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The India-Australia annual second 2+2 dialogue is scheduled to take place on November 20, 2023. The 2+2 Ministerial Dialogue is a cornerstone of the relationship between the two countries and an opportunity to progress their work together to shape the type of region.

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In Kolkata's historic Eden Gardens, as Australia played against South Africa in the second semifinal of ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, the geopolitical playground of Ahmedabad for the quadrennial event's final had its permutations and combinations ready.

Despite spectators at Eden Gardens' firmly on South African side that day, it was a contest between India's fellow member of BRICS — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — and New Delhi's Quad partner Australia. The latter prevailed over South Africa. &nbsp;

As the South African side lived up to their 'choker' reputation, with yet another failure in a big game at the ICC World Cup, New Delhi dispatched a message of invitation to Canberra.&nbsp;

It was this exact stadium where India's Prime Minister Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese&nbsp;in March had marked '75 years of India-Australia friendship through cricket' as they handed caps showing with national emblems to rival captains Steve Smith and Rohit Sharma.

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Cricket, a common passion in India and Australia! Glad to be in Ahmedabad with my good friend, PM <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlboMP</a> to witness parts of the India-Australia Test Match. I am sure it will be an exciting game! 🇮🇳 🇦🇺 <a href="https://t.co/XvwU0XCbJf">https://t.co/XvwU0XCbJf</a> <a href="https://t.co/JwJecwUkHi">pic.twitter.com/JwJecwUkHi</a>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1633700732858945536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The photographic symbolism of that Test match held significance as a boost to India’s already strong diplomatic ties with Australia. Both are part of the Commonwealth of Nations and Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or Quad) and share economic, political, security, lingual and sporting ties. In 1996, India and Australia started playing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a test series named after two legendary players from India and Australia: Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border.

For the final, Albanese deputed Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in Ahmedabad. Albanese's deputation of Marles for the final match could be seen in context of his recent visit to China, a first by an Australian Prime Minister in seven years and a move from Canberra to normalise its ties with Beijing that went sour in recent years.&nbsp;

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Australia and China have come a long way in the 50 years since Gough Whitlam made his historic visit. 
 
This is a relationship that matters to Australia and to the stability of our region. <a href="https://t.co/Ff0pJKIkvw">pic.twitter.com/Ff0pJKIkvw</a>
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1721823815611929049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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In Ahmedabad on Nov 20, the invincible India lost to a resurgent Australia in the summit clash. Over a billion heartbreaks later, India's Prime Minister Modi handed over the World Cup trophy to Australian captain Pat Cummins.&nbsp;

The India-Australia summit clash also coincided with the second edition of the "2+2" ministerial dialogue between Australian defence minister Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong and their Indian counterparts Rajnath Singh and Dr S. Jaishankar in New Delhi.&nbsp;

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Richard Marles - EAM Jaishankar meet in Delhi <a href="https://t.co/YpcJNgCfBW">pic.twitter.com/YpcJNgCfBW</a>
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidhant/status/1726567662606827564?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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In Delhi, Marles also played Gully Cricket, a term for the way cricket is played by children and teenagers in the streets and alleys. In an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-australias-deputy-pm-richard-marles-points-to-increased-defence-ties-with-india-660704">interview</a> with WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, he described the India-Australia clashes as 'pinnacle of the game'.&nbsp;

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"Global cricket has become centred on India.. Australia, India matches are becoming really the pinnacle of the game", Australian Deputy PM &amp; DM <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardMarlesMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RichardMarlesMP</a> tells <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WIONews</a>; Points how Indians and Australians have passion for it. <a href="https://t.co/ylc0IE8L6s">pic.twitter.com/ylc0IE8L6s</a>
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidhant/status/1726583356572533227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Launched in 2018, the 2+2 dialogue is a format of meeting of the foreign and defence ministers of India with the countries it shares close ties with, on strategic and security issues.

Besides Australia, India holds 2+2 dialogues with three other key strategic partners, namely, the United States, Japan, and Russia. With all these countries, India's strategic ties are significant. Apart from Russia, New Delhi's other 2+2 dialogue counterparts are also its partners&nbsp;in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD) or Quad.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2>Cricket, Quad and World Cup: How do they add up?</h2>

The Quad is a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States aimed to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. The terms inclusive and resilient are often described as diplomatic euphemisms directed against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-vietnam-malaysia-philippines-and-taiwan-reject-chinas-new-controversial-map-release-statements-631063">China's maritime belligerence in the Indo-Pacific</a>.

The dialogue is also paralleled by joint military exercises of an unprecedented scale, titled Exercise Malabar. The diplomatic and military arrangement is widely viewed as a response to increased Chinese economic and military power in the region, especially in South China Sea where Beijing has expanded its maritime claims in the recent years near the Japanese and Filipino waters.

In recent years, Australia and China have accused each other over human rights violations and have described national security threats from individuals linked with each other's capitals.

Add cricket into Quad, and a security equation with a complementary people-to-people element emerges as the top focus of an expansive bilateral equation.

In recent years, India has emerged as a key partner for Australia and Canberra seeks to diversify its strategic partnerships beyond its traditional reliance on China. The addition of a sporting warmth into the equation often reflects in the close-door talks between the leaders and their summation which is published in the joint statements.&nbsp;

In May 2023, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Australia, an official readout from PM Modi referred to his sixth visit to Australia as a sign of "the depth in our comprehensive relations, the convergence in our views and the maturity of our ties."&nbsp;

"If I may say in the language of cricket, our ties have entered the T-20 mode," Modi said while referring to the quickest format of the game, implying the way India-Australia ties appear to have surpassed "this depends on time" diplomatic catchphrase.&nbsp;

The two countries will now also hold India-Australia summit annually, the first of which was held in March earlier this year.&nbsp;

(Note: This story has been updated to reflect the results of the summit clash of ICC ODI World Cup 2023 between India and Australia.)

In Kolkata's historic Eden Gardens, as Australia played against South Africa in the second semifinal of ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, the geopolitical playground of Ahmedabad for the quadrennial event's final had its permutations and combinations ready.

