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Nerve Block Therapy Offers Hope for Migraine Sufferers

                           Calgary neurologist Dr. Serena Orr injecting a patient to help treat migraines.  Researchers in Calgary are spotlighting a promising treatment for people living with severe migraines: occipital nerve blocks . This approach involves injecting a small amount of anesthetic near the occipital nerves at the back of the head, which can interrupt pain signals and provide rapid relief. Neurologist Dr. Serena Orr of the University of Calgary has been at the forefront of this research, recommending updates to the American Headache Society’s guidelines for emergency departments. The new recommendations encourage doctors to consider nerve blocks as a frontline option for patients arriving with debilitating migraine attacks. Patients who have received the treatment report significant improvement. Some describe it as the first time they’ve been able to escape the crushing pain, nausea,...

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Trump’s Early Exit from APEC Hands Xi the Global Stage

    


                                             U.S. President Donald Trump

U.S. President Donald Trump’s abrupt departure from the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, has left the spotlight firmly on Chinese President Xi Jinping, underscoring shifting dynamics in global economic leadership.

Trump concluded a whirlwind 24-hour visit with a bilateral meeting with Xi, where the two leaders struck a fragile trade truce aimed at easing tensions over tariffs and rare earth exports. However, instead of staying for the full two-day summit, Trump boarded Air Force One and returned to Washington, skipping the main leaders’ sessions that traditionally serve as a platform for U.S. presidents to project influence across the Asia-Pacific region.

In his absence, Xi Jinping seized the moment, delivering a keynote speech that positioned China as a defender of free trade and multilateralism at a time of global uncertainty. Xi emphasized the importance of supply chain stability and international cooperation, drawing applause from delegates and reinforcing Beijing’s narrative that it is stepping into a leadership role as Washington retreats.

The contrast was stark: while Trump’s “America First” approach has often meant disengagement from multilateral forums, Xi used the summit to meet with leaders from Canada, Japan, and Thailand, extending China’s diplomatic reach. Analysts noted that the split-screen image of Trump’s early exit and Xi’s high-profile arrival symbolized a broader shift in influence within the Asia-Pacific.

U.S. officials sought to downplay the optics, insisting that Washington remains “very committed” to APEC and highlighting the trade truce as a sign of progress. Yet, the decision to leave early has fueled concerns among allies that the U.S. is ceding ground to China in shaping the region’s economic future.

For many observers, the episode encapsulates the current geopolitical moment: a United States increasingly focused inward, and a China eager to fill the vacuum on the world stage.


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