is online slot gambling legal Myriad Genetics to Present New Data at San Antonio Breast Cancer SymposiumBy Sanjeewa Jayaweera The government’s decision to increase the withholding tax (WHT) rate to 10%, effective 1 April 2025, deserves commendation. Too often, political leaders have avoided necessary but unpopular decisions, opting to appease the electorate. This has led to various issues, from economic stagnation to the erosion of minority and religious rights. The proposed tax increase, however, marks a significant step in addressing a pressing concern: Sri Lanka’s persistent tax evasion problem. Tax evasion in Sri Lanka is alarmingly high. While some degree of evasion is common in many countries, effective tax compliance is largely achieved through a comprehensive tax policy and an efficient tax administration. Unfortunately, Sri Lanka has fallen short in both these areas. Since the early 1990s, successive governments have either reduced or eliminated key taxes, granted widespread exemptions, and failed to adequately develop the Inland Revenue Department (IRD) in terms of manpower and technology. Rather than addressing these systemic issues, governments have relied on increasing indirect taxes. The contribution of direct taxes to overall revenue has fallen to a mere 20%. Indirect taxes, such as Value Added Tax (VAT), are largely hidden from the consumer, as the IRD has mandated that supplier invoices do not show VAT charged. This has created a society that is not accustomed to paying direct taxes. Additionally, the acceptance of corruption as a “necessary evil” has contributed to the perception that tax evasion is acceptable. Consequently, the imposition of new taxes, rate increases, and threshold reductions often generates confusion and frustration among the public. Opposition parties frequently exploit these sentiments to mislead the electorate, complicating the government’s efforts. To counter this, the government must invest in educating the public about taxes, the need for tax revenue, and the civic duty of tax compliance. This is a long-term effort that, if successful, could lead to improved tax revenues and higher compliance rates. Policymakers should consider insights from an OECD report published in 2021, which analyzed taxpayer education initiatives in 59 developed and developing countries. The report revealed that over 80% of such initiatives improved tax morale—the intrinsic motivation to pay taxes. The findings underscore the importance of tax literacy in shaping a culture where citizens understand how their tax contributions affect their daily lives. The report suggests a step-by-step approach for designing and implementing taxpayer education initiatives customized to local contexts. Three key strategies for promoting tax compliance emerged: · Teaching tax : Engaging all audiences, including youth, adults, and entrepreneurs, through long-term educational programs. · Communicating tax : Raising awareness through campaigns, tax fairs, TV shows, and behavioural economics-based messaging. · Supporting compliance : Providing practical assistance, particularly for vulnerable taxpayers, to navigate modern e-administration tools and fulfill reporting requirements. Verité Research, an independent think tank, has long advocated increasing the WHT rate on interest income from 5% to 10%. Their estimate suggests that this increase could generate an additional Rs. 90 billion in revenue for the state. Despite this, the government of Ranil Wickremesinghe hesitated to act, even though it had already raised VAT to 18% and introduced progressive income tax rates as high as 36% and reduced the monthly tax-free threshold to Rs. 100,000. Importantly, WHT on interest income is not an additional tax; it is a prepayment of taxes collected by the payer on behalf of the government, similar to the Pay As You Earn (PAYE) system used for salaried employees. The challenge, however, lies in the fact that individuals often earn interest from multiple banks, unlike salary income, which typically comes from a single employer. As a result, financial institutions cannot easily determine whether an individual’s total income surpasses the annual tax-free threshold of Rs. 1,200,000 (or Rs. 1,800,000 starting April 2025). To address this, the IRD should implement a system allowing individuals over 18 to obtain a letter from the IRD confirming that WHT need not be deducted if their total annual income is below the threshold. While this will initially be challenging due to the lack of tax files for many individuals, it is a step that should be supported. Despite its complexities, the government’s decision to increase the WHT rate should be backed. To illustrate the impact of this change, consider the following examples assuming the person’s total income is derived solely from interest: Total Income Tax Due : · Income : Rs. 5,000,000 · Single Person Allowance : Rs. 1,200,000 · Taxable Income : Rs. 3,800,000 · Income Tax at Progressive Rates : Rs. 918,000 · Less WHT Collected at Source : Rs. 250,000 · Tax Evaded : Rs. 668,000 With the WHT Rate Increase : · Income : Rs. 5,000,000 · Single Person Allowance : Rs. 1,200,000 · Taxable Income : Rs. 3,800,000 · Income Tax at Progressive Rates : Rs. 918,000 · Less WHT Collected at Source : Rs. 500,000 · Tax Evaded : Rs. 418,000 As illustrated, raising the WHT rate to 10% would generate an additional Rs. 250,000 in tax revenue. I have assumed in my illustration that the recipient of interest income is not tax-compliant and is currently outside the tax net. This demonstrates how the rate increase could significantly reduce tax evasion. The IRD’s ultimate goal should be to recover the Rs. 418,000 currently evaded by taxpayers. By streamlining the reporting systems of financial institutions and integrating them with the RAMIS system, the IRD can take a significant step toward curbing tax evasion and boosting government revenue.

