Cancer-killing T cells have been programmed to have two levels of specificity. First, the T cells have been equipped with a receptor sensitive to a protein that is found only in central nervous system (CNS) tissue. Second, once the receptor is engaged, the T cells locally induce a set of genetically encoded payloads directed toward different CNS diseases. In mouse studies, the programmed T cells attacked glioblastoma and treated the inflammation of multiple sclerosis. These findings were reported by the UCSF scientists who developed the technology behind the programmed T cells. According to these scientists—who were led by Scott S. Zamvil, MD, PhD, Hideho Okada, MD, PhD, and Wendell A. Lim—the technology will soon be tested in a clinical trial for people with glioblastoma. Detailed results from the mouse studies recently appeared in , in an article titled, “ .” “To engineer cells that can specifically target the CNS, we identified extracellular CNS-specific antigens, including components of the CNS extracellular matrix and surface molecules expressed on neurons or glial cells,” the article’s authors wrote. “Synthetic Notch receptors engineered to detect these antigens were used to program T cells to induce the expression of diverse payloads only in the brain.” “CNS-targeted T cells that induced chimeric antigen receptor expression efficiently cleared primary and secondary brain tumors without harming cross-reactive cells outside of the brain,” the authors continued. “Conversely, CNS-targeted cells that locally delivered the immunosuppressive cytokine interleukin-10 ameliorated symptoms in a mouse model of neuroinflammation.” In this work, the UCSF team enhanced the homing ability of T cells so that they could be more effectively deployed for therapeutic purposes, particularly for brain cancer, which is among the hardest cancers to treat. Surgery and chemotherapy are risky, and drugs can’t always get into the brain. “Living cells, especially immune cells, are adapted to move around the body, sense where they are, and find their targets,” said Lim, a professor of cellular and molecular pharmacology at UCSF. Essentially, the UCSF team developed a “molecular GPS” that gave T cells a “zip code” for the brain and a “street address” for the tumor. They found the ideal molecular zip code in a protein called brevican, which helps to form the jelly-like structure of the brain, and only appears there. For the street address, they used two proteins that are found on most brain cancers. The scientists programmed the immune cells to attack only if they first detected brevican and then detected one or the other of the brain cancer proteins. Once in the bloodstream, they easily navigated themselves to the mouse’s brain and eliminated a growing tumor. Immune cells that remained in the bloodstream stayed dormant. This prevented tissues elsewhere in the body that happened to have the same protein “address” from being attacked. One hundred days later, the scientists introduced new tumor cells into the brain, and enough immune cells were left to find and kill them, a good indication that they may be able to prevent any remaining cancer cells from growing back. “The brain-primed CAR T cells were very, very effective at clearing glioblastoma in our mouse models, the most effective intervention we’ve seen yet in the lab,” said Simic, the Valhalla Foundation Cell Design Fellow. “It shows just how well the GPS ensured that they would only work in the brain. The same strategy even worked to clear brain metastases of breast cancer.” In another experiment, the researchers used the brain GPS system to engineer cells that deliver anti-inflammatory molecules to the brain in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis. The engineered cells reached their target, and the inflammation faded. The scientists hope this approach will soon be ready for patients with other debilitating nervous system diseases. “Glioblastoma is one of the deadliest cancers, and this approach is poised to give patients a fighting chance,” said Okada, a UCSF oncologist. “Between cancer, brain metastases, immune disease and neurodegeneration, millions of patients could someday benefit from targeted brain therapies like the one we’ve developed.”

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 7 — Ten years ago, professional wrestling found a forever-home in Malaysia. Once a fringe activity, the 2014 establishment of Malaysia Pro Wrestling (MYPW) — initially Persekutuan Gusti Malaysia (PGM) — has helped the sport grow into an industry and vibrant community. Before that, MYPW chief operating officer Emman Azman, 23, said there had been just four aspiring pro-wrestlers at the time, including himself, who would travel to Singapore to train. “Back then, the only ring available for training was a Muay Thai ring, and events were run sparingly,” said Emman, recounting the first days of PGM. Cornelius Low, 34, a Malaysian pro wrestler, said one notable change was the growing fanbase. This growing fan base is driven by improved match quality, more compelling storylines, and the rise of popular characters like ‘Love Warrior’ Syawal and The Juicy Boyz (The Wonderboy and Miles Karu). Additionally, there’s an increasing buzz online, with fans creating social media platforms dedicated to covering Malaysian pro wrestling, such as Peminat Gusti. “Each year, you can see more new faces attending the events,” Low said. “It’s not just local fans — we’ve even had people fly in from Japan, America, and the Middle East.” More than fans The growing enthusiasm has also inspired more Malaysians to pursue professional wrestling by trying out with MYPW. Some wrestlers who debuted on the local scene have also ventured beyond Malaysia, competing in countries such as Australia, Thailand, Singapore, and the Philippines. These include Low, Miles Karu, and Poppy Shay. Another indication of pro-wrestling’s growing popularity here was the number of events, which have gone from two a year to as many as six. This year, MYPW has hosted four shows including Champion’s Quest on November 16. The Malaysian scene is also becoming more interconnected regionally, such