Getting whipped by a downtrodden Oklahoma squad came back to haunt Alabama. So did a historic loss to Vanderbilt. That's because the Crimson Tide (9-3) were passed over for the inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff when the selections were announced on Sunday. Alabama appeared in good shape to make the playoffs until visiting the Sooners and losing 24-3 on Nov. 23. Oklahoma finished the regular season with a 6-6 mark. SMU (11-2) earned the final at-large spot despite losing to Clemson 34-31 in the Atlantic Coast Conference title game on Saturday night. "I think it's the right decision," Mustangs coach Rhett Lashlee told CBS Sports said. "... We didn't ever have a bad loss." Selection committee chairman Warde Manuel said it was a tough choice to take the Mustangs over the Crimson Tide. "We looked at the number of wins Alabama had against ranked opponents," Manuel, the Michigan athletic director, told ESPN. "We looked at SMU's schedule and they were undefeated in conference. Their losses were to ranked teams. "We also looked at Alabama's losses to unranked teams. It was quite a debate. We value strength of schedule and that's why Alabama as a three-loss team is ranked ahead of teams that have two losses." SMU's loss to then-No. 17 Clemson came on a last-second field goal in Saturday night's Atlantic Coast Conference title game. The Mustangs also lost 18-15 at BYU on Sept. 6. SMU beat then-No. 22 Louisville on the road and then-No. 18 Pitt in Dallas. "Losing on a last-second field goal ... we felt SMU still had the nod over Alabama," Manuel said of the Mustangs' loss to Clemson. "... It's just looking at the entire body of work over both teams." Alabama's other two losses included the shocking 40-35 stumble at Vanderbilt on Oct. 5 that marked the Commodores' first-ever win over a No. 1-ranked team. The Crimson Tide also lost 24-17 to then-No. 11 Tennessee on Oct. 19. The Crimson Tide posted three ranked victories, beating then-No. 2 Georgia, then-No. 21 Missouri and then-No. 15 LSU. Alabama will face Michigan in the ReliaQuest Bowl in Tampa on Dec. 31. It is a rematch from last season when the Wolverines defeated the Crimson Tide 27-20 in the College Football Playoff semifinal game at the Rose Bowl. The second team out was No. 13 Miami (10-2), which saw its chances plummet by losing two of its last three regular-season games. The Hurricanes, who started 9-0, lost 28-23 to host Georgia Tech on Nov. 9 and completed the regular season with a 42-38 road loss against Syracuse. Miami didn't play a Top 25 team this season. Instead of navigating the playoff field, Miami will face No. 18 Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl in Orlando on Dec. 28. "Everyone that doesn't get in feels disappointment," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said of being passed over. "We will have the onus of just doing better. Go forward and have the opportunity to get better. ... "We have a ton to play for and we'll thankful for the opportunity." SMU plays No. 6 Penn State in its first-round playoff game on Nov. 21. "We're excited about the challenge and the opportunity to prove that the committee made the right decision," Lashlee said. --Field Level MediaSupposed Greene quip comparing Gaetz's conduct to all of Congress was satire | Fact check
PHC 0 St George’s 2 St George’s Colts captain Kashae Hall’s first-half penalty and substitute Jahron Dickinson’s late goal ended their side’s three-match winless streak, dealing Premier Division defending champions PHC a second consecutive defeat last night. Hall put the East Enders ahead from the penalty spot in the 39th minute after Ne-Jai Tucker was brought down in the box by Eusebio King-Mills. Dickinson, who replaced Senoj Mitchell in the 67th minute, sealed the victory two minutes from time, slotting home from a Tucker pass. The second win of the season lifted St George’s to fifth in the standings with eight points, while PHC remained third on 12 points. Hall attributed the victory to improved unity in a side that had recently shown signs of fracturing when results went against them. Before last night’s triumph, St George’s last tasted victory on 6 October, with a 3-1 win over Young Men’s Social Club. “We stayed positive throughout the whole game,” Hall told The Royal Gazette. “Before, we were too negative with each other, but today we encouraged each other and stayed positive. “I missed a couple of chances, but our defensive work was strong and helped us secure the win. This result gives us great motivation for our next match against Devonshire Colts. We’re going into that game feeling strong.” PHC coach Quincy Hunt backed his team to recover from the defeat, which saw them miss an opportunity to keep pace with title rivals North Village. “It’s not a setback for us; we just need to regroup,” Hunt said. “We were in the same position last season, so it’s not like we don’t know what we’re doing. We just have to refocus. “Congratulations