When Moath al-Alwi left Guantnamo Bay for resettlement in Oman, accompanying him on his journey was a cache of artwork he created during more than two decades of detention.Al-Alwi was detainee number 028an indication that he was one of the first to arrive at the U.S. military prison off Cuba after it opened in January 2002. His departure from the detention center on January 6, 2025, along with 10 fellow inmates, was part of an effort to reduce the prisons population before the end of President Joe Bidens term.For al-Alwi, it meant freedom not only for himself, but also for his artwork. While not all detainees shared his passion, creating art was not an uncommon pursuit inside Guantnamoindeed it has been a feature, formally and informally, of the detention center since its opening more than 20 years ago.As editors of the recently published book The Guantnamo Artwork and Testimony of Moath al-Alwi: Deaf Walls Speak, we found that art-making in Guantnamo was more than self-expression; it became a testament to detainees emotions and experiences and influenced relationships inside the detention center. Examining the art offers unique ways of understanding conditions inside the facility.Art from tea bags and toilet paperDetained without charge or trial for 23 years, al-Alwi was first cleared for release in December 2021. Due to unstable conditions in his home country of Yemen, however, his transfer was subject to finding another country for resettlement. Scheduled for release in early October 2023, he and 10 other Yemeni detainees were further delayed when the Biden administration canceled the flight due to concerns over the political climate after the October 7 attacks in Israel.During his detention, al-Alwi suffered abuse and ill treatment, including forced feedings. Making art was a way for him, and others, to survive and assert their humanity, he said. Along with fellow former detainees Sabri al-Qurashi, Ahmed Rabbani, Muhammad Ansi, and Khalid Qasim, among others, al-Alwi became an accomplished artist while being held. His work was featured in several art shows and in a New York Times opinion documentary short.During the detention centers early years, these men used whatever materials were at hand to create artworkthe edge of a tea bag to write on toilet paper, an apple stem to imprint floral and geometric patterns and poems onto Styrofoam cups, which the authorities would destroy after each meal.In 2010, the Obama administration began offering art classes at Guantnamo in an attempt to show the world they were treating prisoners humanely and helping them occupy their time.However, those attending were given only rudimentary supplies. And they were subjected to invasive body searches to and from class and initially shackled to the floor, with one hand chained to the table, throughout each session. Furthermore, the subject matter for their art was restricteddetainees were forbidden from representing certain aspects of their detention, and all artwork was subject to approval and risked being destroyed.Despite this, many detainees participated in the classes for camaraderie and the opportunity to engage in some form of creative expression.A window to freedomMaking art served many purposes. Mansoor Adayfi, a former Guantnamo Bay detainee and author of Dont Forget Us Here: Lost and Found at Guantanamo, wrote in his contribution to the book on al-Alwi that initially, we painted what we missed: the beautiful blue sky, the sea, stars. We painted our fear, hope and dreams.Those who have been transferred from Guantnamo describe the art as a way to express their appreciation for culture, the natural world, and their families while imprisoned by a regime that consistently characterized them as violent and inhuman.The Statue of Liberty became a frequent motif Guantnamo artists deployed to communicate the betrayal of U.S. laws and ideals. Often, Lady Liberty was depicted in distressdrowning, shackled or hooded. For Sabri al-Qurashi, the symbol of freedom under duress represented his own condition when he painted it. I am in prison, not free, and without any rights, he told us.Other times, the artwork responded directly to the mens day-to-day conditions of confinement.One of al-Alwis early pieces was a model of a three-dimensional window. Approximately 40-by-55 inches, the window was filled in with images carefully torn from nature and travel magazines, and layered to create depth, so that it appeared to look out on an island with a house with palm and coconut trees made from twisted pieces of rope and soap.Al-Alwi was initially allowed to keep it in his windowless cell, and fellow detainees and guards would visit to look out the window. But as far as we know, it was eventually lost or destroyed in a prison raid.Art as representation and respiteIn another example of how artwork can be an expression of what former detainees call their brotherhood, Khalid Qasim, who was imprisoned at the age of 23 and held for more than two decades before being transferred alongside al-Alwi, mixed coffee grounds and coarse sand to create a series of nine textured, evocative paintings to memorialize each of the nine men who died while held at Guantnamo.Especially in periods when camp rules allowed detainees to create artwork in their cells, the artists use of prison detritus and found objects made the artwork more than simply a depiction of what the men lacked, desired or imagined. Artwork helped create an alternative forum for the mens experiences, especially for those artists who, along with the vast majority of Guantnamos 779 detainees, never