as through collaborations with promotions like Grapplemax Pro Wrestling Singapore. A standout event is the Causeway Jam, held multiple times in Singapore before coming to Kuala Lumpur for the first time last June. The number of promotions has also grown, with MYPW now joined by APAC Wrestling Ground Zero, which was established in 2020 by Ayez Shaukat Fonseka Farid, a well-known figure in the Malaysia’s pro-wrestling scene. Since its launch, the organisation has successfully staged over 50 shows, with many more to come. How much do “professional” wrestlers get paid? The term professional wrestling is somewhat of a misnomer, and was coined to differentiate the “sports entertainment” activity from amateur wrestling, which is a recognised Olympic sport. Rather than straight physical contests, pro-wrestling combines athletic performance with theatrical storytelling, scripted performances, and dramatised rivalries. As such, the “professional” part of its name does not imply salaries or compensation. Pro-wrestlers might earn RM500 per match or more if an event is well-attended and they are a major draw, or they may get as little as RM50. Often, however, the wrestlers get nothing other than the satisfaction of taking part in their passion and the hopes of reaching one of the international circuits. Emman also said it was important not to be too focussed on the rewards. “While it’s amazing for Malaysians to venture abroad and hopefully get signed with major companies, it’s equally important to create a strong foundation for the next generation of wrestlers,” Emman stated. “We must aim to leave the scene better than we found it.”NoneThe leader of Ireland’s Labour Party has held talks with the Taoiseach and Tanaiste as efforts to form a new coalition government intensify. Ivana Bacik had separate meetings with Fianna Fail leader Micheal Martin and Fine Gael leader Simon Harris on Tuesday afternoon. Fianna Fail, which won 48 seats in last month’s general election, and Fine Gael, which secured 38 seats, headed up the last coalition in Dublin and are expected to continue that partnership into the next mandate. However, with a combined 86 seats, they are just short of the 88 required for a majority in the Dail parliament. If they wish to return to government together, they would need one smaller party as a junior partner, or a handful of independents. Both Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have ruled out doing business with Sinn Fein, which won 39 seats. The centre-left Social Democrats and Irish Labour Party, both of which won 11 seats in the election, are seen as the only two realistic options if Fianna Fail and Fine Gael seek to convince a smaller party to join the coalition. In a statement, the Labour Party said Ms Bacik outlined key policy priorities in her meetings with Taoiseach Mr Harris and Tanaiste Mr Martin. “There was discussion in both meetings on policies and manifesto commitments on housing, health, climate, workers’ rights and disability services among other issues,” said the statement. “The parliamentary party will meet at 1pm on Friday where the party leader will provide an assessment of engagement to date and consider the outcome of these meetings.” A spokesman for Mr Harris said there had been a “constructive engagement” with Ms Bacik. “The Taoiseach is grateful for the time and engagement on a range of substantial policy issues,” he said. The spokesman said Mr Harris had also met independent TDs who are aligned together in what is called the regional group. “These meetings have been productive,” he added. Mr Harris and party colleagues are due to meet the Social Democrats on Wednesday. Fianna Fail deputy leader Jack Chambers and Fine Gael deputy leader Helen McEntee met on Tuesday evening for discussions on government formation, with the parties’ full negotiating teams set to meet on Wednesday. Fine Gael said the meeting between Ms McEntee and Mr Chambers was “positive” and focused on the “structure and format” of the substantive negotiations going forward. When the two parties entered coalition for the first time after the last general election in 2020, there was only a three-seat difference in their relative strength. That resulted in an equal partnership at the head of the coalition, with the Green Party as the junior partner. The two main parties swapped the role of taoiseach halfway through the term. With Fianna Fail’s lead over Fine Gael having grown to 10 seats following this election, focus has turned to the future of the rotating taoiseach arrangement and whether it will operate again in the next mandate and, if so, on what basis. There are similar questions around the distribution of ministries and other roles. While Mr Martin has so far refused to be drawn on the specifics, he has suggested that he expects Fianna Fail’s greater strength of numbers to be reflected in the new administration. However, Mr Harris has insisted that Fine Gael’s mandate cannot be taken for granted when it comes to government formation. Richard Boyd Barrett from People Before Profit-Solidarity, which won three seats, urged Labour not to “prop up” up a Fianna Fail/Fine Gael administration. “We think that’s a huge mistake,” he told reporters in Dublin. “They shouldn’t do it. They should learn the lessons of the past and actually work with other parties of the left to form a decent left opposition to Fianna Fail and Fine Gael and campaign on the issues that matter.” His party colleague Paul Murphy pointed to the experience of the Green Party, which lost all but one of its 12 seats in the election. “In reality, what is going to happen is a changing of the mudguard for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael,” he said. “And for those who are now auditioning to be a new mudguard for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, there is a very, very sharp and stark lesson in what happened to the Green Party – obviously almost entirely wiped out. “We think it is a very major mistake for anyone who has the perception of being left, with the votes of people who are looking left, to seek to go into coalition with Fianna Fail and Fine Gael.”

