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How Polyester Viscose Fabric Manufacturers Ensure QualityOur Experts We intensively test each VPN, making sure it meets our standards for privacy, speed and usability. Best VPN Service Overall Privacy protection and transparency SCORE ExpressVPN is CNET’s Editor’s Choice for top VPN overall but has also become the best VPN for Mexico since it has exceptional privacy protection, fast speeds and excellent streaming service unblocking. It has one server location in Mexico, but doesn’t disclose how many servers are in the country, and 24 locations in the US, with some being nearby in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Generally speaking, the closer you are to a physical server, the less of a speed reduction you’ll face. Privacy was our main concern when testing these VPNs, and ExpressVPN was very impressive during our tests. Specifically, ExpressVPN has a strict no-logs policy to save any of your data now when signing up or using the VPN, which was verified nearly a dozen times by third-party auditors. ExpressVPN is in the British Virgin Islands, outside of the 14 Eyes Alliance. Additionally, ExpressVPN uses RAM-only servers, which cannot save any data that goes through them. The security suite includes 256-bit or ChaCha20 encryption, depending on the VPN protocol , obfuscation and a kill switch . We also tried ExpressVPN’s split tunneling feature, which you can use in Mexico to route some traffic through a VPN while excluding others. For instance, you could access nearby news and search results outside of an encrypted VPN tunnel and while using a VPN connection to access US-restricted sites. On top of all the security options, ExpressVPN also delivers speed and streaming capabilities. During our tests, ExpressVPN only dropped by 25% overall, and just 7% on its homemade Lightway protocol. We recommend using the Lightway protocol, as 7% is insignificant and will allow you to stream in 4K Ultra HD without compromising security. Although we could only test while in the US, we had no problem unblocking Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and more. You can use ExpressVPN on up to eight devices, but you will pay a pretty penny to get such privacy: $13 per month, $100 for the first year (then $117 upon renewal) or $140 total for the first two tears (then $150 annually upon renewal). By comparison, the annual plan is pricier than competitors like NordVPN and Surfshark. Granted, you do get some extra goodies aside from just a VPN, including a password manager, eSIM for travel and identity theft insurance. But if you don't need those amenities and just want a VPN or wish to use another password manager, you may be able to get a better value elsewhere. ExpressVPN has a 30-day money-back guarantee that allows you to get a full refund if you aren’t satisfied. Best VPN for Speed Perfect for power users SCORE NordVPN has impressed us, especially in terms of speed and security. Not only is NordVPN the fastest product on the market, it also has 30 servers available in one city in Mexico and nearly 2,000 servers in 16 US locations. It’s great for Mexican and US content needs, plus it boasts a security suite that will protect your data in a different country. NordVPN and ExpressVPN are similar in terms of security options. Although ExpressVPN has more features, NordVPN has its custom-made protocol called NordLynx, which is as fast as WireGuard and packs more security. It also runs on RAM-only servers and has a double VPN feature that adds an extra layer of protection. Regarding privacy, on the surface, NordVPN has a solid no-logs policy that has gone through a couple of third-party audits over the years. It also resides in Panama (outside the 14 Eyes Alliance) and has Onion over VPN servers which use Tor for extra encryption. Testing speeds showed a very minimal reduction on NordVPN’s servers. On average, it dropped by only 11% and went down to 8% on NordLynx. Plus, its server coverage in Mexico and the US -- with nearby servers in Texas, New Mexico and California -- will also keep speeds low. We had no issues unblocking US-restricted sites, although we could test only from the US and on six simultaneous device connections. NordVPN has similar price plans to ExpressVPN, with the same monthly price of $13 a month. But Nord undercuts ExpressVPN at $60 for the first year or $83 for the first two years (the one- and two-year plans renew at $140 annually). Simplest VPN for Mexico SCORE IPVanish is the perfect option if you’re not a big tech user and you’re looking for a simple VPN while traveling to Mexico. (IPVanish is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis). It has decent coverage in Mexico, with nine servers in Guadalajara and 1,106 in the US, with some nearby in Texas and California. One of the main issues we had with speed was the Quick Connect feature on IPVanish’s app. Using it sometimes did the opposite and would connect to a server that was not the fastest and sometimes farther away. It was easier just to select the closest server ourselves. Additionally, we measured a leisurely 44% average internet download speed loss, making it unsuitable for streaming videos in 4K or serious online gaming when you're using a Despite the speed dips, it still was good enough to keep a consistent stream going without lag. IPVanish has unlimited simultaneous device connections, so you can use it on every device you bring. It works on Windows, macOS, Linux, Chromebook, Android, iOS and more, although it’s worth looking into the best VPNs for mobile devices if you need one for your phone. Like our other VPN recommendations, IPVanish has RAM-only servers to keep your data safe and a zero-logs policy that has been independently audited. This is good since IPVanish is based in the US, under the Five Eyes Alliance. Prices at IPVanish start at $13 per month, $40 for the first year or $53 total for the first two years (although the one- and two-year plans jump to $90 annually upon renewal). Reasons to use a VPN in Mexico When visiting another country like Mexico, you may want to have a virtual private network in your app arsenal. A VPN encrypts your internet traffic, hiding your online activity and location. This prevents