The US Department of War has now entered into an agreement with Elon Musk’s xAI. As part of the agreement the Elon Musk’s company’s frontier-grade artificial intelligence systems into the military’s bespoke platform GenAI.mil. The deal marks a significant expansion of the Department’s AI ecosystem, which already serves more than 3 million military and civilian personnel. “Today, the War Department officially entered into an agreement with xAI, paving the way for the deployment of its advanced capabilities on GenAI.mil. This move builds on the rapid deployment of cutting‑edge AI across the Department’s 3 million military and civilian personnel,” reads the release.

Embedding Grok models into GenAI.mil

As part of the agreement, xAI’s Grok family of models will be embedded directly into GenAI.mil, with initial deployment schedule for early 2026. The integration will operate at Impact Level 5 (IL5). This certification will enable secure handling of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) across daily workflows. This also means that the personnel will be able to make use of advanced AI tools while maintaining compliance with stringent security standards. In add-on to the AI-powered workflows, the partnership will offer War Department staff with real time global insights from Musk’s platform. Officials are of the opinion that this capability will deliver a decisive information advantage, allowing faster decision-making and situational awareness across military and civilian operations.

Scaling AI for speed and security

The Department emphasised that the agreement is part of a broader push to scale an AI ecosystem “built for speed, security, and decision superiority.” By embedding IL5-certified systems into everyday tasks, the War Department aims to transform AI from a specialized tool into a daily operational asset for its workforce.“The War Department will continue scaling an AI ecosystem built for speed, security, and decision superiority. Newly IL5-certified capabilities will empower every aspect of the Department’s workforce, turning AI into a daily operational asset,” adds the release.

Former India captain Rohit Sharma lit up a Gurugram event with a sharp, humorous remark targeting England‘s dismal Ashes 2025-26 campaign against Australia. Speaking at the Masters’ Union convocation, the Mumbai batter highlighted the brutal challenge of Test cricket Down Under amid England’s 3-0 series deficit after crushing defeats in Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide. Australia clinched the series-retaining win by 82 runs in the third Test, equaling the shortest Ashes decision period in a century.​

England’s Ben Stokes-led side crumbled in all three matches, losing the openers by eight wickets each inside three days before folding while chasing 435 in Adelaide. Mitchell Starc‘s 3-62 and Scott Boland‘s decisive blow sealed England’s fate at 352 all out, extending their winless streak in Australia to 18 Tests since 2011. Head coach Brendon McCullum faces mounting pressure, with ex-players calling for change as Australia retained the Urn for the fourth straight time post-2017-18.​

Rohit Sharma delivers cheeky jab at England’s Ashes 2025-26 woes in Australia

Rohit, reflecting on India’s iconic 2021 Gabba triumph despite injuries and debutants, drove home Australia’s fortress status. “Australia mein khelna sabse difficult hai, aap England ko puch hi sakte ho,” he quipped, translating to “Playing in Australia is the toughest; just ask England.” The line, delivered with his signature wit, recalled Rishabh Pant‘s match-winning knock and Tim Paine‘s pre-game comments, underscoring how India defied odds for a historic series win.​​

The remark resonated across cricket circles, amplifying fan banter as England eyes pride in the final two Tests to dodge a 5-0 whitewash—their fourth in Ashes history. Rohit’s timely troll, amid his own recent ODI ton in Australia on October 25, 2025, reaffirms his stature as a candid voice in global cricket.​​

Here’s the video:

Rohit Sharma said : “Playing in Australia is the most difficult you can ask England about it.” 😭😂🔥

bRO just owned England and @TheBarmyArmy 🤣😆🙏 pic.twitter.com/qvXQWMQNe3

— 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐢𝐢⁴⁵ (@rushiii_12) December 21, 2025

Also READ: Key reasons why Shubman Gill was dropped from India’s T20 World Cup 2026 squad at the last moment

Rohit set to return for Mumbai in Vijay Hazare Trophy

Shifting gears, Rohit eyes domestic action, named in Mumbai’s squad for the Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 opener. The 50-over event kicks off December 24 at Jaipur’s Sawai Mansingh Stadium, with Shardul Thakur captaining.​

Mumbai faces Sikkim first on December 24, followed by Uttarakhand on December 26—Rohit’s confirmed availability before rejoining India for January’s New Zealand ODI series. His last full Vijay Hazare stint in 2018-19 featured a match-winning unbeaten knock against Bihar in quarters, aiding Mumbai’s title. Fans anticipate fireworks from the Hitman, blending his international pedigree with Ranji hopefuls in Elite Group C.

Also READ: Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma’s Vijay Hazare Trophy 2025-26 full schedule: Which Delhi and Mumbai games will they be part of?

