Saskatchewan legislature member says premier targeted his transgender children REGINA — A Saskatchewan legislature member says his transgender children were targeted in an election campaign promise about school change rooms and he wants an apology from Premier Scott Moe. Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press Nov 27, 2024 11:30 AM Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Jared Clarke, Saskatchewan NDP candidate for Regina Walsh Acres, looks on in Regina, Oct. 16. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Heywood Yu REGINA — A Saskatchewan legislature member says his transgender children were targeted in an election campaign promise about school change rooms and he wants an apology from Premier Scott Moe. Opposition NDP member Jared Clarke told the legislative assembly this week his daughters were subjects of a complaint for using a girls’ change room at a southeast Saskatchewan school. “The premier put a target on the backs of my two 12-year-old kids,” Clarke said in the house. He said a news article of the complaint was published Oct. 16 and later that day a photo of his family was shared on social media linking them to the article. The next day at a campaign stop in Regina, Moe was asked about the complaint and announced he would ban “biological boys” from using girls change rooms at schools if his Saskatchewan Party won the Oct. 28 election. Moe had touted the proposal as his first order of business, but it was not in his party's campaign platform. "He held a press conference to stoke fear and outrage about two kids at an elementary school, while my children’s picture was circulating on social media, identifying them, while unimaginable hate was raging down on my family," Clarke told the assembly. "The premier owes my children an apology. He owes all transgender people in this province, especially kids, an apology for how he has made them feel so unsafe over the last year." Moe’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Moe said during last month’s election campaign he did not know the identity of the children. He told reporters a week after the Saskatchewan Party was re-elected the ban would no longer be a legislative priority. He said school boards are being consulted on a change room policy that would support all students. Clarke asked if it would be acceptable for the children of other legislature members to be used as political fodder. “What do you think would be going through a 12-year-old’s mind when they hear the premier of their province targeting them?” he told the assembly. He said it wasn’t easy when his children came out as transgender, and that he and his wife had to do a lot of learning, reading, talking and thinking. “As a parent of a transgender child, you are presented with a stark choice: to outright reject the feelings and words of your child when they tell you who they are or to choose to embrace your child and love them with all your heart,” he said. “My wife and I decided to love our kids with all our hearts. “Transgender kids are not scary. Transgender people are not scary. They are not people that we should be afraid of. They are people who deserve to be treated with respect and dignity and love.” He said his kids are kind and smart, and they play sports and music. They are also fond of Taylor Swift and airplanes. "They have the incredible strength to live as their authentic selves." Clarke said it’s the second time the Saskatchewan Party government has gone after transgender kids. Last year, the province passed a law using the notwithstanding clause to require parental consent when children under 16 want to change their names or pronouns at school. "I don’t expect everyone to understand the journey that we have been on as a family, but I hope that my words today can be heard by those who have an open heart and a willingness to learn about the different lived experience than perhaps their own," he said. "I hope something good can come from this terrible experience." This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 27, 2024. Jeremy Simes, The Canadian Press See a typo/mistake? Have a story/tip? How did this story make you feel? view results > Happy Amused Afraid Don't Care Sad Frustrated Angry This has been shared 0 times 0 Shares Share by Email Share on Facebook Share on X Share on LinkedIn Print Share via Text Message Get your daily Victoria news briefing Email Sign Up More Saskatchewan News After record-breaking warmth, winter to 'salvage its reputation': Weather Network Nov 27, 2024 3:00 AM WHL Roundup: Kovacevic scores three, Warriors post decisive 7-4 win over Broncos Nov 26, 2024 7:43 PM Saskatchewan NDP motion to scrap gas tax fails in legislature Nov 26, 2024 3:48 PMEmerging tight end Noah Gray gives Mahomes and the Chiefs another option in passing game
