Memorial ceremony

The country held a memorial ceremony on Monday at a memorial hall in Nanjing City, East China’s Jiangsu Province, to mourn the 300,000 victims of the Nanjing Massacre.

In 2014, China’s top legislature designated December 13 as the national memorial day for the victims of the Nanjing Massacre, which took place after Japanese troops captured the city on December 13, 1937. The Japanese invaders brutally killed about 300,000 Chinese civilians and unarmed soldiers during the six-week massacre, making it one of the most barbaric episodes of World War II. Families of survivors, Central Government officials and students attended the eighth national memorial ceremony for the massacre victims.

Fast-learning AI

Scientists have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) program that is quick-minded and on par with professional human players in heads-up no-limit Texas hold’em poker.

The AI program called AlphaHoldem equaled four sophisticated human players in a 10,000-hand two-player competition, after three days of self-training, according to a paper to be presented at AAAI 2022, a global AI conference to be held in Vancouver in February next year. Texas hold’em is a popular poker game in which players often deceive and bluff. It is more similar to real-world problems than go and chess since decisions are made with imperfect information.

Economic work

The country’s top leaders have mapped out priorities for next year’s economic work as the annual Central Economic Work Conference concluded in Beijing on Friday, highlighting efforts to maintain stability while pursuing progress.

Economic work next year should prioritize stability while pursuing progress, according to the meeting. Actions should be taken to safeguard macroeconomic stability, keep major economic indicators within an appropriate range and maintain social stability to prepare for the Party’s 20th National Congress, the meeting said.

First live space class

The first live class from China’s space station was held on Thursday afternoon, given by Shenzhou-13 crew members Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu to students on Earth.

The class began at 3:40 p.m., with a total of 1,420 students attending the lecture from five classrooms across China. The primary classroom is located in the China Science and Technology Museum. Classrooms have also been set up in Nanning in South China’s Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Wenchuan County in Sichuan Province, Hong Kong and Macao.

Wang, assisted by the two other crew members, gave the students a tour of the living and working areas of the space station. She showed them the microwave, water dispenser and refrigerator in the space kitchen. (SD-Agencies)