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Laid ★★★1⁄2 Binge All credit to Marieke Hardy and Kirsty Fisher, who created the original Laid for the ABC 13 years ago. Their black comedy, about a young woman who discovers that all her former lovers are dying in strange circumstances, was such an inventive concept and sturdy platform that this American remake has no problem being a vivacious farce while bringing a few new kinks to the table. The Americans have no use for the phrase “dead root”, but the dual meaning remains applicable. Zosia Mamet (left) and Stephanie Hsu in the American remake of Laid. Credit: James Dittiger/Peacock New creators Nahnatchka Khan ( Fresh off the Boat ) and Sally Bradford McKenna ( Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23 ) launch straight into the carnal chaos, as 33-year-old professional party planner Ruby (Stephanie Hsu) realises that she has a literal body count of former lovers, starting with a college boyfriend, quickly followed by another college ex on the ride home from the funeral. Ruby and her best friend and flatmate, AJ (Zosia Mamet), are shocked, distracted – they have fertile minds – and then rattled. Lists are soon compiled. Laid could be a horror film, an amalgam of It Follows and the Final Destination franchise, but it uses blithe humour to create a mordant momentum. With Ruby and AJ’s daffy exchanges and historic score-keeping as the ice-breaker, it keeps disbelief suspended and cunningly reverses the grief so that Ruby can wonder if this is all a sign that she’ll never find the perfect man, despite going on enough dates to have PTSD. A hunky new client, Isaac (Tommy Martinez), is just added temptation. “I am showing up and doing the work,” Ruby tells one of her disbelieving exes, but part of Laid ’s appeal is that despite her mouthing self-improvement platitudes she might just be a horrible person. The storytelling knows how to profit from that. Given half a chance, Ruby and AJ, a true crime devotee who finally gets to make her own whiteboard, have delirious screwball exchanges that keep wandering into idiosyncratic diversions and questionable monikers. One former hook-up does not take kindly to merely being identified as “Green Day/Sum 41 T-shirt guy”. Zosia Mamet as AJ, Michael Angarano as Richie, and Stephanie Hsu as Ruby in the US remake of Laid. Credit: James Dittiger/Peacock The second Australian season of Laid got into some real metaphysical mayhem, but the American plotting leans into sex-positive but karmically negative detective work. “My vagina is killing people,” Ruby concedes, and Hsu is a dirtbag-adjacent delight in the role. The Everything Everywhere All at Once breakthrough star, teamed with Girls ever-present Mamet, has a way of taking patter a step too far, and then letting the implications sink in before changing course. A little filthy, quite frank – Laid kept making me laugh in unexpected ways. Taron Egerton in Carry-On. Credit: Netflix Carry-On ★★★ Netflix A holiday season thriller set on December 24 at Los Angeles airport, Carry-On does everything a decent Hollywood genre movie should: concise on the plotting, tense when time gets tight, and a showcase for star Taron Egerton, who gets to clench his jaw, test his character’s moral depth, and run as if he’s a candidate for Tom Cruise’s crown. Is competency a compliment? It shouldn’t be, but Netflix’s original movies have been spotty this year. Rocketman star Egerton plays Ethan Kopek, who mans a metal detector at the airport and is coasting through life, despite the encouragement of his pregnant girlfriend and airline staffer, Nora Parisi (Sofia Carson). When Ethan gets an unexpected shot on a baggage scanner he becomes the target of an anonymous interloper, played with quiet disdain by Jason Bateman, who tells him via earpiece that Nora will be killed unless he lets a suspicious bag through. Sounding like a malicious career coach, Bateman’s operative coaxes and chides Ethan – just be your usual apathetic self. Naturally, Ethan can’t stomach potential harm to others, so he rebels. Spanish filmmaker Jaume Collet-Serra, who specialised in 2010s Liam Neeson crime dramas, cleanly escalates the action, placing Carry-On in the lineage of previous LA transportation thrillers such as Speed and Collateral . Bonus points for choreographing a fight scene to Wham’s Last Christmas . Patrick Gibson, left, as the young Dexter in Dexter: Original Sin. Credit: Paramount+ Dexter: Original Sin Paramount+ Turns out there’s still blood – just a few drops – to be squeezed from everyone’s favourite vigilante serial killer. Set in 1991, this prequel stars Patrick Gibson ( The OA ) as a 20-year-old Dexter Morgan, newly interned as a forensics technician with the