snooping by third parties like internet service providers and unblocks geo-restricted content so you can access your usual streaming sites and services. No matter where you travel, a VPN is an essential tool when you’re on the go. Although most sites use secure connections that protect your browsing data on Wi-Fi hotspots, a VPN can boost your privacy when connected to Wi-Fi at an airport, hotel or cafe. Additionally, being able to access geo-restricted sites (like Hulu or Disney Plus) means you won’t miss any of your favorite shows from home while you’re traveling abroad. Our testers for CNET have tried out and tested nearly a dozen VPNs to determine the top ones . The best VPNs for Mexico are fast, private and easy to use. What is the best VPN for Mexico right now? ExpressVPN is the top VPN for Mexico due to its ability to unblock almost any site while offering privacy protection and lightning-fast speeds. It offers an impressive no-logs policy that has been independently audited. These are the key factors you should look for in a VPN for Mexico, but ExpressVPN also offers industry-standard encryption, a kill switch and RAM-only servers that never save data. Granted, it’s the most expensive option on this list, but the overall ease of use makes Express worth it. Other VPNs we tested CyberGhost caught our eye since it has one of the largest server networks in Mexico -- 50 servers in Mexico City -- and a vast selection in the US. It also has specialized streaming servers that bring out the best quality for dozens of US streaming services. It has an easy-to-use interface that makes it an excellent choice for simple usage at $13 per month, $42 every six months or $57 total for the first two years (then $57 annually). Despite these great features, we don’t recommend using CyberGhost as it produces uneven internet speed results and in our testing, its apps were buggy. Read our CyberGhost review . PIA is a surprisingly great VPN with real potential when we saw it had over 50 US servers. Despite the extensive US network, PIA only has one Mexico server and doesn’t disclose its location. This means connecting to a local IP could cause significant speed reductions or even disconnections due to overcrowding. It’s an acceptable option if you just need to connect to a home IP in the US to access different sites, but its uneven internet download speed loss makes PIA one of the more sluggish VPNs we tested. Read our PIA review . How we test VPNs We hand-tested VPNs in the US and researched servers to find the best one for Mexico. During our testing, the most important features we looked for were robust privacy features, security options, server network and location availability, bypassing geo-restrictions and more. For example, we tested security by checking for IP or DNS leaks. We found ExpressVPN to be one of our most secure VPNs thanks to its TrustedServer technology, automatic kill switch, verified no-logs policy audited by another party and split tunneling. Other VPNs stood out since we searched for more than just security potential. NordVPN is a super fast VPN with the most Mexican server locations, so you can get local news without risking your data. Factors to consider in a VPN for Mexico After testing multiple VPNs, we found the best features to narrow down when looking for the best VPN out of hundreds of options. No matter your reason for getting a VPN, privacy should always be your first consideration when deciding which one to download. VPNs with a no-logs policy (and third-party audited), reliable kill switch, DNS protection and friendly country of origin will protect you the best. For this article, we narrowed down VPNs with various Mexico and US servers. However, VPNs with a large server network (with many servers and multiple locations) will provide more connection options no matter where you are. If you plan on traveling, looking for a VPN with features to access geo-restricted content should be high on your list. Most websites have software that detects if you’re using a VPN and will block you from seeing its content, especially if you’re streaming from another location. VPNs like ExpressVPN, NordVPN, Surfshark, and more can easily bypass geo-restrictions, whether you’re looking to watch Netflix’s US library while in Mexico or trying to stream from a site unavailable in the country. Your VPN’s speeds must be fast enough to keep a reliable connection to the server (slow speeds will cause frequent disconnection) and fast enough to stream content. A top VPN -- Like NordVPN -- will give you a minimal speed reduction to stream from Netflix and other sites in UHD. You’ll want to research each VPN and see if the features each one offers provide a good enough value for the price. On top of that, we tested VPNs, which have money-back guarantees, so you can get a refund within a certain amount of time if you aren’t 100% satisfied. If you’re on a budget, there are cheap VPN alternatives . Best VPNs for Mexico FAQs To get a Mexico IP address, you’ll need to download a VPN that offers server locations in Mexico. Every VPN on this list has servers in Mexico and will give you an IP once you connect to one of these servers, whether you’re in Mexico or the US. VPNs are 100% legal to use in Mexico. Although Mexico has strong protections against censorship, there’s nothing wrong with using a VPN to protect your privacy and data from being observed by third parties while visiting. But remember, using a VPN to commit illegal activities is still illegal. You can use a free VPN while visiting Mexico, but I don’t recommend it. Even if you’re just looking for a simple product only to hide your IP, free VPNs typically use your data to sell to make up for the costs or bombard you with advertisements. Free VPNs aren’t as reliable as premium VPNs. They will either limit your bandwidth, have limited servers (so many may not even have locations in Mexico) or just be disguised as a VPN to get you to download malicious content. If you must use a free VPN, we recommend Proton VPN . Its unlimited free tier lets you stream your favorite Netflix content from its US library while in Mexico. However, the free VPN lacks a Mexico server and will lower speeds because it must connect to a server farther away.