MUMBAI: With parties racing against time to finalise candidates for the BMC polls, the principle of ‘family first’ appears to be guiding ex-corporators and MLAs. They are making a strong push to secure tickets for their wives on seats reserved for women or for their children and relatives, leaving long-waiting party workers sidelined.On Sunday, nepotism emerged as a flashpoint at BJP’s coordination committee meeting for BMC elections when a senior politician insisted the party should not allocate tickets to relatives of its leaders. BJP national joint general secretary Shivprakash reportedly stated at the meeting that no BJP neta should ask for a ticket for kin.

BJP Mumbai unit president Ameet Satam however said Shivprakash merely reiterated the party’s longstanding stance that it is winnability of a candidate, ground report and local sentiment that are important factors in selecting a nominee.The demand for tickets from BJP MLAs for their wives (at least three MLAs from North Mumbai have made this demand), for his daughter from a MLA from South Mumbai, for the son from a North Mumbai MLA and the daughter-in-law from an MLA in central Mumbai has caused unease in the party. Shivprakash’s statement was in response to the issue raised by workers.Last week, BJP’s Borivli MLA Sanjay Upadhyay and Mumbai BJP secretary Vivekanand Gupta each wrote to party leaders urging them not to field spouses of leaders or office-bearers but give a chance to active workers. Upadhyay addressed his letter to CM Devendra Fadnavis, stressing women’s reservation was likely to be implemented in the 2029 assembly elections and “responsible public representatives and party office bearers [seeking] tickets for their inactive family members... would send the wrong message to society.” He called for long-serving female workers to be given the opportunity to contest. Another office-bearer, Vivekanand Gupta, wrote to Satam under the heading ‘Regarding not allotting tickets to wives, daughters, sons or relatives of party office-bearers in the BMC elections,’ stating, “It is often seen that when such a worker finally gets a chance to contest an election in his department, that opportunity is taken away due to pressure from some leader or office-bearer. This leads to deep disappointment and frustration, which is extremely wrong and unfortunate.” Last weekend, Congress’s interviews for aspirants saw a similar trend, with former corporators eyeing seats for spouses and relatives. It is often observed that ex-corporators opt for tickets for their wives when their own seats are reserved for women, enabling them to manage the constituency on their behalf. Insiders said many politicians across parties are trying to arrange tickets for female family members in anticipation of the 33% reservation for women in the assembly elections in 2029.

NEW DELHI: Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP John Brittas on Tuesday questioned leader of opposition Rahul Gandhi’s absence from Parliament during the Winter Session and criticised Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi’s participation post-session in “chai pe charcha” with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.Speaking to ANI, Brittas took a sharp dig at Priyanka for attending a tea meeting hosted by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla after the conclusion of the Winter Session, saying the move “sent a wrong message” to the public, coming just hours after the BJP “bulldozed” the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (MGNREGA). “This has been a matter of concern for people like us… It was not a good scene for us to see Priyanka Gandhi and others sitting at the tea party along with the Prime Minister,” he said.“We would have expected better wisdom to guide them. I can also tell you that for comparatively insignificant issues, we stayed away from such tea parties,” he told ANI.Referring to past parliamentary protests, he said the Opposition had deliberately avoided similar meetings earlier. “Last monsoon session, the opposition stayed away from such tea parties, because the government was not prepared for a discussion on SIR,” he said, adding that, “Earlier, when the Waqf Bill was bulldozed, we stayed away.”Calling the latest episode particularly damaging, Brittas said, “Compared to all those issues, this was a humongous issue… Such a spectacle of Priyanka Gandhi having a cup of tea with the Prime Minister. Just a few hours after the bulldozing of Mahatma Gandhi, it was not only a sad scene, it has sent a wrong message to the people of the country.”“I don’t subscribe to such bonhomie which is detrimental to the unity of the opposition and the betterment of the poor people of this country,” he added.Brittas also raised concerns over Rahul Gandhi’s absence from Parliament during the Winter Session. “Why travel abroad when the Parliament session is on? We had already decided that Rahul Gandhi, as part of the opposition, should be present when the three anti-people bills were piloted in Parliament. However, it is for him and his political party to decide,” he told IANS.Rahul Gandhi was on a five-day visit to Germany, where he held meetings with former German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and Environment Minister Carsten Schneider, among others, to discuss issues of mutual interest.

England’s Ben Stokes, centre, celebrates with teammates (AP Photo/James Elsby)

England managing director Rob Key has said the board will examine claims that players drank excessively during a mid-series break in Queensland, following reports that the trip resembled a “stag-do” during the Ashes. After heavy defeats in the opening two Tests in Perth and Brisbane, the England squad travelled to Noosa, a popular holiday spot on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. The players spent several days at the beach and visiting local restaurants and bars, with their movements closely followed by television crews, photographers and reporters. England then moved on to Adelaide, where they lost the third Test and with it the Ashes.

