You're only supposed to blow the bloody hooves off: AI Michael Caine narrates Odyssey audiobook AI company ElevenLabs unveils its officially licensed replica of the iconic actor's voice in a retelling of Homer's epic poem, while director who previously recorded the star recalls real-life experience Next month, Christopher Nolan's blockbuster version of The Odyssey is set to storm cinemas around the globe. Auguries suggest the almost three-hour drama will repeat the success of Nolan's previous film both at the box office (Oppenheimer took nearly a billion dollars) and the Academy Awards (it won seven Oscars). But before that, a new audiobook version of Homer's tale has been released starring one of Nolan's most frequent collaborators: Michael Caine, with whom he has worked on eight films, including the Dark Knight trilogy. Caine, now 93, announced his retirement at the Red Sea film festival in Saudi Arabia last December. It was the fourth time he has done so, and seems as unlikely to be binding as the previous three times, particularly thanks to a deal the actor struck shortly beforehand to license an AI version of his voice.

Discrete Flow-based Models (DFMs) are powerful generative models for highquality discrete data but typically suffer from slow sampling speeds due to their reliance on iterative decoding processes. This reliance on a multi-step process originates from the factorization approximation of DFMs, which is necessary for handling high-dimensional data. In this paper, we analyze the factorization approximation error using Conditional Total Correlation (TC), and reveal its dependence on the coupling. To address the challenge of efficient few-step generation, we propose Rectified Discrete Flow (ReDi), a novel iterative method that reduces the underlying factorization error (measured as Conditional TC) by rectifying the coupling between source and target distributions. We theoretically prove that each ReDi step guarantees a monotonic decreasing Conditional TC, ensuring its convergence. Empirically, ReDi significantly reduces Conditional TC and enables few-step generation. Moreover, we demonstrate that the rectified couplings are well-suited for training efficient one-step models on image generation. ReDi offers a simple and theoretically grounded approach for tackling the few-step challenge, providing a new perspective on efficient discrete data synthesis.

SpaceX IPO debuts in US markets, Musk becomes world's first trillionaire SpaceX has debuted on US markets with a market valuation of more than $2 trillion, minting CEO Elon Musk as the world's first trillionaire. Shares opened on Friday at $150 per share, marking a 11 percent increase from the initial public offering (IPO) price of $135, valuing the company at $1.96 trillion and putting the aerospace company on track to become the sixth-largest company in the United States. The company sold $75bn in shares, immediately valuing it at $1.77 trillion. The IPO was oversubscribed four times higher than was otherwise expected, according to the Reuters news agency. Of the institutional investors allocated, according to Bloomberg News, as much as 70 percent went to what are called long-only investments -- a strategy in which holders buy assets based on the expectation that their value will grow over time -- and sovereign wealth funds, including those from Saudi Arabia and Kuwait as well.

Musk's $1.8 trillion SpaceX IPO could be'highly undesirable' for some SpaceX is expected to debut on the United States' public markets on Friday in what will be the largest initial public offering (IPOs). Artificial intelligence (AI) giants OpenAI and Anthropic are also widely expected to go public soon, and thanks to a new rule change by tech stock exchange Nasdaq, individual investors could own stock of these companies when they go public in as soon as 15 business days following its first trading day. SpaceX's IPO is generating buzz among retail investors. The Elon Musk-led company is expected to allocate 20 percent of shares to retail investors and has drawn roughly $70bn in orders, according to the Reuters news agency. Historically, there is a waiting period between when a company goes public and when it is listed on the Nasdaq-100 index and/or S&P 500.

More than 1.5m foreign pilgrims begin Hajj despite Iran war fears Muslims have begun the annual Hajj pilgrimage in Saudi Arabia against the backdrop of a region deeply shaken by the Iran war. Saudi authorities said last week that some 1.51 million pilgrims had arrived from outside the kingdom. That is 11,000 more than last year, despite concerns in the region about a resumption of the three-month-old conflict between the US, Israel and Iran. Before a fragile ceasefire took effect last month, Iran launched waves of missile and drone attacks on Saudi Arabia and its Gulf neighbours in retaliation for US and Israeli air strikes. Two civilians living in the central city of al-Kharj were killed in an Iranian attack on 8 March, along with a US service member stationed at the nearby Prince Sultan Air Base.

How Saudi Arabia's spending spree reached the end of the line Autocratic monarchs once left an echo of their glory in the ruins of the megaprojects they commanded at the peak of their unchallenged power. Those monumental physical traces are to be found in the fertile plains, mountainsides and deserts of the Middle East. But one of their most prominent modern counterparts may only have a digital footprint to leave behind for some of his most ambitious concepts. A decade ago, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia Mohammed bin Salman - or MBS as he is widely known - decreed a revisioning of his country that leapt from the realm of science fiction. It was called Vision 2030. Extraordinary monolithic structures were to help bring forth new technological marvels not just for the Kingdom but for the world.

