There's a BBC documentary about loaded magazine on TV tonight. It’s called, imaginatively enough, Loaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhem. It’s supposed to be about loaded magazine. Not the loaded magazine you might have seen on newsagents’ shelves from the early 2000s onwards – airbrushed picture of a half-dressed woman you’ve never heard of, unfunny coverlines and no soul. Not that one. No, this is about the original Loaded magazine that launched in May 1994, the one that had Harry Hill riding a badger, Kathy Burke smoking a fag, and Vic and Bob wearing hats made of meat on the covers. The one with lines like ‘Go Straight To Ale – drinking around the Monopoly board’, ‘Room Servicing – why hotel sex is best’ and this endorsement taken from an interview inside with Sir Michael Caine: “I’ve just been reading Loaded. I was laughing my bollocks off”. The one that used to send writers to impersonate Magnum P.I. in Hawaii, search for Jesus in Jerusalem and get in a ring with Prince Naz whilst also giving the world Platinum Rogues – the league table of celebrity bad behaviour– and the Crisps World Cup. You remember. The Loaded magazine that shut down the London Stock Exchange as traders downed tools to read the December 1994 Kathy Lloyd issue and would soon go on to sell over half a million copies a month and define the last truly great decade. The Loaded magazine that should have been humanely destroyed at the turn of the millennium. That one. Not because, as this missed opportunity of a documentary seems keen to suggest, it promoted some kind of generalised mass misogyny that eventually produced creatures like social media scumbag Andrew Tate – it didn’t – but so that its legacy would not be tainted by the lowest common denominator lads mag flotsam that subsequently appeared in its name and beneath the same iconic logo. The makers of Loaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhem talk to several key members of the original team who patiently try to explain what the magazine was all about. Not easy three decades hence, after years of hedonistic excess and when you never had a clue in the first place. “You can look back now and try and reverse engineer a genius publishing masterplan but there wasn’t one,” says loaded co- founder Tim Southwell . “We just knew that was a market because we were the market and we knew there were millions like us out there. “Up to that point all men had were these faux American po-faced advertising vehicles busy selling a contrived version of alpha male bullshit to desperate wannabes in London and the South-East of England. If you want to talk about toxic masculinity you might start there. “We were just a gang of working-class berks from all over the country who ended up in this insane office producing something for ourselves and our mates that we wanted to read. We’d all had our own fanzines and this was just a bigger version – a national fanzine.” Southwell appears in the documentary and has just updated and republished his book, Getting Away With It to coincide with the 30th anniversary of the launch of the magazine. “This is the inside story,” he continues. “When I was updating it I was even more amazed that we got the thing in the shops every month than I was at the time and I found it hard to believe then.” He’s right. I was there. First as a writer (that was me being embarrassed in the ring by Naseem Hamed) and then as Editor-at-Large where one brief was “Go to America and don’t come back until you’ve got into trouble.” Seeking out the godfather of gonzo journalism and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas author Hunter S. Thompson in Colorado, becoming involved in a bar brawl and being chased across the state line by angry gun-toting cowboys and police before taking refuge at his attorney’s place probably qualified. And this was for a magazine that very nearly didn’t happen at all. A chance phone call in early April 1994 alerted the team to the fact that Kurt Cobain had died. Obviously a tragedy in its own right but of more immediate concern was the fact that issue 1 was at the printers and contained an article pointing out that the Nirvana lead singer wasn’t a proper rock star because, after a recent suicide attempt had failed, he couldn’t even kill himself. Hmmm. A frantic call just in time prevented the debut issue from being pulped. Five years later, a print run of 800,000 copies was about to be destroyed after someone pointed out that the actress Cameron Diaz ’s right nipple was clearly visible on the cover of the February 1999 issue. A big legal no-no only averted when someone came up with the idea of placing a sticker over the “offending” body part with the words, “Free Sticker” on it. This kind of thing happened all the time in a work environment before health and safety even existed but space and certain legal considerations prevent me from describing it in full. Kept away from main building in the kind of low-slung bunker with a shed built on an adjoining roof (planning permission? Er no), panics concerning imminent police busts were frequent while it was not uncommon to find annoying staff members sellotaped to chairs and, having been spun round until their faces turned purple, on the brink of passing out. They would be in good company. There were often unconscious people lying around, some of them even worked there. Perhaps this charming tableau from Southwell’s book best captures the essence of the Loaded office: [A heated exchange has just taken place between a writer and a designer] “When Phil went to the toilet Jon sat down at Phil’s computer and set fire to it. There were flames and black smoke everywhere, fumes and everything. Phil put the fire out with his T-shirt and then carried on working at the computer.” Thefts from the fashion dept became so out of control a secure room had to be constructed (subsequently used to store more exotic contraband) and as the magazine’s success and notoriety spread it became a de facto drop-in centre for a lot of the people associated with the 1990s in Britain or just passing through. Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh was a columnist as was convicted drug dealer/ author Howard ‘Mr Nice’ Marks. Robbie Williams , then in his post Take That wilderness period, would occasionally walk-in off the street looking for someone to go for a drink with. Loaded did not report on the swinging 1990s, it was the swinging 1990s - the in-house bible for that glorious moment in time like Rolling Stone in 60s America. Everybody wanted to be in it – although Noel Gallagher was proving hard to get. We did get him eventually (cover had a roll with it because well... you know) but we should have had him earlier. Southwell had left his dictaphone in a hotel room commandeered by Loaded at a festival. Gallagher was one of many who passed through, found the recording device, interviewed himself and sent someone to deliver it to Southwell... who, to his absolute horror, discovered that in something resembling professionalism had made him switch the batteries round in order to prevent recording over an interview with Mr C from the Shamen. “I only did that once,” he remembers now. “Behave like a professional that is.” By the time of the inaugural Loaded awards in 1999 , Gallagher had been interviewed again by Irvine Welsh and they were both in attendance at West End night club Talk of the Town. It was the hottest ticket in London. As Southwell and I watched from the balcony we could see Noel pouring wine into the glass of Richard Whiteley from Countdown while Welsh was playing I-Spy with Charlatans front man Tim Burgess and page 3 model/ loaded cover girl Jo Guest. Across the way TV presenter Johnny Vaughan and girl band All Saints were deep in conversation with Wolf from Gladiators . Next to them, the actor Robert Carlyle, Paul Weller and George Best were laughing their heads off about something while Southwell’s dad was busy flirting with Kathy Burke. Vic and Bob (“enjoy your lunch and watch out for that lunchtime semi”), Prince Naz, Ali G, The Dice Man novelist Luke Rhinehart, Beastie Boys and Paul Whitehouse all recorded cheeky video messages. As had Jean Reno, star of Leon, with the “Best Assassin” award. I presented it to him in Chicago having been thankfully diverted there (and saving my job, probably) after turning up in LA to interview Bridget Fonda for the cover, failing to do so after falling into the right/ wrong company and disappearing for three days. If this all reads like a rollercoaster of misbehaviour, mayhem and joyous escapism, it should do. It all came to a shuddering halt a few months later on a winter evening in Milan in January 2000. Beth Summers, our “big sister” and brilliant Fashion Editor suffered a major brain injury in a horrific motorbike accident during fashion week. She now receives 24/7 care. As Southwell puts it, “My book is called Getting Away With it... that’s when we stopped getting away with it. The original team were gone in a matter of months. Out of there.” You won’t know this if you watch BBC documentary Loaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhem tonight because it’s not mentioned. In fact, despite being a visionary who did more than anyone else that decade to democratise the business of dressing young British men across every demographic, Beth Summers isn’t mentioned at all. At just about 5ft2in tall, she was The Don nonpareil in the wildest, most dysfunctional, creative and dangerous office in magazine history. One look was all it took to get things done her way. As she said before her accident: “The type of men I was working with at Loaded were so different to those I’d worked with [elsewhere]. I can just remember everyone jumping around all the time, just so over-excited. That was so brilliant. The portrayal of women didn’t bother me. Everyone in the office had a certain respect for me. Also I’ve been there, seen it and done it so you couldn’t actually say anything to me that I was going to be shocked by. Apart from that, I was worse [behaved] than they were.” Despite being concerned enough about Loaded’s legacy and how women felt at about it at the time to talk to several people who had nothing to do with the magazine or appeared in it once or twice, here were the filmmakers with the most positive female and defiantly feminist role model and her incredible story staring them right in the face and they bottled it. They knew the facts. They even filmed Beth’s beautiful 32-year-old daughter Eden, now a successful music PR, and spoke to Southwell and others about what happened in Milan but it’s sadly not in the final cut. Perhaps it didn’t serve a narrative they appeared to have – that Loaded was some kind of touchpaper to an explosion of anti-female sentiment and could be bagged up with all the lads mags that came subsequently. That’s not real Loaded, not the one we worked on that was adored by millions of young men and women who subsequently deserted the title as it morphed into something else . If you want a rush of 90s nostalgia you could watch the documentary tonight – there are still some laugh aloud moments provided by the original team members – but if you manage to get to the end you will find yourself profoundly depressed. Without hope. The very opposite of what it felt like to read the magazine in the 1990s. ‘Loaded: Lads, Mags and Mayhem’ airs on BBC Two on Friday November 22 at 9pm and will also be available on iPlayer . ‘Getting Away With It: The Real Inside Story of Loaded’ is available here
Hallmark Channel is ready to deck the halls — and our screens — with plenty of new . From now until the weekend before Christmas Day, we're getting three new holiday movies on the Hallmark Channel, premiering every Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively. Plus, new premieres every Thursday as part of the Hallmark Mysteries' series, and starting in November, new movies streaming every Thursday as part of Hallmark+'s new This week, we're getting Hallmark Mystery's on Thursday, followed by Friday's (featuring a cameo by Donna Kelce!), Saturday brings the sequel to , aptly titled . Sunday closes things out with Keep reading to learn more about these new Hallmark Christmas movies, find out where to watch Hallmark movies without cable and more. An NYC book editor gets the chance to spend a month running a bookstore in a small town, where she meets, and butts heads with, the bookstore's owner's handsome son. Julie Gonalo and Brendan Penny star in which premieres Thursday, Nov. 21 on Hallmark Mystery and will be available to stream on Peacock. Over the holidays, an ER doctor and EMT try to make their relationship work. Sara Canning and Ser'Darius Blain star in , which premieres Friday, Nov. 22 on Hallmark Channel and will stream for three days following its premiere on Peacock. In this sequel to Three Wise Men and a Baby, the story picks up five years later with the Brenner brothers having to step in to take over Thomas's holiday school musical. Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes, Andrew Walker and Margaret Colin star in , which premieres Saturday, Nov. 23, on Hallmark Channel and will be available to stream on Peacock for three days following its premiere. A newly engaged couple gets put through the wringer when their family decides they need to go to marriage bootcamp over the holidays. Madeleine Arthur, Robert Bazzocchi and Eric Close star in , which premieres this Sunday, Nov. 24 on Hallmark Channel and streaming on Peacock. If you’re already a cable subscriber and are looking for more ways to watch the Hallmark Channel, you should be able to log in with your cable credentials on and tune into a free livestream of the new Christmas movies as they premiere. Don’t have cable? Here’s what we recommend subscribing to if you want the Hallmark Channel: Watch Hallmark Channel DirecTV Entertainment Watch Hallmark Channel Fubo TV Pro Watch the Hallmark Channel Hulu + Live TV Watch Hallmark Channel Frndly TV Watch Hallmark Channel with Sling TV Orange + Lifestyle Extra Sling TV Orange + Lifestyle Extra Watch the Hallmark Channel Philo (Peacock) A $8/month ad-supported Peacock subscription lets you stream select Hallmark holiday movies for three days after they premiere on Hallmark Channel. Plus, you'll get access to thousands of hours of shows and movies, including beloved sitcoms such as and every and select live sports and other events airing on NBC (like this year's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. For $14/month you can also upgrade to an ad-free subscription which includes live access to your local NBC affiliate (not just during designated sports and events) and the ability to download select titles to watch offline. Hallmark+ is Hallmark's newest streaming platform, featuring all-new holiday movies and exclusive original programming. You can subscribe monthly for $7.99 per month, or annually for $79.99. You can also try the platform out for free first. Premiere times are 8 p.m. ET/PT on the Hallmark Channel unless otherwise noted. Sara Canning, Ser'Darius Blain; cameo by Donna Kelce In the lead-up to Christmas, emergency room doctor Hannah Michaels (Canning) juggles her demanding job and a budding romance with EMT Wes Sullivan (Blain) in Philadelphia. They spend time together as Wes helps her become more acquainted with the sights, sounds, and tastes of Philadelphia, it's clear that they're starting to fall for each other. As the local first responders balance duty with holiday celebrations, they come together to face challenges, support each other and find moments of joy. Paul Campbell, Tyler Hynes, Andrew Walker, Margaret Colin The story begins five years later with the Brenner brothers preparing for another memorable Christmas. In a crazy turn of events, possibly brought on accidentally by the brothers themselves, the director of Luke's (Walker) son Thomas' (Miles Marthaller) school holiday musical steps down. Luke is desperate to make his son's stage dreams come true, so he enlists the help of his brothers, Taylor (Hynes) and Stephan (Campbell). Meanwhile, the trio navigates to meet their mom Barbara's (Colin) new boyfriend and the brothers grapple with their feelings about this relationship. In true Brenner brother fashion, they are all in for a Christmas they will never forget. Madeleine Arthur, Robert Bazzocchi, Eric Close When Celeste (Arthur) gets engaged to Jason (Bazzocchi) after just a few months of dating, her father, and the couple's would-be officiant, Pastor Mark (Close), insists on putting them through a pre-wedding "bootcamp" filled with Christmas-themed challenges. As the couple grows stronger through the festive activities, Celeste considers following her dreams in the fashion industry. Meanwhile, Pastor Mark learns to trust his daughter's choices, leading to a heartwarming holiday season for the whole family. Rachel Boston, Pascal Lamothe-Kipnes, Tanner Novlan, Matthew James Dowden, Max Lloyd-Jones Three adult siblings (Lamothe-Kipnes, Dowden and Lloyd-Jones) return to their childhood home at Christmas to honor their late grandmother's wishes and try to agree on new leadership for the family's company. Enter Annie Merkel (Boston) — also known as Mrs. Miracle — who poses as an estate planner and uses her special brand of Christmas magic to help the family find common ground and rekindle their bonds. As the siblings try to sort things out, Charlotte (Lamothe-Kipnes) also finds herself reconnecting with Austin (Novlan), the manor's caretaker and her first love. Premieres 6 p.m. ET/PT Eva Bourne, Chandler Massey, Katherine Barrell Workaholic lawyer Lucy Miller (Bourne) is celebrating her promotion alone on Christmas Eve when a mysterious rideshare experience transports her back to 1999. Reliving the holiday with her mom, sister and best friend — not to mention her high school crush — Lucy gets a second chance to understand where her relationships went wrong. Will this magical journey help her rewrite her future or leave her destined to be alone? Premieres 8 p.m. ET/PT Ashley Greene, Wes Brown, Danny Pellegrino Rose (Greene) is a Chicago-based interior designer, whose brother Sal (Pellegrino) is responsible for a Christmas charity house flipback in their suburban Ohio hometown. When a budget crisis puts this important project in danger, Rose reluctantly returns during the holidays to try to save the day. Not ready to face the ghosts of her past, Rose plans to get in, get it done, and get out ASAP. But before she knows it, she is face-to-face with Brysen (Brown), her brother's best friend, contractor, and who just so happens to be the bane of Rose's youth. With the help of friends and family, and buoyed by the season of giving, the trio figures out a way to work together for this worthy cause. As Rose works, she discovers unexpected love and deeper purpose along the way. Premieres 6 p.m. ET/PT Meghan Ory, John Reardon Logline: When Beatrice (Ory) reluctantly joins her best friend on a trip to the enchanting Christmasland, she's skeptical of the holiday magic surrounding them. But as she experiences festive traditions and meets a charming stranger named Ethan (Reardon), she begins to question what's real and what's part of the experience. In the end, Christmasland helps Beatrice rediscover hope, love, and the magic of new beginnings. Premieres 8 p.m. ET/PT Hunter King, Tyler Hynes, Ed Begley Jr., Richard Riehle, Diedrich Bader, Christine Ebersole, Megyn Price; cameos by Jenna Bush Hager, Donna Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs coach Andy Reid and players Trey Smith, Mecole Hardman Jr., Clyde Edwards-Helaire, George Karlaftis Alana Higman (King) is sure that her family's lifelong history as Kansas City Chiefs superfans makes them a frontrunner to win the team's "Fan of the Year" contest. Derrick (Hynes), Director of Fan Engagement, is tasked with evaluating how Alana and her family stack up against the other two finalists. As the pair spends time together, it's clear there's a spark between them but when her grandfather's (Begley Jr.) vintage Chiefs good-luck winter hat goes missing, Alana begins to doubt everything she believed about fate, and destiny and even questions her future with Derrick — unless, that is, a little Christmas magic can throw a Hail Mary. Premieres 6 p.m. ET/PT Kim Matula, Beau Mirchoff, Nichole Sakura Inspired by her father's acclaimed legacy in dog sled racing, Anya (Matula) decides to follow in his footsteps. After