v-234 How Congolese Women Are Recapturing Their Visual Narratives In The Fight For LiberationHow Blockchain Is Empowering the Internet of Things (IoT)

NEW YORK, Dec. 13, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of securities, including call options, of Five9, Inc. (NASDAQ: FIVN) between June 4, 2024 and August 8, 2024, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”), of the important February 3, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Five9 securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the Five9 class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=32046 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than February 3, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate the cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, during the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) Five9’s net new business was not “strong irrespective of the macro” and was, in fact, hampered by macroeconomic issues such as constrained and scrutinized customer budgets; (2) Five9 was in the midst of a challenging bookings quarter due, in part, to sales execution and efficiency issues, and Five9 was not “seeing very strong bookings momentum”; and (3) defendants did not have “enough information in terms of [their] existing customers that are going live” such that the statements that Five9 would see a positive inflection in its dollar-based retention rate lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Five9 class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=32046 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.comTrump’s lawyers rebuff DA’s idea for upholding his hush money conviction, calling it ‘absurd’Theon International PLC (THEON) announces that the German Parliament’s Defence and Budget Committees yesterday approved a new extension of the OCCAR contract, with the exercise of the 3rd consecutive option, with an additional option of similar size remaining available. The consortium of HENSOLDT Optronics GmbH and THEON SENSORS SA has been invited by OCCAR to sign this amendment on 20 December 2024 in Bonn, Germany. The original contract for the Production and Support of Bifocal Night Vision Systems (BNVG) with the international organization OCCAR was signed in July 2021. To date, 49,550 Mikron BNVGs ( with Exosens 16 mm tubes ) have already been contracted for delivery to the German and Belgian Armed Forces. Under the new amendment, the Consortium will continue with additional deliveries to Germany of several thousand Mikron bifocal night vision systems from THEON. Christian Hatziminas, Founder and CEO of THEON , said: “The extension of the OCCAR contract, which is taking place earlier than expected, confirms the successful collaboration between the companies involved in this project and underlines the vital importance of night vision for military forces. In addition, we are seeing consistently high demand globally as military forces have recognised the criticality of the need to enhance their operational capabilities during both day and night. As a result, access to tube acquisition is paramount. Indeed, this justifies (a) the acquisition of the Harder Digital group, which took place earlier this year with an investment that increases tube stock, and (b) the initiation of long-term commercial agreements with tube suppliers, notably Exosens. By extension, THEON has taken steps to further increase tube orders from Exosens for 2026 and beyond as part of the long-term commercial agreement between us for the years 2025-2027. The receipt of new orders is expected to continue into the new year.” Explore related questions