Arizona Wildcats (6-1) vs. Vanderbilt Commodores (6-0) | Acrisure Holiday Invitational, Acrisure Arena, Palm Springs, Calif. | 2:30 p.m. Tuesday | TruTV | 1400-AM She said it Arizona coach Adia Barnes on Vanderbilt: “Vanderbilt is really athletic. They're going to throw different presses at us. They're gonna throw 1-2-2, different full-court presses, trapping ... They are hard to play against. I think for us, we have to take care of the ball. That's a huge thing because they're going to really try to turn us over. And we can't have a ton of people in the backcourt because when we've watched film, when you're in the backcourt they swarm you. They're athletes, they're not too big, but they're similar sizes, so they're going to switch a lot. “An experienced team can take advantage of that, because you read mismatches, but we're young. (I have) to show them where mismatches will be and you have to read that. What else concerns me, what concerns me a lot, is their offensive rebounds and their transition. Turnovers would be one, offensive rebounds two, and then transition three. Turnovers in transition are going to be together, because if we turnover, they're going to get transition baskets.” Arizona head coach Adia Barnes has some instructions for guard Jada Williams (2) during a Grambling State free-throw attempt on Nov. 23, 2024. On the sidelines Needs improvement: The Wildcats found their intensity against Grambling State after it disappeared earlier in the week in the loss to NAU. In the second half of Saturday’s game, Arizona showed it wanted it more by making the necessary corrections. Lauryn Swann found her groove as a fourth-quarter shooter. Plus, Paulina Paris is playing the part of the steady, reliable double-digit scorer and defensive stopper. Arizona guard Paulina Paris (23) gets fouled on her way to the basket by Grambling State guard Sharonica Hartsfield on Nov. 23, 2024. On the flip side, the Wildcats have still displayed that tendency to go for the home run passes, which in most cases end up going out of bounds or ultimately into their opponents’ hands. This is definitely not the plan and not something that Barnes is teaching. At one point Saturday night after the game, Barnes said the Wildcats' play in the second quarter, specifically, looked like the “Bad News Bears.” Instead of the Wildcats being the disrupters early on, it was their opponents, the Tigers. Barnes said, “I was like, ‘What are we doing?’” “These cross court (passes), I don’t know; I'm not a football coach, so I don't ever teach a one arm throw across the court,” Barnes said. “... I don't ever want a one hand, like, beam across the court. Those are just habits, but we definitely have to break those fast, because it's not good, and we're not going to win games ... Any time you pass across your body it’s always a turnover or jumping.” Barnes said it all comes down to fundamentals, which are worked on daily. So young: Barnes keeps talking about how young her squad is this season. Having 10 underclassmen — freshmen and sophomores — out of 13 active players is very young. And of those three upperclassmen, Isis Beh is starting for the first time and easing into her leadership role; Paris is a junior, who is learning a new system and back after an injury that held her out for the second half of last year at North Carolina; Erin Tack, also a junior, is coming back from an ACL injury and this is her first time playing basketball since her sophomore year of high school. That’s not a lot of true experienced players in the UA system or just in general. Finding new ways to teach isn’t new for Barnes as each year her teams have their own ways of learning. “With young players you have to spell out exactly, ‘You need to do this; this is when you need to do it,’” Barnes said. “...Some stuff we know, but it takes me drawing it, talking about it and showing them the light to reinforce that. Because I think players forget in the stressful times. You may know it, but then you don't understand what's open. ... It’s a process.” One of the areas Barnes is taking time to get just right is Arizona’s calling card, the defense. At times, it looks undisciplined when pressing and reaching for a steal. For a faster opponent, they turn this into a five-on-four advantage early in the shot clock. Barnes said she is working to have the collective understand what the goals are with the defense and what happens when it works. “(Right now) it looks like we just call a press and get beat,” Barnes said. “That's not the objective. The objective is to make them work. And then contain. If you're faster, you can be a little closer. If you're not, you need to pop back. Even if I'm this far, they can't beat you where we're rotating. We did a better job of that (in the second half against Grambling) but we don't really have an understanding of that.” More on youth: Vanderbilt freshman guard Mikayla Blakes (who was No. 8 in her class ranked by ESPN’s HoopGurlz), is leading the Commodores averaging 20 points per game. Her brother Jaylen, is also a guard, playing his graduate year at Stanford. His first three seasons were at Duke. Blakes and Khamil Pierre are one of the highest scoring duos in the country, as Pierre is adding 19.2 points per game. She is also averaging a double-double with 11 rebounds per game. By the numbers 29: Arizona is hitting only 29% of its 3-point attempts, which is around five per game. The Wildcats made two against Grambling State. And yet, they knocked down nine against UNLV. 8: Breya Cunningham is in a three-way tie for eighth in the nation in total blocks with 17. Only two Big 12 players have more: Texas Tech’s Sarengbe Sanogo with 19 (tied for fifth place) and TCU’s Sedona Prince with 23 (second). 95.65 : Jada Williams is inches away from 12th place nationally in free-throw percentage with 95.7% (22 of 23), while Mercer’s Aspen Johnson sits at 96.0% (24 of 25). There are 11 players who are perfect from the charity stripe. Contact sports reporter PJ Brown at pjbrown@tucson.com . On X(Twitter): @PJBrown09 Respond: Write a letter to the editor | Write a guest opinion Subscribe to stay connected to Tucson. A subscription helps you access more of the local stories that keep you connected to the community. Be the first to know Get local news delivered to your inbox! ReporterHead to Head Comparison: Hennessy Capital Investment Corp. VI (HCVI) vs. Its Rivals
