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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 2024swerte99 com register online casino 。

Maharashtra: Jeetendra Awhad Files FIR Against NCP Leader Rupali Thombre Over Fake WhatsApp Chat AllegationsWestern countries including the United States assailed Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov over the war in Ukraine on Thursday at an annual meeting of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in Malta. Ukraine dominated the foreign ministers' meeting politically although envoys were also due to formally approve agreements on issues including senior staff positions at the security and rights body, where Western powers often accuse Russia of flouting human rights and other international norms. "My message to the Russian delegation is the following: We are not taken in by your lies. We know what you're doing. You're trying to rebuild the Russian empire and we will not let you. We will resist you every inch of the way," Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski said in a speech. Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha told the meeting that his country was continuing to fight for its right to exist. "And the Russian war criminal at this table must know: Ukraine will win this right and justice will prevail," he said. Sikorksi, Sybiha and others left the room for Lavrov's speech, as often happens at international meetings, and Lavrov was absent when U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken delivered his speech. This was Lavrov's first visit to a European Union member state since Russia began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Moscow has often blamed the West for the war. "I regret that our colleague Mr Lavrov has left the room, not giving the courtesy to listen to us as we listened to his. And of course, our Russian colleague is very adept at drowning listeners in a tsunami of misinformation," Blinken said in his speech to the meeting. Lavrov and Blinken were not scheduled to meet. The OSCE gathering of foreign ministers and other officials from 57 participating states in North America, Europe and Central Asia is overshadowed by the imminent return to the White House of Donald Trump, whose advisers are floating proposals to end the war that would cede large parts of Ukraine to Russia. With Trump due to take office next month, Western powers reiterated their support for Ukraine and Russia renewed its criticism of the OSCE, which Lavrov said last year was "essentially being turned into an appendage of NATO and the European Union". In his speech, Lavrov likened the current situation to the Cold War, saying there was a greater risk of it becoming "hot". "We do not want to attack anyone. The United States ... are waging war against us by using the Ukrainian neo-Nazi forces. They supply them with weapons, they help them to use long-range weapons against our territory," Lavrov told a news conference afterwards. Western states and Ukraine reject the Nazi analogy. The OSCE is the successor to a body set up during the Cold War for the east and west to engage with each other. In recent years, especially since Russia invaded Ukraine, Moscow has used what is in effect a veto each country has to block decisions. This year, Armenia and Azerbaijan are blocking the OSCE budget, diplomats say, over issues related to their conflict in the mountainous territory of Nagorno-Karabakh. Diplomats say a deal was reached this week to fill four senior OSCE positions including that of secretary general, which will be taken up by Turkey's Feridun Sinirlioglu, who was foreign minister in a caretaker government in 2015. The most important annual decision - which country will next hold the OSCE's annually rotating chairmanship - has long been settled. Finland will hold it for the 50th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act that lay the foundation for the current OSCE.