In Kolkata's historic Eden Gardens, as Australia played against South Africa in the second semifinal of ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, the geopolitical playground of Ahmedabad for the quadrennial event's final had its permutations and combinations ready. Despite spectators at Eden Gardens' firmly on South African side that day, it was a contest between India's fellow member of BRICS — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — and New Delhi's Quad partner Australia. The latter prevailed over South Africa. As the South African side lived up to their 'choker' reputation, with yet another failure in a big game at the ICC World Cup, New Delhi dispatched a message of invitation to Canberra. It was this exact stadium where India's Prime Minister Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese in March had marked '75 years of India-Australia friendship through cricket' as they handed caps showing with national emblems to rival captains Steve Smith and Rohit Sharma. Cricket, a common passion in India and Australia! Glad to be in Ahmedabad with my good friend, PM @AlboMP to witness parts of the India-Australia Test Match. I am sure it will be an exciting game! 🇮🇳 🇦🇺 https://t.co/XvwU0XCbJf pic.twitter.com/JwJecwUkHi — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 9, 2023 × The photographic symbolism of that Test match held significance as a boost to India’s already strong diplomatic ties with Australia. Both are part of the Commonwealth of Nations and Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or Quad) and share economic, political, security, lingual and sporting ties. In 1996, India and Australia started playing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a test series named after two legendary players from India and Australia: Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. For the final, Albanese deputed Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in Ahmedabad. Albanese's deputation of Marles for the final match could be seen in context of his recent visit to China, a first by an Australian Prime Minister in seven years and a move from Canberra to normalise its ties with Beijing that went sour in recent years. Australia and China have come a long way in the 50 years since Gough Whitlam made his historic visit. This is a relationship that matters to Australia and to the stability of our region. pic.twitter.com/Ff0pJKIkvw — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) November 7, 2023 × In Ahmedabad on Nov 20, the invincible India lost to a resurgent Australia in the summit clash. Over a billion heartbreaks later, India's Prime Minister Modi handed over the World Cup trophy to Australian captain Pat Cummins. The India-Australia summit clash also coincided with the second edition of the "2+2" ministerial dialogue between Australian defence minister Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong and their Indian counterparts Rajnath Singh and Dr S. Jaishankar in New Delhi. Richard Marles - EAM Jaishankar meet in Delhi pic.twitter.com/YpcJNgCfBW — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) November 20, 2023 × In Delhi, Marles also played Gully Cricket, a term for the way cricket is played by children and teenagers in the streets and alleys. In an interview with WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, he described the India-Australia clashes as 'pinnacle of the game'. "Global cricket has become centred on India.. Australia, India matches are becoming really the pinnacle of the game", Australian Deputy PM & DM @RichardMarlesMP tells @WIONews; Points how Indians and Australians have passion for it. pic.twitter.com/ylc0IE8L6s — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) November 20, 2023 × Launched in 2018, the 2+2 dialogue is a format of meeting of the foreign and defence ministers of India with the countries it shares close ties with, on strategic and security issues. Besides Australia, India holds 2+2 dialogues with three other key strategic partners, namely, the United States, Japan, and Russia. With all these countries, India's strategic ties are significant. Apart from Russia, New Delhi's other 2+2 dialogue counterparts are also its partners in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD) or Quad. Cricket, Quad and World Cup: How do they add up? The Quad is a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States aimed to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. The terms inclusive and resilient are often described as diplomatic euphemisms directed against China's maritime belligerence in the Indo-Pacific. The dialogue is also paralleled by joint military exercises of an unprecedented scale, titled Exercise Malabar. The diplomatic and military arrangement is widely viewed as a response to increased Chinese economic and military power in the region, especially in South China Sea where Beijing has expanded its maritime claims in the recent years near the Japanese and Filipino waters. In recent years, Australia and China have accused each other over human rights violations and have described national security threats from individuals linked with each other's capitals. Add cricket into Quad, and a security equation with a complementary people-to-people element emerges as the top focus of an expansive bilateral equation. In recent years, India has emerged as a key partner for Australia and Canberra seeks to diversify its strategic partnerships beyond its traditional reliance on China. The addition of a sporting warmth into the equation often reflects in the close-door talks between the leaders and their summation which is published in the joint statements. In May 2023, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Australia, an official readout from PM Modi referred to his sixth visit to Australia as a sign of "the depth in our comprehensive relations, the convergence in our views and the maturity of our ties." "If I may say in the language of cricket, our ties have entered the T-20 mode," Modi said while referring to the quickest format of the game, implying the way India-Australia ties appear to have surpassed "this depends on time" diplomatic catchphrase. The two countries will now also hold India-Australia summit annually, the first of which was held in March earlier this year. (Note: This story has been updated to reflect the results of the summit clash of ICC ODI World Cup 2023 between India and Australia.)

Explained | Cricket, Quad and World Cup—geopolitics of gentleman's game

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Monday made a strong pitch for "deeper conversations" between New Delhi and Washington on a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, saying it could be an example of a "multiplicative relationship" between the two democracies.

In an interactive session organised by the Observer Research Foundation, Garcetti stressed the need to "get in front" of artificial intelligence (AI) to avoid facing catastrophic consequences.

He made it clear that while there had been deep conversations on the issue with India, there was no formal proposal yet from either side.

Garcetti noted that US President Joe Biden had spoken strongly on the issue.

Last month, President Biden issued an executive order that required AI manufacturers to provide the federal government with an assessment of their applications' vulnerability to cyberattacks, the data used to train and test the AI and its performance measurements.

"If we don't get in front of AI, the consequences, even if it is a small percentage of likelihood, of something catastrophic happening with our official intelligence could be sooner than we believe,"&nbsp;Garcetti said.

On the India-US 2+2 dialogue last week, Garcetti said the two sides took important steps towards strengthening the major defence partnership which continues to grow and increasing the acceleration seen through initiatives such as the US-India roadmap in industrial cooperation and defence.

He stressed that New Delhi and Washington should deepen their Artificial Intelligence (AI) conversation.

He pitched for India-US collaboration and cooperation in emerging domains.

"...we sometimes just focus on weapons and what is being sold, or potentially co-developed, but the operational level of our militaries...is as critical as any equipment," he said.

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He also said the countries should "discuss ways to deepen our science and our technology partnerships to harness technology for the global good instead of technology that harms us and divides us."&nbsp;

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The US envoy said that the joint statement issued after the 2+2 Dialogue reflected the resolve of the US and India to promote resilient rules-based international order to safeguard a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific through the QUAD and other metrics, global issues.&nbsp;

&nbsp;

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Monday made a strong pitch for "deeper conversations" between New Delhi and Washington on a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, saying it could be an example of a "multiplicative relationship" between the two democracies.

US Ambassador to India Eric Garcetti on Monday made a strong pitch for "deeper conversations" between New Delhi and Washington on a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence, saying it could be an example of a "multiplicative relationship" between the two democracies. In an interactive session organised by the Observer Research Foundation, Garcetti stressed the need to "get in front" of artificial intelligence (AI) to avoid facing catastrophic consequences. He made it clear that while there had been deep conversations on the issue with India, there was no formal proposal yet from either side. Garcetti noted that US President Joe Biden had spoken strongly on the issue. Last month, President Biden issued an executive order that required AI manufacturers to provide the federal government with an assessment of their applications' vulnerability to cyberattacks, the data used to train and test the AI and its performance measurements. "If we don't get in front of AI, the consequences, even if it is a small percentage of likelihood, of something catastrophic happening with our official intelligence could be sooner than we believe," Garcetti said. On the India-US 2+2 dialogue last week, Garcetti said the two sides took important steps towards strengthening the major defence partnership which continues to grow and increasing the acceleration seen through initiatives such as the US-India roadmap in industrial cooperation and defence. He stressed that New Delhi and Washington should deepen their Artificial Intelligence (AI) conversation. He pitched for India-US collaboration and cooperation in emerging domains. "...we sometimes just focus on weapons and what is being sold, or potentially co-developed, but the operational level of our militaries...is as critical as any equipment," he said. Also read | NIA books Khalistani terrorist Pannun over threats to Air India passengers He also said the countries should "discuss ways to deepen our science and our technology partnerships to harness technology for the global good instead of technology that harms us and divides us." Also read | Royal Navy’s submarine averts tragedy, 140 crew on board escape death: Report The US envoy said that the joint statement issued after the 2+2 Dialogue reflected the resolve of the US and India to promote resilient rules-based international order to safeguard a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific through the QUAD and other metrics, global issues.