As science continues its evolution, discoveries and technologies can act like a master key that opens doors that lead to novel advancements. Artificial intelligence is one such key, making innovations possible by solving complex problems, automating tasks and enabling research that would have been impossible, or very time–consuming, without it. But do we want to do research on all topics, and shall we try the AI master key on every door? To explore this question, let’s consider the use of AI by genomics experts as an example. In recent years, genomics experts have added unbelievable depth to what we know about the world and ourselves. For example, genetics researchers have revealed facts about when certain animals and plants were domesticated. In another example, DNA found in 30,000–year–old permafrost was used to create fertile samples of a plant called narrow–leafed campion. Importantly, genetic engineering techniques such as CRISPR facilitate extraordinary advances in the treatment of complicated conditions, such as sickle–cell anemia. Thanks to AI developments, we are witnessing a dramatic increase in the pace and scalability of genomic techniques, which will allow researchers to embark on exploratory journeys – and at the same time, add urgency to already–existing ethical issues. AI companies are also most interested in the scientific implications of this technology. We see this demonstrated in a recent interview between Harvard Business School officials and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. In response to the question, “What are the pieces of AI that you are most excited about?” Altman said: “Greatly increasing the rate of scientific discovery is what I’m most excited about.” However, given the risks and possible consequences of AI use in science, should we rush headlong into using AI in all kinds of projects? One relevant example is research on Neanderthals, our closest relatives, who lived until about 40,000 years ago. Neanderthals have been studied for several years now through genetic investigation of their fossils and their DNA. Genetic engineering can potentially use ancient DNA and genome editing methods to re–create a Neanderthal or aspects of a Neanderthal’s genetics and physiology. To do this, scientists could start by figuring out the DNA sequence of a Neanderthal by comparing it with the DNA of modern humans, since they are closely related. Then, scientists could use CRISPR to swap out parts of human DNA with Neanderthal DNA. This process would require a lot of trial and error and might not succeed soon, but based on what we know about genetics, if something is possible, AI can help make it happen faster, cheaper and with less effort. Scientists are excited about these developments because they could facilitate new discoveries and open up many new research opportunities in genetic research. With or without AI, research on Neanderthals will proceed, but the extraordinary power of AI could give the final push to these discoveries and facilitate this kind of resurrection. At that point, the scientific community must develop norms and guidelines about how to treat these resurrected beings with dispositions very similar to humans. We would need to carefully consider their rights and well–being almost in the same way as when humans are involved and not as research subjects or artifacts of scientific curiosity. These ethical issues are discussed in more detail in a new paper published in the journal Nature Machine Intelligence. A more holistic question to consider is: Should we prioritize the use of resource–intensive AI, researchers’ time and public funds to resurrect extinct beings? Or should we invest these resources into conserving species that are critically endangered today to prevent biodiversity from more degradation? Mohammad Hosseini is an assistant professor in the Department of Preventive Medicine at Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine. _____ ©2024 Chicago Tribune. Visit at chicagotribune.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.President-elect Donald Trump announced Friday he would work to end the "inconvenient" custom of moving clocks forward one hour every spring, which he said was imposing an unnecessary financial burden on the United States. "The Republican Party will use its best efforts to eliminate Daylight Saving Time, which has a small but strong constituency, but shouldn't! Daylight Saving Time (DST) is inconvenient, and very costly to our Nation," Trump posted on his website, Truth Social. DST was adopted by the federal government during World War I but was unpopular with farmers rushing to get produce to morning markets, and was quickly abolished. Many states experimented with their own versions but it wasn't reintroduced nationwide until 1967. The Democratic-controlled US Senate advanced a bill in 2022 that, like Trump's plan, would bring an end to the twice-yearly changing of clocks, in favor of a "new, permanent standard time." But The Sunshine Protection Act called for the opposite switch -- moving permanently to DST rather than eliminating it -- to usher in brighter evenings, and fewer journeys home in the dark for school children and office workers. The bill never made it to President Joe Biden's desk, as it was not taken up in the Republican-led House. It had been introduced in 2021 by a Republican, Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who is about to join the incoming Trump administration as secretary of state. He said studies had shown a permanent DST could benefit the economy. Either way, changing to one permanent time would put an end to Americans pushing their clocks forward in the spring, then setting them back an hour in the fall. Colloquially the practice is referred to as "springing" forward and "falling" back. The clamor has increased in recent years to make DST permanent especially among politicians and lobbyists from the Northeast, where frigid conditions are normal in the early winter mornings. "It's really straightforward. Cutting back on the sun during the fall and winter is a drain on the American people and does little to nothing to help them," Rubio said in a statement ahead of the vote. "It's time we retire this tired tradition." Rubio said the United States sees an increase in heart attacks and road accidents in the week that follows the changing of the clocks. Any changes would be unlikely to affect Hawaii and most of Arizona, the Navajo Nation, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands, which do not spring forward in summer. ft/nroFollowing quality win, No. 19 Mississippi St. faces Bethune-Cookman
First Solar, Inc. (NASDAQ:FSLR) Short Interest Up 27.6% in DecemberNikita Hand, who accused the sportsman of raping her in a Dublin hotel in December 2018, won her claim against him for damages in a civil case at the High Court in the Irish capital. The jury delivered its verdict on Friday. The total amount of damages awarded to Hand by the jury was 248,603.60 euros (£206,714.31). Mr McGregor made no comment as he left court but later posted on social media that he intends to appeal. The Irish athlete has featured in multiple video games, including voice-acting a character bearing his likeness in additional downloadable content in the Hitman series. Mr McGregor’s character featured as a target for the player-controlled assassin in the game. In light of the recent court ruling regarding Conor McGregor, IO Interactive has made the decision to cease its collaboration with the athlete, effective immediately. We take this matter very seriously and cannot ignore its implications. Consequently, we will begin removing all... — HITMAN (@Hitman) IO Interactive, the Danish developer and publisher of Hitman, said in a statement: “In light of the recent court ruling regarding Conor McGregor, IO Interactive has made the decision to cease its collaboration with the athlete, effective immediately. “We take this matter very seriously and cannot ignore its implications. “Consequently, we will begin removing all content featuring Mr McGregor from our storefronts starting today.” Mr McGregor had faced an accusation that he “brutally raped and battered” Ms Hand at a hotel in south Dublin in December 2018. The Irish sports star previously told the court he had consensual sex with Ms Hand