10-3 (7-1 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season) What's next: First-round at No. 5 seed Texas, Dec. 21 Head coach: Dabo Swinney (17th season, 180-46 overall) About Swinney: The 55-year-old, who is 6-4 in the CFP, took over during the 2008 season and has won two national titles (2016, 2018). He will take the Tigers to the CFP the first time since the 2020 season and the seventh time overall. Resume The Tigers, the only three-loss team in the 12-team field, were in a must-win situation in the ACC championship game, prevailing on a last-second, 56-yard field goal to defeat SMU 34-31. Clemson lost two games to SEC opponents (Georgia and South Carolina) this season. The Tigers' other defeat came at home to Louisville. The matchup with Texas will be Clemson's first true road game against the SEC this season. Postseason history A nine-time winner of the ACC Championship Game, the Tigers notched a double-figure win total for the 13th time in the last 14 seasons. Along with its two national titles, Clemson reached the title game two other times (2019 and 2015). This will be the first Clemson-Texas matchup. The road to Atlanta It will be a tricky road for the Tigers to reach the CFP title game in Atlanta at a venue familiar to Clemson fans. The Tigers will take at least two and maybe three trips outside of their own time zone to qualify for the final. Names to know QB Cade Klubnik Klubnik, a Texas native, has been taking snaps in crucial situations since a limited role as a freshman in 2022, when he rescued the Tigers in an ACC Championship victory vs. North Carolina. Sporting a 19-8 career record as a starter, Klubnik has thrown for 3,303 yards and 33 touchdowns along with five interceptions this season. He tossed four TDs in the ACC title game Dec. 7 against SMU after receiving All-ACC honorable mention following the regular season. "He's battle-tested," Swinney said. "He has got a lot of experience under his belt. He has had some failure, which has made him better." RB Phil Mafah The senior has racked up 1,106 rushing yards with eight touchdowns this season and has 28 career scores. Mafah has averaged fewer than 17 carries per game, so he makes the most of his opportunities, and at 230 pounds he can be a load to bring down. DE T.J. Parker He's been disruptive on a regular basis, racking up 19 tackles for loss (11 sacks) this season. The 265-pound sophomore helped set the tone in the ACC title game when the Tigers feasted on early SMU mistakes. Parker is tied for the Division I lead with six forced fumbles this season. K Nolan Hauser The freshman joined the Tigers this season with great acclaim and produced a career highlight with a 56-yard game-winning field goal -- the longest in ACC title game history -- to beat SMU at the buzzer. --Field Level Media

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A City of Ottawa official says the proposed Sprung structures that the city wants to use to house asylum seekers could be converted to other public uses once they are no longer needed as newcomer welcoming centres. Kale Brown, acting director of Housing and Homelessness Services, tells CTV News Ottawa the immediate plan is to use the structures for three years as temporary housing and support services for asylum seekers, but the structures themselves have a long lifespan. "The structures themselves are initially rated to last at least 25 years. And with kind of minor maintenance, we anticipate they'll last up to 50 years. That does not mean that we will need to use them for the purpose of providing placement to asylum seekers during that whole entire period," he said. "Our actual funding we requested through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada is for a total of three years." Brown said the customizability of the structures allows them to be repurposed in a variety of ways. "Should the asylum seeker crisis kind of go away in the city and the demand is not needed for that purpose, they're much more configurable for other things like pickleball, people have used them for community centers, libraries, because you can kind of remove all the interior fitment, given that it's a clear span structure." The city is planning to have one such structure along Woodroffe Avenue near the Nepean Sportsplex by the end of 2025 to serve as temporary housing for asylum seekers while they wait for permanent housing. A second structure at the Eagleson Park and Ride in Kanata could also be built if the Woodroffe Avenue structure proves insufficient to meet demand. The structures are also meant to help get asylum seekers out of local community centres that are currently housing them, as those centres are not meant for long-term habitation. There are divided opinions on the plan, with some residents opposing the structures or raising concerns about a lack of transparency and public consultation, while others are welcoming the idea, saying it will be a more supportive option