NIKE, Inc. Reports Fiscal 2025 Second Quarter Results

AI giant's stock pulls major indexes lower; ad industry merger will create a giantOstin Technology Group Announces Effective Date of Reverse Share SplitIf you’re sitting on a pile of travel or credit card rewards with no immediate travel plans, donating them to a charity is an easy way to have a positive impact. And it's a popular way to give: In 2021, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members donated around 94 million miles to charities at an approximate cash value of $2.6 million, according to the airline. Beyond the social benefits, miles donations also qualify as activity on your loyalty account and can prevent the rest of your rewards from expiring . But if you’re in the habit of maximizing points and miles, you might also want to stretch the value of your charitable donations as far as possible. And by that measure, some methods of donating points and miles fall short. Here’s what to consider before donating your miles and points . Many loyalty programs make it easy to redeem your points and miles for a donation directly through their rewards portals. But some portals — especially those from airline and hotel programs — don’t publish the cash value a charity will receive for your miles or points. That means the charity may receive less value for your donation than you’d think, while also making it hard to compare the value of a donation with the value of other options for redeeming your points. Best Western Rewards is one of the few loyalty programs that publishes a cash value for charitable points donations. The charity will receive $2 for every 500 points you donate, for a point a value of 0.4 cent each. NerdWallet values Best Western points at 0.6 cent apiece, so you would receive 33% less value for your donation relative to using them for a hotel stay. Generally, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) doesn’t count points and miles as a source of income, so if you donate them, you can't deduct the cash value of your gift. This lack of favorable tax treatment for the consumer combined with the uncertain value you’ll often receive for miles and points donations should have you at least consider other avenues for your philanthropic endeavors. Keep in mind that this drawback only matters for taxpayers who itemize deductions on their income tax returns. If you're like most people and take the standard deduction instead of itemizing, you wouldn't be able to get a charitable tax deduction from any donation. Some rewards programs have a minimum donation amount for select charities. For example, you’d have to donate at least 2,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points for a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. That minimum amount makes it tougher to donate points that may be collecting dust in your loyalty account. To maximize the value of your donation, consider a charity that books travel directly with your miles or points rather than donating directly through your loyalty program's portal. For example, Miles4Migrants uses donated airline miles and credit card points to directly book award travel for refugees and asylum seekers. “Instead of maximizing points and miles to book a dream trip, we do it to help refugees reach safe new beginnings,” said Patrick Stouffer, partnerships manager at Miles4Migrants, in an email. Miles4Migrants has redeemed over 775 million donated miles in pursuit of their mission, with a cash value of over $17 million. That expertise allows them to get more value out of every donation. “Our team has the specialized knowledge necessary to stretch the value of every point or mile, ensuring donations go as far as possible,” Stouffer said. “Even if you aren’t able to reap any tax advantages of donating your points, at least you’ll know they made the largest possible impact.” Direct cash donations help avoid the downsides of donating miles and points. If you have a credit card that earns cash back , or if you earn cash rewards through a shopping portal like TopCashBack or Rakuten , consider cashing out and donating those rewards instead of your miles and points. With a cash donation, you’ll know the exact value a charity will receive from your donation and likely qualify for a potential itemized deduction on your taxes. Some rewards programs make this process simple and transparent. Travel rewards programs sometimes incentivize charitable giving by offering bonus points for your cash donations. For example, American Airlines offers 10 AAdvantage miles for every dollar members contribute to the charity Stand Up To Cancer. That extra incentive can be an individual boon for your charitable donation. Just be aware that any points or miles you receive from such promotions will reduce the tax deductibility of your contribution. American Airlines values those bonus miles you receive through donations at 3 cents each. So if you donate $100 and receive 1,000 AAdvantage miles, American values those miles at $30. You’ll receive a tax form declaring those rewards as $30 in income, giving you a qualifying tax deduction of $70. When you donate cash and receive bonus points, the charity still receives your full donation and you get a slug of points. While you'll have to pay taxes on those points, it can still be a big win for your future travel plans. More From NerdWallet Craig Joseph writes for NerdWallet. Email: cjoseph@nerdwallet.com . The article Should You Donate Your Points and Miles to Charity? originally appeared on NerdWallet.