Earlier today, Meta announced that it was testing a new Meta AI chatbot for Threads that would function a lot like Grok on X. Even though the early beta isn't available to most people on the platform yet, a number of Threads users have discovered its not possible to opt out of the feature or block chatbot's the account. While most people aren't able to interact with bot yet -- the initial testing is limited to Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Argentina and Singapore -- the public-facing @ meta.ai account is viewable to everyone on the platform. The account's initial post has been met with a flood of angry replies from users demanding to know why, unlike any other Threads account, there's no option to block it entirely. Some users have even said that they have reported the account for spam, which typically ends with the option to block, only to find out that the block didn't actually go into effect.

Megan Rapinoe, in a shock to no one, backs Angel Reese skipping interviews as'taking power back' White House calls out Newsom as California girls' track and field controversy reignites Here's why the coaches association's 24-team College Football Playoff could ruin the sport Boston Celtics star Jaylen Brown tells ESPN's Stephen A Smith to'be quiet and retire' President Trump on $1,000 World Cup ticket prices: 'I wouldn't pay it either, to be honest' Pirates vs. Diamondbacks betting preview targets the under as both offenses go cold in series Former LSU coach Brian Kelly uses AI to prepare for job interviews, proving he's just like the rest of us Mark Hamill is a'miserable human being': Sage Steele AOC is in'favor' of'robbing' the American people: Tiffany Smiley Iran's playbook is to talk and then fight, Lt Gen Keith Kellogg says Watters: If Iran doesn't sign this fast, the US will be a lot more violent US waits for Iran's response on peace proposal Authorities try to'connect the dots' on hantavirus infections Jesse Watters: Spencer Pratt is a'charismatic, common-sense populist' Greg Gutfeld: Dana White laughs off the'toxic masculinity thing' OutKick Another LIV golfer remains committed to staying put: 'I have full faith in the future of LIV' Thomas Detry says players'really love it' and calls on the entire roster to show cohesion and support Greg Palkot breaks down the announcement that Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund will cease funding for the LIV Golf tour, putting its future in jeopardy. LIV Golf now seeks new investors while players attempt to rejoin the PGA Tour. Out of seemingly nowhere, the future of the LIV Golf Tour has been put in serious jeopardy. The breakaway golf tour previously relied on funding from the Saudi Arabia-backed Public Investment Fund to back extremely high purses and bring in top players with massive signing bonuses. But that funding is coming to an end after the 2026 season, throwing all of that progress into jeopardy.

The Iran war has strengthened Ukraine in surprising ways. Could a ceasefire with Russia be closer? When Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, serious-faced and clad in black, strolled down a lilac carpet in Saudi Arabia in March, it marked a moment in the US-Israeli war in Iran. In a post on X, he said his visit was to strengthen the protection of lives. Zelensky, who carries the weight of Ukraine's own war with Russia on his shoulders, has been seizing the moment, flying to the Gulf to publicly showcase the international value and marketability of Kyiv's learned-on-the-battlefield military nous in drone warfare. Ukraine says it has now signed deals with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Qatar - all hit by Iranian missiles and drones in recent weeks - to share drone expertise and technology, tightening alliances and benefitting from business - and it hopes defence deals - with wealthy US-allied countries.

Rob Reiner's son Jake shares horrific new details from night of his parents' murders and says it is'almost impossible to process' that his brother Nick has been charged with the killings Bloodbath on the streets as millions of dogs are'massacred' by firing squad ahead of the World Cup Tucker Carlson's secret heiress sister reveals bitter feud over family fortune: He says'I don't know her'... but trove of photos tells a very different story Lesbian sex secrets of Kristi Noem's ICE leader: Ex lover claims jealous rages over men, screaming through hotel walls... and vile tight bodysuit demand Hidden cameras at NYC's live animal markets expose filthy conditions, disease risks, and brutal treatment of chickens, ducks, rabbits and sheep MAUREEN CALLAHAN: Dark indisputable Michael Jackson truths Hollywood STILL covers up. His own daughter reportedly now thinks he was a pedophile, so why's this so hard to say? Scandal after high-ranking female prison officer gave birth to twins... as shocking rumor spreads about identity of their father My senior government source has told me why these scientists may REALLY be going missing. This is so serious even the President is being kept on a'need-to-know basis': KENNEDY Former NFL quarterback Tim Tebow announces tragic news of dad's death after battle with Parkinson's in heartbreaking post Reclusive Athina Onassis, heiress to $2.7billion fortune who stepped away from public life after humiliating heartbreak, breaks cover at Barcelona Bridal Week in rare public appearance Sam's Club just launched a perk that targets Costco's biggest flaw Disappointed customers reveal the most'overrated' chain restaurants... do YOU have good taste? Woke author who boasted about shoplifting from Whole Foods flies into foul-mouthed RAGE when confronted outside her $2.2m Brooklyn brownstone Sherrone Moore's ex-mistress reveals pregnancy as she details night fired Michigan coach came to her apartment Troubling past of'father of the year' who murdered son, 11, in airport bathroom... as grieving grandpa reveals warning sign that something awful was about to happen US threatens to'review' UK claim to Falklands Islands and ban Spain from NATO as punishment for failure to back Iran War'Chemical-spraying' drones reportedly stolen from New Jersey facility sparks fears of'nightmare scenario' An alarm has erupted after 15 powerful agricultural spray drones were stolen in a suspected coordinated heist in New Jersey last month. A report from The High Side claimed the FBI is investigating the theft amid fears the machines could be used to disperse dangerous materials.