Advantage Solutions named among Chief Marketer's 2025 Top Agencies of the Year

Geneva, Switzerland, Dec. 19, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SEALSQ Corp (NASDAQ: LAES) ("SEALSQ" or "Company"), a company that focuses on developing and selling Semiconductors, PKI and Post-Quantum technology hardware and software products, today announced that it has completed a registered direct offer to several institutional investors of 13,157,896 ordinary shares at a public offering price of $1.90, for gross proceeds of $25.0 million (the “Offering”), before deducting commissions and offering expenses. This brings the total gross proceeds from financings completed this week to $60.0 million, before deducting commissions and offering expenses. The Company confirms that, given the terms of the financings completed in the last week, it does not currently expect to enter into any further registered direct offering of ordinary shares for at least the next 60 days as a result of the funds raised. Maxim Group LLC acted as the sole placement agent for the Offering. SEALSQ currently intends to utilize the net proceeds from the Offering to fund the deployment of its next-generation post-quantum semiconductor technology and ASIC capabilities in the United States, to support working capital and for general corporate purposes. Carlos Moreira, CEO of the SEALSQ, said, “We are delighted to have secured this financing, which enables us to focus on advancing our quantum strategy, particularly the development and market launch of our post-quantum chips. The funds raised over the past week will significantly support the achievement of our strategic goals. As we move into the new year, we look forward to sharing further details on the Company's next steps.” The securities described above were offered by the Company pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form F-3 (File No. 333-283358) previously filed with and subsequently declared effective by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) on November 27, 2024. A prospectus supplement relating to the securities issued in, and describing the terms of, the Offering was filed by the Company with the SEC. Copies of the prospectus supplement relating to the Offering, together with the accompanying prospectus, can be obtained at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov or by contacting Maxim Group LLC, at 300 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10022, Attention: Syndicate Department, or via email at syndicate@maximgrp.com or by telephone at (212) 895-3745. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy these securities, nor shall there be any sale of these securities in any state or other jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful prior to the registration or qualification under the securities laws of any such state or other jurisdiction. About SEALSQ: SEALSQ focuses on selling integrated solutions based on Semiconductors, PKI and Provisioning services, while developing Post-Quantum technology hardware and software products. Our solutions can be used in a variety of applications, from Multi-Factor Authentication tokens, Smart Energy, Smart Home Appliances, Medical and Healthcare and IT Network Infrastructure, to Automotive, Industrial Automation and Control Systems. Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) refers to cryptographic methods that are secure against an attack by a quantum computer. As quantum computers become more powerful, they may be able to break many of the cryptographic methods that are currently used to protect sensitive information, such as RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC). PQC aims to develop new cryptographic methods that are secure against quantum attacks. For more information, please visit www.sealsq.com. Forward Looking Statements This communication expressly or implicitly contains certain forward-looking statements concerning SEALSQ Corp and its businesses. Forward-looking statements include statements regarding our business strategy, financial performance, results of operations, market data, events or developments that we expect or anticipates will occur in the future, as well as any other statements which are not historical facts. Although we believe that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, no assurance can be given that such expectations will prove to have been correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks and are based upon a number of assumptions and estimates which are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies, many of which are beyond our control. Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include SEALSQ’s ability to implement its growth strategies; SEALSQ’s ability to successfully launch post-quantum semiconductor technology; SEALSQ’s ability to capture a share of the quantum semiconductor market; the growth of the quantum computing market; SEALSQ’s ability to expand its U.S. operations; SEALSQ’s ability to make additional investments towards the development of a new generation of quantum-ready semiconductors; SEALSQ’s ability to continue beneficial transactions with material parties, including a limited number of significant customers; market demand and semiconductor industry conditions; the growth of the quantum computing market; and the risks discussed in SEALSQ’s filings with the SEC. Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by SEALSQ with the SEC. SEALSQ Corp is providing this communication as of this date and does not undertake to update any forward-looking statements contained herein as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. Press and Investor Contacts SEALSQ Corp. Carlos Moreira Chairman & CEO Tel: +41 22 594 3000 info@sealsq.com SEALSQ Investor Relations (US) The Equity Group Inc. Lena Cati Tel: +1 212 836-9611 / lcati@equityny.com Katie Murphy Tel: +212 836-9612 / kmurphy@equityny.comTechnology stocks pulled Wall Street to another record amid mixed trading. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% Monday after closing November at an all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. Super Micro Computer, a stock that’s been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared after saying an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or the company’s board. Retailers were mixed coming off Black Friday and heading into what’s expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. On Monday: The S&P 500 rose 14.77 points, or 0.2%, to 6,047.15. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 128.65 points, or 0.3%, to 44,782. The Nasdaq composite rose 185.78 points, or 1%, to 19,403.95. The Russell 2000 index of smaller companies fell 0.59 points, or less than 0.1%, to 2,434.14. For the year: The S&P 500 is up 1,277.32 points, or 26.8%. The Dow is up 7,092.46 points, or 18.8%. The Nasdaq is up 4,392.60 points, or 29.3%. The Russell 2000 is up 407.06 points, or 20.1%.

