Canada Post says it has removed the deadline for its Santa Claus letter program amid an ongoing national workers’ strike that has halted mail delivery leading up to the holiday season. Some 55,000 workers walked off the job more than two weeks ago, suspending mail service — and a program that helps deliver up to 1.5 million letters from Canadian kids to the North Pole each year. The postal service says in a statement that while the initial deadline to mail a letter to Santa with the iconic H0H 0H0 postal code was Dec. 6, it has now removed the deadline from its website. It says once operations resume, it will ensure that all letters make it to the North Pole and receive a reply, but it cannot guarantee delivery dates. Canada Post says since the program began more than 40 years ago, Santa’s North Pole post office has delivered replies to more than 45 million letters. During the strike, some communities have stepped up to deliver Santa’s mail themselves, offering their own local programming on social media to make sure letter writers receive a reply by Christmas. The strike entered its 19th day as the Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping weekend came to a close. Canada Post said Monday it was waiting for the union to respond to a framework it presented over the weekend for reaching negotiated agreements. The Canadian Union of Postal Workers has said it’s reviewed the proposal. It said Canada Post has moved closer to the union’s position on some issues, but the framework “still remains far from something members could ratify.” One of the sticking points has been a push to add weekend delivery, with the union and Canada Post disagreeing over how the rollout would work. The federal government has been under pressure from the business community to intervene in the strike but has said that’s not in the cards.Texas A&M signed the nation’s top-ranked recruiting class three years ago believing it had built a potential national title contender. Plenty of players from that heralded 2022 class could indeed be participating in the first 12-team College Football Playoff this month. They just won’t be doing it for the Aggies, who no longer have nearly half their 2022 signees. The list of 2022 recruits now with playoff contenders elsewhere includes Mississippi defensive lineman Walter Nolen, Oregon wide receiver Evan Stewart, Alabama defensive lineman LT Overton, SMU offensive tackle PJ Williams and injured Boise State receiver Chris Marshall. Texas A&M has done all right without them, going 8-4 as transfers filled about half the starting roles. Texas A&M represents perhaps the clearest example of how recruiting and roster construction have changed in the era of loosened transfer restrictions. Coaches must assemble high school classes without always knowing which of their own players are transferring and what players from other schools could be available through the portal. “It used to be you lost 20 seniors, you signed 20 incoming freshmen,” Duke coach Manny Diaz said. “You just had your numbers right. Now you might lose 20 seniors, but you might lose 20 underclassmen. You just don’t know.” Coaches emphasize that high school recruiting remains critical, but recent results suggest it isn’t as vital as before. The last two College Football Playoff runners-up – TCU in 2022 and Washington in 2023 – didn’t sign a single top-15 class in any of the four years leading up their postseason runs, according to composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports. This year’s contenders have shown there’s more than one way to build a championship-caliber roster. About half of No. 1 Oregon’s usual starters began their college careers elsewhere. No. 5 Georgia, which annually signs one of the nation’s top high school classes, has only a few transfers making major contributions. Colorado’s rise under Deion Sanders exemplifies how a team can win without elite high school recruiting. None of Colorado’s last four classes have ranked higher than 30th in the 247Sports Composite. Three ranked 47th or lower. “If anybody ever did the homework and the statistics of these young men – people have a class that they say is the No. 1 class in the nation – then five of those guys play, or four of those guys play, then the rest go through the spring and then they jump in the portal,” Sanders said. “Don’t give me the number of where you rank (in recruiting standings), because it’s like an NFL team," he added. "You always say who won the draft, then the team gets killed all year (and) you don’t say nothing else about it. Who won the draft last year in the NFL? Nobody cares right now, right?” Wisconsin's Christian Alliegro tries to stop Oregon's Evan Stewart, right, during the first half of a Nov. 16 game in Madison, Wis. Star quarterback Shedeur Sanders followed his father from Jackson State to Colorado in 2023, and Heisman Trophy front-runner Travis Hunter accompanied them. According to Colorado, this year’s Buffaloes team has 50 transfer newcomers, trailing only North Texas’ 54 among Bowl Subdivision programs. Relying on transfers comes with caveats. Consider Florida State's rise and fall. Florida State posted an unbeaten regular-season record last year with transfers playing leading roles. When those transfers departed and Florida State's portal additions this year didn't work out, the Seminoles went 2-10. “There has to be some type of balance between the transfer portal and high school recruiting,” said Andrew Ivins, the director of scouting for 247Sports. “I compare it to the NFL. The players from the transfer portal are your free agents and high school recruiting is your NFL draft picks.” A look at the composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports for the 2020-22 classes shows at least 40 of the top 100 prospects each of those years ended up leaving their original school. Coaches must decide which positions they’re better off building with high school prospects and which spots might be easier to fill through the portal. “The ones that have a ton of learning to do - tight end, quarterback, interior offensive line, inside linebacker, safety, where they are the communicators - they are the guys that are processing a lot of information,” Florida’s Billy Napier said. “Those are the ones in a perfect world you have around for a while. “It’s easier to play defensive