Personally, it's the war between Hanover and Ironridge:
Hanover/Magna invested $44.8 Million in NEWL lately in exchange of 48 m shares, $1/share.
Ironridge has shorted huge post-split shares ( it's said 500 -560 Million shares );
Now, when the pps started going up, Ironridge is severly scared, while Hanover don't want to lose their huge money, so the war begins.
The point is: whether this halt was required by Ironridge ? !