The US plans to remove a $10 million bounty on HTS leader Abu Mohammed al-Jolani.It follows a meeting between US diplomats and the Syrian rebel leader earlier this week.Jolani has worked to portray himself as a more moderate leader to the West.The US is set to remove a $10 million bounty on Abu Mohammed al-Jolani, the leader of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the opposition group that spearheaded an offensive against Bashar Assad's Syrian government forces.Barbara Leaf, the Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, made the announcement in an online briefing on Friday while discussing a diplomatic trip to Damascus where US representatives met with Jolani.Leaf said the US delegation "welcomed positive messages" from the leader who now goes by his birthname Ahmed al-Sharaa and that he assured them that terrorist groups would not be allowed to pose a threat in Syria."And so based on our discussion, I told him we would not be pursuing the Rewards for Justice reward offer that has been in effect for some years," she said.Pressed for more information on why the US had decided to lift the bounty, Leaf said it was a "policy decision" that "aligned with the fact that we are beginning a discussion with HTS," adding that it would be "a little incoherent then to have a bounty on the guy's head" while sitting down for discussions on regional interests.HTS, which is listed as a terrorist organization by both the US and the United Nations, traces its origins to Al Qaeda. Jolani cut his ties with Al Qaeda in 2016 to form a new group, which became HTS the following year.He has worked for years to portray himself as a more moderate leader to the West and has called the group's terrorist designation a "political label that carries no truth or credibility."While stressing that the US would "judge by deeds" rather than words, Leaf said Jolani appeared "pragmatic" and noted that he had previously issued "moderate statements" on issues such as women's rights and the protection of equal rights for all communities.The US delegation, which included Roger Carstens, the special envoy for hostage affairs, also used the Damascus trip to explore leads on the whereabouts of Austin Tice, an American journalist who disappeared in Syria in 2012.Carstens said that they had had "a lot of information coming in" but that it remained unclear whether Tice was alive. "The bottom line is the information that we have right now doesn't confirm either in one way or the other."

Richard Marcus was a casino cheat in Las Vegas for 25 years. He says he used a mixture of chip scams and social engineering to con casinos such as Caesars Palace, the MGM Grand, and the Riviera out of millions of dollars. Though he was tailed by private investigators, he was never caught. Marcus discusses the influence of the Italian Mafia in Las Vegas and his early years of being recruited while working as a dealer at the Four Queens Casino. He covers casino cheating teams and how they used the false shuffle in baccarat and the Savannah move. He also discusses casino surveillance, security, and the role of the police and the FBI, and he suggests ways to catch cheaters. Marcus now works as a security advisor at several casinos and chairs the Global Table Games & Game Protection Conference. He is the author of "American Roulette," "The World's Greatest Gambling Scams," and "The Great Casino Heist." For more, visit: https://www.youtube.com/@richardmarcuscasinos https://globaltablegamesprotection.com/books/Read the original article on Business Insider