faced charge or trial.The pieces served as symbols and metaphors of the detainees experiences. For example, al-Alwi describes his 2015 large model ship, The Ark, as fighting against the waves of an imagined, threatening sea. In creating it, he wrote, I felt I was rescuing myself.Constructed out of the materials of his imprisonment, the work also points to the conditions of his daily life in Guantnamo. Made from the strands of mops, unraveled prayer cap and T-shirt threads, bottle caps, bits of sponges, and cardboard from meal packaging, al-Alwis shipshe went on to create at least sevenreveal both his artistic ingenuity and his circumstances.Guantnamo artists talk about the artwork as being imprisoned like them and subjected to the same restrictions and seemingly arbitrary processes of approval or disappearance.The transfer to Oman of al-Alwi and his artwork releases both from those processes. It also creates an opportunity to inform the public about what Guantnamo meant to those who were held there, and to the 15 men who remain.Alexandra Moore is a professor of human rights in literary and cultural studies at Binghamton University, State University of New York.Elizabeth Swanson is a professor of arts and humanities at Babson College.This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

Few sofas are as instantly recognisable and enduringly popular as the Togo, designed by Michel Ducaroy for French furniture brand Ligne Roset. In this lookbook, we present nine different ways of using it in the living room.Ducaroy famously got the idea for his low-slung, crumpled Togo sofa while brushing his teeth and noticing how his half-used toothpaste tube was "folded back on itself like a stovepipe and closed at both ends".The unusual design, which has been likened to a caterpillar or an elephant's ankle, was not initially popular when it launched in 1973, with some people even believing its lack of a base was an unintentional oversight.But more than half a century on, it is widely considered an icon of laid-back 1970s design and continues to feature regularly in interiors covered on Dezeen.Part of the Togo's success is down to its versatility. The projects collected below demonstrate how with different modular configurations and coverings it can be made to work in a large variety of living-room aesthetics.This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with statement rugs, sculptural coffee tables and suspended fireplaces.Photo by Willem-Dirk du ToitRoseneath, Australia, by Studio GossStudio Goss used two grey Togo settees and a mossy-coloured lounge chair in this sunken living room on the ground floor of a brutalist commercial building in Melbourne that was converted into apartments.Here, they were used to complement a minimalist approach that saw the multidisciplinary design practice leave the concrete walls exposed.Find out more about Roseneath Photo by by Francisco Ascensao (also top)087, Portugal, by Fala AtelierPortuguese architecture studio Fala Atelier is known for its bold approach to playing with shapes, and this Lisbon house is no exception.In the angular kitchen-living area, a mustard-yellow Togo sofa and corner seat sit alongside a boxy fireplace, a square marble plinth, dotted floorboards and geometric carpentry elements.Find out more about 087 Photo by Mike SchwartzMichigan Loft, USA, by Vladimir Radutny ArchitectsThis loft apartment in a former car factory in Chicago has big rooms with expansive ceilings, while Vladimir Radutny Architects exposed the brick walls and structural detailing.Blue Togo seating provides a pop of colour in the living area, framed by an elevated wooden platform running the full length of the open-plan space.Find out more about Michigan Loft Photo by Chris MottaliniMicheltorena, USA, by Lovers UniteYellow corduroy upholsters the L-shaped Togo sofa in the living room of this 1950s California home overhauled by design studio Lovers Unite.It is combined with wooden walls, ceilings and floors, a vintage rug, a large driftwood coffee table and an ample collection of quirky collectible pieces.Find out more about Micheltorena Photo by Joe FletcherSausalito Outlook, USA, by Feldman ArchitectureUnusually, the beige Togo sofa in this Sausalito home renovated by Feldman Architecture takes a back seat.Behind it sits a shelving unit showing off the owners' collection of vintage soda bottles, while book spines on floor-to-ceiling shelves provide much of the room's colour, and the main focal point is the sweeping bay view outside.Find out more about Sausalito Outlook Photo by Ulysse LemeriseMcGill 120, Canada, by La FirmeCanadian design practice La Firme took a sparse approach to fitting out this apartment in a former industrial space in Montreal.A grey Togo couch and footstool sit directly on the polished concrete floor, with brick walls and exposed pipes overhead serving as reminders of the building's past.Find out more about McGill 120 Photo by Matthew CarboneAmagansett Modular, USA, by MB ArchitectureA bright-orange Togo sofa was deemed a fitting choice for this unconventional holiday home in Amagansett, New York, designed by MB Architecture.The house is constructed from stacked shipping containers, with a staircase that occupies the entire width of one unit acting as a dramatic means of accessing the living room, which opens directly onto a patio.Find out more about Amagansett Modular Photo by Rubn Dario KleimeerWorkhome-Playhome, the Netherlands, by Lagado ArchitectsLagado Architectsfounders Victor Verhagen and Maria Vasiloglou gave their Rotterdam townhouse a fun revamp full