Leo Wealth LLC cut its stake in NVIDIA Co. ( NASDAQ:NVDA – Free Report ) by 6.4% in the third quarter, according to the company in its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The firm owned 78,782 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock after selling 5,427 shares during the period. NVIDIA makes up 0.9% of Leo Wealth LLC’s holdings, making the stock its 23rd largest position. Leo Wealth LLC’s holdings in NVIDIA were worth $9,567,000 as of its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. A number of other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently added to or reduced their stakes in NVDA. Hamilton Wealth LLC grew its stake in NVIDIA by 0.3% in the 1st quarter. Hamilton Wealth LLC now owns 3,142 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock valued at $2,839,000 after buying an additional 9 shares during the last quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC grew its position in shares of NVIDIA by 3.0% during the 1st quarter. FSA Wealth Management LLC now owns 486 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $439,000 after purchasing an additional 14 shares in the last quarter. Clean Yield Group grew its position in shares of NVIDIA by 0.8% during the 1st quarter. Clean Yield Group now owns 1,795 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $1,622,000 after purchasing an additional 15 shares in the last quarter. Earnest Partners LLC grew its position in shares of NVIDIA by 1.5% during the 1st quarter. Earnest Partners LLC now owns 1,133 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $1,024,000 after purchasing an additional 17 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Aspect Partners LLC grew its position in shares of NVIDIA by 5.6% during the 1st quarter. Aspect Partners LLC now owns 320 shares of the computer hardware maker’s stock worth $289,000 after purchasing an additional 17 shares in the last quarter. 65.27% of the stock is owned by institutional investors and hedge funds. NVIDIA Price Performance NVDA stock opened at $138.25 on Friday. The company has a fifty day moving average price of $136.05 and a 200-day moving average price of $123.67. The company has a market capitalization of $3.39 trillion, a P/E ratio of 54.41, a PEG ratio of 2.45 and a beta of 1.66. NVIDIA Co. has a 52-week low of $45.01 and a 52-week high of $152.89. The company has a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.13, a quick ratio of 3.64 and a current ratio of 4.10. NVIDIA Dividend Announcement The company also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Friday, December 27th. Stockholders of record on Thursday, December 5th will be given a dividend of $0.01 per share. This represents a $0.04 annualized dividend and a dividend yield of 0.03%. The ex-dividend date is Thursday, December 5th. NVIDIA’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 1.57%. NVIDIA announced that its board has approved a share repurchase program on Wednesday, August 28th that authorizes the company to repurchase $50.00 billion in shares. This repurchase authorization authorizes the computer hardware maker to purchase up to 1.6% of its stock through open market purchases. Stock repurchase programs are usually a sign that the company’s management believes its stock is undervalued. Wall Street Analyst Weigh In NVDA has been the topic of a number of analyst reports. JPMorgan Chase & Co. increased their target price on shares of NVIDIA from $155.00 to $170.00 and gave the stock an “overweight” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Mizuho increased their target price on shares of NVIDIA from $165.00 to $175.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Truist Financial increased their target price on shares of NVIDIA from $148.00 to $167.00 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research report on Tuesday, November 19th. William Blair started coverage on shares of NVIDIA in a research report on Wednesday, September 18th. They set an “outperform” rating on the stock. Finally, Evercore ISI increased their price target on shares of NVIDIA from $189.00 to $190.00 and gave the stock an “outperform” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 21st. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating, thirty-nine have assigned a buy rating and one has given a strong buy rating to the company’s stock. Based on data from MarketBeat.com, the stock currently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus target price of $164.15. Check Out Our Latest Analysis on NVDA Insider Transactions at NVIDIA In other NVIDIA news, Director John Dabiri sold 716 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 25th. The shares were sold at an average price of $142.00, for a total value of $101,672.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now directly owns 19,942 shares in the company, valued at approximately $2,831,764. This trade represents a 3.47 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The transaction was disclosed in a document filed with the SEC, which can be accessed through this hyperlink . Also, Director Tench Coxe sold 1,000,000 shares of the firm’s stock in a transaction on Thursday, September 19th. The stock was sold at an average price of $119.27, for a total transaction of $119,270,000.00. Following the completion of the sale, the director now owns 5,852,480 shares of the company’s stock, valued at $698,025,289.60. The trade was a 14.59 % decrease in their ownership of the stock. The disclosure for this sale can be found here . Insiders sold a total of 2,036,986 shares of company stock worth $240,602,399 over the last three months. 4.23% of the stock is owned by company insiders. NVIDIA Company Profile ( Free Report ) NVIDIA Corporation provides graphics and compute and networking solutions in the United States, Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, and internationally. The Graphics segment offers GeForce GPUs for gaming and PCs, the GeForce NOW game streaming service and related infrastructure, and solutions for gaming platforms; Quadro/NVIDIA RTX GPUs for enterprise workstation graphics; virtual GPU or vGPU software for cloud-based visual and virtual computing; automotive platforms for infotainment systems; and Omniverse software for building and operating metaverse and 3D internet applications. Featured Articles Five stocks we like better than NVIDIA Consumer Staples Stocks, Explained The Latest 13F Filings Are In: See Where Big Money Is Flowing What is a buyback in stocks? A comprehensive guide for investors 3 Penny Stocks Ready to Break Out in 2025 Compound Interest and Why It Matters When Investing FMC, Mosaic, Nutrien: Top Agricultural Stocks With Big Potential Receive News & Ratings for NVIDIA Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for NVIDIA and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .

TikTok is inching closer to a potential ban in the US. So what's next? TikTok's future in the U.S. appeared uncertain on Friday after a federal appeals court rejected a legal challenge to a law that requires the social media platform to cut ties with its China-based parent company or be banned by mid-January. Haleluya Hadero, The Associated Press Dec 6, 2024 2:48 PM Dec 6, 2024 2:50 PM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message FILE - A man carries a Free TikTok sign in front of the courthouse where the hush-money trial of Donald Trump was underway on April 15, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File) TikTok's future in the U.S. appeared uncertain on Friday after a federal appeals court rejected a legal challenge to a law that requires the social media platform to cut ties with its China-based parent company or be banned by mid-January. A panel of three judges on The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled unanimously that the law withstood constitutional scrutiny, rebuffing arguments from the two companies that the statute violated their rights and the rights of TikTok users in the U.S. The government has said it wants ByteDance to divest its stakes in TikTok. But if it doesn't and the platform goes away, it would have a seismic impact on the lives of content creators who rely on the platform for income as well as users who use it for entertainment and connection. Here are some details on the ruling and what could happen next: What does the ruling say? In their lawsuit, TikTok and ByteDance, which is also a plaintiff in the case, had challenged the law on various fronts, arguing in part that the statute ran afoul of the First Amendment and was an unconstitutional bill of attainder that unfairly targeted the two companies. But the court sided with attorneys for the Justice Department who said that the government was attempting to address national security concerns and the way in which it chose to do so did not violate the constitution. The Justice Department has argued in court that TikTok poses a national security risk due to its connections to China. Officials say that Chinese authorities can compel ByteDance to hand over information on TikTok's U.S. patrons or use the platform to spread, or suppress, information. However, the U.S. hasn't publicly provided examples of that happening. The appeals court ruling, written by Judge Douglas Ginsburg, said the law was “carefully crafted to deal only with control by a foreign adversary." The judges also rejected the claim that the statute was an unlawful bill of attainder or a taking of property in violation of the Fifth Amendment. Furthermore, Ginsburg wrote the law did not violate the First Amendment because the government is not looking to “suppress content or require a certain mix of content” on TikTok. What happens next? TikTok and ByteDance are expected to appeal the case to the Supreme Court, but it's unclear whether the court will take up the case. TikTok indicated in a statement on Friday the two companies are preparing to take their case to high court, saying the Supreme Court has “an established historical record of protecting Americans’ right to free speech." "We expect they will do just that on this important constitutional issue,” a company spokesperson said. Alan Morrison, a professor at The George Washington University Law School, said he expects the Supreme Court to take up the case because of the novelty of the issues raised in the lawsuit. If that happens, attorneys for the two companies still have to convince the court to grant them an emergency stay that will prevent the government from enforcing the Jan. 19 divestiture deadline stipulated in the law, Morrison said. Such a move could drag out the process until the Justices make a ruling. Tiffany Cianci, a TikTok content creator who has supported the platform, said she was not shocked about the outcome of the court's ruling on Friday because lower courts typically defer to the executive branch on these types of cases. She believes the company will have a stronger case at the Supreme Court. “I believe that the next stages are more likely to produce a victory for TikTokers and for TikTok as a whole,” Cianci said. What about Trump? Another wild card is President-elect Donald Trump, who tried to ban TikTok during his first term but said during the recent presidential campaign that he is now against such action . The Trump transition team has not offered details on how Trump plans to carry out his pledge to “save TikTok." But spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt said in a statement last month that he plans to “deliver” on his campaign promises. After Trump takes office on Jan. 20th, it would fall on his Justice Department to enforce the law and punish any potential violators. Penalties would apply to any app stores that would violate a prohibition on TikTok and to internet hosting services which would be barred from supporting it. Some have speculated that Trump could ask his Justice Department to abstain from enforcing the law. But tech companies like Apple and Google, which offer TikTok's app on their app stores, would then have to trust that the administration would not come after them for any violations. Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, said enforcement discretion — or executive orders — can not override existing law, leaving Trump with “limited room for unilateral action." There are other things Trump could potentially do. It's possible he could invoke provisions of the law that allow the president to determine whether a sale or a similar transaction frees TikTok from “foreign adversary” control. Another option is to urge Congress to repeal the law. But that too would require support from congressional Republicans who have overwhelmingly supported the prospect of getting TikTok out of the hands of a Chinese company. In a statement issued Friday, Republican Rep. John Moolenaar of Michigan, chairman of the House Select Committee on China, said he was “optimistic that President Trump will facilitate an American takeover of TikTok” and allow its continued use in the United States. Is anyone trying to buy TikTok? ByteDance has said it won't sell TikTok . And even if it wanted to, a sale of the proprietary algorithm that powers TikTok is likely to get blocked under Chinese export controls that the country issued in 2020. That means if TikTok is sold without the algorithm, its likely that the buyer would only purchase a shell of the platform that doesn't contain the technology that made the app a cultural powerhouse. Still, some investors, including Trump’s former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt, have expressed interest in buying it. This week, a spokesperson for McCourt’s Project Liberty initiative, which aims to protect online privacy, said participants in their bid have made informal commitments of more than $20 billion in capital. The spokesperson did not disclose the identity of the participants. Haleluya Hadero, The Associated Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Science News Federal appeals court upholds law requiring sale or ban of TikTok in the US Dec 6, 2024 1:58 PM Toronto AI company Cohere to receive $240M from Ottawa to help get data centre built Dec 6, 2024 1:27 PM Mexico study's surprising finding: Killer heat hit harder for the young than the elderly Dec 6, 2024 11:13 AM