line, edge, corner, receiver, running back, tackle, specialists. Those are a little bit more plug-and-play I’d say, in my opinion," Napier said. "Either way, it’s not necessarily about that. It’s just about we need a certain number at each spot, and we do the best we can to fill those roles.” Colorado head coach Deion Sanders, right, congratulates place kicker Cristiano Palazzo after he kicked an extra point during the second half of Friday's game against Oklahoma Stat in Boulder, Colo. Power Four programs aren’t the only ones facing a balancing act between recruiting high schools and mining the transfer portal. Group of Five schools encounter similar challenges. “We’re recruiting every position and bringing in a high school class,” Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton said. “That’s not going to be maybe 24 scholarship guys like it used to be. It might be more like 16. It’s not four d-linemen necessarily, right? It might be three. It might not be three receivers. It might be two. And it might not be five offensive linemen. It’s two to three.” The extra hurdle Group of Five schools face is the possibility their top performers might leave for a power-conference program with more lucrative name, image and likeness financial opportunities. They sometimes don’t know which players they’ll lose. “We know who they’re trying to steal,” Miami (Ohio) coach Chuck Martin quipped. “We just don’t know who they’re going to steal.” The obstacles facing coaches are only getting steeper as FBS teams prepare for a 105-man roster limit as part of the fallout from a pending $2.8 billion NCAA antitrust settlement. While having 105 players on scholarship seems like an upgrade from the current 85-man scholarship limit, many rosters have about 125 players once walk-ons are included. Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said last week his program would probably end up with about 30-50 players in the portal due to the new roster restrictions. All the added dimensions to roster construction in the college game have drawn parallels to the NFL, but Minnesota coach P.J. Fleck believes those comparisons are misleading. “When people talk about college football right now, they’re saying, ‘Oh, we have an NFL model,’ or it’s kind of moving toward the NFL,” Fleck said. “First of all, it’s nothing like the NFL. There’s a collective bargaining agreement (in the NFL). There’s a true salary cap for everybody. It’s designed for all 32 fan bases to win the Super Bowl maybe once every 32 years – and I know other people are winning that a lot more than others – but that’s how it’s designed. In college football, it’s not that way.” There does seem to be a bit more competitive balance than before. The emergence of TCU and Washington the last couple of postseasons indicates this new era of college football has produced more unpredictability. Yet it’s also created many more challenges as coaches try to figure out how to put together their rosters. “It’s difficult because we’re just kind of inventing it on the fly, right?” Diaz said. Houston Rockets guard Jalen Green goes up for a dunk during the second half of an Emirates NBA cup basketball game against the Minnesota Timberwolves, Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) South Carolina guard Maddy McDaniel (1) drives to the basket against UCLA forward Janiah Barker (0) and center Lauren Betts (51) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer) Mari Fukada of Japan falls as she competes in the women's Snowboard Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) South Africa's captain Temba Bavuma misses a catch during the fourth day of the first Test cricket match between South Africa and Sri Lanka, at Kingsmead stadium in Durban, South Africa, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe) Los Angeles Kings left wing Warren Foegele, left, trips San Jose Sharks center Macklin Celebrini, center, during the third period of an NHL hockey game Monday, Nov. 25, 2024, in San Jose, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Olympiacos' Francisco Ortega, right, challenges for the ball with FCSB's David Miculescu during the Europa League league phase soccer match between FCSB and Olympiacos at the National Arena stadium, in Bucharest, Romania, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Andreea Alexandru) Brazil's Botafogo soccer fans react during the Copa Libertadores title match against Atletico Mineiro in Argentina, during a watch party at Nilton Santos Stadium, in Rio de Janeiro, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Bruna Prado) Seattle Kraken fans react after a goal by center Matty Beniers against the San Jose Sharks was disallowed due to goaltender interference during the third period of an NHL hockey game Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Seattle. The Sharks won 4-2. (AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson) New York Islanders left wing Anders Lee (27), center, fight for the puck with Boston Bruins defensemen Parker Wotherspoon (29), left, and Brandon Carlo (25), right during the second period of an NHL hockey game, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Jiyai Shin of Korea watches her shot on the 10th hole during the final round of the Australian Open golf championship at the Kingston Heath Golf Club in Melbourne, Australia, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Asanka Brendon Ratnayake) Mathilde Gremaud of Switzerland competes in the women's Freeski Big Air qualifying round during the FIS Snowboard & Freeski World Cup 2024 at the Shougang Park in Beijing, Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Andy Wong) Lara Gut-Behrami, of Switzerland, competes during a women's World Cup giant slalom skiing race, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) New York Islanders goaltender Ilya Sorokin cools off during first period of an NHL hockey game against the Boston Bruins, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) Brazil's Amanda Gutierres, second right, is congratulated by teammate Yasmin, right, after scoring her team's first goal during a soccer international between Brazil and Australia in Brisbane, Australia, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Pat Hoelscher) Las Vegas Raiders tight end Brock Bowers (89) tries to leap over Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Joshua