GUY RITCHIE rewound 24 years to a real-life Snatch this week after thieves targeted his new big-budget set. The British director was working in London on his Paramount+ project The Associate, starring Tom Hardy, Helen Mirren and Pierce Brosnan. Insiders told me all hell broke out on the Isle of Dogs when two men in a Toyota Prius swooped after spotting camera equipment in the street. My mole explained: “Guy had shut roads for the shoot and the production was teeming with security and crew. “Out of nowhere, two blokes arrived in a Prius and started asking for directions. “Their questions distracted people and at that moment, the other bloke jumped out and grabbed a bag of camera equipment that was on the side of the road. “He jumped back in the car and they sped off. The security guards started going bananas because they’d basically been robbed in broad daylight. “It was pretty embarrassing and a costly mistake. The kit on those films isn’t cheap.” Plans for Guy’s new show were first revealed this year, with the Lock Stock director signing up Tom, Helen and Pierce to star in it. The series will focus on a set of elite London “fixers”, basically gangsters, and wheeler-dealer businesses they run. Guy, who directed the 2000 crime comedy Snatch, will be counting on the show to be a hit — and given the success of his Netflix series The Gentlemen, I’ve got high hopes. The series was watched more than 45million times in the first month and now a second season is in the works, with characters Eddie Horniman and Susie Glass getting another run out. As long as Guy tightens up his security from now on, hopefully the dramas will only be on screen. HAILEY BIEBER lounges around for a photoshoot as she celebrates her first birthday since becoming a mum. She turns 28 today and posed in a series of pictures for her cosmetics brand Rhode Skin. Hailey, who had son Jack Blues with husband Justin Bieber at the end of August, said: “I love launching something special at Rhode every year for my birthday.” The model, who did her make-up while lying on the sofa in her pants in one of the pictures, has had a whole week of birthday treats already. At the weekend she went to see Sabrina Carpenter in concert and then on Wednesday went out for dinner with one of her mates. Many happy returns, Hailey. SHE might be two years away from 80, but Cher is already lining up her next film role. The singer, who last appeared in 2018’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, made the revelation during a talk in New York while promoting her new memoir. She said: “Francis Ford Coppola sent me an email the other day. “He wants us to do a movie that we talked about 20 years ago. He got me into movies. He once said to me when I was at Vegas, ‘Why are you not doing movies?’. “Singing and dancing is like having a party at someone’s house. Acting is like having a party at your house and one is more fun.” But Francis needs to get in fast, as Oscar-winner Cher is already batting off deals to turn her two-part memoir – the first of which came out this week – into a biopic. She added: “It could make a good movie. It could be like an eight or nine-parter. “That is true. I have not read the book as I wrote it. I thought, ‘Well, if I wrote it, I don’t have to read it’. “I have another book that is coming out next Christmas. I guess I will read it when I am old.” I hope I have this attitude when I’m 78. SHABOOZEY has had a pretty good year after a global hit single, collaborating with Beyonce and being nominated for five Grammy Awards The man behind A Bar Song (Tipsy) wore a natty green suit with embroidered detail as he toasted his achievements at the Country Music Association Awards in Nashville on Wednesday – although he left empty handed. Despite being nominated for New Artist and Single of the Year, Shaboozey was beaten on both fronts. At least he had an excuse to wear the suit. JAMES ARTHUR revealed he has ADHD – and has written a song named after the disorder which affects attention span and self-control. The singer, below, said of the tune, out today: “It is about being loved in the way you want to be loved. “When you experience that, it’s something truly special, especially if you tend to be self-deprecating or have trouble receiving love due to issues or conditions that others might not understand. ADHD is one of those conditions – but when someone accepts you for all your flaws, it can feel like your dreams are a reality.” Other new releases include Tiny Habit’s Lizzy McAlpine collaboration For Sale Sign, Ashaine White's I Sing To Myself and Rose's Number One Girl. South London choir Libera have released their album Dream and will go up against new records from Joan Armatrading and Michael Kiwunaka. Bastille have dropped a video for track Eve & Paradise Lost, featuring Bridgerton’s Simone Ashley. POPPY AJUDHA hit it off with Raye years before they became famous – and the singer-songwriter is now keen to link up in the studio. She has known the six-time Brits winner for years and reckons her fellow soul performer is an inspiration. Poppy, whose eponymous second album, is out today, said in an exclusive chat: “I’ve known Raye for a long time. She’s become so huge as an artist. She’s so incredible. I’ve never written with her but would love to. “Raye would be a huge inspiration for the way she does her live show, and to play with orchestras.” She added: “I think I’ve gained so many skills making this album. Now I want to take those skills and make something even bigger and better.” She said the album is “uplifting” and the result of her being a “meticulous control