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QUEBEC CITY — H O Innovation Inc. (“H O Innovation” or the “Corporation”) is proud to announce the award of several capital equipment projects to its Water Technologies & Services (WTS) business line. This is the result of the strong work of our team and commitment towards delivering top of the class solutions to our clients. The Corporation is happy to announce that after having secured and performed the engineering portion of the work, it is now under contract for the fabrication and supply of its largest wastewater treatment facility in Canada. The Corporation will provide a 67,000 m /day (17.7 MGD) 6-train ultrafiltration facility for the City of Innisfil, Ontario for the treatment of secondary effluent to minimize the discharge of phosphorous into Lake Simcoe. H O Innovation had provided a 38,000 m /day (10.04 MGD) drinking water facility to the City of Innisfil back in 2017. Another project is located in the Province of Quebec, Canada. The Naskapi Nation of Kawawachikamach is implementing a major upgrade to their drinking water facility. The Corporation provided the initial phase back in 2007 and has been providing maintenance and operation services since the original plant start-up. The expansion will include the addition of a second nanofiltration train, along with the associated pre and post treatment unit operations, to provide a total capacity of 1,100 m /day (0.29 MGD). The southwestern part of Ontario, Canada, is also seeing the addition of a project. A new municipal wastewater treatment facility for a rapidly growing community will be implemented. The system will be a three train membrane bioreactor (MBR) using an enhanced biological phosphorus removal (EBPR) process to treat up to 886 m3/day (0.23 MDG). In an innovative delivery model, H O Innovation will be supplying the biological and membrane tanks along with prefabricated buildings with all industrial mechanical equipment pre-installed, plumbed and wired to minimize on site installation and overall project cost as well as shorten the overall schedule. In Cheltenham, Maryland, a packaged membrane bioreactor (MBR) wastewater treatment system with the Maryland Environmental Service (MES) was confirmed. The system is designed to meet very stringent nutrient limits on the effluent for both nitrogen and phosphorus. A ceramic-based membrane solution was selected and will be implemented to treat the phase 1 flow of 11,500 m3/day (3.04 MGD). Finally, a new project in the United States will see the Corporation provide its third facility to a battery recycling company. The new 3-train, 4,900 m3/day (1.29 MGD) reverse osmosis (RO) project will complement the existing ones and is part of a wider partnership where the Corporation is also renting one of its mobile ultrafiltration-based FlexBox unit to this same client. “I am incredibly proud of our team for their relentless pursuit of excellence. Securing these projects is a significant milestone for us, reflecting our collective effort to innovate and lead in our industry. These new projects open exciting opportunities for us to enhance our offerings and better serve our clients. We are eager to leverage our expertise to drive success in these initiatives,” Innovation is in our name, and it is what drives the organization. H O Innovation is a water solutions company focused on providing best-in-class technologies and services to its customers. The Corporation’s activities rely on five pillars: (i) Water Technologies & Services (WTS) applies membrane technologies and engineering expertise to deliver equipment and services to municipal and industrial water, wastewater, and water reuse customers, (ii) Specialty Products (SP) is a set of businesses that manufacture and supply a complete line of specialty chemicals, consumables, and engineered products for the global water treatment industry, (iii) Operation & Maintenance (O&M) provides contract operations and associated services for water and wastewater treatment systems; (iv) Water Infrastructure Development (WID) is developing WaterHubs, through performance financing, our turn-key projects can be designed, built and operated at no upfront capital expense to our clients, and (v) Maple and Agri-food, offering a complete line of equipment dedicated to maple syrup production and the agri-food industry. Through innovation, we strive to simplify water. For more information, visit . H O Innovation Inc. Communication Department +1 418-688-0170First Farmers Financial Co. ( OTCMKTS:FFMR – Get Free Report ) announced a quarterly dividend on Tuesday, December 17th, NASDAQ Dividends reports. Shareholders of record on Tuesday, December 31st will be given a dividend of 0.49 per share on Wednesday, January 15th. This represents a $1.96 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.91%. The ex-dividend date is Tuesday, December 31st. This is a positive change from First Farmers Financial’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.48. First Farmers Financial Price Performance FFMR stock opened at $67.25 on Friday. The company’s 50-day moving average is $65.73 and its 200-day moving average is $66.31. First Farmers Financial has a 1 year low of $64.10 and a 1 year high of $80.00. About First Farmers Financial ( Get Free Report ) Featured Articles Receive News & Ratings for First Farmers Financial Daily - Enter your email address below to receive a concise daily summary of the latest news and analysts' ratings for First Farmers Financial and related companies with MarketBeat.com's FREE daily email newsletter .Suspected 'Tehreek-ul-Mujahideen' member granted transit remand till Dec 31