NEW YORK (AP) — Remember what you searched for in 2024? Google does. Google released its annual “Year in Search” on Tuesday, rounding up the top trending queries entered into its namesake search engine in 2024. The results show terms that saw the highest spike in traffic compared to last year — ranging from key news events, notably global elections , to the most popular songs, athletes and unforgettable pop-culture moments that people looked up worldwide. Sports — particularly soccer and cricket — dominated Google's overall trending searches in 2024. Copa América topped those search trends globally, followed by the UEFA European Championship and ICC Men's T20 World Cup . Meanwhile, the U.S. election led news-specific searches worldwide. Queries about excessive heat and this year's Olympic Games followed. U.S. President-elect Donald Trump topped searches in Google's people category this year — followed by Catherine, Princess of Wales , U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Algerian boxer Imane Khelif , who also led athlete-specific searches. Meanwhile, the late Liam Payne , Toby Keith and O.J. Simpson led search trends among notable individuals who died in 2024. In the world of entertainment, Disney and Pixar's “Inside Out 2” was the top trending movie of the year, while Netflix's “Baby Reindeer” led TV show trends. And Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” dominated song trends. That's just the tip of the iceberg. Queries for the Olympic village's chocolate muffin , made famous by Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen over the summer games, led Google's global recipe trends this year. The New York Times' “Connections” puzzle topped game searches. And in the U.S., country-specific data shows, many people asked Google about online trends like the word “demure” and “ mob wife aesthetic .” You can find more country-specific lists, and trends from years past , through Google’s “Year in Search” data published online . The California company said it collected 2024 search results from Jan. 1 through Nov. 23 of this year. Google isn't the only one to publish an annual recap or top trends as 2024 draws to a close. Spotify Wrapped , for example, as well as Collins Dictionary and Merriam-Webster’s words of the year, have offered additional reflections for 2024. The Associated PressBEIJING , Dec. 6, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Baijiayun Group Ltd ("Baijiayun" or the "Company") (NASDAQ: RTC), a one-stop AI video solution provider, today announced that it has entered into a Standby Equity Purchase Agreement (the "SEPA"), with YA II PN, Ltd. ("YA"), a fund managed by Yorkville Advisors Global, LP. Subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the the SEPA, YA is committed to purchase up to $50 million (the "Commitment Amount") of the Company's Class A Ordinary Shares (the "Shares") at any time during the two-year period following the execution date of the SEPA, by delivering written notice to YA (an "Advance Notice"). Pursuant to the SEPA, YA will advance to the Company, subject to the satisfaction of certain conditions as set forth therein, the principal amount of up to $15 million (the "Pre-Paid Advance"), which will be evidenced by convertible promissory notes (the "Promissory Notes", together with the "SEPA", the "Offering") in four tranches. The first Pre-Advance, in the principal amount of $3,000,000 , was advanced December 6, 2024 in connection with the execution of the SEPA, and is subject to a 10% discount to the principal amount of such Promissory Note. If there is no balance outstanding under the Promissory Notes, the Company will have sole discretion to sell the Shares to YA from time to time by issuing Advance Notices to YA following the effectiveness of a registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registering the Shares issuable pursuant to the SEPA and the satisfaction of other customary conditions. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the offering of the Shares pursuant to the SEPA for working capital and other general corporate purposes. The Company and the Investor have entered into a registration rights agreement on the date hereof (the "Registration Rights Agreement"), pursuant to which the Company shall register the resale of the Shares issuable pursuant to the SEPA. The foregoing does not purport to be a complete description of the rights and obligations of the parties to the SEPA, the Promissory Notes, the Registration Rights Agreement, or of the transactions contemplated thereby and is qualified in its entirety by reference to such documents, the copies of which have been filed as exhibits to the Company's Current Report on Form 6-K on December 6, 2024 . D. Boral Capital LLC acted as the exclusive placement agent for the Offering. About Baijiayun Group Ltd Baijiayun is a one-stop AI video solution provider with core expertise in SaaS/PaaS solutions. Baijiayun is committed to delivering reliable, high-quality video experiences across devices and localities and has grown rapidly since its inception in 2017. Premised on its industry-leading video-centric technologies, Baijiayun offers a wealth of video-centric technology solutions, including Video SaaS/PaaS, Video Cloud and Software, and Video AI and System Solutions. Baijiayun caters to the evolving communications and collaboration needs of enterprises of all sizes and industries. For more information, please visit ir.baijiayun.com . Safe Harbor Statement This press release contains certain "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 parties' perspectives and expectations, are forward-looking statements. The words "will," "expect," "believe," "estimate," "intend," and "plan" and similar expressions indicate forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, and shareholders and other potential investors must recognize that actual results may differ materially from the expectations as a result of a variety of factors. Such forward-looking statements are based upon management's current expectations and include known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are hard to predict or control, that may cause the actual results, performance, or plans to differ materially from any future results, performance or plans expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The forward-looking information provided herein represents the Company's estimates as of the date of this press release, and subsequent events and developments may cause the Company's estimates to change. The Company specifically disclaims any obligation to update the forward-looking information in the future. Therefore, this forward-looking information should not be relied upon as representing the Company's estimates of its future financial performance as of any date subsequent to the date of this press release. A further list and description of risks and uncertainties can be found in the documents the Company has filed or furnished or may file or furnish with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, which you are encouraged to read. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those indicated or anticipated by such forward-looking statements. Accordingly, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements relate only to the date they were made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date they were made except as required by law or applicable regulation. For investor and media enquiries, please contact: Company Contact: Ms. Fangfei Liu Chief Financial Officer, Baijiayun Group Ltd Phone: +86 25 8222 1596 Email: ir@baijiayun.com View original content: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/baijiayun-announces-up-to-15-million-convertible-promissory-notes-and-50-million-standby-equity-purchase-agreement-302325234.html SOURCE Baijiayun Group LtdMicrosoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) Shares Down 1.2% – Time to Sell?

Western Digital CEO David Goeckeler Elected Chair of Semiconductor Industry Association

Washington Capitals (16-6-1, in the Metropolitan Division) vs. New Jersey Devils (16-8-2, in the Metropolitan Division) Newark, New Jersey; Saturday, 7 p.m. EST BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Devils -168, Capitals +142; over/under is 6 BOTTOM LINE: The New Jersey Devils host the Washington Capitals after the Capitals knocked off the New York Islanders 5-4 in overtime. New Jersey is 16-8-2 overall with a 4-1-2 record against the Metropolitan Division. The Devils are fifth in the league with 89 total goals (averaging 3.4 per game). Washington is 16-6-1 overall with a 6-4-0 record in Metropolitan Division games. The Capitals have a 5-2-1 record in games decided by one goal. Saturday's game is the fourth time these teams square off this season. The Devils won the last meeting 3-2. TOP PERFORMERS: Jesper Bratt has 10 goals and 19 assists for the Devils. Stefan Noesen has five goals and two assists over the last 10 games. Dylan Strome has eight goals and 26 assists for the Capitals. Connor McMichael has scored five goals and added four assists over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Devils: 7-3-0, averaging 3.1 goals, five assists, four penalties and 10.3 penalty minutes while giving up 2.3 goals per game. Capitals: 7-2-1, averaging 4.4 goals, 7.2 assists, 3.9 penalties and 8.7 penalty minutes while giving up 2.5 goals per game. INJURIES: Devils: None listed. Capitals: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar . The Associated PressNashville 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 . The Associated Press

NoneWild host the Predators after Spurgeon's 2-goal performance

Pair of original MLS clubs to play for Cup titleNEW YORK (AP) — Remember what you searched for in 2024? does. Google released its annual “Year in Search” on Tuesday, rounding up the top trending queries entered into its namesake search engine in 2024. The results show terms that saw the highest spike in traffic compared to last year — ranging from key news events, notably , to the most popular songs, athletes and unforgettable pop-culture moments that people looked up worldwide. Sports — particularly soccer and cricket — dominated Google’s overall trending searches in 2024. topped those search trends globally, followed by the and . Meanwhile, the led news-specific searches worldwide. Queries about and this year’s followed. U.S. President-elect topped searches in Google’s people category this year — followed by , U.S. Vice President and Algerian boxer , who also led athlete-specific searches. Meanwhile, the late , and led search trends among notable individuals who died in 2024. In the world of entertainment, Disney and Pixar’s was the top trending movie of the year, while Netflix’s led TV show trends. And Kendrick Lamar’s dominated song trends. That’s just the tip of the iceberg. Queries for the , made famous by Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen over the summer games, led Google’s global recipe trends this year. The New York Times’ “Connections” puzzle topped game searches. And in the U.S., country-specific data shows, many people asked Google about like the word and “ .” You can find more country-specific lists, and trends , through Google’s . The California company said it collected 2024 search results from Jan. 1 through Nov. 23 of this year. Google isn’t the only one to publish an annual recap or top trends as 2024 draws to a close. , for example, as well as and words of the year, have offered additional reflections for 2024. The Associated Press

Original MLS clubs LA Galaxy, NY Red Bulls cap their amazing turnarounds with showdown for MLS Cup