to St George’s – they came to play, and they won the game. As coach, I take full responsibility for the loss. Being rescheduled didn’t make a difference. We were at home, and we should have performed better.” St George’s started brightly, with their captain forcing Quinaceo Hunt into a good save seven minutes into the match. Jahiem Iris came close for PHC in the 19th minute when he charged at goal but failed to generate enough power to trouble Jahquill Hill. Blaize Hall had a golden opportunity to break the deadlock in the 21st minute. Jonas Schroder drew Hunt off his line, but with the goal gaping, the Bermuda forward sent his effort wide. Six minutes before the break, St George’s silenced the home crowd when Hall confidently converted from 12 yards. The visitors continued to trouble PHC in the second half, with Hall narrowly missing out on a brace in the 54th and 63rd minutes. As PHC fought for an equaliser, Tucker displayed excellent ball control before setting up Dickinson, who finished clinically to secure all three points for the visitors. SCORERS St George's Colts : K Hall 39 pen, Dickinson 88 PHC (4-2-3-1): Q Hunt 6 – D Usher 6, D Lodge 6, E King-Mills 6, D Smith-Lightbourne 6 – D Smith Davis 6 (sub: S Trott, 68), K Abraham 6 – T Showers 5 (sub: J Ebbin, 68), H Eve 5 (sub: E Russell, 59) J Iris 6 – Wade 5 (sub: D Wainwright, 59). Substitutes not used : R Simmons, K Bean, J Hasell. Booked : Eve St George's Colts (4-3-3): J Hill 7 – J Bassett 6 (sub:, A Simons, 82), O Bascome 6, J Schroder 7, N Paynter 7 – K Minors 5 (sub: C Neal, 82), Q Maynard 6, K Hall 8 – B Hall 8 (sub: M Simmons, 87), S Mitchell 6 (sub: J Dickinson, 67), N Tucker 8. Substitutes not used : I Gibbons, T Tucker, D Lodge. Booked : Maynard, Bassett, Hill, Simmons Referee : N Keito (Jamaica)
BURLINGTON, Mass., Dec. 23, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Neuphoria Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: NEUP) (“Neuphoria” or the “Company”) is pleased to announce that its previously announced scheme of arrangement in relation to Bionomics Limited’s proposed re-domiciliation from Australia to the United States, under which Neuphoria will become the ultimate parent company of Bionomics Limited, has been implemented today, December 23, 2024 New York time (December 24, 2024 Sydney time). The shares of common stock of Neuphoria (“Neuphoria Shares”) issued today in connection with the re-domiciliation are expected to commence trading on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC under the symbol “NEUP” on December 24, 2024 or as soon as possible thereafter. In addition, Neuphoria will issue options to acquire shares of common stock in Neuphoria (“Neuphoria Options”) to holders of options to acquire shares in Bionomics (“Bionomics Options”) that were issued by Bionomics, in exchange for their Bionomics Options. Neuphoria will also issue a warrant to purchase 1,054,381 shares of common stock in Neuphoria (“Neuphoria Warrant”) to an institutional investor that holds a warrant to purchase 12,652,572 American Depositary Shares (“ADSs”) of Bionomics (“Bionomics Warrant”), in exchange for the Bionomics Warrant. Further details regarding the implementation of the redomiciliation can be found in a Current Report on Form 8-K that will be filed by Neuphoria with the SEC. About Neuphoria Therapeutics Inc. Neuphoria (Nasdaq: NEUP) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company dedicated to developing therapies that address the complex needs of individuals affected by neuropsychiatric disorders. Neuphoria is advancing its lead drug candidate, BNC210, an oral, proprietary, selective negative allosteric modulator of the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, for the acute, “as needed” treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD) and for chronic treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). BNC210 is a first-of-its-kind, well-tolerated, broad spectrum anti-anxiety experimental therapeutic, designed to restore neurotransmitter balance in relevant brain areas, providing rapid relief from stress and anxiety symptoms without the common pitfalls of sedation, cognitive impairment, or addiction. In addition, Neuphoria has a strategic partnership with Merck & Co., Inc. (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada) with two drugs in early-stage clinical trials for the treatment of cognitive deficits in Alzheimer’s disease and other central nervous system conditions. Neuphoria's pipeline also includes the α7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor next generation and the Kv3.1/3.2 preclinical programs, both in the lead optimization development stage. Forward-Looking Statements Neuphoria cautions that statements included in this press release that are not a description of historical facts are forward-looking statements. Words such as “may,” “could,” “will,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “intend,” “predict,” “seek,” “contemplate,” “potential,” “continue” or “project” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements are based on our current beliefs and expectations. The inclusion of forward-looking statements should not be regarded as a representation by Neuphoria that any of its plans will be achieved. Actual results may differ materially from those set forth in this release due to the risks and uncertainties inherent in the Company’s business and other risks described in the Company’s filings with the SEC, including the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, and its other reports. Investors are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof, and Neuphoria undertakes no obligation to revise or update this news release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof. Further information regarding these and other risks, uncertainties and other factors is included in Neuphoria’s filings with the SEC, copies of which are available from the SEC’s website (www.sec.gov) and on Neuphoria’s website (www.neuphoriatx.com) under the heading “Investor Center.” All forward-looking statements are qualified in their entirety by this cautionary statement. This caution is made under the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Neuphoria expressly disclaims all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any or all the contents of this press release. Not an offer of securities This press release does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any securities in any jurisdiction. The Neuphoria Shares, Neuphoria Options and Neuphoria Warrant have not been registered under the US Securities Act and may not be offered or sold except in a transaction registered under the US Securities Act or in a transaction exempt from such registration requirements and applicable US state securities laws.
Details: Houston's 75th H-E-B Thanksgiving Day paradeTage Thompson eyes return as Sabres welcome Wild
Article content The Alberta government is providing $23 million to create a new addiction recovery centre for youth located in a renovated section of the Edmonton Young Offenders Centre. Slated to open in 2026, the Northern Alberta Youth Recovery Centre will be a 105-bed treatment centre and is said to help up to 300 youths per year. There are currently 70 addiction treatment beds for youths in Alberta. Mental Health and Addiction Minister Dan Williams said they are making “extensive” renovation commitments to half of the Edmonton Young Offenders Centre, which will be completely separate from the existing corrections facility with no shared living spaces. Recovery facility in remand centre? Dr. Monty Ghosh, an associated professor at the University of Alberta and an addictions physician, said the new facility is a “welcomed addition” but raised concerns over why the province chose to put the recovery facility in a remand centre. He said if the intent is to divert people from the correction system to a more treatment-based service, it would be more understandable but, ideally, these would be two separate locations. “You don’t want to associate criminality with substance use concerns because they very much are two different issues,” Ghosh said. “One is a health issue and not a criminal justice issue or concern.” When asked by reporters about considering a different facility and the optics of having a recovery centre in a corrections facility, Williams said he is more concerned about not having the necessary treatment spaces for youths. “I have a mandate letter that requires that I care for those (struggling with) addiction, and I need to do that as swiftly as I can. Delaying that for optics because somebody might have the wrong impression after $23 million is spent to very quickly renovate a facility, I think, is misguided,” Williams said. Lack of treatment support for youth Ghosh said his work in addictions does not strictly focus on youth, but he does see people ages 14 to 24 at the hospital or coming into his clinic. Right now, he said there is a lack of treatment support for youths. The process of treating youth can often be difficult since youths need a special amount of consideration because the individual might not have the capacity to treat themselves or gain treatment. But Ghosh said families who are dealing with their loved one needing help also need to be treated. “Having these treatment beds, which is one piece of this larger system, is absolutely crucial, and it’s one thing that is lacking. This is a huge problem,” Ghosh said. In an email to Postmedia, the province said the virtual opioid dependency program youth team has served 89 clients so far this year. From April to November 2024, it handled 49 referrals, 49 admissions, and 13 discharges. There were 70 referrals, 70 admissions, and 17 discharges in 2023-’24. Alberta NDP mental health and addiction critic Janet Eremenko said the additional 105 beds is “a good thing,” but she has concerns