Central News Hub

Month: September 2022

  • Row over award for AI-generated artwork  

    Row over award for AI-generated artwork  

    Text-to-image AI systems are trained on billions of pairs of images and text descriptions, which they mine for visual patterns, the report said…reports Asian Lite News

    A game designer has won the Colorado State Fair’s fine art competition using an AI-generated piece of art in the US, which has created a stir among other artists who have accused him of accelerating the death of creative jobs.

    According to The Verge, the artwork titled “Theatre d’Opera Spatial”, which Jason Allen submitted for the Colorado State Fair fine arts competition under the category “Digital Arts/Digitally-Manipulated Photography”, was made using the well-known text-to-image AI generator Midjourney.

    Since most people are unfamiliar with how text-to-image AI generators function, many users claimed that Allen had been dishonest in submitting the work.

    This claim was made in response to a widely shared tweet about Allen’s victory.

    However, Allen has defended himself and said: “I wanted to make a statement using artificial intelligence artwork.”

    “I feel like I accomplished that, and I’m not going to apologise for it,” the report quoted him as saying to The Pueblo Chieftain.

    Text-to-image AI systems are trained on billions of pairs of images and text descriptions, which they mine for visual patterns, the report said.

    Users then feed them text descriptions known as prompts, and the software generates an image that matches this description based on its training data, it added.

    This distinction of not using the traditional way of creating digital art has caused controversy on Twitter where artists and art enthusiasts accused Allen of hastening the death of creative jobs.

    Users from both sides, in favour and against AI-generated art, put forward their points on social media. One user claimed that comparing the use of AI to the advent of photography is a gross minimalisation of issues and AI will cost millions of entry-level jobs for artists.

    “We’re watching the death of artistry unfold before our eyes,” a Twitter user wrote warning that even creative and high-skill jobs are at risk of becoming obsolete due to automation.

    Some even argued that art generated by AI is devoid of any meaning as there is no active thinking of an artist involved.

    Allen has responded to the criticism on the Midjourney Discord server. He said people on Twitter who are against AI-generated art are discrediting the human element which is hypocritical.

    As per the Vice report, he insists that his input was key to the final piece that won the prize. Despite the controversy, the win has only encouraged Allen and emboldened his mission, he said.

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  • Will upcoming Party Congress raise the heat on Xi?

    Will upcoming Party Congress raise the heat on Xi?

    The Taiwan issue is likely to hang over the Congress with speculation rife about Beijing’s future steps on reining in the breakaway island, reports Mukesh Sharma

    As the Communist Party of Chinas (CPC) formidable administrative machinery prepares for the 20th Congress which will start on October 16 this year, the eyes of the major world powers will be set on what President Xi Jinping speaks from the lectern on stage at the Great Hall of the People at Tiananmen Square in Beijing.

    The Politburo of the CPC announced the date of the start of the conclave of arguably the largest political party on earth earlier this week. The conclave will see Xi start a precedent-defying third term after he quashed term limits for the presidency in an earlier Congress, which is a twice-in-a decade event.

    The key meeting comes in the aftermath of a slowdown in the Chinese economy which, observers say, is a result of the country’s zero-Covid policy that has drawn the world’s attention as a controversial step by the Chinese president.

    The top leader of the planet’s largest manufacturing hub has always a lot at stake ahead of this major meeting that sets out the agenda for the next five years in the nation of 1.5 billion.

    “The pandemic has badly hurt the economy as China’s supply chain has been disrupted. This has led to the country’s buyers finding alternative sources for their purchases. It is most likely that Xi will tell policymakers to try to revive the supply chains so that the economy is back on track,” says Pankaj Srivastav, an Indian journalist who had a long stint with China Radio International in Beijing.

    Xi is well aware that if remedial measures are not taken, the economy that is largely dependent on exports will collapse, adds Srivastav.

    CPC mouthpiece People’s Daily has been frequently quoting Xi ahead of the impending event.

