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Jaipur, Nov 30 (PTI) Coming out in public for the first time after recent allegations and his indictment in the US, Adani group chairman Gautam Adani on Saturday said his conglomerate was committed to compliances and “every attack makes us stronger”. “Less than two week back, we faced a set of allegations from the US about compliance practices. This is not the first time we have faced such challenges. What I can tell you is that every attack makes us stronger,” he said addressing the 51st Gems and Jewellery Award here. On November 20, 2024, the United States Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) issued an indictment and a civil complaint in the New York district court against Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani and Vneet Jaain, key functionaries of Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL). The charges relate to allegations of securities fraud, wire fraud and violation of the SEC guidelines that led to materially false and misleading statements in the bond offering documents of AGEL with respect to anti-bribery and anti-corruption policies. Adani Group had issued a statement denying all allegations as baseless, and said it would seek legal recourse to defend itself. Speaking at Saturday’s event, Adani said that despite a lot of vested reporting, no one from Adani’s side has been charged with any violation of the FCPA (Foreign Corrupt Practices Act) of the US or any conspiracy to obstruct justice. “The fact is that despite a lot of the vested reporting, no one from the Adani side has been charged with any violation of the FCPA or any conspiracy to obstruct justice. Yet, in today’s world, negativity spreads faster than facts,” he said, adding that the group was committed to regulatory compliances. “As we work through the legal process, I want to re-confirm our absolute commitment to world class regulatory compliance,” he added. Adani Green Energy Ltd, the renewable energy arm of the port-to-energy conglomerate, on November 21 scrapped a USD 600-million bond issue. The 20-year green bond was over-subscribed three times, hours before the US prosecutors charged Gautam Adani and associates with participating in a scheme to pay over USD 250 million bribe to Indian officials in exchange for favourable terms for solar power contracts. Following the indictment, Adani group companies’ stocks also tanked in the Mumbai trade. Ten listed firms of the group lost about USD 26 billion (Rs 2.19 lakh crore) in market value — more than double of what the conglomerate had lost when US short-seller Hindenburg brought out a damning report in January 2023. However, since Wednesday, stocks of all the group firms have recovered. Shares of nine of the 11 listed Adani Group firms ended higher on Friday, with Adani Green Energy surging almost 22 per cent and Adani Energy climbing nearly 16 per cent. “Over the years, I have come to accept that the roadblocks we face are the price of pioneering. The bolder your dreams, the more the world will scrutinise you. But it is precisely in that scrutiny that you must find the courage to rise, to challenge the status quo, and to build a path where none exists,” he said. Adani said that the group had successes but the challenges have been bigger. “However, these challenges have not broken us. Instead, they have defined us. They have made us tougher and give us the unshakeable belief that after every fall, we will rise again, stronger and more resilient than before,” he said. Last year, the conglomerate had scrapped a Rs 20,000 crore Follow-on Public Offer (FPO) at its flagship firm Adani Enterprises Ltd after US short-seller Hindenburg Research’s report in January, which alleged the group of stock manipulation and accounting fraud. Adani had rejected all allegations and threatened to sue Hindenburg for its “reckless” attempt to sabotage the mega share sale at Adani Enterprises. But the allegation led to a free-fall of the group firms’ stocks, which at the lowest point saw USD 150 billion in market value being eroded. Talking about the Hindernburg report, he said, “This was not a typical financial strike, it was a double hit, targeting our financial stability and pulling us into a political controversy. All of this was further amplified by certain media with vested interests. But even in the face of such adversity, our commitment to our principles remained strong.” Adani said that after successfully raising Rs 20,000 crore from India’s largest-ever FPO, the company made the extraordinary decision to return the proceeds. “We then further demonstrated our resilience by raising capital from several international sources and proactively reducing our debt-to-EBITDA ratio to below 2.5 times, an unmatched metric in the global infrastructure space,” he said. “Our all-time record financial results in the same year showcased our commitment to operational excellence. Not a single Indian or foreign credit rating agency downgraded us. Finally, the Supreme Court of India’s affirmation of our actions validated our approach,” he said. He further said that in 2010, when the group was investing in a coal mine in Australia, its objective was to make India energy secure and replace every two tonnes of poor-quality Indian coal with one tonne of high-quality coal from Australia. However, he said, the resistance from NGOs was huge and lasted almost a decade. “It was so intense that we ended up funding the entire project of 10 billion dollars with our own equity. While we now have a world class operating mine in Australia and it could be seen as a great sign of our resilience,” he said. Adani also shared his journey of becoming an entrepreneur and highlighted its dominance in various sectors. He also advised businessmen to embrace technology and sustainability for progress, empower and uplift the skilled workforce and nurture the younger generation and equip them to balance tradition with transformation, culture with innovation and legacy with sustainability. PTI SDA HVA This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. var ytflag = 0;var myListener = function() {document.removeEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);lazyloadmyframes();};document.addEventListener('mousemove', myListener, false);window.addEventListener('scroll', function() {if (ytflag == 0) {lazyloadmyframes();ytflag = 1;}});function lazyloadmyframes() {var ytv = document.getElementsByClassName("klazyiframe");for (var i = 0; i < ytv.length; i++) {ytv[i].src = ytv[i].getAttribute('data-src');}} Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() );A floodgate of reactions from Senate Republicans opened Thursday after former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration as President-elect Donald Trump’s attorney general. Gaetz, who met with senators on Capitol Hill on Wednesday for consideration, wrote on X that the process for his confirmation was “unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition.” His withdrawal came eight days after he was nominated on Nov. 13. Some GOP senators were disappointed by Gaetz’s decision while others expressed relief following the media drama, according to The Hill. I had excellent meetings with Senators yesterday. I appreciate their thoughtful feedback – and the incredible support of so many. While the momentum was strong, it is clear that my confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance... — Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 21, 2024 “I’m disappointed. Matt’s smart. He would change the way the DOJ has done it,” Florida Sen. Rick Scott said, according to The Hill. “I hope that the president will pick somebody equally as tenacious and equally as committed to cleaning up the DOJ,” Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul told the outlet following the announcement. Mississippi Sen. Roger Wicker called Gaetz’s withdrawal “a positive development,” while Wyoming Sen. Cynthia Lummis said Gaetz chose the right path considering the “headwinds” he faced relating to Senate approval. Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.), incoming chairman of Senate Armed Services Committee, says Matt Gaetz withdrawing his nomination to serve as AG is “a positive development.” — Alex Bolton (@alexanderbolton) November 21, 2024 “He must have gotten some signals yesterday during conversations he was having with senators that this was going to be a distraction,” Lummis told The Hill. “Good on him to recognize that and be self-aware.” (RELATED: Democratic Sen. Fetterman Praises Some Of Trump’s ‘Serious, Qualified’ Cabinet Picks) “These things always work out for the best. In this particular case, they made the right choice to withdraw the nomination,” South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds said, adding that he would not disagree with the former representative’s view that his nomination was an impediment. “It’s a good thing,” Republican Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said to a CNN reporter. South Dakota Sen. John Thune, soon to be Republican Senate Majority Leader, said he understood Gaetz’s choice, according to The Hill. “It’s his call, it’s his decision. In the end, he’s got to do what’s in the best interest of him and his family, but I respect the decision,” Thune stated. Vice President-elect JD Vance, the outgoing senator of Ohio, said he was “extremely grateful” for Gaetz’s efforts. “I’m extremely grateful for the work Matt put into the nomination process. He made his decision to withdraw entirely out of respect for President Trump’s administration. Matt is a patriot and I look forward to seeing what he does next,” Vance wrote on X. I’m extremely grateful for the work Matt put into the nomination process. He made his decision to withdraw entirely out of respect for President Trump’s administration. Matt is a patriot and I look forward to seeing what he does next. https://t.co/EfcFXXKRM2 — JD Vance (@JDVance) November 21, 2024 Trump reacted to Gaetz’s withdraw with a post on Truth Social. “I greatly appreciate the recent efforts of Matt Gaetz in seeking approval to be Attorney General. He was doing very well but, at the same time, did not want to be a distraction for the Administration, for which he has much respect. Matt has a wonderful future, and I look forward to watching all of the great things he will do!” the President-elect wrote. Thank you President Trump! 🇺🇸 https://t.co/P8ey92elYH — Matt Gaetz (@mattgaetz) November 21, 2024 Karoline Leavitt, Trump’s pick for White House press secretary, posted Trump’s message on X. Gaetz thanked the President-elect in response.

PLANS are in place to invest £21million into the Adventure Parc Snowdonia site which closed last year. Global Shred Ventures Ltd wants to help “bring life back” into the Dolgarrog site, formerly known as Surf Snowdonia, which opened in 2015 but shut in September 2023. On the company’s behalf, Cadnant Planning has compiled a draft application for the redevelopment of the existing surfing lagoon, siting of 21 holiday lodges, and alterations and extensions to the existing Adrenaline Indoors building in order to accommodate a new leisure attraction by way of a “Snowtunnel”. If successful, the plans would offer 75 new jobs, 20 of which are expected to be full-time. Cadnant Planning said: “The development of the site by the Ainscough family in 2015 was not without its challenges. Alongside pioneering the new inland surfing technology that had never been commercially delivered before in the world, the site required significant investment levels. “However, the family were committed to the project long-term to give the site a future. “Unfortunately, the regular mechanical failures of the surf technology installed at Surf Snowdonia led to eight faltering seasons (yet successful in many other ways) and the business had to take the tough decision to close the surf lagoon in mid-2023. “The site now has the opportunity to house another world-class visitor attraction using a new surfing technology. “Adventure Parc Snowdonia Ltd have been working closely with the applicant, Global Shred Ventures Ltd, to develop a proposal which would redevelop parts of the Adventure Parc Snowdonia site to bring the existing surfing lagoon back into use by way of introducing a new wave generation technology (Wavegarden’s ‘The Cove’ surfing technology) which is now tried, tested and proven to create a new surfing experience at the site. “Part of the existing surfing lagoon would be filled to create a new plateau to accommodate a new lodge development, together with a shore-side/beach area for visitors to enjoy. “Alongside this, alterations, refurbishment and extensions are proposed to the existing Adrenaline Indoors building at the site, to accommodate a new indoor leisure and tourism attraction, known as ‘Snowtunnel’. “The Snowtunnel attraction would provide snowboarders, skiers and other snow sports lovers the chance to participate in their sports all year round, anytime, in any weather, close to home. “It brings to the snow industry, what wave pools and wind tunnels have brought to the surf and skydiving industries.” Comments on the proposed development must submitted by December 23, and can be emailed to . A public consultation event will also be undertaken on December 4 between 4-7pm at the Hilton Garden Inn Snowdonia, Dolgarrog. In March this year, Zip World took on the site’s indoor activity facility by opening “Zip World Conwy” at the premises.No. 20 Texas A&M wins tight battle vs. Rutgers

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The Milwaukee Bucks won an NBA championship as recently as 2021. The Miami Heat won a conference title as recently as 2023. Yet, despite their pedigree, the Bucks and Heat -- who will meet on Tuesday night in an NBA Cup East Group B game in Miami -- have struggled this season. That's especially true for Milwaukee, which lost eight of its first 10 games. Miami, meanwhile, hasn't been more than one game above .500 at any point in its current campaign. Then again, the Bucks -- coached by Doc Rivers -- have won four straight games and six of seven. They are 2-0 in the NBA Cup round-robin standings. Miami is 1-1. Rivers has pointed to the unselfish play of his two superstars, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard. Antetokounmpo leads the NBA in scoring (32.4) and ranks second on the Bucks in assists (6.4). Lillard is second on Milwaukee in scoring (25.2) and leads the Bucks in assists (7.4). "When you have your scorers passing," Rivers said, "it's hard to stop you." Lillard, after missing three games due to a concussion, has come back strong. He has three double-doubles in his past four games, and he is averaging 9.3 assists during that span. "He is driving to pass," Rivers said, "and that's not something he was doing earlier in the year." Antetokounmpo, who has missed just one game this season, is shooting 62.4 percent on 2-pointers and averaging 11.9 rebounds. Antetokounmpo said he never lost belief in himself, even when the Bucks were 2-8 to start the season. "My confidence has always been high because I work," he said. "I trust myself. "But the beginning of the season was miserable for everybody. We don't want to go back to that. Right now, we are clicking." Meanwhile, the host Heat beat the Dallas Mavericks 123-118 in overtime on Sunday. Miami's Jimmy Butler scored a season-high 33 points, including the score-tying dunk with 4.1 seconds left in regulation, sending the game to overtime. After the game, Butler praised his coach and teased teammate Duncan Robinson, who made the perfect pass for the assist on the dunk. "(Heat coach Erik Spoelstra) was locked in," Butler said. "He studies like nobody I've ever seen. He drew up something incredible, and I hate to say it but Duncan made an incredible pass." Butler, off to a bit of a slow start this season, now has two straight 30-point-plus games. He ranks second on the team in scoring (19.2), second in assists (5.0) and third in rebounds (5.7). Miami's Pelle Larsson, a rookie second-round pick from Sweden who is starting to get more playing time, put into perspective the "Butler Effect." "It's easy to play with Jimmy because he demands so much attention from a defense," said Larsson, who scored 14 points in 37 minutes off the bench on Sunday. "I get to shoot open shots." With Heat starting guard Terry Rozier sitting out for the Dallas game due to a right foot injury, Larsson and other reserves came through. Rozier is probable for Tuesday. Miami's current bench brigade includes veterans Alec Burks and Kevin Love as well as youngsters Larsson, Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Nikola Jovic. Larsson, though, earned special praise from Spoelstra on Sunday. "Pelle plays so hard," Spoelstra said. "He throws his body around." This article first appeared on Field Level Media and was syndicated with permission.Winnebago's dominating Revel AWD camper van gets cheaper (ish)