in a penthouse at the Beacon Hotel. Ms Hand was taken in an ambulance to the Rotunda Hospital the following day where she was assessed in the sexual assault treatment unit. A paramedic who examined Ms Hand the day after the assault had told the court she had not seen “someone so bruised” in a long time.SOUTHERN PINES, N.C., Dec. 17, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- First Bank proudly continues its commitment to community with the successful completion of its 2nd annual companywide food drive. This year, employees, customers and friends from across the Carolinas and in over 110 First Bank locations joined forces to collect 21,750 pounds of food given to over 90 agencies and/or organizations for families in need throughout the community. In addition to addressing food insecurity, First Bank has awarded $319,229 in grants to local nonprofits and schools through the Power of Good Grants throughout 2024 with a total of over $640,000 in philanthropic giving, further solidifying its role as a vital partner in uplifting the communities it serves. The Power of Good Food Drive was held from November 1 – November 30 in honor of Sharon Shaw Adams, a First Bank associate, who passed away in January 2023. Sharon was a Service Excellence champion, the highest level of distinction in First Bank culture, for being an example employee that goes above and beyond. Sharon was a dedicated collector of food items and a relentless warrior against food insecurity. Her passion and commitment to alleviating hunger inspired us all. By organizing this food drive we not only remember her legacy but also carry forward her selfless spirit to combat this pressing issue. First Bank President, Adam Currie, said of the drive, "Sharon was a phenomenal associate and human. For our second year we are using this food drive to show our appreciation and admiration for her legacy, helping those in our communities. We are so proud to have increased our collections, year over year, and we hope this shows that First Bank is committed to caring for our communities in more ways than just providing banking." In the 4th Quarter, First Bank awarded its third set of grant funds in 2024 to 40 nonprofits or schools in order to help continue the excellent work they do, totaling $90,000. The recipients for this round include: Central NC Charlotte Area Western NC Elizabeth Cashwell Elementary School Claire's Army Inc. Asheville GreenWorks Scotland Family Counseling Center Community Care Clinic of Rowan County Brush Creek Elementary School TEAMWORKZ Community Foundations CDC, Inc. Harmony Methodist Church ESL Program Uwharrie Charter Academy Food for Days No Wrong Door for Support and Recovery Rowan Helping Ministries Saluda Pop-Up Pantry Thomasville Community Ministry Inc, dba Cooperative Community Ministry The Council on Aging for Henderson County Western NC Community Health Services Triangle Area Triad Area Florence, SC Area Designed for Joy Bold 2 B U Community Created to Serve Helping Education Growing the Distance, Inc Greater Florence Habitat for Humanity Holly Springs Food Cupboard Hopefulls, Inc Lydia's Bowels of Mercy Home, Inc Meals on Wheels Durham Sister Circle International The Farm at Florence The Joel Fund Upstate & Midlands SC Wilmington Area Eastern NC Center for Developmental Services (CDS) paws4people foundation Beaufort County Community College Foundation Coffee and Cupboard St.Jude's MCC Jacksonville Performing Arts Teen Outreach HOPE Missions of the Upstate The Carousel Center The Partnership for Children of Wayne County Upstate Warrior Solution Learn more about the GOOD being done in the community by First Bank at www.LocalFirstBank.com/Power-of-Good . About us: First Bank is the banking subsidiary of First Bancorp and is headquartered in Southern Pines, North Carolina, with total assets of approximately $12.1 billion. As a state-chartered community bank, First Bank operates 113 bank branches in North Carolina and South Carolina and a nationwide SBA platform. Since 1935, First Bank has taken a tailored approach to banking, combining best-in-class financial solutions, helpful local expertise, and technology to manage a home or business. First Bancorp's common stock is traded on the NASDAQ Global Select Market under the symbol "FBNC." Visit our website at www.LocalFirstBank.com . Member FDIC, Equal Housing Lender. View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/first-bank-brings-communities-together-with-2nd-annual-food-drive-and-local-grant-support-302334091.html SOURCE First Bank
Wade Taylor IV scored 15 points and dished out 10 assists and C.J. Wilcher added 14 points as No. 13 Texas A&M throttled Abilene Christian 92-54 on Saturday afternoon in College Station, Texas. The Aggies (11-2) were in charge from the jump, forging a 19-point lead at halftime and never looking back. Texas A&M scored the first points of the second half, was up by 28 with 13:23 to play and cruised to the finish line while winning its seventh straight game. Taylor's output moved him into second place on the Aggies' all-time scoring list. His 1,779 points are now behind only Bernard King, who had 1,990 from 1999-2003. Andersson Garcia and Zhuric Phelps added 12 points each for Texas A&M, which appears to be hitting on all cylinders heading into its Southeastern Conference opener at home against rival Texas on Jan. 4. Phelps added 10 rebounds and seven steals for the Aggies. Quion Williams led the Wildcats (8-6) with 14 points. Abilene Christian missed its final six shots and went the last 5:24 of the game without a point. The Aggies made a statement in the early going by scoring the game's first nine points over the initial 3 1/2 minutes, with seven of those coming from Coleman. Abilene Christian fought back to within 16-12 after Dontrez Williams' layup with 12:12 left in the half. But A&M swung back, producing a 14-0 run capped by Garcia's layup with 8:51 to play in the half to pull away to a 30-12 advantage. The Wildcats again cut into their deficit, pulling to 30-19 when Cade Hornecker hit a layup with 6:26 to play until halftime. A&M boosted the lead back to 17 points after a pair of free throws by Taylor and got two more from the charity stripe to take a 48-29 edge to the break. Wilcher led all scorers in the half with 12 points on 4-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc while Garcia hit for 10 points for A&M while making all four of his shots from the floor. The Aggies outshot Abilene Christian 61.5 percent to 40.7 percent before halftime. Quion Williams and Leonardo Bettiol paced the Wildcats with seven points each in the first half. --Field Level MediaTulisa’s ex boyfriend Fazer from N-Dubz makes surprise admission about star’s changing face amid heath battles
