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Boise State faces familiar foe at Wyoming, has ‘a lot of respect.’ What will weather do?The Azuero International Fair Has A Date. New Technologies Will Be Implemented

With all the evolutions in gaming, interest for next-generation consoles remains strong, such as PlayStation 5, or PS5, Xbox Series X, offering real-time graphics, quick-loading times, and exclusive games that are being consumed around the world. Maybe, one of the most perfect ways to get a good value from these is through console bundles that normally contain several games, controllers, and exclusive offers. Both PS5 and Xbox Series X bundles are carrying loads of value into 2024, making it easier for players to start their journey with everything they need right in one package. Why Console Bundles Are the Best Option This will make for a far better deal than buying the console and its accessories separately. Bundles are often the hottest game titles, more controllers, and sometimes access to subscription services like PlayStation Plus or Xbox Game Pass. This may save and stream the process for the players who would like to get as much out of their game experience without headaches of buying separate parts. Saving money with the best bundle available can get one the most highly-rated games and more with some of the bonus add-ons. Best PS5 Bundles The second hottest PS5 bundle that is probably going to pop into the market in 2024 is PS5 Console + Spider-Man 2. The package brings with it the standard PlayStation 5, which is famous for blazing-fast load times and immersive 4K gaming. Apart from this, it also brings along Spider-Man 2, which happens to be one of the top PlayStation-exclusive titles and features action-packed gameplay with amazing graphics. It is going to sell like hotcakes around the holiday seasons because there are actually people who follow this series. It is amazing value for anyone who wants something otherworldly in gaming without having to pay for the game itself. For a person who might want to have a multiplayer action game or also wants an extra controller to play, the PS5 Console + DualSense Controller Bundle should be the best choice because it comes with two DualSense controllers for local multiplayer or spares. The DualSense offers the most developed haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, so the players are provided with the most immersive gaming experience ever. The bundle that comes with this includes gamers being equipped and prepared to play either co-op style or battling against their friends. Best Xbox Series X Bundles Among the most exciting bundles for Xbox fans is the Xbox Series X + Starfield Bundle. This is one of the most awaited games from Bethesda for truly epic space exploration in 2024. The buyer of this bundle receives the Xbox Series X, famous for its performance and support for 4K resolution and high frame rates. He has the choice to be in a boundless universe that replete of adventures with rich story telling, by directly choosing that bundle. For sure it is going to be a top-ranked of the bundles for new game experience which any player wanting to try with Xbox This is a very good deal for those gamers who would enjoy playing a vast array of games without having to buy them individually. Game Pass Ultimate offers more than 100 highly rated games, from fresh releases to well-loved titles. Xbox Live Gold is also included for Xbox Live, which makes playing online multiplayer features available to you. For someone who has never owned an Xbox or looking to build a more robust library, this bundle would be a good entry way into the impressive catalog of Xbox games and the various benefits that come with this. It does matter when getting any set of PS5, or even Xbox Series X , by getting it when the scheduled period arrives. Several retailers, at present, begin offering discounts that come with restrictions in how long they are valid to use over a given span of time over sales days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday but still counts when going and checking what there is on various online platforms and figuring out what else people are charging before purchasing an item. Other means of knowing in advance for bundle deals and specials, is to subscribe into a store newsletter or checking one's social media network the accounts of game reseller. Lastly, do place orders for bundles on preorder pre-sale before stock does become depleted, most during holiday seasons when consoles selling gain their peak season period. Conclusion PS5 and Xbox Series X bundles are some of the good deals for 2024. Bundles that come with the top-rated games Spider-Man 2 and Starfield, with more accessories or subscription services, can only be matched by it when it comes to prices and value for players-a holistic package for gaming. Whether it is an upgrade of gaming setup or just a new console, these bundles will comprise everything one needs to get in and start playing the fun with the latest gaming technology. Proper research and sometime will see great deals, from the hot PS5 and Xbox Series X bundles to the gamers.

What clicked for JMM in Jharkhand?

Atalanta goes from the Europa League trophy to the top of Serie A. Inter routs Verona 5-0Earlier in the year, the CBN gave Nigerian banks across various tiers directives to meet new capital base The bank capitalisation plan is seen by analysts as a timely economic growth stimulus for the industry Fidelity Bank, Access Holdings, GTCo and other banks have started making moves to increase their capital base CHECK OUT: Education is Your Right! Don’t Let Social Norms Hold You Back. Learn Online with LEGIT. Enroll Now! Legit.ng journalist Zainab Iwayemi has 5-year-experience covering the Economy, Technology, and Capital Market. Since March 29, 2024, when the banking recapitalisation exercise was announced, some banks have raised money by going to the stock market. Analysts view the bank capitalisation initiative as a timely catalyst for economic growth, noting that capitalisation requires banks to hold sufficient funds as a buffer against financial downturns. Legit.ng has highlighted the banks that made moves to recapitalise in 2024 : PAY ATTENTION: Follow us on Instagram - get the most important news directly in your favourite app! Fidelity Bank Fidelity Bank surpassed the N127.1 billion target set in its combined offer programme, as the bank concludes the programme. Read also Naira scarcity: House of Reps take action as CBN, banks set cash withdrawal limit In an email to investors, the Managing Director of the Bank, Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe expressed appreciation, noting that the bank had surpassed the target set. The email read, “With the conclusion of the Combined Offer, I am delighted to announce that we have met and surpassed the capital-raise target we set for ourselves in the first phase of our capital-raise exercise. It is both gratifying and humbling to note this level of investor confidence in the bank.” Access Holdings Access Holdings Plc announced the commencement of its N351 billion capital raising through a rights issue, otherwise known as an offer for subscription. For the right issue, Access Holdings offered 17.772 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each to existing shareholders at N19.75 per share. The offer opened on Monday, July 8, 2024. GTCo Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), recently revealed planned to raise nine billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo at an offer price of N44.50 per ordinary shares via public offer on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX). Read also BDCs finally react as CBN allows members to buy $25,000 weekly from NAFEM This translated into N400 billion ordinary shares the Group planned to raise from investing public through public offer. Zenith Bank With the goal of raising over N290 billion, Zenith Bank Plc proposed a hybrid rights issue and subscription offer. This action represents a big step toward fulfilling the CBN's new N500 billion minimum capital requirement. In order to achieve this criterion, Zenith Bank needs roughly N229.225 billion, which includes N255.047 billion for the share premium and N15.698 billion in issued and fully paid share capital. FCMB In April, Mr. Ladi Balogun, the group’s CEO, disclosed plans to raise N150 billion