder of OpenAI and board member Greg Brockman, who was not a part of the decision-making process, also quit after Altman's dismissal. Also read: OpenAI's board which sacked Sam Altman replaced, except for one The board stated that after a review they found that Altman was “not consistently candid in his communications” with the board. “The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI,” the artificial intelligence company said in a statement. The statement further said that the behaviour of the CEO was “hindering” the ability of the board to exercise its responsibilities. How did Sam Altman return to OpenAI within five days? Soon after Altman was fired, more than 500 of 770 employees of OpenAI signed an open letter which called for the resignation of the board. The board was accused in the letter of being “incapable of overseeing OpenAI”. “We are unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgement and care for our mission and employees,” it added. The signatories threatened to resign and instead work for Altman and Microsoft's newly formed subsidiary. Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella extended support to Altman after his firing. The board members of OpenAI rejected any pressure to reverse the decision from Microsoft and other investors. On November 20, Nadella announced that both Altman and Brockman will be heading a new advanced AI research team at Microsoft. “We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI and have confidence in our product roadmap, our ability to continue to innovate with everything we announced at Microsoft Ignite, and in continuing to support our customers and partners," announced Nadella. Watch: Sam Altman to launch new AI firm? Microsoft is the largest investor in OpenAI with a stake worth more than $10 billion. Former Twitch boss Emmett Shear was appointed as interim CEO of OpenAI on November 20. The OpenAI saga came to an end on November 22 after the announcement of the return of Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. "We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo," said the company in a post on X. After the announcement, Nadella said that this is "a first essential step" to build a "more stable, well-informed, and effective governance" in OpenAI. A full stop was placed to the chaotic period with the dismissal of almost all the board members who participated in the coup. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained: How OpenAI's boardroom coup was defeated by Sam Altman, AI world's disruptor-in-chief

An international team of astronomers, with the use of NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), discovered two new "hot Jupiter" exoplanets. 
 
The newly-discovered alien worlds, which have been named TOI-4377 b and TOI-4551 b, are both orbit distant red-giant stars. The discoveries were reported in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society on November 8. 
 
TESS, which was launched in April 2018, has been conducting a survey of nearly 200,000 of the brightest stars near the sun. The survey is aimed at searching for transiting exoplanets, which range from small, rocky worlds to gaseous giants.

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To date, it has identified around 7,000 candidate exoplanets (TESS Objects of Interest, or TOI), among which 402 have so far been confirmed. 
 
A team of astronomers, headed by Filipe Pereira of the University of Porto, Portugal, confirmed spotting another two TOIs with the help of TESS. A transit signal was identified by them in the light curve of red-giant stars which are called TOI-4377 and TOI-4551, and are located 1,486 and 704 light years away. 
 
In follow-up radial velocity observations, with the use of ground-based telescopes, the astronomers verified the planetary nature of these signals. "The planets were found during a search for transits around bright, low-luminosity red-giant branch stars observed by TESS in the southern ecliptic hemisphere," the researchers said, in the paper.

<h2>Researchers label exoplanets as 'hot Jupiters'</h2>

The radius of TOI-4377 b is about 1.35 Jupiter radii and it has a mass of some 0.96 Jupiter masses. The planet has been observed to be orbiting its host every 4.38 days, from a distance of 0.058 AU, and its equilibrium temperature. 
 
The radius of planet TOI-4551 b is about 6 per cent larger compared to Jupiter, while its mass is nearly 1.49 Jupiter masses. As per the observations, TOI-4551 b has an orbital period of nearly 10 days.

Watch:&nbsp;SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites into orbit, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base | WION

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They are both nearly 3.5 times larger compared to the sun and have effective temperatures of nearly 5,000 K. It has been estimated that TOI-4377 is nearly 3.88 billion years old, and TOI-4551 is around 1 billion years older. 
 
Concluding the observations, the papers' authors stated that TOI-4377 b and TOI-4551 are both classified as "hot Jupiters" and are an example of giant alien worlds which have short orbital periods. 
 
"All in all, the two newly confirmed planets enrich the existing population of known hot Jupiters orbiting evolved hosts. They should prove particularly relevant to demographic studies of short-period giant planets around red-giant stars, where only a handful of planets are known," explained the researchers.

(With inputs from agencies)

An international team of astronomers, with the use of NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), discovered two new "hot Jupiter" exoplanets. The newly-discovered alien worlds, which have been named TOI-4377 b and TOI-4551 b, are both orbit distant red-giant stars.

An international team of astronomers, with the use of NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), discovered two new "hot Jupiter" exoplanets. The newly-discovered alien worlds, which have been named TOI-4377 b and TOI-4551 b, are both orbit distant red-giant stars. The discoveries were reported in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society on November 8. TESS, which was launched in April 2018, has been conducting a survey of nearly 200,000 of the brightest stars near the sun. The survey is aimed at searching for transiting exoplanets, which range from small, rocky worlds to gaseous giants. Also Read: Laser message reaches Earth from nearly 10 million miles away in space To date, it has identified around 7,000 candidate exoplanets (TESS Objects of Interest, or TOI), among which 402 have so far been confirmed. A team of astronomers, headed by Filipe Pereira of the University of Porto, Portugal, confirmed spotting another two TOIs with the help of TESS. A transit signal was identified by them in the light curve of red-giant stars which are called TOI-4377 and TOI-4551, and are located 1,486 and 704 light years away. In follow-up radial velocity observations, with the use of ground-based telescopes, the astronomers verified the planetary nature of these signals. "The planets were found during a search for transits around bright, low-luminosity red-giant branch stars observed by TESS in the southern ecliptic hemisphere," the researchers said, in the paper. Researchers label exoplanets as 'hot Jupiters' The radius of TOI-4377 b is about 1.35 Jupiter radii and it has a mass of some 0.96 Jupiter masses. The planet has been observed to be orbiting its host every 4.38 days, from a distance of 0.058 AU, and its equilibrium temperature. The radius of planet TOI-4551 b is about 6 per cent larger compared to Jupiter, while its mass is nearly 1.49 Jupiter masses. As per the observations, TOI-4551 b has an orbital period of nearly 10 days. Watch: SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites into orbit, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base | WION They are both nearly 3.5 times larger compared to the sun and have effective temperatures of nearly 5,000 K. It has been estimated that TOI-4377 is nearly 3.88 billion years old, and TOI-4551 is around 1 billion years older. Concluding the observations, the papers' authors stated that TOI-4377 b and TOI-4551 are both classified as "hot Jupiters" and are an example of giant alien worlds which have short orbital periods. "All in all, the two newly confirmed planets enrich the existing population of known hot Jupiters orbiting evolved hosts. They should prove particularly relevant to demographic studies of short-period giant planets around red-giant stars, where only a handful of planets are known," explained the researchers. (With inputs from agencies)

