Hanna Katzir, 77, appeared in a hostage video released by Islamic Jihad on 9 November. In it, she is seen sitting in a wheelchair as she addresses the camera. She was abducted from Nir Oz, along with her son, Elad Katzir, 47.
Channah Peri, 79, was taken hostage along with her son Nadav Popplewell, 51, said Channah's daughter Ayelet Svatitzky, who was speaking to them on the phone when the gunmen burst in. She said the captors sent pictures of her two relatives, who both have diabetes, with armed men in the background. Channah emigrated to Israel in the 1960s from South Africa and has three children, the group speaking for families said.
Ohad Munder-Zichri, nine, his mother, Keren Munder, 54, and his grandmother Ruthi Munder, 78, were kidnapped from Nir Oz, Israeli officials said. The Associated Press reported that a phone signal has been traced to Gaza. Ohad's ninth birthday took place while he was in Gaza. Avraham Munder, Ruthi Munder's husband, and Keren's father and Ohad's grandfather, is still being held hostage.
Doron Katz Asher, 34, and her two daughters Raz, four, and Aviv, two, were taken captive while staying with relatives near the Gaza border. Doron's husband, Yoni, saw a video of his wife and daughters being loaded on to a truck with other hostages. He also traced Doron's mobile phone to Gaza.
Daniele Aloni, 44, and her six-year-old daughter Emilia were kidnapped from Nir Oz along with Daniele's sister Sharon Aloni Cunio, 34, her husband David Cunio, 33, and their three-year-old twin daughters Ema and Yuly.
Adina Moshe, 72, was also kidnapped from Nir Oz on 7 October. Her husband Said Moshe was killed in the attack, according to a group that has been speaking on behalf of many hostages and their families. Afterwards, she was identified by her family in a video clip showing her wedged between two Hamas fighters on a motorbike.
Margalit Mozes, 78, who was abducted from her home in Kibbutz Nir Oz. A cancer survivor, her family say she has other health problems that require almost constant medical care.
Twenty-four hostages held in Gaza have been released - they were taken captive during the 7 October attacks on Israel.
Thirteen hostages - all women and children - were freed as part of a deal between Israel and Hamas.
Meanwhile, 10 Thai hostages and one Filipino have been released as part of a separate deal between Hamas and the Egyptian government.
Under the terms of the Israel-Hamas temporary truce, a total of 50 hostages will be released during a four-day pause in fighting which began on 24 November at 07:00 (05:00 GMT).
Hamas says 150 Palestinian women and teenagers will be released from Israeli jails under the deal, and hundreds of lorries of humanitarian aid, medical supplies and fuel will be allowed into Gaza.
Israel-Hamas War First Hostages Are Released; Truce Holds as More Aid Enters Gaza
Some two dozen hostages, including Thais and Israelis kidnapped in the Hamas-led assault on Israel, were freed after the start of a four-day cease-fire, and dozens of trucks carrying aid, including fuel, entered Gaza.
Here’s the latest on the cease-fire.
Some two dozen hostages held in Gaza, including Thai nationals and Israelis, were released from captivity on Friday, the Egyptian and Qatari governments said, the first people to be freed under a cease-fire between Israel and Hamas that took effect hours earlier.
The hostages were transferred to Egypt and some were expected to be moved to Israel for medical care as part of a prisoner exchange in which 39 Palestinian prisoners and detainees were released from Israeli custody on Friday.
There were conflicting reports about whether 24 or 25 had been released, and the exact breakdown by nationality; the Israelis were primarily women and children.
The start of the four-day truce brought a measure of hope for families missing loved ones, a brief reprieve for Gazans battered by seven weeks of war and a faint sense of optimism for a change in the trajectory of the conflict. Israel and Hamas have said they would abide by the deal, but past truces between the sides have often fallen apart, and both have signaled that they would continue fighting when the pause expires.
Still, the cease-fire has already enabled the delivery of more aid supplies to Gaza, where roughly two-thirds of its 2.2 million people have been displaced by the war.
By evening, 150 trucks carrying humanitarian aid had entered Gaza from Egypt, said a spokesman for the Gaza side of the border crossing, including four carrying cooking gas and three carrying fuel. That is one of the biggest aid deliveries to Gaza since the start of the war — but still significantly short of the 500 trucks that typically entered the territory every day before the fighting.
Majed al-Ansari, the spokesman for the Qatari foreign ministry, said on a social media post that 39 Palestinian women and children had been released from Israeli prisons “in implementation of the commitments of the first day of the agreement.”
