fc 777 casino BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Keith Higgins Jr. had 22 points to lead Lehigh to an 87-67 victory over Neumann on Sunday. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Keith Higgins Jr. had 22 points to lead Lehigh to an 87-67 victory over Neumann on Sunday. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? BETHLEHEM, Pa. (AP) — Keith Higgins Jr. had 22 points to lead Lehigh to an 87-67 victory over Neumann on Sunday. Higgins added eight rebounds for the Mountain Hawks (5-6). Tyler Whitney-Sidney shot 7 for 12 (2 for 5 from 3-point range) and 3 of 3 from the free-throw line to add 19 points. Cam Gillus scored 10. Mike Smith III led the Knights with 15 points. Gary Francis added 12 points and DJ Earl had 12 points and three steals. Led by 13 points from Higgins before the break, Lehigh entered halftime tied with Neumann 42-42. Lehigh pulled away with a 9-0 run in the second half to extend a nine-point lead to 18 points. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. AdvertisementMANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has approved the establishment of a one-stop system to ensure children’s protection against all forms of abuse that are detrimental to their development. Executive Order (EO) 79 inked by Marcos on Dec. 8 establishes the Mahalin at Kalingain ating mga Bata (MAKABATA) Program and institutionalizes the MAKABATA Helpline 1383. Under EO 79, the MAKABATA Program will serve as a one-stop system for addressing and monitoring all issues and concerns of children in need of special protection (CNSPs), with components that include reporting; rescue and relief; rehabilitation; and reintegration. READ MORE : House to recommend filing charges against people tied to drugs, Pogos The EO defines CNSPs as persons below 18 years old, or those 18 years old and over but are unable to fully take care of themselves because of physical or mental disability or conditions, and are vulnerable to, or are victims of abuse, neglect, exploitation, cruelty, discrimination, violence, and other similar cases such as child labor, online sexual abuse and exploitation of children (OSAEC), child sexual abuse or exploitation of materials (CSAEM), child trafficking, and other circumstances that gravely threaten or endanger a child’s survival and normal development. CNSPs also refer to children in conflict with the law, children living in alternative care, and children living with human immunodeficiency virus. The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) will lead the implementation of the MAKABATA program, while the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC) will serve as the overall coordinating and monitoring body for the implementation of the MAKABATA Program. All concerned government agencies are directed to designate MAKABATA coordinators, focal persons, and child protection officers, as may be necessary, subject to existing laws, rules and regulations. EO 79 orders the institutionalization of the existing MAKABATA Helpline 1383, a dedicated hotline number for the program operating round the clock. The helpline, which will serve as the central reporting system for all CNSP issues and concerns, will continue to be under the CWC’s management and operation. “All concerns received through any of the communication platforms of the MAKABATA Helpline 1383 shall be immediately acted upon or referred, directly or indirectly, to concerned government agencies and instrumentalities, including LGUs and private sector partners, for appropriate action and/or intervention,” according to EO 79. “In this regard, the MAKABATA Program, through MAKABATA Helpline, shall establish and develop a referral pathway which will link all government agencies and instrumentalities, including LGUs and private sector partners, into a network of cooperation and collaboration with the overall aim of ensuring delivery of services to CNSPs under the MAKABATA Program,” it added. EO 79 instructs the CWC to respond to all inquiries regarding CNSP issues and concerns; refers matters, issues, and concerns involving CNSPs to concerned government agencies; and implements a monitoring, evaluation, and feedback mechanism to ensure the provision of time and appropriate interventions to CNSPs. The CWC is also tasked to coordinate with the Presidential Communications Office to promote and raise public awareness on MAKABATA Helpline 1383, as well as study and recommend ways to streamline services of existing helplines for CNSPs. The DSWD and CWC are directed to issue the necessary guidelines for the effective implementation of EO 79, which takes effect immediately upon publication in the Official Gazette or a newspaper of general circulation. The funding requirements for the initial implementation of EO 79 will be charged against current and available appropriations of the DSWD, CWC, and the implementing agencies.The National Information Technology