his passing, she heads to Finland to participate in the 40th annual Joulurauha race, her father's final race where he fell short of the victory. Following an injury to her lead dog during the qualifying race, Anya finds herself partnered with a new canine companion owned by journalist and former racer Cole (Mirchoff), who aims to pen a story about her journey. Struggling to build trust with her new dog and facing her father's rival, Monty (Páll Sigþór Pálsson), Anya must navigate many challenges as she strives to win the race. Premieres 8 p.m. ET/PT Lacey Chabert, Kristoffer Polaha An archeologist (Chabert) and her ex-husband (Polaha), an expert in ancient Norse languages, are sent to Iceland at Christmastime to search for the legendary treasure of the Yule Lads. When others join in the hunt, the pair find themselves swept into a thrilling adventure as they race to keep it from falling into the wrong hands. Ali Skovbye, Derek Klena, Erica Durance Vi (Skovbye), better known as Princess Violet of Wingravia, adores the privileges of being a royal if none of the responsibilities. After being disappointed by Vi one time too many, the Queen (Durance) decides to test her daughter's mettle once and for all and issues an ultimatum: Vi must pass a vigorous leadership boot camp in Colorado or lose the throne to her uncle. At boot camp, Vi and her fellow cadets are put through a rigorous grind under the uncompromising supervision of Captain Ryan Douglas (Klena). Maggie Lawson, Janel Parrish Emily (Lawson) has always dreamed of creating the perfect Christmas, meticulously planning every detail year after year, only to feel like she's falling short. Hoping to bring her family closer together, she makes a wish for a holiday as picture-perfect as the ones she sees in a made-for-TV holiday movie. To her shock, Sugarplum (Parrish), the film's relentlessly optimistic main character, magically steps off the screen to make Emily's wish come true — whether she's ready for it or not. As Sugarplum applies her movie-world rules to real life, Emily gets caught up in the possibility of finally achieving a flawless family Christmas. But when Sugarplum's magical fixes start to backfire one by one, Emily begins to question what an ideal holiday really is. With time running out, Emily and Sugarplum find themselves on a heartwarming adventure — one that might just amount to an entirely different kind of Christmastime perfection. Emily Arlook, Evan Roderick, Barbara Niven Leah Meyer (Arlook) is a bonafide lover of Christmas — the trees, the ornaments, the eggnog! But she has always admired the holiday from afar because she's Jewish. Though her family celebrates Hanukkah, Leah has longed to experience a traditional Christmas. When her boyfriend Graham (Roderick) invites her to spend the holidays with his classic Connecticut family, she eagerly accepts. Excited to dive into the quintessential Christmas she's always dreamed of, Leah quickly discovers that fitting in with Graham's uptight family and his not-so-welcoming mom (Niven) is easier said than done. As holiday traditions clash and awkward moments pile up, it is not quite the cozy Christmas that she expected. Stacey Farber, Daren Kagasoff, Marc Summers One week before Hanukkah, corporate lawyer Tory (Farber) finds herself unexpectedly unemployed and questioning the career she's dedicated years to. As she helps her Bubby prepare for the holiday, she embarks on a quest across Chicago to find the last box of coveted Hanukkah candles. Her search leads her to Rocky's, an old town bar, where she encounters Jay (Kagasoff), a charming doctor from Florida, his grandfather Sam (Summers) and a cast of quirky regulars who make her rethink everything. Torn between keeping her job loss a secret and embracing a newfound sense of belonging, Tory ends up bartending at Rocky's, transforming it into the vibrant "Hanukkah on the Rocks" celebration. Through festive food, drinks, and games, she revitalizes the bar, bonds with Jay, and finds the courage to pursue her true calling. As Tory navigates the holiday, she learns that sometimes a detour can lead you exactly where you're meant to be, lighting the way to a future filled with joy, romance, and self-discovery. Kimberley Sustad, Benjamin Ayres Kate North (Sustad) finds herself reluctantly taking over her father's once-acclaimed and now-struggling Santa School. In the weeks leading up to Christmas and the school's next session, Kate and her new co-worker Dan (Ayres) discover who they believe to be the real Santa Claus, lost and without his memories after his sled steered off course and crashed near the school. They decide to help him remember who he is by inviting him to participate in the intense Santa training program. There's a lot at stake this year with Kate's school needing to best the rival St. Nicholas School or be forced to close their doors, and Nick (Santa Claus) needs to remember who he is, or the fate of Christmas might be at stake. Brooke D'Orsay, John Brotherton A DaySpring movie. Abby Marshall (D'Orsay), once celebrated for her role as an inspirational mother on TV, is finding her real life in shambles after dealing with a scandal. She retreats to a luxury Vermont resort for Christmas only to find herself without a room due to a booking mishap. All the local hotels are booked up due to a rare astronomical event — a beautiful star said to mirror the Star of Bethlehem will appear on Christmas Eve. Thankfully, Abby finds a room at a quaint B&B, owned by Tom Maguire (Brotherton), who is also a high school astronomy teacher. Since his wife's passing, Tom has taken on a lot of extra responsibilities, including running the inn and directing the local church's Christmas pageant. Empathizing with Tom, Abby offers to help with the pageant and various activities around the inn and finds herself enjoying both the projects and Tom's company. Through newfound community, family, and love, Abby discovers that hope sometimes comes in the most unexpected ways. Jessica Lowndes, the winner of Hallmark+'s Finding Mr. Christmas Mia (Lowndes), a meticulous web page editor for the Seattle Tourism Board, finds herself unexpectedly navigating the holidays alone. As the only one working, she's drawn into an unusual encounter when she finds a stray dog. Unsure how to handle the situation, she crosses paths with Max (the to-be-determined winner of Finding Mr. Christmas), a dog shelter owner. Mia agrees to let Max's ailing dog find solace with her newfound companion, in exchange for Max showing her the hidden gems of Seattle. Through their journey together, they both step out of their comfort zones, discovering new perspectives and forming a meaningful connection. Premiere times are 8 p.m. ET/PT on the Hallmark Mystery channel unless otherwise noted below. Julie Gonzalo, Brendan Penny A successful New