    The newspaper’s English edition said that Xi has been emphasizing the importance of the upcoming 20th CPC National Congress to be held at a crucial moment on the new journey to build a modern socialist country in all respects. Xi said goals, tasks and policies for the cause of the Party and the country for the next five years and beyond will be made at the congress.

    Chinese-President Xi Jinping reviews the Peoples Liberation Army Navy in the South China Sea. (Credit_Xinhua) – Copy



    It is of key importance to building on past successes to further advance the cause of the Party and the country, to the future of socialism with Chinese characteristics, and to the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Xi was quoted as saying by the People’s Daily.

    Against the backdrop of accelerating global changes unseen in a century, and more complex risks, challenges, contradictions and problems, the fundamental task is to run our own affairs well, Xi said adding that the past five years since the 19th CPC National Congress have been extremely extraordinary.

    The Taiwan issue is likely to hang over the Congress with speculation rife about Beijing’s future steps on reining in the breakaway island.

    “The Taiwan issue is likely an Albatross around Xi’s neck. He does not want it to snowball in the interest of political expediency, but at the same time he cannot ignore it and wants it resolved. He would definitely be under pressure from influential delegates to the Congress to lay down a concrete plan on resolving the Taiwan question,” says a former Chinese journalist requesting anonymity.

    Taiwan or supply chain problems or the tensions with India, the impending Congress will be a test of Xi’s mettle and the latter weeks of October will show how he fares.

    ALSO READ: US steps up tech war with China

  • Imran predicts bumper crop next season

    Imran predicts bumper crop next season

    Imran Khan directed authorities to provide mosquito nets to people in the flood-hit areas. “I urge the representatives to go to flood-affected areas as they need your help…reports Asian Lite News

    With floods having wreaked havoc on standing crops across Pakistan and farmers still counting their losses from the devastation, former Pakistan prime minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman Imran Khan on Saturday predicted a “bumper crop” next season due to increase in fertility of the affected land, the media reported.

    “Currently, all the places are submerged in water, but when this water will recede, the biggest advantage would be that farmers will have a bumper crop when they cultivate their wheat in this fertile land,” he said while talking to the media during his visit to Rojhan, Express Tribune reported.

    Imran Khan directed authorities to provide mosquito nets to people in the flood-hit areas. “I urge the representatives to go to flood-affected areas as they need your help,” he added.

    The former prime minister said that the country needed more dams to prevent such disasters, adding that Pakistan needed at least two more big dams. He asked the party workers presented on the occasion not to raise political slogans as it was not a rally.

    “These are really testing times for people. We, the members of the provincial and national assembly, the government and I, should all help the flood victims,” he further said, Express Tribune reported.

    ALSO READ: No end to legal woes of Imran Khan

  • ‘AAKAAR’: Vibrant creations of visual language

    ‘AAKAAR’: Vibrant creations of visual language

    The key elements of Bhaskar Singha’s canvases that give the viewer a feeling of illumination are his transparent technique and use of delicate, fresh colours…reports Asian Lite News

    The title of the group composition by fourteen artists from KALAAKALPAM organisations from around India is AAKAAR, which signifies Form or Shape. The stunning group art exhibition, titled AAKAAR, will run from September 1 through September 7, 2022, at the third and fourth art galleries of Lalit Kala Akademi in Mandi House, New Delhi.

    Aashima Mehrotra depicted the difficulties of independence, inventiveness, and emancipation while painting the “distorted liberation”. Through the intricate use of colour, she aimed to illustrate real-world circumstances.

    Anoop Kumar Srivastava paints on a variety of subjects, including Shreengar, Samarpan, Spiritualism, and the world of our childhood that has been forgotten.

    The key elements of Bhaskar Singha’s canvases that give the viewer a feeling of illumination are his transparent technique and use of delicate, fresh colours.