about the stigma a recovery facility in a corrections centre will bring and what kind of programming the facility will offer. “Operation in recovery communities currently has been a little bit all over the place, with not a great deal of transparency around the selection for those actual operators, and so it is a big question for me around the actual provision of the programming and the services that are going to be happening,” Eremenko said. Compassionate intervention legislation Alberta currently has the Protection of Children Abusing Drugs Act that allows a parent to request their child be placed in a mandatory detox for up to 15 days. Williams said the Compassionate Intervention Act, which could allow courts, police or families to involuntarily put their loved ones into mandatory addictions treatment, will be introduced in the spring. Ghosh said involuntarily putting a loved one into mandatory care has been controversial. He said the longer someone is in mandated care, the more likely they will be successful down the road, but the evidence around it is very weak. “The key piece to this is that there needs to continue to be support for the individual when they leave involuntary treatment as well. It cannot just stop after they leave involuntary treatment. You have to have a large amount of supports in the community thereafter,” Ghosh said. — with files from Tyler Dawson ctran@postmedia.com @kccindytran Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the news you need to know — add EdmontonJournal.com and EdmontonSun.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters . You can also support our journalism by becoming a digital subscriber. Subscribers gain unlimited access to The Edmonton Journal, Edmonton Sun, National Post and 13 other Canadian news sites. The Edmonton Journal | The Edmonton SunFood-service stocks are rarely "must have" names. Not only is it just not a high-growth business, it's a highly competitive, low-margin one as well. These are characteristics that many investors aim to avoid. Every now and then, though, a compelling restaurant stock presents itself. Domino's Pizza ( DPZ -0.69% ) is one such name, and is likely to remain one for the foreseeable future. If there's a spot in your portfolio for a steady grower, this often-overlooked ticker might be a great fit for three key reasons. 1. It boasts above-average growth Whatever the restaurant chain is doing, it's working. In 2021, it became the world's single biggest pizza chain with 18,848 locales, eclipsing Pizza Hut's then-lead. The company's put some distance between itself and the reach of Yum Brands ' rival arm in the meantime, too. This growth hasn't been expansion just for the sake of boasting a bigger footprint, either. Total revenue growth has improved at least as much as its store count has since the company went into growth overdrive in 2013. With the exception of the comparison to the swell of business during and because of the COVID-19 pandemic, same-store sales growth has remained positive for every quarter during this stretch as well. Profits have also improved at an even better overall pace, overcoming the world's recent bout with inflation. This is mostly due to good management of its growing scale. DPZ Revenue (Quarterly) data by YCharts. This persistent progress is a testament to the fact that Domino's is delivering (figuratively as well as literally) a product that people want and can afford. The same can't necessarily be said of its competitors. 2. The stock's trading at a discount Domino's Pizza stock is currently bargain-priced no matter how you measure it. One measurement, of course, is the pullback from highs reached earlier this year. Shares are currently down 17% from June's peak. That's not a huge setback although it is a sizable one for this particular ticker. The stock's weakness actually extends back to 2022,when the pandemic finally wound down and investors had their first chance to assess the pizza chain in a normal environment following a period of rapid expansion. They didn't necessarily dislike what they saw. They just weren't quite sure how to price it into the stock. The analyst community isn't dissuaded. The majority of these pros currently rate Domino's stock a strong buy, while their consensus price target of $483.57 stands roughly 12% above the ticker's present price. That's not a huge difference, but it's a relatively big one by restaurant stock standards. 