of bold colour combinations.They dressed their chartreuse-yellow Togo with navy and pink cushions, contrasting with a pale-blue rug and orange storage units plus the green provided by plenty of plants.Find out more about Workhome-Playhome Photo by Zac and ZacNew Town apartment, UK, by Luke McClellandA large corner suite of dark-blue Togo seating anchors the sitting room in this Georgian apartment in Edinburgh, overhauled by local architectLuke McClelland to accentuate the building's historic features.In combination with giant abstract paintings by Edinburgh-based artistArran Rahimian, its squishy form helps to soften the room's stark white walls and high ceilings.Find out more about this apartment This is the latest in our lookbooks series, which provides visual inspiration from Dezeen's archive. For more inspiration, see previous lookbooks featuring living rooms with statement rugs, sculptural coffee tables and suspended fireplaces.The post Nine living rooms that use Ligne Roset's famous Togo sofa appeared first on Dezeen.

How to add local AI rendering, and my top tips for getting it right.

The team channelled Kubrick and Spielberg to create stunning retrofuturism.

Beck Shaw, lead level designer at Reebellion, has spoken to us about the studios recently-released stealth action title Sniper Elite: Resistance. In the interview, Shaw tells about all things Sniper Elite, including the Axis Invasion mode and the level design in Resistance. Check out what he has to say about the game below.What prompted the decision to make Sniper Elite: Resistance a spinoff to the main franchise rather than a true sequel?After finishing work on Sniper Elite 5, we felt that there was still so much more to explore within the setting of occupied France. So, Sniper Elite: Resistance is our opportunity to give fans more of what they love, while telling a new story that sits alongside the main franchise entries."We felt that there was still so much more to explore within the setting of occupied France"What is the scope of gameplay and level design that we can expect from Resistance? Will it be comparable to Sniper Elite 5, or will we have a shorter campaign overall?Sniper Elite: Resistance is a standalone experience with its own full-length campaign that is similar length to Sniper Elite 5. The game also features Propaganda Missions, which are brand new to the franchise, and unlocked by finding Resistance posters hidden across the campaign maps. In these side missions, you become a Resistance Fighter and are tasked with completing time sensitive challenges centred around sneaking, sniping and combat. On top of this, we have a full multiplayer experience, including cooperative play, adversarial online play and the fan favourite Axis Invasion mode.The Sniper Elite franchise is famous for a number of things, chief among them being the X-ray kills. How will Resistance improve the feature compared to what we saw in 5?Weve not modified the X-ray Kill Cam too much as it was so well received in Sniper Elite 5. But the level design of Sniper Elite: Resistance really amplifies the Kill Cam by offering stunning settings and vistas. Players are going to be able to admire their long-range shots and get a real sense of satisfaction!"The level design of Sniper Elite: Resistance really amplifies the Kill Cam"How popular has Axis Invasion mode been for the franchise so far? Can you tell us what portion of players opt to leave it enabled?I cant go into specific numbers, but Invasion Mode was one of our most loved features from Sniper Elite 5 and so we were keen to bring it back into Sniper Elite: Resistance when we started plans for development. Invasion Mode captures the cat and mouse sniping gameplay that was the inspiration behind the franchise, and we have really enjoyed seeing how these intense matches play out among the community.Among the many fronts in World War 2, what led to exploring the French resistance in Sniper Elite: Resistance?It was hard to properly address the struggle of the French Resistance within Sniper Elite 5, as the story centred on the frontlines of the Allied liberation of Europe. So, Sniper Elite: Resistance is about returning to the same setting but turning the attention hidden war that the Resistance waged deep within the heart of occupied France.Will we see more short-form side-story games from the Sniper Elite franchise in the future?Never say never, but this is all we have planned for now.What other fronts from World War 2 is the studio interested in exploring?Thats a tricky one as there are so many to choose from! Sniper Elite has already taken us from the desert warfare of Africa, to the dramatic landscapes of Italy and the Allied liberation of Europe. Its hard to say where we will go next, but I wouldnt say any theatre is off limits as they all have important stories to tell."It was hard to properly address the struggle of the French Resistance within Sniper Elite 5"I have to ask this. You must surely be thinking about the future of the franchise after shipping Resistance. Will Sniper Elite 6 happen at some point?We dont have anything to announce on that front yet.We know the game will be PS5 Pro enhanced. Can you please let us know what those enhancements are?Using the enhanced specification of the PS5 Pro, players can enjoy Sniper Elite: Resistance in full 4K, 2160p resolution.What resolution and frame rate will the PS5 and Xbox Series X and S run at?The PS5 runs at 60fps with a resolution of 1800p. Xbox Series X runs at 60fps with a resolution of 2160p The Xbox Series S runs at 60fps with a resolution of 1080p.