between April and September 2024 as part of its recapitalization efforts. Mr. Balogun, on September 9th, expressed gratitude to the CBN , SEC, and NGX for their contributions to the capital raise, stating that these regulatory bodies played crucial roles in facilitating the process. Jaiz Bank Read also CBN takes another step to crash dollar, permits BDCs to buy forex from NAFEM After receiving regulatory clearances from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), and the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), Jaiz Bank announced that it had successfully listed N10.04 billion from its private placement on the NGX. According to a statement from the bank, this achievement puts it in the minority of banks that have already fulfilled the CBN's updated capital requirements before the June 2026 deadline. According to the bank, its balance sheet is resilient, diverse, and well-structured, indicating that its financial position is still strong. First Bank In an attempt to raise an additional N150 billion, FBN Holdings Plc launched a rights issue, issuing 5.983 billion ordinary shares at 50k each to current shareholders at N25 per share. A one-for-six ratio—one new ordinary share for every six shares held—was the basis for the offering. Sterling Bank Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc announced the commencement of its N153 billion capital raising through a Rights Issue. This strategic initiative marks a significant milestone in its growth strategy, aimed at fortifying our financial foundation, enhancing capital adequacy, and fueling organic growth within its banking subsidiaries. Read also FG speaks on next step after MRS, TotalEnergies, others emerged winners of oil well The Company has obtained the approval the Securities and Exchange Commission (‘the Commission’) to execute a Rights Issue of Rights Issue of 7,197,604,531 Ordinary Shares of 50 kobo each at N4.00 per share, On the basis of One (1) new ordinary share for every Four (4) ordinary shares held as of 6th August 2024. CBN extends recapitalisation deadline for BDC operators Legit.ng reported that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has extended the deadline for the recapitalisation of Bureau of De Change (BDC) operators from December 3, 2024, to June 3, 2025. The president of the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON), Aminu Gwadabe, stated this at a virtual emergency meeting by ABCON members. Gwadabe explained that the apex bank extended the deadline by six months due to operators' low compliance with the recapitalisation requirements. PAY ATTENTION: Сheck out news that is picked exactly for YOU ➡️ find the “Recommended for you” block on the home page and enjoy! Source: Legit.ngPennsylvania State Police said remains found 51 years ago in a wooded area of Lebanon County have been identified as 14-year-old Ruth Brenneman, of York County, who disappeared after going to school one day. Two game wardens found her body under a tarp and brush on Oct. 10, 1973. The area where the decomposed body was found — near Fort Indiantown Gap — is about 47 miles from where she lived. Lebanon and York counties are located outside of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. "Ruth was last seen in the beginning of the 1973 school year after she left for school and never returned home. Ruth Brenneman was a young female just shy of her 15 th birthday and known for her long blonde hair. We continue to investigate the circumstances around Ruth Brenneman’s discovery," Sgt. John Lacey said at a Thursday afternoon news conference. Police did not say how she died or whether her death was a homicide. Investigators said the key to identifying Brenneman was genealogy technology that was gathered using her DNA. Brenneman’s family prepared a statement, which Lacey read at the news conference: "The family wishes to extend our gratitude to Trooper Keck and the others on the Pennsylvania State Police team, who worked diligently to identify Ruthie. Their work has provided us with some closure on questions that have lingered for the past 51 years." Police are asking anyone who knew her or has information about her to contact the Pennsylvania State Police Jonestown station at 717-865-5067. You can also call the PSP tip line at 1-800-472-8477. The tips can be anonymous. Over the years, investigators tried various methods to identify the person they then referred to as "Jane Doe." In 2015, police released a bust that was recreated based on her remains. But no family members or friends came forward. In 2016, investigators exhumed "Jane Doe's" body. "We already have a DNA profile. So one of the ideas is they're going to do an isotope test," Pennsylvania State Police Trooper David Beohm told sister station WGAL at the time. Investigators hoped that the isotope test might tell them where she lived. "Anything at this point is more than what we have," Beohm said. "We'll do whatever we can to find out who this person is."

Stock market today: Wall Street rises with Nvidia as bitcoin bursts above $99,000This year brought many surprises and not all of them were pleasant ones. or signup to continue reading In the automotive space there were also plenty of things that happened in 2024 in Australia, and 2025 doesn't look like being any different. But before we get too far ahead of ourselves, here's a rundown of what each member of the editorial was surprised about in 2024. Styling is entirely subjective, but I thought the direction Kia went in for styling the Tasman was ambitious and brave to a degree. But it was more of a surprise with the drivetrain they chose to go with. It enters the segment significantly under its main rivals and doesn't offer a compelling on-paper reason to buy it ahead of those rivals. Perhaps Kia is going with a value proposition and will price the Tasman in line with some of the value Chinese propositions. But then the interior tech level and finish suggests it's going for a premium approach. It'll be interesting to see how it pans out, because the ute segment is very different to what it was when Kia would have commenced product planning for Tasman. When the Volkswagen Polo Classic sedan controversially became the first Chinese-made model to arrive in Australia in 2004, who would have predicted that five major Chinese auto brands would be popular here within just two decades? And when Great Wall Motors (now GWM) became the first Chinese carmaker to set up shop in the local auto market in 2009, who would have been unsurprised by the presence of at least 10 Chinese car brands here little more than 15 years later? The rate at which Chinese auto brands have arrived Down Under this year has been literally awesome – and frightening for many legacy carmakers – even given Australia's geographical proximity to the world's largest auto market, and its suitability as a testbed for ambitious Chinese auto exporters in terms of this market's safety, technology and emissions requirements. If carmakers can be profitable in a car market as mature and competitive as Australia's, it's likely to be successful in other larger Western countries, except perhaps in a tariff-protected US market under Trump. SAIC is China's largest carmaker and its biggest brand, MG, was relaunched in Australia in 2016 (two years after SAIC sister brand LDV), before becoming China's major export auto brand in 2019, cracking the list of top-10 brands here in 2021 and placing seventh in last year's record new-vehicle market. Since MG reincarnated itself here just eight years ago, GWM has launched its Tank sub-brand, Chery has reintroduced itself and announced its Jaecoo sister brand, and BYD has captured a solid foothold since arriving here in earnest in late 2022. And while Polestar has joined fellow Geely brands Volvo and Lotus on sale here (followed this month by Zeekr), Chinese-produced Teslas have also become Australia's top-selling EVs. So far there's no sign of the FAW Group or Dongfeng in Australia, but the final member of China's big-four carmakers, Changan, is also landing here this month via the Deepal brand, courtesy of Subaru and Peugeot distributor Inchcape. Other Chinese brands confirmed to target the best-selling Tesla Model Y with all-new mid-sized electric SUVs within weeks include Xpeng, Skywell, Leapmotor (via Jeep parent Stellantis), followed by Geely, which may also bring its Radar/Riddara and Lynk&Co sister