The past decade ofStar Warshas been a lot: interesting, thrilling, exhausting, disappointing. You pick a descriptor, and it could probably apply at any point after The Force Awakensrevitalized the franchise, the two spinoff movies did what they could, and The Last JediThe Rise of Skywalkerin the cleanest, most charitable way? How about compromised? Rise of Skywalkerreleased in theaters on December 20, 2019, and back then, all eyes were on it. This was a movie in an unenviable position: beyond the mission of wrapping the Disney-branded Skywalker Saga, it had to contend with handling Carrie Fishers passing in between movies, plus discussions of how returning director J.J. Abrams and co-writer Chris Terrio would build on the path set by AwakensandLast.And by hitting during Christmas season, it made itself the final last in a year that featured the equally momentous Avengers: Endgameand theGame of Thronesfinale. So yeah, there was a lot of pressure on Riseto deliver the goods and end in a way that satisfied everyone. And after all the buildup, it did not do really do that. Like, at all. No doubt people like the film or find it enjoyable, but theres no denying that it feels like something happened during production, and the end result is a film that leaves a weird taste in your mouth. After leaving the theater and hopping online, there was overwhelmingly a collective feeling of what the hell was that? that made it even more incendiary to talk about than Last Jedi. That part may have been unavoidable, but the rest can be owed strictly to the movie as is, from its weird moments of fan service to pulled punches and open knowledge that it was born after original director Colin Trevorrow left the project. Whatever high points the film is said to have, they exist in a movie that apparently came in so hot, the entire catalyst for its events had to be put in Fortnite pre-release, but not the movie itself. Image: Lucasfilm If Last Jedis shadow has loomed over Star Warsfor seven years and counting, Rise of Skywalker is a monster that pulled the entire franchise into its mouth and has yet to either digest it or just give up and spit it out. While it made money, it didnt take long to suspect Disney may have been embarrassed by the reactions to it. (Case in point: the films comic adaptation is finally coming out in February after it was announced back in 2020.) Any goodwill initially earned with Force Awakens basically eroded in real time once Rise revealed that Palpatine returned somehow, or later on when Chewbacca gets killed. And if that didnt do it, the Rey is Palpatines granddaughter reveal mightve been the first kiss of death for the film, and the final one for Skywalker Saga. The film ultimately posits that Rey being a Palpatine doesnt matter since shes chosen her own name and family. But in adopting the Skywalker surname, she just trades one legacy name for another in what could hilariously read as a story of a woman pulling off the most elaborate identity theft scheme in the universe.Is Disney bad at this, owningStar Wars? That questions been hovering around for years, and sparked up once again in the wake of The Acolytescancelation. The results are inconclusive: on one hand,Andoris some really good-ass television, and other media like the High Republic and various video games have been pretty consistently good. At the same time, Disney just cant seem to get any kind of firm handle on the movie and TV front: there hasnt been a new theatrical movie sinceRisecame out, and every new announcement for one (or three) films that aretooooootallyhappening feels like an ongoing joke. Likewise, its a crap shoot as to how a shows going to turn out, what cameos itll inevitably feature, and what kind of future itll have. Audiences seem to like the currently airingStar Wars: Skeleton Crew,but the jurys still out on if itll go as far as the creators hope, or if its wings will be cut out from under it and not get to fulfill its promise, a problem that goes well beyond this franchise. There is some light at the end of the tunnel; namely Dave Filonis Mandalorian & Grogu movie in 2026 and a second season ofAhsoka, plus the second (and sadly final) season ofAndorin April. Will audiences be willing to stick their neck out again and see where this is all going? Its easy to say yes and point to Marvel, which many have felt has had its strongest year since Avengers: Endgame. But the MCU has yet to have a movie thats openly broken the enterprise quite likeRise of Skywalkerdid, and its about to pull some interesting new tricks out of its sleeve. IfStar Warsis going to be back at that same level well, itll take some work, and more importantly, consistency and conviction. Want more io9 news? Check out when to expect the latest Marvel, Star Wars, and Star Trek releases, whats next for the DC Universe on film and TV, and everything you need to know about the future of Doctor Who.

SummaryThe source is a podcast episode discussing the benefits of using Quixel Megascans, a library of high-quality 3D assets, for creating visual effects in Unreal Engine. The podcast hosts interview Ashif Ali, an expert in visual effects, who shares his insights on how Megascans can enhance realism and efficiency in VFX projects. Ashif outlines the key advantages of using Megascans, such as time savings, high-quality assets, physically-based materials, and easy integration with Unreal Engine. He also provides practical examples of how Megascans can be used for various visual effects, including environmental effects, destruction scenes, particle effects, and matte painting. Finally, Ashif shares optimization tips to ensure that using Megascans does not compromise performance.

In My Hero Academia, heroes arent just strong people; they serve as a glimmer of hope for a dark place full of despair. Heroes are the stronghold in a world of villains, chaos, and the fear of the unknown, while protecting the innocent and maintaining order. No amount of physical strength makes someone a hero in this world; rather, its a matter of being able to inspire, to become selfless, to be brave, in order to become a hero.

You'll notice that paper is one of the crafting materials commonly used for furniture and clothing in Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Complete. The best way to get this crafting material is by completing animal requests, but only certain species hand out paper as rewards. When you compare paper to Pocket Camp Complete's other crafting materials, you might notice that paper isn't used in as much furniture crafting recipes as something like steel. Regardless, paper may be used for making special furniture, so you should start collecting this crafting material as soon as you can.

Hell's Paradise Jigokuraku won the hearts of viewers with its spectacular animation and riveting story. The anime debuted in 2023, but MAPPA did not provide too many updates regarding the next season.

