PLAVE are a K-Pop band with a twistthe bandmembers are digital humans and their performances are rendered entirely in Unreal Engine. Discover how VLAST combines motion capture, real-time rendering, and UEs animation tools to wow PLAVEs fans.

Four Lynx Have Been Illegally Released Into the Scottish Highlands. Officials Think Guerrilla Rewilding Is to BlameSo far, only two of the four lynx have been recaptured, leaving authorities scrambling across the snowy woods to find the missing cats One of the two recaptured lynxanother two are still on the loose Courtesy of the Royal Zoological Society of ScotlandOver a thousand years ago, the Eurasian lynx roamed the snowy terrain of the Scottish Highlands, its last refuge in the British Isles. But the covert, illegal and mysterious release of four lynx into the Scottish wilds this week has raised suspicions of conservationists and reignited a debate over whether the cat can reclaim its natural habitatand at what cost.The story began on Wednesday, January 8, when the Cairngorms National Park Authority announced that two lynx were at large in the United Kingdoms biggest national park.We condemn the illegal release of wild animals in the strongest possible terms and we are also concerned for the welfare of the lynx that have been released, the Park Authority says in a statement, adding that it was working with the national police force of Scotland.Whilst they are shy animals and low risk to humans, we would ask anyone who does spot a lynx not to approach nor to attend the area, the Park Authority adds. "The Killiehuntly Two," moments before recapture Courtesy of the Royal Zoological Society of ScotlandExperts worked to recapture the cats overnight, setting up trail cameras and baited traps that the cats would likely seek out.It was a long night for our specialist keepers who were taking turns to monitor any activity, David Barclay, manager of the Royal Zoological Society of Scotlands Saving Wildcats team, says in a statement.Eventually, the Royal Zoological Society of Scotland (RZSS) recaptured the two lynx safely and humanely, which makes the lack of sleep more than worth it, Barclay says.The Killiehuntly Two, as the lynx were nicknamed after the estate of Danish billionaire Anders Povlsen where they were spotted, were brought to suitable quarantine facilities in the nearby Highland Wildlife Park where they must spend 30 days in accordance with biosecurity laws, before their subsequent transfer to Edinburgh Zoo, according to the statement.David Field, chief executive of the RZSS, also condemned the release of the Killiehuntly Two.It was a highly irresponsible act and it is very unlikely they would have survived in the wild due to a lack of adequate preparation, Field says in the RZSS statement. Their abandonment was reckless to the animals, [the] public, the community and nature. Two lynx stalk across the snowy Scottish Highlands Courtesy of the Royal Zoological Society of ScotlandSome members of the Scottish parliament called for those responsible to face the full force of the law, Libby Brooks reports for The Guardian.While some initial speculation suggested that the lynx had escaped from the nearby Highland Wildlife Park, Max Stephens reports for The Telegraph, park rangers and police soon confirmed this was not the case.They had definitely been illegally released because they were 100 yards from a pile of straw bedding that contained dead chicks and, interestingly, porcupine quillsthe bedding was peppered with porcupine quills, Willie Anderson, the deputy team leader of Cairngorm Mountain Rescue, tells The Guardian.Anderson suggests that the lynx were likely released from an area along the road, close to where where his team captured them. I dont think they would have survived in the wild, he adds.Camera trap shows second pair of lynx that were found overnight in Scottish HighlandsWatch on And so the two cats bedded down in their 30-day home in the Highland Wildlife Park, and the authorities began their methodical search for the perpetrators of the rogue lynx release.But the Highland drama abated only briefly.This morning, Cairngorms National Park announced the sightings of two additional lynx in the Killiehuntly area. At the time of this articles publication, the lynx are still at large.Although it may be tempting to try to find them, take pictures or set up cameras, we are asking people not to travel into the area, particularly in the current winter weather conditions, Inspector Craig Johnstone of Police Scotland says in a statement.Inquiries are continuing to establish the full circumstances of both sightings, he says. Officers are on patrol in the area and anyone with concerns can approach them.Authorities believe that this second set of lynx