    On his most recent canvases, Ganga Narayan Maharana uses transparent and translucent acrylic paints. He draws inspiration from the Natyashastra, a work of mediaeval literature that discusses the “Nine RASA” philosophy. One of the group’s more experienced artists, Gautam Partho Roy, thinks like a little child. He constantly anticipates miracles or magical surprises. He uses a direct style of communication to establish a rapport and make his artistic products understandable. His canvases are great instances of vigorous brushwork, clarity of line, and lyrical colour harmony with exquisite imagery.

    Gurdeep Singh created a wooden sculpture that uses little metal to represent the Hindu mythological figure of the war goddess “Kali” as a symbol of Shakti or Power. A talented artist, Kangkan Barman values the originality of conception in his works of art. Since he spent the majority of his life outside of the home, city life had an influence on his works.

    When travelling outside, Mamata Samantaray used to depict aspects of the adversity faced by rural women by covering their faces with a ghunghat. An academic once observed, “Art is the mysterious manifestation of the secret of nature.” Manoj Kumar Sahu draws inspiration from nature for his works as well. He considers the universe to be a sizable living area.

    Meenaketan Pattnaik is a Bhubaneswar-based figurative colourist. His current art practice is on “contemporary social emotions”, which is the philosophy of sociology linked with youth psychology.

    Artist Rajender Kumar has always been moved by force and energy that has inspired him to create a passion for life in the discrete images and figures created by him. Rita Dutta is a sculptor who mostly made sculptures in the bronze medium. She got inspiration from her daily lifestyle. Rita tries to get the ideas in three-dimensional form.

    Sanjeev Kumar Singh is a keen observer of social issues across sections of society irrespective of class and colour. To understand the deep-rooted problems of our country, Sanjeev picks up the struggle of the existence of rickshaw pullers and farmers, including child labour, and portrays their world in an impressionist way. Santanu Sarkar is a self-communicator. He loves to talk with himself because he loves himself and rejects the false love of others towards him.

    This artist group has been active for the last decade in organizing different artist camps and exhibitions across the nation under the banner of ‘Art Convergence’. The group was renamed and registered as KALAAKALPAM in 2022. Come to Lalit Kala Akademi and celebrate the rich thoughts of each artist by looking at the masterpieces, the signature of spectacular creations of visual language.

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  • ‘Biggest climate tragedy in recent world history’

    ‘Biggest climate tragedy in recent world history’

    Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said that Pakistan bore the brunt of 500% more rainfall compared to a 30 year average…reports Asian Lite News

    Pakistan is currently reeling from the biggest climate tragedy in recent history of the world, Federal Minister for Planning Ahsan Iqbal said here on Saturday.

    The Minister said this during a press conference following the first meeting of the newly formed National Flood Response and Coordination Centre (NFRCC), Samaa TV reported.

    This year, monsoon struck areas of the country that usually do not receive much downpour and those areas that usually experience heavy rainfall were spared this season.

    “Pakistan bore the brunt of 500% more rainfall compared to a 30 year average,” the Minister highlighted, adding that it resulted in heavy flooding across the region, Samaa TV reported.

    “The scale of the latest calamity faced by Pakistan can be matched to the destruction caused by hurricane Katrina in the US that rendered the world’s super power helpless in the face of natural disaster.”

    He hoped that the country will face the adversity with courage and overcome it with the help of people.

    The Minister further pointed out that some regions of Sindh and Balochistan that usually receive less than 40 mm of rain were pounded by around 1,500 mm of downpour resulting in heavy losses.



    He further said several parts of South Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan also suffered damage due to torrential rains and resulting floods, Samaa TV reported.

    Ahsan pointed out that major chunk of damage was incurred by hill torrents and flash floods after rains lashed the region.

    “Hill torrents swept away at least a million houses and damaged 5,000km of road network,” he maintained.

    The slide presentation shared by the minister illustrated that in total 34 districts in Balochistan spanning over 1.2 million acres were inundated of which Lasbella was the worst hit.

    As of Saturday, at least 1,265 people have died in the devastating floods that hit the country since mid-June.