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In this article HIMS NVO NOVO.B-DK LLY Follow your favorite stocks CREATE FREE ACCOUNT A production line of Wegovy injection pens for the Asian market at the Novo Nordisk A/S pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Hillerod, Denmark, on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images One interpretation of the law of supply and demand is that when demand outstrips supply, scammers get busy. That's certainly the case with the super-popular weight-loss drugs from Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk. As millions of Americans are prescribed injectable Ozempic and Mounjaro to treat type 2 diabetes, and Wegovy and Zepbound for obesity — and countless more without prescriptions seek them as "vanity drugs" to shed unwanted pounds — the manufacturers can't keep up production. The GLP-1s, as they're known, are pricey, too , and insurance often doesn't cover them , provided consumers can find them. That confluence of factors has laid the groundwork not only for a confusing online marketplace for compounded versions of the drugs — allowed by the Food and Drug Administration when proprietary ingredients are determined to be in short supply — but a proliferation of nefarious scams offering to sell both brand-name and counterfeit GLP-1s on websites and social media platforms. Consumers have received Lilly- and Novo-branded GLP-1s from unauthorized sellers, counterfeit versions, completely different medications or nothing at all — other than an expensive rip-off. Most disturbing, Novo told CNBC that as of mid-November, it is aware of 14 deaths and 144 hospitalizations of people who had taken compounded semaglutide, the active pharmaceutical ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy. It recently asked the FDA to ban the copycat drugs . Within the past year, cybersecurity experts, consumer advocates, pharma researchers and media investigators have uncovered scores of accounts and content on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram and other social media platforms, as well as numerous websites, where bad actors have been doing business, much of it illegal or at least unethical. In May, a joint investigation by the nonprofits Digital Citizens Alliance and Coalition for a Safer Web revealed how consumers are flocking to TikTok — which faces an uncertain future after a federal court on Friday upheld a law that would seek to ban the company in the U.S. on Jan. 19 — and other social media platforms and websites to purchase branded and illicit GLP-1s, often without a prescription. According to the report, scammers create accounts promising to sell the drugs for between $200 and $400 for a month's supply — far below market prices — paid through Zelle, Venmo and PayPal rather than traditional credit cards so as to avoid tracking. "Scammers take advantage of human emotion and human want, and the emotion and want now is that everybody wants to lose weight," said Eric Feinberg, vice president of content moderation for the Coalition for a Safer Web. "It's a perfect audience to use online to take advantage of people psychologically and emotionally." A common ruse the investigation exposed was sellers saying the drugs were coming from overseas and then claiming that the order was held up in customs, requiring an additional $300 to $500 payment to release it. The scammers were devious, said Tom Galvin, executive director of Digital Citizens Alliance. "They send a tracking number from a delivery service that shows you where your package is, but the tracking number is BS." Digital Citizens shelled out just over $3,000 to purchase GLP-1s, and yet the money yielded no deliveries of the drugs. No-delivery ploys can exact a serious financial toll on victims, but "the more scary ones are where you do get a product and don't even know whether you can trust [it] or if it's a valid company," said Abhishek Karnik, director for threat research and response for cybersecurity firm McAfee. Phishing for weight-loss drug victims Tracking activity over the first four months of this year, McAfee's Threat Research Team uncovered just how prolific weight-loss scams have become across malicious websites, scam emails and texts, posts on social media and online marketplace listings. From January through April, McAfee researchers discovered 449 risky website URLs and 176,871 dangerous phishing attempts centered around Ozempic, Wegovy and semaglutide, an increase of 183% compared to October through December 2023. Karnik's team has continued to monitor these criminal activities. "We've identified [a total of] 367,000-plus phishing attempts, and between May and August, the number of [risky] URLs we found increased by 135%," he said. JAMA Network Open in August published the results of a study by an international group of researchers who searched the global internet to ferret out websites for online pharmacies advertising semaglutide for sale. Among the 317 operations found, more than 42% were illegal, operating without a valid license, selling medications without prescriptions and shipping unregistered and falsified products. Six purchases were made, but only three were delivered. A recent CNBC investigation explored the murky international world of counterfeit weight-loss drugs. Among its findings, investigators recounted the seizure in the UK last year of hundreds of what appeared to be Ozempic pens, but were in fact insulin pens relabeled as Ozempic. They also discovered from Lilly that its retatrutide, a novel GLP-1 drug still in clinical trials and not FDA-approved, was being marketed to the public. watch now VIDEO 18:50 18:50 CNBC investigates the black market of obesity drugs CNBC Investigations Counterfeits and diverted drugs — branded GLP-1s sold on the black market — originate from many countries, including India, China, the UK, Mexico and Turkey. One of the destinations where they make their way to the U.S. was New York's JFK International Airport. According to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection, since January 1, the agency had made more than 198 seizures of products labeled as Ozempic. In response to this glut of fraudulent activity, social media companies and web operators have employed human monitors and machine technology to identify and shut down online scammers. A TikTok spokesperson, without