for people seeking asylum in Canada. A public information session about the structure was briefly interrupted Wednesday night when a protester stormed the stage . The man was arrested and charged with trespassing. Other residents walked out of the meeting because there was no open question period, just one-on-one questions with staff after the presentations. Knoxdale-Merivale Coun. Sean Devine, in whose ward the Woodroffe structure would be built, told CTV News Ottawa he is considering other formats for future meetings with the public. "I am more than willing to have the kind of town hall where I will just sit at the center of the room and residents from that community can ask me their questions, tell me their concerns, that I am more than eager to do," he said. "I'm looking to have conversations in a productive way with my constituents, and I think there's plenty of opportunity for that." Devine added he has already reached out to some community organizations in areas in the immediate area surrounding the location to have meetings with them. Brown says the Sprung structures are meant to be part of a much larger housing and homelessness plan for the city. "These structures that we're looking to build are part of a larger ecosystem of a whole settlement network to get people who are claiming asylum through that settlement process all the way into long-term housing," he said. "And also, important to reiterate that beyond that, this fits into a much larger housing and homelessness system that we do through our 10-year housing and homelessness plan, which has components that serve non-newcomers. So, this connects into a much larger system where we're building permanent housing, supportive housing and all of the long-term elements of that housing continuum, as well." Brown said the city is continuing to work with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada to secure funding for the structure and its operation and going through the procurement process to build it. "We've had a lot of questions around, is this a sole source contract? Not necessarily. Again, we want to make sure we meet those parameters. Staff have mentioned around the timeline urgency to get it done in cost, so that we can get out of those community centers." A pre-construction opinion of probable costs for the engineering site works, provided by Stantec, estimating the total cost for the Woodroffe site at $3.5 million, the city said last month. Brown said the exact costs are still being determined. --With files from CTV News Ottawa's Katie Griffin Shopping Trends The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us. Editor's Picks The Best Gift Ideas From Canadian Brands For Everyone On Your List Here Are All The Gift Wrapping Supplies You Should Order Before The Holidays 20 Brilliant Gift Ideas Under $75 Home Our Guide To The Best Sectional Sofas You Can Get In Canada Our Guide To The Best Electric Snow Shovels In Canada In 2024 (And Where To Get Them) Our Guide To The Best Hydroponic Gardens In Canada In 2024 (And Where To Get Them) Gifts Mary Berg's Favourite Kitchen Products To Gift This Holiday Season The Best Gifts to Give Your Dad in 2024 The Best Gifts To Give Your Grandparents In 2024 Beauty Our Guide To The Best Self Tanners You Can Get In Canada 20 Anti-Aging Skincare Products That Reviewers Can’t Stop Talking About 12 Budget-Friendly Makeup Brushes And Tools Worth Adding To Your Kit Deals Black Friday May Be Over, But You Can Still Take Advantage Of These Amazing Sales On Amazon Canada It's Officially Travel Tuesday: Here Are The Best Deals On Flights, Hotels, And Vacations The Waterpik Advanced Water Flosser Will Make Cleaning Your Teeth So Much Easier — And It's 40% Off For Cyber Monday Ottawa Top Stories Sprung structures could be converted to community centres after asylum seeker use Ottawa customers turning to couriers to get holiday packages shipped as Canada Post strike continues OPP lay charges against two Ottawa towing companies Air Canada faces backlash over new fees Ottawa family urge government to approve husband and father's paperwork to get him back from Lebanon Quebec police arrest man, 51, in connection with death in Val-des-Monts Federal government announces $8 million funding investment for Ottawa’s Bronson Centre Bank Street to re-open in Findlay Creek on Friday CTVNews.ca Top Stories Canada expands list of banned firearms to include hundreds of new models and variants The Canadian government is expanding its list of banned firearms, adding hundreds of additional makes, models and their variants, effective immediately. LIVE UPDATES | Anger, vitriol against health insurers filled social media in the wake of UnitedHealthcare CEO's killing The masked gunman who stalked and killed UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson used ammunition emblazoned with the words 'deny,' 'defend' and 'depose,' a law enforcement official said Thursday. Here's the latest. Man wanted for