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Court Validates Business Judgement on Strategic Actions Taken by Nano, Including Agreements to Acquire Desktop Metal and Markforged Previous Murchinson Nominees Kenneth Traub and Dr. Joshua Rosensweig Become Full Board Members Yoav Stern Continues as CEO and Stands for Election, as Planned, at 2024 Annual General Meeting Nano Urges Shareholders to Protect Their Investment and Vote “FOR” ALL of Nano’s Proposals To Learn More Visit: www.ProtectingNanoValue.com Waltham, Mass., Nov. 21, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Nano Dimension Ltd. (Nasdaq: NNDM) (“Nano” or the “Company”), a leading supplier of Additively Manufactured Electronics and multi-dimensional polymer, metal & ceramic Additive Manufacturing 3D printing solutions, today commented on the Israeli court ruling regarding Nano’s Extraordinary General Meeting (the “EGM”) that was held on March 20th, 2023. Highlights of the ruling include: The Company clarifies in response to Murchinson’s announcement issued earlier today, that, although Dr. Yoav Nissan-Cohen and Oded Gera have been removed from the Company’s Board in the March 2023 EGM pursuant to the court ruling, both, however, have been elected at the Company’s Annual Meeting held in September 2023 and are serving as Board members. Dr. Yoav Nissan-Cohen, Chairman of the Board of Nano Dimension, commented: “We are pleased to welcome Kenneth Traub and Dr. Joshua Rosensweig as full members to Nano’s Board. Both have been actively engaged as observers to date and we look forward to their continued insights in guiding the Company’s strategy. We are also pleased that the Israeli Court affirmed to our shareholders and other stakeholders that our Board was fully authorized to oversee Nano’s strategy, including our transformational M&A strategy and acquisitions of Desktop Metal and Markforged. We remain committed to advancing our plans to become the market leader in digital manufacturing and delivering long-term value creation for our shareholders.” Dr. Nissan-Cohen added, “Yoav Stern continues as CEO and stands for election as planned along with General Garrett at our upcoming Annual Meeting. It is critically important that shareholders benefit from Yoav’s expertise as a director and that General Garrett remains a Board member. With their deep expertise and institutional knowledge, we have the right Board in place to bolster our long-term strategy.” Under the court’s ruling, Murchinson’s previous nominees now hold two seats on Nano’s Board. Accordingly, Nano’s Board urges the Company’s shareholders to protect their investment and the Company's future by voting today “FOR” ALL of Nano’s proposals, including the reelection of Yoav Stern and General Garrett, and AGAINST Murchinson’s proposals at its upcoming Annual Meeting. For most shareholders, the expected deadline to vote electronically will be 11:59 pm ET on December 1, 2024. Some brokers may have earlier deadlines, so shareholders are encouraged to call their brokers TODAY to ensure their vote is counted. Since time is short, shareholders are encouraged to vote by e-mail or electronically according to the instructions on their proxy card. Voting by e-mail or electronically is the best way for shareholders to ensure that their votes will be counted. Shareholders of record as of the close of business on October 22nd, 2024, are entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting, which will be held on Friday, December 6th, 2024, at 7:00 AM ET. Nano’s proxy statement and other important information and resources related to the Annual Meeting can be found at www.ProtectingNanoValue.com or the investor relations page of the Company’s website. Nano is still reviewing and assessing the court ruling and evaluating any actions it may require to take. If you have questions about how to vote your shares, please contact: About Nano Dimension Nano Dimension’s (Nasdaq: NNDM) vision is to transform existing electronics and mechanical manufacturing into Industry 4.0 environmentally friendly & economically efficient precision additive electronics and manufacturing – by delivering solutions that convert digital designs to electronic or mechanical devices - on demand, anytime, anywhere. Nano Dimension’s strategy is driven by the application of deep learning based AI to drive improvements in manufacturing capabilities by using self-learning & self-improving systems, along with the management of a distributed manufacturing network via the cloud. Nano Dimension has served over 2,000 customers across vertical target markets such as aerospace and defense, advanced automotive, high-tech industrial, specialty medical technology, R&D and academia. The Company designs and makes Additive Electronics and Additive Manufacturing 3D printing machines and consumable materials. Additive Electronics are manufacturing machines that enable the design and development of High-Performance-Electronic-Devices (Hi-PED®s). Additive Manufacturing includes manufacturing solutions for production of metal, ceramic, and specialty polymers-based applications - from millimeters to several centimeters in size with micron precision. Through the integration of its portfolio of products, Nano Dimension is offering the advantages of rapid prototyping, high-mix-low-volume production, IP security, minimal environmental footprint, and design-for-manufacturing capabilities, which is all unleashed with the limitless possibilities of additive manufacturing. For more information, please visit www.nano-di.com . Forward-Looking Statements This document contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements include statements regarding Nano’s strategic plan and value to shareholders, and all other statements other than statements of historical fact that address activities, events or developments that Nano intends, expects, projects, believes or anticipates will or may occur in the future. Such statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions made based on information currently available to management. When used in this communication, the words “outlook,” “guidance,” “expects,” “believes,” “anticipates,” “should,” “estimates,” “may,” “will,” “intends,” “projects,” “could,” “would,” “estimate,” “potential,” “continue,” “plan,” “target,” or the negative of these words or similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, though not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. These forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, which may cause the Company’s actual results and performance to be materially different from those expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements. Accordingly, we caution you that any such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and are subject to risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties that are difficult to predict. Because such statements deal with future events and are based on the current expectations of Nano, they are subject to various risks and uncertainties. Further, actual results, performance, or achievements of Nano could differ materially from those described in or implied by the statements in this communication. The forward-looking statements contained or implied in this communication are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed (i) under the heading “Risk Factors” in Nano’s annual report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC on March 21, 2024, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC, (ii) under the heading “Risk Factors” in Desktop Metal, Inc.’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 15, 2024, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC, and (iii) under the heading “Risk Factors” in Markforged Holding Corporation’s annual report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC on March 15, 2024, and in any subsequent filings with the SEC. Except as otherwise required by law, Nano undertakes no obligation to publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. References and links to websites have been provided as a convenience, and the information contained on such websites is not incorporated by reference into this communication. Nano is not responsible for the contents of third-party websites. Nano Dimension Contacts Investor: Julien Lederman, VP Corporate Development ir@nano-di.com Media: Kal Goldberg / Bryan Locke / Kelsey Markovich | NanoDimension@fgsglobal.comAnalysis: If Jets don't want Rodgers, others will