York City book editor (Gonzalo), who is losing touch with her passion after a few setbacks this year, learns she was chosen to run a bookstore in the small town of Saint Ives for the month of December. While realizing a childhood dream and butting heads with the handsome son (Penny) of the bookstore owners, she comes to realize that her love for bringing out the creativity of others is still her true calling, and untapped talent (and love) can be found anywhere... even in the writings of a cranky business-minded man, especially at Christmas. Heather Hemmens, Marco Grazzini Emily (Hemmens) is always reluctant to return home to her family's animal rescue ranch — but when her mother passes away, her brother Nick requests her help organizing the annual Christmas Carnival. When she arrives, she discovers Nick's friend, Luke (Grazzini), staying at the ranch — and that Luke was once a successful artist who worked with light. Though initially reluctant to collaborate, Emily and Luke work hard to pull off the best, most light-filled carnival the town has ever seen, a healing celebration of Emily's mother's legacy and the magic of Christmas — and along the way feel sparks of romance as radiant as the lights themselves. Erica Cerra, Mark Ghanimé, Vanessa Burghardt, Dorian Giordano Melanie's (Cerra) 17-year-old autistic daughter Jenny (Burghardt) is a senior in high school and looking forward to college. After a bad experience in her junior year, Jenny is not interested in attending her final Christmas dance before graduating. Melanie decides to surprise Jenny by getting involved in the school's planning committee to create a welcoming dance for all students. Meanwhile, Jenny and her friends secretly plan their own party, in part to honor Melanie. Melanie works with Jenny's literature teacher (Ghanimé) on the dance and starts to fall for him while Jenny develops something special with a new classmate (Giordano) at school. When their secrets snowball, however, their plans begin to drive a wedge between the usually tight-knit mother and daughter at the holidays. Mallory Jansen, Dan Jeannotte Maggie (Jansen) has been trying for years to break in as a singer-songwriter. Now faced with the challenges of new apps and social media, Maggie fears she's outdated and unable to compete in a tech-savvy world. While helping her parents on their farm at Christmastime, she meets Archer (Jeannotte), an entrepreneur who has come back to town to spend the holidays alone. Archer is developing large-scale apps and is a tech enthusiast. At first, Maggie blames him for all of her songwriting woes. To her surprise, he encourages her to get back in touch with music that really matters and write from the heart; tech can be used in a supportive role to help her achieve her dreams without replacing the art of songwriting. Archer is dealing with the loss of family, and through her tight family bonds, Maggie helps Archer find ways of moving beyond years of family feuding. In this holiday romance, Maggie and Archer both discover there is merit in preserving the tried and true while making room for new ideas and methods to bring people together and help make dreams come true. Italia Ricci, Michael Xavier Michelle (Ricci) is the dreamer of her family, always brimming with imaginative ideas to make the world a better place. This Christmas, her sister Keri desperately needs a new home, and Michelle hatches a creative plan to help. Starting with just a Christmas stocking, she sets out to trade her way up to something far greater — a house for Keri. While Keri dismisses it as a far-fetched idea, local reporter Dan (Xavier) is intrigued. Assigned to cover Michelle's story, Dan follows her closely, and as her plan gains attention, he starts to see the world through her hopeful eyes. As Michelle and Dan grow closer, so do their feelings for each other. But when it seems her plan has failed and she fears it has ruined her relationship with Keri, Michelle is ready to give up. It's Dan's love and belief in her that reignites hope just when she needs it most. The below films will stream on Hallmark+. Natalie Hall, Alec Santos Tina Mitchell (Hall), a successful business owner, meets a charming guy Michael (Santos), just as her holiday season heats up with the town's Christmas gala and her busy store, All Wrapped Up. When the gala is threatened by a Scrooge-like estate owner planning to sell the venue, rumors begin to threaten Tina and Michael's newfound connection. As Tina works to keep the venue's doors open for the gala, she just might unwrap a new chapter in her life, filled with love and holiday cheer. Kathryn Davis, Nathan Witte Mia (Davis), an accountant at All Wrapped Up, is stunned when local celebrity Beau Cavannagh (Witte), who looks just like her favorite romance novel hero, enters her life. Despite her doubts, Beau, an heir to a wealthy family, proves his feelings for her are real, even as his family disapproves. Mia soon finds herself swept up in a fairytale romance that's straight out of her dreams. Ashley Newbrough, Torrance Coombs Lily (Newbrough), the marketing guru of All Wrapped Up, believes the universe guides us to our destiny and it appears that it's guiding her toward a celebrity realtor. However, when she feels an unexpected spark with journalist Sean Whitlock (Coombs) during an interview, her heart starts to question everything. As her chemistry with Sean grows, Lily begins to wonder if he's the true match she's been waiting for all along. Cindy Busby, Jake Epstein Olivia (Busby), the gift-wrapping expert at All Wrapped Up, makes a delivery to a remote cabin only to find her ex-boyfriend Benjamin (Epstein) on the other side of the door. After the pair have a minor spat, an unexpected storm traps them together. Neither of them is happy to be forced to spend time together. However, as talk turns to shared memories, old feelings and warmth begin to resurface and they are left wondering if it's possible to get it right a second time. Jonathan Bennett, Annabelle Bourke, Corey Cott, Sarah Dugdale, Shannon Kook, Vincent Rodriguez III In 1951, a doctor (Cott) wants to make the holiday special for his worried wife (Bourke) before he is shipped out to serve in Korea, but when she suffers a minor fracture to her arm, his carefully planned-out Christmas Eve plans are upended. In 2003, a newly married couple (Dugdale and Kook) who are always in agreement about everything hosts two sets of in-laws for Christmas Eve for the first time and find that they may not have had as much in common as they thought they did. And in 2024, a couple (Bennett and Rodriguez III) tries to arrange special Christmas surprises for each other but keeping them a secret may be harder than they thought. Benjamin Ayres, Catherine Bell, James Denton, Erica Durance, Julie Gonzalo, Ryan Rottman In 1960, Eli (Ayres) and Penny (Durance) take in Eli's curmudgeonly father, Walter (Serge Houde), and are forced to navigate some tricky family waters to get through the holidays while also working on a Christmas-themed time capsule for son Alex's school project. In 1998, we see Regina (Bell) and Nelson's (Denton) first meeting: stuck together when a blizzard strands Nelson in Regina's home on Christmas Eve. In 2015, Jessie (Gonazlo) faces a big challenge while planning her sister's last-minute Christmas Eve wedding — the officiant is Tim (Rottman), her high school sweetheart, whom she hasn't seen in almost 20 years. John Brotherton, Erin Cahill, Brooke D'Orsay, Chelsea Hobbs, Benjamin Hollingsworth, Sam Page, Matt Dusk In 1966, single guy David's (Hollingsworth) plans for a simple Christmas are dashed when his neighbor Stephanie (Hobbs) arrives with news that she won a contest to have Tommy Saunders' (Dusk) Christmas Eve TV special broadcast live from her house — but used his address. In 1981, John (Brotherton) and Lizzie (Cahill) learn that this will be their last Christmas on Cherry Lane after John receives a job offer in Michigan and Lizzie finds out she's pregnant. In 2000, best friends Matt (Page) and Rebecca (D'Orsay) find unexpected feelings developing as they try to find out who is behind a series of Christmas-themed random acts of kindness.Rosen Law Firm Encourages Macy's, Inc. Investors to Inquire About Securities Class Action Investigation - M
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Salma Hayek and François-Henri Pinault beam at Notre Dame's reopening after his massive donation
Pay first, deliver later: Some women are being asked to prepay for their babyCONWAY, Ark., Dec. 10, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Home BancShares, Inc. (NYSE: HOMB) ("Home” or "the Company”), and its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank ("Centennial”), announced it has established additional reserves for loan losses as a result of Hurricane Milton. On October 11, 2024, HOMB announced a $16.7 million reserve as a result of Hurricane Helene, which made landfall September 26, 2024. Upon announcement HOMB indicated the more recent and powerful Hurricane Milton, which made landfall on October 9, 2024, and caused the spin-off of more than two dozen tornados, would likely lead to an increase in this reserve amount. "Out of an abundance of caution, HOMB has decided to make an additional $16.7 million reserve following the second Florida hurricane, bringing our total hurricane reserve to $33.4 million for the year,” said John Allison, Chairman of HOMB. "The two hurricanes spanned across the third and fourth quarter and the amount of time it takes for customers to settle with insurance will no doubt increase, with two back-to-back events,” continued Allison. "We have approximately $110 million currently on deferral as a result of the two hurricanes and in keeping with our conservative nature, we feel as though this proactive move is a prudent and predictable course of action,” added Allison. Branches The Company currently has 76 branches in Arkansas, 78 branches in Florida, 58 branches in Texas, 5 branches in Alabama and one branch in New York City. About Home BancShares Home BancShares, Inc. is a bank holding company, headquartered in Conway, Arkansas. Its wholly-owned subsidiary, Centennial Bank, provides a broad range of commercial and retail banking plus related financial services to businesses, real estate developers, investors, individuals and municipalities. Centennial Bank has branch locations in Arkansas, Florida, Texas, South Alabama and New York City. The Company's common stock is traded through the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "HOMB.” The Company was founded in 1998. Visit www.homebancshares.com or www.my100bank.com for more information. General This release contains forward-looking statements regarding the Company's plans, expectations, goals and outlook for the future, including future financial results. Statements in this press release that are not historical facts should be considered forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future events, performance or results. When we use words or phrases like "may,” "plan,” "propose,” "contemplate,” "anticipate,” "believe,” "intend,” "continue,” "expect,” "project,” "predict,” "estimate,” "could,” "should,” "would,” "on track” and similar expressions, you should consider them as identifying forward-looking statements, although we may use other phrasing. Forward-looking statements of this type speak only as of the date of this news release. By nature, forward-looking statements involve inherent risks and uncertainties. Various factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, the following: economic conditions, credit quality, interest rates, loan demand, real estate values and unemployment, including the ongoing impacts of inflation; the ability to identify, complete and successfully integrate new acquisitions; the risk that expected cost savings and other benefits from acquisitions may not be fully realized or may take longer to realize than expected; diversion of management time on acquisition-related issues; the availability of and access to capital and liquidity on terms acceptable to us; legislative and regulatory changes and risks and expenses associated with current and future legislation and regulations; technological changes and cybersecurity risks and incidents; the effects of changes in accounting policies and practices; changes in governmental monetary and fiscal policies; political instability, military conflicts and other major domestic or international events; the impact of recent or future adverse weather events, including hurricanes, and other natural disasters; disruptions, uncertainties and related effects on credit quality, liquidity and other aspects of our business and operations that may result from any future public health crises; competition from other financial institutions; potential claims, expenses and other adverse effects related to current or future litigation, regulatory examinations or other government actions; potential increases in deposit insurance assessments, increased regulatory scrutiny or market disruptions resulting from financial challenges in the banking industry; changes in the assumptions used in making the forward-looking statements; and other factors described in reports we file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC”), including those factors set forth in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, filed with the SEC on February 26, 2024. FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Donna Townsell Director of Investor Relations Home BancShares, Inc. (501) 328-4625