military desertion turns himself in at Canada-U.S. border A man wanted for deserting the U.S. military 16 years ago was arrested at the border in Buffalo, N.Y. earlier this week. Life expectancy in Canada: Up last year, still down compared to pre-pandemic The average Canadian can expect to live 81.7 years, according to new death data from Statistics Canada. That’s higher than the previous year, but still lower than pre-pandemic levels. The National Weather Service cancels tsunami warning for the U.S. West Coast after 7.0 earthquake A 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook a large area of Northern California on Thursday, knocking items of grocery store shelves, sending children scrambling under desks and prompting a brief tsunami warning for 5.3 million people along the U.S. West Coast. These foods will be hit hardest by inflation in 2025, according to AI modelling The new year won’t bring a resolution to rising food costs, according to a new report that predicts prices to rise as much as five per cent in 2025. The world has been warming faster than expected. Scientists now think they know why Last year was the hottest on record, oceans boiled, glaciers melted at alarming rates, and it left scientists scrambling to understand exactly why. Pete Davidson, Jason Sudeikis and other former 'SNL' cast members reveal how little they got paid Live from New York, it’s revelations about paydays on 'Saturday Night Live.' 'At the dawn of a third nuclear age,' senior U.K. commander warns The head of Britain’s armed forces has warned that the world stands at the cusp of a 'third nuclear age,' defined by multiple simultaneous challenges and weakened safeguards that kept previous threats in check. Atlantic Fifteen per cent of ER visits in Canada are not for emergencies: report A report by the Canadian Institute for Health Information says one in seven emergency room visits in Canada are for issues that could have been dealt with elsewhere. Canada expands list of banned firearms to include hundreds of new models and variants The Canadian government is expanding its list of banned firearms, adding hundreds of additional makes, models and their variants, effective immediately. Police investigating after second homeless Nova Scotia man dies in as many weeks Police in Nova Scotia's Annapolis Valley are investigating the second sudden death of a homeless person within the past two weeks, prompting a local social advocate to sound the alarm about worsening weather. Toronto 2 men, 4 teens charged in Markham jewelry store robbery as police search for 6 more suspects York Regional Police have charged four teenage boys and two men and are looking for six more suspects in connection with a jewelry store robbery in Markham on Wednesday. Video shows moments leading up to fatal shooting in Brampton Video has surfaced showing the moments leading up to a fatal shooting outside of a Brampton home late Wednesday night. 'It was like I was brainwashed': 2 Ontarians lose $230K to separate AI-generated cryptocurrency ad scams Two Ontarians collectively lost $230,000 after falling victim to separate AI-generated social media posts advertising fraudulent cryptocurrency investments. Montreal WEATHER | Montreal hit with first major snowfall of the year Montrealers woke up on Thursday to the first real dump of snow as winter looks ready to set in. Former Montreal health worker sentenced to 2 years in prison for forging COVID-19 vaccine documents A former Montreal health-care worker has been sentenced to two years in prison for creating hundreds of fake COVID-19 vaccination documents in 2021. Canada expands list of banned firearms to include hundreds of new models and variants The Canadian government is expanding its list of banned firearms, adding hundreds of additional makes, models and their variants, effective immediately. Northern Ontario Four transport truck drivers charged in northern Ont. collisions on Hwy. 11 Bad weather and bad driving contributed to multiple collisions on Highway 11 on Wednesday, leading to charges for several commercial motor vehicle drivers. Layoffs at Vale's Sudbury operations not affecting members of Local 6500 Some non-union staff at Vale in the Sudbury area are being laid off, but the company is not saying how many and what positions are being affected. Northern Ont. police catch liquor store thief, getaway driver Two people from southern Ontario have been charged in connection with a liquor store robbery Wednesday in the Town of Thessalon. The suspects were caught after trying to flee on Highway 17 and hiding the booze in a snowbank. Windsor 14-year-old boys charged with gunpoint robbery and kidnapping Windsor police officers have arrested two 14-year-old boys related to a kidnapping and gunpoint robbery in south Windsor. Group of Caldwell First Nation residents fighting Boxing Day eviction notices A group of Caldwell First Nation residents are hanging onto hope that they can keep living in their homes on their ancestral lands in the recently revived First Nation reserve, after receiving eviction notices to move out by Dec. 26. 