According to Britain’s Daily Telegraph, several players, though not the entire squad, were said to have been drinking for five or six days after the Brisbane Test. The report stressed that nothing outrageous took place in Noosa but raised concerns about the amount of alcohol consumed, particularly given existing questions around England’s preparation and professionalism on tour. Speaking to English media in Melbourne ahead of the Boxing Day Test, Key said the matter would be looked into if the claims proved accurate. He made it clear that excessive drinking was not acceptable for an international team at any stage. “If people are saying our players went out and drank excessively, then of course we will investigate that,” Key said. “That would not be something I would expect to see.” Key, who did not travel with the squad to Noosa, added that it would have been wrong not to review the situation. However, he said that the information he had received so far suggested the players had conducted themselves well. He stressed that he had no objection to players having the occasional drink, but drew a clear line if it went beyond that. Key said he supported the idea of the Noosa trip if its purpose was to help players switch off, step away from cricket and spend time on the beach. But he said any suggestion that it had turned into a heavy drinking exercise would be completely unacceptable. Key also revealed that he had previously looked into reports of England players being seen drinking on the eve of a limited-overs match in New Zealand shortly before the Ashes tour. On that occasion, he felt the situation did not merit formal disciplinary action, though he believed informal warnings were appropriate. Despite England losing the Ashes inside just 11 playing days, the joint fastest defeat in more than a century, Key voiced his support for head coach Brendon McCullum. The future of both men now lies with the England and Wales Cricket Board. Reflecting on recent disappointments, Key admitted England had fallen short on major occasions, including the drawn home Ashes series and last summer’s series against India, where they failed to convert strong positions into victories. “The big moments have passed us by,” he said. “We have to evolve and make sure we are doing things better going forward.”

S Jaishankar with Sri Lanka’s President Anura Kumara Dissanayake (Image/X)

NEW DELHI: EAM S Jaishankar on Tuesday announced that India has proposed a comprehensive assistance package of $450 million to support Sri Lanka’s reconstruction following Cyclone Ditwah, one of the deadliest natural disasters to hit the island nation in decades.Speaking in Colombo as a special envoy of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Jaishankar stated that India remains firmly committed to supporting Sri Lanka during this challenging period. “The letter from Prime Minister Modi that I handed over builds on our first responder role and commits a reconstruction package of USD 450 million to Sri Lanka,” he said.

The announcement comes after the completion of the immediate humanitarian phase under Operation Sagar Bandhu, India’s rapid response mission launched after the cyclone, which has claimed more than 600 lives and affected millions across Sri Lanka.Jaishankar outlined the scale of India’s initial relief efforts, highlighting that Operation Sagar Bandhu delivered around 1,100 tonnes of relief material. “About 14.5 tonnes of medicines and medical equipment were also provided,” he added.He said PM Modi has directed Indian officials to work closely with the Sri Lankan government to identify and address rebuilding priorities. “Recognising the urgency of rebuilding, PM Modi directed that we now engage with the Sri Lankan government to address their priorities in that regard,” Jaishankar said.Detailing the proposed package, Jaishankar said it would include USD 350 million in concessional lines of credit and USD 100 million in grants. The assistance package, he said, is being finalised in close consultation with the Sri Lankan government to ensure the funds are channelled toward the most critical infrastructure and recovery needs.The move underscores India’s “Neighbourhood First” policy, positioning New Delhi as a first responder and long-term partner in Sri Lanka’s recovery and stability.Beyond immediate relief and reconstruction, Jaishankar said India would continue to support Sri Lanka’s economic recovery.“We will continue to encourage tourism traffic from India,” he said, describing tourism as a key pillar of Sri Lanka’s economy. He also highlighted the role of Indian investments, which could help boost Sri Lanka’s economy at a critical time.Acknowledging the scale of the crisis, Jaishankar said Sri Lanka was facing fresh challenges just as it was emerging from earlier difficulties. “Just as it was recovering from the economic crisis of 2022, this natural disaster has created new difficulties,” he said.Jaishankar arrived in Colombo on Monday evening and was received by deputy minister of tourism Ruwan Ranasinghe.Cyclone Ditwah made landfall on November 28 before looping back over the Bay of Bengal, triggering widespread flooding and landslides across Sri Lanka. The worst-hit areas include Gampaha, Colombo, Puttalam, Mannar, Trincomalee and Batticaloa, while landslides in the central hill country devastated districts such as Kandy, Badulla and Matale. Nearly 75,000 homes were damaged, including around 5,000 completely destroyed. The Sri Lankan government has announced a major compensation and rehabilitation plan, including financial assistance for families of victims, support for rebuilding homes in safer zones, and aid for education and basic household needs.