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Dog food recalled in 7 states for salmonella risk after puppy litter gets sick, FDA saysMonterey Motorsports Festival plans display of ultra-rare icons after appearance at special concours during LA Auto Show

FMC Corporation announces date for fourth quarter 2024 earnings release and webcast conference callIn promising to shake up Washington, Trump is in a class of his ownLOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 19, 2024-- Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (Nasdaq: FFIE) (“FF”, “Faraday Future”, or the “Company”), a California-based global shared intelligent electric mobility ecosystem company, today announced that its first Faraday X (FX) prototype mules will arrive in Los Angeles at the end of this month. The first two FX mules will begin their product development and testing in the U.S. shortly thereafter at FF’s manufacturing facility in Hanford, CA, with a stop in Las Vegas, NV from January 5-7, which coincides with the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). While in Las Vegas, the Company will provide updates on the progress of the FX strategy. The first prototype mules’ delivery and shipping route has taken them from FF’s Headquarters in Beijing to Los Angeles. The FX brand is accelerating its efforts to deliver "twice the performance at half the price" AIEV products to U.S. consumers and is advancing toward the goal of delivering performance and technology capable EV’s at an affordable price point. ABOUT FARADAY FUTURE Faraday Future is the pioneer of the Ultimate AI TechLuxury ultra spire market in the intelligent EV era, and the disruptor of the traditional ultra-luxury car civilization epitomized by Ferrari and Maybach. FF is not just an EV Company, but also a software-driven intelligent internet Company. Ultimately FF aims to become a User Company by offering a shared intelligent mobility ecosystem. FF remains dedicated to advancing electric vehicle technology to meet the evolving needs and preferences of users worldwide, driven by a pursuit of intelligent and AI-driven mobility. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release includes “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the safe harbor provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which include statements regarding FX and the timing for public display of prototype mules, product development and testing, and accelerating development efforts, are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside the Company’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include, among others: potential unforeseen delays regarding the customs clearing process for the prototype mules; the Company’s ability to secure the necessary funding to execute on the FX strategy, which will be substantial; the Company’s ability to secure additional agreements with OEMs that are necessary to execute on the FX strategy; the Company’s ability to continue as a going concern and improve its liquidity and financial position; the Company’s ability to pay its outstanding obligations; the Company's ability to remediate its material weaknesses in internal control over financial reporting and the risks related to the restatement of previously issued consolidated financial statements; the Company’s limited operating history and the significant barriers to growth it faces; the Company’s history of losses and expectation of continued losses; the success of the Company’s payroll expense reduction plan; the Company’s ability to execute on its plans to develop and market its vehicles and the timing of these development programs; the Company’s estimates of the size of the markets for its vehicles and cost to bring those vehicles to market; the rate and degree of market acceptance of the Company’s vehicles; the Company’s ability to cover future warranty claims; the success of other competing manufacturers; the performance and security of the Company’s vehicles; current and potential litigation involving the Company; the Company’s ability to receive funds from, satisfy the conditions precedent of and close on the various financings described elsewhere by the Company; the result of future financing efforts, the failure of any of which could result in the Company seeking protection under the Bankruptcy Code; the Company’s indebtedness; the Company’s ability to cover future warranty claims; the Company’s ability to use its “at-the-market” program; insurance coverage; general economic and market conditions impacting demand for the Company’s products; potential negative impacts of a reverse stock split; potential cost, headcount and salary reduction actions may not be sufficient or may not achieve their expected results; circumstances outside of the Company's control, such as natural disasters, climate change, health epidemics and pandemics, terrorist attacks, and civil unrest; risks related to the Company's operations in China; the success of the Company's remedial measures taken in response to the Special Committee findings; the Company’s dependence on its suppliers and contract manufacturer; the Company's ability to develop and protect its technologies; the Company's ability to protect against cybersecurity risks; and the ability of the Company to attract and retain employees, any adverse developments in existing legal proceedings or the initiation of new legal proceedings, and volatility of the Company’s stock price. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s Form 10-K filed with the SEC on May 28, 2024, as amended on May 30, 2024, and June 24, 2024, as updated by the “Risk Factors” section of the Company’s first quarter 2024 Form 10-Q filed with the SEC on July 30, 2024, and other documents filed by the Company from time to time with the SEC. View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241219985538/en/ CONTACT: Investors (English):ir@faradayfuture.com Investors (Chinese):cn-ir@faradayfuture.com Media:john.schilling@ff.com KEYWORD: CALIFORNIA NEVADA UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE VEHICLE TECHNOLOGY EV/ELECTRIC VEHICLES LUXURY ALTERNATIVE VEHICLES/FUELS TRANSPORTATION TECHNOLOGY AUTOMOTIVE TRAVEL ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE RETAIL AUTOMOTIVE MANUFACTURING MANUFACTURING SOURCE: Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/19/2024 04:30 PM/DISC: 12/19/2024 04:28 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241219985538/en Copyright Business Wire 2024.