brands. Foton will relaunch itself here in early 2025 with two big new utes, and there's also GAC Motor brand Aion, and perhaps Nio and Chery's Jetour as well. Of course, while BYD boldly claims it will eventually outsell Toyota in Australia, and MG plans to be a top-three auto brand here, some Chinese brands could well disappear from the local market as quickly as they appeared here. But many of them will go on to become household names – just as Korean marques like Hyundai and Kia have, and before them Japanese brands led by Toyota. It still boggles my mind that there are vocal factions in Australia that are very anti-PHEV, since on paper they're a great middle ground for local car buyers looking to step into electrification. With the right consumer education and more choice, PHEVs have the potential to do a lot of good Down Under and become a mainstay option in the local auto market, in the same way they have become in Europe. However, the EV-angelists and greenwashing governing bodies wanting to appear more progressive than they really are continue to poo-poo the powertrain technology as if it has no benefit at all. Have they forgotten that a big part of the substantial increase in EV sales (and PHEV sales, to an even greater extent) in recent years has been due to government incentives at both the state and federal level? Rather than forcing consumers to jump directly from ICE to EV overnight, we should be incentivising the majority to move more progressively across to HEVs and PHEVs (and EVs, where appropriate), because when used as intended they can have a bigger impact on overall emissions reductions, while putting less pressure on infrastructure and eliminating range anxiety. For me personally, I'm much closer to buying a PHEV as my next car rather than an EV. I knew more Chinese brands would come to Australia. It seemed entirely inevitable, as they continue to be frozen out of the US market and earlier this year the European Union increased tariffs. Competing in Australia now seems to be a feather in Chinese brands' caps – if you can make it here, you've shown you likely have product that meets tough safety standards and which can hold its own against a legion of more established brands in an extremely competitive market. What I wasn't expecting was the sheer number of brands announcing their entry into Australia. Geely, for example, wants to throw yet another brand into the mix here with its namesake marque. Chinese big four player Changan had unusually stayed out of Australia all this time, only to announce a play at our market with its Deepal EV brand, distributed via Inchcape. This came shortly after the same distributor announced it was bringing back the Foton brand. What we end up having is a dizzying number of Chinese brands coming here. It's hard to keep track of them all, and while some are coming through established distributors, others are arriving through new importers, which is making things even more interesting. Let's see what shakes out in 2025. Hybrid vehicle sales hitting the afterburner in Australia isn't something many expected to happen, but looking back it was probably the most inevitable and logical outcome. We've been told for years that fully-electric vehicles (EVs) and even plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) would be the way forward, but Australian buyers are now being offered more conventional hybrid models than ever before, and they're buying them in droves. Plugless hybrids now account for almost 15 per cent of new car sales in Australia. While this is largely due to Toyota clearing its order backlogs, traditional hybrid powertrains are now more widely available across a wide spectrum of the market. This could be the shot in the arm Australia needs to reduce its overall transport emissions, and the encouragement some car companies require to start bringing more efficient vehicles to local showrooms. We all knew the wouldn't be cheap and the infamous 'Toyota tax' is always pretty hefty, but my socks were blown off when this pricing news dropped. At $155,990 before on-roads, the Tundra is the most expensive full-sized pickup available in Australia before you start looking at heavy-duty options like the and / variants, some of which require a heavy vehicle license. And it makes the Tundra the most expensive Toyota model ever sold in Australia. I know Toyota needs to recoup the cost of local right-hand drive development and conversion by Walkinshaw, but in the US the equivalent Tundra Limited i-Force Max pickup starts at US$58,005 (~A$90,500). Well, this certainly wasn't on my bingo card. Japanese giant Toyota will join the Australian Supercars Championship grid from 2026, pitting the up against American muscle in Australia's biggest motorsport category. While the homegrown series is best known for fostering the rivalry between Ford and Holden (now Chevrolet), it's not unheard of for manufacturers to come from further afield – who can forget the domination of the Nissan Skyline GTR, otherwise known as 'Godzilla', in the 1990s? More recently, European players Mercedes-Benz and Volvo both tried their hand at the Supercars formula. However, after Ford and Chevrolet were announced as the brands to debut under the latest Gen3 regulations back in 2020, the manufacturer rumour mill went quiet. It was widely accepted that Supercars would remain a two-horse race... until a couple of months ago. Toyota's entry came out of nowhere, and it left us with more than a few questions. Why would Toyota jump into a declining race category when it already has extensive motorsport exposure Down Under? And why race the Supra, a model that's expected to be axed at least in its current form in the not-so-distant future? Those questions remain, but Toyota's leap of faith can only be a good thing for motorsport and the dominant auto brand's road-going performance vehicles in Australia. There was a lot of talk for a long time in the lead up to the Tasman's reveal in October, and plenty more after Kia's first ute broke cover. And the simplest way to describe its design is... surprising. I won't say it looks good, but it will certainly get people talking and set it apart from the competition. In a segment where most of the choices look pretty similar, Kia has at least managed to design something that's unique and will stand out in the real world, which isn't easy these days. I can vouch for that because I was able to instantly recognise a camouflaged Tasman on the Hume Freeway just last month, when I was equally surprised by just how massive it looks compared to regular traffic. While (single- and dual-cab) body options and (diesel) drivetrain choices will be less of a surprise, the biggest factor in whether the Tasman hits Kia's relatively conservative sales target (at least the one it's stated publicly) in Australia's sprawling ute landscape is likely to be price. But knowing Kia, it's likely to be sharp, and backed by a long warranty. As for the controversial styling, there will definitely be some fairly major tweaks to improve the Tasman's controversial appearance down the track, perhaps even before it's released here in mid-2025. As it stands though, it caught my attention in a way I didn't quite expect it to. Content originally sourced from: Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . AdvertisementNominees for Destructoid’s Best Remaster/Remake of 2024'We've just walked around it': Tourists unfazed by Seoul's impeachment protests Published: 14 Dec. 2024, 06:00 Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI Entrance to the Myeong-Dong shopping streets on a cold Thursday morning [HA YUN-JI] President Yoon Suk-Yeol’s martial law declaration threw Korea into a political crisis last week. Citizens, it was widely reported, fell into a nationwide panic, taking to the streets to protest, clearing daily necessities from convenience store shelves and flooding the country's social networks with a deluge of traffic that likely took their servers down. The won crashed, and the stock market has struggled to recover. On the streets of Seoul's most Instagram-able tourist districts, however, international visitors largely seem to be getting on with things. Related Article 'Travel advisory: Korea': Martial law scare threatens tourism with national warnings Railway workers' strike disrupts commutes as union fails to reach agreement Tourism minister aims to hit inbound traveler