Williams (2) during the first half of an NFL football game in Kansas City, Mo., Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. (AP Photo/Ed Zurga) Luiz Henrique of Brazil's Botafogo, right. is fouled by goalkeeper Everson of Brazil's Atletico Mineiro inside the penalty area during a Copa Libertadores final soccer match at Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko) England's Alessia Russo, left, and United States' Naomi Girma challenge for the ball during the International friendly women soccer match between England and United States at Wembley stadium in London, Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. (AP Photo/Kirsty Wigglesworth) Gold medalists Team Netherlands competes in the Team Sprint Women race of the ISU World Cup Speed Skating Beijing 2024 held at the National Speed Skating Oval in Beijing, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Ng Han Guan) Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones (33) reaches for an incomplete pass ahead of Arizona Cardinals linebacker Mack Wilson Sr. (2) during the second half of an NFL football game Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Abbie Parr) Melanie Meillard, center, of Switzerland, competes during the second run in a women's World Cup slalom skiing race, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Killington, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty) Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen, foreground right, dives toward the end zone to score past San Francisco 49ers defensive end Robert Beal Jr. (51) and linebacker Dee Winters during the second half of an NFL football game in Orchard Park, N.Y., Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024. (AP Photo/Adrian Kraus) LSU punter Peyton Todd (38) kneels in prayer before an NCAA college football game against Oklahoma in Baton Rouge, La., Saturday, Nov. 30, 2024. LSU won 37-17. (AP Photo/Gerald Herbert) Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, left, is hit by Baltimore Ravens cornerback Marlon Humphrey, center, as Eagles wide receiver Parris Campbell (80) looks on during a touchdown run by Barkley in the second half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Dec. 1, 2024, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough) Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Vanderpump Rules was the perfect millennial tragedyThere is always some football on. But when it comes to December, you really don’t have to look very far. The festive period is traditionally the busiest of the year and that’s no different this time around – even with the already packed 2024/25 calendar. And as the games come thick and fast, let’s take a look at what happened while you were sleeping. Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Leicester City tenure got off to the perfect start with a 3-1 victory over West Ham at the King Power. Jamie Vardy, who incidentally broke his manager’s record for goals in consecutive matches during the fairy tale 2015/16 campaign, opening the scoring after just two minutes. The impressive Bilal El Khannouss added a second before Patson Daka appeared to make the points safe in the final minutes, only for Niclas Fullkrug to then pull a goal back. The Foxes move up to 15th with the victory, two points behind the Hammers. But how much longer does Julen Lopetegui have at the London Stadium?
Ex Demi Moore Shares Update on Bruce Willis’ Dementia BattleSINGAPORE: In November, shocking news broke that the police were investigating teenage students from the Singapore Sports School for generating and circulating deepfake nude photos of their female schoolmates. Later that month, five ministers in Singapore and over 100 public servants across 31 government agencies received extortionary emails , demanding cryptocurrency payment in return for not publishing doctored images of them in compromising positions. These are Singapore’s latest cases of artificial intelligence (AI)-created deepfake sexual content – they will certainly not be the last, not here, not globally. In 2017, a Reddit thread offering fake videos of “Taylor Swift” having sex amassed 90,000 subscribers before being taken down eight weeks later. Last year in a small Spanish town, more than 20 young girls found their AI-generated nude photos circulating, created by teen boys accessing innocent photos off social media. AI may be trumpeted as the next big revolution, but the threat it poses is deeply nefarious. SINGAPORE TAKES ACTION Even before the Sports School incident, authorities in Singapore were girding against this new wave of online assault, with legislation passed or proposed along three prongs. The first is to regulate platforms where online content is accessed. The Broadcasting Act was amended in 2023, allowing the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to direct social media services – the gatekeepers of our cyber world – to block or remove egregious content within specified timelines and direct them to adhere to an online Code of Practice. Second, crimes in the analogue world but with a digital element can now be more effectively targeted, prevented and prosecuted. The Online Criminal Harms Act passed last year empowers authorities to issue directions to online service providers to restrict Singapore users’ exposure to online criminal content and activity. These include directions to prevent offending content from reaching, and restrict offending accounts from interacting with, persons in Singapore. WHAT THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS DOING But these would still not be a complete solution because the proliferation of deepfakes is a borderless problem. The international community needs to build consensus and cooperation on adopting and enforcing appropriate laws – to stem both the creation and spread of such content. Other nations have come at the problem from different angles. Australia has arguably the most developed governmental response to the online scourge, with an e-safety commission that was first established to tackle cyber harm against children. It passed a law on Nov 28 to ban children from social media until their 16th birthdays – the world’s first such legislation. While politically popular, a complete ban will be hard to enforce: It ignores that children today are digital