Alfred L. Cralle optimized his invention for one-handed use by adding a thumb grip and a scraping tool that kept food from sticking to the scooper. Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times via Getty ImagesBlack inventor Alfred L. Cralle became a hero for dessert lovers on February 2, 1897, when he patented an ice cream mold and disher, the precursor to the scoop used to serve the popular frozen treat today.Born in Virginia just after the end of the Civil War, Cralle developed his technical skills at an early age, often working alongside his carpenter father. He attended Wayland Seminary in Washington, D.C. and eventually settled in Pittsburgh. There, his work as a porter at a drugstore and a hotel sparked inspiration.As the story goes, Cralle saw that servers at these businesses struggled at dessert time. Holding ice cream cones in one hand, they were accustomed to using a serving spoon or ladle in the other hand to dish out the treats. But ice cream often stuck to the spoon, forcing servers to juggle a cone and multiple utensils simultaneously.Cralle saw a better way. He optimized his invention for one-handed use by adding a thumb grip and a scraping tool that kept food from sticking to the scooper. When he filed for a patent in 1896, he wrote that the tool would be extremely simple in its construction, strong, durable, effectual in its operation and comparatively inexpensive to manufacture. A year later, in 1897, the United States Patent Office granted Cralle Patent No. 576395. The patent for Cralle's ice cream scoop Public domainThe device was a near-instant hit. As the Pittsburgh Press wrote at the time, the invention, a product of Cralles ingenious mind, could scoop 40 to 50 dishes of ice cream in a minute while successfully doing away with the soiling of [servers] hands. The Press also reported that several firms in major cities, including Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Chicago, were interested in purchasing the patent from Cralle outright or establishing royalty deals. The patented mold and disher was useful beyond ice cream, helping to serve other sticky foods like rice.Despite the inventions popularity, Cralle never received big bucks for his patent. Nor did he win measurable fame during his lifetime. Cralle did receive recognition in the local business community, leaving porter roles at the St. Charles Hotel and the Markell Brothers drugstore to serve as the assistant manager of the Afro-American Financial, Accumulating, Merchandise and Business Association. He was later promoted to general manager of the organization.Cralle died in 1919.Notably, Cralle was the first Black man in Pittsburgh to receive his own patent. Historians consider him to be part of a wave of Black patentees that emerged in the aftermath of the Civil War and the ratification of the 14th Amendment. His work was covered in patent examiner Henry E. Bakers 1913 book, The Colored Inventor: A Record of 50 Years, a text that defined 20th-century knowledge of Black inventors and their creations. In recent years, Cralles invention has inspired a younger generation of tinkerers in his hometown and beyond, and it continues to demonstrate its sweet staying power each time someone serves up a scoop of ice cream.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: African American History, Black History Month, Desserts, Food, Food History, Inventions, On This Day in History

In our previous tutorial, we built an AI agent capable of answering queries by surfing the web. However, when building agents for longer-running tasks, two critical concepts come into play: persistence and streaming. Persistence allows you to save the state of an agent at any given point, enabling you to resume from that state in future interactions. This is crucial for long-running applications. On the other hand, streaming lets you emit real-time signals about what the agent is doing at any moment, providing transparency and control over its actions. In this tutorial, well enhance our agent by adding these powerful features.Setting Up the AgentLets start by recreating our agent. Well load the necessary environment variables, install and import the required libraries, set up the Tavily search tool, define the agent state, and finally, build the agent.pip install langgraph==0.2.53 langgraph-checkpoint==2.0.6 langgraph-sdk==0.1.36 langchain-groq langchain-community langgraph-checkpoint-sqlite==2.0.1import osos.environ['TAVILY_API_KEY'] = "<TAVILY_API_KEY>"os.environ['GROQ_API_KEY'] = "<GROQ_API_KEY>"from langgraph.graph import StateGraph, ENDfrom typing import TypedDict, Annotatedimport operatorfrom langchain_core.messages import AnyMessage, SystemMessage, HumanMessage, ToolMessagefrom langchain_groq import ChatGroqfrom