'It’s a big milestone': New CK children’s treatment centre expanding The new Chatham-Kent Children’s Treatment Centre is taking a big next step in its expansion process. London Snowfall projected to taper off overnight, with difficult driving conditions persisting If you’re begging for the snow to stop, unfortunately reprieve is not on the way just yet. Police close local highways due to weather Snow squalls and strong winds made for treacherous conditions, closing portions of the 401 and 402 on Thursday. Fire displaces eight people, injures two A fire that broke out at a home on Hale Street resulted in two people being assessed by paramedics, and as many as eight people being displaced. Kitchener developing | Arrest made, replica firearm seized, after early morning standoff in Stratford One woman has been sent to hospital as Stratford Police investigate an intimate violence investigation Thursday morning. Family displaced after fire rips through Kitchener apartment A Kitchener family is looking for a new place to live after a fire ripped through their apartment. jeewan chanicka no longer Waterloo Regional District School Board director The Waterloo Region District School Board is under new leadership. Barrie BREAKING | Ontario police charge man in connection with deadly police-involved shooting in Innisfil A 19-year-old man has been charged in connection with a fatal police-involved shooting in an Innisfil, Ont. community nearly four months ago. Snow squall warning issued for Simcoe County, with up to 35 cm of snow possible Snow squall warnings for most of central Ontario with snow accumulations up to 35 centimetres likely. Preliminary hearing begins for man accused in Orillia murder case Brian Lancaster sat in the prisoner’s box inside a Barrie courtroom on Thursday for the start of his preliminary hearing - the details of which are protected by a publication ban. Winnipeg Manitoba bill would toughen penalties for some impaired-driving offences The Manitoba government is looking to bring in tougher penalties on people who are convicted of impaired driving offences that cause injury or death. Jordan’s Principle spending, Manitoba requests only increasing In the last five years, the number of approved Jordan’s Principle requests and the subsequent spending have nearly tripled. ‘I do it for the community’: Winnipeg veteran camps out at Higgins and Main for Christmas donations A Winnipeg veteran wants to bring back some holiday spirit to his community. To get it done, he is camping out at Higgins and Main for 10 days. Calgary Remembering a broadcast legend: Calgarians pay their respects to Darrel Janz Calgarians gathered Thursday to pay their respects to broadcast legend Darrel Janz, who inspired thousands of young journalists and continued sharing impactful local stories until his very last days. Glenmore Landing redevelopment defeated by vote at Calgary council Calgary city council has defeated a motion to rezone a piece of land in Glenmore Landing to allow for a high-density development in the area. Here's how much Calgary housing prices are expected to increase by the end of 2025 Calgary’s real estate prices are expected to continue to increase next year, according to a recent market forecast. Edmonton 30 robberies involving the swarming of store employees reported to Edmonton police The Edmonton Police Service is warning of a new shoplifting trend where groups of young people swarm store employees to steal expensive products. Canada expands list of banned firearms to include hundreds of new models and variants The Canadian government is expanding its list of banned firearms, adding hundreds of additional makes, models and their variants, effective immediately. Ottawa, Alberta announce $162M rare disease drug agreement Alberta has entered a $162-million agreement with the federal government to provide access to drugs for rare diseases. Regina Affordability, carbon tax bills pass as Sask. legislature continues short sitting The Saskatchewan Party's election promises of action on affordability and continued carbon tax exemptions have been fulfilled as the short sitting of the legislature carries on. Executive committee moves forward with motion to apply for federal funding to address homeless encampments Regina's Executive Committee unanimously approved a plan Wednesday to apply for federal funding related to addressing homeless encampments. Roughriders re-sign veteran quarterback Trevor Harris, inside source confirms The Saskatchewan Roughriders have re-signed veteran quarterback Trevor Harris, according to TSN's Farhan Lalji. Saskatoon Saskatoon dog rescue operator ordered to pay $27K for defamatory Facebook posts A Saskatoon dog rescue operator has been ordered to pay over $27,000 in damages to five women after a judge ruled she defamed