As Ghana readies for its ninth democratic elections on December 7, 2024, the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) has announced comprehensive preparations to ensure a transparent and credible process. At a press briefing in Accra, CODEO Co-Chairs Mrs. Elizabeth Joyce Villars and Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, detailed the coalition’s efforts, emphasizing the importance of impartial observation in strengthening Ghana’s democracy. Rev. Dr. Fred Deegbe, Co-Chair of CODEO, reiterated the need for all stakeholders to act responsibly during the elections. “We appeal to political parties, the Electoral Commission and other actors to prioritize the nation’s peace and stability by upholding integrity and accountability,” he stated. He emphasized the importance of public awareness and calmness throughout the electoral period. “We remind Ghanaians to seek legal redress for any grievances instead of resorting to violence. Let us work together to ensure a process that reflects the best of our democracy,” Rev. Dr. Deegbe said. Addressing the media, he encouraged balanced reporting to avoid escalating tensions. “The media must rise to the occasion by disseminating accurate information. This is key to preventing misinformation and maintaining unity,” he added. Rev. Dr. Deegbe reiterated CODEO’s commitment to ensuring peaceful elections. “This is a defining moment for Ghana. Let us demonstrate to the world our collective dedication to democracy, peace, and unity,” he said. Mrs. Elizabeth Joyce Villars, Co-Chair of CODEO, elaborated on the coalition’s operational plans for the elections. “CODEO will deploy 4,000 observers nationwide to monitor the electoral process comprehensively. This includes 3,401 stationed observers and 307 mobile monitors, in addition to representatives at all collation centers,” she disclosed. She highlighted CODEO’s continued use of the Parallel Vote Tabulation (PVT) methodology to verify the credibility of election results. “The PVT is an essential tool for assessing the quality of the electoral process and ensuring the official results align with the will of the people,” Mrs. Villars explained. Mrs. Villars also assured the public of CODEO’s readiness to address incidents that may compromise the elections. “Our critical incident desk will handle reports from observers on issues such as voter inducement or disruptions. Verified reports will be escalated to the relevant authorities for immediate action,” she noted. She further announced CODEO’s schedule for public updates on election day. “We will provide three key updates: a midday situational report, an end-of-day statement, and a preliminary observation briefing on December 8. These updates are crucial to keeping the public informed,” she added. In collaboration with international partners such as WADEMOS and WAEON, CODEO is well-positioned to promote free, fair, and transparent elections. As December approaches, the coalition remains resolute in its mission to uphold Ghana’s democratic ideals. Source: Isaac Kofi Dzokpo/newsghana.com.gh
Irish premier Simon Harris has said Fine Gael will gain seats in the General Election despite a further fragmentation of Irish politics. Fine Gael won 35 seats in the 2020 election, but 18 of those TDs did not seek re-election in Friday’s poll. An exit poll puts the party’s support at 21%, a fraction of a percentage behind the main opposition party Sinn Fein. Mr Harris, the outgoing Taoiseach, was elected with 16,869 first preference votes, well above the quota. He celebrated with his wife Caoimhe, his parents Bart and Mary, his sister Gemma and his political team at the count centre in Greystones, Co Wicklow. Ahead of his re-election, Mr Harris told reporters he was “cautiously optimistic” about the election result and said it was “clear that my party will gain seats”. “It’s also clear that Fine Gael will top the poll in at least 10 constituencies, many more than we did the last time, that we will gain seats in constituencies where we haven’t had seats in many years, like Tipperary South and Waterford, and that we will add second seats in other constituencies as well,” he said. “I think the people of Ireland have now spoken. We now have to work out exactly what they have said, and that is going to take a little bit of time.” In one of the five consecutive broadcast media rounds he did from the Greystones count centre, he said there were a lot of areas where there were “straight shoot-outs” between Fianna Fail and Fine Gael for final seats. He described the Sinn Fein vote as “pretty significantly down”, the Fianna Fail vote as “marginally down” and the Fine Gael vote as “static” compared with its 2020 vote. He said it was “a very close, a very competitive election” and that “we haven’t seen a Sinn Fein surge or anything like it”. He said: “It was predicted by many that I would become the Taoiseach for a brief period of time, take over from Leo Varadkar, and then have to rebuild my party from the opposition benches as Sinn Fein led a government. “We don’t know what’s going to happen on government formation yet, but that is now looking less likely than it was.” He acknowledged that it was “a very difficult day” for the Green Party and paid tribute to their work in the coalition government, alongside his party and Fianna Fail. “Definitely, politics in Ireland has gotten much more fragmented,” he said. Fine Gael minister Helen McEntee said that her party’s campaign had been “positive”. “The feeling on the doors was very much that people were relatively happy with the government,” she said on RTE Radio. “It will come down to the last seats and it will come down to transfers,” she said of the final result, adding that Fianna Fail and Fine Gael were performing better than the exit poll estimated.By Stephanie Lai and Hadriana