Stock market today: Wall Street ends mixed after a bumpy week

-- First Half Revenue of $85.7 million , increase 1.5% year-over-year -- -- First Half GMV of $107.3 million , down 7.0% year-over-year -- SHANGHAI , Dec. 19, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Jowell Global Ltd. ("Jowell" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: JWEL), one of the leading cosmetics, health and nutritional supplements, and household products e-commerce platforms in China , today announced its unaudited financial results for the six months ended June 30, 2024 . First Half 2024 Financial and Operational Highlights [1] "Total VIP members" refers to the total number of members registered on Jowell's platform as of June 30, 2024 and June 30, 2023. [2] "LHH stores" refers to the brand name of "Love Home Store". Authorized retailers may operate as independent stores or store-in-shop (an integrated store), selling products they purchased through Jowell's online platform LHH Mall under their retailer accounts, which provides them with major discounts. First Half 2024 Financial Results Total Revenues Total revenues for the first half 2024 were $85.7 million , representing an increase of 1.5% from $84.4 million in the same period of 2023. Our weighted average unit price was $5.16 per unit for the first half of 2024, which represented an increase of 4.2% as compared to $4.95 per unit for the same period of 2023. Our health and nutritional supplements revenue for the first half of 2024 increased by about $11.1 million , or 182.1%, as compared to the same period of 2023. The increase in health and nutritional supplements revenue was mainly due to the increase in sales of premium brand health and nutritional supplements. We have stepped up our promotions on these items during the Chinese New Year holidays in the first half of 2024 in an attempt to offer more promotional discounts in response to the overall market downturn. First Half Ended June 30 % 2024 2023 change Revenues (in thousands, except for percentages) US$ US$ YoY* Product sales • Cosmetic products 19,768.5 29,495.5 (33.0 %) • Health and nutritional supplements 17,190.7 6,094.2 182.1 % • Household products 48,438.7 48,473.1 (0.1 %) • Others 286.4 343.4 (16.6 %) Total 85,684.3 84,406.2 1.5 % * YOY—year over year Total cost and operating expenses were $89.6 million in the first half of 2024, a decrease of 1.5% from $91.0 million in the same period of 2023. Operating Loss Operating loss was $4.0 million for the first half of 2024, compared with the operating loss of $6.6 million in the same period of 2023. The decrease in operating loss for the first half of 2024 was mainly due the decrease of marketing expenses, as well as reduction of operating expenses as discussed above. Net Loss Net loss was $3.8 million , a decrease of 47.1% compared with net loss of $7.1 million in the same period of 2023, which was mainly due the factors mentioned above. Loss per Share The Company computes earnings (loss) per share ("EPS") in accordance with ASC 260, "Earnings per Share" ("ASC 260"). Each of the Company's Preferred Share has voting rights equal to two Ordinary Shares of the Company and each Preferred Share is convertible into one Ordinary Share at any time. Except for voting rights and conversion rights, the Ordinary Shares and the Preferred Shares rank pari passu with one another and have the same rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions. For the first half ended June 30, 2024 and 2023, respectively, the Company had no potential ordinary shares outstanding that could potentially dilute EPS in the future. Cash and Cash Equivalents For the first half of 2024, the Company reported a net loss of $3.8 million , a negative operating cash flow of $41,012 and an accumulated deficit of approximately $29.8 million . The Company's principal sources of liquidity are sales revenues, proceeds from a private placement and a registered direct offering. As of June 30, 2024 , the Company had cash and restricted cash of approximately $0.8 million , held by the variable interest entity (VIE) Shanghai Juhao Information Technology Co., Ltd. ("Shanghai Juhao") with banks and financial institutions inside China as the Company conducts its operations primarily through the consolidated VIE in China ; the Company's working capital as of June 30, 2024 was $13.4 million . Due to the uncertainty of the current market environment, management believes it is necessary to enhance the collection of its outstanding accounts receivable and other receivables, and to be cautious in terms of its operational decisions and project selections. As of October 31, 2024 , approximately $1.8 million , or 62%, of its accounts receivable balance as of June 30, 2024 were collected, and approximately $9.9 million , or 93%, of its advances to supplier balance as of June 30, 2024 were utilized. In addition, the Company's Form F-3 registration was declared effective on August 31, 2022 , and the Company may also seek equity financing from outside investors if necessary. Based on the latest business plan of the Company, Shanghai Juhao has reduced its promotion efforts and marketing expenditures since the second half of 2023, which reduced the cash used in operating activities. Management believes that the above-mentioned factors, including cash