langchain_community.tools.tavily_search import TavilySearchResultstool = TavilySearchResults(max_results=2)class AgentState(TypedDict): messages: Annotated[list[AnyMessage], operator.add]class Agent: def __init__(self, model, tools, system=""): self.system = system graph = StateGraph(AgentState) graph.add_node("llm", self.call_openai) graph.add_node("action", self.take_action) graph.add_conditional_edges("llm", self.exists_action, {True: "action", False: END}) graph.add_edge("action", "llm") graph.set_entry_point("llm") self.graph = graph.compile() self.tools = {t.name: t for t in tools} self.model = model.bind_tools(tools) def call_openai(self, state: AgentState): messages = state['messages'] if self.system: messages = [SystemMessage(content=self.system)] + messages message = self.model.invoke(messages) return {'messages': [message]} def exists_action(self, state: AgentState): result = state['messages'][-1] return len(result.tool_calls) > 0 def take_action(self, state: AgentState): tool_calls = state['messages'][-1].tool_calls results = [] for t in tool_calls: print(f"Calling: {t}") result = self.tools[t['name']].invoke(t['args']) results.append(ToolMessage(tool_call_id=t['id'], name=t['name'], content=str(result))) print("Back to the model!") return {'messages': results}Adding PersistenceTo add persistence, well use LangGraphs checkpointer feature. A checkpointer saves the state of the agent after and between every node. For this tutorial, well use SqliteSaver, a simple checkpointer that leverages SQLite, a built-in database. While well use an in-memory database for simplicity, you can easily connect it to an external database or use other checkpoints like Redis or Postgres for more robust persistence.from langgraph.checkpoint.sqlite import SqliteSaverimport sqlite3sqlite_conn = sqlite3.connect("checkpoints.sqlite",check_same_thread=False)memory = SqliteSaver(sqlite_conn)Next, well modify our agent to accept a checkpointer:class Agent: def __init__(self, model, tools, checkpointer, system=""): # Everything else remains the same as before self.graph = graph.compile(checkpointer=checkpointer) # Everything else after this remains the sameNow, we can create our agent with persistence enabled:prompt = """You are a smart research assistant. Use the search engine to look up information. \You are allowed to make multiple calls (either together or in sequence). \Only look up information when you are sure of what you want. \If you need to look up some information before asking a follow-up question, you are allowed to do that!"""model = ChatGroq(model="Llama-3.3-70b-Specdec")bot = Agent(model, [tool], system=prompt, checkpointer=memory)Adding StreamingStreaming is essential for real-time updates. There are two types of streaming well focus on:1. Streaming Messages: Emitting intermediate messages like AI decisions and tool results.2. Streaming Tokens: Streaming individual tokens from the LLMs response.Lets start by streaming messages. Well create a human message and use the stream method to observe the agents actions in real-time.messages = [HumanMessage(content="What is the weather in Texas?")]thread = {"configurable": {"thread_id": "1"}}for event in bot.graph.stream({"messages": messages}, thread): for v in event.values(): print(v['messages'])Final output: The current weather in Texas is sunny with a temperature of 19.4C (66.9F) and a wind speed of 4.3 mph (6.8 kph)..When you run this, youll see a stream of results. First, an AI message instructing the agent to call Tavily, followed by a tool message with the search results, and finally, an AI message answering the question.Understanding Thread IDsThe thread_id is a crucial part of the thread configuration. It allows the agent to maintain separate conversations with different users or contexts. By assigning a unique thread_id to each conversation, the agent can keep track of multiple interactions simultaneously without mixing them up.For example, lets continue the conversation by asking, What about in LA? using the same thread_id:messages = [HumanMessage(content="What about in LA?")]thread = {"configurable": {"thread_id": "1"}}for event in bot.graph.stream({"messages": messages}, thread): for v in event.values(): print(v)Final output: The current weather in Los Angeles is sunny with a temperature of 17.2C (63.0F) and a wind speed of 2.2 mph (3.6 kph) .The agent infers that were asking about the weather, thanks to persistence. To verify, lets ask, Which one is warmer?:messages = [HumanMessage(content="Which one is warmer?")]thread = {"configurable": {"thread_id": "1"}}for event in bot.graph.stream({"messages": messages}, thread): for v in event.values(): print(v)Final output: Texas is warmer than Los Angeles. The current temperature in Texas is 19.4C (66.9F), while