Faith, Friendship, and Fulfillment: Young adults find ChristAuburn coach Bruce Pearl is cautioning his team not to overlook visiting Monmouth when they clash on Monday night, in what will be the Tigers' final nonconference game of the regular season. The No. 2 Tigers (11-1) have won four in a row following their lone setback against host Duke on Dec. 4. They open Southeastern Conference play on Jan. 4 against visiting Missouri. But Pearl is wary of the Hawks (2-10), who have won two of their past four games, including a victory at Seton Hall on Nov. 30. Monmouth is led by Abdi Bashir Jr., who ranks among the top 10 in the nation in scoring at 21.6 points per game. The Hawks are coming off an 88-74 win over Fairfield on Dec. 21 in what was their first home game of the season. "(Monmouth coach) King Rice's team has played a really tough schedule and played only one home game," Pearl said. "I think it says a lot and they have a great, great player in (Bashir). He's long and he can shoot it. They play an attractive style, and their record goes out the door." Auburn likely will be fine should forward Johni Broome continue his magnificent play of late. Broome, who leads the Tigers in scoring (18.5 points per game), rebounds (11.5), assists (3.3) and blocks (2.6), bounced back from a right shoulder injury scare and led his team to an 87-69 victory against then-No. 16 Purdue on Dec. 21. Broome scored 23 points and grabbed 11 rebounds to lead Auburn to its fourth win this season over a ranked opponent. With more than a week to rest, Broome figures to be good to go against Monmouth and fit to begin the tough stretch that follows. In addition to Broome, Auburn has seen stellar guard play from Chad Baker-Mazara (12.8 points per game) as well as Tahaad Pettiford and Denver Jones, who each are averaging 11.3 points per game. Bashir, who is shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point range and 42.0 percent overall from the field, has showcased his skills as one of the most explosive scorers in the country against a solid schedule. Monmouth has faced Michigan State, Rutgers and Temple in addition to its 63-51 triumph over Seton Hall on the road. In addition to Bashir Jr., Madison Durr has provided offense with 10.3 points per game and the Hawks have been solid on the boards thanks to Jaret Valencia (6.0 rebounds per game) and Jack Collins (5.3). Valencia and Collins also have been effective scorers, helping take some of the defensive pressure off Bashir at times. But Rice would like to see more consistency from his team, especially on the defensive end. The victory over Seton Hall was the only time Monmouth has held a team below 70 points this season. "We have kids who can score the ball," Rice told reporters following a loss to Lehigh Dec 4. "Abdi can score, Jaret can score, Jack can score, everybody can score. But right now our defense is one of the worst in the country because we're not committed to guarding for each other." --Field Level Media
The luck of Suaalii: Broken wrist ruled out and could face IrelandCOLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Amazon Web Services will invest another $10 billion to bolster its data center infrastructure in Ohio. The company and Republican Gov. Mike DeWine announced the plan Monday. The new investment will boost the amount it has committed to spending in Ohio by the end of 2029 to more than $23 billion. AWS launched its first data centers in the state in 2016 and currently operates campuses in two counties in central Ohio, home to the capital city of Columbus. The new investment will allow AWS to expand its data centers to new sites, but the company said those locations have not been determined yet and noted that its investment plans are contingent upon the execution of long-term energy service agreements. AWS said the new data centers will contain computer servers, storage drives, networking equipment and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing, including artificial intelligence and machine learning. In June 2023, AWS said it would invest $7.8 billion by the end of 2029 to expand its data center operations in central Ohio. That was on top of $6 billion already invested through 2022. AdvertisementA Nigerian in Mozambique, Akinola Olunloyo, has appealed to the Nigerian government to intervene in Mozambique’s political crisis following the confirmation of the ruling party’s victory in the October 9 elections. He urged President Bola Tinubu to use his influence within the African Union to mobilise efforts to restore peace and stability in Mozambique. Olunloyo appealed in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria on Sunday. NAN reports that Mozambique’s Frelimo has been the ruling party since 1975 when the country gained independence from Portugal. Olunloyo claimed that the political unrest was fueled by actions of the opposition party, Podemos, through its candidate, Venâncio Mondlane. Olunloyo, a businessman and resident of Mozambique’s capital, Maputo, for over 13 years, said many Nigerians were stranded, with no means of escape. “The incitement of violence by Podemos and its key figure, Venâncio Mondlane has escalated tensions resulting in the loss of lives, destruction of businesses, and targeted attacks on foreign nationals, including Nigerians. Related News Turkey-based Nigerian passenger jailed one year for drug trafficking How Nigerian used five names to scam 139 Australians – EFCC Nigerian, Chinese firms plan solar generators for 100m citizens “These actions are not only causing untold suffering to Mozambicans but also putting the lives of Nigerians in jeopardy. “Immediate intervention is critical to prevent further loss of life and to secure the safety of Nigerians in Mozambique,” he said. He noted that the attack on foreigners and their businesses was because of the belief that the government benefited from foreigners. Olunloyo urged the presidency to take actions including evacuation of Nigerians to ensure their safety, and diplomatic engagement with the Mozambican government to demand the protection of Nigerians and press for immediate de-escalation of violence. He called on regional bodies and the African Union to demand accountability from Podemos and Mondlane for their role in inciting violence and destabilising the country. (NAN)
By Adeyemi Adeleye The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State says council election will hold in all the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in 2025. The APC Chairman, Pastor Cornelius Ojelabi ,made this clarification in a statement on Sunday in Lagos, following speculations about the status of the 37 LCDAs in the state. “In recent times, the leadership of APC in Lagos State has been inundated by the media, party members and other stakeholders on information about the conduct of the forthcoming Local Government elections.,most specially if elections will hold in the 37 Local Council Development Areas – LCDAs. “It has become expedient to clear the air on the needless and distractive speculation. “We wish to inform all and sundry that the Local Government elections will hold across the state in the 20 Local Government Councils and the 37 Local Council Development Areas in the year 2025,” Ojelabi said. According to him, since their creation, the LCDAs have not only been the closest to the grassroots ,but also brought the desired developments across the state. He said that the party had observed with keen interest the rdebates on the desirability of the existence of the LCDAs and the need to hold elections in their political offices. Ojelabi added: “Our position as a progressive party is that we cannot discountenance the contributions of the LCDAs to the overall political and socio-economic development of the state. “Our landscape is dotted by several infrastructural projects by the LCDAs which include road, drainage and market construction , school and housing projects, primary education and health