.FG orders curriculum review, facelift of police academy
Army officers in 12 trucks, on Tuesday night, killed an inspector, Jacob Daniel, during invasion of the Police Headquarters in Yola, Adamawa State.
Commissioner of Police (CP), Afolabi Babatola, while condemning the attack, urged officers to be careful and guard against attacks on security personnel.
A statement signed by the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Suleiman Nguroje, reads: “The CP strongly condemned the recent conflict between Police and Army along Target Junction, Yola North Local Council, that resulted in exchange of fire, brutal attack on the police facility and killing of Inspector Jacob Daniel.”
According to the statement, the CP ordered immediate investigation into the matter, with a view to ensuring peace and justice between the two security agencies.
The CP warned that attacks on all security officers on duty would no longer be tolerated under whatever guise.
When contacted, the Commander, 23 Armoured Brigade, Brig-Gen. Gambo Mohammed, said: “One of his men was shot and hidden by the police, and his men went to rescue their own.”
Following the clash, Governor Ahmadu Fintiri of Adamawa State has called on residents to remain calm and go about their normal businesses.
In a statement, yesterday, Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Governor, Mr Humwashi Wonosikou, disclosed that a policeman was killed and a soldier injured in the clash.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that, about 11pm on Tuesday, sporadic gunshots were heard in Yola, the state capital.
Describing the incident as unfortunate, Fintiri appealed for accommodation and tolerance among security agencies.
“While regretting the ugly incident that led to the clash between the soldiers and the police, Governor Fintiri disclosed that government is on top of the situation and appealed to the parties to exercise restraint for overall peace in the state,” the CPS stated.
Doctor Mohammad Abu Salmiya, the Director of the Al-Shifa Medical Center in Northern Gaza alongside several other Senior Medical Officials have reportedly just been Arrested by Israeli Soldiers.
If I had to guess, I would bet these Arrests are due to recent Evidence that Doctor Salmiya and other Medical Staff at Al-Shifa knew about and likely Aided with the Israeli Hostages taken by Hamas on October 7th which we had already seen in CCTV Footage from the Hospital on that Day.
US actor Jamie Foxx is being sued by a woman who alleges he sexually assaulted her at a restaurant in New York City eight years ago.
According to the lawsuit, Mr Foxx, whose real name is Eric Marlon Bishop, groped the unnamed woman after she asked to have her photo taken with him.
The accuser is suing Mr Foxx for damages, alleging "sexual assault, abuse, assault and battery".
Mr Foxx's representatives did not respond to a BBC request for comment.
The lawsuit alleges the assault occurred at around 01:00 in the morning on 26 August 2015 at Catch NYC after the woman was seated at a table next to Mr Foxx.
The actor appeared intoxicated and agreed to a photo, saying, "sure, baby, anything for you", the lawsuit says.
It adds that he told the woman she had a "supermodel body" and smelled "so good".
He led her to a secluded part of the restaurant and touched her breasts and put his hands in her underwear without her consent, the lawsuit says, adding that the incident ended when her friend came looking for her.
The lawsuit is also seeking damages from the restaurant and bar owner Mark Birnbaum, who the accuser says was seated with Mr Foxx shortly before the alleged assault occurred.
The legal action says Mr Birnbaum and the restaurant's employees breached their duty of care towards the plaintiff by failing to protect her.
Mr Birnbaum did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the BBC on Wednesday night.
The lawsuit adds that as a result of the "heinous acts" the woman "suffered and continues to suffer severe emotional distress and anxiety, humiliation, embarrassment, post-traumatic stress disorder and other physical and emotional damages".
The legal action comes days before the New York Adult Survivors Act - which allows alleged victims of sex crimes to sue after the statute of limitations has lapsed - ends on 24 November.
Former US President Donald Trump, rapper Sean Combs, comedian Bill Cosby, actor Cuba Gooding Jr and Russell Brand have all been sued under the act.
Mr Foxx won a Best Actor Academy Award for his performance as pianist Ray Charles in 2004 film Ray.
The Israeli Government has Approved the Temporary Ceasefire in Gaza to allow the Release of Hostages by Hamas, but they have added a Clause to the Decision which states that as soon as the possibility of Returning the Abductees is Exhausted, the Fighting in the Gaza Strip will Resume.
Israel, Hamas agree to truce, paving way for some captives’ release
Fifty women and children held captive in Gaza will be released in exchange for Palestinian women and children in Israeli prisons.