Countless cables are used in the home — whether for charging smartphones, transferring data, or connecting audio systems. However, frequent use and regular bending can quickly lead to unsightly kinks or even damage to sensitive areas. Caution is advised in the event of serious damage, such as a broken or exposed cable core: Repairs in such cases should be left to experienced users. For non-experts, replacing the cable is usually the safer option. In other cases, however, anyone can attempt an uncomplicated repair: If the cables are only kinked or the sheath is broken, damaged household cables can be quickly repaired. Find out here how you can easily repair kinked or broken cables — and even repair-damaged cable cores (conductors). Repairing kinked cables: This is how it works Bent or kinked cables are a typical occurrence in the home, and sometimes such cables are delivered completely bent: When manufacturers severely compress or twist them in the packaging for space reasons. If such kinks do not disappear on their own and cannot be straightened, there is a simple trick to help: the heat trick. Plastic cables are thermoplastic. This means that the warmer they are, the easier they are to bend and move. In winter, you can therefore simply place bent cable sections on a warm radiator for a few minutes and then carefully straighten the bent section with your hands; the process can also be repeated several times if the cable is severely bent. : Always disconnect the cable from connected devices or the socket beforehand and allow it to cool down after the process. Alternatively, kinked cable sections (if not directly on the plug) can also be heated in a hot water bath and then smoothed by hand. However, this method requires special care: The plugs must never get wet and there is a risk of water ingress if the cable sheaths are porous. Make sure that the plugs remain dry — and remember to disconnect the cable from the power supply beforehand. Both methods work best if you heat the cable to around 50 to 60 degrees Celsius. You should avoid higher temperatures. Repairing a broken cable: Depending on the damage, only for experienced hobbyists After the kink often comes the break, at least in cable management. A distinction must be made between two levels of damage: If only the sheath is broken, then the repair is child’s play and can be done quickly. However, if the cable core, i.e. the cable inside, is also damaged, it is a little more complicated. We only recommend such repairs to users with some experience. Headphone, audio, or charging cables can also be repaired inexpensively. If the cables of larger household appliances such as vacuums or lawnmowers break, laymen should not attempt to repair them and should leave the repair to specialized personnel. How to repair a broken cable sheath With older cables or cables that are used frequently (such as charging cables), it is often the case that the cable sheaths become cracked or break open completely. As long as the actual conductor inside remains undamaged, the problem can be quickly solved with some insulating tape. Such special tapes only cost a few dollars, and you can also find offers for them at the end of this article. The damaged area can be easily repaired by wrapping two to three layers of insulating tape around it — and the cable is ready for use again. Tighten the insulating tape slightly when wrapping to seal the damaged area more tightly and ensure better adhesion. Alternatively, heat-shrink tubing (see below) is suitable for sealing open cable sheaths quickly and reliably. Repair the cable core in just a few steps If cables from low-current devices (up to 50 volts) break, you can also try to repair them at home. Proceed as follows: : As a first step, pull the cable plug out of the connected appliance or power source. : Now locate the damaged area — in most cases the break is obvious. : You can then use a wire stripper or cable cutter (see below) to cut the damaged area out of the cable. If necessary, you can also use a cutter knife. Try to work evenly and cut the cable cleanly. : Strip the two new ends of the cable to a length of about one centimeter. The wire stripper is perfect for this. : Now reconnect the separated cable. This works best with crimping pliers, but you can also twist the conductors together by hand and wrap them with insulating tape. Heat-shrink tubing is a particularly clean and safe way to do this. If you do not have this equipment in stock, you will find suitable purchase recommendations at the end of the article. Prevent cable breakage or kinking with simple tricks Annoying cable breaks or kinks in sensitive areas can be avoided with a simple trick. The weak point is usually at the transition to the plug — exactly where the fixed plug joins the flexible cable. The load is particularly high at this point, which is why damage often occurs here sooner or later. To prevent this, you can reinforce the area, which is easy to do with some insulating tape. Simply wrap two to three layers of tape over a length of two to three cm of the cable sheath at the sensitive point. The cable end then remains flexible, but no longer bends so much under load that you have to fear a cable break. : Instead of tape, you can also use the nib of a biro at this point. To do this, simply open an old biros, pull the nib off the lead, and wind it over the sensitive end of the cable. Useful equipment for cable repair With these tools, you can make broken cables functional and safe to use again in no time at all or reinforce sensitive areas. Insulating tape black PVC 19mm x 20m Erko Price: $1 Stretchy, thick, and flexible to use: A roll of insulating tape belongs in every household. This inexpensive tool reliably and securely seals open cables and is helpful or even necessary for many of the repairs described in this article. You can find the tape in a variety of colors and also a narrower version measuring just 15 × 10mm. Stanley FatMax automatic wire stripper and cutter Stanley Price: $39 Powerful tool for working with cables: This multi-tool can strip cables (0.2 to 6 mm2) or cut them cleanly. Cable conduits can be quickly and easily pulled from the conductor core (stripped) so that the ends can then be reconnected and re-insulated. The robust pliers are well made and offer a secure, non-slip grip. Someline crimping pliers cable connector set Someline Price: $17 Crimping pliers are the best tool for reconnecting exposed and separated cable cores. With this practical tool, you can press cable sleeves firmly and securely onto the open cable points, ensuring that the new insulation holds reliably. The package already includes three different butt connectors for different conductor cross-sections. After crimping, you can shrink the cable sleeves with a heat source (such as a lighter) so that they adhere inseparably to the cable. Heat-shrink tubing set with various sizes, 580 pieces Amazon Price: $7 Heat-shrink tubing in all standard sizes can be used to seal damaged cable sheaths or safely insulate newly connected cable ends. To do this, simply pull the appropriate heat-shrink tubing over the affected area of the cable. When heated, the material shrinks and adheres firmly and inseparably to the cable sheath. A heat gun is best suited for heating, but if you are careful, you can also simply use a lighter. This article originally appeared on our sister publication and was translated and localized from German. Steffen Zellfelder is a freelance graduate journalist from Bonn. As an experienced software expert, he is particularly enthusiastic about apps, tools and future trends.