is connected to the first pair, Severin Carrell reports for The Guardian. Farmers remain worried that the lynx may prey upon their livestock.Several groups that push for the reintroduction of the lynx to Scotland concur that these two releases are reckless for both the lynx and for their cause. In a statement, rewilding charity Scotland: The Big Picture notes that lynx reintroduction has been successful in Germany, France and Switzerland. But, Peter Cairns, the charitys executive director, says in thestatement that irresponsible and illegal releases such as this are entirely counter-productive.Back in 2022, Cairns told the BBC that When it comes to the return of the lynx, we're in the realm of not yetbut not never. The Cairngorms National Park Authoriy advises people not to approach the lynx. Courtesy of the Royal Zoological Society of ScotlandThere is a reason why the reintroduction of species is carefully regulated, says Edward Mountain, a local member of Scottish Parliament, according to The Guardian.Mountain suggests that this could be a case of guerrilla rewilding, an attempt to accelerate the reintroduction of lynx into Scotland. Just this summer, beaver bombingthe unauthorized release of the paddle-tailed rodents back into the rivers of Britainreflected a growing discontent with the governments slow reintroduction efforts.Ben Goldsmith, an environmentalist who tells Patrick Greenfield, Libby Brooks and Severin Carrell of The Guardian that he was uninvolved with the release, explains how he was momentarily thrilled by the notion of lynx once again stalking the Cairngorms. Lynx are an iconic native species missing from Britain and they should be back here. The habitat is perfect, these are secretive animals, and there are no good reasons not to reintroduce them.But he adds that in this situation, whatever has happened, it seems to have been poorly thought through.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Animals, Cats, Environment, European History, Forests, National Parks, Scotland, wildlife

Researchers found the pieces covered in newspaper and tucked beneath a staircase in the crypt. Aiste KarpyteIn the crypts of a Lithuanian cathedral, researchers have discovered a trove of royal treasure: crowns, jewelry and a scepter that belonged to several Lithuanian-Polish monarchs from the 15th and 16th centuries. The regalia had been hidden for 85 yearssince it was stowed for safekeeping beneath theVilnius Cathedral in southeastern Lithuania.Last fall, experts were invited to explore Vilnius Cathedrals subterranean level, where they used anendoscopic camera to look into cracks and holes in the crypts walls. In December, the researchers opened a secret hiding place in the churchs crypts, where the royal regalia was hidden at the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, asVilnius Archbishop Gintaras Gruas told reporters earlier this week, per the Polish news networkTVP World.The discovered insignia are priceless historical treasures: symbols of Lithuanias long tradition of statehood, symbols of Vilnius as the capital city and magnificent works of goldsmithing and jewelry, says Gruas. The crowns were buried with kings and queens of Poland, who were also grand dukes and duchesses of Lithuania. Aiste KarpyteThe collection includes a crown ofAlexander Jagiellon, the king of Poland between 1501 and 1506. It also features crowns, chains, medallions, scepters, orbs and rings belonging to Elisabeth of Austria (also known as Elbieta Habsburanka) and Barbara Radziwithe first and second wives of Sigismund II Augustus, who served as king of Poland in the mid-1500s.The Jagiellon and Habsburg dynasties are two of European historys most powerful families, as Mykolas Sotincenka, a spokesperson for the Vilnius Archdiocese, tellsLive Sciences Kristina Killgrove. These rulers set in motion Polandsgolden age. This scepter was made for a monarch's grave. Aiste KarpyteEach of these kings acted also as grand dukes of Lithuania, as Poland and Lithuania wereunited between the 14th and 18th centuries.Found among the royal accessories were insignia made for these rulers burial chambers. As Gruas said, These crowns were not worn while the rulers were alive but were made after their deaths and were intended to be part of their tombs, per TVP World.In 1931, a flood damaged the cathedrals crypt, exposing the three rulers coffins. The funerary regalia was then gathered from the burials, as Sotincenka tells Live Science. The researchers found the accessories wrapped in newspaper dated 1939, tucked in a cavity beneath a staircase in the crypt. Historians knew from records that the cache of regalia existed, but attempts to find it hadnt been successfuluntil now. The cathedral is located inVilnius, the