Extendicare Inc. (EXETF) To Go Ex-Dividend on December 31st
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By HALELUYA HADERO, Associated Press Workers at seven Amazon facilities went on strike Thursday, an effort by the Teamsters union to pressure the e-commerce company for a labor agreement during a key shopping period. The Teamsters said the workers, who voted to authorize strikes in recent days, joined picket lines after Amazon ignored a Sunday deadline the union set for contract negotiations. The union called it the largest strike against the company in U.S. history, although Amazon said it did not expect the labor action to impact its operations. The International Brotherhood of Teamsters claims it represents nearly 10,000 workers at 10 Amazon facilities, a small portion of the 800,000 workers employed in the company’s U.S. warehouses. The union hasn’t said how many workers would participate in the strike or how long the walkout would last. “Amazon is pushing its workers closer to the picket line by failing to show them the respect they have earned,” Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien said in a statement. The strikes happening Thursday are taking place at seven delivery stations, which are run by contractors who drop off of packages to customers everyday. They include three locations in Southern California, and one each in New York City, Atlanta, Georgia, and Skokie, Illinois, according to the union’s announcement. The biggest warehouse affiliated with the Teamsters is located in the New York City borough of Staten Island. In 2022, thousands of workers at the warehouse, known as JFK8, voted to be represented by the nascent Amazon Labor Union. Workers then choose to affiliate with the Teamsters this past summer. The National Labor Relations Board certified that election to unionize, but Amazon has refused to bargain on a contract. In the process, the company has filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the labor board. At the other six facilities, employees – including many delivery drivers – unionized with the Teamsters by demonstrating majority support but without holding government-administered elections. Under labor law, companies can recognize unions without elections being held, but the practice is rare, said John Logan, director of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University. Amazon workers in more locations are “prepared to join” the fight, the Teamsters said, noting that employees at the Staten Island warehouse and at a company air hub in California also have authorized strikes. When asked about the strike Thursday, Amazon spokesperson Kelly Nantel said: “What you see here are almost entirely outsiders, not Amazon employees or partners, and the suggestion otherwise is just another lie from the Teamsters.” “The truth is that they were unable to get enough support from our employees and partners and have brought in outsiders to come and harass and intimidate our team, which is inappropriate and dangerous,” Nantel said. Amazon has said it does not consider delivery drivers like the ones on strike to be its employees. Under the company’s business model, the drivers work for third-party businesses, called Delivery Service Partners, who deliver millions of packages daily. Amazon has accused the union, which says it represents some of the drivers, of “intentionally” misleading the public. “This is another attempt to push a false narrative,” Nantel said. But the Teamsters have argued Amazon essentially controls everything the drivers do and should be classified as an employer. Some U.S. labor regulators have sided with the union in filings made before the NLRB. In September, Amazon boosted pay for the drivers amid the growing pressure. Shares of Amazon.com Inc. rose more than 2.4% by midday Thursday. Extra News Alerts Get breaking updates as they happen. Be civil. Be kind.Are EVs useless in winter? A guide to getting the most out of your electric car in the cold