Development Agency has issued a warning to Spotify users about increasing cybersecurity risks linked to the platform’s playlists and podcasts. The advisory, published on Tuesday, informed users of how cybercriminals are exploiting Spotify’s features to distribute malicious content, including game hacks for popular games like Fortnite, GTA, Apex Legends, and Roblox, as well as pirated software and scam websites. According to the IT agency, “Spotify is being exploited to promote game hacks for video games like Fortnite, GTA, Apex, and Roblox. “Threat actors are also using the platform to advertise pirated software, spam links, and malicious crack sites. They embed these malicious promotions within playlist names and podcast descriptions.” The advisory further emphasised the risks of malicious links embedded in playlist names and podcast descriptions, which boost the visibility of dangerous sites through Spotify’s web player. This exposes users to scams, malware, and other cyber threats. In light of this, the agency has advised Spotify users to avoid playlists and podcasts with suspicious text in their descriptions and to refrain from clicking any links in these descriptions. Related News Review economic policies to provide relief for Nigerians, NANS urges Tinubu Simon Ekpa: Nigerians in Finland panic as search for sponsors begins Why Nigerians must pay for new national ID card - NIMC Additionally, users are encouraged to update their Spotify app to the latest version for improved security. With cybercriminals increasingly exploiting legitimate platforms, the NITDA’s advisory serves as a crucial reminder for users to remain vigilant and protect themselves from evolving online threats. Last week, the IT regulator warned organisations about Ymir ransomware, describing it as a highly sophisticated cyber threat targeting corporate networks. The malware not only encrypts critical data but also exfiltrates sensitive information before encryption, demanding substantial ransoms in cryptocurrency. “This ransomware is highly advanced and poses a significant threat to organisations, especially those in industries like healthcare, finance, and IT services that handle sensitive data,” NITDA said.

SCHEID FAMILY WINES REPORTS SECOND QUARTER FISCAL 2025 RESULTS

Life would be easier if batteries charged in seconds, stored more energy, lasted longer, and were overall safer to use. As such, highly efficient solid-state batteries are currently a hot topic in the field, with many car companies even promising to offer them in future vehicles. A diverse team of international researchers has conducted a comprehensive analysis to unveil new insights regarding a key correlation between and ionic conductivity of sodium superionic conductors (NASICON). These findings, in , could help design future studies that can propel modern energy technology forwards. NASICON is a with high levels of conductivity, making it well-suited for energy applications such as batteries. Balancing their mechanical properties and their ionic conductivity is crucial to maximize performance, stability, and safety. For example, some changes may boost ionic conductivity but have a negative impact on the structural integrity, making NASICON less stable. There must be a delicate balance between all the properties to reach a "Goldilocks" level of synergy. "We found that the most important factor was the relative density," explains Eric Jianfeng Cheng of Tohoku University, "When we increased NASICON's relative density, it not only improved ionic conductivity, but as well. It was a win-win situation." Based on their experimental results and an extensive review of existing studies, the researchers recommend using advanced sintering techniques―processes that apply heat to reshape and reform solid materials, such as spark plasma sintering (SPS)―to achieve a high relative density in sodium superionic conductors. By doing so, defects such as pores and other imperfections can be effectively reduced. In comparison, altering other key factors such as secondary phases and crystal structure would lead to significant trade-offs. Increasing reduces grain boundary resistance, thereby boosting ionic , but may compromise mechanical integrity due to increased porosity. Similarly, the formation of secondary phases can strengthen the material mechanically, but often hinders ionic transport. The study established that improving relative density uniquely supports concurrent enhancements in both ionic and mechanical properties, a synergy not observed with other factors. This relationship extends to other oxide-based solid electrolytes, such as garnet Li La Zr O (LLZO), demonstrating the broader relevance of these findings. By providing a clear framework for optimizing both mechanical and ionic properties, this research may aid the development of high-performance, , positioning NASICON as a promising material for next-generation energy storage technologies.