freak”. But it was clearly enjoyable because she is raring to make more music. Poppy explained: “Being in the studio is my favourite part of being an artist. I’m really missing it at the moment. I’m planning to go to LA in January to write my next album. “Songwriting is what makes me feel like a human with purpose in the world.” MUSICIAN and TikTok star Addison Rae has ruled herself out of playing Britney Spears in the singer’s biopic – and says others should avoid it too. She told iHeartRadio: “I honestly don’t think anyone deserves to play her. She’s such an enigma and icon. “I don’t even think it’s right to compare me to her at all. “I support anything and everything Britney Spears ever wants to do in her life and career, and I think she’ll have the best opinion on who she thinks that should be.” DANCE duo Sigma will headline the Casa Bacardi night at Boxpark Croydon, tomorrow. The South London venue is being transformed into a club space with a huge lighting rig. Meanwhile, Boxpark Wembley in North West London will host A Very Noughties Christmas on December 14 featuring Lemar, Blazin’ Squad, Big Brovaz and Booty Luv. BILLIE EILISH has been named Apple Music’s Artist of the Year after her third album Hit Me Hard And Soft. It soared to No1 on the streaming site’s album charts in 138 countries and she later teamed up with Charli XCX for a hit reworking of the British singer’s song Guess. Billie said: “Since day one, Apple Music has supported my music and artistry, and I am both honoured and ­humbled to receive this recognition.”Why Yankees should trade for pair of Cubs starswww lodigame ph 。

Mr Bala Trichy Iyer, 56, gives back to his community by offering basic coding classes at Changi Simei Community Club (CC). The entrepreneur, who founded technology start-up The Walnut, has held three Python lessons so far. To his surprise, residents in their 70s with no tech background showed up and kept coming back. “Most of them say: ‘I have no idea. Looks like I have missed the boat.’ But we say: ‘No... we’ll teach you today. And not only will you do it effortlessly, you’ll be enjoying it also,’” he said. Such community spirit is important as Singapore embarks on a new phase of nation-building in a troubled time, said Prime Minister Lawrence Wong on Dec 14. “You can see it around the world when you read the news. The world is becoming more troubled. There are wars in Europe, in the Middle East,” he said at a community event in Bedok. “Society is becoming more divided, trust being eroded.” But Singapore can be a “beacon of light” and come together to face challenges, he said. “We can be stable, secure, reliable and trusted.” Shortly after being sworn in as prime minister in May 2024, Mr Wong said he planned to visit different constituencies and meet as many Singaporeans as he can. Neighbourhoods he has visited so far include Ang Mo Kio, Tampines and West Coast. At The Marketplace @ 58 in New Upper Changi Road, PM Wong spoke briefly to residents before making his rounds to chat with those having breakfast. “Coming here always feels a little like coming back home because it’s not very far from where I grew up in Marine Parade. And when I was young, the church that I went to is not far from here in Bedok Road, just off Tanah Merah MRT station,” he said. “So every Sunday, I will take the bus from home to church. I will pass by this place. Sometimes I will drop by and ‘makan’ here as well.” On Dec 14, he also stopped for a bite of nasi lemak. Madam Linah Tay, who helps to run her father’s hawker stall, Azman Seafood Restaurant, said: “I’m happy and humbled to be able to have a brief ‘makan’ session (with PM Wong) and to share my family’s speciality dish.” On her impression of PM Wong, the 48-year-old said: “I find him humble and easy to talk to.” She added: “I’m optimistic about the direction the new Prime Minister might take. Leadership transitions are always an opportunity for fresh perspectives, and I look forward to seeing how his policies and initiatives address current challenges.” PM Wong was joined on Dec 14 by Deputy Prime Minister Heng Swee Keat and three other East Coast GRC MPs – Mr Tan Kiat How, who is Senior Minister of State for National Development and Digital Development and Information, Ms Jessica Tan and Ms Cheryl Chan. At the community event, PM Wong also met 10 residents who were given the Bedok Good Neighbours Award for showing care for their neighbours. One winner was Madam Ianis Chua, 47, who helps her neighbour Angie Wong care for her nine-year-old daughter when Madam Wong is at work. “Madam Chua’s help has been a lifesaver,” said Madam Wong, 48, who works in advertising. “Knowing my daughter is in safe, caring hands gives me peace of mind when I need to focus on work.” PM Wong and the East Coast GRC MPs also went to an open house at Changi Simei CC to celebrate the revitalising of its space. A library opened there in 2018, and a new cafe on Dec 14. At the CC, he stopped for selfies with children who approached him, spoke to residents playing Rummy-O and chess in the cafe, and tried his hand at lifting some weights. The cafe was set up after more than 180 people said in a survey that they wanted an area for community interaction. Speaking to the media, Ms Tan said: “The reason why we designed (the community library) this way was that we want the residents to feel that it’s their space... The cafe was also created with that same concept. “That is, I feel, necessary because it gives a sense of belonging. You don’t have to go to a cafe and buy a drink before you can sit down and maybe just catch up with some e-mail.”