India and US should deepen conversations on AI regulation: Envoy Eric Garcetti

A group of eleven US lawmakers has called on US President Joe Biden's administration to halt assistance to Pakistan until the country restores constitutional order and conducts free and fair elections.

"As Members of Congress dedicated to upholding human rights and international law, we write to express our deep concern about the ongoing human rights violations in Pakistan and to urge you to conduct a comprehensive review of the Leahy Act and Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 as they pertain to US assistance to Pakistan," the letter read.&nbsp;

The lawmakers, including Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, expressed concern in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and requested an assessment of whether US security assistance had contributed to human rights violations in Pakistan.

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It said that while Pakistan is a long-standing ally of the United States and important for regional stability and counterterrorism efforts, the US must not "ignore the persistent reports of human rights abuses including restrictions on freedom of expression, speech, and religion and belief, as well as enforced disappearances, military courts, and harassment and arrest of political opponents and human rights defenders."

The lawmakers said that all of this is against the principles of democracy, justice, and the rule of law.

<h2>Pakistan's blasphemy laws&nbsp;</h2>

The lawmakers specifically referenced the passing of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and expressed worry that it is being used to persecute religious minorities.

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"The Bill was passed in haste despite repeated calls from many lawmakers for a thorough parliamentary procedure. On August 16, eight days after the Bill was passed, a mob desecrated churches and set fire to homes of Christians in Jaranwala," the letter read.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In addition, the lawmakers also raised issues such as harassment and arrest of political opponents and human rights defenders.

The letter mentioned cases against Prime Minister Imran Khan, who it said is reportedly facing the death penalty and the arrest of Pakistan's human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari.

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The lawmakers urged the US Embassy in Islamabad to send observers to legal proceedings involving human rights defenders and political dissidents.

(With inputs from agencies)

A group of eleven US lawmakers has called on US President Joe Biden's administration to halt assistance to Pakistan until the country restores constitutional order and conducts free and fair elections.

A group of eleven US lawmakers has called on US President Joe Biden's administration to halt assistance to Pakistan until the country restores constitutional order and conducts free and fair elections. "As Members of Congress dedicated to upholding human rights and international law, we write to express our deep concern about the ongoing human rights violations in Pakistan and to urge you to conduct a comprehensive review of the Leahy Act and Section 502B of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 as they pertain to US assistance to Pakistan," the letter read. The lawmakers, including Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, expressed concern in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and requested an assessment of whether US security assistance had contributed to human rights violations in Pakistan. Also Read | IDF confirms Houthis hijacked India-bound ship in Red Sea, but says it's not Israeli vessel It said that while Pakistan is a long-standing ally of the United States and important for regional stability and counterterrorism efforts, the US must not "ignore the persistent reports of human rights abuses including restrictions on freedom of expression, speech, and religion and belief, as well as enforced disappearances, military courts, and harassment and arrest of political opponents and human rights defenders." The lawmakers said that all of this is against the principles of democracy, justice, and the rule of law. Pakistan's blasphemy laws The lawmakers specifically referenced the passing of the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and expressed worry that it is being used to persecute religious minorities. Also Read | Iranian rapper released on bail after year-long jail for backing protests over Mahsa Amini's death "The Bill was passed in haste despite repeated calls from many lawmakers for a thorough parliamentary procedure. On August 16, eight days after the Bill was passed, a mob desecrated churches and set fire to homes of Christians in Jaranwala," the letter read. In addition, the lawmakers also raised issues such as harassment and arrest of political opponents and human rights defenders. The letter mentioned cases against Prime Minister Imran Khan, who it said is reportedly facing the death penalty and the arrest of Pakistan's human rights lawyer Imaan Mazari. Watch | Israel-Palestine war: Talks underway for hostage deal: Report × The lawmakers urged the US Embassy in Islamabad to send observers to legal proceedings involving human rights defenders and political dissidents. (With inputs from agencies)

US lawmakers urge Biden administration to suspend aid to Pakistan amid human rights concerns

The general elections in Bangladesh will be held on January 7, 2024, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Kazi Habibul Awal announced on Wednesday (Nov 15).The announcement was made in a televised speech for the first time in the history of Bangladesh. Earlier, the chief election commissioners used to air the recorded version of the polls schedule to address the nation, Dhaka Tribune reports.

Bangladesh elections: Opposition announces fresh blockade

Pakistan where the ground is ready for the next general elections and so are the candidates taking a dig at their rival candidates. Pakistan People's Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari recently said that the country should give a chance to someone new instead of choosing the same prime minister for the second time.

Pakistan: PTI, PPP accuses Kakkar government of bias

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is returning to the U.S.-Mexico border to promote a hard-line immigration agenda.

Donald Trump returns to the US-Mexico border, reaches Texas to promote hard-line immigration agenda

Australia Deputy Prime Minister & Defence Minister Richard Marles has termed India as the centre of "global cricket" even as he pointed out that the game is "emblematic of the relationship".