the current temperature in Los Angeles is 17.2C (63.0F)The agent correctly compares the weather in Texas and LA. To test if persistence keeps conversations separate, lets ask the same question with a different thread_id:messages = [HumanMessage(content="Which one is warmer?")]thread = {"configurable": {"thread_id": "2"}}for event in bot.graph.stream({"messages": messages}, thread): for v in event.values(): print(v)Output: I need more information to answer that question. Can you please provide more context or specify which two things you are comparing?This time, the agent gets confused because it doesnt have access to the previous conversations history.Streaming TokensTo stream tokens, well use the astream_events method, which is asynchronous. Well also switch to an async checkpointer.from langgraph.checkpoint.sqlite.aio import AsyncSqliteSaverasync with AsyncSqliteSaver.from_conn_string(":memory:") as checkpointer: abot = Agent(model, [tool], system=prompt, checkpointer=checkpointer) messages = [HumanMessage(content="What is the weather in SF?")] thread = {"configurable": {"thread_id": "4"}} async for event in abot.graph.astream_events({"messages": messages}, thread, version="v1"): kind = event["event"] if kind == "on_chat_model_stream": content = event["data"]["chunk"].content if content: # Empty content in the context of OpenAI means # that the model is asking for a tool to be invoked. # So we only print non-empty content print(content, end="|")This will stream tokens in real-time, giving you a live view of the agents thought process.ConclusionBy adding persistence and streaming, weve significantly enhanced our AI agents capabilities. Persistence allows the agent to maintain context across interactions, while streaming provides real-time insights into its actions. These features are essential for building production-ready applications, especially those involving multiple users or human-in-the-loop interactions.In the next tutorial, well dive into human-in-the-loop interactions, where persistence plays a crucial role in enabling seamless collaboration between humans and AI agents. Stay tuned!References:(DeepLearning.ai) https://learn.deeplearning.ai/courses/ai-agents-in-langgraphAlso,dont forget to follow us onTwitter and join ourTelegram Channel andLinkedIn Group. Dont Forget to join our75k+ ML SubReddit.(Promoted) Vineet KumarVineet Kumar is a consulting intern at MarktechPost. He is currently pursuing his BS from the Indian Institute of Technology(IIT), Kanpur. He is a Machine Learning enthusiast. He is passionate about research and the latest advancements in Deep Learning, Computer Vision, and related fields.Vineet Kumarhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/vineet1897/Memorization vs. Generalization: How Supervised Fine-Tuning SFT and Reinforcement Learning RL Shape Foundation Model LearningVineet Kumarhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/vineet1897/Decoupling Tokenization: How Over-Tokenized Transformers Redefine Vocabulary Scaling in Language ModelsVineet Kumarhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/vineet1897/Creating An AI Agent-Based System with LangGraph: A Beginners GuideVineet Kumarhttps://www.marktechpost.com/author/vineet1897/Unlocking Autonomous Planning in LLMs: How AoT+ Overcomes Hallucinations and Cognitive Load [Recommended] Join Our Telegram Channel

This week, Marvel Cinematic Universe star Simu Liu got Sleeping Dogs fans excited when he tweeted to say he was working with the rights holders to bring the much-loved video game to the big screen.It turns out things are a little further ahead than that. A source close to the project has told IGN that the Sleeping Dogs movie is in development, and were hearing Simu Liu, who plays Shang-Chi in Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings, is producing and set to play the lead role of Wei Shen.IGN has asked Square Enix for comment.Sleeping Dogs was first released in 2012 on PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and PC and tells the story of detective Wei Shen as he infiltrates one of Hong Kong's notorious Triad crime syndicates. While it failed to meet publisher Square Enix's lofty sales expectations, it is much-loved by fans and sequel hopes have followed it ever since.Sleeping Dogs is set for a wake-up call with a movie adaptation. Image credit: Square Enix.The original adaptation was announced in 2017 with Donnie Yen set to star, but the film disappeared a year later and, just a few weeks ago, Yen himself confirmed it had been scrapped.I spent a lot of time and did a lot of work with these producers, and I even invested some of my own money into obtaining the drafts and some of the rights," Yen told Polygon."I waited for years. Years. And I really want to do