When Apple dropped iOS 18.2, it made a bit of a splashespecially for iPhones compatible with Apple Intelligence. The update brought dedicated image generation to iOS, including both Image Playground and Genmoji, as well as an AI-updated Mail experience and more control over default apps.Now, we have our first look at the company's next update for iPhones: iOS 18.3. Apple seeded developers the first beta for 18.3 on Monday, but since developer betas aren't really developer-only, it means anyone with an interest in iOS betas can check out what's new. There's not much new, however. If this first beta is any indication, iOS 18.3 is not going to be a feature-filled update; rather, it will be one that brings some minor changes and bug fixes to iPhones. Big Siri changes, for example, will probably ship with iOS 18.4.That said, Apple could add more features and changes in subsequent beta updates for iOS 18.3. As the company continues beta testing, and eventually releases the full iOS 18.3 update to compatible iPhones, I'll update this piece to report on what's new. In the meantime, here's what we know is coming based on this first developer beta:Robot vacuum support in Home appApple's Home app does not currently support robot vacuums, but it will soon. The company first announced support as part of iOS 18 back in June, but then kicked back the release. Officially, robot vacuum support is delayed, but MacRumors contributor Aaron Perris found code in iOS 18.3 beta 1 indicating the new update supports these vacuums: This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Currently, Apple says the following about robot vacuum support in iOS 18, which it still says is coming in an update: "The Home app now supports the core functionality of robot vacuum cleaners, such as power control, cleaning mode, vacuum, mop, and charge status. They can also participate in automations and scenes, and respond to Siri requests. So you can add them to your cleaning routines or tell Siri to do some spot cleaning in the living room." Give AI image generation feedbackPart of how AI image generation improves is through user feedback: If a model spits out an image, and the user says something went wrong, the model can then take that feedback in as part of its training, and, hopefully, return a result that is closer to the expectation over time. With iOS 18.3, Apple has added a thumbs-up and thumbs-down option for image generation for both Image Playground and Genmoji. When using the beta, you'll have the option to quickly tell iOS whether the image or emoji it generated is right, or if it missed the mark. Credit: Brandon Butch/YouTube Camera control settings icon has dark mode optionThis one's a very small change, but a good one for those with an eye for these details. On iPhone 16 devices, the settings icon for the Camera Control button now has a dark mode option. If you go to Accessibility settings on iOS 18.2 and older, this icon will be bright in both light and dark modes, mismatched from the rest of the icons, which adjust depending on the system theme. Credit: Zollotech/YouTube Bug fixesiOS 18.3 developer beta 1 adds two fixes for bugs in previous versions of iOS. One is for Genmoji, and fixes an issue where a personalized Genmoji wouldn't generate without selecting another person first. The other fixes a bug with Writing Tools, where third-party apps using the Writing Tools API wouldn't be able to use the inline experience if the first responder is not a UIView. (This one, as you might guess, is specifically for developers.)Genmoji is coming to macOS 15.3This one won't apply to your iPhone, but if you have a Mac, be aware that Apple is bringing Genmoji support with macOS 15.3. Genmoji is probably my favorite of the Apple Intelligence features: I would, quite literally, never use images generated from Image Playground for anything, but I do enjoy generating a custom emoji to react to a part of my current conversation. Apple isn't bringing Image Playground to the Mac yet, but that's fine: Genmoji support will be more than enough. How to install iOS 18.3Again, iOS 18.3 is currently in betadeveloper beta, no lessand should not be installed haphazardly. At this time, the beta really is meant only for developers to test their apps out on the new OS, and alert Apple to any bugs they find. As such, it's not meant for general use, so unintended consequences could arise from downloading it on a personal device. If you're okay assuming those risks (please, back up any important data first), it's quite easy to install 18.3 right now. You'll just need an iPhone compatible with iOS 18. To start, sign into developer.apple.com on this iPhone with your Apple ID. Then, head to Settings >General > Software Update. From here, tap Beta Updates, then choose iOS 18 Developer Beta. Tap Back, then, after a moment, you should see iOS 18.3 Beta. Follow the on-screen instructions to download and install the software on your iPhone.