Lowenkron, Bloomberg News Donald Trump says he is selecting venture capitalist David Sacks of Craft Ventures LLC to serve as his artificial intelligence and crypto czar, a newly created position that underscores the president-elect’s intent to boost two rapidly developing industries. “David will guide policy for the Administration in Artificial Intelligence and Cryptocurrency, two areas critical to the future of American competitiveness. David will focus on making America the clear global leader in both areas,” Trump said Thursday in a post on his Truth Social network. Trump said that Sacks would also lead the Presidential Council of Advisors for Science and Technology. Related Articles National Politics | Elon Musk funded a super PAC comparing Trump’s position on abortion to Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s National Politics | Trump names former Sen. David Perdue of Georgia to be ambassador to China National Politics | Trump talks up his transition and election victory as he receives Fox Nation award National Politics | Biden is considering preemptive pardons for officials and allies before Trump takes office National Politics | EPA hails ‘revitalized’ enforcement efforts as Biden administration heads to exit In Sacks, Trump is tapping one of his most prominent Silicon Valley supporters and fundraisers for a prime position in his administration. Sacks played a key role in bolstering Trump’s fundraising among technology industry donors, including co-hosting an event at his San Francisco home in June, with tickets at $300,000 a head. He is also closely associated with Vice President-elect JD Vance, the investor-turned-Ohio senator. Sacks is a venture capitalist and part of Silicon Valley’s “PayPal Mafia.” He first made his name in the technology industry during a stint as the chief operating officer of PayPal, the payments company whose founders in the late 1990s included billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk and investor Peter Thiel. After it was sold to eBay, Sacks turned to Hollywood, where he produced the 2005 satire Thank You for Smoking. Back in Silicon Valley, he founded workplace communications company Yammer, which was bought by Microsoft Corp. in 2012 for $1.2 billion. He founded his own venture capital firm, Craft Ventures, in 2017 and has invested in Musk-owned businesses, including SpaceX. Sacks said on a recent episode of his All-In podcast that a “key man” clause in the agreements of his venture firm’s legal documents would likely prevent him from taking a full-time position, but he might consider an advisory role in the new administration. A Craft spokeswoman said Sacks would not be leaving Craft. In his post, Trump said Sacks “will safeguard Free Speech online, and steer us away from Big Tech bias and censorship.” Protecting free speech is a keen interest of Sacks. He regularly speaks about “woke” interests that try to muzzle unpopular opinions and positions. Crypto czar The new post is expected to help spearhead the crypto industry deregulation Trump promised on the campaign trail. The role is expected to provide cryptocurrency advocates a direct line to the White House and serve as a liaison between Trump, Congress and the federal agencies that interface with digital assets, including the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. Trump heavily campaigned on supporting crypto, after previously disparaging digital assets during his first White House term, saying their “value is highly volatile and based on thin air.” The president-elect on Thursday said Sacks would “work on a legal framework so the Crypto industry has the clarity it has been asking for, and can thrive in the U.S.” During the campaign, Trump spoke at a Bitcoin conference, accepted crypto campaign donations and met with executives from Bitcoin mining companies and crypto exchanges multiple times. Trump’s desire to give priority to the digital asset industry is also reflected in his close allies and cabinet selections, including his Commerce secretary pick, Howard Lutnick, and Treasury secretary nominee Scott Bessent. AI tech On the AI front, Sacks would help Trump put his imprint on an emerging technology whose popular use has exploded in recent years. Sacks is poised to be at the front lines in determining how the federal government both adopts AI and regulates its use as advances in the technology and adoption by consumers pose a wide array of benefits as well as risks touching on national security, privacy, jobs and other areas. The president-elect has expressed both awe at the power of AI technology as well as concern over the potential harms from its use. During his first term, he signed executive orders that sought to maintain US leadership in the field and directed the federal government to prioritize AI in research and development spending. As AI has become more mainstream in recent years and with Congress slow to act, President Joe Biden has sought to fill that void. Biden signed an executive order in 2023 that establishes security and privacy protections and requires developers to safety-test new models, casting the sweeping regulatory order as necessary to safeguard consumers. A number of technology giants have also agreed to adopt a set of voluntary safeguards which call for them to test AI systems for discriminatory tendencies or security flaws and to share those results. Trump has vowed to repeal Biden’s order. The Republican Party’s 2024 platform dismissed Biden’s executive order as one that “hinders AI Innovation, and imposes Radical Leftwing ideas on the development of this technology.” Musk ties Sacks can be expected to work closely with Musk, the world’s richest person and one of the president-elect’s most prominent supporters. Musk is also a player in the AI space with his company xAI and a chatbot named Grok — efforts which pit him against Silicon Valley’s giants — and he stands to wield significant influence within the incoming administration. The appointment won’t require Sacks to divest or publicly disclose his assets. Like Musk, Sacks will be a special government employee. He can serve a maximum of 130 days per year, with or without compensation. However, conflict of interest rules apply to special government employees, meaning Sacks will have to recuse himself from matters that could impact his holdings. Strong opinions Sacks’s Craft Ventures is known more for enterprise software investing than for crypto, but it has made a few crypto investments, including BitGo and Bitwise. Still, Sacks has firm opinions on the sector. Speaking last month on All-In, Sacks praised a bill on crypto regulation that had passed in the U.S. House but not the Senate earlier this year. The Financial Innovation and Technology for the 21st Century Act would regulate certain types of digital assets as a commodity, regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “The crypto industry basically wants a really clear line for knowing when they’re a commodity and they want commodities to be governed, like all other commodities, by the CFTC,” he said on the November podcast. He also disparaged some of the Securities and Exchange Commission’s positions on crypto under its chair, Gary Gensler. “The days of Gensler terrifying crypto companies,” he said. “Those days are about to be over.” Earlier this week, Trump nominated crypto advocate Paul Atkins to lead the SEC. With assistance from Zoe Ma, Bill Allison, Sarah McBride, Anne VanderMey and stacy-marie ishmael. ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
Throughout the last three months, 10 analysts have evaluated ONEOK OKE , offering a diverse set of opinions from bullish to bearish. The table below provides a snapshot of their recent ratings, showcasing how sentiments have evolved over the past 30 days and comparing them to the preceding months. Bullish Somewhat Bullish Indifferent Somewhat Bearish Bearish Total Ratings 3 2 5 0 0 Last 30D 0 0 1 0 0 1M Ago 1 0 1 0 0 2M Ago 2 1 2 0 0 3M Ago 0 1 1 0 0 Analysts have recently evaluated ONEOK and provided 12-month price targets. The average target is $105.5, accompanied by a high estimate of $132.00 and a low estimate of $94.00. Surpassing the previous average price target of $94.78, the current average has increased by 11.31%. Investigating Analyst Ratings: An Elaborate Study A comprehensive examination of how financial experts perceive ONEOK is derived from recent analyst actions. The following is a detailed summary of key analysts, their recent evaluations, and adjustments to ratings and price targets. Analyst Analyst Firm Action Taken Rating Current Price Target Prior Price Target Neal Dingmann Truist Securities Raises Hold $107.00 $99.00 Brian Reynolds UBS Raises Buy $132.00 $112.00 Theresa Chen Barclays Raises Equal-Weight $99.00 $94.00 Michael Blum Wells Fargo Raises Overweight $107.00 $100.00 Neal Dingmann Truist Securities Raises Hold $99.00 $83.00 Sunil Sibal Seaport Global Raises Buy $103.00 $91.00 Jean Ann Salisbury B of A Securities Announces Buy $105.00 - Elvira Scotto RBC Capital Raises Sector Perform $98.00 $89.00 Theresa Chen Barclays Raises Equal-Weight $94.00 $82.00 Robert Kad Morgan Stanley Raises Overweight $111.00 $103.00 Key Insights: Action Taken: Analysts respond to changes in market conditions and company performance, frequently updating their recommendations. Whether they 'Maintain', 'Raise' or 'Lower' their stance, it reflects their reaction to recent developments related to ONEOK. This information offers a snapshot of how analysts perceive the current state of the company. Rating: Unveiling insights, analysts deliver qualitative insights into stock performance, from 'Outperform' to 'Underperform'. These ratings convey expectations for the relative performance of ONEOK compared to the broader market. Price Targets: Analysts provide insights into price targets, offering estimates for the future value of ONEOK's stock. This comparison reveals trends in analysts' expectations over time. Navigating through these analyst evaluations alongside other financial indicators can contribute to a holistic understanding of ONEOK's market standing. Stay informed and make data-driven decisions with our Ratings Table. Stay up to date on ONEOK analyst ratings. Discovering ONEOK: A Closer Look Oneok is a diversified midstream service provider specializing in natural gas gathering, processing, storage, and transportation and natural gas liquids transportation and fractionation. It also operates a refined product and crude oil segment connecting producers, refiners, and consumers. Operations are in the midcontinent, Permian, and Rocky Mountain regions. ONEOK: Financial Performance Dissected Market Capitalization: Surpassing industry standards, the company's market capitalization asserts its dominance in terms of size, suggesting a robust market position. Revenue Growth: Over the 3 months period, ONEOK showcased positive performance, achieving a revenue growth rate of 19.91% as of 30 September, 2024. This reflects a substantial increase in the company's top-line earnings. As compared to its peers, the company achieved a growth rate higher than the average among peers in Energy sector. Net Margin: ONEOK's net margin falls below industry averages, indicating challenges in achieving strong profitability. With a net margin of 13.78%, the company may face hurdles in effective cost management. Return on Equity (ROE): ONEOK's ROE is below industry averages, indicating potential challenges in efficiently utilizing equity capital. With an ROE of 4.12%, the company may face hurdles in achieving optimal financial returns. Return on Assets (ROA): The company's ROA is below industry