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The State of Arkansas has received approval for more than $10.1 million in funding to bring statewide digital skills training and digital device programs to the state. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) approved $10,161,429.01 in funding through the State Digital Equity Capacity Grant Program (Capacity Grant Program) for the State of Arkansas. The Arkansas State Broadband Office (ARConnect) will utilize this funding to implement programs outlined in the state’s Digital Skills and Opportunity Plan, a comprehensive approach to addressing the digital skills gap that affects every corner of the state. “Growing our broadband infrastructure is a big part of connecting our state, but if Arkansans don’t have the skills to use this new technology, we won’t fully realize its benefit,” said Governor Sanders. “This funding will be critical to closing the digital divide and putting communities on the path to success.” “Having digital skills is a critical element of succeeding in the twenty-first century workforce, and Arkansas is committed to preparing its citizens for success,” said Secretary of Commerce Hugh McDonald. “The Arkansas State Broadband Office will play a vital role in helping ensure that Arkansans have the skills and training they need to take part in the workforce of today and tomorrow.” In addition to digital skills work and digital device initiatives, planned programming outlined in the state’s Digital Skills and Opportunity Plan includes expanding high-speed internet access at community anchor institutions like community centers and veterans’ organizations, as well as piloting expanded high-speed internet access at multiple-dwelling units. “Today is another step forward for the State of Arkansas in ensuring that every Arkansan has the ability and opportunity to self-determine their success in the twenty-first century digital economy,” said State Broadband Director Glen Howie. “If we think about economic development throughout the state, small business growth in our communities, and improved quality of life for every Arkansas family, having proper digital skills is a key component to unlocking that future. We are proud to take on that mission.”Will Commence Trading on OTC Markets on Friday, December 20 Miami, FL, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Blue Star Foods Corp., (“Blue Star,” the “Company,” “we,” “our” or “us”) (NASDAQ: BSFC ) , an integrated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) sustainable seafood company with a focus on Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS), today announced that it received formal notice from The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC that its securities will be delisted from Nasdaq. The Company has decided not to appeal its delisting determination, which was based on the Company’s violation of Listing Rule 5550(a)(2), the “Minimum Bid Price Requirement” and will begin trading on OTC Markets on Friday, December 20. John Keeler, Chairman and CEO of Blue Star Foods, commented, “this by no means has any reflection on our operations, nothing has changed and we have returned to revenue growth and our current cash position is in a very good place.” Keeler, continued, “in deciding to not appeal the Nasdaq delisting notice, we realized some positives by listing in OTC Markets: Lowers our public company costs No immediate plans for reverse split as no longer needed to comply with Nasdaq listing standards We intend to apply to list our securities on the OTCQB as soon as practicable. About Blue Star Foods Corp. (NASDAQ: BSFC ) Blue Star Foods Corp. an integrated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) sustainable seafood company with a focus on Recirculatory Aquaculture Systems (RAS) that processes, packages and sells high-value seafood products. The Company believes it utilizes best-in-class technology, in both resource sustainability management and traceability, and ecological packaging. The Company also owns and operates the oldest continuously operating Recirculating Aquaculture System (RAS) full grow-out salmon farm in North America. The company is based in Miami, Florida, and its corporate website is: https://bluestarfoods.com Forward-Looking Statements: The foregoing material may contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, each as amended. Forward-looking statements include all statements that do not relate solely to historical or current facts, including without limitation statements regarding the Company’s product development and business prospects, and can be identified by the use of words such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “project,” “estimate,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “should,” “continue” or the negative versions of those words or other comparable words. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future actions or performance. These forward-looking statements are based on information currently available to the Company and its current plans or expectations and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that could significantly affect current plans. Risks concerning the Company’s business are described in detail in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, and other periodic and current reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any such obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Investor Contacts: investors@bluestarfoods.com
Over 25 years after a woman’s skeletal remains were discovered in Clatsop County, the Oregon State Police has released a facial illustration in the hopes of jogging someone’s memory. On Nov. 3, 1999, mushroom pickers reported finding human skeleton remains in a wooded area off of U.S. Highway 26 near milepost 29. An initial forensic examination revealed that the remains belonged to a woman between 16 and 30 years of age, about 5 feet, 2 inches tall and weighing between 108 and 117 pounds. Forensic anthropologists believed the woman had given birth some time prior. For decades, all law enforcement had to work with was a pencil drawing of what they believed the woman looked like. But a recent collaboration between Parabon NanoLabs and Oregon State Police forensic anthropologist Nici Vance highlighted the ability to use the individual’s genetic phenotype to construct the new illustration. “This has been a case that we’ve been working on since 1999, and it’s very near and dear to my