SANTA CLARA — When Isaac Guerendo trots onto the field with the first team Sunday at Levi’s Stadium, he will equal the same number of starts he had in five years of college football. Hard to believe, but Guerendo started exactly one time, and it came in his final college game at Louisville. Against USC in the Holiday Bowl, Guerendo carried 23 times for 161 yards and three touchdowns and added five receptions in a 42-28 loss. In 40 other games at Wisconsin and Louisville, Guerendo played in a shared backfield –something he’s done with the 49ers this season behind Jordan Mason and Christian McCaffrey . With McCaffrey on injured reserve with a PCL strain and Mason to follow soon with a high ankle sprain, Guerendo should get his biggest workload since his last college game. “I’m excited, but really it’s whatever it takes to win,” Guerendo said Wednesday as the 49ers (5-7) began preparations to host the Bears (4-8). “Whatever the plan looks like is what we’ll bring.” Guerendo will be backed up by Patrick Taylor Jr., who was on the roster earlier this season when McCaffrey was dealing with bilateral Achilles tendinitis, then re-signed to the practice squad. Taylor was promoted Tuesday, and the 49ers also made a waiver claim on former Jets running back Israel Abanikanda. “I think he’s ready to go,” 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan said. “He had some ups and downs but got better through everything. I think he’s ready for this.” Guerendo, 6-foot and 219 pounds, has 42 carries for 246 yards and two touchdowns, averaging a gaudy 5.9 yards per carry. His 15-yard run in the third quarter was the 49ers’ lone touchdown in a 35-10 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The 49ers traded up to get Guerendo in the fourth round, only to see him sidelined with a hamstring strain in his first training camp practice. A speedy wide receiver at Avon High School in Indiana who also ran track and played basketball, Guerendo carried 10 times for 99 yards with a long run of 76 against Seattle and 14 times for 85 yards against Dallas. At Wisconsin, Guerendo played behind Jonathan Taylor, now a star running back for the Indianapolis Colts. He split time as a graduate student at Louisville with Jawhar Jordan, who rushed for 1,128 yards while Guerendo had 810 yards on 132 carries and a 6.1-yard average. The good news is Guerendo’s body hasn’t taken on the normal amount of abuse for a running back. And Guerendo feels he’s up to the challenge after playing 12 games with old-school running backs coach Bobby Turner. “I always give credit to Coach T for preparing everybody like they’re going to be the starter, so that when moments do come, you’re ready for it,” Guerendo said. McCaffrey appeared to have finally gotten untracked against the Bills, gaining 53 yards on seven carries before getting tripped up on a 19-yard burst in the second quarter. But the tackle injured his knee, Mason injured his ankle, and Guerendo became the lead runner for a team that is sixth in the NFL in rushing. Over time, Guerendo has become accustomed to the speed of the NFL game. “I think it takes guys some time,” Shanahan said. “You start to get a feel for it, if you’ve got the right stuff, you get more reps and the more you adjust to it. How hard you’ve got to hit stuff, how quick those holes close, how you have to hit it full speed and can’t hesitate. We’ve seen that stuff get better in practice and we’ve seen it carry over into games.” McCaffrey, meanwhile, took to social media in the form of a lengthy Instagram post to explain how he was feeling after his latest injury. He wrote of his love for football, how humbling it is and his desire to return. “This wasn’t my year, and sometimes when it rains, it pours,” McCaffrey wrote. “You can feel sorry for yourself and listen to the birds, or you can hold the line. I’m grateful for the support of everyone in my corner and promise I’ll work smarter and harder to come back better from this.” For those who dream big, Shanahan said with a six-week time frame, McCaffrey could conceivably return if the 49ers reach the postseason. THE INJURY LIST Those who didn’t practice Wednesday included edge rusher Nick Bosa (hips, obliques), left tackle Trent Williams (ankle), left guard Aaron Banks (concussion), Mason (ankle) and linebacker Demetrius Flannigan-Fowles (ankle). Cornerback Deommodore Lenoir (knee), linebacker Dre Greenlaw (Achilles) and safety Talanoa Hufanga (wrist) were limited. Defensive tackle Jordan Elliott has cleared concussion protocol after missing the Buffalo game. Hufanga joined Greenlaw as practicing during a 21-day window. Shanahan said it’s more likely Greenlaw would be activated before a Thursday night game against the Los Angeles Rams on Dec. 12 than against Chicago. HUFANGA AND THE CLUB After recovering from an ACL tear last season, Hufanga has played in just two games this season. First, he was felled by an ankle injury, and then a wrist injury that needed surgery. When activated, he’ll play with a protective club on his right hand. “I was still dealing with the ankle. I was about to get it re-wrapped and for some reason my hand wouldn’t open,” Hufanga said. Hufanga said he’ll try to use the protective device as a benefit rather than a detriment. “I had a good friend back in the day who played with a club who had three picks in one game, so you never know,” Hufanga said. MOORE FARES WELL Left tackle Jaylon Moore acquitted himself well for the second straight game in starting in place of Williams. “It was OK, but you can always get better and that’s what I’m focusing on — the things I can get better at,” Moore said. Tight end George Kittle noted last week that Moore was at left tackle all through training camp during Williams’ holdout, so it’s not like he hasn’t been with the first team. “It definitely did help, especially being comfortable with the group,” Moore said. “The quarterback’s cadence, the guy you’re next to, all the small stuff comes into play.”