targets with foreigner friendly infrastructure boost Crowds were slightly below their usual levels in Seoul's famous Myeong-dong shopping center on a crisp Thursday winter morning. Dotted throughout the throng were several pairs of Walking Tourist Guides, dressed in bright red, who'd been sent to help overseas travelers find their way. A group of five Australian visitors in Myeong-dong, central Seoul, said that they were “stoked” to be in Korea, having experienced nothing so far that would prompt them to cut their trip short. “We haven’t experienced anything with regards to the martial law stuff,” one mid-20s tourist told the JoongAng Daily, seated in front of a large Christmas tree. Although the group had recently crossed paths with a protest in Busan, none of the five had viewed it as a concern. “It was fine,” the tourist said of the experience. Fewer visitors than usual enter and exit Lotte Young Plaza in Myeong-dong, central Seoul. [HA YUN-JI] Government officials, however, clearly don't feel the same way. Several countries have issued travel warnings: China told its citizens to “enhance security awareness and reduce unnecessary outings” while in Korea while the United States recommended avoiding large crowds. Domestically, stakeholders including businesses and tourism associations have expressed public fear that the political crisis could hurt future tourism, pushing officials to spring to damage control. In response, Seoul Mayor Oh Se-hoon announced several countermeasures, to promote “Safe Seoul,” at a meeting of tourism stakeholders on Wednesday. “We will do our best to ensure that tourists who experience Seoul return home with the conviction that Seoul is a safe, enjoyable city that they would want to visit again,” the mayor said. Oh’s office promised to provide targeted incentives to small businesses, such as employment subsidies for skilled workers and support to develop travel packages and events. Alongside deploying more Walking Tourist Guides, the city is pushing out more promotional material with the message that Seoul is a “consistently safe and tourist-friendly city.” A group of students explore their surroundings. [HA YUN-JI] On Thursday, the government extended the K-ETA temporary exemption, which grants free entry to visitors from 67 countries, by one year to the end of 2025. How the aftermath of Yoon's declaration will impact international tourism numbers — which had recovered to 97 percent of pre-Covid levels as of October of this year — remains to be seen. The key demographic of concern is Chinese tourists, who represented more than 29 percent of Korea’s international visitors between January and October of 2024. That number represented an increase of 158.9 percent from the January-October 2023 period and grew 57.2 percent in October alone. According to Bloomberg Intelligence, there could be a reduction in Chinese visitor levels of as much as 19 percent early next year, as public safety concerns have a greater resonance among them. Japanese visitor levels were the second most populous group, making up 19.2 percent of Korea's total. The group grew 42.9 percent year-over-year in 2024. Shoppers frequent Myeong-dong stores. [HA YUN-JI] But the Australian tourists on the streets of Myeong-dong, for their part, remain undeterred by the occasional protest they encounter. “We've just sort of walked around it,” a member of the group said. BY KAYA SELBY [ [email protected] ] var admarutag = admarutag || {} admarutag.cmd = admarutag.cmd || [] admarutag.cmd.push(function () { admarutag.pageview('3bf9fc17-6e70-4776-9d65-ca3bb0c17cb7'); });

Get ready for a college football bowl season like you’ve never seen. It’s the first year of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff to determine the national champion, with first-round games kicking off Friday, December 20. In the new format, the top four conference champions (Oregon, Georgia, Arizona State and Boise State) receive a first-round bye and automatic entry into the quarterfinals. The remaining eight teams play in the four-game first round, with matchups held at the home stadiums of the higher-ranked participants. The “New Year’s Six” bowls serve as the quarterfinals and semifinals, with the national championship decided Monday, January 20, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Of course, there’s still plenty of college football postseason action through early January that doesn’t involve the national championship chase. The parade of bowl games begins Saturday, December 14, with the Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta. A great tradition continues in Landover, Maryland, as the Navy Midshipmen take on the Army Black Knights Saturday on CBS at 3/2c. Later on Saturday, the Heisman Trophy is presented to the season’s most outstanding player in a ceremony on ESPN at 8/7c. Finalists are Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel, Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter, Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (pictured above) and Miami QB Cam Ward. Here’s your complete lineup of College Football Playoff games and other bowl matchups: College Football Playoff 2024 TV Schedule All times Eastern/Central. CFP First Round Friday, December 20 No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, ABC/ESPN, 8/7c Saturday, December 21 No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, noon/11a c, TNT/Max No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, 4/3c, TNT/Max No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State, 8/7c, ABC/ESPN CFP Quarterfinals Tuesday, December 31 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Arizona): TBA vs. No. 3 Boise State, (ESPN) Wednesday, Jan. 1 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (Atlanta): TBA vs. No. 4 Arizona State, 1/noon c, ESPN Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California): TBA vs. No. 1 Oregon, 5/4c, ESPN Allstate Sugar Bowl (New Orleans): TBA vs. No. 2 Georgia, 8:45/7:45c, ESPN CFP Semifinals Thursday, January 9 Capital One Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida): TBA vs. TBA, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Friday, January 10 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (Arlington, Texas): TBA vs. TBA, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN CFP National Championship Game Monday, January 20 National Championship (Atlanta): TBA vs. TBA, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN College Football Bowl Game TV Schedule Saturday, December 14 Cricket Celebration Bowl (Atlanta): Jackson State vs. South Carolina State, noon/11a c, ABC IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama): South Alabama vs. Western Michigan, 9/8c, ESPN Tuesday, December 17 Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl (Frisco, Texas): Memphis vs. West Virginia, 9/8c, ESPN Wednesday, December 18 Boca Raton Bowl (Boca Raton, Florida): Western Kentucky vs. James Madison, 5:30/4:30c, ESPN Art of Sport LA Bowl (Inglewood, California): Cal vs. UNLV, 9/8c, ESPN Thursday, December 19 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans): Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston, 7/6c, ESPN2 Friday, December 20 StaffDNA Cure Bowl (Orlando, Florida): Ohio vs. Jacksonville State, noon/11a c, ESPN Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa, Florida): 3:30/2:30c, ESPN Monday, December 23 Myrtle Beach Bowl (Conway, South Carolina): Coastal Carolina vs. UTSA, 11a/10a c, ESPN Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Idaho): Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State, 2:30/1:30c, ESPN Tuesday, December 24 Hawai’i Bowl (Honolulu): South Florida vs. San José State, 8/7c, ESPN Thursday, December 26 GameAbove Sports Bowl (Detroit): Pittsburgh vs. Toledo, 2/1xc, ESPN Rate Bowl (Phoenix): Rutgers vs. Kansas State, 5:30/4:30c, ESPN 68 Ventures Bowl (Mobile, Alabama): Arkansas State vs. Bowling Green, 9/8c, ESPN Friday, December 27 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, Texas): Oklahoma vs. Navy, noon/11a c, ESPN Birmingham Bowl (Birmingham, Alabama): Georgia Tech vs. Vanderbilt, 3:30/2:30c, ESPN AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Memphis, Tennessee): Texas Tech vs. Arkansas, 7/6c, ESPN DirecTV Holiday Bowl (San Diego): Syracuse vs. Washington State, 8/7c, Fox SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl (Las Vegas): Texas A&M