on hand of approximately $0.8 million , will provide sufficient liquidity for the Company to meet its future liquidity and capital requirements for at least the next twelve months. About Jowell Global Ltd . Jowell Global Ltd. (the "Company") is one of the leading cosmetics, health and nutritional supplements and household products e-commerce platforms in China . We offer our own brand products to customers and also sell and distribute health and nutritional supplements, cosmetic products and certain household products from other companies on our platform. In addition, we allow third parties to open their own stores on our platform for a service fee based upon sale revenues generated from their online stores and we provide them with our unique and valuable information about market needs, enabling them to better manage their sales effort, as well as an effective platform to promote their brands. The Company also sells its products through authorized retail stores all across China , which operate under the brand names of " Love Home Store " or "LHH Store" and "Best Choice Store". For more information, please visit http://ir.1juhao.com/ . Exchange Rate The Company's financial information is presented in U.S. dollars ("USD"). The functional currency of the Company is the Chinese Yuan, Renminbi ("RMB"), the currency of the PRC. Any transactions which are denominated in currencies other than RMB are translated into RMB at the exchange rate quoted by the People's Bank of China prevailing at the dates of the transactions, and exchange gains and losses are included in the statements of operations as foreign currency transaction gain or loss. The consolidated financial statements of the Company have been translated into U.S. dollars in accordance with ASC 830, "Foreign Currency Matters". This press release contains translations of certain RMB amounts into U.S. dollars ("USD" or "$") at specified rates solely for the convenience of the reader. The exchange rates in effect as of June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023 were RMB1 for $0.1403 and $0.1412 , respectively. The average exchange rates for the six months ended June 30, 2024 and 2023 were RMB1 for $0.1407 and $0.1444 , respectively. Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about the Company's beliefs and expectations, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties, and a number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statement. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as "may," "will," "expect," "anticipate," "target," "aim," "estimate," "intend," "plan," "believe," "potential," "continue," "is/are likely to" or other similar expressions. The Company may also make written or oral forward-looking statements in its reports filed with, or furnished to, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, in its annual reports to shareholders, in press releases and other written materials and in oral statements made by its officers, directors or employees to third parties. These statements are subject to uncertainties and risks including, but not limited to, the following: the Company's goals and strategies; the Company's future business development; financial condition and results of operations; product and service demand and acceptance; reputation and brand; the impact of competition and pricing; changes in technology; government regulations; fluctuations in general economic and business conditions in China and assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing and other risks contained in reports filed by the Company with the SEC. 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 the Company's filings with the SEC, which are available for review at www.sec.gov . The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly revise these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances that arise after the date hereof. For investor and media inquiries, please contact: Jowell Global Ltd. Ms. Jessie Zhao Email: IR@1juhao.com Jowell Global Ltd. CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS June 30, December 31, 2024 2023 (Unaudited) ASSETS Current Assets: Cash $ 805,344 $ 1,250,281 Accounts receivable, net 2,344,481 2,401,056 Accounts receivable - related parties - 47,040 Advance to suppliers 10,050,688 3,506,432 Advance to suppliers - related parties 12,493,792 9,874,545 Inventories 4,508,515 8,198,402 Prepaid expenses and other current assets 1,075,591 1,384,758 Total current assets 31,278,411 26,662,514 Long-term investment 3,709,340 3,888,377 Property and equipment, net 845,579 681,942 Intangible assets, net 532,810 634,655 Right of use lease assets, net 1,506,729 2,019,300 Other non-current asset 638,723 895,775 Deferred tax assets 512,175 515,364 Total Assets $ 39,023,767 $ 35,297,927 LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY Current Liabilities: Short-term loan $ 210,473 $ 423,567 Accounts payable 2,791,515 3,765,230 Accounts payable - related parties 280,530 194,818 Deferred revenue 11,691,812 2,309,957 Deferred revenue - related parties 40,000 47,059 Current portion of operating lease liabilities 1,475,947 942,989 Accrued expenses and other liabilities 975,072 782,048 Due to related parties 414,585 528,472 Taxes payable 1,487 58,233 Total current liabilities 17,881,421 9,052,373 Non-current portion of operating lease liabilities - 1,032,235 Total liabilities 17,881,421 10,084,608 Commitments and contingencies Equity Common stock, $0.0016 par value, 450,000,000 shares authorized, 2,170,475 issued and outstanding at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively * 3,473 3,473 Preferred stock, $0.0016 par value, 50,000,000 shares authorized, 46,875 issued and outstanding at June 30, 2024 and December 31, 2023, respectively * 75 75 Additional paid-in capital 52,687,182 52,687,182 Statutory reserves 394,541 394,541 Accumulated deficit (29,768,863) (26,039,567) Accumulated other comprehensive loss (2,153,720) (1,843,970) Total Jowell GlobUS stocks end flat as rebound effort loses steam