Alien worlds: Astronomers discover two new 'hot Jupiters'. Here's all about these exoplanets

After the Starship was launched by Space X last week, it was followed by an emotional moment as the founder of the company and the richest man in the world Elon Musk met his father Errol Musk after seven years. 
 
As per a report published in The Sun, the reunion happened at Boca Chica in Texas. The launch was attended by Errol Musk with his former wife Heide as well as granddaughter Cora. 
 
The father and son have shared a tense relationship in the last few years, however, this time they decided to put their differences aside and meet each other. 
 
The last time the father-son duo was together was in 2016 when Elon Musk celebrated his father's 70th birthday along with his brother Kimbal, according to The Sun.

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It reported that Errol Musk was taken by surprise after he received the invite for the launch of Starship. "The family cried. It was pretty emotional stuff. Errol was very happy to see Elon, and Elon appeared very happy to see his father," said Heidi, while speaking to The Sun. 
 
"They immediately sat down at Elon's table next to one another and started talking as though no time had passed," she further added. 
 
Heidi called it a "touching moment" and said that the father and son spoke to each other for a long time.

<h2>SpaceX announces 'incredibly successful day'</h2>

This was the first time that the Starship spacecraft was able to go into space after the launch. However, eight minutes after lift-off, the spacecraft exploded above the Gulf of Mexico. 
 
However, a SpaceX announcer called it an "incredibly successful day". "Even though we did have a... rapid unscheduled disassembly of both the Super Heavy Booster and the ship," said the announcer.

Watch:&nbsp;Elon Musk's Tesla to enter India soon?

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Unlike the previous attempt which was made in April, there was a successful separation of the booster rocket from the mega ship, however, the rocket blew up and shortly after the spaceship also blasted into space. 
 
Elon Musk has been hoping that Starship will be used one day for colonising Mars. At the launch, after the combination of the two stages of Starship, the rocket stood 397 feet (121 metres) tall, which is more than the Statue of Liberty's height of 90 feet. 
 
Starship is the largest rocket ever created and its launch was among the biggest events for SpaceX.

(With inputs from agencies)

After the Starship was launched by Space X last week, it was followed by an emotional moment as the founder of the company and the richest man in the world Elon Musk met his father Errol Musk after seven years.

After the Starship was launched by Space X last week, it was followed by an emotional moment as the founder of the company and the richest man in the world Elon Musk met his father Errol Musk after seven years. As per a report published in The Sun, the reunion happened at Boca Chica in Texas. The launch was attended by Errol Musk with his former wife Heide as well as granddaughter Cora. The father and son have shared a tense relationship in the last few years, however, this time they decided to put their differences aside and meet each other. The last time the father-son duo was together was in 2016 when Elon Musk celebrated his father's 70th birthday along with his brother Kimbal, according to The Sun. Also read: Elon Musk says X will donate ad revenue linked to war to hospitals in Israel and Gaza It reported that Errol Musk was taken by surprise after he received the invite for the launch of Starship. "The family cried. It was pretty emotional stuff. Errol was very happy to see Elon, and Elon appeared very happy to see his father," said Heidi, while speaking to The Sun. "They immediately sat down at Elon's table next to one another and started talking as though no time had passed," she further added. Heidi called it a "touching moment" and said that the father and son spoke to each other for a long time. SpaceX announces 'incredibly successful day' This was the first time that the Starship spacecraft was able to go into space after the launch. However, eight minutes after lift-off, the spacecraft exploded above the Gulf of Mexico. However, a SpaceX announcer called it an "incredibly successful day". "Even though we did have a... rapid unscheduled disassembly of both the Super Heavy Booster and the ship," said the announcer. Watch: Elon Musk's Tesla to enter India soon? Unlike the previous attempt which was made in April, there was a successful separation of the booster rocket from the mega ship, however, the rocket blew up and shortly after the spaceship also blasted into space. Elon Musk has been hoping that Starship will be used one day for colonising Mars. At the launch, after the combination of the two stages of Starship, the rocket stood 397 feet (121 metres) tall, which is more than the Statue of Liberty's height of 90 feet. Starship is the largest rocket ever created and its launch was among the biggest events for SpaceX. (With inputs from agencies)

Elon Musk meets his father after 7 years: 'The family cried'

OpenAI was working on an advanced system which was so powerful that it led to safety concerns among the company's staff, as per reports, before CEO Sam Altman was sacked. 
 
Some OpenAI researchers were alarmed by the artificial intelligence model to such an extent that they wrote to the board of directors warning that it may threaten humanity, reported Reuters. 
 
The model, which was named Q* – and pronounced as “Q-Star” – had the ability to solve basic maths questions it had never seen before, as reported by the tech news site The Information. The report added that the speed with which the system was being developed alarmed few safety researchers.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-how-openais-boardroom-coup-was-defeated-by-sam-altman-ai-worlds-disruptor-in-chief-662088">Explained: How OpenAI's boardroom coup was defeated by Sam Altman, AI world's disruptor-in-chief</a>

The ability to solve math questions will be seen as a significant development in AI. The report surfaced days after the turmoil in the boardroom of San Francisco-based OpenAI, which started with the sacking of Altman and ended with his reinstatement after almost all the 750 staff of the company threatened to resign if the CEO was not brought back. 
 