Israel and Hamas have agreed to a temporary pause in the war that will enable the release of about 50 people who have been held captive in Gaza since the Hamas armed group stormed southern Israel on October 7, in exchange for Palestinians held in Israeli jails.
The Israeli cabinet backed the agreement after talks on a Qatar-mediated deal that continued into the early hours of Wednesday morning, with Israeli media reporting heated exchanges between ministers of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.
In the end, only three of the 38 members of the cabinet voted against the truce – National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir and two other members of his far-right political party.
The prime minister’s office said the deal would require Hamas to release at least 50 women and children during a four-day truce. For every additional 10 hostages released, the pause would be extended by a day, it said, without mentioning the release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange.
“Israel’s government is committed to return all the hostages home. Tonight, it approved the proposed deal as a first stage to achieving this goal,” it said in its brief statement.
Hamas, which controls Gaza, also released a statement, confirming that 50 women and children held in the territory would be freed in exchange for Israel releasing 150 Palestinian women and children from Israeli jails.
It said that Israel would also stop all military actions in Gaza and that hundreds of trucks carrying humanitarian, medical and fuel aid would be allowed into the territory.
The accord is the first truce of a war in which Israel has flattened vast swaths of Gaza, which is home to about 2.3 million people. Palestinian officials say at least 14,100 people have been killed, while the United Nations says about 1.7 million people have been forced from their homes. Hamas killed at least 1,200 people in its attack on Israel.
Officials from Qatar, the United States, Israel and Hamas have for days been suggesting a deal was imminent.
In a statement issued later, Qatar confirmed the “success” of mediation efforts, which also involved Egypt and the United States, and confirmed the broad parameters of the agreement.
“The starting time of the pause will be announced within the next 24 hours and last for four days, subject to extension,” the statement said.
It confirmed that humanitarian aid would be sent to Gaza and that 50 women and children held captive there would be released in exchange for “a number of Palestinian women and children detained in Israeli prisons”.
The “number of those released will be increased in later stages of implementing the agreement,” it added without going into detail.
Thanking the Qatar Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and Egypt’s President, Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, for their “critical leadership and partnership”, US President Joe Biden welcomed the deal.
“I look forward to speaking with each of these leaders and staying in close contact as we work to ensure this deal is carried through in its entirety,” the White House said in a statement. “It is important that all aspects of this deal be fully implemented.”
Pressure
Ahead of the meeting to discuss the deal, Netanyahu thanked Biden for his work to include more captives and fewer concessions in the agreement.
“It took significant US pressure to get this deal done, which really tells you what it’s going to take in terms of US pressure to get something more permanent in place if not a transition to Palestinian self-rule of some kind,” James Dorsey, an honorary fellow at the National University of Singapore’s Middle East Institute, told Al Jazeera.
Netanyahu stressed that Israel had no intention of ending the conflict.
“We are at war and we will continue the war until we achieve all our goals,” he said in a recorded message. “To destroy Hamas, return all our hostages and ensure that no entity in Gaza can threaten Israel.”
Still, some analysts said the international community should use the pause to try and secure a more lasting end to the fighting.
“In the coming days, more aid will come in, more fuel, hopefully more medical supplies and the most seriously injured can be evacuated, but beyond that, in these coming days of pause, there needs to be massive pressure on Israel to not recommence the fighting at the end of this period,” said Antony Loewenstein, an independent journalist and author based in Australia.
About 237 captives from Israel and several other countries are believed to be in Gaza, and Biden said some Americans would be released during the upcoming pause. Other foreign nationals are not thought to be part of the agreement.
Hamas has released only four captives since the abductions took place more than a month ago – an American mother and her daughter and two elderly Israeli women.
It has said some of the captives were killed in the Israeli bombardment.
The al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group, which was also involved in Hamas’s October 7 raid, said late on Tuesday that one of the Israelis it was holding captive had died.
“We previously expressed our willingness to release her for humanitarian reasons but the enemy was stalling and this led to her death,” they said on their Telegram channel.
It’s been an eventful week for crypto exchanges and the U.S. government.
Changpeng Zhao, also known as “CZ,” the founder and CEO of Binance, is stepping down and has pleaded guilty to a number of violations brought on through the Department of Justice and other U.S. agencies. He appeared in a Seattle federal court on Tuesday to enter his plea.
Richard Teng, Binance’s former global head of regional markets, will be the exchange’s new CEO, Zhao shared in a post on X Tuesday afternoon. Teng previously was the CEO of the Financial Services Regulatory Authority at Abu Dhabi Global Market, among other executive roles. In response to stepping down, Zhao said, “it is the right thing to do” adding, “I made mistakes, and I must take responsibility.” Zhao will remain a shareholder and said he will be “available to the team to consult as needed.”