Australia Deputy Prime Minister & Defence Minister Richard Marles has termed India as the centre of "global cricket" even as he pointed out that the game is "emblematic of the relationship". The Deputy PM was present at the Ahmedabad Cricket World Cup finals, representing his country. Speaking to our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, he said, "I spoke to Australian cricketers after that in the dressing room, if they had heard something like before. What is clear now is that for Australia Cricket, India is so familiar....". The defence minister is in Delhi for key India-Australia 2+2 at foreign and defence ministers level. He said, Australia shares a "huge strategic alignment with India" and also "comfort, the trust", pointing to increased interoperability between the militaries of the two sides. On Chinese aggressiveness, he pointed out, "we are seeing a Chinese assertiveness as you say, we're seeing a huge military buildup by China". He also spoke on Quad, Aukus. Here is the text of the full interview. WION: Talking about this relationship, yes, cricket diplomacy is one of the elements and our team also played very well. But essentially, how do you characterize this relationship? We saw the Defense strategic review talking about increasing engagement with India so what kind of engagement you're looking at, especially in terms of training, in terms of Indian participation in Australian exercises? Richard Marles: Well, perhaps to go back a step and think about at the highest level, we see that we have a huge strategic alignment with India, and we have shared values with them. I mean, you know, for both Australia and India, our largest trading partner is China. Our biggest security anxiety is China. So we share something very similar. We share an ocean and in that sense, we live in the same neighborhood but we also share values, that we're both democracies. We both have freedom of speech, the rule of law, and a whole lot of things in common, including cricket. And you put all that together. And what becomes really clear is that from our perspective, and I think and hope from the Indian perspective as well, the significance of this relationship going forward, at a very strong base is hugely important for us and defence is a key component of that. So we are seeing a much greater tempo of exercises. We've seen Malabar for the first time happen in Australian waters and I was able to meet Indian Admiral also on Sydney Harbor this year. Exercise AUSINDEX and AUSTRA HIND, are all happening this year. Observers at exercise Talisman Sabre. So you have significant tempo off exercises, building a familiarity, interoperability between our defence forces, a comfort of a very strong base which does underpin the significance of the relationship. WION: So greater strategic alignment. So are you looking at any agreements and both have become security partners, u were on board the Indian Navy's P8, which is a sensitive platform Richard Marles: Yes, and coming to India was the first bilateral visit which I did in my role as deputy PM and defence minister and had the enormous honour to be on an Indian Navy's P8, flying from Goa to Delhi. P8 is a sensitive platform. They do surveillance and acquire intelligence. We are seeing much greater interoperability between our P8s, the P8s with the Australian side and the P8s with the Indian Navy. We can do much more there together. It speaks to the comfort, trust, and joint deterrence which comes through Australia, and India working closely together and that is which is in both countries' interest. WION: How do you plan to increase military interoperability and has the progress been on the Mutual Logistic Support Arrangement (MLSA) signed in 2020, which aims at logistic cooperation, and greater combined responsiveness to regional humanitarian disasters? Richard Marles: The logistics agreement we signed in 2020 is really important, the significance of it is that it has increased the tempo of exercises we are taking, this year and we hope will continue forward. Underpinning all the exercises is the logistics agreement which has put platforms in place, and these exercises can occur. But we have also seen, that they play a part in humanitarian support. For example, we saw the Tsunami in Tonga and we were able to take Indian humanitarian assistance to Tonga on board our platform and that logistics agreement was a critical part of that and the diplomatic power, the assistance that is seen with Australia and India coming together, in this instance the assistance being provided to a Pacific nation, Tonga is really really significant and greatly appreciated. WION: How much ties have increased under Indian PM Modi, Australian PM Albanese & any collaboration in the Pacific? Richard Marles: Firstly, we really welcomed the visit of Prime Minister Modi to Papua New Guinea which occurred just prior to him coming to Australia. Papua New Guinea is a country I've been to many times and know well and I can tell you the significance of having Prime Minister Modi, having the Indian Prime Minister in Port Moresby was absolutely enormous. And we very much welcome an increased Indian presence in the Pacific. Dr. Jaishankar, the foreign minister also went to Fiji last year, I think, and that again, was a really significant moment for Fiji to have Dr. Jaishankar there. So we are seeing an increased Indian presence in the region. And it is really important, we need to the Pacific is an area of greatest strategic contest. Countries like ours, which share values of democracy but importantly, a commitment to the global rules-based order. Having a greater presence together in the Pacific is from our perspective, very welcomed, but I know is also very welcomed by the countries of the Pacific. I think to your other question. Firstly, Prime Minister Albanese and Prime Minister Modi have formed a strong relationship. I had the real honour last night of being able to sit with Prime Minister Modi for some of the match, and it was incredible to see the reaction of the Indian crowd to Prime Minister Modi. We at one moment took a selfie. The first thing Prime Minister Modi said to me is you have to send that to your Prime Minister right now. I did. It was in the middle of the night I got a response straightaway so I can tell you that our prime minister was watching the game or better two or three in the morning and he wanted me to pass on his his regards to Prime Minister Modi. So they have a very close relationship. And I think what that speaks to in a personal way is what we've been saying how important this relationship is going forward. And we haven't talked about the Indian diaspora in Australia but that's also a huge element. I think our relationship but is a growing community in Australia, probably the fastest-growing community in Australia. It is in many ways, I think changing the face of Australia and a really wonderful way. It's not going to be long before we have people of Indian heritage playing in the Australian cricket team. We look forward to that day. And so but that that community really well it actually transforms the relationship between our two countries as one of close friends to actually being one of family. WION: So several aspects now moving from the Pacific to the Indian Ocean. How do you see the situation in the Indian Ocean? Because this is an ocean you share with India as well and has the Indian side offered you to do exercises around the Andaman Islands.R Richard Marles: Well, we do see the Indian Ocean as being more contested. It is obviously very important to us. Our defence strategic review that we announced in April of this year identified the Indian Ocean and specifically the northeast part of the Indian Ocean has been critically strategic to Australia's security and to our national interest. But we do see it being increasingly contested. And so we want to work very closely with India in relation to the Indian Ocean that is where we are neighbours. I think what we will see coming out of our engagements with our Indian counterparts in our meetings today is an increased focus on how we can work more closely together in the Indian Ocean. We already have a liaison officer in the Fusion Center just outside of Delhi here which is really important for us. But I think particularly with maritime domain awareness, sharing of information where we're working closely together, we are doing more with our P8s as it is I said earlier, I mean all of this paints a picture of an increased engagement between our two countries in the Indian Ocean. And I actually think that is where we give rise to the greatest power of deterrence when the world can see Australia and India working so closely together in the Indian Ocean WION: China remains a big worry whether it's the Indian Ocean, whether it's the Pacific Ocean, or the entire Indo-Pacific region. What's your view about an increasingly aggressive China with this with India, whether it's with the Philippines or whether it's with you we saw your reaction to the actions of the Chinese vessel. So if you can talk about the Chinese aggressive actions in the region Richard Marles: We have had the incidents over the course of the last week with HMAS Toowoomba, where we did have Australian divers who were in the water that our ship had had some fishing nets tangled around its propellers it was being shadowed by a Chinese vessel, we made clear the Chinese vessel that our divers are in the water fixing the propellers but there was behaviour there which was assertive and aggressive and it does not equate to being unprofessional. We've made our concerns known to China and it is not the first time that we've seen an incident of this kind it is concerning because you know our engagement in the South China Sea, and East China Sea in this in that part of the world is around asserting the rules-based order, freedom of navigation and that's matters to Australia's national interest. I mean most of our trade, literally most of it goes through the South China Sea. And seeing the rules-based order be maintained is profoundly important for us. I think you know, we are seeing a Chinese assertiveness as you say, we're seeing a huge military buildup by China. And all of this is changing the strategic landscape of our region and the world. But of course, the country which has really borne the brunt of this, who has experienced the most of it is India around the line of actual control. And so be it there, be it in the South China Sea, we are seeing attempts to shape the rules-based order. And what this is to us is that, you know, now's the time to be building our own capability which we're doing but now is the time for us to be working very closely with friends and India is front and centre of that. WION: Since you are a quad member country, any plans to up the defence engagement under the Quad? or to expand the group? Do you think Quad should expand? Richard Marles: Firstly I think Quad is the Quad, we are very comfortable with the four countries operating together and we think there is a natural alignment between our four countries and building that and increasing our cooperation across a whole lot of spheres, we are committed to doing so. There's no talk of changing the membership of the quad. It's not a defence, it's not a piece of defence architecture, and so we don't intend for it. This is a country's engaging with each other around a range of mutual interests beyond the sphere of defence and we're very comfortable with that as well. So we see the quad as being an important meeting of countries with shared values and shared interests working together not in the defence sphere, but working together in other spheres and we've we highly value it but we're very comfortable with where it's is at the moment. WION: AUKUS and India engagement, you looking at it? Richard Marles: So pillar two of Aukus which is looking at sharing greater technologies innovation technologies, we think, the three countries Australia, the US and the UK, open-minded to the idea of expanding that cooperation but to be to begin with, we've got to get that part of Aukus pillar 2 going in a more significant way. And so we're very focused on giving it meaning if I could put it that way within our three countries first. But I would you to know, fundamentally Australia requires nuclear-powered submarine capability under pillar one or pillar two, that Aukus is a technology-sharing arrangement between the US, UK and Australia. In terms of Australia and India, we are increasing our technology sharing as well. Again in our engagements today, we'll be talking more about expanding the cooperation between our respective Defense and science organizations, we are seeing a greater engagement between our defense industry and the technology-sharing aspect which is at the heart of all because we're seeing happen between Australia and India anyway. WION: But thank you so much for speaking to WION. It's lovely to have you here in India at a time when your cricket team has won the World Cup but we also played very well. Thank you so much. Richard Marles: You played very well, and enormous honour to be here and a great privilege to be at the game last night.