capital of Lithuania. Saulius ZiuraAccording to a statement from Vilnius official development agency, the artifacts connected to Radziwi add a romantic and legendary dimension to this discovery. Born in 1520, the famously beautiful and witty Radziwi was already a widow by the 1540s, when she became the kings mistress. Their subsequent marriage caused ascandal: Nobles thought Radziwi promiscuous and unfit. In time, she became one of the most celebrated figures in Lithuanian history, per the statement.The trove has been cataloged and will now undergo restoration before being publicly displayed later this year. As Rita Pauliukeviit, director of the Church Heritage Museum, says in a statement shared with CNNs Jack Guy, These symbols are important both for the state and for each of us, as signs of European identity, as a reclaimed identity of the old state, as a sign of the strength of our roots.Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday.Filed Under: Archaeology, Artifacts, Cool Finds, Death, European History, History, Jewelry, Kings, Monarchs, Mysteries, Poland, Political Leaders, Queens

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The Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) has revealed its nominees for the upcoming 28th annual DICE Awards.Candidates for the ceremony's best game of 2024 include Team Asobi's Astro Bot, Arrowhead's Helldivers II, LocalThunk's Balatro, GameScience's Black Myth: Wukong, and MachineGames' Indiana Jones & the Great Circle. Astro, Helldivers, and Jones have six nominations each in categories such as animation, art direction, and technical achievement.Beyond those three titles, Balatro and Senua's Saga: Hellblade II each picked up five nominations apiece. In total, AIAS says 60 games from 2024 were nominated across its various categories.You can read the full nominee list here, with select examples listed below. The DICE Awards are set to air in Las Vegas on Thursday, February 13.Game of the YearAstro Bot (Team Asobi/PlayStation)Balatro (LocalThunk)Black Myth: Wukong (GameScience)Helldivers II (Arrowhead Game Studios/PlayStation)Indiana Jones & the Great Circle (MachineGames/Xbox)Outstanding Achievement in Game Direction1000xResist (Sunset Visitor/Fellow Traveler)Animal Well (BillyBasso/Big Mode)Lorelei and the Laser Eyes (Simogo/Annapurna Interactive)Riven (Cyan Worlds)Thank Goodness You're Here! (Coal Supper/Panic)Outstanding Achievement in Game DesignAnimal Well (BillyBasso/Big Mode)Astro Bot (Team Asobi/PlayStation)Balatro (LocalThunk)Helldivers II (Arrowhead Game Studios/PlayStation)UFO 50 (Mossmouth)Online Game of the YearCall of Duty: Black Ops 6 (Treyarch/Activision Blizzard)Diablo IV: Vessel of Hatred(Blizzard Entertainment)Helldivers II (Arrowhead Game Studios/PlayStation)Marvel Rivals(NetEase Games)Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 (Saber Interactive)Outstanding Achievement in CharacterWatcher (1000xRESIST)Yuffie Kisaragi (Final Fantasy VII Rebirth)Dr. Henry "Indiana" Jones (Indiana Jones and the Great Circle)Indika (Indika)Senua (Senua's Saga: Hellblade II)Mobile Game of the YearBalatro (LocalThunk)Halls of Torment(Chasing Carrots)Monument Valley 3(Ustwo Games/Netflix Games)Paper Trail(Newfangled Games)Wuthering Waves (Kuro Games)Immersive Reality Technical AchievementAlien: Rogue Incursion (Survios)Batman: Arkham Shadow (Camouflaj/Oculus)Skydance's BEHEMOTH (Skydance)Starship Home(Creature)UNDERDOGS (One Hamsa)

TikTok still seems headed for a ban after its Supreme Court argumentsTikTok still seems headed for a ban after its Supreme Court arguments / The justices didnt seem to buy TikToks interpretation of why the law violates its First Amendment rights.By Lauren Feiner, a senior policy reporter at The Verge, covering the intersection of Silicon Valley and Capitol Hill. She spent 5 years covering tech policy at CNBC, writing about antitrust, privacy, and content moderation reform. Jan 10, 2025, 8:15 PM UTCShare this story Image: Cath Virginia / The Verge, Getty ImagesAfter the Supreme Court heard oral arguments over a law that could ban TikTok, it looks like one of its last possible lifelines is unlikely to save it from the impending ouster.TikTok will be banned from the US unless either the Supreme Court blocks the law from taking effect before the January 19th deadline or its China-based parent company, ByteDance, finally agrees to sell it. A sale and return of TikTok could happen after the deadline, and President-elect Donald Trump may get creative in trying not to enforce the law once hes sworn in the next day. But the longer it takes, the shakier things look for TikTok.Bloomberg Intelligence senior litigation analyst Matthew Schettenhelm gave TikTok a 30 percent chance of winning at the Supreme