Altman was also supported by the biggest investor of OpenAI – Microsoft.

<h2>Is OpenAI moving too fast? Experts raise concern over its 'speed'</h2>

Many experts have raised concerns that companies like OpenAI have been moving too fast towards the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI), which is the term used for a system which can perform vast numbers of tasks at human or above human levels of intelligence. 
 
Speaking to The Guardian, the Institute for People-Centred AI at the University of Surrey's Andrew Rogoyski said that the maths-solving large language model's (LLM) existence will be a breakthrough.

Watch:&nbsp;OpenAI said to be considering developing its own AI chips

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“The intrinsic ability of LLMs to do maths is a major step forward, allowing AIs to offer a whole new swathe of analytical capabilities,” he stated. 
 
Speaking a day before he was sacked, Altman stated that another breakthrough had been made by the company behind ChatGPT. 
 
While speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit, he stated, “Four times now in the history of OpenAI, the most recent time was just in the last couple weeks, I’ve gotten to be in the room, when we sort of push the veil of ignorance back and the frontier of discovery forward, and getting to do that is the professional honour of a lifetime.”

(With inputs from agencies)

OpenAI was working on an advanced system which was so powerful that it led to safety concerns among the company's staff, as per reports, before CEO Sam Altman was sacked.

OpenAI was working on an advanced system which was so powerful that it led to safety concerns among the company's staff, as per reports, before CEO Sam Altman was sacked. Some OpenAI researchers were alarmed by the artificial intelligence model to such an extent that they wrote to the board of directors warning that it may threaten humanity, reported Reuters. The model, which was named Q* – and pronounced as “Q-Star” – had the ability to solve basic maths questions it had never seen before, as reported by the tech news site The Information. The report added that the speed with which the system was being developed alarmed few safety researchers. Also read: Explained: How OpenAI's boardroom coup was defeated by Sam Altman, AI world's disruptor-in-chief The ability to solve math questions will be seen as a significant development in AI. The report surfaced days after the turmoil in the boardroom of San Francisco-based OpenAI, which started with the sacking of Altman and ended with his reinstatement after almost all the 750 staff of the company threatened to resign if the CEO was not brought back. Altman was also supported by the biggest investor of OpenAI – Microsoft. Is OpenAI moving too fast? Experts raise concern over its 'speed' Many experts have raised concerns that companies like OpenAI have been moving too fast towards the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI), which is the term used for a system which can perform vast numbers of tasks at human or above human levels of intelligence. Speaking to The Guardian, the Institute for People-Centred AI at the University of Surrey's Andrew Rogoyski said that the maths-solving large language model's (LLM) existence will be a breakthrough. Watch: OpenAI said to be considering developing its own AI chips “The intrinsic ability of LLMs to do maths is a major step forward, allowing AIs to offer a whole new swathe of analytical capabilities,” he stated. Speaking a day before he was sacked, Altman stated that another breakthrough had been made by the company behind ChatGPT. While speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit, he stated, “Four times now in the history of OpenAI, the most recent time was just in the last couple weeks, I’ve gotten to be in the room, when we sort of push the veil of ignorance back and the frontier of discovery forward, and getting to do that is the professional honour of a lifetime.” (With inputs from agencies)

OpenAI was creating THIS powerful 'model' which left staff 'alarmed' before Altman's sacking

In new research, scientists have found a way to reverse the premature ageing of the brain accelerated by COVID-19 infection, by killing 'zombie' cells. 
 
A team of researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia used lab-grown mini-brains, made with the help of human stem cells, to investigate how&nbsp;variants of SARS-CoV-2 affect brain tissues. 
 
Each of the cells in the body acts as a tiny molecular factory in which essential processes needed for the survival of our bodies are carried out. Dangerous waste products are produced by these processes which build over time and damage the DNA and molecular machinery.

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At some point, the cells shut down essentially and are no longer capable of cell division. However, these so-called senescent cells, which are also called zombie cells, start producing proteins and other molecules that can lead to inflammation. 
 
"Senescent cells are known to drive tissue inflammation and degeneration, leaving patients exposed to cognitive impairments like brain fog and memory loss," said Julio Aguado, a research fellow at the university's Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and lead author of this research, in a statement. 
 
Aguado and his team in the study discovered that SARS-CoV-2 accelerates the buildup of zombie cells which leads to premature aging. 
 
"We found COVID-19 accelerates the presence of 'zombie' or senescent cells, which accumulate naturally and gradually in the brain as we get older," stated Aguado. 
 
"We used the brain organoids (aka the mini-brains) to screen a range of therapeutics, looking for any capable of removing those senescent cells," he added.

<h2>Four common drugs destroy Covid-induced zombie cells</h2>

In the study, which was published in the journal Nature Aging, it was found that four common drugs selectively destroyed Covid-induced zombie cells. These are: navitoclax, ABT-737, fisetin and a combination of dasatinib and quercetin.

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"More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms at play, but this study marks a significant step forward in our knowledge of the intricate relationship between viral infections, ageing and neurological well-being. Long term, we can expect widespread use of these drugs to treat persistent post-acute infection syndromes caused by viral infections like COVID-19,” Aguado said. 
 
The study has also proved how synthetically grown humanlike organs can be used in a laboratory setting. 
 
"Our study beautifully demonstrates how human brain models can accelerate the preclinical screening of therapeutics, while also moving towards animal-free testing, with potentially global impacts," said Ernst Wolvetang, an organoid expert at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, in a statement. 
 
"This same method of drug screening could also help Alzheimer's research and a whole host of neurodegenerative diseases where senescence is a driver,” Wolvetang added.

(With inputs from agencies)

In new research, scientists have found a way to reverse the premature ageing of the brain accelerated by COVID-19 infection, by killing 'zombie' cells. A team of researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia used lab-grown mini-brains, made with the help of human stem cells, to investigate how variants of SARS-CoV-2 affect brain tissues.