them in several Facebook posts. Saskatoon police chief supports regulating bear spray sales after spike in attacks Saskatoon is seeing a rise in attacks involving bear spray. Sask. school bus driver arrested for impaired driving after transporting 50 kids A Saskatchewan school bus driver, who was transporting 50 children shortly before his arrest, is facing impaired driving related charges. Vancouver Hiking apps prompt warnings after separate rescues from B.C. backcountry The search and rescue organization for Metro Vancouver's North Shore mountains is warning people to do their research after two international visitors became stranded while relying on hiking apps to plan their routes. Fatal crash closes Vancouver intersection Police are on scene after a fatal collision between a cyclist and a vehicle in East Vancouver Thursday afternoon. 2 men arrested, 3rd suspect at large after targeted shooting in Abbotsford, B.C. Two men were arrested and a third suspect remains at large after what police described as a targeted shooting Thursday morning outside a home in Abbotsford, B.C. Vancouver Island B.C. minister stepping away from role following cancer diagnosis B.C.'s Minister of Children and Family Development, Grace Lore, is stepping away from her role after being diagnosed with cancer. Hiking apps prompt warnings after separate rescues from B.C. backcountry The search and rescue organization for Metro Vancouver's North Shore mountains is warning people to do their research after two international visitors became stranded while relying on hiking apps to plan their routes. 2 men arrested, 3rd suspect at large after targeted shooting in Abbotsford, B.C. Two men were arrested and a third suspect remains at large after what police described as a targeted shooting Thursday morning outside a home in Abbotsford, B.C. Kelowna Study of 2023 Okanagan wildfires recommends limiting development in high-risk areas A study into the devastating wildfires that struck British Columbia's Okanagan region in 2023 has recommended that government and industry limit development in high-fire-risk areas. Kelowna, B.C., to host the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026 The Western Hockey League's Kelowna Rockets will host the Memorial Cup in the spring of 2026, the Canadian Hockey League said Wednesday. 545 vehicles impounded in 332 days: BC Highway Patrol pleads for drivers to slow down Mounties with the BC Highway Patrol in Kelowna say they've impounded more than 545 vehicles for excessive speed and aggressive driving so far this year. That works out to more than 1.6 per day. Stay Connected

The 2024 calendar year is shaping up to be one of the best-ever years for ( ) shares. The stock is currently up 26% year-to-date. However, as we all know, past performance is not a reliable indicator. So, the question is – can NAB deliver another good return in 2025? The market is clearly more confident about the bank's prospects than at the start of 2024. However, the recent was not exactly inspiring. Statutory declined 6.1% to $6.96 billion, while cash earnings fell 8.1% to $7.1 billion. The bank grew its full FY24 by 1.2% to $1.69 per share. NAB blamed the result on a lower . The NIM is the profit that a bank makes on its lending. It compares the loan rate to the cost of funding those loans (such as term deposits). The NIM decline primarily reflected "home lending competition, higher term deposit costs and deposit mix impacts". The bank's costs increased 4.5% due to of wages, restructuring costs and continued investment in technology modernisation and compliance capabilities. But, FY24 is the past. Let's consider what the outlook is for 2025. A report from Creditorwatch explained how high asset prices are helping maintain the profitability of banks. A high house price minimises the chance of a bad debt for the bank if the property needs to be sold to repay the mortgage from the bank. It said: Elevated and/or rising asset prices are likely an important explanation of this conundrum, with the household sector in aggregate having deleveraged significantly in recent years as house and share prices have risen sharply. And for many of the still relatively low share of households getting into financial difficulty, the 20-40% rise in house prices since before COVID generally means that the asset can be sold often at a profit and almost always without a significant impact on bank losses. This is not to say that many are not doing it tough – indeed we hear frequently of significant increases in demand for food support services. However, the data so far suggests that these pressures are not showing up in significantly increased pressures or losses for financial institutions. Where there is some greater pressure reported is on newer non-bank lenders. The broker UBS is quite pessimistic about the valuation. It currently has a sell rating on NAB shares. A price target tells investors where an expert thinks the share