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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Former Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller sat for a long interview with the NCAA as it looked into concerns about unusual gambling activity, his lawyer said Friday amid reports a federal probe is now under way. “Hysier Miller fully cooperated with the NCAA’s investigation. He sat for a five-hour interview and answered every question the NCAA asked. He also produced every document the NCAA requested,” lawyer Jason Bologna said in a statement. “Hysier did these things because he wanted to play basketball this season, and he is devastated that he cannot.” Miller, a three-year starter from South Philadelphia, transferred to Virginia Tech this spring. However, the Hokies released him last month due to what the program called “circumstances prior to his enrollment at Virginia Tech.” Bologna declined to confirm that a federal investigation had been opened, as did spokespeople for both the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia. ESPN, citing unnamed sources, reported Thursday that authorities were investigating whether Miller bet on games he played in at Temple, and whether he adjusted his performance accordingly. “Hysier Miller has overcome more adversity in his 22 years than most people face in their lifetime. He will meet and overcome whatever obstacles lay ahead," Bologna said. Miller scored eight points — about half his season average of 15.9 — in a 100-72 loss to UAB on March 7 that was later flagged for unusual betting activity. Temple said it has been aware of those allegations since they became public in March, and has been cooperative. “We have been fully responsive and cooperative with the NCAA since the moment we learned of the investigation,” Temple President John Fry said in a letter Thursday to the school community. However, Fry said Temple had not received any requests for information from state or federal law enforcement agencies. He vowed to cooperate fully if they did. “Coaches, student-athletes and staff members receive mandatory training on NCAA rules and regulations, including prohibitions on involvement in sports wagering," Fry said in the letter. The same week the Temple-UAB game raised concerns, Loyola (Maryland) said it had removed a person from its basketball program after it became aware of a gambling violation. Temple played UAB again on March 17, losing 85-69 in the finals of the American Athletic Conference Tournament. League spokesman Tom Fenstermaker also declined comment on Friday. Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-basketballLawyer says ex-Temple basketball standout Hysier Miller met with NCAA for hours amid gambling probe
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Key Trends in the Cash Advance App Market with Insights from Branch, Varo, FloatMe, PayActiv, MoneyLion, Empower, Klover, DaveCsb bancorp CEO Eddie Steiner acquires $58,375 in common stockWASHINGTON—President Joe Biden delivered a speech on Dec. 10 highlighting his economic achievements as he nears the final days of his presidency. He also expressed hope that the incoming Trump administration would “preserve and build on” his progress. Biden delivered his remarks at the Brookings Institution in Washington, defending his economic plan, which focuses on “growing the economy from the middle out and the bottom up.” “We got back to full employment, got inflation back down, and managed a soft landing that most people thought was not very much likely to happen,” Biden said. “Most economists agree a new administration is going to inherit a fairly strong economy.” Biden said that his agenda, which prioritized investing in infrastructure and manufacturing, has not yet been fully felt by Americans but that its benefits will become more visible over the coming years. “I know it’s been hard for many Americans to see, and I understand it,” he said. He defended his economic record by saying that he took over the economy during a financial crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and transformed it into the “strongest economy in the world.” He stated that his goal was not simply to get the United States out of the economic crisis but also to put the country on a stronger course for the future. “After decades of sending jobs overseas for the cheapest labor possible, companies are coming back to America, investing and building here and creating jobs here in America,” Biden said. Biden’s approval ratings have fallen amid criticism over his handling of the economy, the Israel–Hamas war, and the U.S. border crisis. Recently, he also faced backlash for pardoning his son, Hunter Biden, after having said on multiple occasions that he wouldn’t, a move that drew criticism even from members of his party. The website is packed with information, including economic statistics, charts, and testimonies from people who say they thrived under his administration. It also includes links to seven media pieces that praise Biden’s economic record. The website’s opening page title states, “Building back from a financial crisis to the strongest economy in the world.” One of the charts shows that under Biden, cumulative GDP growth was 12.6 percent, surpassing the recorded growth under former President Barack Obama’s first and second terms (6.1 percent and 10.4 percent, respectively) and President-elect Donald Trump’s first term (7.6 percent). “After decades of trickle-down economics that slashed taxes for the wealthy, diminished public investments, offshored jobs and factories, destroyed unions, and ripped at the social safety net, President Biden has written a new playbook that’s growing the economy from the middle out and the bottom up,” the White House said in a statement ahead of Biden’s speech. During his remarks, Biden highlighted key actions he took during his presidency, which he believes are pivotal in rebuilding the economy for the long term. He expressed hope that the incoming Trump administration “will preserve and build on this progress.” Biden took aim at Trump’s tax cut proposal, stating that he’s “never been a big fan of trickle-down economics.” Additionally, he criticized Trump’s proposal to impose tariffs on Chinese goods, calling it “a major mistake.” In an effort to create resilient supply chains, the Biden administration also announced on Dec. 10 the allocation of $6.2 billion in direct funding to Micron Technology. The funding is part of the CHIPS Act, which aims to encourage U.S. companies to build new chip manufacturing plants domestically. Micron plans to invest nearly $100 billion in New York and $25 billion in Idaho over the next two decades, according to a statement by the Department of Commerce. This investment “will help the United States grow its share of advanced memory manufacturing from less than 2% today to approximately 10% by 2035,” the department said.