it. I have all these visions in my head, and unfortunately I dont know, you know how Hollywood goes, right? I spent many, many years on it. It was an unfortunate thing. Well, on to better things."So when Liu tweeted to say he was working to make the Sleeping Dogs movie a reality, there was a degree of confusion among fans. Liu himself followed up with another statement that added fuel to the fire, and even revealed his intention to help bring a Sleeping Dogs video game sequel to life.So few film projects make it from pitch phase to greenlight, he said. Pitching execs who dont understand the game has been tiring. Everyones overwhelming love of Sleeping Dogs here has really given us life!First a movie, then a sequel game for everyone thats always been the dream.Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: Who's Who in the CastIGN can reveal that Story Kitchen is leading the Sleeping Dogs live action feature film project, with Square Enix the rights holder in question. Story Kitchen has form when it comes to video game adaptations, having worked on everything from the Sonic the Hedgehog films to Netflixs animated Tomb Raider series. Its currently working on the upcoming Streets of Rage adaptation and an adaptation of It Takes Two for Amazon.Last year, Story Kitchen announced a film adaptation of Square Enix's Just Cause, with Blue Beetle director ngel Manuel Soto signed on. IGN understands the Sleeping Dogs project has a writer and major filmmaker attached to the project, but theres no release date or word on when production will begin just yet.The movie marks a significant revival for Sleeping Dogs, which saw its video game sequel canceled in late 2013 before it entered production, and its original developer, United Front Games, shut down three years later. Now, over a decade later, Sleeping Dogs could finally be set for a wake-up call.Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.

This year's Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event has unveiled the company's newest line of 2025 Galaxy S25 smartphones. They come in three familiar variants: the Galaxy S25, the Galaxy S25+, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra. Preorders are now available on every model with orders shipping out on February 7. Samsung direct is generally the best place online to preorder an unlocked Galaxy phone. Not only do you get a phone that's free of bloatware, you can take advantage of a combination of instant savings, bonus Samsung credit for your next purchase, and generous trade-in values. Amazon does have a bonus gift card, however, that makes getting the base storage models worth it.For those of you who had placed a reservation online in advance of Galaxy Unpacked, you can cash in on additional savings in the form of a bonus $50 Samsung credit and bigger trade-in values.Samsung Galaxy S25Up to $50 off discounts, up to $100 in Samsung credit, and up to $500 off with trade-inBonus $100 in Samsung CreditSamsung Galaxy S25 Unlocked (128GB)$799.99 at SamsungBonus $100 Amazon Gift CardSamsung Galaxy S25 Unlocked (128GB)$799.99 at AmazonBonus $50 in Samsung CreditSamsung Galaxy S25 Unlocked (256GB)The Galaxy S25 is Samsung's most affordable phone in the series. The 128GB model is listed at $799.99 with $100 in Samsung credit, and the 256GB model is on sale for $809.99 ($50 discount) with $50 in Samsung credit. The S25 benefits from the latest Snapdragon 8 Elite octa-core processor and 12GB RAM, which is the same combination found in the higher-end models, and a familiar triple-lens camera system that's carried over from the S24.Samsung Galaxy S25 Quick SpecsQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Octa-Core Processor with 12GB of RAM6.2" 2340x1080 (FHD+) 120Hz AMOLED DisplayAluminum and Glass ConstructionThree Rear Cameras (50MP Main, 10MP 3X Telephoto, 12MP Ultrawide)Video Recording Up to UHD 8K (7680x4320) @ 30fps128-256GB of Internal Storage5G Compatibility and Dual SIM SupportUSB Gen 3.2 Gen 1 with Up to 25W Charging Rate4,000mAh BatteryGalaxy AI Built-InSamsung Galaxy S25+Up to $100 off discounts, up to $150 in Samsung credit, and up to $700 off with trade-inBonus $150 in Samsung CreditSamsung Galaxy S25+ Unlocked (256GB)$999.99 at SamsungBonus $100 Amazon Gift CardSamsung Galaxy S25+ Unlocked (256GB)$999.99 at AmazonBonus $50 in Samsung CreditSamsung Galaxy S25+ Unlocked (512GB)The Galaxy S25+ is a more premium version of the S25 and sits right in the middle of the new 2025 lineup. The 256GB model is listed at $999.99 with $150 in Samsung credit and the 512GB is on sale for $1,019.99 ($100 discount) with $50 in Samsung credit. Like its predecessors, the S25+ is essentially the S25 equipped with a larger and sharper 6.7" display, but the larger form factor also allows