Google has announced a big upgrade for the document scanner in Google Drive for Android. The company is now adding auto-enhancement to the app's feature set, which will remove shadows and fix lighting issues in your document scans. In addition to making your scans look nicer, Google also says auto-enhancement will allow the app to digitize documents faster, so you can spend less time fixing scans and more time getting work done. The catch? At this time, the auto-enhancement feature isn't coming to Google Drive for iPhone, which can also scan documents.Auto-enhancement is a part of the latest Google Workspace updates for December. At launch, it'll include auto sharpening, white balance correction, contrast enrichment, shadow removal, and a few more benefits. Which effects you can apply depend on the state of the document you're scanning and how much work needs to be done to make it easy to read. To use auto enhancement, first scan any document using the Google Drive app. Then, tap the Enhance button in the top-right corner.Auto-enhancement is currently rolling out to Android phones. Devices on the rapid release schedule should get it by January 2, 2025, while those on the scheduled release cycle should start to see it around January 6, 2025. This feature is available to all Google Workspace users, even those on free or personal accounts; however, only paid accounts have access to the rapid release schedule.The feature follows additional updates that introduced the option to save scanned documents as either PDF files or JPEG images, plus gave users the ability to add a black-and-white filter to scanned documents. Google Drive still is one of the best document scanner apps on Android. iPhone users might instead prefer to use Apple Notes to scan documents or try an alternative called QuickScan (a personal favorite).

If you find yourself losing motivation to do much else besides scroll on your phone, TikTok, ironically, may offer a solution: Create a dopamine menu. It's not obvious by the trendy name what that even means, but there is no shortage of videos out there explaining the concept. Essentially, you're creating a list of the things you love to do or the things you need to do, as long as you get a little rush of fulfillment or joy from them, then referring back to it when you feel stuck. Here's what you need to know about the new viral trend.Why is there a menu involved?First of all, a dopamine menu is actually what it sounds like, which is to say it looks similar to a restaurant menu. You have appetizers, entrees, sides, desserts, and specials. These categories each serve a purpose: to help you figure out which kinds of activities belong under which heading. You're familiar with how restaurant menus work, so these groups can help guide you as you figure out how much time and energy each activity might cost you. Here's what each means:Appetizers are small activities that bring you a quick rush of fulfillment or happiness, but don't take a lot of time or effort. Going on a walk or grabbing a coffee can be an appetizer. Entrees are still accessible, but require a little bit more from you. If texting an old friend is an appetizer, getting dinner with an old friend is an entree. Think of these as activities that pay off a little more. Going to the gym is an entree, for instance, because it requires more out of you than an appetizer, but it also gives you a greater reward at the end.Sides are activities that work together with a different task. Perhaps cleaning your bedroom could be an entree, as you do feel accomplished when it's over, but that's still hard work and can be frustrating, so listening to a podcast or favorite artist while you do it could count as a side. Desserts are indulgences you don't always "order" but really cherish when you do, like a bubble bath or splurging on something from your Amazon wishlist. Getting takeout can be a dessert. Then again, if you really enjoy cooking, making a delicious meal could literally be an entree. Where you sort things depends on how much effort they require of you, personally, and how great you judge the reward to be.Specials are similar to desserts, but less accessible and frequent. Going to a museum might be a dessert but going on a vacation would be a special. They are more resource-intensive than your standard self-treats but should give you a major sense of happiness or accomplishment.What do you do once you've made a dopamine menu?It's best to actually write this out somehow. A contributing factor to why these menus are all over social media is that there is an appeal to actually making a menu by hand. If you're the crafty type, creating one using paper, markers, stickers, and other art supplies could even be an entree for you. Once you've made your dopamine menu, you keep it on hand so that when you're feeling low on energy or joy, you can whip it out and pick from it, like you would at a restaurant. Depending on how "hungry" you are for something to do and how much time and energy you have to "spend," you select what you want. The goal here is to create some structure so you can look at a ready-made list of things that will increase your mood, motivation, and overall happiness. You're aiming to deny yourself the opportunity to claim you just couldn't think of anything to do on a day you're bored or lackluster. Spending some time thinking about what really makes you happy or what will thrill you when it's finally taken care of reminds you that there's plenty to do, so even making the menu itself can be a little dopamine hit. I decided to try it out. Here's what I came up with: Credit: Lindsey Ellefson It was actually trickier than I thought it would be since a lot of the things I do for self-care and funlike take classes, have meetings for my personal businesses and projects, go to in-salon appointments, or go on tripsare pre-planned and don't lend themselves to day-of dopamine hunting. I had to think about tasks I enjoy that are accessible on any given afternoon when I'm feeling low. I was impressed that I came up with so much, but I'll warn you this does take some time. Ultimately, I was pleased to see the variety among the things that make me happy.