    According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), 12,577 persons have been injured while some 320,680 houses have been destroyed and 3,766 livestock perished.

    The NDMA said that 169,676 people have been rescued since the beginning of the crisis, adding that 627,793 people are currently living in the camps.

    Aid from global lenders

    Pakistan is planning to reach out to global lenders for monetary assistance to deal with devastating floods in the country, local media reported on Saturday.

    The Shehbaz Sharif government will seek help from the likes of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), World Bank (WB), Asian Development Bank (ADB) and others, ARY NEWS reported.

    The global lenders will be conveyed a joint report of its disaster management authority, finance and planning and development ministries over losses during the floods, the report said citing sources privy to the matter.

    “A report on initial losses has been prepared and it highlighted a loss of USD 10 billion to the economy owing to the devastating floods,” the sources were quoted as saying by ARY.

    Confirming the development, Pakistan State Finance Minister Aisha Ghous Pasha said that global lenders will be approached for the rehabilitation of flood-affected areas. “We will complete estimates of damages from floods in two days,” she said.

    The cash-strapped country is mulling another emergency loan days after it managed to secure the much-needed bailout package from IMF to avert an imminent default.

    Estimates suggest that devastating floods in Pakistan might have caused nearly 2.5 trillion Pakistani rupees in losses, The Express Tribune newspaper reported. The initial assessment says the economic growth rate could slow down to just 2 per cent in the current fiscal year.

    “Our team is also helping to assess the damage caused by floods to draw up plans to support longer-term rehabilitation efforts and strengthen communities’ climate resilience,” Asian Development Bank (ADB) Country Director for Pakistan Yong Ye said. (IANS/ANI)

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  • Biden doesn’t consider Trump supporters as threat

    Biden doesn’t consider Trump supporters as threat

    The term MAGA, or “Make America Great Again”, was Trump’s main slogan during his campaign and later his presidency….reports Asian Lite News

    US President Joe Biden has clarified that he does not consider supporters of his predecessor Donald Trump to be a “threat”.

    Biden made the clarification on Friday a day after after a nationally televised speech in which he referred to “MAGA Republicans” — those who support Trump — as a “threat to democracy.”

    “Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic … And that is a threat to this country,” the President had said on Thursday night.

    But in a press conference on Friday, he said: “I don’t consider any Trump supporters a threat to the country. I do think anyone who calls for the use of violence, refuses to acknowledge an election … hanging the way you count votes, that is a threat to democracy.”

    Shortly after Biden’s remark on Thursday night, Trump lambasted the President, posting on social media that his successor “must be insane, or suffering from late-stage dementia” for accusing him and his supporters of being a “threat” to the US.

    “Someone should explain to Joe Biden, slowly but passionately, that MAGA means, as powerfully as mere words can get, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” the former President said.

    The term MAGA, or “Make America Great Again”, was Trump’s main slogan during his campaign and later his presidency.

    “If he doesn’t want to Make America Great Again, which through words, action, and thought, he doesn’t, then he certainly should not be representing the United States of America,” Trump posted on Friday.

    Biden made the remark in the US city of Philadelphia, and occurred a few days after the president said Trump’s supporters were backers of “semi-fascism”.

    ALSO READ: Biden targets ‘extremist’ Trump allies  

  • Trump brands Biden ‘enemy of the state’  

    Trump brands Biden ‘enemy of the state’  

    Trump told cheering supporters at the rally in the city of Wilkes-Barre that the “egregious abuse of the law” was going to produce “a backlash the likes of which nobody has ever seen.”…reports Asian Lite News

    United States ex-president Donald Trump branded his successor Joe Biden an “enemy of the state” during a rally in Pennsylvania Saturday, as he slammed last month’s FBI raid of his Florida home.

    Making his first public appearance since the August 8 raid, Trump said the search was a “travesty of justice” and warned it would produce “a backlash the likes of which nobody has ever seen.”