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With the maturation of the market in cryptocurrency, investors are looking at staking as a means of passive income on their digital assets. Staking is the process of participating in the operations of a blockchain network through holding and locking tokens, making it quite a nice option to grow one's portfolio with minimal effort. However, choosing the right platform is crucial to maximize returns and minimize risks. Here's a peek at some of the best staking platforms for passive income in 2024. The winner is Binance, the biggest cryptocurrency exchange in the world. Binance has been the best at offering high-yield staking opportunities in various cryptocurrencies. Its staking platform also includes locked and flexible staking for investors with different needs. Easy to use, with very low fees and competitive rewards, it becomes the go-to exchange for novice and seasoned stakers. Coinbase is another giant in the crypto space that has earned popularity through its simple staking services. Although it has fewer tokens to stake, Coinbase is a great entry point for beginners because it's easy to use and uncomplicated. The platform also supports staking popular coins such as Ethereum 2.0, Solana, and Tezos with automatic reward distribution, saving the hassle of managing investment. Kraken is a wonderful option for individuals requiring maximum security and compliance. A long-standing exchange, it offers staking services on more than fifteen cryptocurrencies, including Polkadot and Ethereum 2.0. Owing to the transparent fees as well as robust security measures, Kraken has become associated with a solid reputation in staking services. Gemini, relishes in the strictest regarding all rules in place concerning regulations. The staking world has also seen Gemini venturing. Although staking offers lower rewards than various staking brands, its firm emphasis on security and user-friendliness makes Gemini an attractive candidate for conservative investors. Lido has been a prominent player in DeFi regarding Ethereum 2.0 staking. Lido differs from other players because it provides liquidity for staked assets using ETH tokens. In this way, users can still participate in staking and, at the same time, use their funds for other DeFi activities. Independent services isolate themselves from centralized exchanges when their customers are interested only in staking on Ethereum 2.0. Rocket Pool and StakeWise offer staking venue for ETH, allowing the participants full control over their funds. It is suited for decentralization and privacy-centric investors. In an evolving staking landscape, investors can benefit from various choices. Centralized platforms such as Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, and Gemini are user-friendly, offer security, and have made them accessible to most investors. Decentralized ones such as Lido, which offers independent services related to Ethereum 2.0 and greater freedom with higher rewards for certain investors. Eventually, the selected staking platform for passive income depends on a person's taste, risk tolerance, and interest in investing in their investment. Like in all investments, investors are encouraged to do proper research and understand the nature of staking risks and rewards before putting their assets into it. As cryptocurrency adoption increases and blockchain technology progresses, staking will still be a strong method of passive income generation in the digital assets universe.
What’s next for AI: Trends, expectations for 2025, beyondU.S. President Jimmy Carter, center, congratulates Egyptian President Anwar al-Sadat, left, and Israeli Premier Menachem Begin, right, in three-way handshake on March 26, 1979 on the north lawn of the White House, Washington, D.C., after signing the historic U.S.-sponsored peace treaty between Israel and Egypt. AFP-Yonhap Jimmy Carter, the 100-year-old former U.S. president and Nobel peace laureate who rose from humble beginnings in rural Georgia to lead the nation from 1977 to 1981, has died, his nonprofit foundation said Sunday. Carter had been in hospice care since mid-February 2023 at his home in Plains, Georgia — the same small town where he was born and once ran a peanut farm before becoming governor of the Peach State and running for the White House. Carter died "peacefully" at his home in Plains, "surrounded by his family," the Carter Center said in a statement. "My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights and unselfish love," Chip Carter, the former president's son, said in the statement. Carter was the oldest living ex-U.S. leader and the nation's longest-lived president — an outcome that seemed unlikely back in 2015 when the Southern Democrat revealed he had brain cancer. But the U.S. Navy veteran and fervent Christian repeatedly defied the odds to enjoy a long and fruitful post-presidency, after four years in the Oval Office often seen as disappointing. During his single term, Carter placed a commitment on human rights and social justice, enjoying a strong first two years that included brokering a peace deal between Israel and Egypt dubbed the Camp David Accords. But his administration hit numerous snags — the most serious being the taking of U.S. hostages in Iran and the disastrous failed attempt to rescue the 52 captive Americans in 1980. He also came in for criticism for his handling of an oil crisis. In November of that year, Republican challenger Ronald Reagan clobbered Carter at the polls, relegating the Democrat to just one term. Reagan, a former actor and governor of California, swept into office on a wave of staunch conservatism. Isaac Feiner, left, and Kate Battaglia, right, leave flowers at the bust of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter at the Carter Presidential Center Atlanta, Ga., Dec. 29. EPA-Yonhap Active post-presidency As the years passed, a