facilities and various social service interventions among others. “The various collaborative efforts with the state government on refuse disposal, drain clearing and security are also pointers to their continuous relevance. “We hope this release will put paid to further speculations as regards the local government elections in order not to unnecessarily heat up the polity.” He urged party members and all residents to continue to coexist peacefully “as we all strive to maintain the leading position of our state in the federation.” The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that the move by the House of Assembly to create Area Administrative Councils in replacement of Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) through the proposed Local Government Administration Bill has been opposed by political stakeholders. The bill is titled: A Bill for a Law to provide for Local Government’s System, Establishment And Administration And to Consolidate All Laws On Local Government Administration And Connected Purposes is still being considered on the floor of the House. The Assembly ,during a recent public hearing, said the bill was being considered to replace the current 37 Local Council Development Areas in the state (LCDAs) with Area Administrative Councils According to the House, the bill to restructure local government administration in the state followed the Supreme Court judgment on financial autonomy for local governments. (NAN)Video game ends ‘collaboration’ with Conor McGregorBEIRUT (AP) — Israel's military launched airstrikes across Lebanon on Monday, unleashing explosions throughout the country and killing at least 31 while Israeli leaders appeared to be closing in on a negotiated ceasefire with the Hezbollah militant group. Israeli strikes hit commercial and residential buildings in Beirut as well as in the port city of Tyre. Military officials said they targeted areas known as Hezbollah strongholds. They issued evacuation orders for Beirut's southern suburbs, and strikes landed across the city, including meters from a Lebanese police base and the city's largest public park. The barrage came as officials indicated they were nearing agreement on a ceasefire, while Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu 's Security Cabinet prepared to discuss an offer on the table. Massive explosions lit up Lebanon's skies with flashes of orange, sending towering plumes of smoke into the air as Israeli airstrikes pounded Beirut’s southern suburbs Monday. The blasts damaged buildings and left shattered glass and debris scattered across nearby streets. No casualties were reported after many residents fled the targeted sites. Some of the strikes landed close to central Beirut and near Christian neighborhoods and other targets where Israel had issued evacuation warnings, including in Tyre and Nabatiyeh province. Israeli airstrikes also hit the northeast Baalbek-Hermel region without warning. Lebanon’s Health Ministry said Monday that 26 people were killed in southern Lebanon, four in the eastern Baalbek-Hermel province and one in Choueifat, a neighborhood in Beirut's southern suburbs that was not subjected to evacuation warnings on Monday. The deaths brought the total toll to 3,768 killed in Lebanon throughout 13 months of war between Israel and Hezbollah and nearly two months since Israel launched its ground invasion. Many of those killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hezbollah have been civilians , and health officials said some of the recovered bodies were so severely damaged that DNA testing would be required to confirm their identities. Israel says it has killed more than 2,000 Hezbollah members. Lebanon's Health Ministry says the war has displaced 1.2 million people. Israeli ground forces invaded southern Lebanon in early October, meeting heavy resistance in a narrow strip of land along the border. The military had previously exchanged attacks across the border with Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group that began firing rockets into Israel the day after the war in Gaza began last year. Lebanese politicians have decried the ongoing airstrikes and said they are impeding U.S.-led ceasefire negotiations. The country's deputy parliament speaker accused Israel of ramping up its bombardment in order to pressure Lebanon to make concessions in indirect ceasefire negotiations with Hezbollah. Elias Bousaab, an ally of the militant group, said Monday that the pressure has increased because “we are close to the hour that is decisive regarding reaching a ceasefire.” Israeli officials voiced similar optimism Monday about prospects for a ceasefire. Mike Herzog, the country's ambassador to Washington, earlier in the day told Israeli Army Radio that several points had yet to be finalized. Though any deal would require agreement from the government, Herzog said Israel and Hezbollah were “close to a deal." “It can happen within days,” he said. Israeli officials have said the sides are close to an agreement that would include withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon and a pullback of Hezbollah fighters from the Israeli border. But several sticking points remain. Two Israeli officials told The Associated Press that Netanyahu’s security Cabinet had scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, but they said it remained unclear whether the Cabinet would vote to approve the deal. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing internal deliberations. Danny Danon, Israel’s U.N. ambassador, told reporters Monday that he expected a ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah to have stages and to be discussed by leaders Monday or Tuesday. Still, he warned, “it’s not going to happen overnight.” After previous hopes for a ceasefire were dashed, U.S. officials cautioned that negotiations were not yet complete and noted that there could be last-minute hitches that either delay or destroy an agreement. "Nothing is done until everything is done," White House national security spokesman John Kirby said Monday. The proposal under discussion to end the fighting calls for an initial two-month ceasefire during which Israeli forces would withdraw from Lebanon and Hezbollah would end its armed presence along the southern border south of the Litani River. The withdrawals would be accompanied by an influx of thousands more Lebanese army troops, who have been largely sidelined in the war, to patrol the border area along with an existing U.N. peacekeeping force . Western diplomats and Israeli officials said Israel is demanding the right to strike in Lebanon if it believes Hezbollah is violating the terms. The Lebanese government has said that such an arrangement would authorize violations of the country's sovereignty. A ceasefire could mark a step toward ending the regionwide war that ballooned after Hamas-led militants stormed into southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducting another 250 . The lack of a ceasefire has emerged as a political liability for Israeli leaders including Netanyahu, particularly while 60,000 Israelis remain away from their homes in the country's north after more than a year of cross-border violence. Hezbollah rockets have reached as far south into Israel as Tel Aviv. At least 75 people have been killed, more than half of them civilians. More than 50 