Victor Wembanyama went to a park in New York City and played 1-on-1 with fans on Saturday. He even lost a couple of games. Not in basketball, though. Wemby was playing chess. And this wasn’t on a whim: He knows how to play and even brought his own chess set. Before the San Antonio Spurs left New York for a flight to Minnesota, Wembanyama put out the call on social media: “Who wants to meet me at the SW corner of Washington Square park to play chess? Im there,” Wembanyama wrote. POV: You’re playing chess with @wemby on a Saturday morning in Washington Square Park ♟️🗽 pic.twitter.com/gnxdvPE69l It was 9:36 a.m. People began showing up almost immediately. Washington Square Park is a known spot for chess in New York — Bobby Fischer among others have famously played there, and it’s been used for multiple movie scenes featuring the game. Wembanyama was there for an hour in the rain, from about 10-11 a.m. He played four games, winning two and losing two — he told Bleacher Report afterward that both of the losses were to professional chess players — before departing to catch the Spurs’ flight. Wembanyama had been trying to get somewhere to play chess for the bulk of the team’s time in New York — the Spurs played the Knicks on Christmas and won at Brooklyn on Friday night. The schedule never aligned, until Saturday morning. And even with bad weather, he bundled up to make it happen. He posed for photos with a couple of dozen people who showed up, braving a morning of cold rain to play chess with one of the NBA’s biggest stars. “We need an NBA players only Chess tournament, proceeds go to the charity of choice of the winner,” he wrote on social media after his chess trip was over. Wembanyama is averaging 25.2 points and 10.1 rebounds this season, his second in the NBA after winning rookie of the year last season. The Spurs play at Minnesota on Sunday. Other news outlets have retreated behind paywalls. At HuffPost, we believe journalism should be free for everyone. Would you help us provide essential information to our readers during this critical time? We can't do it without you. Can't afford to contribute? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give once or many more times, we appreciate your contribution to keeping our journalism free for all. You've supported HuffPost before, and we'll be honest — we could use your help again . We view our mission to provide free, fair news as critically important in this crucial moment, and we can't do it without you. Whether you give just one more time or sign up again to contribute regularly, we appreciate you playing a part in keeping our journalism free for all. Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages. ___ Related From Our PartnerTribLIVE's Daily and Weekly email newsletters deliver the news you want and information you need, right to your inbox. For those on the right side of the political aisle, 2024 was a mixed bag. On the one hand, we had to trudge through the final year of Joe Biden's disastrous presidency while fighting tooth and nail to prevent the administration from inflicting further economic carnage. On the other hand, we also were given an enormous gift at the beginning of November with the victory of Donald Trump. Now, without further ado, I present the top five moments of 2024. First, it goes without saying that the election on Nov. 5 was, by far, the best moment of 2024. At the start of 2024, things did not look good for Trump as he faced a litany of felony charges across multiple jurisdictions. However, despite the legal onslaught, Trump refused to back down. Then, Trump pulled off one of the biggest comebacks in political history as he cruised to victory and helped the Republican Party gain control of both houses of Congress. This election will go down in history as a turning point, considering the vast inroads Trump made among voters who traditionally voted for Democrats. In second place among the... Chris Talgo

2025 Hyundai Santa Cruz XRT Named Compact Truck of Texas at Texas Auto Writers Association's Truck RodeoNEW YORK (AP) — A slide for market superstar Nvidia on Monday knocked Wall Street off its big rally and helped drag U.S. stock indexes down from their records. The S&P 500 fell 0.6%, coming off its 57th all-time high of the year so far. The Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 240 points, or 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite pulled back 0.6% from its own record.Jowell Global Ltd. Announces First Half 2024 Unaudited Financial Results

