Pakistan’s Imran Khan delivers AI-generated speech to campaign from prison
In the first event of its kind in the country, the jailed ex-PM’s party uses audio clip made by artificial intelligence during a virtual rally. Islamabad, Pakistan – Jailed former Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan has delivered a speech using an audio clip generated through artificial intelligence (AI) to address a virtual rally – the first event of its kind in the South Asian country. Khan delivered a four-minute address on Sunday night, using the clip, which was laid over a video containing his AI-generated image as well as photos from previous Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) rallies and earlier speeches by him. The PTI said its virtual rally drew more than five million views on social media platforms including YouTube, Facebook and Twitter despite internet outages reported from various parts of the country. The PTI organised the internet rally to bypass a government ban on public rallies by the party as it gears up for general elections, scheduled on February 8. “Our party is not allowed to hold public rallies. Our people are being kidnapped and their families are being harassed,” the AI-generated voice mimicking Khan said in the clip, carrying a disclaimer that the speech is based on his notes from prison. “History will remember your sacrifices,” the stilted voice added, referring to the months-long state crackdown on PTI, which has seen dozens of party leaders arrested or “forced to quit” the organisation. Khan himself has been in jail since August following his conviction in a case related to the illegal selling of state gifts he received as premier from 2018 to 2022. Though he got bail in that case, he remains in custody after he was indicted for allegedly leaking state secrets. Khan denies the allegations and says the cases against him are a ploy by the government and the powerful military to keep him and his party out of the February elections. ‘Internet censorship’ The opposition party accused the government of causing internet disruptions in order to prevent Khan’s supporters from watching his online speech. Several users reported outages in the live streaming of the speech, which was confirmed by NetBlocks, an internet tracking company. “Metrics show major social media platforms were restricted in Pakistan for [nearly] 7 hours on Sunday evening during an online political gathering; the incident is consistent with previous instances of internet censorship targeting opposition leader Imran Khan and his party PTI,” the firm said in a post on X, formerly Twitter. ℹ️ ICYMI: Metrics show major social media platforms were restricted in #Pakistan for ~7 hours on Sunday evening during an online political gathering; the incident is consistent with previous instances of internet censorship targeting opposition leader Imran Khan and his party PTI https://t.co/AS9SdfwqoH pic.twitter.com/XXMYBhknXd — NetBlocks (@netblocks) December 18, 2023 In a statement on Monday, the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority denied the internet outage and urged the media to exercise caution on sharing “unconfirmed news” about it. Pakistan’s free speech activist Usama Khilji praised PTI’s “innovative” method of holding the virtual event to circumvent the ban on public rallies. “With a full crackdown on PTI’s right to freedom of association and speech via arrests of leadership, the party’s use of artificial intelligence to broadcast a virtual speech in the words of its incarcerated chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan marks a new point in the use of technology in Pakistani politics,” he told Al Jazeera. Khilji added a note of caution in political leaders and parties using AI tools for their campaigns. “This innovative use of technology shows how AI can be used to circumvent a crackdown on a political party, but it should be viewed with caution because it signifies the potential abuse of AI technology to spread disinformation and manipulate elections as well by various political and non-political actors,” he said. Adblock test (Why?)