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.KINGSTON, Jamaica— Opposition Spokesman on Water, Ian Hayles says the majority of the more than 547,000 customers of the National Water Commission (NWC) will not benefit from the three-month amnesty announced on Sunday by Prime Minister Andrew Holness. According to Hayles, it is a desperate knee-jerk reaction on the part of the Jamaica Labour Party (JLP) Government. He also suggested that the government was playing politics with water. Hayles was speaking Tuesday at a press conference called by the People’s National Party (PNP) at the party’s Old Hope Road headquarters. He was responding to the announcement made by Holness at the JLP’s annual conference at the National Arena. The prime minister announced that some individuals, in particular pensioners and beneficiaries of the Programme of Advancement Through Health and Education (PATH), could see their entire NWC debt written off. The amnesty is set to start on January 2 next year. According to Hayles, the announcement was not properly thought out with staff of the NWC calling the Ministry of Labour and Social Security up to Monday to ascertain the number of Jamaicans who are on PATH and how many are pensioners. “So this was not well thought out, it was a knee-jerk reaction and it shows a level of desperation on the part of the government,” Hayles said. He asserted that the amnesty will not benefit more than 10 per cent of the NWC’s customers. He said the Government has failed in nine years to better the lives of Jamaicans.Microprocessor Market Size to Worth USD 126.91 Billion by 2032, Driven by Growing Consumer Demand and Expanding Industry Applications | Research by SNS Insider

ISSUE: Fee schedule ordinance adoption Vote: 7-0 What it means: Several additions and amendments to fees in the city's Master Fee Schedule will be made that will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025. ISSUE: Citizens on patrol member ordinance adoption Vote: 7-0 What it means: An ordinance was adopted that would update city code regarding police service assistants and citizens on patrol that would outline the requirements and authority granted. ISSUE: E-bike regulations ordinance adoption Vote: 6-1 What it means: An ordinance was introduced to update the city code and establish definitions for e-bikes and other mobility devices to allow for enforcement of violations. It also outlines the "rules of the road."

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced $200 million in humanitarian aid for conflict-torn Sudan during what was likely his final trip to the United Nations while in office. With the U.N. Security Council more divided than ever, Blinken led two meetings of the U.N.’s most powerful body on Thursday, capping his engagements with the world body after a tumultuous four years that saw war return to Europe and multiple crises in the Middle East. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.