In new research, scientists have found a way to reverse the premature ageing of the brain accelerated by COVID-19 infection, by killing 'zombie' cells. A team of researchers from the University of Queensland in Australia used lab-grown mini-brains, made with the help of human stem cells, to investigate how variants of SARS-CoV-2 affect brain tissues. Each of the cells in the body acts as a tiny molecular factory in which essential processes needed for the survival of our bodies are carried out. Dangerous waste products are produced by these processes which build over time and damage the DNA and molecular machinery. Also Read: Is human brain failing to process information on Zoom calls? Study says 'yes' At some point, the cells shut down essentially and are no longer capable of cell division. However, these so-called senescent cells, which are also called zombie cells, start producing proteins and other molecules that can lead to inflammation. "Senescent cells are known to drive tissue inflammation and degeneration, leaving patients exposed to cognitive impairments like brain fog and memory loss," said Julio Aguado, a research fellow at the university's Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology and lead author of this research, in a statement. Aguado and his team in the study discovered that SARS-CoV-2 accelerates the buildup of zombie cells which leads to premature aging. "We found COVID-19 accelerates the presence of 'zombie' or senescent cells, which accumulate naturally and gradually in the brain as we get older," stated Aguado. "We used the brain organoids (aka the mini-brains) to screen a range of therapeutics, looking for any capable of removing those senescent cells," he added. Four common drugs destroy Covid-induced zombie cells In the study, which was published in the journal Nature Aging, it was found that four common drugs selectively destroyed Covid-induced zombie cells. These are: navitoclax, ABT-737, fisetin and a combination of dasatinib and quercetin. Watch: How alcohol impacts the brain | Brain can repair damage in 7.3 months "More research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms at play, but this study marks a significant step forward in our knowledge of the intricate relationship between viral infections, ageing and neurological well-being. Long term, we can expect widespread use of these drugs to treat persistent post-acute infection syndromes caused by viral infections like COVID-19,” Aguado said. The study has also proved how synthetically grown humanlike organs can be used in a laboratory setting. "Our study beautifully demonstrates how human brain models can accelerate the preclinical screening of therapeutics, while also moving towards animal-free testing, with potentially global impacts," said Ernst Wolvetang, an organoid expert at the Australian Institute for Bioengineering and Nanotechnology, in a statement. "This same method of drug screening could also help Alzheimer's research and a whole host of neurodegenerative diseases where senescence is a driver,” Wolvetang added. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists say killing 'zombie' cells can reverse brain ageing caused by Covid

More than half a million people were killed due to dirty air in the European Union in 2021, as per estimates, and around half of the deaths may have been avoided by decreasing pollution to the limits recommended by doctors. 
 
The European Environment Agency's researchers attributed 253,000 early deaths to concentrations of fine particles called PM2.5 which breached the maximum guideline limits of the World Health Organization, set at 5µg/m3. 
 
Meanwhile, more than 52,000 deaths were caused by excessive levels of nitrogen dioxide and 22,000 deaths took place due to short-term exposure to increasing levels of ozone. 
 
“The figures released today by the EEA remind us that air pollution is still the number one environmental health problem in the EU,” said Virginijus Sinkevičius, the EU’s environment commissioner, reported The Guardian.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/lifestyle/news-breathing-easier-how-to-minimise-the-impact-of-air-pollution-on-lung-health-656062">Breathing easier! How to minimise the impact of air pollution on lung health</a>

Doctors said that air pollution is among the major reasons for killing of humans, however there will be a quick drop in death tolls if the economies are cleaned up by the countries. 
 
Between 2005 and 2021, the number of deaths caused by PM2.5 declined by 41 per cent in the EU and the EU is aiming to meet a target of 55 per cent by the end of the decade. 
 
The WHO, which tightened the guidelines for air quality in 2021, stated that it is not possible to consider any level of air pollution as safe but added that they have established upper limits for certain pollutants.

<h2>Need to bring pollution levels down: Experts</h2>

In September, the European Parliament voted to align the air quality rules of the EU with the WHO's, however, decided to delay doing so until 2035. 
 
“The good news is that clean air policy works, and our air quality is improving. But we need to do better still, and bring pollution levels down further,” said Sinkevicius.

Watch:&nbsp;South Asia's air pollution woes

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/south-asias-air-pollution-woes-659934/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The EEA for the first time estimated the full burden of disease from air pollution. The researchers, while observing the raw death tolls, worked out how many more years the population would be living along with the diseases brought on by polluted air. 
 
“When people get lung cancer, normally they die very quickly. For other diseases – especially asthma but also diabetes or also chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – there is also an important contribution of this state of living with disability,” said Alberto Gonzalez Ortiz, an EEA air pollution researcher. 
 
“People can live for a long period in a bad condition. Considering only mortality, we were underestimating the impact of air pollution,” he added.

(With inputs from agencies)

More than half a million people were killed due to dirty air in the European Union in 2021, as per estimates, and around half of the deaths may have been avoided by decreasing pollution to the limits recommended by doctors.

More than half a million people were killed due to dirty air in the European Union in 2021, as per estimates, and around half of the deaths may have been avoided by decreasing pollution to the limits recommended by doctors. The European Environment Agency's researchers attributed 253,000 early deaths to concentrations of fine particles called PM2.5 which breached the maximum guideline limits of the World Health Organization, set at 5µg/m3. Meanwhile, more than 52,000 deaths were caused by excessive levels of nitrogen dioxide and 22,000 deaths took place due to short-term exposure to increasing levels of ozone. “The figures released today by the EEA remind us that air pollution is still the number one environmental health problem in the EU,” said Virginijus Sinkevičius, the EU’s environment commissioner, reported The Guardian. Also read: Breathing easier! How to minimise the impact of air pollution on lung health Doctors said that air pollution is among the major reasons for killing of humans, however there will be a quick drop in death tolls if the economies are cleaned up by the countries. Between 2005 and 2021, the number of deaths caused by PM2.5 declined by 41 per cent in the EU and the EU is aiming to meet a target of 55 per cent by the end of the decade. The WHO, which tightened the guidelines for air quality in 2021, stated that it is not possible to consider any level of air pollution as safe but added that they have established upper limits for certain pollutants. Need to bring pollution levels down: Experts In September, the European Parliament voted to align the air quality rules of the EU with the WHO's, however, decided to delay doing so until 2035. “The good news is that clean air policy works, and our air quality is improving. But we need to do better still, and bring pollution levels down further,” said Sinkevicius. Watch: South Asia's air pollution woes The EEA for the first time estimated the full burden of disease from air pollution. The researchers, while observing the raw death tolls, worked out how many more years the population would be living along with the diseases brought on by polluted air. “When people get lung cancer, normally they die very quickly. For other diseases – especially asthma but also diabetes or also chronic obstructive pulmonary disease – there is also an important contribution of this state of living with disability,” said Alberto Gonzalez Ortiz, an EEA air pollution researcher. “People can live for a long period in a bad condition. Considering only mortality, we were underestimating the impact of air pollution,” he added. (With inputs from agencies)

