Chakrabongse Villas will get vibrant with the return of the Antiques & Culture Fair this Saturday and Sunday. For this sixth edition, the event will bring more than 30 stalls offering an array of beautiful and interesting vintage, antique and craft items at all price levels from dealers and private collections. This is the perfect opportunity for a treasure hunt to find this year's Christmas and New year gifts. The highlight will be six exclusive house tours per day, starting at 10.30am, 11.30am, 12.30pm, 2.30pm, 4.30pm and 5.30pm. The fee for the first four rounds is priced at 1,500 baht including the main house tour, one book and lunch. Tickets for the last two rounds cost 2,500 baht, including the main house tour, one book and dinner set. All sessions will be conducted in Thai, except the 12.30pm round which will be in English. Visitors are also invited to book a trip of the Chao Phraya River on the Villas' very own Serichai Riva boat. Bookworms can browse and buy all the latest Riverbooks titles at a discounted price. Also, treat yourself to tasty food and refreshments available throughout the day. Entrance fee is 200 baht including access to the market, the beautiful gardens and riverside terrace, plus one complimentary herbal drink. Chakrabongse Villas is on Maharaj Road. Call 086-987-0493 or add Line: @chakrabongsevillas.Game industry predictions for 2025 | The DeanBeatChandigarh: If you’re one of the many people turning to online platforms to earn money from home, you might want to think twice before signing up for any offers that seem too good to be true. Haryana Police have recently uncovered a fraudulent scheme where companies lured individuals with promises of easy money — only to exploit them in a global captcha-filling scam. The participants were charged a hefty Rs 5,000 registration fee, only to find out that their work was being sold to foreign companies for profit. The scam came to light when the Haryana Police, along with the home ministry’s cyber team, conducted a 10-hour-long raid in Rohtak district on Friday and arrested three people. It has been revealed that the company defrauded 35,000 people through its website, resulting in a total scam worth Rs 18 crore. A Haryana Police spokesperson said two companies named PCL and Money Earn 24 were being run online by Rohtak residents Johnny and Rohit. While the office of one company was at Sheela Bypass in Rohtak, another one was located in Patna, Bihar. Maharashtra Jharkhand Maharashtra Alliance View i Party View Seats: 288 Results Majority: 145 BJP+ 229 MVA 47 OTH 12 Results : 288 / 288 BJP+ WON Jharkhand Alliance View i Party View Seats: 81 Results Majority: 41 INDIA 56 NDA 24 OTH 1 Results : 81 / 81 INDIA WON Source: PValue The companies charged a registration fee of Rs 5,000 from people and asked them to upload their identity documents on the company’s website. After this, the person had to fill the captcha given on the company’s website. A person could only fill 90 captchas in a day from one ID. In this way, he could earn Rs 2,700 per month sitting at home. A person could also create multiple IDs. The companies also offered Rs 500 cashback through the referral system on the website. As many as 1,40,000 people registered themselves on these websites. During the initial investigation, it was revealed that 35,000 people had invested through the company’s website. The money from the payment gateway of this company was sent to Udaipur. The company was also promoting these websites on social media platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram and Telegram. The channel run by the company has 12,000 subscribers. A thorough investigation is being conducted in this matter to find out how many more people are involved in the scam, police officials said. Police join fraudulent website to expose scam To get to the roots of the scam, a plan was prepared under the guidance of additional director general of police, Cyber, Mamta Singh. A member of the Haryana Police team registered himself on the company’s website. The I4C team of the home ministry was also helping out with the investigation. During the raid on Nov 23 at the company’s office at Sheela Bypass, Rohtak, the team, led by DSP Cyber Nodal Police Panchkula, arrested the owner of both the companies, along with their aide from whom a revolver was also recovered. Apart from this, other items, including company documents, bank check books, laptops, QR codes, servers and computers, were recovered from the spot. All three accused were produced in the court on Saturday. The court has the accused to police remand. SP, Cyber Amit Dahiya said the accused would also be taken to Patna and Udaipur on police remand.