price will be in 12 months from the time of the investment call. UBS currently has a price target of $35 on the bank, implying a possible fall of approximately 10% within the next year. UBS is expecting weaker-than-the-market loan growth, worsening loan arrears and rising credit losses, increased competition in business banking, and higher costs. When UBS issued the note in November, when the NAB share price was $39.33 – said NAB shares were trading on a 2-year forward price-earnings (P/E) ratio of 16.5x, compared to its 15-year historical average of 11.6x. In other words, they're trading expensively. UBS is forecasting that in FY25, owners of NAB shares could see their bank generate $20.85 billion of revenue, $10.2 billion of pre-tax profit and $7.2 billion of net profit. That would mean slightly higher profit generated than FY24, though not enough for UBS to think it's compelling, it seems. However, growing profit is one of the best things NAB can do to improve shareholder returns over the long term, not just in 2025.Preview: Santa Clara vs. Rio Ave - prediction, team news, lineups

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Dream Finders Homes CEO Zalupski sells $1.54 million in stockMeghan Markle has shared her plans for Thanksgiving with her husband, Prince Harry , and their two children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet . In a recent interview with Marie Claire, the Duchess of Sussex revealed how her family will be kicking off the holiday season. The conversation took place during a dinner in California in October to honor of the Archewell Foundation's Welcome Project which Meghan attended solo following claims she and Harry are in the midst of a professional separation , according to royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams During the interview, Meghan shared that there's always something going on in the Sussex household to commemorate the occasion, and this year will be no different. She said: "We're always making sure we have something fun to do." "Like any other family you spend time having a great meal and then what do you do? Play games, all the same stuff, someone brings a guitar-fun," said the Duchess of Sussex . The US-based royal mentioned that she ensures her two children get to experience "the magic" of traditions like "great recipes that they end up connecting to a formative memory" at Thanksgiving or putting out "carrots for the reindeer" at Christmas . She added: "Every single holiday is a new adventure." DON'T MISS: Harry and Meghan's US life plagued by 'intolerable' smell - crackdown underway Prince Harry may be ineligible to visit children in US if Trump deports him Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's new Netflix show sparks complaints The Duchess of Sussex has revealed that she and Prince Harry prefer having a "pretty low-key" Thanksgiving, with the emphasis on family. She said: "Being close to my mom is great". Meghan also shared her tradition of ensuring there's always room at the table for friends without family during the holiday season, saying: "I was thinking about, in the past few years of having Thanksgiving here, like many of us, I think you always make sure there's room at the table for your friends who don't have family, which is really key." She even once had American social activist and feminist organiser Gloria Steinem as a guest for Thanksgiving. Meghan concluded by expressing her love for the holiday season. She said: "I love the holidays."

When the scientist and inventor Prof Archibald Montgomery Low predicted “a day in the life of a man of the future” one century ago, his prophesies were sometimes dismissed as “ruthlessly imaginative”. They included, reported the London Daily News in 1925, “such horrors” as being woken by radio alarm clock; communications “by personal radio set”; breakfasting “with loudspeaker news and television glimpses of events”; shopping by moving stairways and moving pavements. One hundred years after Low’s publication of his book The Future some of his forecasts were spot on. Others, including his prophesy that everyone would be wearing synthetic felt one-piece suits and hats, less so. Researchers from the online genealogy service Findmypast, have excavated accounts of Low’s predictions from its extensive digital archive of historical newspapers available to the public and included them in a collection on its website of forecasts made for 2025 by people a century ago. Low, born in 1888, was an engineer, research physicist, inventor and author. A pioneer in many fields, he invented the first powered drone, worked on the development of television, was known as the “father of radio guidance systems” for his work on planes, torpedo boats and guided rockets and reportedly attracted at least two unsuccessful assassination attempts by the Germans. In 1925, he predicted how home loudspeakers and “a television machine” would replace “the picture paper” – or