Exclusive: Australia's Deputy PM Richard Marles points to increased defence ties with India

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At least 21 people, including three children, died after heavy rainfall inundated the Dominican Republic over the weekend, authorities said Sunday, warning the downpours were linked to worsening climate change.

Torrential storms over the past 48 hours have caused flooding, damaged infrastructure and brought down houses in the Caribbean nation, in what President Luis Abinader has called the "largest rainfall event ever" in the country's history.

"Those who do not believe in climate change, start believing," said Abinader, who spoke of "extensive and substantial" damages, though without detailing precise figures.

The rains, from a tropical depression, are expected to continue across portions of the country for the next 24 hours, the US embassy said in a weather alert.

In one particularly deadly incident, a wall collapsed Sunday onto several vehicles traveling on a major avenue in the capital, Santo Domingo, killing nine.

The water "infiltrated a saturated subsoil," and the foundation of the concrete wall gave way, the Ministry of Public Works said Sunday.

An investigation into the incident has been ordered by the ministry.

Nine other people died in separate instances in Santo Domingo on the same day. Others have died after being swept away by flood waters.

Some 13,000 people have been evacuated across the country, according to the Emergency Operations Center, and a majority of the nation's 32 provinces are under an alert designation.

Some areas are seeing electricity and drinking water outages.

Classes have been suspended until Wednesday, Abinader said, "in order to evaluate the schools that may have been affected" and "guarantee the safety of our young people."

Four of the dead are US nationals, and three are from neighboring Haiti.

At the end of August, the passage of storm Franklin through the Dominican Republic left two dead and one missing, and forced the evacuation of some 3,000 people from areas in dangerous conditions.

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At least 21 people, including three children, died after heavy rainfall inundated the Dominican Republic over the weekend, authorities said Sunday, warning the downpours were linked to worsening climate change.

At least 21 people, including three children, died after heavy rainfall inundated the Dominican Republic over the weekend, authorities said Sunday, warning the downpours were linked to worsening climate change. Torrential storms over the past 48 hours have caused flooding, damaged infrastructure and brought down houses in the Caribbean nation, in what President Luis Abinader has called the "largest rainfall event ever" in the country's history. "Those who do not believe in climate change, start believing," said Abinader, who spoke of "extensive and substantial" damages, though without detailing precise figures. The rains, from a tropical depression, are expected to continue across portions of the country for the next 24 hours, the US embassy said in a weather alert. In one particularly deadly incident, a wall collapsed Sunday onto several vehicles traveling on a major avenue in the capital, Santo Domingo, killing nine. The water "infiltrated a saturated subsoil," and the foundation of the concrete wall gave way, the Ministry of Public Works said Sunday. An investigation into the incident has been ordered by the ministry. Nine other people died in separate instances in Santo Domingo on the same day. Others have died after being swept away by flood waters. Some 13,000 people have been evacuated across the country, according to the Emergency Operations Center, and a majority of the nation's 32 provinces are under an alert designation. Some areas are seeing electricity and drinking water outages. Classes have been suspended until Wednesday, Abinader said, "in order to evaluate the schools that may have been affected" and "guarantee the safety of our young people." Four of the dead are US nationals, and three are from neighboring Haiti. At the end of August, the passage of storm Franklin through the Dominican Republic left two dead and one missing, and forced the evacuation of some 3,000 people from areas in dangerous conditions.

At least 21 dead in torrential Dominican Republic rains

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From the Israel-Hamas war to the latest the offensive continues to pick up as Israel makes inroads into the Gazan territory and civilian casualties continue to ramp up with each passing day. Israel, the United States and Hamas are close to an agreement that would free dozens of women and children held hostage in Gaza.

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A spate of attacks in a disputed region claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan has left 32 people dead, including a UN peacekeeper, local officials said.&nbsp;

A government representative for Abyei, a contested oil-rich territory straddling the border of both countries, condemned the attacks that occurred early Sunday in two counties by armed militias and soldiers wearing uniforms of South Sudan's national army.&nbsp;

"In these attacks, 32 people were killed including women and children burned in&nbsp;their huts, and more than twenty (20) people wounded," said Bulis Koch Aguar Ajith, information minister for Abyei, and South Sudan's spokesman for the region, in a statement issued late Sunday. &nbsp;

"Also killed is one UNISFA solider and one injured," the statement said, referring to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, without providing details.&nbsp;

He said the latest "barbaric attacks on civilians" were a continuation of deadly violence that broke out last week in the region.&nbsp;

South Sudan called for an urgent investigation into the attacks.&nbsp;

Located between Sudan and South Sudan, Abyei has been a flashpoint since the South gained independence in 2011.&nbsp;

A regional UN envoy expressed concern earlier this month that fighting between the forces of two generals vying for power in Sudan was drawing closer to the country's border with South Sudan and Abyei.&nbsp;

Hanna Tetteh, the UN special envoy for the Horn of Africa, said Abyei's proximity to the fighting between Sudan's rival forces threatened to destabilise the already fragile region and its sometimes volatile local dynamics.&nbsp;

She also said the Sudan crisis had "effectively put on hold" talks between leaders from both countries over Abyei's long-disputed status.&nbsp;

The Security Council this month voted unanimously to extend the 12-year-old UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei which currently comprises some 4,000 military and police personnel.