If you’re sitting on a pile of travel or credit card rewards with no immediate travel plans, donating them to a charity is an easy way to have a positive impact. And it's a popular way to give: In 2021, Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan members donated around 94 million miles to charities at an approximate cash value of $2.6 million, according to the airline. Beyond the social benefits, miles donations also qualify as activity on your loyalty account and can prevent the rest of your rewards from expiring . But if you’re in the habit of maximizing points and miles, you might also want to stretch the value of your charitable donations as far as possible. And by that measure, some methods of donating points and miles fall short. Here’s what to consider before donating your miles and points . Many loyalty programs make it easy to redeem your points and miles for a donation directly through their rewards portals. But some portals — especially those from airline and hotel programs — don’t publish the cash value a charity will receive for your miles or points. That means the charity may receive less value for your donation than you’d think, while also making it hard to compare the value of a donation with the value of other options for redeeming your points. Best Western Rewards is one of the few loyalty programs that publishes a cash value for charitable points donations. The charity will receive $2 for every 500 points you donate, for a point a value of 0.4 cent each. NerdWallet values Best Western points at 0.6 cent apiece, so you would receive 33% less value for your donation relative to using them for a hotel stay. Generally, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) doesn’t count points and miles as a source of income, so if you donate them, you can't deduct the cash value of your gift. This lack of favorable tax treatment for the consumer combined with the uncertain value you’ll often receive for miles and points donations should have you at least consider other avenues for your philanthropic endeavors. Keep in mind that this drawback only matters for taxpayers who itemize deductions on their income tax returns. If you're like most people and take the standard deduction instead of itemizing, you wouldn't be able to get a charitable tax deduction from any donation. Some rewards programs have a minimum donation amount for select charities. For example, you’d have to donate at least 2,000 Southwest Rapid Rewards points for a donation to the Make-A-Wish Foundation. That minimum amount makes it tougher to donate points that may be collecting dust in your loyalty account. To maximize the value of your donation, consider a charity that books travel directly with your miles or points rather than donating directly through your loyalty program's portal. For example, Miles4Migrants uses donated airline miles and credit card points to directly book award travel for refugees and asylum seekers. “Instead of maximizing points and miles to book a dream trip, we do it to help refugees reach safe new beginnings,” said Patrick Stouffer, partnerships manager at Miles4Migrants, in an email. Miles4Migrants has redeemed over 775 million donated miles in pursuit of their mission, with a cash value of over $17 million. That expertise allows them to get more value out of every donation. “Our team has the specialized knowledge necessary to stretch the value of every point or mile, ensuring donations go as far as possible,” Stouffer said. “Even if you aren’t able to reap any tax advantages of donating your points, at least you’ll know they made the largest possible impact.” Direct cash donations help avoid the downsides of donating miles and points. If you have a credit card that earns cash back , or if you earn cash rewards through a shopping portal like TopCashBack or Rakuten , consider cashing out and donating those rewards instead of your miles and points. With a cash donation, you’ll know the exact value a charity will receive from your donation and likely qualify for a potential itemized deduction on your taxes. Some rewards programs make this process simple and transparent. Travel rewards programs sometimes incentivize charitable giving by offering bonus points for your cash donations. For example, American Airlines offers 10 AAdvantage miles for every dollar members contribute to the charity Stand Up To Cancer. That extra incentive can be an individual boon for your charitable donation. Just be aware that any points or miles you receive from such promotions will reduce the tax deductibility of your contribution. American Airlines values those bonus miles you receive through donations at 3 cents each. So if you donate $100 and receive 1,000 AAdvantage miles, American values those miles at $30. You’ll receive a tax form declaring those rewards as $30 in income, giving you a qualifying tax deduction of $70. When you donate cash and receive bonus points, the charity still receives your full donation and you get a slug of points. While you'll have to pay taxes on those points, it can still be a big win for your future travel plans. More From NerdWallet Craig Joseph writes for NerdWallet. Email: cjoseph@nerdwallet.com . The article Should You Donate Your Points and Miles to Charity? originally appeared on NerdWallet. Get any of our free email newsletters — news headlines, sports, arts & entertainment, state legislature, CFD news, and more.