vs. USC, 10:30/9:30c, ESPN Saturday, December 28 Wasabi Fenway Bowl (Boston): UConn vs. North Carolina, 11a/10a c, ESPN Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl (Bronx, New York): Boston College vs. Nebraska, Noon/11a c, ABC Isleta New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque, New Mexico): Louisiana vs. TCU, 2:15/1:15c, ESPN Pop-Tarts Bowl (Orlando, Florida): Iowa State vs. Miami, 3:30/2:30c, ABC Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl (Tucson, Arizona): Miami (Ohio) vs. Colorado State, 4:30/3:30c, The CW Go Bowling Military Bowl (Annapolis, Maryland): East Carolina vs. NC State, 5:45/4:45c, ESPN Valero Alamo Bowl (San Antonio): BYU vs. Colorado, 7:30/6:30c, ABC Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl (Shreveport, Louisiana): Marshall vs. Army, 9:15/8:15c, ESPN Monday, December 30 TransPerfect Music City Bowl (Nashville, Tennessee): Iowa vs. Missouri, 2:30/1:30c, ESPN Tuesday, December 31 ReliaQuest Bowl (Tampa, Florida): Alabama vs. Michigan, noon/11a c, ESPN Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas): Louisville vs. Washington, 2/1c, CBS Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (Orlando, Florida): South Carolina vs. Illinois, 3/2c, ABC Kinder’s Texas Bowl (Houston): Baylor vs. LSU, 3:30/2:30c, ESPN Thursday, January 2 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, Florida): Duke vs. Ole Miss, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Friday, January 3 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (Dallas): North Texas vs. Texas State, 4/3c, ESPN Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Charlotte, North Carolina): Minnesota vs. Virginia Tech, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Saturday, January 4 Bahamas Bowl (Nassau, Bahamas): Buffalo vs. Liberty, 11a/10a c, ESPN2 More Headlines: College Football Playoff & Bowl Game TV Schedule 2024 How Will ‘Blue Bloods’ End for Each Character? Our Theories ‘Dexter: Original Sin’ Creator Reveals How Dexter Survived ‘New Blood’ & Will Return for ‘Resurrection’ ‘The Night Agent’ Adds Jennifer Morrison, Stephen Moyer & More for Season 3 ‘Dexter: Resurrection’: Cast, Premiere Date & Everything Else We Know So Far

BlackRock COO looking to improve tech, AI capabilities

Get ready for a college football bowl season like you’ve never seen. It’s the first year of the expanded 12-team College Football Playoff to determine the national champion, with first-round games kicking off Friday, December 20. In the new format, the top four conference champions (Oregon, Georgia, Arizona State and Boise State) receive a first-round bye and automatic entry into the quarterfinals. The remaining eight teams play in the four-game first round, with matchups held at the home stadiums of the higher-ranked participants. The “New Year’s Six” bowls serve as the quarterfinals and semifinals, with the national championship decided Monday, January 20, at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. Of course, there’s still plenty of college football postseason action through early January that doesn’t involve the national championship chase. The parade of bowl games begins Saturday, December 14, with the Cricket Celebration Bowl in Atlanta. A great tradition continues in Landover, Maryland, as the Navy Midshipmen take on the Army Black Knights Saturday on CBS at 3/2c. Later on Saturday, the Heisman Trophy is presented to the season’s most outstanding player in a ceremony on ESPN at 8/7c. Finalists are Oregon QB Dillon Gabriel, Colorado WR/CB Travis Hunter, Boise State RB Ashton Jeanty (pictured above) and Miami QB Cam Ward. Here’s your complete lineup of College Football Playoff games and other bowl matchups: All times Eastern/Central. Friday, December 20 No. 10 Indiana at No. 7 Notre Dame, ABC/ESPN, 8/7c Saturday, December 21 No. 11 SMU at No. 6 Penn State, noon/11a c, TNT/Max No. 12 Clemson at No. 5 Texas, 4/3c, TNT/Max No. 9 Tennessee at No. 8 Ohio State, 8/7c, ABC/ESPN Tuesday, December 31 Vrbo Fiesta Bowl (Glendale, Arizona): TBA vs. No. 3 Boise State, (ESPN) Wednesday, Jan. 1 Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl (Atlanta): TBA vs. No. 4 Arizona State, 1/noon c, ESPN Rose Bowl (Pasadena, California): TBA vs. No. 1 Oregon, 5/4c, ESPN Allstate Sugar Bowl (New Orleans): TBA vs. No. 2 Georgia, 8:45/7:45c, ESPN Thursday, January 9 Capital One Orange Bowl (Miami, Florida): TBA vs. TBA, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Friday, January 10 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic (Arlington, Texas): TBA vs. TBA, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Monday, January 20 National Championship (Atlanta): TBA vs. TBA, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Saturday, December 14 Cricket Celebration Bowl (Atlanta): Jackson State vs. South Carolina State, noon/11a c, ABC IS4S Salute to Veterans Bowl (Montgomery, Alabama): South Alabama vs. Western Michigan, 9/8c, ESPN Tuesday, December 17 Scooter’s Coffee Frisco Bowl (Frisco, Texas): Memphis vs. West Virginia, 9/8c, ESPN Wednesday, December 18 Boca Raton Bowl (Boca Raton, Florida): Western Kentucky vs. James Madison, 5:30/4:30c, ESPN Art of Sport LA Bowl (Inglewood, California): Cal vs. UNLV, 9/8c, ESPN Thursday, December 19 R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl (New Orleans): Georgia Southern vs. Sam Houston, 7/6c, ESPN2 Friday, December 20 StaffDNA Cure Bowl (Orlando, Florida): Ohio vs. Jacksonville State, noon/11a c, ESPN Union Home Mortgage Gasparilla Bowl (Tampa, Florida): 3:30/2:30c, ESPN Monday, December 23 Myrtle Beach Bowl (Conway, South Carolina): Coastal Carolina vs. UTSA, 11a/10a c, ESPN Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise, Idaho): Northern Illinois vs. Fresno State, 2:30/1:30c, ESPN Tuesday, December 24 Hawai’i Bowl (Honolulu): South Florida vs. San José State, 8/7c, ESPN Thursday, December 26 GameAbove Sports Bowl (Detroit): Pittsburgh vs. Toledo, 2/1xc, ESPN Rate Bowl (Phoenix): Rutgers vs. Kansas State, 5:30/4:30c, ESPN 68 Ventures Bowl (Mobile, Alabama): Arkansas State vs. Bowling Green, 9/8c, ESPN Friday, December 27 Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Fort Worth, Texas): Oklahoma vs. Navy, noon/11a c, ESPN Birmingham Bowl (Birmingham, Alabama): Georgia Tech vs. Vanderbilt, 3:30/2:30c, ESPN AutoZone Liberty Bowl (Memphis, Tennessee): Texas Tech vs. Arkansas, 7/6c, ESPN DirecTV Holiday Bowl (San Diego): Syracuse vs. Washington State, 8/7c, Fox SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl (Las Vegas): Texas A&M vs. USC, 10:30/9:30c, ESPN Saturday, December 28 Wasabi Fenway Bowl (Boston): UConn vs. North Carolina, 11a/10a c, ESPN Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl (Bronx, New York): Boston College vs. Nebraska, Noon/11a c, ABC Isleta New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque, New Mexico): Louisiana vs. TCU, 2:15/1:15c, ESPN Pop-Tarts Bowl (Orlando, Florida): Iowa State vs. Miami, 3:30/2:30c, ABC Snoop Dogg Arizona Bowl (Tucson, Arizona): Miami (Ohio) vs. Colorado State, 4:30/3:30c, The CW Go Bowling Military Bowl (Annapolis, Maryland): East Carolina vs. NC State, 5:45/4:45c, ESPN Valero Alamo Bowl (San Antonio): BYU vs. Colorado, 7:30/6:30c, ABC Radiance Technologies Independence Bowl (Shreveport, Louisiana): Marshall vs. Army, 9:15/8:15c, ESPN Monday, December 30 TransPerfect Music City Bowl (Nashville, Tennessee): Iowa vs. Missouri, 2:30/1:30c, ESPN Tuesday, December 31 ReliaQuest Bowl (Tampa, Florida): Alabama vs. Michigan, noon/11a c, ESPN Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl (El Paso, Texas): Louisville vs. Washington, 2/1c, CBS Cheez-It Citrus Bowl (Orlando, Florida): South Carolina vs. Illinois, 3/2c, ABC Kinder’s Texas Bowl (Houston): Baylor vs. LSU, 3:30/2:30c, ESPN Thursday, January 2 TaxSlayer Gator Bowl (Jacksonville, Florida): Duke vs. Ole Miss, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Friday, January 3 SERVPRO First Responder Bowl (Dallas): North Texas vs. Texas State, 4/3c, ESPN Duke’s Mayo Bowl (Charlotte, North Carolina): Minnesota vs. Virginia Tech, 7:30/6:30c, ESPN Saturday, January 4 Bahamas Bowl (Nassau, Bahamas): Buffalo vs. Liberty, 11a/10a c, ESPN2 More Headlines:Historic Victory: Hemant Soren's JMM Coalition Secures Majority in Jharkhand