More than 500,000 people killed due to toxic air in EU in 2021, shows data

Yams are filled with important nutrients which include dietary fibre, minerals and vitamins.

The dietary fibre in yam helps in digestion and improves regular bowel movements. It supports a healthy gut and prevents constipation.

Yams contain lower glycemic index in comparison to other starchy foods which means it has less effect on the blood sugar level.

Vitamin E is filled with antioxidants and hence foods like sunflower seeds, almonds, avocados, peanuts, and sweet potatoes, in which the vitamin is found, fight against the free radicals.

Yams are known to have antioxidant properties, especially beta-carotene which reduces free radicals from the body cells.

The presence of beta-carotene in yams reduces pigmentation and helps in maintaining healthier skin.

6 Health Benefits of Eating Yam

 6 Ayurvedic Benefits of Consuming Warm Ghee in The Morning


Vitamin C, which is found in lemon, amla, kiwi, bell peppers, guava, berries, and oranges, decreases damage caused by free radicals and hence should be included in daily diet.

Lycopene is considered a good ally against pigmentation and is found in tomatoes, watermelon, red bell peppers, carrots, and guava. Hence, it should be consumed daily for its skin-loving benefits.

Iron is important for oxygen supply to tissues and hence iron-rich food items like spinach, pumpkin seeds, raisins, prunes, legumes, lentils, and leafy greens which are good for healthier skin should be part of daily diet.

Vitamin K is famous for its tissue-repairing abilities. It is found in green leafy veggies like spinach, broccoli, cabbage, mustard greens, and lettuce which helps in rejuvenating damaged skin.

The unhealthy evening snacks should be swapped with a healthy ones which can include a mix of peanuts, jaggery, and coconut. A mixture of these ingredients will provide a nutrient-rich snack and contribute to skin health.


An early dinner helps in proper digestion and absorption of nutrients in the food. Early dinner will also allow early bedtime which can help in preventing under-eye dark circles.


7 Changes in Diet which can Reduce Under-Eye Dark Circles

7 Changes In Diet Which Can Reduce Under-Eye Dark Circles

A massive volcanic eruption on 'Devil&nbsp;Comet', as it races towards Earth and might make its closest approach next year, is likely to have removed its distinctive 'horns' that earned it the sinister nickname. 
 
After the latest and most violent outburst last week, the comet's trademark head spikes were not seen as they did after earlier eruptions. However, astronomers noticed many new characteristics in the Devil Comet, which included a mysterious "shadow” and a rare green hue. 
 
The massive 10.5-mile-wide (17-kilometre) 'Devil Comet', scientific&nbsp;name&nbsp; 12P/Pons-Brooks (12P), has been hurtling towards Earth and will make its closest approach of more than 70 years next summer. 
 
Comet 12P is cryovolcanic, meaning it has an icy shell, or nucleus filled with gas and ice. After the comet absorbs enough radiation from the sun, its cryomagma or frosty innards get superheated. The pressure increases inside the nucleus till the shell cracks and the icy guts of the comet spray into space.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/will-devil-comet-hurtling-towards-earth-bring-devastation-heres-what-scientists-suggest-649879">Will 'Devil Comet' hurtling towards Earth bring devastation? Here's what scientists suggest</a>

After every eruption, the comet's dust and a fuzzy, reflective cloud of cryomagma expand and make it appear brighter to astronomers. Till now, the comet had three major eruptions. One took place on July 20 when it was seen exploding for the first time in 69 years and the other explosion happened on October 5 when the eruption was more vigorous; and the third on Halloween (October 31) which was a comparatively less intense outburst.

<h2>Why do horns appear on the comet and will they appear in future?</h2>

Every time an explosion occurred on the comet, its coma took an irregular shape with a "dark lane" which made it appear to have grown a pair of horns. On November 14, the comet had another major eruption, which was the most extreme outburst till now. 
 
Astronomers watched as the comet became more than 100 times brighter than normal for some days after its coma expanded, reported Spaceweather.com. However, this time they could not see its distinctive horns. 
 
"The coma seems perfectly circular this time," said Nick James, director of the British Astronomical Association's (BAA) comet section, while speaking to Spaceweather.com.

Watch:&nbsp;SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites into orbit, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/spacex-launches-22-starlink-satellites-into-orbit-launched-from-vandenberg-space-force-base-wion-661028/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

Speaking to Live Science, BAA astronomer Richard Miles said that the comet's horns appeared because of an irregularity in the shape of 12P's nucleus. The outflowing gas will be partially obstructed by a notch which is sticking out on the nucleus, he added. 
 
Amateur astronomer and photographer Eliot Herman, who has been capturing the comet since the first eruption took place, was surprised to see the coma expanding without the appearance of horns.

He told Live Science he is unsure if another appearance will be made by them in the future.

"The devil may be gone [for good]," he said.

(With inputs from agencies)

A massive volcanic eruption on 'Devil Comet', as it races towards Earth and might make its closest approach next year, is likely to have removed its distinctive 'horns' that earned it the sinister nickname.