Court before oral arguments, but he lowered that prediction to just 20 percent after hearing the justices questioning. TikTok made a last-ditch plea for the court to issue an administrative stay without signaling a ruling on the laws merits, something Trump has suggested so he can attempt to broker a TikTok sale. Schettenhelm says thats unlikely the court does not tend to issue that kind of pause just because of a change in administration, he adds, and its unlikely to want to set that precedent.A short order on the case could come as soon as Friday afternoon, after the justices are scheduled to meet. The court is also scheduled to release orders on Monday morning, though Schettenhelm warns not to read into it if nothing is released by then it may just mean theyre fleshing out their reasoning in a longer written order.Trump has said hed like to save the app, and in theory, he could declare he wont enforce the divest-or-ban law. But Justice Sonia Sotomayor pointed out that even if he chooses not to enforce the law, that may not provide sufficient protection for companies like Apple and Google which could be fined $5,000 per user that accesses TikTok if they maintain it in their app stores. US Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar said the statute of limitations is five years; those companies would still be violating the law as long as it remains on the books, and they could face penalties even after Trump leaves office, should the next administration choose to enforce it.Ithink those companies would be undertaking enormous risk to not comply with the law on the hope that President Trump doesnt enforce it against them, Schettenhelm says. You get into the hundreds of billions of dollars of potential liability. And even if President Trump is saying, dont worry about it, Im not going to enforce it against you, do you really want to take the chance that hes not going to change his mind on that? Do you really want to give him that level of leverage over your company? I doubt it.I dont see another social media company that is similarly situated to TikTok.Schettenhelm doesnt believe a ruling against TikTok would create a precedent that threatens US-based social media companies. I dont see another social media company that is similarly situated to TikTok, he says, pointing out that the arguments largely centered around ownership. Foreign-owned e-commerce companies like Shein and Temu that came up might be another story. But, he says, none of that really jumped out as an imminent risk just because of this argument.By contrast, Cornell University law professor and First Amendment expert Gautam Hans agrees the justices are unlikely to strike down the law, but he worries that such a ruling could have broader implications for other companies. During arguments, the justices and attorneys for TikTok and its users discussed hypotheticals about whether allowing a ban on certain types of corporate structure (like ownership by a Chinese parent company) would allow for backdoor speech regulations including demanding a companys owner sell it off to punish it for protected speech. But these concerns didnt appear to be deal-breakers for the court.What remains unfortunate is the credulity with which many of the justices treated this law, which clearly implicates free speech rights on underspecified national security grounds, Hans said in a statement. I dont think the distinction on foreign and domestic ownership is sufficiently stable to allay my concerns that a ruling upholding the TikTok ban creates a very slippery slope.Most PopularMost Popular

If youre looking for indoor activities to keep you entertained this winter, you might want to check out Amazons ongoing Blu-ray sale. Now through January 20th, you can pick up three 4K Blu-ray titles for $33 when you add them to your cart, regardless of their sale price. That amounts to $11 per film, which is the kind of discount typically reserved for major shopping events like Black Friday and Cyber Monday. Whats more, you can take advantage of the deal as many times as youd like.RelatedThe limited time promo extends to hundreds of movies, including some of the most popular films from the past few years. Never got a chance to watch Denis Villeneuves Dune? Thats okay, because the sale includes bothDuneandDune: Part Two, each of which would normally cost north of $30. Thanks to Amazons sale, though, you can pick up both for $33 alongside a third box office hit whether it be Twisters, Oppenheimer, The Super Mario Bros. Movie, The Batman,Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, or even Barbie.Its not all recent hits from the past year or two, either. The sale includes older classics, too, including Jurassic Park, The Shining, Pans Labyrinth, Blade Runner 2049, and much more.Dune: Part Two (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)$11$3367% off$11$11$3367% offDune: Part Two is a film adaption of the first book in the Dune series, one that picks up where the first movie left off. Now through January 20th, you can grab it alongside two other films (includingDune) for just $33 as a part of Amazons 4K UHD Blu-ray sale. $11 at AmazonOppenheimer (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)$11$3367% off$11$11$3367% offChristopher Nolans latest award-winning film, Oppenheimer, tells the story of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the man who helped develop the worlds first atomic bomb. Read our review.