benchmarks, signaling potential difficulties in efficiently utilizing assets. With an ROA of 1.45%, the company may need to address challenges in generating satisfactory returns from its assets. Debt Management: ONEOK's debt-to-equity ratio is below industry norms, indicating a sound financial structure with a ratio of 1.67 . The Basics of Analyst Ratings Analysts work in banking and financial systems and typically specialize in reporting for stocks or defined sectors. Analysts may attend company conference calls and meetings, research company financial statements, and communicate with insiders to publish "analyst ratings" for stocks. Analysts typically rate each stock once per quarter. Analysts may supplement their ratings with predictions for metrics like growth estimates, earnings, and revenue, offering investors a more comprehensive outlook. However, investors should be mindful that analysts, like any human, can have subjective perspectives influencing their forecasts. Breaking: Wall Street's Next Big Mover Benzinga's #1 analyst just identified a stock poised for explosive growth. This under-the-radar company could surge 200%+ as major market shifts unfold. Click here for urgent details . This article was generated by Benzinga's automated content engine and reviewed by an editor. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.is having an inconsistent season so far, with his team having a 9-4 record that's only good enough for third place on the very stacked . The 2023 version of got him a massive four-year, $220 million contract extension but so far he's been above average with 2,724 passing yards for 21 touchdowns for 11 interceptions and a quarterback rating of 64.4%. As any young person, takes advantage of his free time to have some fun at a bar but he didn't expect to be in the middle of a very peculiar request: a total stranger tried to make him pay for a massive tab out of the blue. And it wasn't just any stranger: it was actor and comedian He has accumulated millions of views on social media platforms for his edgy pranks which includes trying to make famous people pay for ridiculous tabs. His latest victim? On a video posted in , we see TravQue next to Jordan Love as the comedian starts asking for humongous quantities of drinks. "Hey yo, bartender, look: let me get five bottles of tequila, right? Six bottles of champagne and three bottles of vodka, and put it on his tab. You know who this is? This is from the and he holding us down so you know he got it!" said the comedian. A very surprised Love immediately reacts with shock and disbelief and then he proceeds to let the bartender know that he's not gonna pay for any of the actor's bottles. "You got it, right?" added TravQue. "Nah, nah, nah," replied the player. "How much you made last year, bro?" continued the comedian. "Don't worry about that. You watching my money? No, no, no." said a very impatient Love. Luckily for everyone, the comedian didn't go any further with his prank. Other notable celebrities that the actor has tried to prank include New York rapper and business mogul and better known in the music industry as
The best Maelstrom loadout in Black Ops 6 makes the most of the fact that the game finally has a fully automatic shotgun. Fully-auto shotguns are best used with a fast-paced run-and-gun build where you try to get in the face of your enemies as much as possible, because as is the case with most shotguns, you don’t have much range. However, the Maelstrom is one of the best shotguns in the game if you can manage this, thanks to how quickly it fires, so our build is mostly geared around increasing the damage range and accuracy as much as possible. We also want to enable fast-paced movement and handling with the stock and laser attachments. So without further ado, here’s the best Maelstrom loadout in Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 and how to unlock the gun to begin with in Season 1 Reloaded. Table of Contents How to unlock the Maelstrom in Black Ops 6 Best Maelstrom loadout in Black Ops 6 Best Maelstrom class in Black Ops 6 How to unlock the Maelstrom in Black Ops 6 To unlock the Maelstrom in Black Ops 6 , you need to complete the Merry Mayhem event in Season 1 Reloaded. This involves earning a total of 600,000 XP during the event, which runs until Thursday, Dec. 19th . Earning this much XP will mean you’ve unlocked all the rewards, of which the Maelstrom is the very final one. Alternatively, if you don’t have the time to commit between now and then, you can also buy the Bad Manners bundle from the in-game store. This costs 1,800 COD Points and will grant you the Party Etiquette blueprint for the Maelstrom, which unlocks the gun for you to level up. Best Maelstrom loadout in Black Ops 6 Here is the best Maelstrom loadout in Black Ops 6 : Muzzle: Modified Choke Barrel: Reinforced Barrel Rear Grip: Ergonomic Grip Stock: Balanced Stock Laser: Strelok Laser The most important thing to note with the Maelstrom is that you ideally want to be aiming down the sights when you’re firing, thanks to the Modified Choke , which reduces the pellet spread considerably but only when ADSing. It’s a minor inconvenience for a major buff as it almost guarantees all of your pellets will land. Finally, there’s the Strelok Laser , which is all about buffing your hipfire to ADS accuracy. It makes the laser visible when aiming down the sights, but it’s a small price to pay since you don’t want to be walking everywhere while aiming, you want to just pull the gun up quickly when in combat. (If you opt to not use the Modified Choke, you can also replace the Strelok Laser with the Fast Motion Laser for better hipfire accuracy.) Best Maelstrom class in Black Ops 6 The Reinforced Barrel is essential for that small damage range buff, and since this is a shotgun, bullet velocity also comes into play