NEW DELHI: Congress MP Imran Masood on Tuesday said that Priyanka Gandhi will “deliver a decisive treatment” to Bangladesh if she becomes the Prime Minister.Refuting the charges from the BJP targeting Priyanka Gandhi for allegedly not speaking out strongly enough against violence against minorities in Bangladesh, Masood said that Wayanad MP spoke out the strongly the last time Bangladesh was becoming a central issue.“Priyanka Gandhi had raised her voice foremost last time when violence took place in Bangladesh. Make Priyanka Gandhi the Prime Minister first, and then see how she responds, just like Indira Gandhi,” Masood said.“Just like Indira Gandhi broke Pakistan into two places, Priyanka Gandhi will deliver a decisive treatment to the country (Bangladesh) so that it would not be able to become a hub of anti-India narratives,” he added.When asked what will Rahul Gandhi do if Priyanka becomes PM, Masood said,” Rahul Gandhi will act too—they are not separate. Rahul and Priyanka are like two eyes on the same face, the grandchildren of Indira Gandhi. Don’t look at them separately—they are two eyes, one vision”.Amid the ongoing protests in Dhaka, Congress MP Priyanka Gandhi Vadra urged the Centre to take cognisance of the increasing violence against Hindu, Christian, and Buddhist minorities after the murder of Hindu youth Deepu Chandra Das in Bangladesh.The protests came in the backdrop of a mob lynching of the Hindu youth, Dipu Chandra Das, a worker in a garment factory, in Bangladesh’s Mymensingh district.According to reports, Dipu Das, who was beaten to death by a mob over alleged blasphemy charges, had his body hanged and set on fire on December 18.The Daily Star, citing Mymensingh’s Additional Superintendent of Police, Abdullah Al Mamun, stated that a factory official had informed Bhaluka police that a group of workers attacked Dipu inside the factory, accusing him of making communal remarks.Factory sources told The Daily Star that the assailants later took Dipu out of the factory premises, where residents also joined the attack, resulting in his death.However, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-14 Company Commander in Mymensingh, Md Samsuzzaman, told The Daily Star that investigators found no evidence suggesting the deceased had posted or written anything on Facebook that could have hurt religious sentiments, adding that neither residents nor fellow garment factory workers could point to any such activity by the victim.The victim’s brother, Apu Chandra Das, also filed a case at Bhaluka Police Station on Friday, naming 140 to 150 unidentified individuals as accused. The incident sparked widespread outrage and condemnation among political leaders, religious organisations and minority groups in Bangladesh and India.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is shaking up how the tech giant approaches artificial intelligence with an unconventional leadership strategy: keeping executives out of the room. The CEO has launched a weekly AI accelerator meeting that deliberately excludes senior managers from presenting, instead giving the floor to lower-level technical employees working directly on AI projects. This bottom-up approach marks a radical departure from Microsoft’s traditional corporate hierarchy, where executives typically control the narrative in leadership meetings. Nadella wants unfiltered insights from engineers who are actually building AI products, not polished presentations from those managing them.

Frontline workers get direct access to CEO in AI push

According to internal memos obtained by Business Insider, Nadella created the new meeting format along with a corresponding Teams channel to speed up AI development and gather unfiltered insights from across the company. The approach is intentionally “messy and chaotic,” designed to avoid top-down AI leadership and get real-time feedback from engineers in the trenches.

The move reflects Nadella’s view that AI represents both an existential threat and a once-in-a-generation opportunity for Microsoft. He’s pushing the company to operate with unprecedented “intensity and urgency,” according to Business Insider sources familiar with the matter.

Microsoft reorganizes leadership for AI-first future

This grassroots meeting structure is part of broader organizational shifts at Microsoft. Nadella recently promoted sales chief Judson Althoff to CEO of commercial business, freeing up his own time to focus on technical AI work. In internal messages to corporate vice presidents, Nadella urged leaders to “work and act like ICs” (individual contributors) rather than traditional managers.“We all have to work and act like ICs in our own orgs, constantly learning and unlearning,” Nadella wrote in a Teams channel for executives, as seen by Business Insider.The CEO is also having direct conversations with executives about whether they’re willing to commit to the “mountain of work” required for Microsoft’s AI transformation—or leave. “You’ve gotta be asking yourself how much longer you want to do this,” one Microsoft executive told Business Insider.Nadella has shifted his language from saying Microsoft is in the “early innings” to the “middle innings” of AI, signaling his determination to see the transformation through to completion.