DWP to pay millions of households £300 in two week's time

Savina Petkova Hollywood might have ground to a halt in recent months during the recent labor strikes, with the role of artificial intelligence in the moviemaking business a key stumbling block between studio bosses and both the writers and actors guilds. But two-time Academy Award winner Alexander Payne (“Sideways”) quipped at the Thessaloniki Film Festival this week that when it comes to AI, he’s all for it. “If AI could write a script for me, I would be so happy,” Payne joked.

Born in Omaha, Nebraska, to two parents of Greek heritage, two-time Oscar winner Alexander Payne was awarded Greek citizenship last year around the time he was working on his latest feature, The Holdovers. 

In celebration of “The Holdovers” hitting theaters this weekend, filmmaker Alexander Payne (“Sideways”) has teamed up with Alamo Drafthouse for a special “Guest Selects” conversation. In the video (which you can watch below), Payne gives five film recommendations when people ask him what they should watch.

Britney Spears has become a chart-topping author, following her new memoir selling over one million copies in its first week.Titled The Woman In Me, the book had been teased by the pop star over recent years, and made countless headlines upon its release last month (October 24) for its candid discussion of her career, relationships, 13-year conservatorship and personal experiences.Now, it has been confirmed that the memoir sold over one million copies in the US within its first week, and is currently holding the Number One spot on the New York Times bestsellers chart for non-fiction.The figures were shared yesterday (November 1) via an update from her publisher Gallery Books, which is a division of Simon and Schuster. According to the publisher, The Woman in Me sold 1.1million copies in the US within its first week, and also topped the UK charts after selling nearly 91,000 copies in print within the same timeframe.Spears also shared a statement via the publishing company to mark the milestone, thanking those who purchased the book and showing her gratitude for people letting her tell her story.“I poured my heart and soul into my memoir,” she wrote (via The Independent).

Thania Garcia Britney Spears‘ long-awaited memoir “The Woman in Me” — which details her fight for freedom and tumultuous relationships with the men in her life — has sold 1.1 million copies in its first week across print, pre-sales, e-books and audiobooks in the United States. “The Woman in Me” was released on Oct. 24 and has officially been out for just over a week.

The Friends creatives are reflecting on their final conversations with Matthew Perry.

Scott Brown has been linked with the St Johnstone vacancy – but the Celtic hero could make his SPFL return in a PLAYER capacity.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) will begin paying out £300 to struggling households on Tuesday (October 31).

Millions of people are set to receive a payment of £300 from Tuesday as part of the UK Government’s £900 means-tested cost of living support. The money will land in accounts between October 31 and November 19 for eligible people on means-tested benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).

SNP MP Drew Hendry has asked the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) if it has “made an assessment of the potential merits of extending the upcoming cost of living payment eligibility cut off dates” for certain people claiming Universal Credit. The Shadow SNP Spokesperson for Economy specifically highlighted those on Universal Credit and in work, whose incomes have fallen as a result of ill health past the eligibility dates.

November will see a wide range of payments and money changes take place.

Regarding movie runtimes, Alexander Payne apparently likes short and lean and “sharklike” in their efficiency. IndieWire reports that the director of “The Holdovers” had some choice words about inflated runtimes of recent film releases at the Middleburg Film Festival last weekend.

Police have issued a fresh appeal in a bid to trace a woman who has been missing for nearly two weeks.

A man has been jailed after torturing an 11-week-old puppy to death "for no other reason than enjoyment", a court heard.

A body has been found in the search for a Scots pensioner who had been reported missing over two weeks ago.

Weeks after taking a break from the limelight to focus on his health, Liam Payne has been spotted exploring Northern Ireland.The former One Direction singer previously revealed to his fans that he had "no other choice but to postpone" his South American tour dates.The news came after he suffered a health scare, when he came down with a serious kidney infection which landed him in hospital in late August.The 30-year-old told his fans that he had been in hospital for a week and was advised by doctors that he needed to rest and recover. Weeks later, Liam has now been spotted out and about with girlfriend Kate Cassidy and reportedly filming for a 'new travel show' around Ireland.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is set to pay out £300 to nearly a million households next month.

Police have discovered a body in the search for Martin Sinnet, who had been reported missing from East Lothian.

Trisha Paytas is opening up about life at home.

It’s been 10 years since the release of Guillermo del Toro’s “Pacific Rim.” And thus, it’s been five years since the sequel, ‘Uprising,’ which sadly isn’t directed by del Toro. But it isn’t until now that we find out the real reason why the award-winning filmmaker skipped directing the sequel to what seemed like one of his true passion projects.