In exchange for helping Donald Trump get re-elected by spending $130mn on Trump’s and down-ballot Republicans’ campaigns, and turning X (formerly Twitter) into his messaging machine, Elon Musk earned himself the opportunity to co-lead (along with Vivek Ramaswamy, another major donor) a new “Department of Government Efficiency”. Named after a joke cryptocurrency, DOGE will not be an official agency. But though its role will be purely advisory, Trump has promised to enact its recommendations to slash excess regulations, restructure federal agencies, and cut wasteful expenditures, all with an eye on efficiency. Federal law requires that any government advisory committee provide public notice of its meetings (including agenda, time, place, and purpose) and access to any reports, transcripts, minutes, papers, agendas, or other documents relating to its work. But DOGE may well violate these requirements on the grounds that they unconstitutionally infringe on presidential power. As with his other appointments, Trump will not bother vetting Musk and Ramaswamy thoroughly, nor will he require them to divest their corporate holdings or recuse themselves from offering recommendations on issues raising an obvious conflict of interest (such as with Nasa’s extensive purchases of services from Musk’s SpaceX). To the extent that DOGE eviscerates regulations, it promises to be a powerful vehicle for “crony capitalism.” Its recommendations will have little to do with improving government efficiency or cutting costs, and everything to do with killing regulations and agencies that powerful donors and business lobbyists want dead. Fortunately, DOGE will fail, because it is focusing on the wrong targets, with the wrong approach, and the wrong leadership. Musk initially promised to cut federal government spending by $2tn, which is nearly one-third of all projected spending for 2025. Having quickly realised how absurd that target was, he has since reduced it by 75%, to $500bn. Defence, Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the Affordable Care Act (“Obamacare”), and interest payments on US government debt together account for 74% of total federal spending. Moreover, defence spending will likely increase under Trump, spending on interest payments is essential to avoid default on the federal government’s debt, and spending on Social Security, Medicare, and Obamacare is legally required and overwhelmingly supported by the voters who helped re-elect Trump. The remaining 26% of federal spending covers all other functions of the federal government – from defence discretionary programmes like veterans’ health (12%) to essential non-defence programmes (14%) such as the federal highway system, air traffic control, and the judicial system. While all funds for discretionary programmes must be authorised by Congress, the new $500bn target would encompass both programmes whose congressional authorisation runs out in 2024 and those that Musk considers to be incompatible with original Congressional intentions. But veterans’ health care is the largest single function ($119bn) for which congressional authorisation ends in 2024, and despite Trump’s contempt for the military, it is difficult to imagine DOGE going after veterans’ healthcare. Instead, DOGE has already indicated that it will cut funding for Planned Parenthood and other progressive groups ($300mn per year), the Corporation for Public Broadcasting ($535mn a year), and various international organisations ($1.5bn a year). It may also go after bigger discretionary items like the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration ($6.6bn), which is responsible for the nation’s weather forecasts; the Federal Aviation Administration ($7bn), which regulates civil aviation safety; many agencies within the State Department ($38bn); and the Education Department ($29bn). But Nasa ($25.4bn), for obvious reasons, will be spared. The problem with this defunding agenda is that it still comes nowhere close to $500bn. If DOGE wanted to try to contribute something positive, it would abandon this target and focus instead on improving the efficiency of the agencies responsible for government programmes, and on eliminating regulations that do not pass a rigorous cost/benefit test. But this has been tried many times before, and usually without much success. President Ronald Reagan’s Private Sector Survey on Cost Control, known as the Grace Commission, for example, claimed that one-third of all income-tax revenues were consumed by waste and inefficiency – a wild overstatement. Very few of the commission’s 2,500 recommendations were implemented, and the combination of Reagan’s tax cuts and a growing federal government launched the national debt on its long upward trajectory. Similar efforts dating back to president Harry Truman’s Hoover Commission have also been judged “abject failures.” Most flounder because of a fundamental flaw in their design. Led by business leaders who don’t understand how government works, such bodies tend to produce laundry lists of unvetted ideas but have no capacity to carry them out. Implementation