Miami Police Department, even as his homicidal urges are being channelled by his father, Harry (Christian Slater). The original Dexter, Michael C. Hall, supplies flashback narration, but it’s worth noting that this era was often referenced by the original series. Still, it’s great to see Buffy ’s Sarah Michelle Gellar in a supporting role. Social Studies Disney+ With The Queen of Versailles and Generation Wealth , the American documentary filmmaker Lauren Greenfield provided a telling vision of how money is the lifeblood of her homeland. Her new five-part series follows a group of Los Angeles teenagers over a year, details how social media influences their adolescent experiences. For this generation born into digital platforms, the accumulated impact is often worrying and occasionally terrifying. Even with subjects from a different country, this is still deeply relevant to an Australian audience. Kelly Jones (Scarlett Johansson) and Cole Davis (Channing Tatum) in Fly Me to the Moon. Credit: Apple TV+ Fly Me to the Moon Apple TV+ Cinema audiences did not rush to see this romantic-comedy, which stars Scarlett Johansson and Channing Tatum as NASA adversaries turned allies in the lead-up to the 1969 moon landing, when it debuted in July, but it deserves a second chance on streaming. Fans of the genre will appreciate the chemistry between the stars, and the skill with which the plot connects them personally and tests them professionally. Directed by prolific television creator Greg Berlanti ( You , The Flash ), the film gathers in diverse elements, and just enough of them take flight. Pantheon Amazon I’m late to this adult animated science-fiction drama, which AMC+ debuted in 2023 and Amazon Prime thankfully picked up for a recent second season, but I am enjoying its knotty concepts, high-tech global stakes, and defiant young characters forging unlikely bonds. Voice work from the likes of Paul Dano, Taylor Schilling and Aaron Eckhart anchors a multi-pronged plot that revolves around “Uploaded Intelligence” – that is, your consciousness on the cloud. Unsurprisingly, the technology is not exactly being deployed for altruistic purposes. Kudos to the animation studio Titmouse: the visual aesthetic has a classical elegance. Find out the next TV, streaming series and movies to add to your must-sees. Get The Watchlist delivered every Thursday . Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. License this article Streaming Green Guide What's on TV What to watch For subscribers Craig Mathieson is a TV, film and music writer for The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. Connect via Twitter . Most Viewed in Culture LoadingEnterprise IT Management Software Market 2024 Set for Major Growth Surge Over the Next Decade
Xcel Energy Using AI Technology to Detect Wildfires in Texas Panhandle
Check out a full Iowa scouting report that examines the Hawkeyes' offensive and defensive statistics and more ahead of their game against Nebraska. * * * Record: 7-4 Offensive yards per play: 5.7 (73rd nationally) Defensive yards per play: 5.0 (34th) Turnover margin: +11 (T-8th) Penalty yards per game: 29.7 (3rd) New Big Ten, same Iowa. The Hawkeyes have continued to play solid football in Kirk Ferentz's 26th season at the helm, hanging their hat on playing defense and running the football. They lost to the two currently ranked teams they've played and had a couple unexpected road shortcomings, but remain 5-1 at home with a number of decisive victories in conference play. Type: Run-heavy Coordinator: Tim Lester Letting go of Brian Ferentz and bringing in Lester in the offseason has paid dividends for the Hawkeyes already. The Iowa offense has returned to being a respectable unit, its 29.4 points per game ranking 55th nationally. Even with inconsistent health and quality at quarterback, an outstanding ground game has helped lead the team to some blowout wins. Type: 4-2-5 Coordinator: Phil Parker After fielding top-five units the past two years, Parker's defense has seen a slight drop. The Hawkeyes allow 17.7 points per game, fifth in the Big Ten and 12th nationally. Of course, that's still a pretty good number from the accomplished Iowa coordinator, but Michigan State and UCLA were able to break through enough for wins despite not having inspiring offensive attacks. Kaleb Johnson, running back: The nation's second-leading rusher behind Boise State's Ashton Jeanty, no Big Ten back has been in the same realm of total production as Johnson has in 2024. He's already broken Iowa's single-season rushing touchdown record and is third on the program's list for yards on the ground in a season. Jay Higgins, linebacker: Leads Iowa in total tackles (106), interceptions (4) and forced fumbles (2), while ranking third on the team in pass breakups (5). The fifth-year linebacker has done a bit of everything for the Hawkeyes. "Their players are waving at our guys — ‘Hey, have a good Christmas!’ — that was painful. That was really painful. So I don’t doubt that our guys will be ready. But their guys will be ready. It really just comes down to football." — Nebraska coach Matt Rhule on the team's loss to Iowa in 2023 "This back is fantastic, he makes people miss, and he can burst and go the distance... [Iowa's] doing a really good job, and they’ve run some people off the field just by running the football down their throat." — Nebraska coach Matt Rhule on Iowa's run game "First start as our quarterback... He played with a lot of poise, good awareness out there, made the plays we were hoping we'd make and made good decisions most importantly and protected the football." — Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz on quarterback Jackson Stratton's performance against Maryland 227: Pass attempts by Iowa this year, the least in the Big Ten. Michigan is next with 50 more. 14: Iowa's increase in points per game from last season to this one — from 15.4 to 29.4. 24: Punts downed inside the opponent's 20-yard line by Iowa, the most in the Big Ten. Aug. 31 Illinois State, W 40-0 Sept. 7 Iowa State, L 20-19 Sept. 14 Troy, W 38-21 Sept. 21 at Minnesota, W 31-14 Oct. 5 at Ohio State, L 35-7 Oct. 12 Washington, W 40-16 Oct. 19 at Michigan State, L 32-20 Oct. 26 Northwestern, W 40-14 Nov. 2 Wisconsin, W 42-10 Nov. 8 at UCLA, L 20-17 Nov. 23 at Maryland, W 29-13 Nov. 29 Nebraska Get local news delivered to your inbox!
( MENAFN - Asdaf News) Riyadh – Asdaf News: Wa'ed Ventures, the $500 million venture capital arm of Aramco, announced leading the $5 million investment in YNMO, a Saudi company revolutionizing the educational and rehabilitative technology for children, including those with disabilities. The funding round also included participation from Qatar Development bank (QDB) and Nour Nouf Ventures, a fund focused on impact-driven startups. With this investment, Ynmo plans to expand its services and introduce new features aimed at improving support for children with disabilities and enhancing their access to early childhood services. The company also aims to strengthen its partnerships with governmental, educational, and rehabilitative institutions across the Gulf region. Founded in 2017 by Dr. Fahad Al-Nemary, Dr. Abdullah Murad, and Dr. Faisal Al-Nemary, Ynmo provides an integrated platform for organizing services for children with disabilities and their families. Ynmo enables specialists to develop advanced rehabilitation and educational programs based on best practices supported by AI technology. It also allows parents to access support and consultations through a large network of specialists in behavioral therapy, speech and language therapy, and psychological therapy. Eng. Anas Al-Qahtani, Acting CEO of Wa'ed Ventures, stated:“Ynmo represents an outstanding impact-driven platform that leverages technological advancements to deliver high-quality educational and rehabilitative services. We are excited to collaborate with the team and drive meaningful change in the region by fostering an inclusive environment for children with disabilities.” MENAFN25122024007116015312ID1109030103 Legal Disclaimer: MENAFN provides the information “as is” without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the provider above.The King and the Prime Minister have paid tribute to Jimmy Carter following the former US president’s death on Sunday aged 100. In a message to the American people, the King expressed “great sadness” at the news of Mr Carter’s death, describing him as “a committed public servant” who “devoted his life to promoting peace and human rights”. He added: “His dedication and humility served as an inspiration to many, and I remember with great fondness his visit to the United Kingdom in 1977. “My thoughts and prayers are with President Carter’s family and the American people at this time.” Mr Carter, a former peanut farmer, served one term in the White House between 1977 and 1981 and spent his post-presidency years as a global humanitarian, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002. Sir Keir Starmer said Mr Carter had “lived his values in the service of others to the very end” through “decades of selfless public service”. Praising a “lifelong dedication to peace” that saw him win the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002, Sir Keir added: “Motivated by his strong faith and values, President Carter redefined the post-presidency with a remarkable commitment to social justice and human rights at home and abroad.” Tributes to Mr Carter followed the