natives. Virtual Private Network (VPN) access is an easy workaround. Bubble-wrapping kids is not the answer to developing resilient and discerning adults. The United Kingdom recently proposed measures to stop harmful deepfakes being created in the first place. For example, developers of AI models can apply filters to remove certain types of data from their training data sets and to prevent output with harmful content. A model can also be trained to reject prompt requests to create malicious or harmful deepfakes. These proposals pose their own challenges, including enforcement against rogue developers. China already has expansive rules requiring that manipulated material bear digital signatures or watermarks – while a potentially useful tool to help users identify AI-generated content, it offers cold comfort where pornographic deepfake content is circulated. BROADER IMPACT OF ONLINE HARMS Disturbingly, studies suggest that online harms are becoming increasingly normalised, with users thinking they are par for the course. In 2023, a survey by local non-profit SG Her Empowerment found that 20 per cent of respondents reported being “unaffected” because online harms were a “normal part of life”, while 66 per cent have taken to self-censorship. Instead of fighting the playground bully, people are staying away from the sandpit, and not understanding the harm being inflicted. If the internet brings with it the promise of equality through education and engagement, we are stumbling in our march of progress because of threats in cyberspace. And this is before we start to count the cost in mental health terms suffered by victims who find deepfake videos of themselves, no matter how speedily removed. From a gender perspective, the story is even bleaker. It is estimated that 95 per cent of deepfake porn is of women. Women are being disproportionately targeted online, potentially setting back progress made in gender equality. LAW ENFORCEMENT CAN ONLY GO SO FAR Law enforcement, by definition, comes in after the offending action – and the harm – has occurred. Enforcement is tough – creators of harmful content may be out of the territorial reach of our authorities and enjoy the anonymity the internet facilitates. Prevention is obviously even more challenging. What can individuals and the community do? First, the big DON’T – never share an offensive post even if it is to denounce it. Every repost is a fresh assault on the victim. Second, as a community we need to signal what are appropriate behaviours. The teenagers who created the deepfake nudes may well consider it a mere lark, without a real appreciation of the enormity of the harm. It is not enough to say “boys will be boys” – that simply avoids accountability. We need to have more conversations and agree, as a community, the boundaries of respectful conduct towards one another. Just as importantly, we need to think about what restorative justice would look like here. What kind of corrective training would be effective for perpetrators? Finally, victims should not be afraid to call out the perpetrator. Where a crime has been committed, report it to the authorities. If you know someone who has been the target, encourage them to take action. Survivors should not feel embarrassed; it is important that they take back control. While it looks like AI is here to stay, the true measure of society's progress is not in technology, but how we treat each other. Let's educate ourselves and act decisively before more victims become statistics in this alarming trend. Stefanie Yuen Thio is Joint Managing Partner and Stephanie Chew is Associate Director at TSMP Law Corporation.
A new study from Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis describes an innovative method of analyzing mammograms that significantly improves the accuracy of predicting the risk of breast cancer development over the following five years. Using up to three years of previous mammograms, the new method identified individuals at high risk of developing breast cancer 2.3 times more accurately than the standard method, which is based on questionnaires assessing clinical risk factors alone, such as age, race and family history of breast cancer. The study is published Dec. 5 in JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics . We are seeking ways to improve early detection, since that increases the chances of successful treatment. This improved prediction of risk also may help research surrounding prevention, so that we can find better ways for women who fall into the high-risk category to lower their five-year risk of developing breast cancer." Graham A. Colditz, MD, DrPH, senior author, associate director of Siteman Cancer Center, based at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and WashU Medicine, and the Niess-Gain Professor of Surgery This risk-prediction method builds on past research led by Colditz and lead author Shu (Joy) Jiang, PhD, a statistician, data scientist and associate professor of surgery in the Division of Public Health Sciences at WashU Medicine. The researchers showed that prior mammograms hold a wealth of information on early signs of breast cancer development that can't be perceived even by a well-trained human eye. This information includes subtle changes over time in breast density, which is a measure of the relative amounts of fibrous versus fatty tissue in the breasts. For the new study, the team built an algorithm based on artificial intelligence that can discern subtle differences in mammograms and help identify those women at highest risk of developing a new breast tumor over a specific timeframe. In addition to breast density, their machine-learning tool considers changes in other patterns in the images, including in texture, calcification and asymmetry within the breasts. "Our new method is able to detect subtle changes over time in repeated mammogram images that are not visible to the eye," said Jiang, yet these changes hold rich information that can help identify high-risk individuals. At the moment, risk-reduction options are limited and can include drugs such as tamoxifen that lower risk but may have unwanted side effects. Most of the time, women at high risk are offered more frequent screening or the option of adding another imaging method, such as an MRI, to try to identify cancer as early as possible. "Today, we