detailing its various monitoring efforts, referred to the company's community guidelines. "We strictly prohibit the trade of drugs, and we do not allow attempts to defraud or scam members of our community," the spokesperson said. "Our advertising policies also prohibit the advertising of weight-loss products, including weight-loss injections and fat-burning pills." Despite official policies, however, undeterred violators find workarounds when their accounts are shuttered. They might set up another account with the drug names misspelled, spaces between letters or mash-ups of semaglutide and terzepitide. Many instruct interested buyers to direct message them or send links to Telegram and other dark websites that encrypt content and provide anonymity. "The social media platforms are the new street corners for drug dealers, and they move from place to place," Galvin said. "It's a game of whack-a-mole." Bags of counterfeit Novo Nordisk A/S Ozempic and Wegovy, foreground, and other fake drugs at a warehouse operated by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in London, UK, on Monday, Feb. 27, 2024. The UK task force tracks down illegal websites, monitors social media and even carries out raids to stamp out sales of fake "skinny jabs" as both organized crime and unscrupulous lone entrepreneurs look to capitalize on the weight-loss frenzy. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images For this article, CNBC found more than a dozen TikTok accounts that appeared to be selling GLP-1s in violation of its policies, including @ozempic_weightloss, @sema.irel and @semaglutideandtr. Soon after relaying the information to TikTok, we were told that all had been removed, except one, which was not in violation. The widespread compounding of GLP-1s is another contributor to the dodgy marketplace for the drugs. In April and December of 2022, respectively, the FDA determined that semaglutide and tirzepatide were in short supply, opening the floodgates for compounding pharmacies and outsourcing facilities to manufacture, distribute and market copies, typically sold through telehealth companies, medical spas and wellness centers. Compounded GLP-1s, unlike Lilly's and Novo's brands, are not FDA-approved , which means they do not undergo the agency's review for safety, effectiveness and quality before they're marketed. Instead, the FDA and state boards of pharmacy register, license and inspect compounding facilities and ingredients. And while some compounders meet regulatory requirements, such as Henry Meds, Noom Med, Ro and Hims & Hers Health , many others don't. Publicly traded Hims & Hers launched its gender-focused telehealth platform in 2017, adding compounded semaglutide to its weight-loss program this past May. "We waited until we were able to find the right compounding partner," said Dr. Patrick Carroll, the company's chief medial officer. Besides that partner, BPI Labs, Hims & Hers acquired another, MetasourceRx, in September. The company also sells branded Ozempic and next year will offer liraglutide, the first generic GLP-1. FDA scrutiny In the meantime, the FDA is investigating the bad actors in the compounding world. "Purchasing prescription drugs from unregulated, unlicensed sources without a prescription is risky," a spokesperson for the agency told CNBC. "We urge consumers to be vigilant and to utilize tips tools from the FDA's BeSafeRx campaign to help them safely buy drugs online." In May, the KFF Health Tracking Poll found that about one in eight adults (12%) said they had taken a GLP-1 drug, with about half, or 21 million, actively using the medications. Nearly 80% purchased the drugs or a prescription for them — at a cost between $936 to $1,349 per month before insurance coverage, rebates or coupons — from a primary care doctor or a specialist, according to the survey. Fewer reported getting them from an online provider or website (11%), a medical spa or aesthetic medical center (10%), or from somewhere else (2%). But that doesn't count the inestimable number of individuals who have obtained GLP-1s without prescriptions through unregulated online channels and illicit online compounding pharmacies, many operating overseas. While social media companies police illegal sellers of GLP-1s, hundreds of influencers are touting the drugs and their journeys using them across the platforms with impunity, according to a Fast Company report. Many influencers are recruited and paid by telehealth companies. Meanwhile, household names have been increasingly speaking out about their personal use of these drugs, which increases familiarity and curiosity among the public. In October, People profiled 64 celebrities — including Kathy Bates, Elon Musk, Oprah Winfrey, Andy Cohen, Billie Jean King and Rob Lowe — who have talked about their weight-loss drug experiences, mostly on social media. Currently, Lilly's and Novo's GLP-1s are prescribed only for type 2 diabetes and obesity. But as researchers find additional conditions that can be treated with the drugs — including cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, dementia and addiction, and most recently even knee pain — prescriptions will increase exponentially. In September, an article in the Annals of Pharmacotherapy warned against manufacturers that use a legal loophole to sell vials containing semaglutide and tirzepatide to consumers without a prescription by stating that the drugs are for "research purposes only" and/or "not for human consumption." The authors conducted an internet search for such scofflaws, uncovering 40 websites selling what were