3. A little income, and lots of income growth The third reason to consider nibbling on Domino's Pizza? Its dividend. The stock's forward-looking yield stands at 1.4%. Oh, you can certainly find bigger yields -- and you should if investment income is your immediate priority. This reliable dividend payment should simply be seen as an additional topping to the meatier reasons to own a stake in Domino's. That's consistent, above-average growth rooted in its well-run and well-marketed business. That being said, this stock is certainly no slouch to income-minded investors looking for reliable long-term dividend growth. Domino's Pizza has now upped its annualized quarterly payout for 11 consecutive years, from $0.20 per share in mid-2013 to $1.51 now. That's a compound annual growth rate of around 20%, which is certainly better payment growth than more familiar dividend payers can offer. DPZ Payout Ratio data by YCharts. There's also no reason to suspect that this dividend growth is in jeopardy. Only about one-third of its net earnings are dished out in the form of dividends. That's plenty of cushion. The kicker: Buffett likes it There's a fourth, less quantitative reason to consider buying a piece of Domino's Pizza sooner rather than later. This stock is now one of only a few names compelling enough to satisfy the perpetually picky Warren Buffett in an environment where he's finding little that he likes. You don't necessarily need to copy every single one of the legendary stock picker's selections just because he's Warren Buffett, to be clear. On the other hand, he's not called the Oracle of Omaha for nothing. His company, Berkshire Hathaway , reliably outperforms the S&P 500 , given enough time. That's why Berkshire's recent purchase of a stake in Domino's is such a strong vote of confidence in the company. It's a relatively small stake in the grand scheme of things -- Berkshire's 1.3 million shares are collectively only worth about half a billion dollars. That's less than 1% of Berkshire Hathaway's total stock holdings, and less than 4% of Domino's Pizza itself. Buffett and his lieutenants clearly like the company well enough to take on a fairly small position, though. That's something, particularly knowing that Berkshire's small stakes often become larger positions as the Oracle of Omaha adds to them over time.
U.S. imposes new controls on chip exports to ChinaWASHINGTON — President Joe Biden’s decision to go back on his word and issue a categorical pardon for his son, Hunter , just weeks before his scheduled sentencing on gun and tax convictions was a surprise that wasn’t all that surprising. Not to those who had witnessed the president’s shared anguish over his two sons after the boys survived a car crash that killed Biden’s first wife and a daughter more than a half-century ago. Or to those who heard the president regularly lament the death of his older son, Beau , from cancer or voice concerns — largely in private — about Hunter’s sobriety and health after years of deep addiction. But by choosing to put his family first, the 82-year-old president — who had pledged to restore a fractured public’s trust in the nation’s institutions and respect for the rule of law — has raised new questions about his already teetering legacy. “This is a bad precedent that could be abused by later Presidents and will sadly tarnish his reputation,” Colorado’s Democratic Gov. Jared Polis wrote in a post on X. He added that while he could sympathize with Hunter Biden’s struggles, “no one is above the law, not a President and not a President’s son.” Biden aides and allies had been resigned to the prospect of the president using his extraordinary power in the waning days of his presidency to ensure his son wouldn’t see time behind bars, especially after Donald Trump ’s win. The president’s supporters have long viewed Biden’s commitment to his family as an asset overall, even if Hunter’s personal conduct and tangled business dealings were seen as a persistent liability. But the pardon comes as Biden has become increasingly isolated since the loss to Trump by Vice President Kamala Harris , who jumped in to the race after the president’s catastrophic debate against Trump in June forced his exit from the election. He is still struggling to resolve thorny foreign policy issues in the Middle East and Europe. And he must reckon with his decision to seek reelection despite his advanced age, which helped return the Oval Office to Trump, a man he had warned time and again was a threat to democratic norms. Trump has gleefully planned to undo Biden’s signature achievements on climate change and reverse the Democrat’s efforts to reinvigorate the country’s alliances, all while standing poised to take credit for a strengthening economy and billions in infrastructure investments that are in the pipeline for the coming years. And now, Biden has handed the Republican a pretext to carry through with sweeping plans to upend the Department of Justice as the Republican vows to seek retribution against supposed adversaries. “This pardon is just deflating for those of us who’ve been out there for a few years yelling about what a threat Trump is,” Republican Joe Walsh, a vocal Trump critic, said on MSNBC. “‘Nobody’s above the law,’ we’ve been screaming. Well, Joe Biden just made clear his son Hunter is above the law.” Jean-Pierre said Monday from Air Force One that the president wrestled with the decision but ultimately felt his son’s case had been