Binance, the world’s largest crypto exchange, has also agreed to pay about $4.3 billion to resolve the DOJ’s investigations, the agency said in a press release on Tuesday.
As a part of Binance’s guilty plea, it has also reached agreements with the Department of Treasury’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) and will credit about $1.8 billion toward those resolutions.
The crypto exchange “admits it engaged in anti-money laundering, unlicensed money transmitting and sanctions violations,” the DOJ release stated, calling it the “largest corporate resolution” that included criminal charges for an executive. Zhao pleaded guilty to failing to maintain an anti-money laundering program.
“The message here should be clear: using new technology to break the law does not make you a disruptor, it makes you a criminal,” U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland said in a statement.
Binance, Zhao and other related parties “knowingly failed to register as a money services business” and violated the Bank Secrecy Act by failing to implement an anti-money laundering program, a filing on the charges stated. It added that the respective parties allegedly violated U.S. economic sanctions “in a deliberate and calculated effort to profit from the U.S. market,” without following U.S. laws.
The crypto exchange collected about $1.35 billion in trading fees from U.S. customers, according to Chairman Rostin Behnam of the CFTC. According to court documents, Zhao told Binance employees it was “better to ask for forgiveness than permission” and prioritized the exchange’s growth there over complying with U.S. law.
“Any institution, wherever located, that wants to reap the benefits of the U.S. financial system must also play by the rules that keep us all safe from terrorists, foreign adversaries, and crime or face the consequences,” Secretary of Treasury Janet Yellen said in the release.
Under Zhao’s plea agreement, he will agree to the recommendation that the court impose a $50 million fine to the CFTC and won’t make any statements “contradicting his acceptance of responsibility,” according to a separate filing from Monday.
As for Binance’s plea agreement, the company will accept the resignation of Zhao and prohibit him “from any present or future involvement in operating” the business from the beginning of the plea acceptance and “ends three years from the date a monitor is appointed,” the Monday filing stated. The company will also “maintain and enhance” its compliance program and appoint an independent compliance monitor during that three year period.
The crypto exchange did not respond to multiple requests for comment from TechCrunch on the charges.
Binance launched in June 2017 and within 180 days became the largest crypto exchange in the world. It had over $12.65 billion in trading volume during the past 24-hours, 532% higher than $2 billion in trading volume from the second largest crypto exchange, Coinbase, according to CoinMarketCap data.
This comes less than a day after the SEC charged Kraken, the third largest crypto exchange by trading volume, with allegedly operating as an “unregistered securities exchange, broker, dealer and clearing agency.”
Separately, in February, Kraken agreed to end crypto staking services for U.S. clients and settled a past suit with the SEC after agreeing to pay $30 million in charges for “disgorgement, prejudgment interest and civil penalties.”
The DOJ charges against Binance come over five months after the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission accused the exchange and Zhao of lying to regulators about its operations, filing 13 charges against the defendants in the federal case. Zhao and Binance were allegedly “intimately involved” in directing the trading entity’s business operations and providing crypto-related services to the Binance.US platform, which claims it’s an independent exchange in the SEC filing.
In late March the U.S. CFTC also filed a suit against Binance, Zhao and its Chief Compliance Officer Samuel Lim for allegedly breaking trading and derivatives rules.
Binance has made headlines this past year for a range of reasons, including Zhao’s comments contributing to the collapse of FTX, which was once one of its top competitors. In April, Binance.US, its American sister company, broke off its $1.3 billion deal to buy crypto broker Voyager Digital’s assets due to a “hostile and uncertain regulatory climate.”
In August, Checkout.com cut ties with Binance over concerns about the crypto firm’s alleged issues with anti-money laundering, sanctions and compliance controls. At the time, Binance’s spokesperson said it does not agree with “Checkout’s purported basis for termination and are considering our options for legal action.”
Sam Altman is returning to OpenAI as its chief executive, the high-profile AI startup said Wednesday, capping an intense five days of discussions, debates and convincing following the sudden dismissal of Altman last week from the startup he co-founded.
OpenAI, which is the most valuable U.S. startup, said it has reached an “agreement in principle” for Altman’s return. The startup is also reforming its board, eliminating several members who faced intense scrutiny for their decision last week.