due to the short range, as opposed to weapons like assault rifles where bullet velocity usually isn’t that important to consider. Then on the mobility side of things we have the Ergonomic Grip to buff your slide to fire, dive to fire, and ADS speeds, while the Balanced Stock buffs the following speeds too: Strafing movement, movement, hipfire movement, and aim walking movement. That’s a lot of moving. Here is the best class to use with the Maelstrom in Black Ops 6 : Pistol: Grekhova Melee: Knife Tactical: Stim Shot Lethal: Combat Axe Field Upgrade: Sleeper Agent Perk 1: Dexterity Perk 2: Assassin Perk 3: Double Time Wildcard: Perk Greed Perk 4: Ghost As is the case with most weapons, you’ll want the Grekhova as your trusty sidearm thanks to how quickly you can switch to it and mow enemies down with its fire rate. The Knife is always the best melee choice to go with this. When it comes to equipment, since you’ll be sprinting and diving constantly, the Stim Shot is essential to keep you alive, as it heals your wounds and refreshes tactical sprint. Meanwhile, the Combat Axe is a helpful tool to quickly throw at any enemies you don’t manage to kill with one magazine of the Maelstrom. Since you’ll be behind enemy lines often, the Sleeper Agent field upgrade is one of the most situational tools in the game but it can be very effective here as it disguises you as a member of the enemy team. On the perk front, you’ll want all red perks for the Enforcer specialty, as this grants a temporary buff to both your movement speed and health regen rate whenever you kill enemies. The three best red perks to opt for are: Dexterity for the improved accuracy when moving and reduced fall damage; Assassin to stop enemies from getting kill streaks (though take note that neither this or Bruiser are great options, Assassin is just the better choice of the two for this class); and Double Time to allow you to sprint pretty much constantly. For the wildcard, we’d recommend Perk Greed alongside Ghost as this combo will keep you invisible to enemy radar effects. (You could also opt for Ninja to move quieter, Flak Jacket to protect you from incoming explosives, or Tac Mask to protect from tactical grenades.) If you don’t want to run Perk Greed, choose Gunfighter, and as one of your extra attachments, make sure you pick a bigger magazine — that’s the one weakness this gun has currently. Elsewhere, we have multiplayer explainers on the best guns , maps , and Double XP , campaign guides for safehouse puzzles and safe code locations , and the Liberty Falls vault code in Zombies. Black Ops 6 guides Guides PC PlayStation Xbox
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Nashville Predators (7-12-5, in the Central Division) vs. Minnesota Wild (15-4-4, in the Central Division) Saint Paul, Minnesota; Saturday, 8 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Wild -153, Predators +128; over/under is 5.5 BOTTOM LINE: The Minnesota Wild host the Nashville Predators after Jared Spurgeon's two-goal game against the Chicago Blackhawks in the Wild's 3-2 win. Minnesota is 15-4-4 overall and 3-2-2 against the Central Division. The Wild are 7-1-2 in games they score one or more power-play goals. Nashville has gone 7-12-5 overall with a 4-1-1 record in Central Division games. The Predators are 7-2-0 when scoring at least three goals. The matchup Saturday is the first meeting this season between the two teams. TOP PERFORMERS: Kirill Kaprizov has 14 goals and 22 assists for the Wild. Marco Rossi has four goals and three assists over the past 10 games. Roman Josi has seven goals and 13 assists for the Predators. Steven Stamkos has scored three goals and added two assists over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Wild: 6-2-2, averaging 2.7 goals, 4.5 assists, 3.5 penalties and 8.1 penalty minutes while giving up 1.9 goals per game. Predators: 3-3-4, averaging 2.3 goals, 3.1 assists, 3.5 penalties and 7.6 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game. INJURIES: Wild: None listed. Predators: None listed. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .GUANGZHOU, China, Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Highest Performances Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: HPH) (“HPH” or the “Company”), today announced that it has received written notification from the staff of the Listing Qualifications Department of the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”), dated November 21, 2024, indicating that for the last 35 consecutive business days, the closing bid price for the Company’s American depositary shares (the “ADSs”) was below the minimum bid price of US$1.00 per share requirement set forth in Nasdaq Listing Rules 5450(a)(1). The Nasdaq notification letter has no current effect on the listing or trading of the Company’s securities on the Nasdaq Global Market. Pursuant to the Nasdaq Listing Rules 5810(c)(3)(A), the Company is provided with a compliance period of 180 calendar days, or until May 20, 2025, to regain compliance under the Nasdaq Listing Rules. If at any time during the 180-day compliance period, the closing bid price of the Company’s ADSs is US$1.00 per share or higher for a minimum of ten consecutive business days, the Nasdaq will provide the Company written confirmation of compliance and the matter will be closed. In the event that the Company does not regain compliance by May 20, 2025, subject to the determination by the staff of Nasdaq, the Company may be eligible for an additional 180-day compliance period if it meets the continued listing requirement for market value of publicly held shares and all other initial listing standards, with the exception of the minimum bid price requirement. In this case, the Company will need to provide written notice of its intention to cure the deficiency during the second compliance