tainted by politics, though she tried to thread the needle — insisting he had faith in the Justice Department. “He believes in the justice system, but he also believes that politics infected the process and led to a miscarriage of justice,” she said. But Trump has already made very clear his intent to disrupt federal law enforcement with his initial nomination of outspoken critics like former Rep. Matt Gaetz to be attorney general and Kash Patel to replace FBI Director Christopher Wray , who nominally still has more than two years left in his term. (Gaetz ended up quickly withdrawing his name amid scrutiny over sex trafficking allegations.) Reacting to the pardon, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement: “That system of justice must be fixed and due process must be restored for all Americans, which is exactly what President Trump will do as he returns to the White House with an overwhelming mandate from the American people.” In a social media post, the president-elect himself called the pardon “such an abuse and miscarriage of Justice.” “Does the Pardon given by Joe to Hunter include the J-6 Hostages, who have now been imprisoned for years?” Trump asked. He was referring to those convicted in the violent Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol by his supporters aiming to overturn the 2020 presidential election result. Biden and his spokespeople had repeatedly and flatly ruled out the president granting his son a pardon. In June, Biden told reporters as his son faced trial in the Delaware gun case, “I abide by the jury decision. I will do that and I will not pardon him.” In July, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters: “It’s still a no. It will be a no. It is a no. And I don’t have anything else to add. Will he pardon his son? No.” In November, days after Trump’s victory, Jean-Pierre reiterated that message: “Our answer stands, which is no.” Neither Biden nor the White House explained the shift in the president’s thinking, and it was his broken promise as much as his act of clemency that was a lightning rod. He is hardly the first president to pardon a family member or friend entangled in political dealings. Bill Clinton pardoned his brother Roger for drug charges after he had served his sentence roughly a decade earlier. In his final weeks in office, Trump pardoned Charles Kushner , the father of his son-in law, Jared Kushner, as well as multiple allies convicted in special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Yet Biden held himself up as placing his respect for the American judicial system and rule of law over his own personal concerns — trying to draw a deliberate contrast with Trump, who tested the bounds of his authority like few predecessors. Inside the White House, the timing of the pardon was surprising to some who believed Biden would put it off as long as possible, according to three people familiar with the matter who spoke to The AP on condition of anonymity to discuss the matter. It came just after Biden spent extended time over the past week with Hunter and other family members on Nantucket in Massachusetts, a family tradition for Thanksgiving. “I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further,” Biden said in a statement announcing the pardon. Some in the administration have privately expressed anguish that the substance of Biden’s statement, including his claim of an unfair politically-tinged prosecution of his son resembled complaints Trump — who faced now-abandoned indictments over his role in trying to subvert the 2020 election — has been making for years about the Justice Department. Biden said the charges in his son’s cases “came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election.” Many legal experts agreed that the charges against the younger Biden were somewhat unusual, but the facts of the offenses were hardly in dispute, as Hunter wrote about his gun purchase while addicted to illegal drugs in his memoir and ultimately pleaded guilty to the tax charges. The pardon too was unusual, coming before Hunter Biden was even sentenced and covering not just the gun and tax offenses against his son, but also anything else he might have done going back to the start of 2014. It’s a move that could limit the ability of the Trump Justice Department to investigate the younger Biden’s unsavory foreign business dealings, or to find new ground on which to bring criminal charges related to that time period. Biden, in his statement, asked for consideration: “I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision.”The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? The demands of achieving both one-day shipping and a satisfying orgasm collide in Halina Reijn’s “Babygirl,” a kinky and darkly comic erotic thriller about sex in the Amazon era. Nicole Kidman stars as Romy Mathis, the chief executive of Tensile, a robotics business that pioneered automotive warehouses. In the movie’s opening