Vatican approves blessings for same-sex couples under certain conditions
A landmark ruling approved by Pope Francis says priests can bless same-sex couples under some circumstances. The Vatican has approved a landmark ruling to allow Roman Catholic priests to administer blessings to same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular Church rituals or liturgies, nor given in contexts related to civil unions or weddings. A document from the Vatican’s doctrinal office approved by Pope Francis on Monday said such blessings would not legitimise irregular situations but be a sign that God welcomes all. The document backed “the possibility of blessings for couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex” but “this blessing should never be imparted in concurrence with the ceremonies of a civil union, and not even in connection with them”. It said priests should decide on a case-by-case basis and “should not prevent or prohibit the Church’s closeness to people in every situation in which they might seek God’s help through a simple blessing”. The document elaborates on a letter Francis sent to two conservative cardinals that was published in October. In that preliminary response, Francis suggested such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if they didn’t confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage. The new document repeats that rationale and elaborates on it, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman. It stresses that blessings should not be conferred at the same time as a civil union, using set rituals or even with the clothing and gestures that belong in a wedding. But it says requests for such blessings should not be denied full stop. It offers an extensive definition of the term “blessing” in Scripture to insist that people seeking a transcendent relationship with God and looking for his love and mercy should not be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” as a precondition for receiving it. “Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God,” the document said. “The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy, and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live.” The Vatican holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman. As a result, it has long opposed same-sex marriage. And in 2021, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said flat-out that the church couldn’t bless the unions of two men or two women because “God cannot bless sin”. That document created an outcry, one it appeared even Francis was blindsided by, even though he had technically approved its publication. Soon after it was published, he removed the official responsible for it and set about laying the groundwork for a reversal. It stressed that people in “irregular” unions – gay or straight – are in a state of sin. But it said that shouldn’t deprive them of God’s love or mercy. Pope Francis has recently criticised laws that criminalise homosexuality as “unjust”, saying God loves all his children just as they are and calling on Catholic bishops who support the laws to welcome LGBTQ people into the church. The Vatican in 2008 declined to sign onto a UN declaration that called for the decriminalisation of homosexuality, complaining the text went beyond the original scope and also included language about “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” it found problematic. Adblock test (Why?)
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THE GROWTH STORY OF NOIDA, the Colossal Event, Organised at CRC The Flagship
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Lawmakers unlikely to advance border security, Ukraine funding legislation before Christmas
Lawmakers failed to finalize an agreement on border security framework over the weekend intended to be cemented in the national security supplemental package, as GOP lawmakers are tying border reform as a condition for passing aid to Ukraine. The upper chamber canceled part of its holiday recess to continue negotiations and schedule a vote on the aid package this week with a new border framework included, but that deal seems to be far from reach before Christmas. As talks are set to continue Monday, lead negotiators Sen. James Lankford, R-Okla., Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., and Sen. Krysten Sinema, I-Ariz., conducted negotiations over the weekend with Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas in Democrat Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer’s office. SCHUMER ANNOUNCES SENATE WILL CANCEL PART OF HOLIDAY RECESS AS BORDER TALKS CONTINUE Sinema said “we’re making progress,” to reporters Sunday, although a written proposal had not been reached. “This is the most complicated area of law in the United States. It is very, very complex,” Sinema said. “You have to get it right. If you make a mistake, you fundamentally change law and in ways you don’t intend, and you have years and years of litigation. So it’s very important to be careful and to do it correctly. And that’s what we’re doing.” MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS AGAIN TOP 10K IN A SINGLE DAY AS LAWMAKERS EYE NEW BORDER LIMITS Murphy told reporters “nobody’s voting on this until they have time to review the text,” a complaint GOP lawmakers have sung loud, warning that even if a deal is reached this week, a rushed vote is not something they are willing to do. In a letter to Senate Republican Conference Chairman Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., 15 Republican senators requested a conference meeting to discuss the “rushed and secret negotiations with Democrats.” The senators also requested the meeting take place no earlier than the week of Jan. 8, when Congress is scheduled to return to the Hill after the holiday break. On Sunday, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell reportedly sent a note to his colleagues that Schumer has a motion to reconsider the vote on the package’s “shell” – or the starting point for the supplemental bill – but there is no confirmation yet about that vote. “Without text and sufficient time to review it, it would not succeed,” McConnell said of the legislation. Lankford told Fox News Digital last week that if a deal is not reached quickly, then talks would continue in the new year. LANKFORD SAYS IF BORDER DEAL ISN’T REACHES SOON, NEGOTIATIONS WILL DELAY UNTIL THE NEW YEAR “The White House has been so slow in actually coming to the table and working through the issues,” Lankford said. “This all has to be right – if the whole system doesn’t work, then you can’t do a little bit of border security, you’ve got to actually manage the border,” Lankford said. Even if Schumer does bring a procedural vote to the floor this week to move the package forward, GOP senators signaled they would block it from advancing. For most legislation to pass in the upper chamber, 60 votes are needed. Then, it will still need to clear the GOP-led House, and Speaker Mike Johnson already indicated last week he would not force House members to rush a deal before Christmas. Talks have been ongoing with senators and Biden administration officials, as Republicans have refused to pass some $60 billion in additional aid to Ukraine unless it is tied to strict border security measures, such as immediate screenings for asylum processing, more detention beds and quicker expulsions for illegal entrants. The total amount of supplemental aid the White House first requested in October amounts to roughly $106 billion and includes $14 billion to assist Israel. CBS reported last week that the White House was willing to mandate the detention of certain migrants as their claims are considered, as well as a new Title 42-style authority. Title 42 was the COVID-era order that allowed for the rapid expulsion of migrants at the southern border until the Biden administration ended the policy in May.