School tax relief spirits set to hover over incoming Unicameral

JAMESTOWN — The District 12 delegation plans to introduce the Chinese Divestment Act in the North Dakota Legislature, which will require the State Investment Board to divest all its North Dakota Legacy Fund investments in China. Rep. Bernie Satrom, R-Jamestown, said the bill is with the Legislative Council. ADVERTISEMENT If the legislation becomes law, North Dakota will join six other states that have recently pulled their investments in China — Kansas, Indiana, Missouri, Oklahoma, Florida and Texas. “Divesting our Legacy Fund holdings in China is long overdue,” the District 12 delegation said in a news release. “We have been voicing our concerns for years about our investments in Chinese-controlled companies involved in espionage, fentanyl, pornography, banking and real estate. But it looks like it will take legislation to get the State Investment Board to finally act on those concerns.” Two major entities have joined the growing trend to divest from China — the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board, which is the main U.S. federal government pension fund, and the state of Texas — in just the last few weeks, the District 12 delegation said in the news release. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott issued a “stark directive” ordering all state investing agencies to halt Chinese investments and liquidate existing holdings, the delegation said. Unless amended, the Chinese Divestment Act will apply only to Chinese holdings in the Legacy Fund — not the state’s pension funds — but will include any “underlying” investments in China that the SIB may hold in “commingled” funds. Investments in those commingled funds are being covered up by the State Investment Board, according to the delegation. Jan Murtha, executive director of the North Dakota Retirement and Investment Office, wrote in a response to Sen. Cole Conley, R-Jamestown, who requested records about Legacy Fund investments, that her office would not be able to provide him with the “holding level information” for 11 commingled funds. Holding level data refers to stocks and bonds the Legacy Fund owns. A commingled fund is a holding in a portfolio, Murtha wrote. “In a commingled fund, an investment is the pooling of assets from multiple investors into a single account, while the commingled fund holding is the result of that pooling,” she wrote. “ ... The commingled fund must comply with all applicable laws and will not invest in securities sanctioned by the US Treasury. When the Legacy fund is invested in different types of commingled funds, the Legacy fund owns a proportional share of that fund. The Legacy fund does not directly own the underlying securities in the fund's portfolio.” ADVERTISEMENT In 2010, North Dakota voters approved a measure that created the Legacy Fund, which is a perpetual source of state revenue from the finite national resources of oil and natural gas, according to the Office of State Treasurer’s website. Thirty percent of the taxes on petroleum produced and extracted in North Dakota are transferred to the Legacy Fund monthly, according to the North Dakota Retirement and Investment Office’s website. The Legacy Fund has almost $11.5 billion as of Oct. 31. Legacy Fund investments Satrom said the Legacy Fund is or has been invested in Chinese companies that have been flagged by the U.S. government for assisting the Chinese military industrial complex and helping with the distribution and financing of the fentanyl drug trade. He said the Legacy Fund is currently or has invested nearly $230 million in 89 companies in China in the past four years. He said the 89 companies are only what has been disclosed in a few open records requests between 2021 and 2024. Satrom said the Legacy Fund is or has been invested in the following Chinese companies among others with these concerns: Satrom also noted the Legacy Fund is or has been invested in companies that compete with North Dakota’s oil and gas industry. “We have problems getting capital coming, having people come here to invest, and then we're shipping all this money, not only outside of North Dakota, but outside of our country,” he said. “So we're investing in everybody else's future but our own.” ADVERTISEMENT Satrom previously said the Legacy Fund is or has been used to invest in banks that have joined the Net-Zero Banking Alliance. The Net Zero Banking Alliance is a United Nations-backed group of leading global banks committed to aligning their lending, investment and capital markets activities with net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, according to the United Nations Environment Programme's website. State Treasurer Thomas Beadle, a member of the State Investment Board, said investments are in accordance with U.S. State Department and U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission guidelines and requirements. “There's a healthy list of those from a number of areas, anything that is on these bad actor lists by the U.S. State Department or the SEC or any of the federal guidelines, that's the direction that our fund managers have been given to look towards and make sure that they're not investing in any of those companies because those companies would be ones that the federal government has identified as being a bad faith actor that could be involved in espionage, spying, etc.,” he said. “We are very clear with our fund managers not to invest in any companies along those lines.” Beadle said there are investments with exposure to companies that operate in China. “We primarily have that exposure through index funds, where we buy shares within an index and then that index happens to have holdings from different companies and different funds,” he said. “So that's where our primary exposure is into really all emerging markets, China included. Our exposure is more like 1.9% of our international fund, whereas the markets might say it should be more like 4 1/2% for the index.” Beadle said he doesn’t have a problem with divesting Legacy Fund investments from Chinese-owned companies. “But we need to also recognize what is the scope of that,” he said. “Is it just divesting from Chinese-owned companies or is it from companies like Apple where 95% of iPhones are still manufactured in China.” ADVERTISEMENT Legacy Fund Transparency Act The District 12 delegation also plans to introduce the Legacy Fund Transparency Act during the next legislative session which will require the State Investment Board to publish every investment in the Legacy Fund. Satrom said the delegation is waiting for the draft of the bill. Satrom said there are more investments in categories — $800 million worth — such as “global region,” “international region” and “emerging markets region” where specific investments are hidden from public view. Satrom said a total of $3.1 billion in 24 funds is being invested from the Legacy Fund where the underlying investments are hidden from public view. He said the District 12 delegation has been denied information regarding those investments and contracts the State Investment Board has signed with over 30 out-of-state money managers. “Our constituents are demanding more accountability when it comes to how their Legacy Fund is being invested all around the world,” Conley said. “And they get particularly upset when they hear that investing in China and Russia is more important to the State Investment Board than investing in North Dakota.” Satrom said he’s not sure who’s even allowed to see the contracts the State Investment Board has with the out-of-state money managers. He also he’s been told that the attorney general has reviewed the contracts. “I'm sure they're just reviewing to make sure ... that the format is proper and legal, and that it's a binding contract,” he said. “I'm sure that's their concern. It's not the content. I'm concerned about the content.” Beadle said he is not familiar with the denial of the District 12 delegation’s request. But he said the information is being withheld if it is commercial confidential information when the request is for a fund manager. ADVERTISEMENT “If they want to see all of the holdings by fund manager A, we can't specifically give them that if it's under commercial confidential information for a private equity fund or a private fund manager because that gives away kind of their secret sauce blend,” he said.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.