remains the responsibility of the relevant agencies and Congress, which legislates and funds federal programmes. Vice-president Al Gore’s National Partnership for Reinventing Government in the early 1990s avoided this design flaw. Housed within the Clinton administration, it was overseen by a cadre of government reformers who succeeded in passing actual legislation: the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993, which aimed to embed performance metrics in the federal government’s standard operating procedures. Musk and Ramaswamy, by contrast, are merely the latest in a long line of private-sector poster children whose business-management approaches to government operations will fail. Fewer than one-quarter of all government reform programmes succeed, and those that do have two distinguishing characteristics in common: public-sector employees design the reforms and then use digital tools to measure and improve performance. Unfortunately, Congress does not provide enough funding for agencies to get the tools they need. That is why the Internal Revenue Service has been unable to collect an estimated $1tn of annual revenues from tax evaders and cheaters. Through no fault of their own, most federal government agencies remain far behind the private sector in the digitisation of their services. Moving fast and breaking things does not work in government (or in most large private-sector organisations, for that matter). If Musk and Ramaswamy want to achieve meaningful, lasting improvements in government efficiency, they will have to collaborate with civil servants to change the ways their work gets done. Success depends on the unsexy, hard-to-implement changes in operational processes that can be embedded in government departments. Outcome-based procurement, modern talent management (including government rotation programmes for private-sector leaders), agile information-technology management, data and performance transparency, modern digital tools, and citizen engagement are crucial if we want to improve government performance. DOGE will produce entertaining memes and photo ops for Musk and X, but it will have little tangible, lasting impact on the size and efficiency of the federal government. — Project Syndicate • Laura Tyson, a former chair of the President’s Council of Economic Advisers during the Clinton administration, is a professor at the Haas School of Business at the University of California, Berkeley, and a member of the Board of Advisers at Angeleno Group. • Lenny Mendonca, Senior Partner Emeritus at McKinsey & Company, is a former chief economic and business adviser to Governor Gavin Newsom of California and chair of the California High-Speed Rail Authority. Related Story AFG College with University of Aberdeen holds alumni gala dinner Alfardan Medical with Northwestern Medicine provides outstanding healthcare in Qatar

Dehradun: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday announced that the film ' The Sabarmati Report ' will be exempted from entertainment tax across the state. Uttarakhand is the seventh BJP-ruled state to have made the film tax-free after Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, and Gujarat. The film, directed by Dheeraj Saran, is based on the 2002 Godhra riots and was released in cinemas on November 15. It stars Vikrant Massey , Raashii Khanna and Ridhi Dogra in pivotal roles. Dhami watched the film with his cabinet colleagues, other MPs and MLAs. He said, "59 Ram devotees boarded the Sabarmati Express train from Ayodhya and it was set on fire at Godhra station. They all died untimely death. Back then, there was less investigation and more politics in the matter. The truth did not come out." He praised the film producer Ekta Kapoor and the entire team for bringing out the truth and said that back then the "urban naxal media propagated the incident as a lie". He further appealed to everyone to watch the film. HIG (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )AP Top 25: Alabama, Mississippi out of top 10 and Miami, SMU are in; Oregon remains unanimous No. 1

Condolences poured in from around the globe Sunday as word spread of the death of former President Jimmy Carter in his hometown in Georgia at the age of 100 — with all the remaining living US presidents offering personal tributes. “Whenever I had a chance to spend time with President Carter, it was clear that he didn’t just profess these values,” former President Barack Obama said in a statement . “He embodied them. And in doing so, he taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service. “In his Nobel acceptance speech, President Carter said, ‘God gives us the capacity for choice. We can choose to alleviate suffering. We can choose to work together for peace,'” Obama said. “He made that choice again and again over the course of his 100 years, and the world is better for it.” But the messages came from across the political spectrum. “I just heard of the news about the passing of President Jimmy Carter,” President-elect Donald Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Sunday . “Those of us who have been