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Rice builds up big lead early, hangs on to beat USF 35-28Gift Card Market to Grow by USD 1.1 Billion (2024-2028) as AI Redefines Landscape, E-Commerce Boosts Revenue - TechnavioDENVER--(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/en

Behind the Scenes of : How the Acclaimed Film Re-Creates ABC Sports’ Historic Live Coverage of the Munich Massacre , , chronicles the decisive moment that forever changed media coverage and continues to impact live news coverage today. Set during the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics, the Golden Globe–nominated film — which and expands nationwide on Jan. 17 — follows the ABC Sports production team, who quickly shifted from sports reporting to live coverage of the Israeli athletes taken hostage. In addition to offering an important perspective on the live broadcast seen globally by millions of people, provides one of the most realistic behind-the-scenes depictions of a live-TV control room ever put on film. SVG had the opportunity to chat with , the cast, and to delve into the film’s development and production. The film presents the events of Sept. 5, 1972, purely from the perspective of the ABC Sports production team, shining a light on what Fehlbaum calls “a watershed moment in journalism and its influential legacy.” At the heart of the story are three Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famers — Geoff Mason (played by John Magaro), then a young and ambitious producer; his boss, legendary TV executive Roone Arledge (Peter Sarsgaard); and his mentor, Marvin Bader (Ben Chaplin) — along with their German interpreter Marianne Gebhardt (Leonie Benesch). The film juxtaposes the high-tech broadcast capabilities of the time against the many lives at stake and explores the moral decisions that needed to be made in real time. “The live broadcasts marked a turning point in media reporting, bringing a new dimension to how such incidents are seen and understood by the public,” says Fehlbaum. “When the attack begins, a team of American sports reporters are suddenly responsible for the subsequent 22 hours of live coverage, switching their responsibilities from sporting events to geopolitics. I was interested in the unprecedented situation that the media faced: this was the first time an event of this nature was covered by a live broadcast.” Fehlbaum and his team spoke extensively with ABC Sports crew members who were on the ground in Munich, extracting details about their experience in that control room. As a result of the research, the director decided early on to narrate the film purely from the viewpoint of the control room. “We are constantly in the TV studio, almost like in a chamber play, the cameras the only eyes cast on the tragic events unfolding before us,” he says. “The spatial limitation of the narrative world to the ABC Sports TV studio means that we are confronted with the moral, ethical, professional, and, ultimately, psychological dilemmas of journalists who become aware of their responsibility only when switching from sports to crisis news.” When Israeli athletes were suddenly taken hostage, the ABC Sports broadcast team had to shift from sports reporting to live news coverage. Besides the horrors of witnessing and airing a terrorist attack live to millions of people, they also faced the possibility of inadvertently sharing law enforcement’s plans and movements with the terrorists themselves — who were thought to be able to watch the coverage within the Olympic Village — and potentially derailing the rescue mission. “As a filmmaker,” says Fehlbaum, “I felt an affinity with the complexity of the situation. On the one hand, I was critical of tragic events being processed as sensations. But, on the other, I was fascinated by the ambitions and dilemmas of the journalists to tell the story accurately.” Steven Spielberg’s recounts the aftermath of the event, but ’s Munich-based producers — Thomas Wöbke and Philipp Trauer of film-production company BerghausWöbke — believed that there was more to this story and it was ripe to be told for the big screen. Writer/director Moritz Binder and Fehlbaum were enlisted to write the screenplay, along with co-writer Alex David. The producers soon discovered an article written by Jimmy Schaeffler, a production runner on that day, who spoke highly of Mason. They met with Mason, a Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famer, who described in vivid detail the experience of producing that 22 hours of live coverage. Mason, who came on board as a co-producer of the film, was impressed by the depth of the research and the power of the script. “After I read early versions, I was impressed by how deeply personal the experience was, not only to those of us involved in that production but in telling the story of what transpired. This is a story about the people in that control room and how we all reacted to what was happening in front of us. I am blessed to be one of the very few people still around to help tell that story.” The filmmakers also drew on biographies of Sports Broadcasting Hall of Famers Roone Arledge and Jim McKay and other ABC executives and crew. In addition, Schaeffler — the runner, who, disguised as an athlete, had smuggled film footage past the police cordons — offered first-hand insights, along with longtime CBS Sports Chairman Sean McManus, who sat in the control room while his father, Jim McKay, was presenting the Olympics in the studio next door. ABC Sports, which paid handsomely for the rights to broadcast the 1972 Games live in the U.S., had built a production facility next to the Olympic Village. The massive technical apparatus set new industry standards with innovative technologies — slow motion, handheld cameras — coupled with sensational title designs. The filmmakers drew heavily from , who described the massive technical effort necessary for the first live broadcast of the Olympic Games and how the ABC crew improvised when the hostages were taken. On the storytelling side, Arledge set a precedent by focusing coverage on the athletes’ background stories in an effort to get viewers more invested — a strategy that’s now a staple of Olympics coverage. Throughout development, Mason ensured that the script captured the tone and tenor of that fateful day. Among key decisions was to have the entire plot unfold inside the studio complex. The only outside footage would be clips on the many monitors inside the control room. The filmmakers considered it absolutely necessary to incorporate the original ABC broadcast footage. However, accessing the archives and licensing the footage was a major challenge. Wöbke credits Mason and his relationship with ABC for the production’s access to the material. That access proved invaluable. “Viewing the broadcast footage made it possible to re-create the events within the control room,” says Fehlbaum. “We structured the screenplay accordingly. This led to a visual strategy: we planned the set in such a way that the original material from 1972 could run on the monitors, [blending] in with our directed scenes.” Watching the footage, Fehlbaum concluded that Jim McKay would be played not by an actor but through the original broadcast footage: “It seemed impossible to me to reproduce this performance with an actor. To convey the urgency of the moment, we knew we would also have to incorporate the original material of Jim into our