$11 at AmazonThe Super Mario Bros. Movie (4K Ultra HD + Blu-ray + Digital)$11$3367% off$11$11$3367% offNintendos latest adaptation of its iconic video game franchise is a nostalgia play if there ever was one, but that doesnt make it any less delightful. Read our review.$11 at Amazon

Meta is eliminating its diversity, equity, and inclusion programs because of the legal and policy landscape surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in the US, according to a memo to employees seen by Axios. Meta will also roll back representation goals and end its diverse slate approach to hiring.The memo, which was written by Janelle Gale, Metas vice president of human resources, said the company would replace DEI programs with ones that focus on how to apply fair and consistent practices that mitigate bias for all, no matter your background, as reported by Axios. The company will also end efforts to source business suppliers from diverse-owned businesses.The Supreme Court of the United States has recently made decisions signaling a shift in how courts will approach DEI, Gale wrote. The term DEI has also become charged, in part because it is understood by some as a practice that suggests preferential treatment of some groups over others. Meta spokesperson Tracy Clayton confirmed to The Verge that Axios reporting is accurate.The news follows Metas appointment of the Trump-friendly policy chief Joel Kaplan. Meta also recently announced its plans to replace third-party fact-checking with a Community Notes system similar to Elon Musks X. Meta also overhauled its Hateful Conduct Policy, making changes that now allow allegations of mental illness or abnormality when based on gender or sexual orientation, among other horrible things, and announced plans to move its moderation teams from California to Texas due to concerns about bias. Update, January 10th: Added confirmation from Meta.

The Problem: Why Current AI Agent Approaches FailIf you have ever designed and implemented an LLM Model-based chatbot in production, you have encountered the frustration of agents failing to execute tasks reliably. These systems often lack repeatability and struggle to complete tasks as intended, frequently straying off-topic and delivering a poor experience for the customers.The typical strategies to address these challenges carry their own limitations.One common approach is to use longer and more intricate prompts. Although this can reduce unwanted behavior, it never fully prevents the agent from going off-topic, even slightly, which can have a significant impact and may introduce considerable latency.. Whenever new corner cases arise, modifying a lengthy prompt can inadvertently create additional edge cases, leading to a fragile system.Another widely used method is to implement guardrails. Although this can be effective, it is often a drastic measure because it forces the chatbot to shut down as soon as any violation or deviation from the task is detected, which harms the overall user experience.The Impact is significant :Eroded trust: Users quickly lose confidence in the botand your brandwhen responses are clearly incorrect or incomplete.Compliance risks: A chatbot that makes unauthorized or erroneous statements can pose legal and financial risks.Lost sales: When the agent diverges from the intended script, conversions and sales suffer.Lost customers: An unprofessional or misleading chatbot can drive customers away for good.Some Real-World Examples where these issues matter:A customer service agent at a bank or financial service firm providing inconsistent advice.A sales agent on an e-commerce site that incorrectly describes or prices products.A healthcare services agent offering unverified medical suggestions.A New Open-Source Approach: ParlantParlant introduces a dynamic control system that ensures agents follow your specific business rules. It does this by matching and activating the appropriate combination of guidelines for each situation. Heres a quick look at how it works:Contextual Evaluation:When a chatbot needs to