fortunate to have served as President understand this is a very exclusive club, and only we can relate to the enormous responsibility of leading the Greatest Nation in History,” Trump wrote. “The challenges Jimmy faced as President came at a pivotal time for our country and he did everything in his power to improve the lives of all Americans. For that, we all owe him a debt of gratitude.” President Joe Biden also reacted to Carter’s death, calling him “an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian” in a statement released by the White House . “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us,” Biden said. “He saved, lifted, and changed the lives of people all across the globe. “He was a man of great character and courage, hope and optimism,” he said. “We will always cherish seeing him and Rosalynn together. The love shared between Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter is the definition of partnership and their humble leadership is the definition of patriotism.” Follow the latest on President Jimmy Carter’s death Among the scores of others offering condolences was former President George W. Bush, who issued a statement on X through the Bush presidential center . “James Earl Carter, Jr., was a man of deeply held convictions,” the statement said. “He was loyal to his family, his community, and his country. President Carter dignified the office. And his efforts to leave behind a better world didn’t end with the presidency. “His work with Habitat for Humanity and the Carter Center set an example of service that will inspire Americans for generations,” Bush wrote. “We join our fellow citizens in giving thanks for Jimmy Carter and in prayer for his family.” Meanwhile, former President Bill Clinton also honored Carter for being “guided by his faith.” “From his commitment to civil rights as a state senator and governor of Georgia, to his efforts as President to protect our natural resources in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, make energy conservation a national priority, return the Panama Canal to Panama,” Clinton said in the statement , “he worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world.” Also commenting was New York’s senior senator. “Today we mourn the loss of one of our most humble and devoted public servants,” US Sen. Chuck Schumer wrote on X . “President Carter personified the true meaning of leadership through service, through compassion and through integrity. “He taught us that the strength of a leader lies not in rhetoric but in action, not in personal gain but in service to others,” Schumer wrote. Carter, 100, was the longest-living former president in US history . He died in his hometown of Plains, Georgia, after spending nearly two years in hospice care — and more than a year after former First Lady Rosalynn Carter, who died at the age of 77. The former president’s death was announced by the Carter Center. The 39th president, a former peanut farmer, remained active in civic duties until he was sidelined by ill health in recent years, including his work for Habitat for Humanity. He was also a former recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, earning the award in 2002 for his ongoing work as a global humanitarian. In a post on X Sunday House Speaker Mike Johnson also paid his respects. “President Carter’s story was one of humble beginnings, and his life is a testament to the boundless opportunities available in this great nation,” Johnson wrote. “Because of his work in brokering the Camp David Accords and his advocacy with Habitat for Humanity, the world is a more peaceful place, and more Americans have a place to call home. “No one can deny that President Carter led an extraordinary life of service to his country,” he said. Former Vice President Al Gore said Sunday that Carter’s legacy is marked not just by his elected service but also “his leadership over the 42 years after he left office. “It is a testament to his unyielding determination to help build a more just and peaceful world,” Gore said. With P ost wires

Politicians pay tribute to ‘public servant’ Jimmy Carter after his death aged 100

LAKE CHARLES, La. , Dec. 10, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Wavegate Corporation, a pioneering developer of neuromodulation technology for chronic pain management, has secured a lead investor in their $26 million Series A funding round led by UCEA Capital Partners Ltd., a London -based investment firm. This financing will accelerate the development of Wavegate's proprietary Ellipse TM platform, featuring StimuLux TM technology, designed to provide breakthrough therapeutic solutions for chronic pain patients. Wavegate's Ellipse TM spinal cord stimulator uses optical reflectometry to provide closed-loop adaptive modulation, uniquely adjusting stimulation in real-time based on spinal cord movement. This technology, which received FDA Breakthrough Device designation, offers significant potential to improve the lives of chronic pain sufferers by maintaining consistent pain relief across a range of patient activities using either paresthesia-based or