period, including by effecting a reverse stock split, if necessary. The Nasdaq notification letter will have no effect on the Company’s business operations, and the Company will take all reasonable measures to regain compliance. About HPH Founded in 2010 and formerly known as Puyi Inc., we have evolved with a vision to become a leading provider of intelligent technology-driven family and enterprise services. Our mission is to enhance the quality of life for families worldwide by leveraging two primary driving forces: technological intelligence and capital investments. We are dedicated to investing in high-quality enterprises with global potential, focusing on areas such as asset allocation, education and study tours, healthcare and elderly care, and family governance. We currently hold controlling interests in two leading financial service providers in China. The first is AIX Inc., a technology-driven independent financial service platform traded on the Nasdaq. The second is Puyi Fund Distribution Co., Ltd., an independent wealth management service provider. Highest Performances Holdings Inc., formerly known as Puyi Inc., was renamed on March 13, 2024 to reflect its strategic transformation. Forward-looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements as defined by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements that are other than statements of historical facts. When HPH uses words such as “may”, “will”, “intend”, “should”, “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “project”, “estimate” or similar expressions that do not relate solely to historical matters, it is making forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve risks and uncertainties that may cause the actual results to differ materially from HPH’s expectations discussed in the forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: HPH’s ability to obtain proceeds from the Agreement; HPH’s goals and strategies; HPH’s future business development; product and service demand and acceptance; changes in technology; economic conditions; the growth of the third-party wealth management industry in China; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and the international markets HPH serves and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by HPH with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For these reasons, among others, investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance upon any forward-looking statements in this press release. Additional factors are discussed in HPH’s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which are available for review at www.sec.gov. HPH undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof.It’s been a tumultuous few months for the University of New Mexico’s athletics department. Here’s a glance at the issues unfolding since late summer: Aug. 17 — Eddie Nuñez steps down as athletic director to take the same position at Houston. He spent seven years at UNM, overseeing massive infrastructure changes to get department’s financial crisis under control. In 2018 he cut multiple team sports to help balance the budget. Aug. 21 — Dave Williams is named interim AD after serving as Nuñez’s righthand man for several years. Aug. 24 — In Bronco Mendenhall’s first game as football coach, the Lobos give up 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter and lose their season opener to Montana State, an FCS team. Oct. 19 — The Lobo football team goes on the road and beats Utah State, 50-45. They score three times in the final 10 minutes, making it the first time since 1916 the team has reached at least 50 points three games in a row. Sept. 2 — The Mountain West halts its football scheduling agreement with Pac-12 holdovers Washington State and Oregon State, a move that hints at a rift between the leagues. The conferences had agreed to have OSU and Wazzu play as many as six nonconference games against MWC teams in 2024 and 2025. Sept. 12 — Four Mountain West schools (Boise State, Fresno State, Colorado State and San Diego State) announce they are leaving for the Pac-12 in 2026. Their exit sparks a flurry of alignment moves over the coming weeks and initiates a buyout clause of abouty $18 million per school. Sept. 23 — Utah State becomes the fifth school to announce it is leaving for the Pac-12. Sept. 26 — The MWC gets commitments from its seven remaining schools (New Mexico, UNLV, Nevada, Air Force, Wyoming, San Jose State and Hawaii) to stay in the league. In doing so it allows UNLV and Air Force to split nearly half of an estimated $90 million in exit fees paid by the departing schools. UNM is alotted 11.5%. Sept. 30 — In a race to gobble up as many relevant regional candidates as possible, the Mountain West announces it will add UTEP as a full member in 2026. Oct. 15 — The MWC announces Hawaii will join the league as an all-sports member in 2026. Hawaiihad been a football-only member since 2012. Nov. 1 — The Mountain West introduces Grand Canyon, which does not have a football program, as a full member by 2026. Nov. 16 — The Lobos upset then-No. 18 Washington State, 38-35, at home. It’s their first win over a ranked team in 21 years, and first at home since 1994. Nov . 24 — UNM names Fernando Lovo as its new athletic director. He comes to Albuquerque by way of two extended stints as a sports administrator at Texas. Nov. 26 — An altercation breaks out on a chartered flight carrying the UNM men’s basketball team to a Thanksgiving tournament in Palm Springs, Calif. Walk-on Shane Douma-Sanchez claims he was punched by an unnamed scholarship player, then had another altercation with him flare up in the team hotel. Nov. 30 — UNM’s football team drops a 38-30 decision in the season finale at Hawaii, preventing the Lobos from reaching a bowl game for the first time in eight years. Dec. 3 — Mendenhall does not deny he’s been contacted by Utah State about its football coaching vacancy, saying he will not comment on speculation. It is reported he traveled to Logan, Utah, the following day for an interview. Dec. 4 — Lovo is officially introduced as the new AD in a ceremony in The Pit in front of a large crowd of boosters, athletes and coaches. Dec. 5 — News leaks of Mendenhall reaching an agreement to become Utah State’s new football coach. Terms are not disclosed. Within an hour, several prominent players, including all-conference quarterback Devon Dampier and 1,000-yard rusher Eli Sanders, announce they will enter the transfer portal.