Former Salesforce chief executive Bret Taylor, former US Secretary of the Treasury Larry Summers, and Quora founder Adam D’Angelo will be part of the new board at the AI startup, it said. Taylor will serve as the chair of the board, the startup said.
Microsoft, which owns about 49% of OpenAI, was taken aback by OpenAI’s decision last week and rushed to hire Altman to lead a new AI group at the software conglomerate. Greg Brockman, former President of OpenAI, and countless other members of the startup resigned in protest of the earlier OpenAI board’s decision.
“I love OpenAI, and everything I’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping this team and its mission together. when I decided to join Microsoft on Sunday evening, it was clear that was the best path for me and the team. With the new board and with Satya’s support, I’m looking forward to returning to OpenAI, and building on our strong partnership with Microsoft,” Altman said in a statement posted on X.
Microsoft chief Satya Nadella, who also expressed disappointment in OpenAI board’s decision last week and pledged to ensure that Microsoft is never “surprised” again, said Wednesday that he was encouraged by today’s changes to the OpenAI board.
“We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance. Sam, Greg, and I have talked and agreed they have a key role to play along with the OAI leadership team in ensuring OAI continues to thrive and build on its mission. We look forward to building on our strong partnership and delivering the value of this next generation of AI to our customers and partners.”
OpenAI’s earlier board — which included its chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, independent directors D’Angelo, technology entrepreneur Tasha McCauley, and Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology’s Helen Toner — faced intense public scrutiny for their abrupt decision, for which they never offered a comprehensive explanation. Growing frustrated with the earlier OpenAI board, several OpenAI investors began exploring options to sue the board members, Reuters reported Tuesday.
Emmett Shear, the former Twitch chief executive who was appointed as interim leader of OpenAI on Sunday, said he was pleased with OpenAI’s new decision. “Coming into OpenAI, I wasn’t sure what the right path would be. This was the pathway that maximized safety alongside doing right by all stakeholders involved. I’m glad to have been a part of the solution,” he posted on X.
OpenAl is the world's leading Al company. We, the employees of OpenAI, have developed the best models and pushed the field to new frontiers. Our work on Al safety and governance shapes global norms. The products we built are used by millions of people around the world. Until now, the company we work for and cherish has never been in a stronger position.
The process through which you terminated Sam Altman and removed Greg Brockman from the board has jeopardized all of this work and undermined our mission and company. Your conduct has made it clear you did not have the competence to oversee OpenAI.
When we all unexpectedly learned of your decision, the leadership team of OpenAl acted swiftly to stabilize the company. They carefully listened to your concerns and tried to cooperate with you on all grounds. Despite many requests for specific facts for your allegations, you have never provided any written evidence. They also increasingly realized you were not capable of carrying out your duties, and were negotiating in bad faith.
The leadership team suggested that the most stabilizing path forward - the one that would best serve our mission, company, stakeholders, employees and the public - would be for you to resign and put in place a qualified board that could lead the company forward in stability. Leadership worked with you around the clock to find a mutually agreeable outcome. Yet within two days of your initial decision, you again replaced interim CEO Mira Murati against the best interests of the company. You also informed the leadership team that allowing the company to be destroyed "would be consistent with the mission."
Your actions have made it obvious that you are incapable of overseeing OpenAl. We are unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgement and care for our mission and employees. We, the undersigned, may choose to resign from OpenAl and join the newly announced Microsoft subsidiary run by Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. Microsoft has assured us that there are positions for all OpenAl employees at this new subsidiary should we choose to join. We will take this step imminently, unless all current board members resign, and the board appoints two new lead independent directors, such as Bret Taylor and Will Hurd, and reinstates Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
1. Mira Murati 2. Brad Lightcap 3. Jason Kwon 4. Wojciech Zaremba 5. Alec Radford 6. Anna Makanju 7. Bob McGrew 8. Srinivas Narayanan 9. Che Chang 10. Lillian Weng 11. Mark Chen 12. Ilya Sutskever
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 Shear and OAI's new leadership team and working with them.
And we’re extremely excited to share the news that Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, together with colleagues, will be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team.
We look forward to moving quickly to provide them with the resources needed for their success.
Satya Nadella (Chairman and CEO of Microsoft Corporation)
We’re reducing our operations outside of Africa, and will be parting ways with up to 33 employees in Europe and the UAE.
In the last 3 years, our hiring philosophy was to recruit great talent regardless of location, including opening an engineering hub in Dubai.
We’re changing our operating model to prioritize locating team members within the markets we serve, to localize costs and get closer to customers.