    “There can be no more vivid example of the very real threats from American freedom than just a few weeks ago, you saw, when we witnessed one of the most shocking abuses of power by any administration in American history,” Trump said.

    His suggestion that the Biden administration had overseen the raid goes against long-standing protocols which see the Justice Department and the FBI act independently of the White House.

    Trump told cheering supporters at the rally in the city of Wilkes-Barre that the “egregious abuse of the law” was going to produce “a backlash the likes of which nobody has ever seen.”

    Trump also hit back at Biden’s speech this week in which the president said his predecessor and Republican supporters “represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our republic.”

    Biden gave the “most vicious, hateful and divisive speech ever delivered by an American president,” Trump told supporters

    “He’s an enemy of the state. You want to know that,” Trump said.

    “Republicans in the MAGA movement are not the ones trying to undermine our democracy,” he continued, alluding to his Make America Great Again movement.

    “We are the ones trying to save our democracy, very simple. The danger to democracy comes from the radical left, not from the right,” he added.

    ALSO READ: Biden targets ‘extremist’ Trump allies  

  • Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by four wickets in Super Four

    Sri Lanka beat Afghanistan by four wickets in Super Four

    Both Gurbaz and Zadran put on a stand of 93 runs for the second wicket. When Gurbaz got out in the 16th over, Afghanistan were 139-2 and looked set for a strong finish…reports Asian Lite News

    Sri Lanka produced a commanding performance to beat Afghanistan by four wickets in a Super Four match of the Asia Cup 2022 at the Sharjah International Stadium, here on Saturday.

    An excellent attacking knock by Rahmanullah Gurbaz (84 off 45) powered Afghanistan to a challenging 175/6 in 20 overs. Apart from Gurbaz, Ibrahim Zadran also played an impactful knock (40 off 38) for Afghanistan, who would have hoped for a blistering finish but they lost wickets in a cluster in the last few overs.

    Chasing a challenging total, Kusal Mendis (36 off 19), Pathum Nissanka (35 off 28), Danushka Gunathilaka (33 off 20) Bhanuka Rajapaksa (31 off 14) and Wanindu Hasaranga made vital contributions with the bat and led Sri Lanka to a memorable win.

    Despite losing wickets at regular intervals, Sri Lankan batters didn’t allow the required run rate to rise high and eventually chased the target in 19.1 overs with four wickets in hand. Mujeeb Ur Rahman (2/30), Naveen-ul-Haq (2/40), Mohammad Nabi (1/34), and Rashid Khan (1/39), were the wicket-takers for Afghanistan.

    Earlier, put into bat first, Afghanistan were off to a good start, scoring 49/1 in the powerplay.

    While Gurbaz was in an attacking mode and did the bulk of the scoring, Hazratullah Zazai was not able to not find any fluency right through his innings. Eventually, Zazai played across to a length delivery and was clean bowled for 13 off 16 in the 5th over.

    Even after the powerplay, Gurbaz continued his attacking intent and completed his fifty in 22 balls. He got support in Zadran and they kept the scoreboard ticking for Afghanistan.

    Both Gurbaz and Zadran put on a stand of 93 runs for the second wicket. When Gurbaz got out in the 16th over, Afghanistan were 139-2 and looked set for a strong finish.

    However, they lost the wickets of Ibrahim Zadran, Mohammad Nabi (1), and Najibullah Zadran (17) in the 17th and 18th overs respectively. Rashid Khan (9) managed to hit a six in the last over and took Afghanistan to 175-6, which was not enough in the end.

    Dilshan Madushanka (2/37), Maheesh Theekshana (1/29), and Asitha Fernando (1/34) were the wicket takers for Sri Lanka.

    Brief scores: Afghanistan 175/6 in 20 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 84, Ibrahim Zadran 40, Dilshan Madushanka 2/37) lost to Sri Lanka 179/6 in 19.1 overs (Kusal Mendis 36, Pathum Nissanka 35; Mujeeb Ur Rahman 2/30) by 4 wickets.