don't have a way to know who is likely to develop breast cancer in the future based on their mammogram images," said co-author Debbie L. Bennett, MD, an associate professor of radiology and chief of breast imaging for the Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology at WashU Medicine. "What's so exciting about this research is that it indicates that it is possible to glean this information from current and prior mammograms using this algorithm. The prediction is never going to be perfect, but this study suggests the new algorithm is much better than our current methods." AI improves prediction of breast cancer development The researchers trained their machine-learning algorithm on the mammograms of more than 10,000 women who received breast cancer screenings through Siteman Cancer Center from 2008 – 2012. These individuals were followed through 2020, and in that time 478 were diagnosed with breast cancer. Related Stories Exploring the potential of MSCs in cancer therapy Fibroblastic reticular cells power immune defenses in lung cancer Cancer cells block T-cell activation, but new therapies restore immune defenses The researchers then applied their method to predict breast cancer risk in a separate set of patients -; more than 18,000 women who received mammograms through Emory University in the Atlanta area from 2013 – 2020. Subsequently, 332 women were diagnosed with breast cancer during the follow-up period, which ended in 2020. According to the new prediction model, women in the high-risk group were 21 times more likely to be diagnosed with breast cancer over the following five years than were those in the lowest-risk group. In the high-risk group, 53 out of every 1,000 women screened developed breast cancer over the next five years. In contrast, in the low-risk group, 2.6 women per 1,000 screened developed breast cancer over the following five years. Under the old questionnaire-based methods, only 23 women per 1,000 screened were correctly classified in the high-risk group, providing evidence that the old method, in this case, missed 30 breast cancer cases that the new method found. The mammograms were conducted at academic medical centers and community clinics, demonstrating that the accuracy of the method holds up in diverse settings. Importantly, the algorithm was built with robust representation of Black women, who are usually underrepresented in development of breast cancer risk models. The accuracy for predicting risk held up across racial groups. Of the women screened through Siteman, most were white, and 27% were Black. Of those screened through Emory, 42% were Black. In ongoing work, the researchers are testing the algorithm in women of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds, including those of Asian, southeast Asian and Native American descent, to help ensure that the method is equally accurate for everyone. The researchers are working with WashU's Office of Technology Management toward patents and licensing on the new method with the goal of making it broadly available anywhere screening mammograms are provided. Colditz and Jiang also are working toward founding a start-up company around this technology. Jiang S, Bennett DL, Rosner BA, Tamimi RM, Colditz GA. Development and validation of a dynamic 5-year breast cancer risk model using repeated mammograms. JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics. Dec. 5, 2024. This work was supported by Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. Jiang and Colditz have patents pending related to this work, predicting disease risk using radiomic images. Washington University School of Medicine Jiang, S., et al. (2024). Development and Validation of Dynamic 5-Year Breast Cancer Risk Model Using Repeated Mammograms. JCO Clinical Cancer Informatics . doi.org/10.1200/cci-24-00200 .
NO. 25 ILLINOIS 87, MARYLAND-EASTERN SHORE 40ATLANTA — For the past 20 years, Georgia native Zac Brown and his band have performed more than 1,000 concerts, true workhorses on the road, moving from small bars to massive arenas and stadiums. And after a few years taking New Year’s off, Brown decided to get the band together for a one-off hometown gathering at State Farm Arena on Dec. 31 with Georgian and “American Idol” runner-up Will Moseley as one of the openers. The set list, said Brown in an interview with The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, will be far heavier on high energy party songs than normal given the occasion. “It’s always a big night for a party and we decided it was a good time to finish a year that’s had a lot of challenges,” Brown said. “It’s a great reset for everybody. Music is powerful medicine and we want to give everyone a good dose of it going into the new year.” The band performed several stadium dates opening for Kenny Chesney in the spring and summer, including a stop at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in May. The last time they performed a headlining show in metro Atlanta was at Truist Park in 2022. State Farm Arena will be both relatively intimate and a bit like a family reunion. “Everybody’s families can come and hang out backstage,” he said. “It’s going to be a sea of kids. Our band now has 26 kids total. I never imagined I’d have five myself. But I can’t imagine not having them.” Brown is a natural fan of State Farm Arena in part because he has run a restaurant there called Zac Brown’s Social Club for the past six years. In 2010 and 2011, the band played New Year’s shows at Phillips Arena, which is what the place was called before it was renovated in 2018. “This is a special one for us because of our ties to the place. It’s like a big full circle homecoming.” He said he also is happy to still have John Driskell Hopkins, who is suffering from ALS, in the band. “The ALS is slow moving and we’re grateful for that,” Brown said. “He can provide harmonies and be on the road with us. He was the first person in the Zac Brown Band. He’s the best background singer I’ve ever heard anywhere.” Brown, who is in the midst of a contentious divorce after a very brief marriage with model and actress Kelly Yazdi and has his Cumming home up for sale, said he has managed the stress with help from a nutritionist, a trainer and a vocal coach. “When you go through storms, you focus on things that matter and do the right thing by