heart, because I was actually out there in Astoria and I helped recover her,” Vance said. Over the years, Vance and her colleagues had been applying various innovative DNA techniques to the remains. They uploaded the remains to the national DNA database to try and find any genetic association with reported missing persons, which yielded no results. “In 2019, when we partnered with Parabon NanoLabs, they performed investigative genetic genealogy on the remains, which is, you know, this great technique now that can find family members as well as the family trees of some of our unidentified decedents,” she said. Again, there were no leads. But the collaboration was not entirely fruitless. Oregon State Police asked the lab to create the new illustration based on her genetics, drawing renewed interest in the case through a recent alert sent out with the image attached. “And so the picture you see that was added to the alert from Oregon State Police this afternoon is what her genetics predict her facial features would look like,” Vance said. “And so those features are defaulted to the age right around 25, so we think she was between the ages of 20 and 35 when she died. So we think this is probably a pretty accurate way of what she looked like when she was alive.” Using the technology, Parabon NanoLabs and Oregon State Police have collaborated to identify over 30 previously unidentified individuals found in Oregon. They continue to track cold cases, some as old or older than this one, for several reasons. “She deserves a name,” Vance said. “And also, we assume someone is looking for her, someone is missing her. She’s probably someone’s mother or sister. She’s definitely someone’s daughter ... Every case is different, but these are some of the reasons why we continue to look for the names and identities of these unknown people that we’ve had at our medical examiner facility for decades.” There is also the hope that the new rendering of the woman’s face will spark a memory for someone. Vance said that while it’s not quite a shot in the dark, it is a long shot, given that it’s been over 25 years. But to her, it’s still worth a try. “Maybe these very accurate facial predictions might jog someone’s memory,” she said. “Maybe they saw her in a convenience store in Clatsop County. Maybe they’re reminded of, you know, a college roommate that they haven’t heard from for years and years. “Or maybe someone recognizes them in, you know, any suspicious context — a girlfriend who had a boyfriend who wasn’t very nice to her. Any kind of context that might jog someone’s memory in regards to seeing her or knowing her will help facilitate investigative leads, will help our cold case detectives follow up on potential avenues that might lead to her identification. It’s all valuable.”
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As the leaves fall, the heat goes on, the temperatures drop and the sweaters and jackets are pulled from storage, it’s also a great time to think about making a pot of soup. Soup is one of the best comfort foods, perfect for those New England fall and winter days. Whether you fancy clam or corn chowder, a roasted butternut squash soup, a classic Italian sausage orzo or something unique like lasagna soup, there’s a special place in everyone’s heart for that big pot on the stove. We have found five recipes that are sure to make your mouth water. No matter what soup preference you may have, you’ll find something to cook for the whole family. Simple Roasted Butternut Squash Soup This recipe is by Allrecipes.com . Ingredients Directions Clam Chowder This recipe is by Allrecipes.com . Ingredients Directions Real Lasagna Soup This recipe is by Allrecipes.com . Ingredients Noodles: Soup Base: Cheese Mixture: Garnish: Directions Italian Sausage Orzo Soup This recipe is by juliasalbum.com . Ingredients Directions Cheesy Potato Soup This recipe is by Allrecipes.com . Ingredients DirectionsRepresentational image US Universities Expand Tuition-Free Programs: Higher education in the United States is notoriously expensive, leaving many families burdened with debt or unable to afford college at all. While scholarships and grants help some students, they often cater to only a select segment of the population. Recently, a growing trend among top universities has focused on comprehensive tuition waivers aimed at making college more accessible for a broader range of students who are both deserving and in financial need. This week, five prominent universities announced tuition-free programs designed to reduce financial barriers for undergraduates from low- and middle-income families. IPL 2025 mega auction IPL Auction 2025 Live: CSK snatch Ravindra via RTM after Pant, Iyer become most expensive buys IPL 2025 Auction LIVE: Updated Full Team Squads IPL Auction 2025: Who got whom Spanning public and private institutions across multiple states, these initiatives underscore a nationwide push for affordability. Starting in 2025, these programs will provide significant financial relief to families, helping to ensure that cost isn’t a roadblock to higher education. Here's a closer look at how these programs work and what they mean for eligible students. Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) MIT is expanding its already generous financial aid program. Starting next fall, students from families earning less than $200,000 annually will qualify for tuition-free education, an increase from the current threshold of $140,000. Families earning under $100,000 will receive full financial coverage, including tuition, room and board, books, and personal expenses—essentially making MIT cost-free. Currently, 35% of MIT undergraduates pay no tuition, and this expansion is expected to benefit an even larger proportion of students. University of Texas System Beginning in the fall of 2025, the University of Texas (UT) System will waive tuition and mandatory fees for students from families earning $100,000 or less annually. This new policy will apply to all nine UT academic institutions, unifying the varying financial aid programs previously in place across the system. By creating a universal income threshold, the UT System aims to provide consistent and accessible opportunities for students regardless of which campus they attend. Carnegie Mellon University Carnegie Mellon University (CMU) is launching its CMU Pathway program in the 2025–26 academic year, offering tuition-free education to students from families earning $75,000 