credits, a maze of conveyor belts and bots shuttle boxes this way and that without a human in sight. Romy, too, is a little robotic. She intensely presides over the company. Her eyes are glued to her phone. She gets Botox injections, practices corporate-speak presentations (“Look up, smile and never show your weakness”) and maintains a floor-through New York apartment, along with a mansion in the suburbs that she shares with her theater-director husband ( Antonio Banderas ) and two teenage daughters (Esther McGregor and Vaughan Reilly). But the veneer of control is only that in “Babygirl,” a sometimes campy, frequently entertaining modern update to the erotically charged movies of the 1990s, like “Basic Instinct” and “9 1/2 Weeks.” Reijn, the Danish director of “Bodies Bodies Bodies” has critically made her film from a more female point of view, resulting in ever-shifting gender and power dynamics that make “Babygirl” seldom predictable — even if the film is never quite as daring as it seems to thinks it is. The opening moments of “Babygirl,” which A24 releases Wednesday, are of Kidman in close-up and apparent climax. But moments after she and her husband finish and say “I love you,” she retreats down the hall to writhe on the floor while watching cheap, transgressive internet pornography. The breathy soundtrack, by the composer Cristobal Tapia de Veer, heaves and puffs along with the film’s main character. One day while walking into the office, Romy is taken by a scene on the street. A violent dog gets loose but a young man, with remarkable calmness, calls to the dog and settles it. She seems infatuated. The young man turns out to be Samuel (Harris Dickinson), one of the interns just starting at Tensile. When they meet inside the building, his manner with her is disarmingly frank. Samuel arranges for a brief meeting with Romy, during which he tells her, point blank, “I think you like to be told what to do.” She doesn’t disagree. Some of the same dynamic seen on the sidewalk, of animalistic urges and submission to them, ensues between Samuel and Romy. A great deal of the pleasure in “Babygirl” comes in watching Kidman, who so indelibly depicted uncompromised female desire in Stanley Kubrick’s “Eyes Wide Shut,” again wade into the mysteries of sexual hunger. “Babygirl,” which Reijn also wrote, is sometimes a bit much. (In one scene, Samuel feeds Romy saucers of milk while George Michael’s “Father Figure” blares.) But its two lead actors are never anything but completely magnetic. Kidman deftly portrays Romy as a woman falling helplessly into an affair; she both knows what she’s doing and doesn’t. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Dickinson exudes a disarming intensity; his chemistry with Kidman, despite their quickly forgotten age gap, is visceral. As their affair evolves, Samuel’s sense of control expands and he begins to threaten a call to HR. That he could destroy her doesn’t necessarily make Romy any less interested in seeing him, though there are some delicious post-#MeToo ironies in their clandestine CEO-intern relationship. Also in the mix is Romy’s executive assistant, Esme (Sophie Wilde, also very good), who’s eager for her own promotion. Where “Babygirl” heads from here, I won’t say. But the movie is less interested in workplace politics than it is in acknowledging authentic desires, even if they’re a little ludicrous. There’s genuine tenderness in their meetings, no matter the games that are played. Late in the film, Samuel describes it as “two children playing.” As a kind of erotic parable of control, “Babygirl” is also, either fittingly or ironically, shot in the very New York headquarters of its distributor, A24. For a studio that’s sometimes been accused of having a “house style,” here’s a movie that goes one step further by literally moving in. What about that automation stuff earlier? Well, our collective submission to digital overloads might have been a compelling jumping-off point for the film, but along the way, not every thread gets unraveled in the easily distracted “Babygirl.” Saucers of milk will do that. “Babygirl,” an A24 release, is rated R by the Motion Picture Association for “strong sexual content, nudity and language.” Running time: 114 minutes. Three stars out of four. Advertisement Advertisement
CINCINNATI (AP) — Simas Lukosius scored 18 points, Aziz Bandaogo added 17 and Dillon Mitchell 14 to lead No. 14 Cincinnati to an 84-67 victory over Howard on Sunday. Cincinnati (7-1) led by four points after one half and came out firing in the second, hitting three straight baskets to extend its lead to 10 points. The Bearcats outscored Howard Bison (3-6) 48-35 in the second half to seal the win and rebound from Tuesday's eight-point loss to Villanova. Blake Harper had 23 points and 10 rebounds and Marcus Dockery added 14 points for Howard. Howard: The Bison lost for the sixth time in nine games. Howard's dynamic scoring guard tandem of Dockery and Harper accounted for more than half of the team's scoring. Cincinnati: Lukosius led the Bearcats in scoring with 7-for-10 shooting overall and 3-for-6 sniping from long distance. Cincinnati third-year guard Dan Skillings Jr. returned to the court for the first time since the Bearcats season-opener on Nov. 4. Skillings missed the previous six games with a knee injury sustained in the opener. He played 14 minutes and had two points, three rebounds and three assists. The Bearcats outrebounded Howard 37-23 overall and 14-5 on the offensive glass. Howard hosts Virginia-Lynchburg on Wednesday, while Cincinnati hosts Xavier on Saturday.None