more nuanced image of Carter emerged — one that took into account his significant post-presidential activities and reassessed his achievements. He founded the Carter Center in 1982 to pursue his vision of world diplomacy, and he was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize for his tireless efforts to promote social and economic justice. He observed numerous elections around the world and emerged as a prominent international mediator, tackling global problems from North Korea to Bosnia. Carter, known for his toothy smile, said basic Christian tenets such as justice and love served as the bedrock of his presidency. He taught Sunday school at Maranatha Baptist, his church in Plains, well into his 90s. In recent years, he had received various hospital treatments, including when he revealed in August 2015 that he had brain cancer and was undergoing radiation. Former U.S. president Jimmy Carter helps build a house as he visits the construction site of houses being built by Carter's Habitat for Humanity foundation for victims of the January 2010 earthquake in Leogane, 33km south of Port-au-Prince, on Nov. 26, 2012. AFP-Yonhap 'Leader, statesman and humanitarian' Tributes poured in from White House leaders past, present and incoming. Bill Clinton said Carter "worked tirelessly for a better, fairer world," while Donald Trump said Americans owed the Democrat "a debt of gratitude." George W. Bush said Carter's legacy would "inspire Americans for generations," while Barack Obama said the former leader "taught all of us what it means to live a life of grace, dignity, justice, and service." "America and the world lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian," current President Joe Biden and his wife Jill said in a statement. "For anyone in search of what it means to live a life of purpose and meaning -- the good life -- study Jimmy Carter, a man of principle, faith, and humility." In April 2021, the Bidens met with the Carters at their home in Plains. The White House later released a photo showing the couples smiling together, although only Rosalynn was seen by the press outside, bidding the Bidens farewell while using a walker. Rosalynn, Carter's wife of 77 years, died on Nov. 19, 2023 at age 96. The former president, who looked frail, poignantly appeared at her memorial service in a wheelchair, with a blanket on his lap bearing their likenesses. Carter is survived by the couple's four children, three sons and a daughter. (AFP)Bryan Johnson, Dave Asprey, Dr Michael Ashenden United With Olympians and Anti-Doping Experts to Forge the Future of Human Enhancement
Kendall Jenner shares glimpse into festive Christmas eve partyTributes pour in after death of Ex-President Jimmy Carter: ‘Humble and devoted public servant’The home healthcare market is in a state of flux. The need for home healthcare workers is soaring as the population in the U.S. ages. In about ten years, 78 million people in the U.S. will be 65 or over. By 2060, The Institute on Aging expects the demographic will increase to 98 million and account for a quarter of the U.S. population. At the same time, the nation is aging, there is a dearth of home healthcare workers, and it looks like it's only going to get worse. Over the next decade, the institute expects the number of home health aide jobs to grow by 425,000, creating a shortage that will need to be filled. As it stands, about 95% of home and community-based care providers say they face moderate to severe staffing shortages, with 77% turning away new clients because of the lack of workers. What's more, 72% of providers say staffing shortages make it hard to meet quality standards. If nothing is done, that problem will only get worse. It's why some home healthcare providers are turning to technology, namely NurseMagicTM, for an assist. The brainchild of Amesite AMST , NurseMagic is a proprietary AI-powered app designed for nurses and home health care workers. The company reports it has closed on contracts with franchise owners representing nationally recognized brands that operate hundreds of locations across the country – resulting in recurring revenue in a total addressable market it estimates at $330 billion. Streamlining Work, Improving Care The AI-powered app, which Amesite reports has seen explosive growth since its launch this past summer, provides nurses and home healthcare professionals with a handy tool that writes comprehensive documentation instantly, can quickly translate medical terms into easy-to-understand language, create work emails, assist nurses in talking to patients with compassion, coach nurses on taking effective breaks during the day, convert images to text, provide key information about medications and collect instant feedback. Amesite says its AI app integrates seamlessly into the operational frameworks of home care agencies, enhancing workflow efficiency and supporting employee retention by lightening administrative burdens and reducing worker burnout. As a result, AI technology can enable agencies to make the most of existing resources and extend care to more clients who would otherwise be turned away due to staffing constraints, reports Amesite. Take the Senior