labeled as "peptides" to consumers. The FDA has sent warning letters to a handful, including Miami-based US Chem Labs in February, citing several violations and requesting action within 15 days. As of Dec. 6, CNBC found that the company still listed compounded semaglutide as available on its website. US Chem Labs could not be reached by phone and an email request for comment was not returned by press time. The authors of the Annals of Pharmacotherapy article also identified three companies that were advertising GLP-1s on Facebook, owned by Meta . "Our policies prohibit content that defrauds people by promoting false or misleading health claims, including those related to weight loss, and we remove this kind of content when we become aware of it," a Meta spokesperson told CNBC. CNBC subsequently sent Meta the names of the three companies, and several days later their Facebook pages were removed. Eli Lilly, Novo Nordisk battle with copycat drugs Workers walk past manufacturing equipment at Eli Lilly & Co. manufacturing plant in Kinsale, Ireland, on Sept. 12, 2024. Lilly has been bulking up its production capacity since 2020, investing more than $17 billion into developing new plants and expanding existing facilities for the weight-loss and diabetes drugs that are expected to become some of the best-selling medicines of all time. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images Lilly and Novo are in a quandary regarding compounders. The copycats have filled a void while the branded GLP-1s are in shortage, attracting patients who can't access or afford them. But now the manufacturers want their domains to themselves. Lilly has sent cease-and-desist letters to numerous compounding sellers, and both companies have filed lawsuits against numerous compounding pharmacies, alleging trademark infringement and deceptive marketing. On October 2, the FDA declared that Lilly's tirzepatide was no longer in short supply, ostensibly putting compounders of that ingredient out of business. Two weeks later, though, after a public outcry from compounders' patients and a federal lawsuit brought by compounding pharmacies, the FDA backtracked, saying it would reevaluate whether the drug is available and make a decision in mid-November. Yet, on November 22, the FDA said it was still assessing the situation and agreed to not take action against compounders of tirzepatide until December 19, unless the agency makes an earlier decision. Novo's semaglutide is still listed as "currently in shortage" by the FDA, although the agency also lists Ozempic and Wegovy as "available." A Novo Nordisk spokesperson told CNBC, "It's important to note that availability doesn't always mean immediate accessibility at every pharmacy. Patients may experience variability at specific locations, regardless of whether a drug is in shortage." Lilly and Novo have advocated for broadening insurance coverage for the drugs, and the Biden administration recently proposed that Medicare and Medicaid extend their coverage for obesity medications. Although that plan could be scuttled by the incoming Trump administration. Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., Trump's nominee to head the Department of Health and Human Services, has suggested that obesity should be tackled through healthy eating, not drugs. The obesity drug market volatility has shown up in recent earnings. In its third-quarter report on October 30, Lilly fell short of profit and revenue expectations , partly due to disappointing sales of its GLP-1s, even as demand for them continued to soar. A week later, Novo reported third-quarter earnings in line with expectations, strengthened by robust sales of Ozempic and Wegovy. Nonetheless, the Danish company narrowed its 2024 full-year growth guidance, reflecting, according to a statement from the company, "expected continued periodic supply constraints and related drug shortage notifications." Both pharma giants continue to invest billions to increase production facilities and capacity. This week, Lilly said it was investing $3 billion to increase obesity drug production at a Wisconsin plant. Regardless, demand for GLP-1s — no matter if they're branded, compounded or counterfeit or where they're purchased from — is certain to keep growing. That will put more pressure on social media platforms and web operators to guard against scams. Galvin suggested that the companies need to work together to identify scammers as they navigate between platforms to avoid detection. "Too many platforms look at this as a PR problem and not an internet safety problem," he said. "If they were collaborating with each other to identify the bad actors and shared that information, people would find a lot less of them."NEW YORK, Dec. 08, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of PACS Group Inc. (NYSE: PACS) of (i) common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus (collectively, the “Registration Statement”) in connection with the Company’s April 11, 2024 initial public offering ("IPO"); (ii) securities between April 11, 2024 and November 5, 2024, both dates inclusive (the “Class Period”); and/or (iii) common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the registration statement and prospectus issued in connection with the Company’s September 2024 secondary public offering (“SPO”), of the important January 13, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased PACS common stock pursuant and/or traceable to the IPO and/or securities during the Class Period you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the PACS class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=30617 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. A class action lawsuit has already been filed. If you wish to serve as lead plaintiff, you must move the Court no later than January 13, 2025. A lead plaintiff is a representative party acting on behalf of other class members in directing the litigation. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions, but are merely middlemen that refer clients or partner with law firms that actually litigate cases. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs’ Bar. Many of the firm’s attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. DETAILS OF THE CASE: According to the lawsuit, in the Registration Statement and throughout the Class Period, defendants made false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose that: (1) PACS engaged in a “scheme” to submit false Medicare claims which “drove more than 100% of PACS’ operating and net income from 2020 – 2023”; (2) PACS engaged in a “scheme” to “bill thousands of unnecessary respiratory and sensory integration therapies to Medicare”; (3) PACS engaged in a scheme to falsify documentation related to licensure and staffing; and (4) as a result of the foregoing, defendants’ positive statements about PACS’ business, operations, and prospects were materially misleading and/or lacked a reasonable basis. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the PACS class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=30617 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. No Class Has Been Certified. Until a class is certified, you are not represented by counsel unless you retain one. You may select counsel of your choice. You may also remain an absent class member and do nothing at this point. An investor’s ability to share in any potential future recovery is not dependent upon serving as lead plaintiff. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm , on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/ . Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ______________________ Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com
The Week 12 NFL schedule includes multiple divisional matchups like Cowboys vs. Commanders (-10.5, 45), Broncos vs. Raiders (+6, 41) and Cardinals vs. Seahawks (+1, 47.5). These rivalry games can end up closer than expected, one of the NFL betting trends to keep in mind when making your Week 12 NFL bets. Packers vs. 49ers (+2.5) will take place on Sunday, and 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy has been limited in practice all week with a shoulder injury. There's another type of rivalry that will take place on Monday Night Football, a sibling rivalry. The Harbaughs will be on opposing sidelines, as the Ravens are 3-point favorites over the Chargers in the Week 12 NFL odds , one of the slimmest NFL spreads of the week. The over-under for that game is 51, up four from the opener. John and Jim Harbaugh have faced off twice before, including infamously in Super Bowl XLVII. John's Ravens won and covered in both previous encounters. Should what happened over a decade ago affect your Week 12 NFL predictions? All of the updated Week 12 NFL lines are listed below, and SportsLine's advanced computer model has all the NFL betting advice and NFL predictions you need to make the best Week 12 NFL picks now . The model, which simulates every NFL game 10,000 times, is up well over $7,000 for $100 players on top-rated NFL picks since its inception. The model entered Week 12 of the 2024 NFL season on an incredible 20-8 betting hot streak on top-rated NFL picks this year. Longer term, it is on a 200-136 roll on top-rated NFL picks that dates back to the 2017 season and a 54-29 roll on top-rated NFL picks since Week 7 of 2022. The model also ranked in the top 10 on NFLPickWatch four of the past six years on straight-up NFL picks and beat more than 94% of CBS Sports Football Pick'em players four times during that span. Anyone following at sportsbooks and on betting apps has seen strong returns. Now, it has turned its attention to the latest Week 12 NFL odds and NFL betting lines and locked in betting picks for every NFL matchup. Head here to see every pick . We can tell you one of the model's strongest Week 12 NFL picks is that the Bears (+3.5, 39.5) cover the spread at home versus the Vikings . No team has a better spread record versus the Bears at home (4-1), and this isn't a one-year thing. Chicago has the best against-the-spread home record (8-3-2) since the start of last season. Meanwhile, the Vikings have failed to cover in two of their last three road games. Additionally, after starting the year a perfect 5-0 against the spread (ATS), the Vikings are just 2-3 ATS over their last five games overall. The Bears' offense showed new life under a new offensive coordinator in Sunday's loss to Green Bay as Chicago scored 19 points, after averaging just nine points over its previous three games. On defense, the Bears could also take advantage of a sloppy Vikings offense that has committed the fifth-most giveaways this season. Chicago has gone three straight games without turning the ball over and ranks third in the all-important stat of turnover differential (plus-nine). The advanced model from SportsLine has the Bears (+3.5) covering almost 60% of the time. See which other teams to pick here . Another one of its Week 12 NFL predictions: the Eagles (-3, 49) cover on the road versus the Rams on Sunday Night Football. Philadelphia has won seven of the last eight meetings with the Rams, and Philly rolls into