Baba Vanga predictions: Prophetic timeline of the Nostradamus of the Balkans finally out? Here's some key prophecies
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EASTON TURNS IT AROUND
CHATSWORTH, Calif., Nov. 22, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toll Brothers, Inc. (NYSE:TOL), the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes, today announced the final opportunity to own a new home at Verona Estates , an exclusive gated community in Chatsworth, California. Only a few homes remain available for sale in this prestigious community, including the professionally decorated Siena Modern Farmhouse model home. The intimate gated enclave of Verona Estates is a rare find showcasing award-winning architecture and innovative home designs. Nestled in an established Chatsworth neighborhood south of the Santa Susana Mountains and adjacent to the Vineyards at Porter Ranch, this exceptional community offers a serene and relaxed atmosphere with the convenience of nearby shopping and easy access to freeways, entertainment, and recreation. Toll Brothers residents in Verona Estates will enjoy distinctive architecture, quality craftsmanship, luxurious home designs with open floor plans, expansive home sites, and proximity to the future 50-acre Porter Ranch community park. Verona Estates offers generous two-story home designs ranging from 4,700 to 6,000+ square feet, with 5 to 6 bedrooms, 4.5 to 6.5 bathrooms, and 3-car garages. The homes also feature popular floor plan options including prep kitchens, guest suites, floating staircases, indoor and outdoor fireplaces, and more. Move-in ready homes in the community are priced from $1,979,995. “We are thrilled to offer the final opportunity to own a home in the exclusive Verona Estates community,” said Nick Norvilas, Division President of Toll Brothers in Los Angeles. “The Siena model home is a showcase of luxury and design, and we encourage interested home buyers to visit and experience this exceptional home along with the final few quick move-in homes remaining in the community firsthand.” The Siena Modern Farmhouse model home features designer upgrades throughout, including fully landscaped and furnished interiors, offering an unparalleled living experience. The professionally decorated model home is priced at $2,999,995. For more information, call 844-700-8655 or visit TollBrothers.com/LA . The Sales Center for Verona Estates is located at 20508 Edgewood Court in Chatsworth and is open by appointment only. About Toll Brothers Toll Brothers, Inc., a Fortune 500 Company, is the nation’s leading builder of luxury homes. The Company was founded 57 years ago in 1967 and became a public company in 1986. Its common stock is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol “TOL.” The Company serves first-time, move-up, empty-nester, active-adult, and second-home buyers, as well as urban and suburban renters. Toll Brothers builds in over 60 markets in 24 states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, and Washington, as well as in the District of Columbia. The Company operates its own architectural, engineering, mortgage, title, land development, smart home technology, and landscape subsidiaries. The Company also develops master-planned and golf course communities as well as operates its own lumber distribution, house component assembly, and manufacturing operations. In 2024, Toll Brothers marked 10 years in a row being named to the Fortune World’s Most Admired CompaniesTM list and the Company’s Chairman and CEO Douglas C. Yearley, Jr. was named one of 25 Top CEOs by Barron’s magazine. Toll Brothers has also been named Builder of the Year by Builder magazine and is the first two-time recipient of Builder of the Year from Professional Builder magazine. For more information visit TollBrothers.com . From Fortune, ©2024 Fortune Media IP Limited. All rights reserved. Used under license. Contact: Andrea Meck | Toll Brothers, Director, Public Relations & Social Media | 215-938-8169 | ameck@tollbrothers.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cbb8cf4a-a018-4df0-955e-3cf4ab63edeb Sent by Toll Brothers via Regional Globe Newswire (TOLL-REG)
QB Daniel Jones disagrees with the Giants' decision to bench him and says he wants to play
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