announcement of his death by his family on Sunday, more than a year after he decided to enter hospice care. His son, Chip Carter, said: “My father was a hero, not only to me but to everyone who believes in peace, human rights, and unselfish love.” Very sorry to hear of President Carter’s passing. I pay tribute to his decades of selfless public service. My thoughts are with his family and friends at this time. pic.twitter.com/IaKmZcteb1 — Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) December 29, 2024 US President Joe Biden, one of the first elected politicians to endorse Mr Carter’s bid for the presidency in 1976, said the world had “lost an extraordinary leader, statesman and humanitarian”. He said: “Over six decades, we had the honour of calling Jimmy Carter a dear friend. But, what’s extraordinary about Jimmy Carter, though, is that millions of people throughout America and the world who never met him thought of him as a dear friend as well. “With his compassion and moral clarity, he worked to eradicate disease, forge peace, advance civil rights and human rights, promote free and fair elections, house the homeless, and always advocate for the least among us.” Vice President Kamala Harris said Mr Carter “reminded our nation and the world that there is strength in decency and compassion”. “His life and legacy continue to inspire me — and will inspire generations to come,” she said. “Our world is a better place because of President Carter.” Other UK politicians also paid tribute to Mr Carter. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said he was “an inspiration” who “led a truly remarkable life dedicated to public service with a genuine care for people”. Scottish First Minister John Swinney described the former president as “a good, decent, honest man who strove for peace in all that he did”, while Welsh First Minister said he was “a remarkable man” and “a humanitarian and scholar”. Former prime minister Sir Tony Blair said Mr Carter’s “life was a testament to public service”. He added: “I always had the greatest respect for him, his spirit and his dedication. He fundamentally cared and consistently toiled to help those in need.” Mr Carter is expected to receive a state funeral featuring public observances in Atlanta, Georgia, and Washington DC before being buried in his hometown of Plains, Georgia. A moderate democrat born in Plains in October 1924, Mr Carter’s political career took him from the Georgia state senate to the state governorship and, finally, the White House, where he took office as 39th president in the wake of the Watergate scandal and the Vietnam War. His presidency saw economic disruption amid volatile oil prices, along with social tensions at home and challenges abroad including the Iranian revolution that sparked a 444-day hostage crisis at the US embassy in Tehran. But he also brokered the Camp David Accords between Egypt and Israel, which led to a peace treaty between the two countries in 1979. After his defeat in the 1980 presidential election, he worked more than four decades leading The Carter Centre, which he and his late wife Rosalynn co-founded in 1982 to “wage peace, fight disease, and build hope”. Under his leadership, the Carter Center virtually eliminated Guinea Worm disease, which has gone from affecting 3.5 million people in Africa and Asia in 1986 to just 14 in 2023. Mrs Carter, who died last year aged 96, had played a more active role in her husband’s presidency than previous first ladies, with Mr Carter saying she had been “my equal partner in everything I ever accomplished”. Earlier this year, on his 100th birthday, Mr Carter received a private congratulatory message from the King, expressing admiration for his life of public service
WALMART is set to undergo a major shakeup next year, as the company seeks to attract a broader customer base. Walmart CFO John David Rainey has told Fox Business that the retail giant has been “up leveling” and improving the look of the stores. "Today's Walmart is very different from the Walmart of several years ago," Rainey said, He that it has been making changes that "appeal to a much broader demographic than what we have historically." Rainey joined Walmart after holding significant roles at PayPal and United Airlines . Walmart has been attracting a wider range of shoppers including people with more money. Read more on Walmart One of the major changes it has brought in is offering higher-end items, like Apple products or Bose headphones. Rainey told Fox Business that these items are “sought after by more affluent customers” and a big part of the updated strategy. According to Fox Business, Walmart has reported an increase in higher income households. In the latest fiscal quarter, households