We’re sparing no expense to minimise disruption to the lives of team members. The severance package includes 4 months’ salary, accelerating equity vesting, extending health insurance by 3 months, and more.
These are some of the most talented people I’ve ever worked with, and my goal is to ensure that every single one finds new roles as soon as possible. I’m personally happy to vouch for each one and do reference calls as needed.
WASHINGTON: OpenAI, the company that launched ChatGPT a year ago, said Friday (Nov 17) it has dismissed CEO Sam Altman after the board lost confidence in his ability to lead.
The shock firing blindsided many employees who discovered the abrupt management shuffle from an internal announcement and the company's public-facing blog.
Altman, 38, became a tech world sensation with the release of ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence chatbot with unprecedented capabilities, churning out human-level content like poems or artwork in just seconds.
He quickly rose to become Silicon Valley's newest star, travelling the world to meet with political leaders and huge audiences fascinated by the promise and threats of AI.
His dismissal caught the tech world completely by surprise, with rumours rife on social media on what had caused the sudden sacking.
OpenAI's board said in a statement that Altman's departure "follows a deliberative review process", which concluded "he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities".
"The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI," it concluded.
Fellow OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, a close associate of Altman's, was pushed from the company's board in the shake-up and announced late in the day that he quit.
"I'm super proud of what we've built ... but based on today's news, I quit," Brockman said in a post at X, formerly known as Twitter.
"I continue to believe in the mission of creating safe AGI (artificial general intelligence) that benefits all of humanity."
Analysts scrambled to interpret the shake-up and the sacking of Altman, a Stanford University dropout, entrepreneur and computer coder.
"It sounded as though there were some ethical concerns which pushed the board to do something," said Creative Strategies analyst Carolina Milanesi.
"If he is being ousted because of ethical concerns, that is only going to be good for the company."
In a post on X, Altman said he "loved my time at OpenAI".
"It was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit," he wrote, adding that he would have "more to say about what's next later".
The launch of ChatGPT ignited a race in AI - hailed as the next big chapter in technology - with contenders including tech giants Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Meta.
Microsoft has invested billions of dollars in OpenAI and has woven the company's technology into its offerings, including search engine Bing.
After learning today’s news, this is the message I sent to the OpenAI team:
hi everyone,
I'm super proud of what we've all built together since starting in my apartment 8 years ago. we've been through tough & great times together, accomplishing so much despite all the reasons it should have been impossible.
but based on today's news, i quit. genuinely wishing you all nothing but the best. i continue to believe in the mission of creating safe AGI that benefits all of humanity.
Greg Brockman, President & Co-Founder At OpenAI
Greg Brockman quits OpenAI after abrupt firing of Sam Altman
OpenAI co-founder and president Greg Brockman has quit the firm, he said Friday, hours after the Microsoft-backed giant abruptly fired its chief executive Sam Altman and assured that Brockman would remain at the startup. Brockman’s sudden departure adds to the day’s uncertainties at OpenAI, following closely on the heels of its maiden developer conference led by Altman.
Brockman said in a series of tweets that Ilya Sutskever, the chief scientist at OpenAI, informed Altman about a Friday noon call on Thursday evening. On the call, Sutskever and the rest of the OpenAI board members told Altman that he had been fired.
“As far as we know, the management team was made aware of this shortly after, other than Mira who found out the night prior,” Brockman wrote. Mira Murati, the CTO of OpenAI, has been appointed as interim CEO of OpenAI, the startup said today.
OpenAI earlier said that Brockman was stepping down as chairman of the board, but will remain at the firm. Brockman, who co-founded OpenAI with Altman, is a close confidant of the former OpenAI chief executive. He said Friday that the board wanted him to continue, but he had chosen to resign and was saddened by the board’s direction.
OpenAI and Microsoft, which is not on the board of the startup but owns roughly half of the company, remain tightlipped about what led to the ouster of Altman from the startup, whose large language model kickstarted / supercharged the AI race.
The pair’s exit has sent shockwaves through Silicon Valley. Altman has been the public face of the startup, which not only is widely estimated to be leading the current AI race but has in less than a year also assumed the position of kingmaker for countless other startups that are building atop of OpenAI’s offerings.
“I’m super proud of what we’ve all built together since starting in my apartment 8 years ago. We’ve ben through tough & great times together, accomplishing so much despite all the reasons it should have been impossible,” wrote Brockman in a message to OpenAI team. “But based on today’s news, I quit. Genuinely wishing you all nothing but the best. I continue to believe in the mission of creating safe AGI that benefits all of humanity.”