● The Greater Stouffville Chamber of Commerce has inducted inaugural members of the new Greater Stouffville Business Hall of Fame. ● The initiative recognizes local pioneers who have played pivotal roles in shaping Stouffville’s business community. ● 2024 honourees include Marvin, Keith, and the late Ken Betz of Betz Pools; Percy and the late Harry and Wesley Schell of Schell Lumber; Graydon Card of Card’s Appliances; Jay Reesor of Reesor’s Market; and sisters Patti Thompson, Debbi Conzelmann, Robin Kelly, and Jackie Fisher of King Cole Ducks. ● To honour the inductees, the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville will create a commemorative wall at Town Hall in 2025. ● A celebratory dinner hosted by the Chamber on Nov. 26 introduced the Hall of Fame members and highlighted their contributions to Stouffville. “The Greater Stouffville Business Hall of Fame was created to recognize the trailblazers who helped shape Stouffville’s business landscape,” Chamber President David Elie said in his opening remarks. “It serves as a testament to the enduring impact of leadership, vision, and hard work, celebrates the spirit of entrepreneurship, and drives the community forward.” The event drew more than 230 attendees, including Mayor Iain Lovatt, Markham Mayor Frank Scarpitti, York Region Chairman Wayne Emmerson, Stouffville’s Ward Councillors, and senior Town Staff, as well as local business owners and residents. Lovatt, Scarpitti, and Emmerson joined Chamber board members to introduce the Hall of Fame inductees. “Stouffville has been incorporated for 147 years, and in that time there have been significant businesses established that have become foundational to our local identity,” Lovatt told Bullet Point News. “The inaugural inductees to the Business Hall of Fame are and will continue to be synonymous with Stouffville, and I was proud to play a small role in honouring them last evening.” Marvin and Keith Betz of Betz Pools, alongside their late father Ken, were inducted for their regional and international successes in pool construction and custom backyard design. The company was founded by Ken in 1945 after a client’s request for a custom pool during a home-building project, and they were recognized for their efforts in hiring locally whenever possible. Graydon Card was honoured for his customer-focused approach through nearly six decades as owner of Card’s Appliances, a family business established in 1968. Originally a hardware store, the business transitioned its focus to appliances in 1994 and has become a community fixture. Now 84, Card is a founding member of the Whitchurch-Stouffville Chamber of Commerce and remains active in the business, which is now run by the next generation of the Card family. Jay Reesor, a prominent figure in the Markham and Stouffville communities, was recognized for his contributions to local agriculture and business. Building on his family’s farming legacy dating back to 1804, Reesor founded Reesor’s Farm Market and Reesor’s Market & Bakery. He began his career in 1984 and has recently passed the business to younger members of the Reesor family. Percy and the late Harry and Wesley Schell were welcomed to the Hall of Fame for their contributions to Stouffville through Schell Lumber, originally founded in 1922 as the Stouffville Planing Mill. Now operated by the fourth generation, the business has been instrumental in home construction throughout the community and is well known for supporting local sports teams and events. Sisters Patti Thompson, Debbi Conzelmann, Robin Kelly, and Jackie Fisher, granddaughters of King Cole Ducks Ltd. founder James Murby, were awarded their place for growing the family business into Canada’s largest producer of duck products. Processing approximately 2.5 million ducks annually, the company has earned accolades for its sustainable agricultural practices, environmental efforts, and global reach, as well as their downstream production of compost. Nominations and selections for the Hall of Fame were made by the Greater Stouffville Chamber’s board of directors and staff through community consultation. The Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville has also offered a wall in the Municipal Offices building to recognize Hall of Fame members. “I’m excited to announce that we have a permanent home for the Hall of Fame in the new year,” said Christian Buhagiar, the Chamber’s Executive Director. ““Our inaugural inductees, along with all of our future inductees, will be showcased and honoured right outside Council Chambers. So our business community can make sure it keeps an eye on Council, as well,” he joked. The dinner also marked the Chamber’s formal rebranding announcement. Formerly known as the Whitchurch-Stouffville Chamber of Commerce, the Greater Stouffville Chamber now boasts a membership of approximately 400 businesses and organizations. Its updated identity is meant to reflect its growing place within the region’s business community. “This new identity will serve as a beacon for the collaborative spirit we strive to represent,” Buhagiar said. “It captures the spirit and ambition of the Chamber and our community and aligns with our mission to unlock greatness and shine a spotlight on all the potential that lies within the greater Stouffville region.”