(With inputs from agencies)

A spate of attacks in a disputed region claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan has left 32 people dead, including a UN peacekeeper, local officials said. A government representative for Abyei, a contested oil-rich territory straddling the border of both countries, condemned the attacks that occurred early Sunday in two counties by armed militias and soldiers wearing uniforms of South Sudan's national army.

A spate of attacks in a disputed region claimed by both Sudan and South Sudan has left 32 people dead, including a UN peacekeeper, local officials said. A government representative for Abyei, a contested oil-rich territory straddling the border of both countries, condemned the attacks that occurred early Sunday in two counties by armed militias and soldiers wearing uniforms of South Sudan's national army. "In these attacks, 32 people were killed including women and children burned in their huts, and more than twenty (20) people wounded," said Bulis Koch Aguar Ajith, information minister for Abyei, and South Sudan's spokesman for the region, in a statement issued late Sunday.  "Also killed is one UNISFA solider and one injured," the statement said, referring to the United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei, without providing details. He said the latest "barbaric attacks on civilians" were a continuation of deadly violence that broke out last week in the region. South Sudan called for an urgent investigation into the attacks. Located between Sudan and South Sudan, Abyei has been a flashpoint since the South gained independence in 2011. A regional UN envoy expressed concern earlier this month that fighting between the forces of two generals vying for power in Sudan was drawing closer to the country's border with South Sudan and Abyei. Hanna Tetteh, the UN special envoy for the Horn of Africa, said Abyei's proximity to the fighting between Sudan's rival forces threatened to destabilise the already fragile region and its sometimes volatile local dynamics. She also said the Sudan crisis had "effectively put on hold" talks between leaders from both countries over Abyei's long-disputed status. The Security Council this month voted unanimously to extend the 12-year-old UN peacekeeping mission in Abyei which currently comprises some 4,000 military and police personnel. (With inputs from agencies)

Attack in area claimed by both Sudan, South Sudan, leaves 32 dead

Around 140 crew inside the nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy had a near-death experience after the vessel’s gauge malfunctioned and began sinking towards an unsafe depth, according to British media reports.

According to the Sun news outlet, a depth gauge failed on one of the Vanguard class submarines, which was also carrying two Trident 2 missiles, during its deployment in the Atlantic Ocean. The sub had been in service for 30 years.

A depth gauge is an instrument that gives information on how far the submarine is below the surface water.

<h2>Saved in the nick of time</h2>

The nuclear submarine’s dials stopped working suddenly when it was about to go on a patrol. Commanders falsely believed that the sub was level but in fact, it was sinking towards the sea floor.

When the vessel was about to enter the “danger zone” of depth that the submarine can withstand, prompt engineers at the other side of the 500ft vessel noticed a second dial and raised the alarm as it plummeted towards the "danger zone", the Sun reported.

“It’s not the engineers’ job to control the sub’s depth but they saw how deep they were and realised something was wrong,” a source told the Sun.

“Technically the sub was still at a depth where we know it can operate, but if it ever has to go that deep the whole crew is piped to action-stations.

“That hadn’t happened. The sub wasn’t supposed to be there, and it was still diving. And if it had carried on going, it doesn’t really bear thinking about.”

<h2>Greatest tragedy averted&nbsp;</h2>

Had the nuclear sub reached the dangerous depths of the sea, it would have caused one of the greatest tragedies in history.

The sub or the depths involved have not been named for security reasons.

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Commenting on the incident, the Royal Navy spokesperson said, “Our submarines continue to meet their commitments, deploying globally on operations, protecting national interests, and keeping us and our allies safe. While we do not comment on specific details regarding submarine operations, safety of our personnel is always the highest priority.”

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The Royal Navy has four aging Vanguard vessels, which are set to be replaced by the Dreadnought class, which are currently being built, and estimated to be commissioned in the 2030s.

(With inputs from agencies)

Around 140 crew inside the nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy had a near-death experience after the vessel’s gauge malfunctioned and began sinking towards an unsafe depth, according to British media reports.

Around 140 crew inside the nuclear submarine of the Royal Navy had a near-death experience after the vessel’s gauge malfunctioned and began sinking towards an unsafe depth, according to British media reports. According to the Sun news outlet, a depth gauge failed on one of the Vanguard class submarines, which was also carrying two Trident 2 missiles, during its deployment in the Atlantic Ocean. The sub had been in service for 30 years. A depth gauge is an instrument that gives information on how far the submarine is below the surface water. Saved in the nick of time The nuclear submarine’s dials stopped working suddenly when it was about to go on a patrol. Commanders falsely believed that the sub was level but in fact, it was sinking towards the sea floor. When the vessel was about to enter the “danger zone” of depth that the submarine can withstand, prompt engineers at the other side of the 500ft vessel noticed a second dial and raised the alarm as it plummeted towards the "danger zone", the Sun reported. “It’s not the engineers’ job to control the sub’s depth but they saw how deep they were and realised something was wrong,” a source told the Sun. “Technically the sub was still at a depth where we know it can operate, but if it ever has to go that deep the whole crew is piped to action-stations. “That hadn’t happened. The sub wasn’t supposed to be there, and it was still diving. And if it had carried on going, it doesn’t really bear thinking about.” Greatest tragedy averted Had the nuclear sub reached the dangerous depths of the sea, it would have caused one of the greatest tragedies in history. The sub or the depths involved have not been named for security reasons. Also read | Who is Abraham Ungar—Israeli businessman whose vessel was hijacked by Houthis? Commenting on the incident, the Royal Navy spokesperson said, “Our submarines continue to meet their commitments, deploying globally on operations, protecting national interests, and keeping us and our allies safe. While we do not comment on specific details regarding submarine operations, safety of our personnel is always the highest priority.” Also read | Zelensky initiates military overhaul, dismisses medical forces commander in Ukraine The Royal Navy has four aging Vanguard vessels, which are set to be replaced by the Dreadnought class, which are currently being built, and estimated to be commissioned in the 2030s. (With inputs from agencies)

Royal Navy’s nuclear submarine averts greatest tragedy, 140 crew on board escape death: Report

Mira Murati was briefly&nbsp;appointed as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of OpenAI soon after its co-founder Sam Altman was ousted from the company behind Artificial Intelligence-powered chatbot ChatGPT.

Murati was working as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at OpenAI but after Sam Altman was fired from his position as CEO on November 18, she&nbsp;was appointed as the interim CEO.&nbsp;

Murati was born in San Francisco in 1988, and was raised in America.

Previously, she held the position of senior product manager at Tesla, after having received her Bachelor of Engineering degree from The Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth.

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Mira also served as OpenAI's SVP of Research, Product, and Partnerships.