The delegation led by Head of the Republic of Kalmykia Mr Batu Sergeyevich Khassikov of the Russian Federation, together with Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein and officials, paid homage to Shwedagon Pagoda yesterday morning. The delegation visited religious edifices, the Buddhological Museum and Photo Gallery, viewed the historical data and pilgrimage guide at the pagoda and offered flowers, water, oil lights and joss sticks to the Buddha Image at the prayer hall. They also visited the National Museum to view round the Thihathana throne, Yadanabon era exhibit, and royal accessories. They also toured significant venues in Yangon City such as the City Hall, the Ministers’ Office, Kandawgyi Lake and Karaweik Hall as well as the jewellery shops of the Myanmar Gems Museum. In the afternoon, the Head of the Republic of Kalmykia and the party paid homage to members of the State Sangha Maha Nayaka Committee led by Chairman Sayadaw Aggamaha Pandita Aggamaha Saddhammajotikadhaja Dr Bhaddanta Candima Bhivamsa at the hall on Kaba Aye Hill. At the ceremony, the Chairman Sayadaw said that he had known the flourishing of culture, literature and fine arts of the Russian Federation. He is pleased with the cultural and social relations of Russia with Myanmar. He expressed his delightedness for better diplomatic relations between the two countries in the time of the State Administration Council. And, the Sayadaw said he was also pleased with the bilateral relations between the two countries to allow the building of Buddha Images and pagodas of Theravada Buddhism in Russia. The Head of the Republic of Kalmykia supplicated that the Republic of Kalmykia is striving for the propagation of Buddhism. He invited the Chairman Sayadaw to attend the Buddhism Forum to be held in 2025. He expressed his belief that his republic will propagate Buddhism like Myanmar and he expects the cooperation of the SSMNC in propagation of the Buddhism. The guests offered Dhamma gifts and alms to the Chairman Sayadaw who returned a picture of the Bagan Ancient Cultural Heritage Zone as a Dhamma gift. Also present at the ceremony were Russian Ambassador to Myanmar Mr Islander Azizov and officials from the Department of Religious Affairs. In the evening, Yangon Region Chief Minister U Soe Thein hosted a dinner in honour of the Head of the Republic of Kalmykia and the delegation. — MNA/TTA
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FBI Director Wray says he intends to resign before Trump takes office in JanuaryAP Sports SummaryBrief at 6:40 p.m. ESTMELBOURNE, Australia — Australian law enforcement authorities on Monday declared an arson attack on a synagogue last week a terrorist act in a decision that increases resources available to the investigation. Arson squad detectives have been investigating the blaze that extensively damaged the Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne on Friday. But the investigation was taken over on Monday by the Joint Counter-Terrorism Team which involves Victoria state Police and Australian Federal Police as well as the Australian Security Intelligence Organization, the nation’s main domestic spy agency. “The decision ... to transition the Adass Israel Synagogue fire attack to the Victorian Joint Counter-Terrorism Team is a crucial turning point in this investigation,” Australian Federal Police Deputy Commissioner Krissy Barrett told reporters. “I want to thank Victoria Police investigators for the significant information they have gathered so far, which has helped lead us to believe that this is likely to be a politically motivated attack. This is now a terrorism investigation,” Barrett added. The declaration gave investigators more resources, information and legal powers to pursue the three suspects, police said. Get the latest breaking news as it happens. By clicking Sign up, you agree to our privacy policy . Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Shane Patton said investigators had made “significant progress,” but declined to detail that progress. Witnesses reported seeing two masked men spreading a liquid accelerant in the mosque before the fire. Police have not revealed what role the third suspect played. Police have also not revealed if they know the identity of any suspect. People gather outside the fire damaged Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Credit: AP/Con Chronis The synagogue fire is the first declared terrorist incident in Australia since April when a 16-year-old boy allegedly stabbed a bishop and priest in a Sydney Assyrian church while a service was being streamed online. Some lawmakers had been calling for the arsonists to be charged with terrorism offenses so that they would potentially face longer prison sentences. The blaze is an escalation in targeted attacks in Australia since the war began between Israel and Hamas last year. Cars and buildings have been vandalized and torched around Australia in protests inspired by the war. In a separate initiative, Australian Federal Police announced on Monday the formation of Special Operation Avalite to target antisemiticism around the country. People gather outside the fire damaged Adass Israel Synagogue in Melbourne, Monday, Dec. 9, 2024. Credit: AP/Con Chronis The investigators were brought together in response to arson attacks on the synagogue, Jewish lawmaker Josh Burns' Melbourne office in June and on a car in a Sydney street last month that was related to antisemitic vandalism. “Special Operation Avalite will be an agile and experienced squad of counter-terrorism investigators who will focus on threats, violence, and hatred towards the Australian Jewish community and parliamentarians,” Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw said. Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus, who is Jewish, said his government was striving to make the Jewish community “feel safe.” "We’ve experienced in Australia, in the last year, the highest level of antisemitism that I’ve experienced in my lifetime. That’s a common reaction from members of the Australian Jewish community," Dreyfus said. The Victoria government on Friday offered 100,000 Australian dollars ($64,300) to help repair the synagogue and said there would be an increased police presence in the area. The federal government on Sunday offered the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, an umbrella body representing more than 200 Jewish organizations, AU$32.5 million ($20.8 million) to enhance security at community sites including synagogues and schools.