Buy 1 December Aristocrat Of 67 From 38 With 'Safer' DividendsThe suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare's chief executive struggled with sheriff’s deputies and shouted in an angry outburst as he arrived at court to fight extradition to New York . Luigi Nicholas Mangione, 26, could be heard shouting words that included “insulting the intelligence of the American people” as he was bundled into a Pennsylvania court by a horde of deputies for the hearing. Mangione is contesting his extradition back to New York where he has been charged with murder over the shooting of Brian Thompson outside a Manhattan hotel. He was denied bail at the brief hearing. He has 14 days to challenge the bail decision. Prosecutors, meanwhile, have a month to seek a governor's warrant out of New York. Mangione, wearing an orange jumpsuit, mostly stared straight ahead during the hearing, occasionally consulting papers, rocking in his chair, or looking back at the gallery. At one point, he began to speak to respond to the court discussion, but was told to be quiet by his lawyer. Thomas Dickey, his defence lawyer, questioned whether the second-degree murder charge filed in New York might be eligible for bail under Pennsylvania law, but prosecutors raised concerns about both public safety and Mangione being a potential flight risk, and the judge denied it. Prosecutors on Tuesday were beginning to take steps to take Mangione back to New York to face the murder charge while new details emerged about his life and how he was captured. The Ivy League graduate from a prominent Maryland family was charged with murder hours after he was arrested in the killing of Mr Thompson, 50, who led the United States' largest medical insurance company. Mr Dickey had declined to comment before the hearing at the Blair County Courthouse in Hollidaysburg. Mangione is being held without bail in Pennsylvania on charges of possession of an unlicensed firearm, forgery and providing false identification to police. Manhattan prosecutors have charged him with five counts, including murder, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal possession of a forged instrument. Mangione was likely motivated by his anger with what he called "parasitic" health insurance companies and a disdain for corporate greed, a law enforcement bulletin obtained by The Associated Press said. He wrote that the US has the most expensive health care system in the world and that profits of major corporations continue to rise while "our life expectancy" does not, according to the bulletin, based on a review of his hand-written notes and social media posts. Mangione called "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski a "political revolutionary" and may have found inspiration from the man who carried out a series of bombings while railing against modern society and technology, according to the police bulletin. Mangione was arrested in Altoona, Pennsylvania - about 230 miles (370km) west of New York City - after a McDonald's customer recognised him and notified an employee, authorities said. Officers found him sitting at a back table, wearing a blue medical mask and looking at a laptop, according to a Pennsylvania police criminal complaint. He initially gave them a fake ID, but when an officer asked Mangione whether he had been to New York recently, he "became quiet and started to shake", the complaint says. When he pulled his mask down at officers' request, "we knew that was our guy," Officer Tyler Frye said. Images of Mangione released on Tuesday by Pennsylvania State Police showed him pulling down his mask in the corner of the McDonald's while holding what appeared to be hash browns and wearing a winter jacket and beanie. In another photo from a holding cell, he stood unsmiling with rumpled hair. New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Mangione was carrying a gun like the one used to kill Mr Thompson and the same fake ID the gunman had used to check into a New York hostel, along with a passport and other fraudulent IDs. NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Mangione also had a three-page, handwritten document that shows "some ill will toward corporate America". A law enforcement official who was not authorised to discuss the investigation publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity said the document included a line in which Mangione claimed to have acted alone. "To the Feds, I'll keep this short, because I do respect what you do for our country. To save you a lengthy investigation, I state plainly that I wasn't working with anyone," the document said, according to the official. It also had a line that said: "I do apologise for any strife or traumas but it had to be done. Frankly, these parasites simply had it coming." Pennsylvania prosecutor Peter Weeks said in court that Mangione was found with a passport and 10,000 dollars (£7,839) in cash, 2,000 dollars of it in foreign currency. Mangione disputed the amount. Mr Thompson was killed on Wednesday as he walked alone to a Manhattan hotel for an investor conference. Police quickly came to see the shooting as a targeted attack by a gunman who appeared to wait for Mr Thompson, came up behind him and fired a 9mm pistol. Investigators have said "delay," "deny" and "depose" were written on ammunition found near Mr Thompson's body. The words mimic "delay, deny, defend," a phrase used to criticise the insurance industry. From surveillance video, New York investigators determined the gunman quickly fled fled the city, likely by bus. A grandson of a wealthy, self-made real estate developer and philanthropist, Mangione is a cousin of a current Maryland state legislator. After his elite Baltimore prep school, he went on to earn undergraduate and graduate degrees in computer science in 2020 from the University of Pennsylvania, a spokesperson said. "Our family is shocked and devastated by Luigi's arrest," Mangione's family said in a statement posted on social media late Monday by his cousin, Nino Mangione. "We offer our prayers to the family of Brian Thompson and we ask people to pray for all involved." From January to June 2022, Luigi Mangione lived at Surfbreak, a "co-living" space at the edge of Waikiki in Honolulu. Like other residents of the shared penthouse catering to remote workers, Mangione underwent a background check, said Josiah Ryan, a spokesperson for owner and founder RJ Martin. "Luigi was just widely considered to be a great guy. There were no complaints," Mr Ryan said. "There was no sign that might point to these alleged crimes they're saying he committed." At Surfbreak, Mr Martin learned Mangione had severe back pain from childhood that interfered with many aspects of his life, from surfing to romance, Ryan said. "He went surfing with RJ once but it didn't work out because of his back," Mr Ryan said, but noted that Mangione and Mr Martin often went together to a rock-climbing gym. Mangione left Surfbreak to get surgery on the mainland, Mr Ryan said, then later returned to Honolulu and rented an apartment. Mr Martin stopped hearing from Mangione six months to a year ago.