Percentages: FG .540, FT .720. 3-Point Goals: 11-23, .478 (Lilly 5-9, Erold 3-6, Lesburt 2-4, Cooley 1-3, Wrisby-Jefferson 0-1). Team Rebounds: 1. Team Turnovers: 1. Blocked Shots: 5 (Cooley 2, DeGraaf, Erold, Lilly). Turnovers: 10 (Jenkins 2, Lewis 2, Wrisby-Jefferson 2, Cooley, Erold, Lesburt, Lilly). Steals: 3 (Lesburt, Lilly, Wrisby-Jefferson). Technical Fouls: None. Percentages: FG .509, FT .833. 3-Point Goals: 8-19, .421 (Palesse 3-3, Benard 2-2, van der Plas 1-1, Kopa 1-4, Godfrey 1-5, Sangha 0-1, Thompson 0-1, McMillan 0-2). Team Rebounds: 6. Team Turnovers: 1. Blocked Shots: 1 (Kopa). Turnovers: 10 (Benard 3, McMillan 2, Sangha 2, Godfrey, Palesse, van der Plas). Steals: 5 (Benard 2, Kopa, McMillan, van der Plas). Technical Fouls: None. A_953 (2,176).Heads up: SantaCon events are upon us in NJ, NYC

HALIFAX, Nova Scotia (AP) — The first woman to command Canada's military called out a U.S. senator on Saturday for questioning the role of women in combat. Gen. Jennie Carignan responded to comments made by Idaho Republican Sen. Jim Risch , the ranking member of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who was asked on Friday whether President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for defense secretary, Pete Hegseth , should retract comments that he believes men and women should not serve together in combat units . “I think it’s delusional for anybody to not agree that women in combat creates certain unique situations that have to be dealt with. I think the jury’s still out on how to do that," Risch said during a panel session at the Halifax International Security Forum on Friday. Carignan, Canada's chief of defense staff and the first woman to command the armed forces of any Group of 20 or Group of Seven country, took issue with those remarks during a panel session on Saturday. "If you’ll allow me, I would first like maybe to respond to Senator Risch’s statement yesterday about women in combat because I wouldn’t want anyone to leave this forum with this idea that women are a distraction to defense and national security," Carignan said. “After 39 years of career as a combat arms officer and risking my life in many operations across the world, I can’t believe that in 2024, we still have to justify the contribution of women to their defense and to their service, in their country. I wouldn’t want anyone to leave this forum with this idea that this is that it is some kind of social experiment.” Carignan said women have participating in combat for hundreds of years but have never been recognized for fighting for their country. She noted the women military personnel in the room. “All the women sitting here in uniform, stepping in, and deciding to get into harm’s way and fight for their country, need to be recognized for doing so," she said. “So again, this is the distraction, not the women themselves." Carignan received a standing ovation at the forum, which attracts defense and security officials from Western democracies. Hegseth has reignited a debate that many thought had been long settled: Should women be allowed to serve their country by fighting on the front lines? The former Fox News commentator made it clear, in his own book and in interviews, that he believes men and women should not serve together in combat units . If Hegseth is confirmed by the Senate, he could try to end the Pentagon’s nearly decade-old practice of making all combat jobs open to women. Hegseth’s remarks have generated a barrage of praise and condemnation. Carignan was promoted to the rank of general during the change-of-command ceremony this past summer, after being chosen by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s government to become Canada’s first female defense chief. Carignan is no stranger to firsts. She was also the first woman to command a combat unit in the Canadian military, and her career has included deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia and Syria. For the last three years, she has been the chief of professional conduct and culture, a job created as a result of the sexual misconduct scandal in 2021. Her appointment this year comes as Canada continues to face criticism from NATO allies for not spending 2% of its gross domestic product on defense. The Canadian government recently said that it would reach its NATO commitment by 2032. Risch said Friday Trump would laugh at Canada’s current military spending plans and said the country must do more.The Commission of Inquiry on Enforced Disappearance has found that the mobile surveillance system was used in pinpointing the location of the victims of the enforced disappearance prior to picking them up secretly. "Interviews with the victims and the members of the Armed Forces confirm that mobile technology was integral to the surveillance process. In interviews, RAB and military officers indicated that 'silent pick-ups'—unobtrusive abductions—were virtually impossible without mobile surveillance to pinpoint the victim's location with precision," said the Commission report, reports BSS. The five-member commission, led by retired justice Mainul Islam Chowdhury, recently presented the report, titled "Unfolding the Truth," to Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus at the state guest house Jamuna. Prior to the establishment of the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) as an independent agency, the report said that the mobile surveillance was conducted through its predecessor, the National Monitoring Centre (NMC), which was housed within the DGFI (Directorate General of Forces Intelligence) Headquarters. The DGFI provided dedicated surveillance systems, which were also used by other forces, such as RAB and DB, implicating the DGFI in abetting the commission of enforced disappearances by forces other than its own, it said, adding that the NMC hosted dedicated consoles manned by personnel from various agencies, working in rotating shifts. A former DG of DGFI also confirmed to the Commission that his organization provided logistics support related to surveillance to various law enforcement teams whilst NMC was housed at the DGFI Headquarters. This operational structure again highlights significant coordination among security forces and since the establishment of the NTMC, surveillance activities have transitioned to this independent agency, it said. However, preliminary reports suggest that some surveillance capabilities still reside within individual forces. The extent of these capabilities remains an active line of inquiry, particularly because there appears to be no judicial oversight on the surveillance process, the Commission report said. "Despite the lack of judicial oversight, several victims reported signs of surveillance prior to their abductions," it said. For example, the report said that one victim revealed that his captors referenced a private phone conversation about his wife's dental treatment, suggesting that mobile surveillance had been conducted beforehand. Other victims described receiving suspicious phone calls shortly before their abductions, during which no one spoke at the other end of the line, it also said. "These calls were presumably used to pinpoint the victim’s location," it added. In another instance, the report said that eyewitnesses recounted how the security forces entered a room, instructed the occupants to place their phones in a line, and, when a call came to one of the phones, detained the individual who claimed it. "That person was never seen again," it said.Bargain hunting may boost stock marketTwo months into his entrepreneurial comeback, Aakash Chaudhry , one of India's most successful education entrepreneurs, has secured backing from two of the country's most prominent consumer tech billionaires-Zomato's Deepinder Goyal and Zerodha 's Nithin Kamath-for his new venture, Sparkl Edventure , said people in the know. Kamath's Rainmatter, a fintech and sustainability-focused fund, along with Goyal, is participating in a $4 million seed round. The round is expected to attract a few more marquee investors. In October, Chaudhry joined forces with Pavan Chauhan and Ritesh Hemrajani, founders of Meritnation.com, an edtech company acquired by his family business Aakash Educational Services Ltd (AESL) in 2020, to launch Sparkl. This comes three years after the $950 million cash-and-stock sale of AESL to Byju's in one of India's largest edtech deals till date. Despite the sale, Chaudhry retains an 11% stake in AESL. Sparkl aims to provide bespoke one-on-one online tutoring for students in grades 6 to 12, specializing in International Baccalaureate (IB) and Cambridge curricula. The platform offers personalised classes across subjects such as mathematics, science, languages, business studies etc. With teachers already on board, Sparkl has begun enrolling students from major Indian cities such as Delhi NCR, Bengaluru, Pune and Hyderabad, as well as Singapore and plans to grow the platform leveraging its tech interventions. "The initial plan was to launch in the new year, but with the product being ready ahead of schedule, the timeline was advanced," said a source familiar with the developments. "The seed round will further accelerate the rollout." Chaudhry declined to comment. Goyal and Kamath weren't immediately available for comment. 