for more internal storage and a bigger battery with faster charging.Samsung Galaxy S25+ Quick SpecsQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Octa-Core Processor with 12GB of RAM6.7" 3120 x 1440 (Quad HD+) 120Hz AMOLED DisplayAluminum and Glass ConstructionThree Rear Cameras (50MP Main, 10MP 3X Telephoto, 12MP Ultrawide)Video Recording Up to UHD 8K (7680x4320) @ 30fps256GB-512GB of Internal Storage5G Compatibility and Dual SIM SupportUSB Gen 3.2 Gen 1 with Up to 45W Charging Rate4,900mAh BatteryGalaxy AI Built-InSamsung Galaxy S25 UltraUp to $240 off discounts, up to $150 in Samsung credit, and up to $700 off with trade-inBonus $150 in Samsung CreditSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Unlocked (256GB)$1,299.99 at SamsungBonus $200 Amazon Gift CardSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Unlocked (256GB)$1,299.99 at AmazonBonus $130 in Samsung CreditSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Unlocked (512GB)Bonus $110 in Samsung CreditSamsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Unlocked (1TB)The Galaxy S25 Ultra is Samsung's flagship phone. The 256GB is listed at $1,299.99 with $150 in Samsung credit, the 512GB is on sale for $1,299.99 ($120 discount) with $130 in Samsung credit, and the 1TB is on sale for $1,419.99 ($240 discount) with $110 in Samsung credit. As befits the highest-end phone in the stack, the S25 Ultra is equipped with top-of-the-line hardware. It is also the most updated phone in the lineup, with a lighter body, new Gorilla Armor 2 display glass with a better anti-reflective coating, sharper ultrawide lens, and 10-bit HDR video recording.Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra Quick SpecsQualcomm Snapdragon 8 Elite Octa-Core Processor with 12GB of RAM6.7" 3120 x 1440 (Quad HD+) 120Hz AMOLED Display with S-Pen SupportTitanium and New Gorilla Armor 2 Anti-Reflective Glass ConstructionFour Rear Cameras (200MP Main, 10MP 3X Telephoto, 50MP 5X Telephoto, 50MP Ultrawide)10-Bit HDR Video Recording Up to UHD 8K (7680x4320) @ 30fps with 256GB-1TB of Internal Storage5G Compatibility and Dual SIM SupportUSB Gen 3.2 Gen 1 with Up to 45W Charging Rate5,000mAh BatteryGalaxy AI Built-InA Samsung Galaxy S25 "Edge" May Be Coming LaterTowards the end of its Galaxy Unpacked presentation, Samsung teased a quick glimpse of a potential slimmer "Edge" smartphone. Unfortunately, we didn't get any other official information outside of that sizzle reel cameo, so we don't know where it likes in the Galay S25 product stack (if at all), and when we expect this phone to be released.Samsung Galaxy AIThe incorporation of AI has been at the forefront of CES 2025 and Samsung continues to follow suit with its own Galaxy AI algorithm. AI smartphone integration is still in its fledgling state and we expect its utility will continue to improve with updates down the road. That said, unlike Apple, you will not need to upgrade to a new 2025 model to take advantage of Galaxy AI. Many features will be (or are already are) backwards compatible with older models, although, of course, newer models will be able to take better advantage of more demanding features.The Samsung Galaxy S24 Was the Best Phone of 2024The Galaxy S24 Ultra was our favorite Android phone of 2024. In our Galaxy S24 Ultra review review, Jacqueline Thomas wrote that "the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is an incredible smartphone. It might look like yet another Galaxy device, but its titanium chassis and powerful processor makes this a durable gaming phone that can outrace the best of them."The less expensive Galaxy S24 Plus was also a solid winner in our books. In our Galaxy S24 Plus review, Mark Knapp wrote that "the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra is the best Android phone you can buy right now, but at $1,299, it really needs to be. This is not only the fastest gaming phone you can buy today, but with its premium titanium chassis, it might just be the most durable. Samsung is sweetening the deal a bit by adding a huge variety of AI tools, but many of them will probably be forgotten after you've been using the phone for a while. Still, don't let that get you down: If you want a premium Android phone in 2024, it's hard to imagine getting anything else."For more big tech news for this month, check out our CES 2025 hub for everything that was announced, including Nvidia's newest graphics cards, Lenovo's latest handhelds, and other reveals in gaming tech that caught our eye.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Eric Song is the IGN commerce manager in charge of finding the best gaming and tech deals every day. When Eric isn't hunting for deals for other people at work, he's hunting for deals for himself during his free time.