A massive volcanic eruption on 'Devil Comet', as it races towards Earth and might make its closest approach next year, is likely to have removed its distinctive 'horns' that earned it the sinister nickname. After the latest and most violent outburst last week, the comet's trademark head spikes were not seen as they did after earlier eruptions. However, astronomers noticed many new characteristics in the Devil Comet, which included a mysterious "shadow” and a rare green hue. The massive 10.5-mile-wide (17-kilometre) 'Devil Comet', scientific name 12P/Pons-Brooks (12P), has been hurtling towards Earth and will make its closest approach of more than 70 years next summer. Comet 12P is cryovolcanic, meaning it has an icy shell, or nucleus filled with gas and ice. After the comet absorbs enough radiation from the sun, its cryomagma or frosty innards get superheated. The pressure increases inside the nucleus till the shell cracks and the icy guts of the comet spray into space. Also read: Will 'Devil Comet' hurtling towards Earth bring devastation? Here's what scientists suggest After every eruption, the comet's dust and a fuzzy, reflective cloud of cryomagma expand and make it appear brighter to astronomers. Till now, the comet had three major eruptions. One took place on July 20 when it was seen exploding for the first time in 69 years and the other explosion happened on October 5 when the eruption was more vigorous; and the third on Halloween (October 31) which was a comparatively less intense outburst. Why do horns appear on the comet and will they appear in future? Every time an explosion occurred on the comet, its coma took an irregular shape with a "dark lane" which made it appear to have grown a pair of horns. On November 14, the comet had another major eruption, which was the most extreme outburst till now. Astronomers watched as the comet became more than 100 times brighter than normal for some days after its coma expanded, reported Spaceweather.com. However, this time they could not see its distinctive horns. "The coma seems perfectly circular this time," said Nick James, director of the British Astronomical Association's (BAA) comet section, while speaking to Spaceweather.com. Watch: SpaceX launches 22 Starlink satellites into orbit, launched from Vandenberg Space Force Base Speaking to Live Science, BAA astronomer Richard Miles said that the comet's horns appeared because of an irregularity in the shape of 12P's nucleus. The outflowing gas will be partially obstructed by a notch which is sticking out on the nucleus, he added. Amateur astronomer and photographer Eliot Herman, who has been capturing the comet since the first eruption took place, was surprised to see the coma expanding without the appearance of horns. He told Live Science he is unsure if another appearance will be made by them in the future. "The devil may be gone [for good]," he said. (With inputs from agencies)

'Devil Comet' heading towards Earth loses its iconic horns and turns green after explosion

In a new study, the scientists have unravelled the reason behind skin conditions like eczema causing itching in people. 
 
One reason which is known to cause itching is inflammation which tends to get worse if people continue to scratch and their skin is damaged. However, as per the latest study, there are other reasons which may trigger itchiness. 
 
Harvard Medical School's researchers have found that the bacterium can activate nerve cells in mice directly.

“What was surprising is that in some situations where there was very little inflammation, we could still see the mice scratching. It turns out, the reason is that the bacteria were directly acting on nerve fibres that produce itch,” said co-author of the study Isaac Chiu, who is also an associate professor of immunology at Harvard Medical School, reported NBC News. 
 
Before the study was carried out, scientists knew that the bacterium S. aureus was related to eczema, however, there was no clarity on the exact link.

In the new study, it was found that once S. aureus got into the skin of the mouse, it released an enzyme known as V8.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/scientists-achieve-major-leap-forward-to-potential-hair-loss-cure-660474">Scientists achieve major leap forward to potential hair-loss cure</a>

This enzyme activates a protein called PAR1, which is present in nerve cells in the skin. The activated protein transmits signals to the brain which makes the mouse itchy and prompts it to begin scratching. 
 
Lab experiments, which involved human nerve cells, hinted at the possibility of the same mechanism taking place in people. However, the researchers did not express confidence in whether the findings directly translated to the possibility of the same occurrence in humans.

<h2>Research gives new direction in pursuit of treatments</h2>

The research offered scientists a new direction for pursuing in development of treatments for eczema, which has been affecting nearly 10 per cent of people in the United States. 
 
The most common type of eczema, atopic dermatitis, leads to chronic itchy dry and cracked skin and has been strongly associated with allergies like asthma or hay fever. 
 
Study's co-author and postdoctoral researcher in Chiu’s lab Liwen Deng said, “For patients with atopic dermatitis, almost all of their lesions harbor Staph aureus.”

Watch:&nbsp;Bird flu detected in Antarctica | Scientists create 'identical twin' universe&nbsp;

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/bird-flu-detected-in-antarctica-scientists-create-identical-twin-universe-trending-on-wion-651203/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In the latest study, S. aureus bacteria were directly exposed to the skin of the mice for several days. After the third day, the researchers found that mice experienced skin irritation and the scratching increased significantly by the fifth day compared to mice who did not get exposed to the bacteria. 
 
The study's results suggested that the bacterium had led to the itchiness. “Their study was able to break apart the inflammatory response and the itch response,” said Nathan Archer, who is an assistant professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and was not part of the study.

(With inputs from agencies)

In a new study, the scientists have unravelled the reason behind skin conditions like eczema causing itching in people. One reason which is known to cause itching is inflammation which tends to get worse if people continue to scratch and their skin is damaged.