earning more than $100,000 accounted for 75% of its share gains. Most read in Money Shares in the company have risen over 60% in year to date. Part of the changes, Rainey said, was to boost online sales. The company has more than 700 million items across its marketplace. Rainey insisted that the company "isn't alienating our more traditional customer cohorts." "If you're a supplier or a vendor, you actually want to sell your product where the people are, where the eyeballs are coming. And so that's really helping us right now," he said. Rainey also said the company had boosted investment in its store experience. This included building new modernized stores and remodelling hundreds of others. According to Fox Business, Walmart has remodelled about 700 stores each year on average over the past three years. Rainey said there are even more plans to remodel more. "When you walk into one of these remodeled stores, it's a very, very different experience from what you've thought about historically," Rainey said. Customers are likely notice big changes in Walmart stores, Rainey said. Some of the overhaul includes improved layouts, bigger product selection and new technology to help with customer support. The stores have refreshed signs, paint, shopping carts and a new checkout design. Read More on The US Sun Shoppers may also notice bigger merchandising on display and interactive displays in certain areas. In the U.S., the company operates just over 4,600 stores and employs about 1.6 million associates. So far, Walmart has closed the following stores in 2024: California El Cajon Fremont Granite Bay San Diego West Covina Colorado Aurora Georgia Dunwoody Marietta Maryland Towson Ohio Columbus Wisconsin Neighborhood Market, Milwaukee
Lions head into NFC title game rematch vs. 49ers seeking top seed more than revengeJan. 4-7 _ The Sentry (Chris Kirk) Jan. 11-14 _ Sony Open in Hawaii (Grayson Murray) Jan. 18-21 _ The American Express (Nick Dunlap) Jan. 24-27 _ Farmers Insurance Open (Matthieu Pavon) Feb. 1-4 _ AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am (Wyndham Clark) Feb. 8-11 _ WM Phoenix Open (Nick Taylor) Feb. 15-18 _ The Genesis Invitational (Hideki Matsuyama) Feb. 22-25 _ Mexico Open at Vidanta (Jake Knapp) Feb. 26 _ The Match IX (Rory McIlroy) Feb. 29-March 4 _ Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches (Austin Eckroat) March 7-10 _ Puerto Rico Open (Brice Garnett) March 7-10 _ Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (Scottie Scheffler) March 14-17 _ THE PLAYERS Championship (Scottie Scheffler) March 21-24 _ Valspar Championship (Peter Malnati) March 28-31 _ Texas Children's Houston Open (Stephan Jaeger) April 4-7 _ Valero Texas Open (Akshay Bhatia) April 11-14 _ Masters Tournament (Scottie Scheffler) April 18-21 _ Corales Puntacana Championship (Billy Horschel) April 18-22 _ RBC Heritage (Scottie Scheffler) April 25-28 _ Zurich Classic of New Orleans (Tied) May 2-5 _ THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson (Taylor Pendrith) May 9-12 _ Myrtle Beach Classic (Chris Gotterup) May 9-12 _ Wells Fargo Championship (Rory McIlroy) May 16-19 _ PGA Championship (Xander Schauffele) May 23-26 _ Charles Schwab Challenge (Davis Riley) May 30-June 2 _ RBC Canadian Open (Robert Macintyre) June 6-9 _ the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (Scottie Scheffler) June 13-16 _ U.S. Open (Bryson DeChambeau) June 20-23 _ Travelers Championship (Scottie Scheffler) June 27-30 _ Rocket Mortgage Classic (Cameron Davis) July 4-7 _ John Deere Classic (Davis Thompson) July 11-14 _ Genesis Scottish Open (Robert Macintyre) July 11-14 _ ISCO Championship (Harry Hall) July 18-21 _ Barracuda Championship (Nick Dunlap) July 18-21 _ The Open Championship (Xander Schauffele) July 25-28 _ 3M Open (Jhonattan Vegas) Aug. 8-12 _ Wyndham Championship (Aaron Rai) Aug. 15-18 _ FedEx St. Jude Championship (Hideki Matsuyama) Aug. 22-25 _ BMW Championship (Keegan Bradley) Aug. 29-Sept. 1 _ TOUR Championship (Scottie Scheffler) Sept. 12-15 _ Procore Championship (Patton Kizzire) Sept. 26-29 _ Presidents Cup (United States) Oct. 3-6 _ Sanderson Farms Championship (Kevin Yu) Oct. 10-13 _ Black Desert Championship (Matthew McCarty) Oct. 17-20 _ Shriners Children's Open (J.T. Poston) Oct. 24-27 _ ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP (Nicolas Echavarria) Nov. 7-10 _ World Wide Technology Championship (Austin Eckroat) Nov. 14-17 _ Butterfield Bermuda Championship (Rafael Campos) Nov. 21-24 _ The RSM Classic (Maverick McNealy) Dec. 5-8 _ Hero World Challenge, Nassau, Bahamas Dec. 12-15 _ Grant Thornton Invitational, Naples, Fla.
Trump picks Scott Bessent for Treasury, capping long drama over choice
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