Helpers franchise in Northern Orange County for one example. Since adopting NurseMagic, owner Steven Nickens said NurseMagic has been empowering his staff to get answers to questions quickly through the app, saving time and ensuring accurate results. "NurseMagic’s technology is transforming my organization with its intuitive and easy-to-use platform," said Nickens. "NurseMagic is both powerful and incredibly easy to use, making it accessible to everyone on my team.” Nickens isn't alone in his assessment. Joshua Porter, owner of the Spokane North BrightStar Care franchise, said he uses NurseMagic to support the company's rapid growth. “As a new franchise owner with extensive business and engineering experience, I'm thrilled to share how quickly we're growing. When I discovered NurseMagic, I immediately recognized it as a must-have to stay competitive in today's market," said Porter, noting there are no hidden fees or messy contracts when bringing NurseMagic into the fray. Growth Driven By NurseMagic In addition to improving the quality of care for patients, NurseMagic is also aiming to help healthcare franchises grow their businesses. That's certainly the case at the Fargo Senior Helpers franchise, with owner Tanya Ferber saying the app is enabling her to go after more medically complex clients in the new year. Plus, incorporating NurseMagic into her business attracts more tech-savvy healthcare workers. "It's a value-added tool for my business and takes our quality to the next level," says Ferber. It's not just home healthcare franchises that benefit. Amesite says that by selling NurseMagic to franchise owners from well-known brands in the home health and home care industries, its revenue should grow and cement NurseMagic's status as a must-have tool. "We made two tactical decisions: first, to build a best-in-class infrastructure that delivers top-tier compliance, security and low operating costs; and second, to price NurseMagic accessibly, at a sustainable margin, focusing on scaling sales rather than maximizing margins with a few customers," said Dr. Ann Marie Sastry, CEO of Amesite. "These choices position us to meet the strong demand in our industry and drive widespread adoption." Since launching NurseMagic a mere five months ago, the company says it has met several milestones, including launching a paid individual subscription , meeting HIPAA compliance requirements for paid enterprise customers and generating revenue in the home care market . The U.S. population is getting older at the same time that there is a shortage of nurses and home healthcare workers available to tend to the aging population. Those who are working are stressed and doing more with less. NurseMagic can fill that gap, presenting nurses, home health care workers and franchises with an AI-driven tool to improve the quality of life for workers and the care for patients, the company argues. It’s a win-win, which is why Amesite has been hitting so many milestones in 2024, and expects revenue to ramp up in the new year. Featured photo by Dominik Lange on Unsplash . This post contains sponsored content. This content is for informational purposes only and not intended to be investing advice. © 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
Ange Postecoglou relishing Tottenham’s key run of fixtures before ChristmasTEHRAN – At the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in The Hague, The Iranian foreign ministry’s director general of international legal affairs, Ali Mousavi, has denounced unilateral Westen sanctions for obstructing countries' ability to meet their climate change commitments. Addressing the ICJ's deliberations on an advisory opinion regarding governments' climate obligations, Mousavi highlighted Iran's vulnerability to climate change despite its relatively low emissions. He emphasized the importance of equity, common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities (CBDRRC), and international cooperation in addressing the crisis. Mousavi criticized developed nations for imposing unilateral coercive measures that impede technology transfer and financial support essential for climate mitigation efforts in developing countries. He urged the ICJ to recognize these restrictions as violations of international cooperation principles. "Developed countries must take the lead in reducing emissions and supporting developing nations through financial resources, technology transfer, and capacity building," Mousavi said, citing the UNFCCC, Kyoto Protocol, and Paris Agreement as key frameworks. He stressed the significance of the CBDRRC principle, which assigns differentiated obligations based on historical emissions and current capacities. Mousavi argued that developed nations' leadership should include financial contributions, technology transfer, and capacity-building initiatives for developing countries. "Without access to technology and resources, developing countries cannot effectively participate in global climate mitigation efforts," Mousavi told the court. He criticized trade policies like the carbon border adjustment mechanism, calling them disproportionate measures that unfairly burden developing economies.