or less. Additionally, families earning up to $100,000 will benefit from substantial aid, ensuring that most students within this income range can attend without taking on significant student loans. This marks CMU’s commitment to making higher education attainable for a more diverse student body. Brandeis University Brandeis University, a private research institution near Boston, is also stepping up its financial aid. Starting in fall 2025, undergraduates from families earning less than $75,000 will receive grants and scholarships covering their full tuition. Families earning up to $200,000 will see a 50% tuition reduction. This initiative targets affordability while maintaining Brandeis’ commitment to fostering a supportive academic environment for students from varied economic backgrounds. University of Massachusetts (UMass) System The UMass System plans to enhance its existing financial aid offerings by fully covering tuition costs for high-need families earning $75,000 or less. Currently, this applies to 92% of eligible students, and the new initiative aims to close the gap for the remaining 8%. Eligible students must be Massachusetts residents, enrolled full-time, and pursuing an on-campus undergraduate degree. The program will span all UMass campuses, including Amherst, Boston, Dartmouth, and Lowell. Quick overview: Tuition-Free Programs at US Universities — Benefits and Eligibility University Benefits Eligibility Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Tuition-free education for families earning LUSAIL, Qatar (AP) — Lando Norris ignored team orders and handed his McLaren teammate Oscar Piastri the sprint race in Qatar on Saturday, while Formula 1 champion Max Verstappen was stripped of the pole position. His penalty elevated George Russell to first on the grid. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings. Get updates and player profiles ahead of Friday's high school games, plus a recap Saturday with stories, photos, video Frequency: Seasonal Twice a week
Mikaela Shiffrin suffers abrasion on hip during crash on final run of World Cup giant slalomJoin our daily and weekly newsletters for the latest updates and exclusive content on industry-leading AI coverage. Learn More The UAE government-backed Technology Innovation Institute (TII) has announced the launch of Falcon 3, a family of open-source small language models (SLMs) designed to run efficiently on lightweight, single GPU-based infrastructures. Falcon 3 features four model sizes — 1B, 3B, 7B, and 10B — with base and instruct variants, promising to democratize access to advanced AI capabilities for developers, researchers, and businesses. According to the Hugging Face leaderboard, the models are already outperforming or closely matching popular open-source counterparts in their size class, including Meta’s Llama and category leader Qwen-2.5. The development comes at a time when the demand for SLMs , with fewer parameters and simpler designs than LLMs, is rapidly growing due to their efficiency, affordability, and ability to be deployed on devices with limited resources. They are suitable for a range of applications across industries, like customer service, healthcare, mobile apps and IoT, where typical LLMs might be too computationally expensive to run effectively. According to Valuates Reports , the market for these models is expected to grow, with a CAGR of nearly 18% over the next five years. What does Falcon 3 bring to the table? Trained on 14 trillion tokens — more than double its predecessor Falcon 2 — the Falcon 3 family employs a decoder-only architecture with grouped query attention to share parameters and minimize memory usage for key-value (KV) cache during inference. This enables faster and more efficient operations when handling diverse text-based tasks. At the core, the models support four primary languages — English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese—and come equipped with a 32K context window, allowing them to process long inputs, such as heavily worded documents. “Falcon 3 is versatile, designed for both general-purpose and specialized tasks, providing immense flexibility to users. Its base model is perfect for generative applications, while the instruct variant excels in conversational tasks like customer service or virtual assistants,” TII notes on its website . According to the leaderboard on Hugging Face, while all four Falcon 3 models perform fairly well, the 10B and 7B versions are the stars of the show, achieving state-of-the-art results on reasoning, language understanding, instruction following, code and mathematics tasks. Among models under the 13B-parameter size class, Falcon 3’s 10B and 7B versions outperform competitors, including Google’s Gemma 2-9B , Meta’s Llama 3.1-8B, Mistral-7B , and Yi 1.5-9B. They even surpass Alibaba’s category leader Qwen 2.5-7B in most benchmarks — such as MUSR, MATH, GPQA, and IFEval — except for MMLU, which is the test for evaluating how well language models understand and process human language. Deployment across industries With the Falcon 3 models now available on Hugging Face , TII aims to serve a broad range of users, enabling cost-effective AI deployments without computational bottlenecks. With their ability to handle specific, domain-focused tasks with fast processing times, the models can power various applications at the edge and in privacy-sensitive environments, including customer service chatbots, personalized recommender systems, data analysis, fraud detection, healthcare diagnostics, supply chain optimization and education. The institute also plans to expand the Falcon family further by introducing models with multimodal capabilities. These models are expected to launch sometime in January 2025. Notably, all models have been released under the TII Falcon License 2.0, a permissive Apache 2.0-based license with an acceptable use policy that encourages responsible AI development and deployment. To help users get started, TII has also launched a Falcon Playground, a testing environment where researchers and developers can try out Falcon 3 models before integrating them into their applications. If you want to impress your boss, VB Daily has you covered. We give you the inside scoop on what companies are doing with generative AI, from regulatory shifts to practical deployments, so you can share insights for maximum ROI. Read our Privacy Policy Thanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here . An error occured.