this matchup with five straight road victories against the Rams. This season, Philadelphia boasts the best ATS road record in the league (5-1), its on a six-game winning streak straight-up, and the Eagles have covered in four of their last five games. After having the second-worst pass defense last season, the Eagles have made a 180 and now are second-best in defending thru the air. That will make it tough for Los Angeles to move the ball because L.A. already ranks 30th in yards per rushing attempt and doesn't figure to find much success in the passing game versus Philly's stout defense. The Rams are also in the bottom eight in both third-down conversion percentage and redzone scoring. With these factors, the Eagles (-3) are forecasted to cover in well over 50% of simulations, with the model also saying the Under (48) hits over 50% of the time. See which other teams to pick here . The model has also made the call on who wins and covers in every other game on the Week 12 NFL schedule and just revealed three coveted A-rated picks against the spread, potentially giving you a huge payday. You can only get every pick for every game at SportsLine . So what NFL picks can you make with confidence, and which three A-rated picks should you lock in now? Check out the latest NFL odds below, then visit SportsLine to see which teams win and cover the spread, all from a proven computer model that has returned well over $7,000 , and find out. Get Week 12 NFL picks at SportsLine
Several social media users posted a photo of Bashar al-Assad, claiming the ouster Syrian president was spotted in Moscow after he fleed Damascus on Sunday. According to Russian state agency Tass, President Vladimir Putin has agreed to give asylum to al-Assad and his family after rebels took over Syria. Soon after the report was out, social media users shared a photo of the Syrian president. However, it was not from Moscow. It was taken during Assad’s visit to earthquake hit areas in Syria in 2023. Get Latest News Live on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines from World and around the world.Published 01:36 IST, December 9th 2024 The idea of an electoral boycott surfaced after former diplomat KC Singh said that Opposition party leaders are privately arguing an Election boycott strategy. New Delhi: In light of the results of the recently concluded Maharashtra elections, the usual EVM skeptic rhetoric of the Opposition returned to cast a shadow on the mandate. Amidst this an odd idea was floated that caught the attention of many, the idea of an electoral boycott. It all started with a tweet on November 26th from a former diplomat KC Singh who said, “Election boycott strategy is being privately argued. A senior Congress leader apparently confided that regional parties don’t agree. They feel they can mostly win in state elections, despite suspected flaws. A Bangladesh-type boycott threat may force transparency & reform.” Understanding The Bangladesh Model The ‘Bangladesh model’ became a common template of discussion in India’s internal political discourse after the ouster of Sheikh Hasina on August 5th, 2024. Usually, the Bangladesh model refers to a people-led movement that eventually snowballs into an anti-incumbency movement that can lead to the ouster of an electorally dominant party. Such was the case of the Awami League, which lost the war of narrative vis-a-vis the country’s reservation system which was skewed in favour of freedom fighters and their families. After months of mass unrest, the protests culminated in an anti-Hasina movement that led to her departure from Dhaka as a mass mob of protesters marched towards the PM’s residence aided by the military. Some called it a revolution, others called it a coup depending on their political point of view. However, the Bangladesh-type boycott threat referred to in this particular case by KC Singh refers to an electoral boycott strategy which was employed by one of the principal opposition parties in Bangladesh, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP). The BNP has been boycotting the last two general elections in Bangladesh, including the one held earlier this year in the month of January that won Hasina her historic 4th consecutive term as Prime Minister. However if one reads the fine print of the tweet again, the idea is not to boycott the elections but to employ it as a strategic threat to “force transparency & reform”. At least in its intent, the strategy is clear, that it can merely be weaponized as a threat. This is because there is a long body of theoretical and practical research and evidence to show that “Electoral Boycotts” simply do not work. Why Boycott Elections? Classically, electoral boycotts are seen as a tool against an authoritarian system that tends to be unfree and unfair in its electoral processes. This is where the opposition chooses not to take part in uncompetitive elections. The core objective of the boycott is not however to awaken the conscience of the authoritarian power. The real intention is to capture the attention of the electorate and primarily build a global perception of delegitimizing the electoral process of the nation. This brings us back to the “Bangladesh-type boycott threat” referred to earlier. While in principle, the BNP’s boycott did not have any significant political impact on Bangladesh’s internal political upturn, the perception of a delegitimised electoral process in Bangladesh went against Hasina’s situation. Due to this perception, even the self-appointed custodians of the democratic world order stood mute when a so-called non-political