Hispanic House Democrat joins Republicans in calling for ‘tougher measures at the border’
A House Democrat in the Congressional Hispanic Caucus (CHC) is breaking from the group to call for “tougher” border security measures after the ongoing migrant crisis forced U.S. officials to suspend railway operations between Texas and Mexico in two cities. The statement by Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Texas, whose district is anchored in Laredo, stands in stark contrast with the CHC’s position on the current border negotiations between Republicans and the White House. Cuellar said rail operations were being stopped in Eagle Pass and El Paso on Monday morning so Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) could “redirect personnel to process migrants.” “The crisis at our border is seriously affecting legitimate trade,” Cuellar wrote the evening prior. “This year alone, vehicle and rail operations have been suspended at multiple ports of entry due to an overwhelming number of migrants, worsening delays for truck drivers transporting goods and costing our economy millions.” THOUSANDS OF MIGRANTS WAIT A FEW HOURS FROM EAGLE PASS, TEXAS TO CATCH TRAINS HEADED FOR SOUTHERN BORDER He finished, “Our border communities desperately need more federal resources, and we need tougher measures at the border. We must secure the border now.” CBP accused smugglers of using freight trains to bring people into the U.S. illegally in a statement on Sunday night announcing the planned closures for Monday at 8 a.m. local time. MIGRANT ENCOUNTERS HIT DAILY RECORD AT SOUTHERN BORDER, AS WASHINGTON STRUGGLES TO AGREE ON SOLUTIONS “CBP is continuing to surge all available resources to safely process migrants in response to increased levels of migrant encounters at the Southwest Border, fueled by smugglers peddling disinformation to prey on vulnerable individuals,” the statement said. “After observing a recent resurgence of smuggling organizations moving migrants through Mexico via freight trains, CBP is taking additional actions to surge personnel and address this concerning development, including in partnership with Mexican authorities.” It comes amid intense negotiations between Republicans and Democrats in both the White House and Senate over President Biden’s $110 billion supplemental aid package for Israel, Ukraine and other causes. 5,000 ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS RELEASED EVERY DAY INTO US, ADMIN OFFICIALS PRIVATELY TELL LAWMAKERS Republicans have made clear they would not consider Biden’s request unless it was tied to stricter border security and asylum measures. The Congressional Hispanic Caucus, which is all-Democrat, released a statement last week urging Biden to show restraint in what he is willing to commit to in managing the border crisis. “We are deeply concerned that the President would consider advancing Trump-era immigration policies that Democrats fought so hard against – and that he himself campaigned against – in exchange for aid to our allies that Republicans already support,” they said. “Caving to demands for these permanent damaging policy changes as a ‘price to be paid’ for an unrelated one-time spending package would send a dangerous precedent.”