paresthesia-free neuromodulation. Wavegate also recently achieved successful first-in-human data, further validating the clinical promise of its Ellipse TM platform. "Securing this funding represents a pivotal moment for Wavegate as we continue to push the boundaries in neuromodulation technology," said Dr. Erich Wolf , CEO of Wavegate Corporation. "UCEA's investment validates the potential of our innovations and supports our vision of advancing effective, patient-centered pain management solutions." The investment by UCEA Capital Partners aligns with its strategic focus on supporting transformative healthcare technologies. "Wavegate's approach to neuromodulation reflects exactly the type of high-impact, innovation-driven opportunity we seek to champion. We are thrilled to support their journey in addressing a critical area of unmet medical need," noted Joao Teixeira , Chairman of UCEA Capital Partners Ltd. The Series A funding will be instrumental in expanding Wavegate's R&D efforts, clinical trials, and preparations for regulatory approvals, marking a significant step forward for the company as it progresses toward commercialization. For more information on Wavegate Corporation, visit wavegate.us . Media Contact: Marla Miller , JD, LLM Corporate Secretary [email protected] +1-337-419-1360 SOURCE Wavegate CorporationPresident Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil underwent an emergency craniotomy in the early morning hours of Tuesday to drain an intracranial hemorrhage resulting from an injury he suffered in a bathroom accident in October. According to statements from Lula’s medical team, the Brazilian president is stable and will remain under monitoring in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) at the Sírio-Libanês Hospital in the city of São Paulo. Brazilian media reported that Lula, 79, experienced headaches in recent days and was admitted to the Sírio-Libanês Hospital in Brasilia on Monday evening, where imaging tests revealed “bleeding between the brain and the meningeal membrane.” Lula was then transferred to the Sírio-Libanês Hospital in São Paulo, where he underwent the emergency procedure. CNN Brasil reported on Tuesday morning that Lula had been unwell since the previous morning and “despite being lucid and oriented, he was feeling sleepy and unwell, but he continued to keep his appointments,” according to an unnamed source. The Brazilian government released a statement on Tuesday stating that the craniotomy Lula underwent was “uneventful” and that Lula remains well and under monitoring by his medical team. Lula’s medical team held a press conference on Tuesday morning in which Dr. Roberto Kalil, who tended to the Brazilian president, stated that Lula is “fine, talks and eats normally and will not suffer any after-effects,” and pointing out that “his neurological functions are preserved.” “The president is progressing well; he arrived from surgery practically awake, was extubated and is now stable, talking normally, eating and will remain under observation for the next few days,” Kalil said. According to the doctor, Lula is expected to return to Brasilia early next week and is prohibited from receiving work visitors at the hospital until he is fully recovered. The president’s medical team told CNN Brasil after the press conference that Lula is expected to remain in São Paulo, with no return date set at press time. Kalil further explained that the hematoma was approximately three centimeters in size and did not touch the brain. Kalil asserted that it is “very unlikely” that Lula will experience another bleeding episode of that nature, and claimed the president “is stable, talking normally and eating.” Brazilian Vice President Geraldo Alckmin reportedly cancelled his schedule in São Paulo and returned to Brasília to take over some of Lula’s workload, including an upcoming meeting with Slovakian Prime Minister Robert Fico, who is presently conducting an official visit to Brazil. The emergency craniotomy took place almost two months after Lula suffered a head injury in a bathroom accident on Saturday, October 19, that required urgent medical attention at the Sírio-Libanês Hospital. Lula received five stitches at the time and was advised by Kalil and the other members of his medical team to avoid long-distance air travel. As a result, Lula cancelled his trip to Kazan, Russia, to participate in the annual meeting of the anti-U.S. BRICS bloc. The accident occurred hours before the scheduled trip. Lula participated in the event through a videoconference instead. Officials from Venezuela’s socialist regime claimed at the time that Lula’s bathroom accident was “ fake ” and an elaborate “alibi” to avoid attending the event, part of an alleged plot to snub Venezuela out of a long-coveted BRICS partnership spot. Brazilian government officials explained at the time that their decision to oppose longtime ally Venezuela’s entry into the group was due to a “breach of trust” following socialist dictator Nicolás Maduro’s fraudulent July 28 sham presidential election. Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here .