Earlier on Friday, OpenAI said Altman had left the firm after losing the confidence of the board. OpenAI said Altman was leaving the firm after a “deliberative review process” by the board” concluded that he was “not consistently candid in his communications” with the board, which hindered “its ability to exercise its responsibilities.”
The announcement comes less than two weeks after OpenAI held its maiden developer conference, where Altman shared that ChatGPT had amassed 100 million users. Microsoft chief Satya Nadella, who was a chief guest at the conference, said “we love you guys.” In a later interview with FT, Altman said he expected to raise “a lot more” from Microsoft and other investors in the future.
“We have a long-term agreement with OpenAI with full access to everything we need to deliver on our innovation agenda and an exciting product roadmap; and remain committed to our partnership, and to Mira and the team. Together, we will continue to deliver the meaningful benefits of this technology to the world,” Nadella said in a statement Friday.
South Korea is planning to ban eating dog meat and end the controversy surrounding the centuries-old custom, a ruling party official said Friday.
The consumption of dog meat is not explicitly outlawed or legalized in the country, but the practice has persisted despite increasing opposition from younger South Koreans.
“We are planning to enact a Special Act to ban dog meat within this year to address this issue as soon as possible,” Yu Eui-dong, policy chief of the ruling People Power Party, said at a meeting with government officials and animal rights campaigners.
The act would allow a three-year period for the dog meat industry to be phased out, meaning a full ban could come into effect by 2027 if the bill is passed before the end of the year.
A 2022 government study found that more than half a million dogs were being raised for meat in the country.
Red Bull is trying to get the Perfect Lagos Selfie with Jaan Roose from Sterling Towers, Marina Lagos to the Onome Rig.
Jaan Roose is an Estonian slack liner and Guinness World Record holder.
Slack Lining is a sport that can be a balance training, recreation and a moving meditation.
This project is to showcase the beauty of Lagos State and the Red Bull team is working together with Lagos State Government through the Lagos Safety Commission.
A video has shown a man walking on a rope across the bridge and the train tracks at CMS Bus Stop in Lagos on Thursday.
The man reportedly walked to the Onome rig on the Lagos lagoon.
It was observed that he started from the rooftop of Sterling Bank at Marina and had a drone capturing his movements. As of the time of this report, he had made it to the rig.
37 years, Female Nigerian citizen 2011 faculty of Arts graduate of University Of Lagos, Akoka.
A former employee of “Price Waterhouse Coopers” PWC.
Was married to Rotimi Adeeko. From June 1st to June 23, 2022 she solicited and convinced innocent unsuspecting acquaintances to purchase dollars via a few designated “bureau d change” to a collective sum of over $20m equivalent.
The funds where paid to the designated accounts. She also received funds for this transactions through some other bank accounts such as “THE FLEET SUPPORT GROUP” of which her brother-in-law and patner LADIPO AJAYI and two of her siblings are directors.
On the 24th of June 2022, Olusola absconded with her daughter and the over $20m equivalent of naira she collected.
Information reaching us say she left to America on Delta airlines. All social media links to her have been deactivated.
Her entire family claim they have no idea of this even her brother-in- law patner .
Please activate all search engines to unearth this heartless crook from wherever as she must know stolen money can’t save her.
Her family’s details are: 🚩Ayodele Lawanson-Fayose(older sister) 🚩Ladipo Fayose (brother-in-law) 🚩Her 6 year old daughter) 🚩Olufare Lawanson (younger brother) 🚩Busola Lawanson (sister-in-law) 🚩Oluwafeyi Lawanson (younger sister) 🚩Tilewa Lawanson (younger sister)
🚩SOLA’s home address : 64 Baderinwa Alabi Street, Lekki phase1 🚩Mother's home address: 27 Ajibola Cresent Alapere, Lagos state 🚩Ayodele Fayose's Work address: Talisbakes 12A Utomi Aire Street, off Fola Osibo Lekki phase1 🚩Tilewa Lawanson's Home Address: SAS courts, Kayode Animashaun Street Lekki phase 1 ( estate on Parktonian hotel street) 🚩Work Address: CardinalStone Stone, 5 Okotie Eboh Street, Ikoyi Lagos State. She drives a silver 2017 honda Rav4 .
She was last spotted at Heathrow airport,London last week! This is her in the pictures. That is also her brother in law who works with her in this fraudulent act. Please we seek assistance to apprehend her through your office.
Her email address is:- Olusola.lawanson@gmail.com
Her last used phone numbers: 08167070215 08099450083 08165697368
After 52 years of listing on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc has announced that it would be delisting from the NGX.