Connectivity to Boston Dynamics Spot Robot Enables Critical IIoT Inspection and Maintenance Rajant Kinetic Mesh BreadCrumb - ES1 Rajant's ES1 instrumental in use case with Boston Dynamics' Spot for remote inspection, monitoring, and critical maintenance in sensitive UAE industrial environment, all in compliance with local regulations. According to Mr. Mohamad Tabbara - CEO at HSCS, "One of the key characteristics of the project was to build a special mounting arrangement on the Spot robot to ensure full maneuverability of its robotic arm. Movement must be robust and offer an unobstructed view of the infrared camera. Rajant, together with HSC, worked to customize a tailor-made solution fulfilling the client requirements from the technical & operational aspects.” Ms. Sana Kanaan - VP at Tabbara Electronics adds, "Safe and secure tele-remote operation of Spot is crucial in sensitive and hard-to-reach environments to keep people out of harm's way and improve productivity and safety. Wireless and simple-to-use Rajant BreadCrumb radio nodes are designed from the ground up for such tasks. Moreover, whether it is the ES1 or any of Rajant's BreadCrumbs, these nodes can grow with the capacity needs of the UAE client for future applications and deliver cost-saving efficiencies to the client's operation.” "As AI & robotics are evolving industrial operations, Rajant and its local UAE partners continue to support this transformation by providing true M2M AI-powered Kinetic Mesh networks for achieving better operational & business efficiency”, shares Waqas Ansar, Rajant Director of Sales ME. Rajant will be represented at Intersec 2025 in Tabarra Electronics' booth SA, A29. Stop by and meet us there, or book an appointment beforehand. ### About Hader Security and Communication Systems (HSCS) Hader Security and Communication Systems (HSCS) is a leading provider of integrated security and communication solutions in the UAE. With a focus on delivering state-of-the-art technologies, HSCS specializes in tailored systems for critical infrastructure, government, and industrial operations. By combining innovation with expertise, HSCS empowers clients to achieve operational excellence and enhance safety across dynamic environments. About Tabbara Electronics Tabbara Electronics is a premier distributor of advanced communication and security solutions, serving the EMEA region. With decades of experience, Tabbara Electronics offers a robust portfolio of products, including mission-critical wireless communication systems, surveillance solutions, and AI-powered analytics. Partnering with global technology leaders, Tabbara Electronics ensures reliable, scalable, and innovative solutions that drive efficiency, safety, and connectivity for their clients. For media, contact Ms. Loubna Tabbara, [email protected] . Rajant Corporation Rajant Corporation is the broadband communications technology company that invented Kinetic Mesh® networking, BreadCrumb® wireless nodes, and InstaMesh® networking software. With Rajant and its family of products, customers can rapidly deploy a highly adaptable and scalable network that leverages the power of real-time data to deliver on-demand, mission-critical business intelligence. A low-latency, high-throughput, and secure solution for a variety of data, voice, video, and autonomous applications, Rajant's Kinetic Mesh networks provide industrial customers with full mobility, allowing them to take their private network applications and data anywhere. With successful deployments in more than 80 countries for customers in military, mining, ports, rail, energy, manufacturing and logistics, municipalities, agriculture, and more, Rajant is headquartered in Malvern, Pennsylvania, with additional facilities and offices in Arizona and Kentucky. For more information, visit Rajant.com or follow Rajant on LinkedIn and YouTube. Attachment Rajant Kinetic Mesh BreadCrumb - ES1 CONTACT: Alice DiSanto Rajant Corporation 914-582-8464 [email protected]

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