Drop in Boxing Day footfall ‘signals return to declining pre-pandemic levels’Improving bureaucratic efficiency
Trump names envoy to Panama after urging US reassert control over canalTennis world spinning after Andy Murray joins Novak Djokovic’s coaching teamBOCA RATON, Fla. (AP) — Deshawn Purdie threw a 47-yard touchdown pass to O'Mega Blake for the go-ahead score and Charlotte defeated Florida Atlantic 39-27 on Saturday in a game that matched two new interim coaches. Charlotte (4-7, 3-4 American Athletic Conference) fired Biff Poggi on Monday and Tim Brewster took over. FAU (2-9, 0-7) fired Tom Ferman, also on Monday, with Chad Lunsford taking charge. After Blake's third touchdown catch of the game that came with 5:25 left, the 49ers extended their lead when Tyriq Starks was strip-sacked by Ja'Qurious Conley and 335-pound Katron Kevans carried it 22 yards into the end zone. Blake made five catches for a career-high 205 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown. Purdie was 16 of 30 for a career-best 396 yards passing with the three scores plus an interception. The 49ers only rushed for 46 yards. Stephen Rusnak kicked four field goals. Starks was 12-of-23 passing for 179 yards including a 65-yard score to Omari Hayes in the final minute of the third quarter to get FAU within six of the 49ers. CJ Campbell rushed 58 yards to score early in the fourth quarter and the Owls had a 27-26 lead. Campbell finished with 150 yards on 21 carries. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football . Sign up for the AP’s college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25The slump in the number of people heading to the shops during Boxing Day sales signals a return to declining pre-pandemic levels, an analyst has said. Boxing Day shopper footfall was down 7.9% from last year across all UK retail destinations up until 5pm, MRI Software’s OnLocation Footfall Index found. However, this year’s data had been compared with an unusual spike in footfall as 2023 was the first “proper Christmas” period without Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, an analyst at the retail technology company said. It found £4.6 billion will be spent overall on the festive sales. Before the pandemic the number of Boxing Day shoppers on the streets had been declining year on year. The last uplift recorded by MRI was in 2015. Jenni Matthews, marketing and insights director at MRI Software, told the PA news agency: “We’ve got to bear in mind that (last year) was our first proper Christmas without any (Covid-19) restrictions or limitations. “Figures have come out that things have stabilised, we’re almost back to what we saw pre-pandemic.” There were year-on-year declines in footfall anywhere between 5% and 12% before Covid-19 restrictions, she said. MRI found 12% fewer people were out shopping on Boxing Day in 2019 than in 2018, and there were 3% fewer in 2018 than in 2017, Ms Matthews added. She said: “It’s the shift to online shopping, it’s the convenience, you’ve got the family days that take place on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.” People are also increasingly stocking-up before Christmas, Ms Matthews said, and MRI found an 18% increase in footfall at all UK retail destinations on Christmas Eve this year compared with 2023. Ms Matthews said: “We see the shops are full of people all the way up to Christmas Eve, so they’ve probably got a couple of good days of food, goodies, everything that they need, and they don’t really need to go out again until later on in that week. “We did see that big boost on Christmas Eve. It looks like shoppers may have concentrated much of their spending in that pre-Christmas rush.” Many online sales kicked off between December 23 and the night of Christmas Day and “a lot of people would have grabbed those bargains from the comfort of their own home”, she said. She added: “I feel like it’s becoming more and more common that people are grabbing the bargains pre-Christmas.” Footfall is expected to rise on December 27 as people emerge from family visits and shops re-open, including Next, Marks and Spencer and John Lewis that all shut for Boxing Day. It will also be payday for some as it is the last Friday of the month. A study by Barclays Consumer Spend had forecast that shoppers would spend £236 each on average in the Boxing Day sales this year, but that the majority of purchases would be made online. Nearly half of respondents said the cost-of-living crisis will affect their post-Christmas shopping but the forecast average spend is still £50 more per person than it was before the pandemic, with some of that figure because of inflation, Barclays said. Amid the financial pressures, many people are planning to buy practical, perishable and essential items such as food and kitchenware. A total of 65% of shoppers are expecting to spend the majority of their sales budget online. Last year, Barclays found 63.9% of Boxing Day retail purchases were made online. However, a quarter of respondents aim to spend mostly in store – an 11% rise compared with last year. Karen Johnson, head of retail at Barclays, said: “Despite the ongoing cost-of-living pressures, it is encouraging to hear that consumers will be actively participating in the post-Christmas sales. “This year, we’re likely to see a shift towards practicality and sustainability, with more shoppers looking to bag bargains on kitchen appliances and second-hand goods.” Consumers choose in-store shopping largely because they enjoy the social aspect and touching items before they buy, Barclays said, adding that high streets and shopping centres are the most popular destinations.