people,” he said. “You can’t let anyone steal your joy. It distracts you from being creative and being present with your family.” His entrepreneurial bug has led him to create branded products over the years including wine and speakers. His latest: biltong beef jerky ( $19.99 for 8 ounces on zacbrownband.com ). “It’s really healthy as opposed to jerky smoked with tons of salt,” he said. Brown wants to exemplify the life and lifestyle of Jimmy Buffett, a friend of his who died last year. “He created his own world, an entire culture of his own,” he said. “I want to follow in his footsteps. He was a mentor. And the great thing about him is he was so down to earth. I was watching football with him in Key West once and we saw someone fishing out on the rocks outside. He went out there and didn’t kick him out. He showed him where to throw the bait and the best bait to use. Then he came back inside and kept watching football.” He recalled Buffett telling him that success doesn’t make him any better than anybody else. “You have to lead by example and earn people’s respect,” said Brown. “I’m blessed to have such an incredible crew and band of people who trust me. And I trust them.” Indeed, several band members have been with him since “Toes” and “Chicken Fried” became radio hits in 2009, including Hopkins, Clay Cook, Jimmy De Martini and Coy Bowles. Brown said he feels “better than I have ever felt. Creativity is flowing. The songs are coming. We’re making a new album. We have huge announcements next year. Our goal is to keep elevating what we’re doing.” Although he won’t say what that big announcement is, he did tease that it has something to do with Las Vegas, home to the Sphere in Las Vegas, which has hosted extended residencies for U2, Phish and now the Eagles. Brown has seen all three shows. “It’s 4 acres of 16K video on the walls. It’s 160,000 speakers,” Brown said. “The place is mind blowing.” ——— IF YOU GO Zac Brown Band New Year’s show 8 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31. $59.50 and up. State Farm Arena, 1 State Farm Drive, Atlanta , ticketmaster.com . ——— ©2024 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Visit at ajc.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
The NFL's security division is warning players to be aware of professional burglars targeting the homes of pro athletes. The Athletic reported Thursday that the NFL sent a memo to teams that outlines the threat. "The homes of professional athletes across multiple sports leagues have become increasingly targeted for burglaries by organized and skilled groups," read the memo, which was obtained by The Athletic. "Law enforcement officials have noted these groups appear to exploit team schedules to target athletes' homes on game days." NBC News reported Wednesday that law enforcement is working to figure out whether an international crime syndicate is involved. The Athletic reported that the memo includes tips for home security and also gives recommendations about the use of social media, such as not posting photos of items that would attract thieves. Players also learned via the memo how homes are targeted and how burglars enter. Mahomes hasn't said much about the burglary, other than to call it "disappointing" and "frustrating." "I can't get into too many of the details because the investigation is still ongoing," he said. "But obviously something that you don't want to happen to really anybody, but obviously yourself." It's not clear what was stolen from Mahomes' home in Belton, Mo., during the Oct. 6 incident. But Kelce apparently lost $20,000 in cash in the burglary at his home in Leawood, Kan., the following day when the Chiefs played the New Orleans Saints on "Monday Night Football," according to a police report. The burglary at the home of Milwaukee Bucks forward Bobby Portis in River Hills, Wis., occurred Nov. 2 during the Bucks' home game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. He said the perpetrators "took most of my prized possessions" and is offering a reward for the return of his property. "Any info that leads to the return of any of my belongings will be rewarded handsomely," Portis said. "Let me know, thank you." --Field Level Media
Nebraska Medicine administers novel gene therapy to first hemophilia patientDue to continued decline in the value of the Naira and high inflation rate, finance experts have called for upward review of minimum capital of Pension Fund Administrators for operational efficiencies, writes Ebere Nwoji. Finance experts and some stakeholders in the pension sector have observed that high inflation rate and declining value of the Naira has diminished the present capital base of Pension fund operators and therefore called for fresh recapitalisation and consolidation exercise in the pension sector. Currently the minimum capital for Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), stands at N5 billion.The pension sector witnessed its last recapitalisation exercise in April 2021 during which operating capital for PFAs was raised from N1 billion to the current N5 billion. The financial experts’ submission confirms the opinion expressed by one of the major players in the industry shortly after the 2021 exercise. The then Managing Director Sigma Pension, Mr Dave Uduanu, who is currently the Managing Director, Access Pensions, had told THISDAY in an exclusive interview that there would be more consolidation in the pension industry. According to him, a close look at the industry portrays a picture of fragmentation with one company controlling 40 per cent of the market. This being the case, Uduanu insisted that there would be more consolidations among PFAs. Aside fragmentation problem, Uduanu said with the entry of banks like GTB, FCMB and Access Bank among others into pension sector, it is expected that they would bring more capital into the sector and would spark off competition with the sector’s number one player. Industry experts said consolidation in any sector of the economy is often brought about by recapitalisation which will make operators who are unable to stand alone join together to be able to meet the minimum capital requirement. As at the time the Access Pension boss was suggesting more consolidation in the industry, the recapitalisation exercise conducted by the regulator, the National Pension Commission(PenCom) had