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DENVER--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec 13, 2024-- The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) announced today that its Board of Directors approved a new $1 billion authorization for the Company to repurchase its common stock and declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.235 per common share. The dividend will be payable December 31, 2024, to stockholders of record at the close of business on December 23, 2024. “We remain committed to returning capital to our shareholders with our disciplined approach focused on driving long-term shareholder value through both dividends and stock repurchases and today’s announcements allows us the flexibility to continue to do that,” said Devin McGranahan, President and Chief Executive Officer. Repurchases may be made at management’s discretion through open-market transactions, privately negotiated transactions, tender offers, Rule 10b5-1 plans, or by other means. The amount and timing of any repurchases made under the share repurchase program will depend on a variety of factors, including market conditions, share price, legal requirements, and other factors. The program does not have a set expiration date and may be suspended, modified, or discontinued at any time without prior notice. Safe Harbor Compliance Statement for Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains certain statements that are forward-looking within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks, uncertainties, and assumptions that are difficult to predict. Actual outcomes and results may differ materially from those expressed in, or implied by, our forward-looking statements. Words such as “expects,” “intends,” “targets,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “guides,” “provides guidance,” “provides outlook,” “projects,” “designed to,” and other similar expressions or future or conditional verbs such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “would,” “could,” and “might” are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Readers of this press release of The Western Union Company (the “Company,” “Western Union,” “we,” “our,” or “us”) should not rely solely on the forward-looking statements and should consider all uncertainties and risks discussed in the Risk Factors section and throughout the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023. The statements are only as of the date they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement. Possible events or factors that could cause results or performance to differ materially from those expressed in our forward-looking statements include the following: (i) events related to our business and industry, such as: changes in general economic conditions and economic conditions in the regions and industries in which we operate, including global economic downturns and trade disruptions, or significantly slower growth or declines in the money transfer, payment service, and other markets in which we operate, including downturns or declines related to interruptions in migration patterns or other events, such as public health emergencies, epidemics, or pandemics, civil unrest, war, terrorism, natural disasters, or non-performance by our banks, lenders, insurers, or other financial services providers; failure to compete effectively in the money transfer and payment service industry, including among other things, with respect to price or customer experience, with global and niche or corridor money transfer providers, banks and other money transfer and payment service providers, including digital, mobile and internet-based services, card associations, and card-based payment providers, and with digital currencies and related exchanges and protocols, and other innovations in technology and business models; geopolitical tensions, political conditions and related actions, including trade restrictions and government sanctions, which may adversely affect our business and economic conditions as a whole, including interruptions of United States or other government relations with countries in which we have or are implementing significant business relationships with agents, clients, or other partners; deterioration in customer confidence in our business, or in money transfer and payment service providers generally; failure to maintain our agent network and business relationships under terms consistent with or more advantageous to us than those currently in place; our ability to adopt new technology and develop and gain market acceptance of new and enhanced services in response to changing industry and consumer needs or trends; mergers, acquisitions, and the integration of acquired businesses and technologies into our Company, divestitures, and the failure to realize anticipated financial benefits from these transactions, and events requiring us to write down our goodwill; decisions to change our business mix; changes in, and failure to manage effectively, exposure to foreign exchange rates, including the impact of the regulation of foreign exchange spreads on money transfers; changes in tax laws, or their interpretation, any subsequent regulation, and unfavorable resolution of tax contingencies; any material breach of security, including cybersecurity, or safeguards of or interruptions in any of our systems or those of our vendors or other third parties; cessation of or defects in various services provided to us by third-party vendors; our ability to realize the anticipated benefits from restructuring-related initiatives, which may include decisions to downsize or to transition operating activities from one location to another, and to minimize any disruptions in our workforce that may result from those initiatives; our ability to attract and retain qualified key employees and to manage our workforce successfully; failure to manage credit and fraud risks presented by our agents, clients, and consumers; adverse rating actions by credit rating agencies; our ability to protect our trademarks, patents, copyrights, and other intellectual property rights, and to defend ourselves against potential intellectual property infringement claims; material changes in the market value or liquidity of securities that we hold; restrictions imposed by our debt obligations; (ii) events related to our regulatory and litigation environment, such as: liabilities or loss of business resulting from a failure by us, our agents, or their subagents to comply with laws and regulations and regulatory or judicial interpretations thereof, including laws and regulations designed to protect consumers, or detect and prevent money laundering, terrorist financing, fraud, and other illicit activity; increased costs or loss of business due to regulatory initiatives and changes in laws, regulations and industry practices and standards, including changes in interpretations, in the United States and abroad, affecting us, our agents or their subagents, or the banks with which we or our agents maintain bank accounts needed to provide our services, including related to anti-money laundering regulations, anti-fraud measures, our licensing arrangements, customer due diligence, agent and subagent due diligence, registration and monitoring requirements, consumer protection requirements, remittances, immigration, and sustainability reporting including climate-related reporting; liabilities, increased costs or loss of business and unanticipated developments resulting from governmental investigations and consent agreements with, or investigations or enforcement actions by regulators and other government authorities; liabilities resulting from