Another stowaway caught on Delta flight raises major concerns about airport safetyNew Delhi: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh stands as a towering figure in modern India’s history. Known for his profound contributions as an economist, a policy reformer, and a statesman, Singh’s life reflects a relentless pursuit of excellence and service to the nation. Singh was the first prime minister since Jawaharlal Nehru to be re-elected after serving a full first term. He held the top office from May 2004 to May 2014. To a generation of Indians, Singh remains the architect of India’s economic reforms. It was Singh and former prime minister P. V. Narasimha Rao who guided the country when foreign exchange reserves were not sufficient to cover even two weeks of imports. Singh’s academic journey began with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in economics from the Panjab University in 1952 and 1954. He then went on to complete a First Class Honours degree in Economics in 1957 from the University of Cambridge in 1957. Singh then earned a D.Phil in Economics from Oxford University in 1962. His career in academia as a teacher took him to Panjab University and the Delhi School of Economics from 1966 to 1971. Singh transitioned into public service in 1971, joining the Government of India as an Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Commerce. Over the next decades, he held pivotal positions, including Chief Economic Advisor (1972), Governor of the Reserve Bank of India (1982–1985), and Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission (1985–1987). From 1987 to 1990, Singh served as Secretary-General of the South Commission in Geneva. In 1987, Singh was awarded India’s second-highest civilian honour, Padma Vibhushan. Other awards and honours bestowed on him include the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress (1995); the Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year (1993 and 1994); the Euro Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year (1993), the Adam Smith Prize of the University of Cambridge (1956); and the Wright’s Prize for Distinguished Performance at St. John’s College in Cambridge (1955). The turning point in Singh’s career came in 1991, when he became Finance Minister under then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao. As India faced a severe economic crisis, Singh spearheaded landmark liberalisation reforms, including deregulation, reduction of import tariffs, and privatization of state-owned enterprises. These measures fundamentally transformed India’s economy, paving the way for sustained growth and integration into the global market. On 22 May 2004, Singh was sworn in as India’s 14th Prime Minister, marking a historic moment as the first Sikh to hold the office. His first term witnessed India achieving an average economic growth rate of 7.7 percent. Singh’s administration focused on inclusive growth, enacting transformative laws such as the Right to Information (RTI) Act and the Right to Education (RTE) Act. Following the Congress party-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) victory in the 2009 general elections, Singh was re-elected for a second term. During his decade-long tenure, India emerged as one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, nearly doubling its GDP to two trillion dollars by 2014. Despite his achievements, Singh’s tenure as Prime Minister was marred by controversies. Corruption scandals, including the Commonwealth Games scam, tainted his government’s image. Additionally, economic challenges like inflation and a slowdown towards the end of his second term drew criticism. His administration was often perceived as indecisive in addressing these crises. After over three decades in the Rajya Sabha and a career marked by transformative policies and leadership, Singh retired from active politics in 2024. The former prime minister was seen in a wheelchair inside the Rajya Sabha when the Delhi Services Bill was discussed in the House in August 2023. Singh had voted against the bill. Vartika Singh is an intern with ThePrint (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: ‘BJP never believed in reform’—what ex-PM Manmohan Singh said in 2004 var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );
Massive EU-South American free trade pact would reduce tariffs, but some farmers are opposed
NYT ‘Connections’ Hints And Answers For Saturday, December 28
NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks closed at more records after Donald Trump’s latest talk about tariffs created only some ripples on Wall Street. The S&P 500 rose 0.6% to reach another all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 0.3% to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite rose 0.6% as Big Tech stocks helped lead the way. Stock markets abroad saw mostly modest losses, after President-elect Trump said he plans to impose sweeping tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office. U.S. automakers and other companies that could be hurt particularly by such tariffs fell. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. stocks are rising toward records Tuesday after Donald Trump’s latest talk about tariffs created only some ripples on Wall Street, even if they could roil the global economy were they to take effect. The S&P 500 climbed 0.5% and was on track to top its all-time high set a couple weeks ago. The Dow Jones Industrial Average added 81 points, or 0.2%, to its own record set the day before, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.5% higher, with less than an hour remaining in trading. Stock markets abroad were down, but mostly only modestly, after President-elect Trump said he plans to impose sweeping new tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China as soon as he takes office. Stock indexes were down 0.1% in Shanghai and nearly flat in Hong Kong, while Canada's main index edged down by just 0.1%. Trump has often praised the use of tariffs , but investors are weighing whether his latest threat will actually become policy or is just an opening point for negotiations. For now, the market seems to be taking it more as the latter. Unless the United States can prepare alternatives for the autos, energy products and other goods that come from Mexico, Canada and China, such tariffs would raise the price of imported items all at once and make households poorer, according to Carl Weinberg and Rubeela Farooqi, economists at High Frequency Economics. They would also hurt profit margins for U.S. companies, while raising the threat of retaliatory tariffs by other countries. General Motors sank 8.2%, and Ford Motor fell 2.6% because both import automobiles from Mexico. Constellation Brands, which sells Modelo and other Mexican beer brands in the United States, dropped 3.9%. Beyond the pain such tariffs would cause U.S. households and businesses, they could also push the Federal Reserve to slow or even halt its cuts to interest rates. The Fed had just begun easing its main interest rate from a two-decade high a couple months ago to offer support to the job market . While lower interest rates can boost the overall economy and prices for investments, they can also offer more fuel for inflation. “Many” officials at the Fed's last meeting earlier this month said they should lower rates gradually, according to minutes of the meeting released Tuesday afternoon. Unlike tariffs in Trump's first term, his proposal from Monday night would affect products across the board. Trump’s tariff talk came almost immediately after U.S. stocks rose Monday amid excitement about his pick for Treasury secretary, Scott Bessent. The hope was the hedge-fund manager could steer Trump away from policies that balloon the U.S. government deficit, which is how much more it spends than it takes in through taxes and other revenue. The talk about tariffs overshadowed another set of mixed profit reports from U.S. retailers that answered few questions about how much more shoppers can keep spending. They’ll need to stay resilient after helping the economy avoid a recession, despite the high interest rates instituted by the Fed to get inflation under control. Kohl’s tumbled 17.6% after its results for the latest quarter fell short of analysts’ expectations. CEO Tom Kingsbury said sales remain soft for apparel and footwear. A day earlier, Kingsbury said he plans to step down as CEO in January. Ashley Buchanan, CEO of Michaels and a retail veteran, will replace him. Best Buy fell 4.7% after likewise falling short of analysts’ expectations. Dick’s Sporting Goods topped forecasts for the latest quarter thanks to a strong back-to-school season, but its stock lost an early gain to fall 1.4%. A report on Tuesday from the Conference Board said confidence among U.S. consumers improved in November, but not by as much as economists expected. J.M. Smucker jumped 5.4% for one of the biggest gains in the S&P 500 after topping analysts' expectations for the latest quarter. CEO Mark Smucker credited strength for its Uncrustables, Meow Mix, Café Bustelo and Jif brands. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up U.S. indexes. Gains of 2.8% for Amazon and 2% for Microsoft were the two strongest forces lifting the S&P 500. In the bond market, Treasury yields rose following their big drop from a day before driven by relief following Trump’s pick for Treasury secretary. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed to 4.30% from 4.28% late Monday, but it’s still well below the 4.41% level where it ended last week. In the crypto market, bitcoin continued to pull back after topping $99,000 for the first time late last week. It's since dipped back toward $91,600, according to CoinDesk. It’s a sharp turnaround from the bonanza that initially took over the crypto market following Trump’s election. That boom had also appeared to have spilled into some corners of the stock market. Strategists at Barclays Capital pointed to stocks of unprofitable companies, along with other areas that can be caught up in bursts of optimism by smaller-pocketed “retail” investors. AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.ANKARA A heated session Tuesday in the EU Parliament (EP) saw sharp criticism directed at European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen for her perceived silence on the International Criminal Court's (ICC) arrest warrants for Israeli officials. The ICC issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his former defense chief Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in the Gaza Strip. Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice over its brutal war on Gaza. Lawmakers also accused the EU of applying a "double standard" in its handling of international law and human rights violations. The session, held under the title "The escalating tensions in the Middle East, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the West Bank, UNRWA's role in the region, the need for the release of all captives, and ICC arrest warrants for Israeli officials," tackled the EU's role amid the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the occupied West Bank. Speaking on behalf of the EU Council, Hungary’s Minister for European Affairs Janos Boka urged maximum restraint from all parties in the Gaza Strip and adherence to international humanitarian law. Boka expressed deep sorrow for the "unacceptable number of civilian casualties, particularly among women and children," emphasizing the EU’s demand for an immediate cease-fire, the unconditional release of captives in Gaza and the expansion of humanitarian aid access. "The humanitarian situation in the Middle East is dire, and the EU Council remains committed to addressing it as a top priority," said Boka. EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reforms Elisa Ferreira, speaking on behalf of EU High Representative Josep Borrell, painted a grim picture of the crisis in Gaza, citing unprecedented civilian casualties, displacement and a looming risk of starvation. Ferreira reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to supporting international law, including backing UNRWA (UN Palestine refuge agency) amid growing concerns about its potential dissolution following a recent bill that was passed in the Israeli parliament. "Israeli attacks on the UN must stop," said Ferreira as she highlighted the importance of defending a rules-based global order. She reiterated the EU’s support for the ICC, urging member states to unite in enforcing its decisions. "Now, more than ever, we must support the multilateral order and continue to call for respect for and implementation of ICC decisions," she added. Criticism of the EU’s approach dominated much of the debate, with lawmakers from liberal and left-wing groups accusing the bloc of inconsistency in the application of international law. Irish MEP Lynn Boylan of the Left Group condemned von der Leyen’s silence on the ICC arrest warrants, and said, "The EU’s credibility is shattered -- not just in Palestine and the Global South, but even within its own member states. The absence of sanctions is complicity." Greek MEP Konstantinos Arvanitis echoed that sentiment, urging the EU to apply the ICC's rulings equally in all cases. "Please implement the ICC arrest warrants as you have implemented previous decisions. Stop applying double standards," he said. Slovenian MEP Matjaž Nemec took aim at "striking double standards" in the EU’s treatment of Israel compared to other nations, including Russia. "Silence is complicity," said Nemec, drawing a contrast between the arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and Netanyahu. Not all lawmakers aligned with the demand for action. Far-right MEPs criticized the warrants, arguing they were politically motivated. They were outnumbered, however, by voices that called for accountability and adherence to international law.
By Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald (TNS) MIAMI — As her students finished their online exam, Arlet Lara got up to make a cafe con leche . Her 16-year-old son found her on the kitchen floor. First, he called Dad in a panic. Then 911. “I had a stroke and my life made a 180-degree turn,” Lara told the Miami Herald, recalling the medical scare she experienced in May 2020 in the early months of the COVID pandemic. “The stroke affected my left side of the body,” the North Miami woman and former high school math teacher said. Lara, an avid runner and gym goer, couldn’t even walk. “It was hard,” the 50-year-old mom said. After years of rehabilitation therapy and a foot surgery, Lara can walk again. But she still struggles with moving. This summer, she became the first patient in South Florida to get an implant of a new and only FDA-approved nerve stimulation device designed to help ischemic stroke survivors regain movement in their arms and hands. This first procedure was at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Lara’s rehab was at at the Christine E. Lynn Rehabilitation Center for The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis, part of a partnership between Jackson Health System and UHealth. Every year, thousands in the United States have a stroke , with one occurring every 40 seconds, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of strokes are ischemic, often caused by blood clots that obstruct blood flow to the brain. For survivors, most of whom are left with some level of disability, the Vivistim Paired VNS System, the device implanted in Lara’s chest, could be a game changer in recovery, said Dr. Robert Starke, a UHealth neurosurgeon and interventional neuroradiologist. He also serves as co-director of endovascular neurosurgery at Jackson Memorial Hospital, part of Miami-Dade’s public hospital system. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms, goes through exercises while her therapist activates the device during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. The activation works as positive reinforcement to her muscles when she completes the exercise correctly. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA- approved nerve stimulation implant, does an exercise while Neil Batungbakal, rehabilitation therapist, activates the implant with the black trigger during her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Arlet Lara, the first patient in South Florida to get an FDA-approved nerve stimulation implant, right, runs into her rehabilitation neurology physician Dr. Gemayaret Alvarez, before her physical therapy appointment on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024, at Lynn Rehabilitation Center at Jackson Memorial Hospital. The implant is designed to help stroke survivors regain function in their arms. (Alie Skowronski/Miami Herald/TNS) The Vivistim Paired VNS System is a small pacemaker-like device implanted in the upper chest and neck area. Patients can go home the same day. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the stroke rehabilitation system in 2021 to be used alongside post-ischemic stroke rehabilitation therapy to treat moderate to severe mobility issues in hands and arms. Lara’s occupational therapist can activate the device during rehabilitation sessions to electrically stimulate the vagus nerve, which runs from the brain down to the abdomen and regulates various parts of the body’s nervous system. The electrical stimulation rewires the brain to improve a stroke survivor’s ability to move their arms and hands. Lara also has a magnet she can use to activate the device when she wants to practice at home. Her therapy consists of repetitive tasks, including coloring, pinching cubes and grabbing and releasing cylindrical shapes. After several weeks of rehabilitation therapy with the device, Lara has seen improvement. “Little by little, I’m noticing that my hand is getting stronger. I am already able to brush my teeth with the left hand,” she told the Miami Herald in September. Since then, Lara has finished the initial six-week Vivitism therapy program, and is continuing to use the device in her rehabilitation therapy. She continues to improve and can now eat better with her left hand and can brush her hair with less difficulty, according to her occupational therapist, Neil Batungbakal. Lara learned about the device through an online group for stroke survivors and contacted the company to inquire. She then connected them with her Jackson medical team. Now a year later, the device is available to Jackson patients. So far, four patients have received the implant at Jackson. Starke sees the device as an opportunity to help bring survivors one step closer to regaining full mobility. Strokes are a leading cause of disability worldwide. While most stroke survivors can usually recover some function through treatment and rehabilitation, they tend to hit a “major plateau” after the first six months of recovery, he said. Vivistim, when paired with rehabilitation therapy, could change that. Jackson Health said results of a clinical trial published in the peer-reviewed medical journal The Lancet in 2021 showed that the device, “when paired with high-repetition, task-specific occupational or physical therapy, helps generate two to three times more hand and arm function for stroke survivors than rehabilitation therapy alone.” The device has even shown to benefit patients 20 years from their original stroke, according to Starke. “So now a lot of these patients that had strokes 10-15 years ago that thought that they would never be able to use their arm in any sort of real functional way are now able to have a real meaningful function, which is pretty tremendous,” Starke said. Vivistim’s vagus-nerve stimulation technology was developed by researchers at the University of Texas at Dallas’ Texas Biomedical Device Center and is being sold commercially by Austin-based MicroTransponder, a company started by university graduates. Similar devices are used to treat epilepsy and depression . For Lara, the device is a new tool to help her recovery journey. “Everything becomes a challenge so we are working with small things every day because I want to get back as many functions as possible,” Lara said. Patients interested in Vivistim should speak with their doctor to check their eligibility. The FDA said patients should make sure to discuss any prior medical history, including concurrent forms of brain stimulation, current diathermy treatment, previous brain surgery, depression, respiratory diseases and disorders such as asthma, and cardiac abnormalities. “Adverse events included but were not limited to dysphonia (difficulty speaking), bruising, falling, general hoarseness, general pain, hoarseness after surgery, low mood, muscle pain, fracture, headache, rash, dizziness, throat irritation, urinary tract infection and fatigue,” the FDA said. MicroTransponder says the device is “covered by Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance with prior authorization on a case-by-case basis.” To learn more about the device, visit vivistim.com. ©2024 Miami Herald. Visit at miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The 110-Year-Old Pecan Pie Recipe That Will Change the Way You Make the Classic Dessert