Rivalry Closes Third Tranche Of Non-Brokered Private PlacementCARSON, Calif. — The LA Galaxy and the New York Red Bulls have been Major League Soccer mainstays since the league's inaugural season in 1996, signing glamorous players and regularly competing for championships through years of success and setbacks in a league that's perpetually improving and expanding. Yet just a year ago, both of these clubs appeared to be a very long way from the stage they'll share Saturday in the MLS Cup Final. The Galaxy were one of MLS' worst teams after a season of internal turmoil and public fan dissent, while the Red Bulls were merely a steady mediocrity seeking yet another coach to chart a new direction. A year later, these MLS founders are meeting in the league's first Cup final between teams from North America's two biggest markets. "Two original clubs being able to put themselves in this situation, I think it's great," Galaxy coach Greg Vanney said. "To see two clubs that have been at it as long as this league has been around be here, I think it's a special moment. Couldn't be two more different and contrasting styles as well, which could make for an interesting game, and I would imagine a high-intensity game." Everything changed in 2024 after a dismal decade for the Galaxy, who are favored to cap their transformation by winning their team's record sixth MLS championship with a roster that's dramatically different from its past few groups — albeit with one massive injury absence in the final. The transformation of the Red Bulls happened only in the postseason, when a team that hadn't won a playoff game since 2017 suddenly turned into world-beaters under rookie coach Sandro Schwarz. New York struggled through the final three months of league play with only two wins before posting road playoff victories over defending champ Columbus, archrival New York City FC and conference finalist Orlando to storm into the Cup final. "We know about the history (of our club), and we know tomorrow will define what that could mean," Schwarz said Friday. "To feel the pressure for tomorrow, it's necessary, because it's a final, and without pressure it's not possible to bring the best quality on the field." The Red Bulls have never won an MLS Cup, only reaching the championship match once before. What's more, they've somehow never won a Cup in any tournament, although they've collected three Supporters' Shields for MLS' best regular-season record. The Galaxy's trophy case is large and loaded, and those five MLS Cups are on the top shelf. But not much of that team success happened in the past decade for the club that famously brought David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Robbie Keane, Steven Gerrard and many other international stars to Hollywood. In fact, this season has ended a grim era for the Galaxy, who haven't lost all year at their frequently renamed home stadium — which was the site of protests and boycotts just a year ago. The club's fans were tired of LA's steady underachievement and ineptitude in the front office run by team president Chris Klein, who was fired in May 2023. One year ago Thursday, the Galaxy hired Will Kuntz, a longtime Los Angeles FC executive who engineered his new club's roster transformation, most dramatically by landing new designated players Gabriel Pec and Joseph Paintsil — two international talents that LAFC also had in its sights. "I give Will and the group up there a ton of credit," Vanney said. "It's one thing to have players you like, and it's a whole other thing to get them here and get them to connect with your group." Pec and Paintsil combined for 32 goals and 27 assists while boosting the incumbent talents of striker Dejan Joveljic and Riqui Puig, the gifted Barcelona product who runs the offense from the midfield. The Galaxy clicked in the postseason, scoring a jaw-dropping 16 goals in four matches. Puig has been the Galaxy's most important player all season, but he won't be in the MLS Cup Final after tearing a knee ligament late in last week's conference final victory over Seattle. The loss of Puig — who somehow kept playing on his injured knee, and even delivered the game-winning pass to Joveljic — makes the Galaxy even more difficult to anticipate. "He played a lot in the regular season, so it was not so easy to analyze all these games now without him," Schwarz said. "But the main focus is to analyze what we need to do, because it's not clear now how they're playing without him." The Galaxy could give some of Puig's responsibilities to Marco Reus, the longtime Dortmund standout who joined LA in August. Reus is nursing a hamstring injury, but Vanney expects him to play. Get local news delivered to your inbox!