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By Manoj Rammohan Geneva/New Delhi, Dec 22 (PTI) India has the potential to be a key producer of sustainable aviation fuel by utilising its ethanol supplies and availability of lipids feedstocks like non-edible industrial oils, according to a senior official at the global airlines' grouping IATA. With decarbonisation in focus, efforts are being made to reduce emissions and over the years, Indian carriers have operated some flights with a blend of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) and traditional Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF). Hemant Mistry, Director of Net Zero Transition at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), said the ecosystem for SAF has developed but there is more work to be done. "There are some very good opportunities for India right now. One is in terms of SAF feedstocks like agricultural waste... there is a growing understanding on what to do for SAF production. We are talking to a number of companies to understand how we can collaborate... oil companies," Mistry told PTI in a recent interview in Geneva. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) represents around 340 airlines, including Indian carriers, that account for more than 80 per cent of the global air traffic. "India, the third largest ethanol producer and consumer today, has the potential to emerge as a key SAF producer utilising its existing and advanced ethanol supplies. "At IATA, we see sustainable, low-carbon-intensity ethanol as a promising feedstock to propel India's aviation sector growth," Mistry said. This year, global SAF production is estimated at 1 million tonnes (1.3 billion litres), lower than the earlier projection of 1.5 million tonnes (1.9 billion litres) but higher than the volume of 0.5 million tonnes (600 million litres) recorded in 2023, according to IATA. As the aviation sector pursues ambitious efforts for decarbonisation, IATA has said SAF production growth is disappointingly slow. While noting that India is poised to emerge as the world's third largest aviation market, Mistry said there is also the opportunity for the country to emerge as a SAF hub in the region. "The position can be further strengthened by the early adoption of innovative global accounting practices where India's SAF supplies can cater to the global aviation market, a true mark of act local, think global," he noted. India is one of the world' fastest growing civil aviation markets and airlines are expanding their fleets as well as networks to cater to the rising traffic demand. On mandating use of SAF, Mistry pointed out that the mandate is a work for scale but that can only come later. "You can't have a mandate without technology maturity. That is a big risk." In 2025, IATA expects SAF production to touch 2.1 million tonnes (2.7 billion litres). India has the availability of lipids feedstocks like non-edible industrial oils, animal fats and tallows where the supply chains are not well developed with limited supply for biodiesel production, Mistry said. The country's surplus annual biomass availability is estimated to be more than 200 Mt. With multiple options available for road fleets, lipids-based feedstock must be used for India's SAF value chains. These oily feedstocks can be utilised at existing refineries by ASTM-qualified HEFA co-processing pathways, Mistry said. Consultancy Deloitte, in a report in October this year, said India has the potential to produce 8-10 million tonnes of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) by 2040, and investments worth USD 70-85 billion will be required to achieve the projected production. On the priorities under the SAF umbrella, Mistry said it is a question about more support to get the technologies to maturity and enable some sort of market development. "We should not have feedstock criteria that are regionally divergent. We should have sustainability criteria that are universally acknowledged," he added. There are 11 certified pathways to make SAF and HEFA method (Hydrotreated Esters Fatty Acids) is projected to account for around 80 per cent of the production in the next five years. HEFA method utilises used cooking oil and animal fats, among others. As per the airlines' grouping, SAF volumes could be boosted by increasing investments to scale up production through the other certified pathways, in particular Alcohol-to-Jet (AtJ) and Fischer-Tropsch (FT), which use biological and agricultural