litigation, including class-action lawsuits and similar matters, and regulatory enforcement actions, including costs, expenses, settlements, and judgments; failure to comply with regulations and evolving industry standards regarding consumer privacy, data use, the transfer of personal data between jurisdictions, and information security, failure to comply with the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, as well as regulations issued pursuant to it and the actions of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and similar legislation and regulations enacted by other governmental authorities in the United States and abroad related to consumer protection; effects of unclaimed property laws or their interpretation or the enforcement thereof; failure to maintain sufficient amounts or types of regulatory capital or other restrictions on the use of our working capital to meet the changing requirements of our regulators worldwide; changes in accounting standards, rules and interpretations, or industry standards affecting our business; and (iii) other events, such as catastrophic events and management’s ability to identify and manage these and other risks. About Western Union The Western Union Company (NYSE: WU) is committed to helping people around the world who aspire to build financial futures for themselves, their loved ones and their communities. Our leading cross-border, cross-currency money movement, payments and digital financial services empower consumers, businesses, financial institutions and governments—across more than 200 countries and territories and nearly 130 currencies—to connect with billions of bank accounts, millions of digital wallets and cards, and a global footprint of hundreds of thousands of retail locations. Our goal is to offer accessible financial services that help people and communities prosper. For more information, visit www.westernunion.com . WU-G View source version on businesswire.com : https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241213394701/en/ CONTACT: Media Relations: Brad Jones media@westernunion.comInvestor Relations: Tom Hadley WesternUnion.IR@westernunion.com KEYWORD: COLORADO UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA INDUSTRY KEYWORD: SOFTWARE PERSONAL FINANCE PAYMENTS FINANCE BANKING PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TECHNOLOGY FINTECH SOURCE: The Western Union Company Copyright Business Wire 2024. PUB: 12/13/2024 04:05 PM/DISC: 12/13/2024 04:04 PM http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20241213394701/enCONCORD — Alex Brown wakes up before his family, treads downstairs, brews a pot of coffee and shapes dough into loaves on his kitchen counter. As his two children and his wife start their mornings, Brown puts the dough in the fridge to proof and gets ready for his day job as a psychologist. After work in the evenings, he heats up the oven and bakes three sets of loaves, two at a time. Brown began a small bread business called Conquered Bread this fall, channeling his passion for baking into a means of connecting with the Concord community. His business model includes selling bread subscriptions by month, with customers picking up one loaf of bread a week from the large box by the door to Brown’s house. “It has rewarded me,” said Brown, who has been making bread for years, even prior to the pandemic. “As someone who is creative, but not particularly artistic, I don’t have a lot of ways to express myself, and this has ended up being a really cool way to do that.” He’s started small, baking about 18 loaves per week, but with the installation of a new masonry oven in his kitchen, he’ll double his capacity next month and is poised to grow as word spreads. Brown describes the business, with its intentional play on the pronunciation of Concord, as a “micro-bakery home kitchen side hustle and bread share.” He recently acquired a food service license allowing for home production. “I’m making elemental bread. I’m a minimalist,” said Brown, who crafts his sourdough loaves from his own freshly milled flour and grain sourced from around New England. “I like the idea of lean doughs, which means that basically all of my bread is flour, water and salt, and then every now and then I throw in a little inclusion here and there. But usually, my bread has less than five ingredients.” Every loaf undergoes a long fermentation process, enriching the flavor. Brown’s three staple loaves are Concord Blonde, Country Porridge and Beekeeper’s Rye. He also makes bagels, focaccia, pane siciliano and a variety of other breads, such as black coffee rye, potato and roasted onion, and carrot walnut. Bread for a cause Conquered Bread is in the process of launching its Rise Up project, which donates proceeds from loaves purchased outside of the monthly shares to different area organizations. To begin the project, Brown chose Equality Health Center as the first beneficiary. “I think bringing awareness to groups of people who are vulnerable and disenfranchised and systematically put at risk, it just feels like the right thing to do,” he said. Since not every customer can commit to a month’s subscription, these Rise Up loaves will make Brown’s bread more accessible. Labeled “Baked for Social Justice,” they will be available for individual purchase. Linda Haller, who serves as medical director of Equality Health Center, said the business’s partnership with the health center unites the two with “an identity of community, connection and compassion.” “There’s a solidarity there to create something out of nothing, using flour, yeast, salt, and combining those things together to make something beautiful, and to be able to share that with people, but beyond that, financially support a community organization that is essentially doing the same thing just in health care,” she said. “We have clinicians, nurses, organizing staff coming together to create this beautiful entity that is ultimately here to serve the community and take good care of people.” She has been friends with Brown for years and recalls how he often delivered bread to friends’ doorsteps during the pandemic. “He really took it and ran with it and has created a beautiful little business,” Haller added. “The piece I really connect with and feel most attached to is the community aspect of it. It’s very personable. It’s very friendly and familiar. He also makes fantastic bread.” ‘This sense of specialness’ Another friend, city councilor Judith Kurtz, has enjoyed seeing Conquered Bread transform from an idea into a fully functioning micro-bakery. “Having fresh bread made by someone you know or know tangentially in the community creates this feeling of community care,” Kurtz said. “There’s someone in your neighborhood or your community doing this thing on however small a scale that’s contributing to your dinner table or your gathering. I feel that way about all local businesses. Really just thinking about being connected to place and having a sense of what makes our community special.” Beginning this weekend, loaves from Conquered Bread will be available for purchase at Table, a new bakery in Eagle Square. Kurtz encouraged people to support local businesses such as Brown’s and added that small-scale endeavors like Conquered Bread and Table can have a widespread impact. “It’s even more intimate because you know it’s made in his home and it’s on a small scale, so there’s this sense of specialness that will go with it,” Kurtz said. When packaging bread for customers, Brown prioritizes environmental sustainability. He wraps his loaves in bags made of recycled paper and offers customers instructions for how to best store the loaves. “It’s basically impossible to buy a loaf of bread that doesn’t come in single-use plastic, and I find that totally unacceptable,” he said. While working a full-time job and running a side business has the potential to be exhausting, Brown says the bread fits into his schedule. “I’ve tucked it all into the corners of my life that were already there,” he said. Mostly, he just enjoys the process and the way the community has grown excited about his bread shares. “I like working with my hands,” Brown added. “I work quite a lot collaboratively, and I realized that one of the things that bread does for me that I don’t get in other parts of my life is that it’s something that I can do by myself. It’s not something that I need to rely on other people for.”