    ALSO READ-Suryakumar’s fireworks seal India’s Super Four spot after 40-run win over Hong Kong

  • Kvitova beats Muguruza to reach US Open fourth round

    Kvitova beats Muguruza to reach US Open fourth round

    The clash of two-time Grand Slam champions, the seventh edition of a rivalry dating back to 2015, was a barnburner to the end…reports Asian Lite News

    Two-time Wimbledon winner Petra Kvitova stormed into the fourth round of the US Open for the seventh time after overcoming No. 21 seed Garbie Muguruza in three sets on Saturday.

    Kvitova, the No. 21 seed who won the Wimbledon women’s singles title in 2011 and 2014, saved two match points to beat Muguruza, the 2016 French Open and 2017 Wimbledon winner, 5-7, 6-3, 7-6(10) in 2 hours and 38 minutes.

    The clash of two-time Grand Slam champions, the seventh edition of a rivalry dating back to 2015, was a barnburner to the end. Muguruza served for the match at 5-3 in the third set and held two match points on Kvitova’s serve at 6-5, but the Czech escaped both situations to eventually convert her own fourth match point in the super-tiebreak.

    Midway through the grass swing, Kvitova’s 2022 record was in the red at 10-13. But a title in Eastbourne has turned her season around: since then, the 32-year-old has gone 15-3, also including a runner-up showing in Cincinnati two weeks ago.

    ALSO READ-Azarenka beats Kostyuk to reach third round in US open

  • Macron calls for independent foreign policy

    Macron calls for independent foreign policy

    The President said he aims to form a “stronger, more influential, more independent” France, and keep the country as a “balancing power” that builds peace and stability…reports Asian Lite News

    France must stick to an independent foreign policy and build more balanced partnerships for multi-lateralism, President Emmanuel Macron said during an ambassadors’ conference.

    In recent years, there were many unpredictable incidents including the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war, he told the diplomats, adding that France alone does not have the means to resolve these crises.

    Its interest is therefore to “build more and more balanced, equal, bilateral and regional partnerships”, Macron said.

    The President said he aims to form a “stronger, more influential, more independent” France, and keep the country as a “balancing power” that builds peace and stability.

    Speaking of European strategic autonomy, Macron told the French diplomats that the idea has become widespread across Europe.

    “Above all, we have acted together, built a stronger Europe of defence, brick by brick. We have done so multilaterally and bilaterally. We have strengthened this European Union. It is indeed our independence that we are strengthening and consolidating. It is this same desire for independence that I also want at the geopolitical level,” he said, adding that Europe is “more and more autonomous”.

    Macron acknowledged that the United States is an ally, but warned that “we do not want to depend on it”.

    “France and Europe must therefore build this independence, which is also geopolitical. We do not have to be asked to choose how to guide our policy.”

    Macron also said that France’s foreign policy aims to continue to build an effective multi-lateralism.

    He said that France should multiply efforts in multi-lateralism, especially in public health, climate change and biodiversity.

    For public health, Macron highlighted “the usefulness of international health cooperation” through the World Health Organization.

    “I think our role should be to consolidate the World Health Organization as the bedrock of a useful multilateral institution. We absolutely must consolidate the principles of information sharing, transparency and scientific independence,” he noted.

    Macron also highlighted the importance of multi-lateralism on climate change and biodiversity.

    “For several years, it has been at the heart of our diplomatic action and our diplomatic successes,” he said.

    In order to achieve the Paris Agreement, France should “convince our major partners among the developed countries, within the framework of the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development), to make maximum emissions commitments per capita”, he said.

    But “in the same logic of fair distribution of effort,” developing countries “must be able to find financing agreements for the energy transition in our common interest and on terms that are less costly than in developed countries”, Macron noted.

    “We cannot ask emerging countries to move faster and to make the choice between development and climate, with financing conditions that are much harsher than in our country.”

    ALSO READ: India, France to strengthen ongoing cooperation on counter terror