Israeli soldiers died fighting in the ground offensive in Lebanon. The Israeli military said about 250 projectiles were fired Sunday, with some intercepted. A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah, the strongest of Iran’s armed proxies , is expected to significantly calm regional tensions that have led to fears of a direct, all-out war between Israel and Iran. It’s not clear how the ceasefire will affect the Israel-Hamas war in Gaza. Hezbollah had long insisted that it would not agree to a ceasefire until the war in Gaza ends, but it dropped that condition. A top Hamas official in Lebanon said the Palestinian militant group would support a ceasefire between its Lebanese ally Hezbollah and Israel, despite Hezbollah’s previous promises to stop the fighting in Lebanon only if the war in Gaza ends. “Any announcement of a ceasefire is welcome. Hezbollah has stood by our people and made significant sacrifices,” Osama Hamdan of Hamas' political wing told the Lebanese broadcaster Al-Mayadeen, which is seen as politically allied with Hezbollah. While the ceasefire proposal is expected to be approved if Netanyahu brings it to a vote in his security Cabinet, one hard-line member, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, said he would oppose it. He said on X that a deal with Lebanon would be a “big mistake” and a “missed historic opportunity to eradicate Hezbollah.” If the ceasefire talks fail, Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said, “it will mean more destruction and more and more animosity and more dehumanization and more hatred and more bitterness.” Speaking at a G7 meeting in Fiuggi, Italy, the last summit of its kind before U.S. President Joe Biden leaves office, Safadi said such a failure "will doom the future of the region to more conflict and more killing and more destruction.” Federman reported from Jerusalem and Metz from Rabat, Morocco. Associated Press writers Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations, Nicole Winfield in Fiuggi, Italy, and Aamer Madhani in Washington contributed to this report. Find more of AP’s war coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war
Global Augmented Reality In Health Care Market Projected To Reach $9.49 Billion In 2028 With 32.2% Annual Growth
SAN DIEGO and TORONTO, Nov. 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Aptose Biosciences Inc. (“Aptose” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: APTO, TSX: APS), a clinical-stage precision oncology company developing highly differentiated oral targeted agents to treat hematologic malignancies, today announced the closing of its previously announced “reasonable best efforts” public offering with participation from the CEO and existing and new healthcare focused investors for the purchase and sale of 40,000,000 common shares at a price of $0.20 per share and warrants to purchase up to 20,000,000 common shares (the “Offering”). The warrants have an exercise price of $0.25 per share, are exercisable immediately and will expire five years from the issuance date. The Company received aggregate gross proceeds of $8 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other offering expenses, and intends to use the net proceeds from this Offering for working capital and general corporate purposes. A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners is acting as the sole placement agent for the Offering. The securities described above were offered pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 (File No. 333-281201) previously filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on August 2, 2024, as amended, which was declared effective on November 21, 2024. This Offering was made only by means of a prospectus forming part of the effective registration statement. A preliminary prospectus relating to the Offering has been filed with the SEC. An electronic copy of the final prospectus relating to the Offering may be obtained on the SEC’s website located at http://www.sec.gov and may also be obtained from A.G.P./Alliance Global Partners, 590 Madison Avenue, 28th Floor, New York, NY 10022, or by telephone at (212) 624-2060, or by email at . This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or jurisdiction. Aptose Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company committed to developing precision medicines addressing unmet medical needs in oncology, with an initial focus on hematology. The Company’s small molecule cancer therapeutics pipeline includes products designed to provide single agent efficacy and to enhance the efficacy of other anti-cancer therapies and regimens without overlapping toxicities. The Company’s lead clinical-stage, oral kinase inhibitor tuspetinib (TUS) has demonstrated activity as a monotherapy and in combination therapy in patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and is being developed as a frontline triplet therapy in newly diagnosed AML. For more information, please visit . This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Canadian and U.S. securities laws, including, but not limited to, statements relating to the intended use of proceeds and statements relating to the Company’s plans, objectives, expectations and intentions and other statements including words such as “continue”, “expect”, “intend”, “will”, “hope” “should”, “would”, “may”, “potential” and other similar expressions. Such statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and are subject to risks and uncertainties and are necessarily based upon a number of estimates and assumptions that, while considered reasonable by us, are inherently subject to significant market and other conditions, business, economic, competitive, political and social uncertainties and contingencies. Many factors could cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements described in this press release. Such factors could include, among others: our ability to obtain the capital required for research and operations; the inherent risks in early stage drug development including demonstrating efficacy; development time/cost and the regulatory approval process; the progress of our clinical trials; our ability to find and enter into agreements with potential partners; our ability to attract and retain key personnel; changing market and economic conditions; unexpected manufacturing defects and other risks detailed from time-to-time in our ongoing current reports, quarterly filings, annual information forms, annual reports and annual filings with Canadian securities regulators and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should the assumptions set out in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in our filings with Canadian securities regulators and the United States Securities and Exchange Commission underlying those forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and we do not intend, and do not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. We cannot assure you that such statements will prove to be accurate as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and accordingly investors are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements due to the inherent uncertainty therein. For further information, please contact:Spyre Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ:SYRE) Given Consensus Recommendation of “Buy” by Analysts