According to a corporate filing on the NGX website obtained by Nairametrics, the bank announced it is considering a payout of N7.70 per share to its shareholders in its scheme of consideration.
In the document signed by Somuyiwa Sonubi, Union Bank’s Company Secretary, the Registrars will send the Scheme Consideration to all the Bank’s shareholders. It is noted that this will follow the decision that will be made during the Court-Ordered Meeting as well as approval given by the Federal High Court.
What you should know
At the end of 2021, Titan Trust Bank (TTB), promoted by former CBN Deputy Governor, Tunde Lemo got the approval of the CBN to acquire an 89.4% stake in Union Bank of Nigeria.
Six months later, in June 2022, TTB completed the deal to acquire a 93.4% stake in the bank. After completing a takeover of the bank, it was announced in May 2023 that TTB was planning to pay N7 per share to acquire the remaining shares of Union Bank of Nigeria to ensure 100% total ownership by TTB.
As of the close of trading on November 13, 2023, Union Bank of Nigeria (UBN) closed at N6.65.
Suspected bandits have burnt down over 20 maize, soya bean and guinea corn farms on the outskirts of Kontagora, headquarters of Kontagora LGA of Niger State.
One of the affected farmers confirmed to City & Crime on telephone that the bandits also dropped notes for them on their various farms asking them to pay N30m levy each or face further attacks.
He said he had not called the number but that those who called the number told him that the speakers confirmed to them that they burnt the crops they had assembled on their farms and threatened to deal with them more if they failed to pay the imposed levy.
The farmer, who didn’t want his name published due to threats, appealed to the federal and state governments to find a way of addressing the incessant attacks on farmers.
He said, “We just woke up today to this sad incident. We went to our farms where we assembled our crops that were due for harvest. We were almost done with the assembling before bringing them home, only for the crops to be set ablaze.
“And notices in Arabic with a phone number were hung in our respective farms asking us to pay N30m levy each.
“Of the farms that were burnt down, there is one where you could not have less than 50 bags of maize if harvested. There was another one of soybean. The owner would not get less than 60 bags if harvested. In my own farm, there were guinea corn and beans that I had assembled for processing before bringing them home. All of them were set ablaze.”
Some residents of Kontagora told our correspondent that the incident had created tension, saying that people were afraid of going to their farms.
There was no response from security operatives on the incident.
Helen Williams from Lagos, Nigeria has achieved a new record for the longest handmade wig which stretches an incredible 351.28 metres (1,152 ft 5 in) 👏
The Transmission Company of Nigeria has debunked the report by Daily Post which stated that electricity workers have shut down the national power grid.
According to Daily Post, Ndidi Mbah, the spokesperson for Transmission Company of Nigeria, confirmed the shut down.
The news platform reported that the shut down was in compliance with the declaration of an indefinite strike by organized labour unions.
However, the TCN has described the report of national blackout as false.
The electricity agency noted that Ndidi Mbah never made comment about national grid being shut down.
The statement from the company reads: “The Transmission Company of Nigeria hereby states that the publication by Daily Post alleging that the Head of Public Affairs of TCN said that there will be a national blackout is false and totally misleading.
“The statement is mischievous and baseless as TCN, through the Public Affairs Head, did not make such statement.
“We hereby note that the nation’s grid is intact and supplying bulk electricity to distribution load centers nationwide.
“As at when issuing this statement, the TCN National Control Centre Osogbo which controls bulk power transmission nationwide, is actively operational.
“We would appreciate that reports are made with a sense of responsibility not just to cause panic.”
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and its affiliates including the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), on Tuesday, began a nationwide strike, in defiance to a restraining court order barring them from embarking on the industrial action.
The two major labour unions, NLC and TUC, had declared the strike, following the brutalization of the NLC president, Joe Ajaero, in Imo State on 1 November.
Mr Ajaero was attacked in Owerri, the state capital, during an NLC protest against the Imo State government over alleged maltreatment of workers in the state.
The unions on Monday directed their members to down tools across the country as from Tuesday.
This is despite the restraining order issued by the National Industrial Court, in Abuja, on Friday, stopping the labour unions from embarking on the strike.
The interim order issued by the court followed an ex-parte request by the Nigerian government through the office of Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice, due to the Labour unions’ threat to embark on strike.
Foreign Affairs › Re: Pictures Of Israeli Hostages Released By Hamas by nlfpmod(mod): 9:29pm On Nov 24, 2023