wastes and residue. "The airline industry's decarbonisation must be seen as part of the global energy transition, not compartmentalised as a transport issue... renewable fuel refineries will produce a broad range of fuels used by other industries, and only a minor share will be SAF, used by airlines," IATA Senior Vice President Sustainability and Chief Economist Marie Owens Thomsen said last week. (This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)Thousands of pro-EU protesters march on Georgia parliamentGhana counted ballots on Saturday after a tight election with the ruling party's Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia trying to shake off anger over economic woes and rebuff a challenge by opposition party candidate ex-president John Mahama. Ghana's struggling economy dominated the election, after the west Africa gold and cacao producer went through a debt default, high inflation and negotiations for a $3 billion IMF bailout. Voters were choosing a successor to Bawumia's boss, President Nana Akufo-Addo, who steps down after serving the maximum of two four-year terms. They will also elect the country's new parliament. Voting was mostly calm, but one person was shot dead and four people arrested at a polling station in Nyankpala in the country's northern region, police and local media said. After polls closed at 1700 GMT, election teams immediately began tallying ballots under the watch of agents from political parties before sending them to collation centres. Preliminary results are expected early Sunday, with full presidential results scheduled by Tuesday. "Everyone is complaining prices are high. So I want a change, I want a good president who will bring in changes," Abdullah Mohammed, a student said after voting in Accra's Nima district. With a history of political stability, Ghana's two main parties, the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC), have alternated in power equally since the return to multi-party democracy in 1992. Touting the slogan "Break the 8" -- a reference to going past the usual two terms in power -- the NPP hopes Bawumia can lead them to an unprecedented third term. But he struggled to break away from criticism of Akufo-Addo's economic record. "I think we have done a lot of work with our message to the people and the message has been well received," Bawumia said after voting in his northern home Walewale. A UK-educated economist and former central banker, he points to an economy turning a corner and the government's continued plans for digitalisation to ease business, as well as free education and health programmes. - Economic frustrations - But though inflation slowed from more than 50 percent to around 23 percent, and other macro-economic indicators are stabilising, the economic pain was still a clear election issue. Many Ghanaians still say they struggle with the cost of living, scarce jobs and a depreciated cedi currency. Frustration over the economy has opened the way for a comeback challenge from Mahama, who was president from 2012 to 2017 but has since failed twice in presidential bids. The NDC flag-bearer says he will "reset" Ghana and introduce a "24-hour economy", extending industrial hours to create jobs, and also renegotiate parts of the IMF deal. "Other elections have not been as obvious," Mahama said voting in his northern hometown. "With this one, everybody can tell the direction because of the abysmal performance of the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia government." Some analysts gave him an edge because of voter dismay with NPP, but the former president faced criticism from those who remember financial woes and massive power cuts during his time in office. Shoe saleswoman Esther Adobea said the economic situation hurt, but she was willing to give Bawumia a chance to make things better. "I can see he can handle the country for us. Our economy is not good, but he can do better," she said. Both major candidates are from the north of the country -- traditionally an NDC stronghold, but now more fragmented -- making the region a key battleground. While the economy was key, Ghana also faces an increasing risk of spillover in its northern regions from jihadist conflicts in Niger and Burkina Faso, where military juntas rule. The spread of illegal gold mining also became an election issue. Akufo-Addo promised to stop illegal mining, but it has expanded, poisoning riverways and impacting cacao farmlands -- a major source of export income. bur-pma/jm