Blake's career receiving day helps Charlotte beat FAU 39-27DALLAS — More than 60 years after President John F. Kennedy was assassinated, conspiracy theories still swirl and any new glimpse into the fateful day of Nov. 22, 1963, in Dallas continues to fascinate. President-elect Donald Trump promised during his reelection campaign that he would declassify all of the remaining government records surrounding the assassination if he returned to office. He made a similar pledge during his first term, but ultimately bended to appeals from the CIA and FBI to keep some documents withheld. At this point, only a few thousand of the millions of governmental records related to the assassination have yet to be fully released, and those who have studied the records released so far say that even if the remaining files are declassified, the public shouldn't anticipate any earth-shattering revelations. "Anybody waiting for a smoking gun that's going to turn this case upside down will be sorely disappointed," said Gerald Posner, author of "Case Closed," which concludes that assassin Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone. Friday's 61st anniversary is expected to be marked with a moment of silence at 12:30 p.m. in Dealey Plaza, where Kennedy's motorcade was passing through when he was fatally shot. And throughout this week there have been events marking the anniversary. Nov. 22, 1963 When Air Force One carrying Kennedy and first lady Jacqueline Kennedy touched down in Dallas , they were greeted by a clear sky and enthusiastic crowds. With a reelection campaign on the horizon the next year, they had gone to Texas on political fence-mending trip. But as the motorcade was finishing its parade route downtown, shots rang out from the Texas School Book Depository building. Police arrested 24-year-old Oswald and, two days later, nightclub owner Jack Ruby fatally shot Oswald during a jail transfer. A year after the assassination, the Warren Commission, which President Lyndon B. Johnson established to investigate the assassination, concluded that Oswald acted alone and there was no evidence of a conspiracy. But that hasn't quelled a web of alternative theories over the decades. The collection In the early 1990s, the federal government mandated that all assassination-related documents be housed in a single collection in the National Archives and Records Administration. The collection of over 5 million records was required to be opened by 2017, barring any exemptions designated by the president. Trump, who took office for his first term in 2017, had boasted that he'd allow the release of all of the remaining records but ended up holding some back because of what he called the potential harm to national security. And while files have continued to be released during President Joe Biden's administration, some still remain unseen. The documents released over the last few years offer details on the way intelligence services operated at the time, and include CIA cables and memos discussing visits by Oswald to the Soviet and Cuban embassies during a trip to Mexico City just weeks before the assassination. The former Marine had previously defected to the Soviet Union before returning home to Texas. Mark S. Zaid, a national security attorney in Washington, said what's been released so far has contributed to the understanding of the time period, giving “a great picture” of what was happening during the Cold War and the activities of the CIA. Withheld files Posner estimates that there are still about 3,000 to 4,000 documents in the collection that haven’t yet been fully released. Of those documents, some are still completely redacted while others just have small redactions, like someone's Social Security number. “If you have been following it, as I have and others have, you sort of are zeroed in on the pages you think might provide some additional information for history,” Posner said. There are about 500 documents that have been completely withheld, Posner said, and those include Oswald’s and Ruby’s tax returns. Those files, the National Archives says on its website, weren't subject to the 2017 disclosure requirement. Trump's transition team hasn’t responded to questions this week about his plans when he takes office. A continued fascination From the start, there were those who believed there had to be more to the story than just Oswald acting alone, said Stephen Fagin, curator of the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealey Plaza, which tells the story of the assassination from the building where Oswald made his sniper's perch. “People want to make sense of this and they want to find the solution that fits the crime," said Fagin, who said that while there are lingering questions, law enforcement made “a pretty compelling case” against Oswald. Larry J. Sabato, director of the University of Virginia Center for Politics, said his interest in the assassination dates back to the event itself, when he was a child. “It just seemed so fantastical that one very disturbed individual could end up pulling off the crime of the century," Sabato said. “But the more I studied it, the more I realized that is a very possible, maybe even probable in my view, hypothesis.”
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