Earlier, in an interview with Time magazine, she expressed her concerns over the misuse of Artificial Intelligence.&nbsp;"AI can be misused, or it can be used by bad actors. So, then there are questions about how you govern the use of this technology globally. How do you govern the use of AI in a way that’s aligned with human values?," Mira Murati told the magazine.&nbsp;

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She also stressed that the company (OpenAI) will need help from different sources, including governments, regulators, and everyone else.&nbsp;

“But we're a small group of people and we need a tonne more inputs in this system and a lot more input that goes beyond the technologies—definitely regulators and governments and everyone else," Murati noted.&nbsp;

<h2>Is Mira Murati Indian?</h2>

Contrary to several reports in sections of media, Mira Murati is not Indian. She was born in Albania to Albanian parents, and&nbsp;educated in Canada.&nbsp;

Murati is a mechanical engineer by training who built a hybrid race car as an undergraduate student at Dartmouth College. Before joining&nbsp;OpenAI in 2018, she had&nbsp;worked at Tesla, where she played a key role in the development of the Model X car, and Leap Motion, a startup that developed a computing system to track hand and finger motions.&nbsp;

Murati said that her work at Tesla exposed her to AI and inspired her to look for a job in that field. OpenAI hired her as its vice president of applied AI and partnerships.&nbsp;

<h2>What is ChatGPT?</h2>

The AI chatbot ChatGPT was created by San Francisco-based OpenAI, a startup that does AI research. The application&nbsp;was made available in November 2022. It is able to converse about anything from history to philosophy, produce lyrics, and provide changes to computer programme code.

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It is trained on a sizable collection of articles, websites, and social media postings in addition to real-time talks, mostly in English, with human contractors employed by OpenAI. It picks up on the writing's syntax and organisation and learns to reflect commonly used expressions. The chatbot's correctness isn't always reliable because its sources aren't fact-checked and it depends on user input to get better.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

Mira Murati was briefly appointed as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of OpenAI soon after its co-founder Sam Altman was ousted from the company behind Artificial Intelligence-powered chatbot ChatGPT.

Mira Murati was briefly appointed as the interim Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of OpenAI soon after its co-founder Sam Altman was ousted from the company behind Artificial Intelligence-powered chatbot ChatGPT. Murati was working as the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at OpenAI but after Sam Altman was fired from his position as CEO on November 18, she was appointed as the interim CEO. Murati was born in San Francisco in 1988, and was raised in America. Previously, she held the position of senior product manager at Tesla, after having received her Bachelor of Engineering degree from The Thayer School of Engineering at Dartmouth. Also Read | US roars back at China and North Korea, conducts test launch of ICBM Mira also served as OpenAI's SVP of Research, Product, and Partnerships. Earlier, in an interview with Time magazine, she expressed her concerns over the misuse of Artificial Intelligence. "AI can be misused, or it can be used by bad actors. So, then there are questions about how you govern the use of this technology globally. How do you govern the use of AI in a way that’s aligned with human values?," Mira Murati told the magazine. Also Read | Exclusive: Journalist who rescued minor domestic help in India's Gurgaon relives horror of abuse She also stressed that the company (OpenAI) will need help from different sources, including governments, regulators, and everyone else. “But we're a small group of people and we need a tonne more inputs in this system and a lot more input that goes beyond the technologies—definitely regulators and governments and everyone else," Murati noted. Is Mira Murati Indian? Contrary to several reports in sections of media, Mira Murati is not Indian. She was born in Albania to Albanian parents, and educated in Canada. Murati is a mechanical engineer by training who built a hybrid race car as an undergraduate student at Dartmouth College. Before joining OpenAI in 2018, she had worked at Tesla, where she played a key role in the development of the Model X car, and Leap Motion, a startup that developed a computing system to track hand and finger motions. Murati said that her work at Tesla exposed her to AI and inspired her to look for a job in that field. OpenAI hired her as its vice president of applied AI and partnerships. What is ChatGPT? The AI chatbot ChatGPT was created by San Francisco-based OpenAI, a startup that does AI research. The application was made available in November 2022. It is able to converse about anything from history to philosophy, produce lyrics, and provide changes to computer programme code. Watch | Gravitas: Did Turkiye misuse Earthquake tax? It is trained on a sizable collection of articles, websites, and social media postings in addition to real-time talks, mostly in English, with human contractors employed by OpenAI. It picks up on the writing's syntax and organisation and learns to reflect commonly used expressions. The chatbot's correctness isn't always reliable because its sources aren't fact-checked and it depends on user input to get better. (With inputs from agencies)

Is OpenAI's interim CEO Mira Murati an Indian? Here is what we know about her

Evangelical Church in Germany's (EKD) chairperson Annette Kurschus stepped down from the post on Monday (Nov 20) over recent reports of her knowing about alleged sexual abuse by a church employee years ago.

Evangelical Church in Germany's (EKD) chairperson Annette Kurschus stepped down from the post on Monday (Nov 20) over recent reports of her knowing about alleged sexual abuse by a church employee years ago. Kurschus said that the reports were unfounded. "In this matter I am at ease with myself. At every moment I acted to the best of my knowledge and my conscience," she told reporters. Kurschus also said that the decision to step down was not easy, adding she could no longer help the church's work dealing with historical cases of sexual abuse. Apart from stepping down as EKD chairperson, Kurschus also resigned as president of the Westphalian regional church, a position she served in since 2012. The allegations The allegations against Kurschus are regarding an investigation into a local vicar in Siegen where she used to work. The vicar was accused of a pattern of sexually inappropriate conduct towards other men over the years. Local media quoted the testimony of two men who claimed to have told Kurschus about the abuse allegations in the 1990s. At the start of this year, an anonymous complaint was received against the accused, and Kurschus said that before this, she had "no knowledge of acts of sexualized violence by this person." She also promised that the case would be investigated independently. Kurschus becomes the third person to step down as the EKD's top theologian. The first woman to hold this position- Margot Kässmann, also quit in 2010, just months after taking the job. She was caught running a red light drunk at the wheel of her company car.

Germany: Protestant church head Annette Kurschus resigns over sexual abuse cover-up

Former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has now&nbsp;joined Microsoft along with&nbsp;former President Greg Brockman, the tech giant announced on Monday (Nov 20) after a few days of topsy-turvy developments that shocked the business world. This comes days after Altman was fired from OpenAI.

Earlier, Altman and&nbsp;Brockman joined executives at the Open AI's San Francisco headquarters on Sunday (Nov 19) after being invited by interim CEO Mira Murati, according to a report by The Information.

The report, citing board director Ilya Sutskever's statement to the company's staff said that ex-Twitch boss Emmett Shear will become the new interim CEO.&nbsp;

Murati had plans to re-hire her ousted predecessor, reported Bloomberg citing people with direct knowledge of the matter.

<h2>Sam Altman at OpenAI HQ</h2>

The former chief of the leading artificial intelligence firm posted an image of himself at the company’s HQ holding a guest ID pass with the caption, “First and last time i ever wear one of these.”