USDA Orders Testing of Milk Supply for Presence of Bird Flu VirusNEW YORK (AP) — President-elect Donald Trump’s lawyers formally asked a judge Monday to throw out his hush money criminal conviction, arguing continuing the case would present unconstitutional “disruptions to the institution of the Presidency.“ In a filing made public Tuesday, Trump’s lawyers told Manhattan Judge Juan M. Merchan that dismissal is warranted because of the extraordinary circumstances of his impending return to the White House. “Wrongly continuing proceedings in this failed lawfare case disrupts President Trump’s transition efforts,” the attorneys continued, before citing the “overwhelming national mandate granted to him by the American people on November 5, 2024.” Related Articles Prosecutors will have until Dec. 9 to respond. They have said they will fight any efforts to dismiss the case but have indicated openness to delaying sentencing until after Trump’s second term ends in 2029. Following Trump’s election victory last month, Merchan halted proceedings and indefinitely postponed his sentencing, previously scheduled for late November, to allow the defense and prosecution to weigh in on the future of the case. He also delayed a decision on Trump’s prior bid to dismiss the case on immunity grounds. Trump has been fighting for months to reverse the conviction, which involved efforts to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels, whose affair allegations threatened to disrupt his 2016 campaign. He has denied any wrongdoing. Trump takes office Jan. 20. Merchan hasn’t set a timetable for a decision. A dismissal would erase Trump’s historic conviction, sparing him the cloud of a criminal record and possible prison sentence. Trump is the first former president to be convicted of a crime and the first convicted criminal to be elected to the office. Merchan could also decide to uphold the verdict and proceed to sentencing, delay the case until Trump leaves office, wait until a federal appeals court rules on Trump’s parallel effort to get the case moved out of state court or choose some other option.Senator Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, representing Delta South Senatorial District has been commended over the Bills he sponsored seeking to establish a School of Nursing in Patani, in Patani Local Government Area and a Polytechnic in Bomadi in Bomadi Local Government Area both in Ijaw areas of Delta State. This commendation was made by Ijaw National Congress(INC), main umbrella body of Ijaw ethnic nationality in a statement signed by Prof Benjamin O. G. Okaba, President General, Ijaw National Congress (Worldwide). Prof. Okaba stated that the Ijaws in Delta State and across the globe are thrilled at the prospects of having such higher institutions finally located in their long-neglected communities. According to Prof. Okaba, “” Ijaw National Congress (INC) is aware of two critical Bills currently before the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. These bills, sponsored by Senator Joel-Onowakpo, who represents Delta South Senatorial District seeks to establish a School of Nursing in Patani in Patani Local Government Area and a Polytechnic in Bomadi in Bomadi Local Government Area both within Ijaw areas of Delta State. “We, the Ijaws in Delta State and across the globe are particularly thrilled at the prospects of having such higher institutions finally located in our long-neglected communities.” Giving a brief historical perspective, Prof Okaba stated that for decades, the Ijaw people of Delta State have consistently advocated for the establishment of higher institutions in their areas, he regretted that hose appeals fell on deaf ears, adding, “even though, Delta State boasts of the highest number of higher institutions in Nigeria. Prof. Okaba spoke further, “nearly all other ethnic groups within the state have benefited from these institutions, with some ethnic nationalities enjoying the presence of multiple federal and state institutions, including Universities, Polytechnics, Colleges of Education, Nursing Schools, and specialized Medical Schools. In contrast, the Ijaw areas have been systematically overlooked. “Regrettably, this marginalization persisted despite the fact that Ijaw representatives have served in parliament for extended periods some for over two decades. “This makes Senator Joel Onowakpo’s efforts even more commendable, as he has demonstrated rare leadership and inclusiveness in championing the cause of the Ijaw people .To Senator Joel- Onowakpo, the Ijaw National Congress says: The reward for hard work is more work. The Ijaw National Congress (INC) then appealed to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives to ensure that the two Bills are expedited through the legislative process, adding that the significance of the Bills cannot be overemphasized, “as they directly address the long-standing educational aspirations of the Ijaw people of Delta State.” Prof. Okaba also called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to add his voice to, adding, “furthermore, we humbly call on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to leverage his Presidential influence to support the swift passage of these Bils through the National Assembly and to give his Assent promptly once they are passed. At this critical juncture in history, these projects represent the most meaningful way to address the developmental yearnings of the Delta Ijaws. “Mr. President, we trust in your leadership and commitment to equity and inclusivity. This is a golden opportunity to bring lasting change to a group of people that has endured decades of neglect.”