SEOUL, South Korea — Who is running South Korea? In the week since President Yoon Suk Yeol briefly declared martial law, setting off widespread calls for his removal from office, that question has become a national puzzle. Yoon hasn't appeared in public since Saturday, when he delivered a two-minute address apologizing for "inconveniencing" the South Korean people and promising not to declare martial law again. He also said he would leave the "stabilization of state affairs" to his conservative People Power Party, which has refused to go along with impeachment efforts, instead opting to pursue what its leader called an "orderly resignation." Party chief Han Dong-hoon and Prime Minister Han Duck-soo appeared side-by-side over the weekend to assure the country that Yoon — who is also facing multiple investigations on possible charges of insurrection — is no longer at the helm. Yoon "will not be participating in state governance even before his resignation, including diplomatic affairs," the party leader said without offering a timeline for when the president would leave office. "The party and the prime minister will cooperate closely to make sure there are no setbacks in the lives of citizens and the governance of the country," he continued. All of which has raised the question of who is in charge. Legal experts and politicians point out that there is no legal basis for either the party leader or the prime minister — neither of whom is a publicly elected official — to take over the president's job. "These are two people who have absolutely no authority," said Lee Kuk-woon, a constitutional law expert at Handong University. "Presenting themselves in this way with no other justification than the president asked them to is unequivocally a violation of the constitution." Liberal opposition leader Lee Jae-myung put it even more bluntly: "This is a second coup that destroys the constitutional order." Even some members of Yoon's own party have said as much. In a social media post, Hong Joon-pyo, the conservative mayor of the southeastern city of Daegu, accused the party chief of "blackmailing" his way into "insolently playing president." "The South Korean public never entrusted you to govern the country," he wrote. "Given that we've come to the point of impeachment, you should also take responsibility as party leader and resign." Following the backlash against what many have described as his "self-appointment," Han clarified that he meant that the prime minister would take the lead but in "close discussion with the party." One open question is who now controls the military. Han initially suggested to reporters that Yoon would no longer be the commander but then refused to specify who would be. The defense ministry has also said that control of the armed forces legally remains with Yoon. But when asked by The Times whether the ministry had received any official orders from the president since Saturday, a spokesperson said: "We cannot answer that." On Sunday, Yoon accepted the resignation of interior minister Lee Sang-min, a sign that he is at least nominally performing some of his presidential duties. In the meantime, public pressure is mounting for Yoon's removal from office. One survey conducted last week by polling company Realmeter found that 74% of South Koreans supported impeachment. Lawmakers voted on an impeachment motion Saturday, but it failed to get the 200 votes — or two-thirds of the National Assembly — needed to oust him. Yoon's party holds 108 seats, meaning impeachment will require eight or more of them to break ranks. Opposition lawmakers have pledged to put the motion to a vote every Saturday until it passes. If they manage to get the votes, the matter goes to the constitutional court, which has 180 days to ratify or reject it. Separately, Yoon could also face arrest if investigators determine that his six-hour declaration of martial law last Tuesday constitutes insurrection — one of the only crimes not covered by presidential immunity. On Monday, a special agency called the Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials barred Yoon from leaving the country, the first such move for a sitting president. South Korea's constitution stipulates that the prime minister, then a descending order of Cabinet officials, can take over if the president vacates his position or is otherwise unable to carry out his duties. But whether an arrest qualifies as an incident that renders Yoon unable to carry out his duties has never been answered. "The country has never been in this situation before so this is something where opinion may be divided among experts," said Lee, the law professor. That may not even be the most pressing legal question. When asked by The Times who will lead the military in the event that Yoon is arrested, a defense ministry spokesperson said: "This is not something the defense ministry can answer."