CardioFocus Announces First Patients Treated with OptiShotTM Pulsed Field Ablation SystemSYDNEY: Australia’s centre-left government yesterday introduced a bill in parliament that aims to ban social media for children under 16 and proposed fines of up to A$49.5 million ($32 million) for social media platforms for systemic breaches. Australia plans to trial an age-verification system that may include biometrics or government identification to enforce a social media age cut-off, some of the toughest controls imposed by any country to date. The proposals are the highest age limit set by any country, and would have no exemption for parental consent and no exemption for pre-existing accounts. “This is a landmark reform. We know some kids will find workarounds, but we’re sending a message to social media companies to clean up their act,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement. The opposition Liberal party plans to support the bill though independents and the Green party have demanded more details on the proposed law, which would impact Meta Platforms’ Instagram and Facebook, Bytedance’s TikTok and Elon Musk’s X and Snapchat. But Albanese said children will have access to messaging, online gaming, and health and education related services, such as youth mental health support platform Headspace, and Alphabet’s Google Classroom and YouTube. The Albanese-led Labor government has been arguing excessive use of social media poses risks to physical and mental health of children, in particular the risks to girls from harmful depictions of body image, and misogynist content aimed at boys. A number of countries have already vowed to curb social media use by children through legislation, but Australia’s policy is one of the most stringent. France last year proposed a ban on social media for those under 15 but users were able to avoid the ban with parental consent. The United States has for decades required technology companies to seek parental consent to access the data of children under 13. “For too many young Australians, social media can be harmful. Almost two-thirds of 14 to 17-year-old Australians have viewed extremely harmful content online, including drug abuse, suicide or self-harm,” Communications Minister Michelle Rowland told parliament on Thursday. The law would force social media platforms, and not parents or young people, to take reasonable steps to ensure the age-verification protections are in place. The proposed law will contain robust privacy provisions, including requiring platforms to destroy any information collected to safeguard the personal data of users, Rowland said. “Social media has a social responsibility ... that’s why we are making big changes to hold platforms to account for user safety,” Rowland said. – BBC
NAPLES, Fla. -- Narin An handled the windy conditions with a hot putter on Thursday, making four straight birdies around the turn and finishing with an 8-under 64 for a one-shot lead in the CME Group Tour Championship. At stake for the 60-player field is a $4 million prize to the winner, the largest single-day payoff in women's golf. Nelly Korda already has won more than that during her sterling season of seven wins. Now she faces an eight-shot deficit over the next three days at Tiburon Golf Club if she wants to end her year in fitting fashion. Korda, coming off a victory last week, couldn't make amends for her three bogeys and had to settle for an even-par 72. She has come from behind in four of her victories, and still has 54 holes ahead of her. But it has made the task that much tougher. Everything felt easy for An, a 28-year-old from South Korea who has never won on the LPGA and has never cracked the top 10 in any of the 16 majors she has played. “Today my putt really good,” An said. “The speed was good and the shape was good. I just try to focus a little bit more.” She had a one-shot lead over Angel Yin, who shot 30 on the back nine, including an eagle on the par-5 17th hole that most players can easily reach in two. Former U.S. Women's Open champion Allisen Corpuz and Marina Alex were at 66, with Lydia Ko leading the group at 67. Despite the wind so typical along the Gulf Coast of Florida, 27 players — nearly half the field — shot in the 60s. “It's a good head start for the big ol' prize we get at the end of the week,” Yin said. Whoever wins this week is assured of breaking the 17-year-old LPGA record for most money earned in season. The record was set by Lorena Ochoa in 2007 at $4,364,994, back when the total prize money was about half of what it is now. Ochoa earned $1 million for winning the Tour Championship in 2007. The opening round followed a big night of awards for the LPGA Tour, where Korda officially picked up her first award as player of the year, which she clinched earlier this month . Ko was recognized for her big year, highlighted by an Olympic gold medal that put her into the LPGA Hall of Fame. She regained plenty of focus for the opening round on a course where she won just two years ago. “The course isn't easy,” Ko said. “I set a goal of shooting 3 under today, and somebody shot 8 under. I was like, ‘OK, maybe I need to make a few more birdies.’ It's a course that can get away from you as much as you can shoot some low scores, so I’m just trying to stick to my game plan and go from there.” Also in the group at 67 was Albane Valenzuela of Switzerland, already celebrating a big year with her debut in the Solheim Cup and her first appearance in the Tour Championship. She made a late run at her first LPGA title last week at Pelican Golf Club, and kept up her form. And she can see the finish line, which is appealing. “I everyone is looking at that $4 million price tag,” Valenzuela said. “I try not to look too much at the result. I feel like in the past I’ve always been stuck on results, and ultimately all I can do is control my own round, my own energy, my own commitment. “It's the last week of the year. It’s kind of the bonus week. No matter what, everyone is having a paycheck.” ___ AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golfIn a world overflowing with options for Active Noise Cancelling headphones, it can be overwhelming to choose the right pair. With countless brands (Sonos, Bose, Sennheiser, Beats, and more) and models flooding the market, fiding which ones truly deliver on performance can feel like searching for a needle in a haystack. If you’re looking for a reliable choice that combines quality and style, Apple’s AirPods Max stands out as a top contender . During the Black Friday sales event, these premium headphones are available at an incredible discount of over $150, marking a record low price of just $399, down from $549. This deal makes it the perfect time to invest in a pair of headphones that promise exceptional sound quality and come packed with features designed to improve your listening experience. See at Amazon Premium ANC Headphones The AirPods Max are engineered for audiophiles and offer an impressive array of technical specifications that elevate them above many competitors. These wireless over-ear headphones feature Apple’s custom-designed dynamic drivers that deliver high-fidelity audio with minimal distortion. The AirPods Max incorporate Adaptive EQ technology which automatically adjusts the sound based on the fit and seal of the ear cushions for a rich audio experience tailored to each user. With up to 20 hours of listening time on a single charge while utilizing both Active Noise Cancellation and Spatial Audio, these headphones are built for extended use without compromising performance. The AirPods Max are very popular for its pro-level Active Noise Cancellation : This technology effectively counteracts external noise by generating anti-noise sound waves and allow users to immerse themselves fully in their music or podcasts without distractions. For those moments when you need to be aware of your surroundings, the Transparency mode lets outside sounds in. This dual functionality makes the AirPods Max ideal for various situations—whether you’re on a crowded subway or enjoying a quiet evening at home. Furthermore, the integration of Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking creates an immersive theater-like experience for movies and games, making it an excellent choice for entertainment enthusiasts. Comfort and design are also very important aspects of the AirPods Max, and this is why we like them: The headphones boast a sleek and modern aesthetic available in several colors which adds a touch of style to any outfit. The memory foam ear cushions provide an exceptional fit that conforms comfortably around your ears while the breathable knit mesh canopy helps distribute weight evenly across your head. See at Amazon
Brock Purdy participated in the start of Thursday's practice with the 49ers but the San Francisco starting quarterback was not on the field for the majority of the workout, casting doubt over his availability to play Sunday at Green Bay. Purdy is dealing with a right shoulder injury and the 49ers are also potentially without left tackle Trent Williams and Nick Bosa due to injuries. Bosa was listed as out of Thursday's practice with an oblique injury. Williams also didn't suit up Thursday. He played through an ankle injury last week after being listed as questionable. Purdy's typical Thursday post-practice media session was scrapped until Friday as the 49ers did not make any quarterback available. Kyle Allen would step in for Purdy as the starter if he can't play against the Packers. Run game coordinator Chris Foerster said the 49ers aren't where they want to be at 5-5 because they haven't won close games, not because of injuries. "Seven games left is like an eternity," Foerster said. "So much can happen. Do the math. What was our record last year? It was 12-5. I was on a 13-win team that was nowhere near as good as the team last year." With or without Purdy, Foerster said the challenge for the 49ers is not to give up the ball to a defense that has 19 takeaways. The 49ers have 13 giveaways this season. --Field Level Media
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