As the end of the college football season approaches, many teams are beginning to eye which bowl they will be playing in. It also marks the time when coaches that have not met expectations are being fired. The list of fired coaches is already long and growing, likely to be in line with the number of coaches who changed schools or positions in 2023. The schools affected included several from the Bowl Championship Series. Mack Brown, the University of North Carolina (UNC) coach, was let go on November 26. His record of 44-33 over six seasons during his most recent tenure at North Carolina was respectable. He also took his team to bowl games every season, though his 1-4 record in these games was less than stellar. Neal Brown, the West Virginia Mountaineers coach, was let go on December 1. His record of 37-35 over six seasons, with three bowl game appearances (and a 2-1 record), was insufficient to keep his job. Speculations on his successor abound, with former Mountaineer coach Rich Rodriguez certainly in the mix. Ryan Walters, the Purdue Boilermakers coach, was also let go on December 1. His record of 5-19 over just two seasons, including season ending embarrassing losses to Notre Dame and Indiana, likely played into his dismissal. Before feeling sorry for these men, they will all receive handsome buyouts. Neal Brown will walk away with nearly $10 million. Ryan Walters will take home over $9 million. Mack Brown will receive a rather modest $2.8 million. What gets forgotten at these times are the students who had developed close ties to these men. Given how the transfer portal functions, many will look for a new school next season, possibly following their fired coach to his new home. This benefited Indiana this season, when first year coach Curt Cignetti was able to attract several of his best players from James Madison University where he previously coached. There are a number of issues that should be addressed when coaches are fired and paid ridiculous amounts of money for not coaching. These figures not only top faculty salaries, they are well over the salaries earned by every university president and chancellor. The UNC chancellor, Lee Roberts, takes home around $600 thousand. Gordon Gee, the chancellor of West Virginia University, has a base salary of $800 thousand. Mung Chiang, president of Purdue, has a salary over $600 thousand. Yet none of these high-ranking university official salaries come close to the buyouts for the dismissed coaches. It is common knowledge that big time college sports involve big time money. That is why the major television networks pay billions of dollars for the rights to broadcast high profile games involving teams in high profile conferences. So who will pay for these buyouts? The simple answer is all of us. Television contracts are paid for by advertisers. The cost of these advertisements is recouped in the products and services that we purchase. People who never watch a football game are paying for some of these buyouts. When buyouts, let alone salaries paid to employed coaches, become excessive, one must begin to question whether the “tail is (inappropriately) wagging the dog”? Athletic departments often argue that they are self-sustaining, not using general university funds targeted for education. Research suggests that this is not the case. Athletic departments also argue that college sports build school spirit and alumni engagement. The question is at what price are such benefits accrued. Without revenue sports like football and basketball, the professional leagues would need to spend a significant amount of money to build minor league systems to keep their talent pipelines stocked. Names, Images and Likeness (NIL) endorsements have made these revenue sports into minor league feeder systems. Some college students are now earning millions of dollars for being a student and playing on the school team. Of course, such high-profile athletes are the exception, not the rule, with most student-athletes earning a few thousand dollars. What has become clear is that in high profile revenue sports, student athletics are no longer about students. They are about a financial arms-race that has driven coach salaries and performance expectations ever higher. When Ryan Day, the Ohio State football coach lost to Michigan for the fourth consecutive year, speculation about his dismissal abounded. Fortunately, he was given a vote of confidence by the institution. Nearly every school would welcome him on their sidelines if Ohio State was foolish enough to listen to their vocal fans and fire him, given his 66-10 record since 2018 and five top-10 rankings in the final Coaches and AP polls. Athletics has a place on college campuses. Yet the financial optics tarnish its image. Most turn a blind eye, hoping to win this financial athletic arms race with national championships. Yet with only one national champion crowned each year, nearly all schools end up disappointed, except perhaps the coaches who end up being let go. They walk away with a treasure trove for failing to meet unrealistic expectations in a no-win situation. _____ Sheldon H. Jacobson, Ph.D., is a professor of Computer Science at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He applies his expertise in data-driven risk-based decision-making to evaluate and inform public policy. _____ ©2024 Tribune Content Agency, LLC.