film.” Except for one or two shots, no blue screens were deployed, allowing the actors to react to the actual footage on the monitors in real time. “Working with the real footage was a total game-changer,” says Magaro. “We didn’t know how we were going to tell this story without it. For me, the show was like another cast member. The language of the script changed as we got the footage. Going back to the research we had done, it was easy to pivot and change to calling the live footage, which was a unique challenge.” An additional editing challenge was incorporation of the archival material and selection of the clips — including the re-created sequences — for the monitor wall. “We knew very early on,” notes producer John Ira Palmer, “that the archival footage was going to deliver an emotional wallop that none of us could ever hope to re-create. Because we were also intercutting original footage with re-created footage, along with the story we were telling inside that newsroom, we knew it all needed to blend seamlessly.” When it came to casting the film, Fehlbaum says, “Geoffrey Mason had told us about a unique dynamic and the solidarity among the ABC crew. This feeling had to be reflected in the casting.” Although authenticity was a priority, some dramaturgical liberties were taken, including making some featured characters a composite of people present. Most notably, Mason represents the director of the coverage, and Gebhardt is a blend of several people who were in the control room in Munich. Preparing to portray Arledge, Sarsgaard read various materials about the sports executive and also spoke at length with a friend who works in a similar environment and has covered NHL hockey and the Olympics. “Learning how the system works, how the organism works, was interesting,” he says. “He told me about how Roone had changed things, in what ways he had changed things, and why he was a pioneer. A lot of that was about storytelling and Roone’s way of telling a story that emphasizes its being a satisfying story. That’s okay with sports, but it gets more complicated with journalism.” Magaro connected with Mason early in the process, mining his memory for details and inspiration. During shooting, Mason was sent dailies to review and, says Magaro, “was very encouraging as he was seeing footage roll out. “It was very important to me to capture Geoff’s situation,” Magaro continues, “the struggle of being a good producer, being a good broadcaster, and struggling with the moral dilemma of what’s right and what’s wrong in this situation.” In preparing for the role of Bader, Chaplin read everything he could on the longtime ABC Sports VP of Olympics operations, noting certain quotes from people who knew him. He found this quote from to be especially touching: “I’m sorry I retired. I had the best job in the world. There is no better job.” Says Chaplin, “[Bader] was a legendary specialist in live [coverage] and live reporting, and his love, enthusiasm, and excitement for the job was tangible. I hope audiences come away from the film thinking about someone like Marvin Bader, a thoroughly decent man who spent his life working hard behind the scenes bringing pleasure to millions, doing the very best he could.” For the character of Gebhard, who must manage working in an environment rife with power imbalances, Fehlbaum and Benesch decided that the best approach would be to place the actor into a situation like her character’s: without benefit of newsroom experience. However, Benesch did spend time with a translator in Berlin, asking “loads and loads of questions regarding the nature of her profession. “Everyone did the best they could,” she continues, speaking of the ABC Sports crew in 1972. “I think their intentions were good. I feel like our film might be able to make people feel what it’s like to be a journalist during breaking news.” Through Mason’s industry connections, the director and cast were able to sit in on production-control rooms, notably for and , to see what live TV is really like. “We studied the specific movements and gestures and the dynamics and atmosphere of sports broadcasts,” says Fehlbaum. “We were able to transport those to our set. We wanted to ensure that all the technical equipment on set was as authentic as possible and functional for the actors.” Magaro learned the language of calling a show —camera angles, graphics, music, transitions — becoming familiar with the sportscaster, director, and producer roles. “Anyone who steps into those control rooms knows that it is unlike anything else,” he notes. “If there was a false note, it wouldn’t have worked. Especially, people who have been in those situations would have seen it and immediately dismissed it as phony. Because of the time I spent in those control rooms and doing the research, I think we were able to capture what it was like to call a live broadcast in the 1970s.” The main shoot for took place over 33 days: 29 days at Bavaria Studios in Munich, one day in Penzing, and three in the Olympic Village, which looks virtually the same as it did in 1972, to re-create a few scenes from the original footage. Cinematographer Markus Förderer and Fehlbaum aimed to “tell the story as if we were a team of reporters covering the events of the day, making a documentary about the ABC crew,” Fehlbaum says. “We wanted the camera to react spontaneously to what was happening so we tried to feel the camera movements in the moment instead of planning everything out in advance.” Digital cameras were predominantly deployed for the control-room scenes. For any re-creations of archival footage, Förderer and his team often filmed in both 16mm and digital, sometimes side-by-side. They shot with several cameras to get different angles and had a film camera on set for every scene to have a reference for the color grade and to make sure that everything blended and looked filmic. “We never wanted it to feel dated,” Förderer says. “We wanted the audience to forget they’re watching a movie and believe they’re in the period. Our digital camera was 8K, very high resolution, but we added vintage lenses from the time. When I did research into the lenses used to film the Olympics, I found detailed descriptions of the gear because it was such a technological feat and a milestone in broadcasting.” Förderer even found one of the original Zoomar lenses on eBay — the first-ever zoom lenses were made in Munich — and converted it to match the modern camera. He and his team mixed lenses and switched between a 16mm sensor crop to a 35mm and also used anamorphic lenses. He operated the A camera throughout the shoot to be as unobtrusive and quick-moving as possible. The handheld aesthetic, along with the claustrophobic setting of the control room, fully immerses the audience and adds to the tension. To create the sensation of a real-time broadcast, two cameras were used. Even though scenes were cut and tightened in the editing room, the goal was the movement and energy of one continuous shot. “We mastered the entire scene and captured the actors’ performances by following the story as if we had only this one opportunity,” Förderer explains. “We wanted to embrace the energy, the imperfections, and the chaos of that day.” The style of shooting resulted in a large amount of footage, complicating the editing process in postproduction. Fehlbaum credits editor Hansjörg Weißbrich with bringing it all together: “Hansjörg [has] a fantastic sense of how