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first and last time i ever wear one of these <a href="https://t.co/u3iKwyWj0a">pic.twitter.com/u3iKwyWj0a</a>
— Sam Altman (@sama) <a href="https://twitter.com/sama/status/1726345564059832609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 19, 2023</a></blockquote>
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The Information, citing&nbsp;Sutskever's statement said that&nbsp;Altman will not return to the company as CEO despite efforts from the company's executives to bring him back.&nbsp;

<h2>OpenAI hires ex-Twitch chief as new interim CEO</h2>

Shear confirmed his appointment as OpenAI's new CEO on Monday (Nov 20).&nbsp;This comes after the&nbsp;tech news website&nbsp;reported that&nbsp;Shear, who co-founded&nbsp;Twitch had stepped down from the Amazon-owned&nbsp;live video streaming platform earlier this year, and will be the&nbsp;new interim CEO.

"Today I got a call inviting me to consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to become the interim CEO of @OpenAI. After consulting with my family and reflecting on it for just a few hours, I accepted," said the ex-Twitch boss, in a post on X.

ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/chatgpt-maker-openai-fires-ceo-sam-altman-659899">ChatGPT maker OpenAI fires CEO Sam Altman; President Greg Brockman quits 'based on today's news'</a>

<h2>Altman joins Microsoft</h2>

Just after reports emerged on Altman's appearance at OpenAI office, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella took to X on Monday (Nov 20) and announced the hiring of Altman and other members of his team.&nbsp;

Altman "will be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team," along with Brockman and their colleagues, said Nadella.

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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. We look forward to getting to know Emmett…
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) <a href="https://twitter.com/satyanadella/status/1726509045803336122?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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Notably, Microsoft recently rebranded&nbsp;its search engine Bing Chat an&nbsp;AI-powered chatbot to 'Copilot' after&nbsp;ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI was&nbsp;integrated.&nbsp;

<h2>Altman’s ouster</h2>

OpenAI, the company behind the popular generative AI chatbot ChatGPT, released a statement about Altman’s ouster and said he was under a formal review and that he had hidden information from the company board and was fired after the board decided that they had lost confidence in him.

“Altman’s departure follows a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities,” said OpenAI.&nbsp;

It added, “The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI.”

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>

The statement said the board was “grateful for Sam’s many contributions to the founding and growth of OpenAI. At the same time, we believe new leadership is necessary as we move forward.”

Altman’s ouster has angered current and former employees amid concerns about how an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/openais-86-bn-valuation-in-limbo-after-the-firing-of-ceo-sam-altman-660630">upcoming $86 billion share sale</a> could be affected by the sudden management upheaval, reported Reuters.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

Former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has now joined Microsoft along with former President Greg Brockman, the tech giant announced on Monday (Nov 20) after a few days of topsy-turvy developments that shocked the business world.

Former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has now joined Microsoft along with former President Greg Brockman, the tech giant announced on Monday (Nov 20) after a few days of topsy-turvy developments that shocked the business world. This comes days after Altman was fired from OpenAI. Earlier, Altman and Brockman joined executives at the Open AI's San Francisco headquarters on Sunday (Nov 19) after being invited by interim CEO Mira Murati, according to a report by The Information. The report, citing board director Ilya Sutskever's statement to the company's staff said that ex-Twitch boss Emmett Shear will become the new interim CEO. Murati had plans to re-hire her ousted predecessor, reported Bloomberg citing people with direct knowledge of the matter. Sam Altman at OpenAI HQ The former chief of the leading artificial intelligence firm posted an image of himself at the company’s HQ holding a guest ID pass with the caption, “First and last time i ever wear one of these.” first and last time i ever wear one of these pic.twitter.com/u3iKwyWj0a — Sam Altman (@sama) November 19, 2023 × The Information, citing Sutskever's statement said that Altman will not return to the company as CEO despite efforts from the company's executives to bring him back. OpenAI hires ex-Twitch chief as new interim CEO Shear confirmed his appointment as OpenAI's new CEO on Monday (Nov 20). This comes after the tech news website reported that Shear, who co-founded Twitch had stepped down from the Amazon-owned live video streaming platform earlier this year, and will be the new interim CEO. "Today I got a call inviting me to consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to become the interim CEO of @OpenAI. After consulting with my family and reflecting on it for just a few hours, I accepted," said the ex-Twitch boss, in a post on X. ALSO READ | ChatGPT maker OpenAI fires CEO Sam Altman; President Greg Brockman quits 'based on today's news' Altman joins Microsoft Just after reports emerged on Altman's appearance at OpenAI office, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella took to X on Monday (Nov 20) and announced the hiring of Altman and other members of his team. Altman "will be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team," along with Brockman and their colleagues, said Nadella. 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. We look forward to getting to know Emmett… — Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) November 20, 2023 × Notably, Microsoft recently rebranded its search engine Bing Chat an AI-powered chatbot to 'Copilot' after ChatGPT, developed by OpenAI was integrated. Altman’s ouster OpenAI, the company behind the popular generative AI chatbot ChatGPT, released a statement about Altman’s ouster and said he was under a formal review and that he had hidden information from the company board and was fired after the board decided that they had lost confidence in him. “Altman’s departure follows a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities,” said OpenAI. It added, “The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI.” ALSO READ | ChatGPT makers Sam Altman, Greg Brockman fired over 'quick' call on Google Meet The statement said the board was “grateful for Sam’s many contributions to the founding and growth of OpenAI. At the same time, we believe new leadership is necessary as we move forward.” Altman’s ouster has angered current and former employees amid concerns about how an upcoming $86 billion share sale could be affected by the sudden management upheaval, reported Reuters. (With inputs from agencies)

Sam Altman joins Microsoft after rejecting offer to be rehired at OpenAI

Health officials said 31 premature babies in "extremely critical condition" were transferred safely Sunday from Gaza's main hospital and will go to Egypt, while over 250 patients with severely infected wounds and other urgent conditions remained stranded days after Israeli forces entered the compound to look for Hamas operations there.

Israel-Palestine war: 31 premature babies to be shifted to Egypt after their condition stabilises

The world's richest 1% account for more carbon emissions than the poorest 66%.

Causes & consequences of carbon inequality

The foreign minister of Palestine has stated that Israel wants to remove the Palestinian people from their "historical land." Riyad al-Maliki made his remarks on Monday during a meeting between Chinese and Arab diplomats from countries with majorities in Islam and the Arab world.

China-Arab Summit: Arab and foreign ministers urge to end Israel-Palestine war

UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is banking on an emergency legislation to resurrect his high-profile plan for illegal immigrants. After the UK Supreme Court rejected his government's plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda as unlawful.

UK: Rishi Sunak faces heat over Rwanda policy

Protests and demonstrations are raging across the world calling for an immediate end to the Israel Hamas War people have taken to the streets against the killing of civilians including children in Gaza. At least 4,000 people took part in a pro-Palestinian demonstration in Geneva.

Protesters around the world call for ceasefire in Israel-Hamas war

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