Suspect charged with DUI after Biden motorcade crash
The driver of a car that smashed into a parked SUV that was part of President Biden’s motorcade near his campaign headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware, has been charged with DUI, police said Monday morning. The crash happened Sunday evening when the sedan hit a U.S. Secret Service vehicle being used to close off intersections as Biden was walking from the campaign office to his waiting armored SUV. The sedan then tried to continue into a closed-off intersection, before Secret Service personnel surrounded the vehicle with weapons drawn and instructed the driver to put his hands up. Local Wilmington police were investigating the crash, which means the driver was not considered a serious threat to the president. Police said Monday that they have ruled the crash an accident. BIDEN’S DAUGHTER OWES THOUSANDS IN INCOME TAXES, LIEN DOCUMENTS SHOW Wilmington police said the 46-year-old driver has been charged with driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol and inattentive driving. No further details about the driver were immediately provided. BIDENS PRIVATELY UPSET BY POOR POLL NUMBERS, PRESIDENT DELIVERED ‘STERN’ MESSAGE TO TOP AIDES: REPORT After the crash, a visibly stunned Biden was ushered into his waiting vehicle, where his wife was already seated, before being driven swiftly back to their home without further incident. Neither the president nor the first lady were harmed. President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden had just finished a meal with members of his re-election team at the time of the incident, according to the White House pool report. Fox News’ Sarah Tobianski, Bradford Betz and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
People ‘buried alive’ outside Gaza hospital during Israeli raid
NewsFeed Israeli forces are accused of using bulldozers to crush and bury Palestinians alive as they raided Kamal Adwan Hospital. Published On 18 Dec 202318 Dec 2023 Adblock test (Why?)
Norwegian tanker attacked in Red Sea from Houthi-controlled Yemen
US navy destroyer rushes to aid the targeted vessel amid spate of missile attacks threatening key trade route. A petrochemical tanker has been attacked in the Red Sea by projectiles fired from Yemen, with the Houthis claiming responsibility, saying they launched a drone attack on a cargo vessel. The M/V Swan Atlantic, a chemical and oil products tanker, was hit on Monday in the southern Red Sea by multiple projectiles launched from Houthi-controlled territory, United States officials said. The Iran-backed group has attacked numerous vessels over recent weeks, raising international concern over the threat to shipping in the region and to the wider global economy during the Israel-Gaza war. Owned by Norway’s Inventor Chemical Tankers, the ship was struck by one projectile. There were no injuries, according to the company. CEO Oystein Elgan told the Reuters news agency that the ship’s water tank had been damaged but all the vessel’s systems were operating normally. Inventor Chemical Tankers has no ties to Israel, he stated. Operator Uni-Tankers said the crew had brought a small fire under control. The ship was carrying vegetable oils and is sailing to Reunion Island. A report by British maritime authorities earlier on Monday suggested at least one other incident in the area of Yemen’s Mokha port although that remains unconfirmed. The destroyer USS Carney, which has been on patrol in the Red Sea to intercept drones and missiles in recent months, responded to the M/V Swan Atlantic’s distress call, US officials said. The US military’s Central Command said on Saturday that the USS Carney shot down 14 drones launched by Yemen’s Houthis over the Red Sea. Economic impact The Houthis, who rule much of Yemen, said the attacks are a show of solidarity with Palestinians. They have also fired drones and missiles at Israel. The group, which like Hamas is aligned with Iran, has pledged to continue until Israel stops attacking Gaza. The threat risks disturbing the global economy. Several shipping companies have announced they will suspend all journeys through the Red Sea due to the attacks. About 40 percent of international trade passes through the narrow strait between Yemen and northeast Africa, which leads northwards to the Red Sea, Israel’s southern port facilities and the Suez Canal. The increased threat has caused shipping insurance costs to jump by tens of thousands of dollars a day and raised oil prices. Oil major BP temporarily paused all transit through the Red Sea citing security concerns. The alternative route for ships avoiding the Suez Canal is to take the much longer trip around Africa. The US announced last week that it was in talks with other countries to set up a task force to protect the trade route. An Italian source on Monday reported that the country is considering joining a naval coalition to patrol the Red Sea. The Houthis have pledged to continue the attacks until Israel halts its bombardment of Gaza. However, in an initial indication of possible moderation, the group said on Saturday that real steps to ease the humanitarian crisis would contribute to “reducing the escalation”. Adblock test (Why?)