to sift through the material, organize it, and find what was truly important for our film and what we didn’t need. He shaped the film significantly. It was important to us that the film be fast-paced because, as Geoffrey Mason told us, time was like a whirlwind. We wanted to convey that feeling.” Production designer Julian R. Wagner started his work on by poring over historical footage, photos (and personal recollections) from Mason, and witness interviews in police reports. Then he and his team did the technological research to connect it all. Wagner used original blueprints of the Olympic complex to reproduce the 1972 ABC Sports studio, which is no longer standing. Also, all props were created to the last detail. “Every button, every screen, absolutely everything you can see,” he says, “was a perfect copy of the control room, even down to the glued-on memos we saw in old images.” Old machines were sourced from all over the world, borrowed from collectors and found in museums and television-studio storage rooms. The equipment was meticulously cleaned, polished, and rewired to restore every item. “It was very important,” notes Fehlbaum, “to give today’s audience a feeling for the analog technology that prevailed at the time. Some of these devices were even made functional again for the shoot so that the actors could interact with them.” Wagner acknowledges that, after re-creating the ABC Studio space, the art department’s greatest challenge was to source the vintage technology and get it working: “Everything had to be real. For example, the screens in the ’70s looked different [from today’s], and we wanted to have the real screens. It was a gigantic puzzle. We collected all the individual parts and started to refurbish the old technology.” Filming of the studio set took place entirely on one stage at Bavaria Studios. The production filled the stage, with eight interconnecting spaces allowing continuous camera movements through corridors and into other rooms. In addition to the main studio spaces, Wagner and his team designed several small sets used in re-creations of original footage and generally visible only on monitors in the control room. The impact of the events of September 5, 1972, continues to this day. “We began to understand that the responsibility for being honest, truthful, and thorough in our coverage was more than any of us had imagined,” says Mason of how that day affected the way he views his work. “Going into every production I’m involved with, I think about the quality of our work and storytelling in a much more meaningful way.” The film also raises questions that are more important to address than ever, notes Fehlbaum. “Beside telling a fast-paced, thrilling story, the film sheds light on this historical event from a very specific perspective. I believe that the combination of these elements will create an exciting and simultaneously thought-provoking experience for audiences.”Dana Hull | (TNS) Bloomberg News Jared Birchall, Elon Musk’s money manager and the head of his family office, is listed as the chief executive officer. Jehn Balajadia, a longtime Musk aide who has worked at SpaceX and the Boring Co., is named as an official contact. Related Articles National Politics | Biden will decide on US Steel acquisition after influential panel fails to reach consensus National Politics | Biden vetoes once-bipartisan effort to add 66 federal judgeships, citing ‘hurried’ House action National Politics | A history of the Panama Canal — and why Trump can’t take it back on his own National Politics | President-elect Trump wants to again rename North America’s tallest peak National Politics | Inside the Gaetz ethics report, a trove of new details alleging payments for sex and drug use But they’re not connected to Musk’s new technology venture, or the political operation that’s endeared him to Donald Trump. Instead, they’re tied to the billionaire’s new Montessori school outside Bastrop, Texas, called Ad Astra, according to documents filed with state authorities and obtained via a Texas Public Information Act request. The world’s richest person oversees an overlapping empire of six companies — or seven, if you include his political action committee. Alongside rockets, electric cars, brain implants, social media and the next Trump administration, he is increasingly focused on education, spanning preschool to college. One part of his endeavor was revealed last year, when Bloomberg News reported that his foundation had set aside roughly $100 million to create a technology-focused primary and secondary school in Austin, with eventual plans for a university. An additional $137 million in cash and stock was allotted last year, according to the most recent tax filing for the Musk Foundation. Ad Astra is closer to fruition. The state documents show Texas authorities issued an initial permit last month, clearing the way for the center to operate with as many as 21 pupils. Ad Astra’s website says it’s “currently open to all children ages 3 to 9.” The school’s account on X includes job postings for an assistant teacher for preschool and kindergarten and an assistant teacher for students ages 6 to 9. To run the school, Ad Astra is partnering with a company that has experience with billionaires: Xplor Education, which developed Hala Kahiki Montessori school in Lanai, Hawaii, the island 98% owned by Oracle Corp. founder Larry Ellison. Ad Astra sits on a highway outside Bastrop, a bedroom community about 30 miles from Austin and part of a region that’s home to several of Musk’s businesses. On a visit during a recent weekday morning, there was a single Toyota Prius in the parking lot and no one answered the door at the white building with a gray metal roof. The school’s main entrance was blocked by a gate, and there was no sign of any children on the grounds. But what information there is about Ad Astra makes it sound like a fairly typical, if high-end, Montessori preschool. The proposed schedule includes “thematic, STEM-based activities and projects” as well as outdoor play and nap time. A sample snack calendar features carrots and hummus. While Birchall’s and Balajadia’s names appear in the application, it isn’t clear that they’ll have substantive roles at the school once it’s operational. Musk, Birchall and Balajadia didn’t respond to emailed questions. A phone call and email to the school went unanswered. Access to high quality, affordable childcare is a huge issue for working parents across the country, and tends to be an especially vexing problem in rural areas like Bastrop. Many families live in “childcare deserts” where there is either not a facility or there isn’t an available slot. Opening Ad Astra gives Musk a chance to showcase his vision for education, and his support for the hands-on learning and problem solving that are a hallmark of his industrial companies. His public comments about learning frequently overlap with cultural concerns popular among conservatives and the Make America Great Again crowd, often focusing on what he sees as young minds being indoctrinated by teachers spewing left-wing propaganda. He has railed against diversity, equity and inclusion efforts, and in August posted that “a lot of schools are teaching white boys to hate themselves.” Musk’s educational interests dovetail with his new role as Trump’s “first buddy.” The billionaire has pitched a role for himself that he — and now the incoming Trump administration — call “DOGE,” or the Department of Government Efficiency. Though it’s not an actual department, DOGE now posts on X, the social media platform that Musk owns. “The Department of Education spent over $1 billion promoting DEI in America’s schools,” the account posted Dec. 12. Back in Texas, Bastrop is quickly becoming a key Musk point of interest. The Boring Co., his tunneling venture, is based in an unincorporated area there. Across the road, SpaceX produces Starlink satellites at a 500,000-square-foot (46,000-square-meter) facility. Nearby, X is constructing a building for trust and safety workers. Musk employees, as well as the general public, can grab snacks at the Boring Bodega, a convenience store housed within Musk’s Hyperloop Plaza, which also contains a bar, candy shop and hair salon. Ad Astra is just a five-minute drive away. It seems to have been designed with the children of Musk’s employees — if not Musk’s own offspring — in mind. Musk has fathered at least 12 children, six of them in the last five years. “Ad Astra’s mission is to foster curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking in the next generation of problem solvers and builders,” reads the school’s website. A job posting on the website of the Montessori Institute of North Texas says “While their parents support the breakthroughs that expand the realm of human possibility, their children will grow into the next generation of innovators in a way that only authentic Montessori can provide.” The school has hired an executive director, according to documents Bloomberg obtained from Texas Health and Human Services. Ad Astra is located on 40 acres of land, according to the documents, which said a 4,000-square-foot house would be remodeled for the preschool. It isn’t uncommon for entrepreneurs to take an interest in education, according to Bill Gormley, a professor emeritus at the McCourt School of Public Policy at Georgetown University who studies early childhood education. Charles Butt, the chairman of the Texas-based H-E-B grocery chain, has made public education a focus of his philanthropy. Along with other business and community leaders, Butt founded “Raise Your Hand Texas,” which advocates on school funding, teacher workforce and retention issues and fully funding pre-kindergarten. “Musk is not the only entrepreneur to recognize the value of preschool for Texas workers,” Gormley said. “A lot of politicians and business people get enthusiastic about education in general — and preschool in particular — because they salivate at the prospect of a better workforce.” Musk spent much of October actively campaigning for Trump’s presidential effort, becoming the most prolific donor of the election cycle. He poured at least $274 million into political groups in 2024, including $238 million to America PAC, the political action committee he founded. While the vast majority of money raised by America PAC came from Musk himself, it also had support from other donors. Betsy DeVos, who served as education secretary in Trump’s first term, donated $250,000, federal filings show. The Department of Education is already in the new administration’s cross hairs. Trump campaigned on the idea of disbanding the department and dismantling diversity initiatives, and he has also taken aim at transgender rights. “Rather than indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material, which is what we’re doing now, our schools must be totally refocused to prepare our children to succeed in the world of work,” Trump wrote in Agenda 47, his campaign platform. Musk has three children with the musician Grimes and three with Shivon Zilis, who in the past was actively involved at Neuralink, his brain machine interface company. All are under the age of five. Musk took X, his son with Grimes, with him on a recent trip to Capitol Hill. After his visit, he shared a graphic that showed the growth of administrators in America’s public schools since 2000. Musk is a fan of hands-on education. During a Tesla earnings call in 2018, he talked about the need for more electricians as the electric-car maker scaled up the energy side of its business. On the Joe Rogan podcast in 2020, Musk said that “too many smart people go into finance and law.” “I have a lot of respect for people who work with their hands and we need electricians and plumbers and carpenters,” Musk said while campaigning for Trump in Pennsylvania in October. “That’s a lot more important than having incremental political science majors.” Ad Astra’s website says the cost of tuition will be initially subsidized, but in future years “tuition will be in line with local private schools that include an extended day program.” “I do think we need significant reform in education,” Musk said at a separate Trump campaign event. “The priority should be to teach kids skills that they will find useful later in life, and to leave any sort of social propaganda out of the classroom.” With assistance from Sophie Alexander and Kara Carlson. ©2024 Bloomberg News. Visit at bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.I’m a Celebrity’s unlikely friendship revealed – and Maura Higgins won’t be happy

Last-minute contender emerges for Liberal leadership showdown"It took a while but I’m here" Denzel Washington has been baptised and received a minister’s licence just days before his 70th birthday. READ MORE: ‘Gladiator 2’ review: back to Rome for Paul Mescal’s Colosseum-sized sequel The Gladiator 2 and Training Day star will celebrate the milestone on Saturday (December 28), and to mark the occasion he has been baptised at the Kelly Temple Church of God in Christ in Harlem, New York. Taking place at a ceremony on Sunday (December 22), the double Oscar winner was also presented with a minister’s licence, which means he will be eligible to be ordained as a priest in the future. Denzel Washington in ‘Gladiator 2’. CREDIT: Paramount Pictures The event was live-streamed on the church’s Facebook page and saw Washington speak about the importance of his faith. “In one week I turn 70. It took a while but I’m here,” he said to the congregation. “If [God] can do this for me, there’s nothing He can’t do for you. The sky literally is the limit.” The actor’s wife of over 40 years Pauletta also spoke at the ceremony. “46 years later, here I’m still standing next to him as only God will have it,” she said. “So I’m very proud of you. You are the head of our house and you have set a great example for our children, who are now adult children who know the difference because we have shown them the difference.” Washington is currently the subject of awards chatter thanks to his supporting turn in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator 2 , in which he plays the duplicitous former slave Marcus Opellius Macrinus who attempts to scheme his way into political power. He also inadvertently revealed last month that Black Panther 3 is in development , with an unspecified role being set aside for Washington himself. The second film in the series, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever , was released in 2022, two years after lead actor Chadwick Boseman’s untimely death . Washington will also star in Spike Lee’s upcoming film Highest 2 Lowest , alongside A$AP Rocky and Ice Spice . Related Topics Denzel WashingtonTexas Doctor's TikTok on Collecting Patient Immigration Data Goes Viral