In a new study, the scientists have unravelled the reason behind skin conditions like eczema causing itching in people. One reason which is known to cause itching is inflammation which tends to get worse if people continue to scratch and their skin is damaged. However, as per the latest study, there are other reasons which may trigger itchiness. Harvard Medical School's researchers have found that the bacterium can activate nerve cells in mice directly. “What was surprising is that in some situations where there was very little inflammation, we could still see the mice scratching. It turns out, the reason is that the bacteria were directly acting on nerve fibres that produce itch,” said co-author of the study Isaac Chiu, who is also an associate professor of immunology at Harvard Medical School, reported NBC News. Before the study was carried out, scientists knew that the bacterium S. aureus was related to eczema, however, there was no clarity on the exact link. In the new study, it was found that once S. aureus got into the skin of the mouse, it released an enzyme known as V8. Also read: Scientists achieve major leap forward to potential hair-loss cure This enzyme activates a protein called PAR1, which is present in nerve cells in the skin. The activated protein transmits signals to the brain which makes the mouse itchy and prompts it to begin scratching. Lab experiments, which involved human nerve cells, hinted at the possibility of the same mechanism taking place in people. However, the researchers did not express confidence in whether the findings directly translated to the possibility of the same occurrence in humans. Research gives new direction in pursuit of treatments The research offered scientists a new direction for pursuing in development of treatments for eczema, which has been affecting nearly 10 per cent of people in the United States. The most common type of eczema, atopic dermatitis, leads to chronic itchy dry and cracked skin and has been strongly associated with allergies like asthma or hay fever. Study's co-author and postdoctoral researcher in Chiu’s lab Liwen Deng said, “For patients with atopic dermatitis, almost all of their lesions harbor Staph aureus.” Watch: Bird flu detected in Antarctica | Scientists create 'identical twin' universe In the latest study, S. aureus bacteria were directly exposed to the skin of the mice for several days. After the third day, the researchers found that mice experienced skin irritation and the scratching increased significantly by the fifth day compared to mice who did not get exposed to the bacteria. The study's results suggested that the bacterium had led to the itchiness. “Their study was able to break apart the inflammatory response and the itch response,” said Nathan Archer, who is an assistant professor of dermatology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine and was not part of the study. (With inputs from agencies)

Scientists unravel why skin conditions like eczema lead to itching. New research says...

India's Supreme Court will hear on November 28 a bunch of review petitions on its verdict that had refused to recognise same-sex marriages as legal.

The October 17 judgment had not granted legal recognition to same-sex couples and stated that only the state legislatures and parliament have the right to validate their marital unions. 
 
The matter was mentioned before Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud by senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi and the CJI was requested to ensure that the review petition is taken up before five judges for consideration on November 28, which is the tentative date given by the court registry. 
 
Various other lawyers, who had appeared earlier in the matter, were also present when the request was made by Rohatgi. 
 
“We have also sought an open court hearing. It is tentatively listed on November 28. Let it not be deleted. Apart from this, majority or minority, both views have held that there is a discrimination (against LGBTQ+ couples). If there is discrimination, there also has to be a remedy. This is why we have pressed for an open court hearing,” Rohatgi stated.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/same-sex-marriage-former-sc-judge-indu-malhotra-explains-why-legislation-is-quintessential-in-india-648108">Same-sex marriage: Former SC judge Indu Malhotra explains why legislation is essential in India</a>

Responding to the request, the CJI stated that he would go through the review petitions and that they would consider appropriately the lawyers’ plea for an open court hearing. 
 
A review petition generally comes before the same panel of judges and gets circulated in their chambers and a decision is taken without an open court hearing. However, if some merit is found by the judges in the review plea, they are free to allow an open court hearing and oral arguments. 
 
Justice S Ravindra Bhat, who was among the five judges who were part of the same-sex marriage bench, retired on October 20 which meant that the CJI needed to add a new judge to the bench for the review petitions.

<h2>CJI to assign date for consideration of review petitions</h2>

The CJI will assign a date for considering the review petitions.

The judgement given by the Supreme Court on October 17 by a 3-2 majority had refused to give legal sanction to same-sex marriage and also did not grant constitutional protection to civil unions as well as adoption rights for queer couples.

Watch:&nbsp;Same-sex marriage: India's top court refuses to legalise same-sex marriage

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/same-sex-marriage-indias-top-court-refuses-to-legalise-same-sex-marriage-648084/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

In the petition filed through Karanjawala &amp; Co by US-based lawyer Udit Sood and 51 other petitioners, Sood said, “The majority ruling is self-contradictory, facially erroneous and deeply unjust. The majority found that queer Indians endure severe discrimination at the hands of the State, declared that discrimination must be prohibited, and then did not take the logical next step of enjoining the discrimination.” 
 
“Our Constitution primarily tasks this Hon’ble court — not the respondents (Centre) — with upholding fundamental rights. To find that the petitioners are enduring discrimination, but then turn them away with best wishes for the future, conforms neither with this Hon’ble court’s constitutional obligation towards queer Indians nor with the separation of power contemplated in our Constitution,” the petition added.

(With inputs from agencies)

India's Supreme Court will hear on November 28 a bunch of review petitions on its verdict that had refused to recognise same-sex marriages as legal. The October 17 judgment had not granted legal recognition to same-sex couples and stated that only the state legislatures and parliament have the right to validate their marital unions.

India's Supreme Court will hear on November 28 a bunch of review petitions on its verdict that had refused to recognise same-sex marriages as legal. The October 17 judgment had not granted legal recognition to same-sex couples and stated that only the state legislatures and parliament have the right to validate their marital unions. The matter was mentioned before Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud by senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi and the CJI was requested to ensure that the review petition is taken up before five judges for consideration on November 28, which is the tentative date given by the court registry. Various other lawyers, who had appeared earlier in the matter, were also present when the request was made by Rohatgi. “We have also sought an open court hearing. It is tentatively listed on November 28. Let it not be deleted. Apart from this, majority or minority, both views have held that there is a discrimination (against LGBTQ+ couples). If there is discrimination, there also has to be a remedy. This is why we have pressed for an open court hearing,” Rohatgi stated. Also read: Same-sex marriage: Former SC judge Indu Malhotra explains why legislation is essential in India Responding to the request, the CJI stated that he would go through the review petitions and that they would consider appropriately the lawyers’ plea for an open court hearing. A review petition generally comes before the same panel of judges and gets circulated in their chambers and a decision is taken without an open court hearing. However, if some merit is found by the judges in the review plea, they are free to allow an open court hearing and oral arguments. Justice S Ravindra Bhat, who was among the five judges who were part of the same-sex marriage bench, retired on October 20 which meant that the CJI needed to add a new judge to the bench for the review petitions. CJI to assign date for consideration of review petitions The CJI will assign a date for considering the review petitions. The judgement given by the Supreme Court on October 17 by a 3-2 majority had refused to give legal sanction to same-sex marriage and also did not grant constitutional protection to civil unions as well as adoption rights for queer couples. Watch: Same-sex marriage: India's top court refuses to legalise same-sex marriage In the petition filed through Karanjawala & Co by US-based lawyer Udit Sood and 51 other petitioners, Sood said, “The majority ruling is self-contradictory, facially erroneous and deeply unjust. The majority found that queer Indians endure severe discrimination at the hands of the State, declared that discrimination must be prohibited, and then did not take the logical next step of enjoining the discrimination.” “Our Constitution primarily tasks this Hon’ble court — not the respondents (Centre) — with upholding fundamental rights. To find that the petitioners are enduring discrimination, but then turn them away with best wishes for the future, conforms neither with this Hon’ble court’s constitutional obligation towards queer Indians nor with the separation of power contemplated in our Constitution,” the petition added. (With inputs from agencies)