through consolidation in form of mergers and acquisition compressed the number of operating PFAs from the initial 26 to 20 firms. At that time the inflation rate in the country was at 5.72 per cent while official exchange rate of Naira to dollar was N435.00 Currently inflation rate stands at double digit of 28.37 per cent as at October 2024 while Naira exchange rate today stands at N1,713. Experts’ view Against this backdrop, finance experts have raised the question on whether the prevailing N5 billion minimum capital for PFAs is still adequate and reasonable. The experts raised the question on whether the existing N5 billion capital will still be sufficient enough for the operators to expand their operations in the area of more branch network, technology, better service delivery to customers. Already, PenCom had stipulated minimum requirement for branches to serve customers, saying for every 10,000 funded accounts a PFA has, it is required to set up a branch. Apparently with the transfer window now in operation, PFAs which don’t satisfy their contributors especially with regards to return on investment will definitely lose such customers. The experts said though it has not been long recapitalisation and consolidation took place in the industry, the economic situation in the country has suggested the need for fresh recapitalisation in the industry . At a forum organised by one of the PFAs in Lagos recently, the questions on the lips of every contributor was how the fund managers would increase their monthly pay given the inflation rate which has resulted in high cost of goods and services. No explanation given to them by the firm managers on the need for them to increase their contributions if they need higher benefits pacified them as they insisted that the managers should look at ways of giving them more returns in form of higher monthly benefit.This made it obvious that there is the need for operators to have more money in order to expand their operations and make more returns to fund owners. P ension industry Recapitalisation Recapitalisation in the pension industry has remained a continuous exercise since the advent of Contributory Pension Scheme in the country. PenCom had in earnest search for ways of improving the operations of the PFAs in order to serve contributors better in April, 2021 raised the capital base of PFAs for its second time since the inception of the CPS in 2004. Before this second time, the commission had raised the operating capital of PFAs from N150 million to N1 billion in 2011. PenCom had argued that the PFAs oversight function had shown that the required minimum capital, was no longer adequate to meet the operational expenses of the PFA business. Based on this, it increased the minimum capital saying there was need to improve the capacity of PFAs in terms of operational efficiency, effectiveness, as well as service delivery. After this, the board of the commission, at its 48th Meeting on April 27, 2021, approved the increase of the Minimum Regulatory Capital (Shareholders’ Fund) requirement for PFAs, from one billion Naira to Five billion Naira. In doing this, PenCom authorities said the increase was necessitated by the need to improve the capacity of PFAs in terms of operational efficiency and effectiveness, as well as service delivery. The board also approved a 12-month transition period, effective 27 April 2021, within which PFAs were required to meet the new minimum capital requirement. PenCom said the reforms in the Pension industry through recapitalisation was intended to improve the capacity of PFAs in terms of operational efficiency, effectiveness, as well as service delivery. Finance experts said presently PFAs were aware that given the economic situation in the country the present N5 billion minimum capital has become grossly inadequate for operators to meet their operational expenses such as increased workers’ salaries in the face of high inflation rate which has resulted in high cost of food and other consumer goods and high cost of transport due to fuel subsidy removal, acquire modern technology as well as meet other areas of capacity building among PFAs and operational efficiency. Fresh Recapitalization Speaking on this fresh call for recapitalisation in the pension sector, Actuarial scientist, chartered insurer and Chairman /CEO Anchor Actuarial Services Limited, Dr Pius Apere, said there were several main reasons why companies recapitalise either voluntarily or being forced by regulator to do so. He highlighted these reasons as follow: “first if the company’s stock price falls dramatically recapitalisation would be needed to prevent a further decline in the stock price of the company.” Secondly, to reduce the financial burden, Apere said the excess of debt over equity can result in high interest payments for the company and eventually place a significant financial burden on it. According to Apere, recapitalisation can be done to prevent a hostile takeover as it can be used as a strategy to prevent a hostile takeover by another company. The management of the target company may issue additional debt to make the company less attractive to potential acquirers. He further said recapitalisation could serve as a company’s reorganisation strategy during bankruptcy or threat of bankruptcy. On the other hand, he said a regulator might consider a recapitalisation of an entire industry having reviewed the financial strength of the companies operating in the industry over period of time, he however said this decision was not easily taken on yearly basis. Apere, acknowledging high inflation and high exchange rate problems in the country; however, he said the above two economic indicators mentioned were not the only factors considered in the recapitalisation of an industry. He said the last recapitalisation in the pension industry took place in April 2021, “So, the timing of this new proposition may not be appropriate for the shareholders who would be called upon to inject additional funds into their companies, having completed similar exercise few years ago.” Efforts to elicit comments on this from core industry operators like the Chief Executive Officer Pension Operators Association of Nigeria (PenOp) the umbrella body of pension fund administrators, Mr Oguche Agudah yielded not much result as he declined comments saying he