1 / 6 Reliance Infrastructure | The company's unit, PS Toll Road Private Ltd, received notices from Axis Bank and IDFC First Bank on Friday. The two banks have invoked the right of substitution under the Concession Agreement for six-laning the Pune Satara section of NH-44 in Maharashtra, for and on behalf of lenders of the PSTR citing alleged DSRA defaults by it. 2 / 6 Axis Max Life Insurance | The insurer's unit, Max Life Pension Fund Management Ltd (Max Life PFM), announced plans to discontinue its operations as a pension fund manager and a point of presence under regulations set by the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA). The decision follows a brand-related ambiguity between Max Life PFM and Axis Pension Fund Management Limited (Axis PFM), a pension fund management entity within Axis Bank’s group. 3 / 6 JSW Energy | The energy behemoth announced the acquisition of O2 Power, a renewable energy platform, in a transaction valued at ₹12,468 crore, marking its largest acquisition since inception. The deal will significantly expand JSW Energy’s generation capacity by 23%, increasing it from 20,012 megawatt (MW) to 24,708 MW. 4 / 6 Utkarsh Small Finance Bank | The lender said it will sell a portfolio of non-performing assets (NPAs) and written-off loans to an asset reconstruction company (ARC). The portfolio under consideration consists of unsecured stressed microfinance institution (MFI) loans with an aggregate outstanding principal of approximately ₹355 crore as of September 30, 2024. 5 / 6 IOL Chemicals | The company's board approved to split the company's shares in the proportion of 1 share into 5 shares. This means that for every stock investors hold in the company, it will be subdivided into 5 shares. 6 / 6 Hero MotoCorp | India’s largest two-wheeler maker extended its partnership with US-based premium motorcycle maker Harley-Davidson Motor to co-develop and manufacture a new motorcycle as well as expand the existing co-developed model - X440 - into new variants.Kwara: Go out to change the world – Kwasu VC, Prof Shaykh Luqman-Jimoh to graduands

Baijiayun was honored with the title of "Exclusive Member Unit" by the Beijing Educational Informationization Industry Alliance.Supporters have clapped and cheered in court after a doctor who clashed with regulators over Covid-19 vaccines had a medical ban lifted. Dr William Anicha Bay had his registration as a medical practitioner suspended by the Medical Board of Australia on August 17, 2022 in response to five complaints involving his anti-vaccine activities. Brisbane Supreme Court Justice Thomas Bradley overturned that suspension on Friday after finding Dr Bay had been subject to "bias and failure to afford fair process" over complaints unrelated to his clinical practice. I have won 🏆 the right back to be a doctor 👨‍⚕️ and more importantly the right for all doctors to speak freely about #vaccines 😊. Truly, God has given me everything 🤲 Praise Jesus and thank you to my wonderful supporters without whom none of this would have possible. Freedom!!... pic.twitter.com/3KEUHMGnpY — The Victorious Dr William Bay🥼 (@DrBillyBay) December 13, 2024 Justice Bradley said he was not entering the debate about Covid-19 vaccines. "The court is concerned only with whether the decision or the conduct (of the medical board) was free from an error," Justice Bradley stated. One of the complaints was that Dr Bay had posted a social media video claiming Covid-19 vaccines had killed his patient and harmed others. Another complaint stated Dr Bay had attended an anti-vaccination protest outside the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) office in Brisbane in July 2022. A health professional filed a mandatory complaint that Dr Bay had interrupted an Australian Medical Association conference while live streaming video to the internet, yelling "stop forcing these vaccines on the people of Australia who are getting killed by them". The medical board found Dr Bay's public statements undermined medical regulators' "position on Covid-19 and the Covid-19 vaccination". It said his statements also "further contravenes the position of local, state and federal government and health authorities, which are in place to protect public health and safety". Justice Bradley said the Covid-19 pandemic was an "extraordinary period of history" in which governments encouraged widespread vaccine use. However, he said that did not allow the medical board to deny Dr Bay information about the complaints or disregard potential bias at hearings. "None of these measures extended the board's regulatory role to include protection of government and regulatory agencies from political criticism," Justice Bradley said. He ordered the medical board and AHPRA to cover Dr Bay's reasonable legal costs as the regulators had extended the proceedings and made partial admissions at a late stage.