India's Supreme Court to consider petitions on same-sex marriage verdict

Germany on Thursday (Nov 23) conducted raids in the homes of supporters and members of government-banned Hamas and another Palestinian organisation as well as some far-right groups.

"We are carrying out action against radical Islamists. By banning Hamas and Samidoun in Germany, we have sent a clear signal that we will not tolerate any apology or support for Hamas's barbaric terror against Israel," said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser.

"Islamists and ant-Semites must not feel safe anywhere," she added.

The interior ministry said 15 properties have been raided since 6:00 am (local time).

On November 2, Germany announced a ban on Hamas and Samidoun. There are nearly 450 Hamas members in the country, as per the official figures.

Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/germany-protestant-church-head-annette-kurschus-resigns-over-sexual-abuse-cover-up-660805">Germany: Protestant church head Annette Kurschus resigns over sexual abuse cover-up</a>

The ministry stated that although Hamas members had not staged "violent action" till now in Germany, they had made attempts to increase funds to help the group overseas and "influence the social and political discourse in Germany".

It said that on the other hand, Samidoun was "prone to use violence ... and denies the right of Israel to exist".

Nearly 240 hostages were taken by Hamas and other Palestinian gunmen after they stormed into Israel on October 7, in which 1,200 civilians were also killed, according to Israeli authorities.

The attack followed an Israeli offensive into Hamas-run Gaza in which till now more than 14,000 people have been killed, thousands of them being children.

<h2>Nationwide raids on far-right group </h2>

Nationwide raids were carried out on people with alleged links to a far-right group which was aimed at spreading conspiracy theories and "destabilising" the state with the help of social media, prosecutors said.

Data sticks, smartphones and computers were seized in the searches carried out in 20 apartments in eight states, stated the prosecutor's office in Munich, in a statement.

Watch:&nbsp;Erdogan's tense visit to Germany: Overshadowed by Israel-Hamas war

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/erdogans-tense-visit-to-germany-overshadowed-by-israel-hamas-war-660114/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The investigation was carried out over an alleged plot made by members of the far-right "Reichsbuerger" movement, which was behind the plan drawn for overthrowing the government and installing a self-styled prince as the new leader of Germany.

The latest plot was mentioned on various channels on the messaging service Telegram, prosecutors said.

They added that the channels have been used since early 2021 for spreading conspiracy theories, and the channels' operators organised "mass contacting" of authorities through email and phone.

This was "in order to force them to make decisions in favour of the members of the association”.

"The overriding aim... was to destabilise Germany and its institutions and to prevent, or at least hinder, lawful state action," the statement added.

“Those contacted were confronted with far-right conspiracy theories, and faced insults and death threats,” the prosecutors said.

(With inputs from agencies)

Germany on Thursday (Nov 23) conducted raids in the homes of supporters and members of government-banned Hamas and another Palestinian organisation as well as some far-right groups.

Germany on Thursday (Nov 23) conducted raids in the homes of supporters and members of government-banned Hamas and another Palestinian organisation as well as some far-right groups. "We are carrying out action against radical Islamists. By banning Hamas and Samidoun in Germany, we have sent a clear signal that we will not tolerate any apology or support for Hamas's barbaric terror against Israel," said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. "Islamists and ant-Semites must not feel safe anywhere," she added. The interior ministry said 15 properties have been raided since 6:00 am (local time). On November 2, Germany announced a ban on Hamas and Samidoun. There are nearly 450 Hamas members in the country, as per the official figures. Also read: Germany: Protestant church head Annette Kurschus resigns over sexual abuse cover-up The ministry stated that although Hamas members had not staged "violent action" till now in Germany, they had made attempts to increase funds to help the group overseas and "influence the social and political discourse in Germany". It said that on the other hand, Samidoun was "prone to use violence ... and denies the right of Israel to exist". Nearly 240 hostages were taken by Hamas and other Palestinian gunmen after they stormed into Israel on October 7, in which 1,200 civilians were also killed, according to Israeli authorities. The attack followed an Israeli offensive into Hamas-run Gaza in which till now more than 14,000 people have been killed, thousands of them being children. Nationwide raids on far-right group Nationwide raids were carried out on people with alleged links to a far-right group which was aimed at spreading conspiracy theories and "destabilising" the state with the help of social media, prosecutors said. Data sticks, smartphones and computers were seized in the searches carried out in 20 apartments in eight states, stated the prosecutor's office in Munich, in a statement. Watch: Erdogan's tense visit to Germany: Overshadowed by Israel-Hamas war The investigation was carried out over an alleged plot made by members of the far-right "Reichsbuerger" movement, which was behind the plan drawn for overthrowing the government and installing a self-styled prince as the new leader of Germany. The latest plot was mentioned on various channels on the messaging service Telegram, prosecutors said. They added that the channels have been used since early 2021 for spreading conspiracy theories, and the channels' operators organised "mass contacting" of authorities through email and phone. This was "in order to force them to make decisions in favour of the members of the association”. "The overriding aim... was to destabilise Germany and its institutions and to prevent, or at least hinder, lawful state action," the statement added. “Those contacted were confronted with far-right conspiracy theories, and faced insults and death threats,” the prosecutors said. (With inputs from agencies)

Germany: Raids target people linked to Hamas, far-right, Palestinian groups

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