choose to be neutral on the issue. Similarly pension expert and a lawyer who contributed in the drafting of PRA2004, Ivor Takor when contacted on this declined comment saying he was only interested in talking about pension administration and law, his area of specialisation rather than talking about economic matters in pension. Industry analysts said operators considering the short period between 2021 when the last exercise was conducted and the present time might not see the reason for the fresh call for recapitalisation . They however said what the operators should be looking at is the present value of Naira and cost of operations rather than timing. THISDAY notes that one peculiar thing about Nigerian Pension industry is that the larger chunk of the available business is in the hands of very few operators especially Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers and very few others. Also there are fragmentations in the sector. Operating firms Currently, there are18 licensed PFAs operating in the system and four Pension Fund Custodians. The PFAs are Access ARM Pensions Ltd, Crusader Sterling Pensions Limited, FCMB Pensions Limited, Fidelity Pension Managers Limited, Guaranty Trust Pension Managers Ltd, Leadway Pensure PFA Ltd, Nigerian University Pension Management Company(NUPENCO), NLPC Pension Fund Administrators Limited, Norrenberger Pensions Ltd, NPF Pension Managers Ltd, OAK Pensions Ltd, Pension Alliance Limited, Premium Pension Ltd,Radix Pension Managers Limited, Stannic IBTC Pension Managers Limited, Tangerine APTPensions Limited, TrustFund Pensions Ltd and Veritas Granville’s Pensions Limited. The pension fund custodians are First Pension custodian Nigeria Ltd,UBA Pension Custodian Limited,Zenith Pensions Custodian Limited. The closed pension fund administrators are Nestle Nigeria Trust CPFA Limited, Progress Trust CPFA Limited,Shell Nigeria Closed Pension Fund Administrators Limited, Total Energies CPFA Limited. They play the role of undertaking the responsibility for keeping safe custody of pension assets on trust on behalf of contributors. The main functions of PFCs are to receive pension contributions on behalf of PFAs; settle transactions and undertake activities relating to the administration of pension fund investments on behalf of PFAs and to notify the PFA within 24 hours of the receipt of pension contributions from employers.
WASHINGTON (AP) — A freelance photographer and local government official from Illinois has been arrested on charges alleging he joined a mob's attack on the U.S. Capitol and pushed against a police officer’s riot shield, according to court records unsealed on Friday. Patrick Gorski, 27, was arrested in Chicago on Thursday on charges including obstructing law enforcement officers during a civil disorder, a felony. A federal judge ordered him released on bond after his initial court appearance. Gorski didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment. An attorney who represented him after his arrest declined to comment on Gorski's behalf. Authorities allege that during the attack, Gorski climbed scaffolding, breaching police lines, and took photos and videos inside the building. He yelled at officers, pushed against an officer's riot shield and was eventually forced out after being sprayed with a chemical irritant, authorities said. When the FBI interviewed him, Gorski did not claim that he was working as a photojournalist during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot and said he didn't bring his professional camera to the Capitol. He told federal agents that he had worked as a photographer for the Chicago Fire Department and for Donald Trump’s 2020 presidential campaign. He has not professionally published any photographs of the Capitol riot, according to the FBI. An FBI agent’s affidavit says some of Gorski’s sports photographs are available through Getty Images and have been “picked up” by The Associated Press and USA Today. Authorities said Gorski has continued to take photos at some local sporting events in Chicago but hasn't published any political photographs in the last five years. Gorski is not an Associated Press journalist and has never been employed by the news organization, said Lauren Easton, AP's vice president of corporate communications. "We have distributed some photos he took for AP’s photo partners and member news organizations," Easton said in a statement. Gorski's resume says he works as a building commissioner for the Village of Norridge, Illinois, and graduated earlier this year from Southeastern Illinois University with a master’s degree in public administration. He attended then-President Trump's “Stop the Steal” rally near the White House on Jan. 6 before he marched to the Capitol in a group of people that included conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and Owen Shroyer , who has hosted a show on Jones' Infowars website. On the west side of the Capitol, Gorski climbed up a wall onto stairs, helped another rioter onto the wall and removed a tarp covering scaffolding, according to the FBI. He climbed up and down the scaffolding before he helped pass a bike rack to other rioters, the agent's affidavit says. Gorski pointed and yelled at police officers outside the building. He also clapped and chanted, “Let us in!” After rioters broke through a police lines and sent officers retreating, Gorski hung a flag over the edge of a balcony. Gorski used his phone to take photos or videos inside a tunnel entrance that police were guarding, according to the affidavit. He screamed at the officers, “This is our house!” as he pushed against an officer’s riot shield, the FBI said. Gorski left the tunnel after several minutes and entered the Capitol through the Senate Wing door, taking more photos or videos inside the building, the affidavit says. An officer had to forcibly move Gorski from a doorway in another part of the Capitol, according to the agent. Gorski retreated after police sprayed him with a chemical irritant. Approximately one year after the attack, the FBI received a tip that Gorski had posted photos of the riot in a group chat with friends. More than 1,500 people have been charged with federal crimes stemming from the Capitol riot.A company that turned homeowners into renters abruptly shuts downOpinion: Compsci Must Go Hand in Hand With Accessibility