Commerce Department to reduce Intel's funding on semiconductors'Malcolm in the Middle' to offer new episodes with Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston and Jane Kaczmarek are reuniting for a new four-episode run of “Malcolm in the Middle” for Disney+ — 25 years after the beloved sitcom first launched. The show ran for seven seasons starting in 2000 and was hailed for looking at ordinary life through the eyes of an extraordinary youngster, now fully grown: Malcolm, played by Muniz, has a genius I.Q. The new four episodes will be crafted by original series creator Linwood Boomer. No air dates were announced. “Malcolm in the Middle” originally aired on Fox and ended its run in 2006. Woman who falsely accused Duke lacrosse players of rape in 2006 publicly admits she lied RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — The woman who in 2006 falsely accused three Duke University lacrosse players of raping her has admitted publicly for the first time that she made up the story. The accusations made national headlines at the time, stirring tensions about race, class and the privilege of college athletes. Crystal Mangum, who is Black, said in an interview with the “Let’s Talk with Kat” podcast that she “made up a story that wasn’t true” about the white players who attended a party where she was hired to perform as a stripper “because I wanted validation from people and not from God.” The former Duke players were declared innocent in 2007 after Mangum’s story fell apart under legal scrutiny. Sophia, a famous robot and global icon of AI, wins hearts at Zimbabwe's innovation fair HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — Sophia, a world-renowned robot, has been the center of attention at an Artificial Intelligence and Innovation fair in Zimbabwe this week. Described as an AI global icon by the U.N., Sophia can hold human-like conversations with people and recognize their gestures. As a special guest at the week-long event at the University of Zimbabwe, she answered questions on academic topics from researchers. Children quizzed her about the bible, God and her birth. She also made clear her aversion to human food and romance. The United Nations Development Program said it brought Sophia to Zimbabwe as part of efforts to “inspire youth, policymakers, and innovators to embrace AI as a catalyst for development.” Stanley recalls millions of travel mugs over concerns the lids might fall off, causing burns Stanley is recalling approximately 2.6 million of its switchback and trigger action stainless steel travel mugs sold in the U.S. because of a potential burn hazard. The company said that the mug’s lid threads can shrink when exposed to heat and torque, causing the lid to detach during use, posing a burn hazard. Stanley has received 91 reports worldwide, including 16 in the U.S., of the recalled travel mugs’ lids detaching during use, resulting in 38 burn injuries worldwide, including two burn injuries in the U.S., with 11 consumers worldwide requiring medical attention. Miami Dolphins release veteran receiver Odell Beckham Jr. MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins released wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. on Friday, ending the former Pro Bowler’s short tenure with the team. Beckham had missed the past two days of practice for what the team called personal reasons. Dolphins coach Mike McDaniel indicated that the decision to part ways was mutual. Beckham signed a one-year deal with the Dolphins in May, but started the season on the physically unable to perform list after offseason knee surgery. Since his Dolphins debut in Week 5 against New England, Beckham had just nine catches for 55 yards in nine games. Bird strike disables a jetliner engine and forces an emergency landing at JFK airport NEW YORK (AP) — Authorities say a bird strike involving an American Airlines jetliner disabled one of the plane’s two engines shortly after takeoff from New York’s LaGuardia Airport. The plane was forced to turn around and land at John F. Kennedy International Airport. Airline officials say no one was injured. Flight 1722 took off from LaGuardia at 7:43 p.m. Thursday with a destination of Charlotte, North Carolina. Airport officials say it safely made an emergency landing at Kennedy at 8:03 p.m. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating. The agency received reports of 19,400 strikes at 713 airports across the U.S. last year alone. Rarely do they force jetliners to make emergency landings. 49ers LB De'Vondre Campbell refuses to enter game after losing his starting spot SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) — San Francisco linebacker De’Vondre Campbell refused to enter the game in the third quarter after losing his starting job when Dre Greenlaw returned from an injury. Campbell played 90% of defensive snaps for the 49ers but was benched after Greenlaw came back for his first game since tearing his left Achilles tendon in last season’s Super Bowl. When Greenlaw left with soreness in the third quarter Thursday night against the Rams, Campbell told the coaches he didn't want to play and left the field. Coach Kyle Shanahan says he has never seen that before and the team will “figure out something” on how to deal with it going forward. 'Crown of Thorns' returns to Notre Dame Cathedral for public veneration PARIS (AP) — An ancient relic that many Christians revere as Jesus Christ’s “Crown of Thorns” has returned to Notre Dame, five years after it was saved from the flames of the cathedral’s devastating 2019 fire. The crown — a circular band of branches encased in a gilded golden tube — was brought back to its historic home Friday in a ceremony. The event was presided over by the archbishop of Paris and attended by knights and dames of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulcher, marking a key moment in the cathedral’s restoration journey. In 1239, it was acquired by King Louis IX of France, who brought it to Paris. 'Vanderpump Rules' star James Kennedy arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence BURBANK, Calif. (AP) — Police say “Vanderpump Rules” star James Kennedy has been arrested on suspicion of misdemeanor domestic violence. Police in Burbank, California, say officers investigated reports of an argument between a man and a woman at a residence late Tuesday night and arrested the 32-year-old Kennedy. He was released from jail after posting bail. A representative of Kennedy did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. The Burbank city attorney will decide whether to file charges. Kennedy is a DJ and reality TV star who has appeared for 10 seasons on “Vanderpump Rules” — the Bravo series about the lives of employees at a set of swank restaurants. Dick Vitale says he's cancer-free after 4th bout with the disease in just over 3 years Dick Vitale said he’s cancer-free after his fourth bout with the disease in just over three years. The 85-year-old ESPN college basketball analyst posted Thursday on X that he got the news after a morning scan, saying: “SANTA CLAUS came early as Dr Rick Brown called & said that my PET SCAN at 7 AM came back CLEAN OF CANCER !” Vitale posted on X. “OMG thanks so much to ALL of YOU for your (prayers). Yes I’m cutting the nets down baby it’s my National Championship!” Vitale had surgery in the summer to remove cancerous lymph nodes from his neck. The Basketball Hall of Famer was previously treated for melanoma and lymphoma, and had radiation treatments last year for vocal cord cancer.