respond, Parlant evaluates the conversation context and loads relevant guidelines (rules you define for your specific use cases).Behavioral Guidelines:These guidelines shape the chatbots tone, style, and allowed content. Parlant re-checks them continuously as new information emerges.Self-Critique Mechanisms:Before generating a final response, Parlant runs a self-critique process, ensuring the answer aligns precisely with the matched guidelines.How Parlant WorksParlants core components include Guidelines, a Glossary, a Coherence Checker, and a Tool Service.Lets explore them:1. GuidelinesGuidelines are the most powerful customization feature in Parlant. They determine how your chatbot should respond in specific scenarios. Parlant automatically injects only the relevant guidelines into the LLMs context in real time, keeping interactions clean and efficient.What Are Guidelines?Guidelines let you shape an agents behavior in three primary ways.First, they help address undesired out-of-the-box responses when they are lackluster or incomplete.Second, they ensure consistent behavior across all interactions.Third, they guide the agent to stay focused on the guided optimized behavior ( no punt intended!)For example, an original response to a room-booking request might be, Sure, I can help you book a room. When will you be staying? Although this response is functional, guidelines can be applied to make it more enthusiastic. A reworked answer could become, Im so happy you chose our hotel! Lets get you the best room for your needs. When will you be staying?Structure of GuidelinesCondition: A trigger or situation (e.g., It is a holiday).Action: An instruction (e.g., Offer a discount).In Parlants shorthand:When it is a holiday, Then offer a discount.2. Ensuring CoherenceParlant validates guidelines for internal consistency and provides visibility into the agents decision-making. This eliminates confusion or contradictions when multiple guidelines could apply simultaneously.3. GlossaryA glossary defines any specialized terms or domain-specific language the chatbot needs to recognize. This helps maintain consistent terminology across conversations.The Tool Service lets the chatbot call external APIs or third-party tools, such as looking up e-commerce product categories or retrieving a users order history. This ensures your agent can act on real data rather than rely solely on the models internal training.Bonus Features: Guardrails and Content ModerationEven with robust guidelines, it can be necessary to add another layer of protection. Parlant integrates with services such as OpenAIs Omni Moderation to pre-filter harmful or sensitive content, ensuring safer interactions. In domains like mental health or legal advice, it is best to hand off users to a professional. Parlants guidelines can automatically redirect users to human agents when these topics arise, preserving compliance and user well-being.Customers may also attempt to harass or manipulate the agent. Parlants content filtering helps keep conversations respectful and ensures the chatbot remains composed in contentious situations. Finally, some users try to jailbreak the agent or expose its internal rules. Parlant offers a paranoid mode, which integrates with Lakera Guard, to maintain the chatbots intended boundaries and prevent unauthorized behavior.The Agent Development Journey evolved!Parlant allows you to build and refine your chatbot step by step. You start with basic guidelines, then evolve your agent as you learn more about your customers needs and behaviors. Because it is open source, you can also leverage community contributions and best practices It enables you to also evolve the guardrail in a dynamic guidevery powerful!Give it a try and experience a new level of control in LLM-based chatbot development.How to Try Parlant?The entire source code, licensed under Apache 2.0, is available on GitHub. We encourage you to check it outthis is will a be growing trends of 2025. We always love open-source project, so a friendly reminder that simple Star on the repository goes a long way in showing your support!Here are the links :GitHub Repo Dive into the code, tutorials, and documentation.Tutorials & Guides Learn how to set up your first Parlant-powered agent.Thanks tothe Parlan teamfor the thought leadership/ Resources for this article.Parlan team has supported us in this content/article. Jean-marc Mommessin+ postsJean-marc is a successful AI business executive .He leads and accelerates growth for AI powered solutions and started a computer vision company in 2006. He is a recognized speaker at AI conferences and has an MBA from Stanford. [Recommended Read] Nebius AI Studio expands with vision models, new language models, embeddings and LoRA (Promoted)