movement came marching for Hasina’s chair. The very next morning after Hasina swept 75% of the seats in Bangladesh’s general elections, the US State Department said, "The United States shares the view with other observers that these elections were not free or fair and we regret that not all parties participated." This is the intended objective and the achievable target of an “electoral boycott strategy”. Interestingly, at the time of writing of this article, the new regime in Dhaka led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus is yet to announce any form of “electoral reform”, nor has it shown any intent of holding “free and fair” elections anytime soon. The unspoken legitimacy that the Yunus administration has managed in the Western world order is a result of the perception that the electoral process in Bangladesh is flawed. Not to take away from the fact that there may exist significant evidence of electoral manipulation in Bangladesh, However such is the case in every nation of the world. Even the mighty United States is not immune to electoral malpractice allegations. However, January 6th is still termed as an insurrection and not as a revolution. Historically Boycotts Simply Don’t Work In an interesting analysis by Binghamton University, which analyzed over 1380 national-level elections held between 1971-2005. European Democracies only saw a 4.4% electoral boycott. The United States and Canada had no reported instances of a nationwide boycott. The overall rate of electoral boycotts during this period was around 10.4%, with Arab states seeing the highest rate of any region at 21.6%. Compare this to Europe which saw a boycott rate of only 1.8%. The larger inference from this data point is that democratic regimes as a whole do not see electoral boycotts as an employable strategy. This is because participation in the electoral process outweighs the reformative impact a party desires to have in an electorate as compared to a boycott. Comparing India in this case to democracies in Europe or North America is a fair comparison as compared to its Asian neighbours and other Arab nations. Fundamentally the Indian democracy has sincerely espoused the values of liberty, equality, and fraternity with an added focus on secularism since its Independence. In this regard, the examples of authoritarian regimes in Arab states are a completely disingenuous comparison. While in India’s neighbourhood, there exists a Pakistan where no Prime Minister has ever completed a full term and a Bangladesh which has seen multiple military coups. Indian democracy has been a beacon of peaceful transition of power in the sub-continent, with strict adherence to its constitution and its founding principles. As compared to all nations in the sub-continent and the world, India is undoubtedly one of the most vibrant democracies on planet Earth. To delegitimize an Indian election is something that not even the mighty British Empire could achieve. In fact, electoral boycotts, a trusted tool of the Muslim League did not help it completely to attain its objectives. India as it stands has over half a dozen national parties, over 50 recognised state parties, and over 2500 unrecognised parties. The question then remains, does the Indian National Congress, which won over 21.4% vote share in the last general elections, which presently has a government in 3 states, and won as a junior partner in 2 states this year have enough reason to call for an electoral boycott? Conclusion Only the threat of an electoral boycott was believed to be a potent agent of change in the past. The only major notable example comes from South Africa’s 1994 elections. When the president of the Freedom Party decided to boycott the elections and denounced the elections as unfair in South Africa. International pressure increased on the Nelson Mandela government. Consequently, this led to the abolishment of the single-vote system in South Africa and amendments in the constitution vis a vis local self-government. However, in a more contemporary example, in the case of Azerbaijan, this strategy has had no notable impact. In Azerbaijan, the principal opposition parties have been boycotting elections for multiple years. However, there has been no significant political pressure on the incumbent administration, nor any widespread loss of legitimacy in the eyes of the international community. In fact, with each consecutive election, western nations have gradually accepted the results and cooperated with the government in Azerbaijan. In theory, for an electoral boycott to have any impact, there is not just the need to grab international headlines of ideologies sympathetic to your cause. There is also the need for a genuine on-ground campaign and support. As it stands, the opposition’s narrative of EVMs is yet to see any ground support. The only support it has is in the form of echoes during political press conferences from leaders in disbelief over their electoral debacles. A comprehensive study of election boycotts between 1990 and 2009 done by Matthew Frankel shows that only 4% of actual election boycotts showed any positive outcomes. In a democracy like India, where the opposition’s alliance had to backtrack on a boycott of the "Exit Polls" within a fortnight, whether it can succeed in a nationwide call for an electoral boycott remains only a thought experiment. Get Current Updates on India News , Entertainment News along with Latest News and Top Headlines from India and around the world. Updated 01:36 IST, December 9th 2024
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