newspapers – for information and on demand entertainment; access to global broadcasting at the press of a button; and the use of secret cameras and listening devices to catch criminals . He foresaw the use of moving pavements and stairs, essentially the escalators and travelators of today, as well as “automatic telephones” with the benefit of getting the right number every time, as opposed to the 1920s rotary dial phones. Some outlandish imaginings included new ways of illuminating streets by herbs (1926), jets of electrically charged water to replace cavalry (1923) and mind-to-mind electrical communication (1925). Others, such as women in trousers becoming the norm (1924) and sex determination before birth (1926) are very much on the mark. The major investment in offshore wind and solar power of recent years appears to fulfil another prediction: that “wind and tide are also to be harnessed to the service of man”. Yet another was: “Life is to be made far easier by the use of machinery that will do all the heavy and disagreeable work.” The average man, according to one newspaper report, “will be called punctually by a radio alarm clock set to pick up the particular signal at the time he wishes to rise”. Before the rise of automated alarms, people would be woken for work by an early-morning “knocker upper”, a person going door-to-door tapping windowpanes with a long wooden stick, which did not die out in Britain until the 1940s and 50s. However, Low’s prediction that the alarm clock would be set for “probably nine-thirty” was optimistic. Another prophesy, that each morning people would enjoy “a few moments radio light treatment or massage in order to keep fit and alert for the day’s business,” does seem to tap into the modern health and wellness trends of today. Jen Baldwin, a research specialist at Findmypast, which has more than 87m digitised historical newspaper pages, said: “It’s amazing that a century ago, one visionary scientist could predict how emerging technology – in its infancy at the time – could have changed the world by 2025. It makes you stop to wonder how the advancements we see around us today will be experienced by our own descendants.” Low, who died aged 68, carried on making predictions throughout his life. Not all found favour. In 1929, the Daily Express reported, with some outrage, the professor was in some ways an “arrant conservative” who had declared it would be centuries before “women approach men in intelligence” and then only when they take on “men’s physical characteristics”. “A woman doctor in Munich has just been prophesying that women who bob their hair will in time grow beards. She and Professor Low ought to meet,” the paper said.

Syrian Jihadi Rebels Move on to Second Major City, HamaSyrian rebels have seized the capital Damascus unopposed after a lightning advance that sent President Bashar al-Assad fleeing to Russia after a 13-year civil war and six decades of his family's autocratic rule. or signup to continue reading In one of the biggest turning points for the Middle East in generations, the fall of Assad's government on Sunday wiped out a bastion from which Iran and Russia exercised influence across the Arab world. Moscow gave him and his family asylum, Russian state media said. His sudden overthrow, at the hands of a revolt partly backed by Turkey and with roots in jihadist Sunni Islam, limits Iran's ability to spread weapons to its allies and could cost Russia its Mediterranean naval base. It may pave the way for millions of refugees scattered for more than a decade in camps across Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan to finally return home. For Syrians, it brought a sudden unexpected end to a war in deep freeze for years, with hundreds of thousands dead, cities pounded to dust and an economy hollowed out by global sanctions. "How many people were displaced across the world? How many people lived in tents? How many drowned in the seas?" the top rebel commander Abu Mohammed al-Golani told a huge crowd in central Damascus, referring to refugees who died trying to reach Europe. "A new history, my brothers, is being written in the entire region after this great victory," he said, adding that with hard work Syria would be "a beacon for the Islamic nation". The Assad police state - known since his father seized power in the 1960s as one of the harshest in the Middle East with hundreds of thousands of political prisoners - melted away overnight. Bewildered and elated inmates poured out of jails after rebels blasted away locks on their cells. Reunited families wept and wailed in joy. As the sun set in Damascus without Assad for the first time, the roads leading into the city were mostly empty, apart from motorcycles carrying armed men and rebel vehicles caked with mud as camouflage. Some men could be seen looting a shopping centre on the road between the capital and the Lebanese border, stuffing goods into plastic bags or into pick-up trucks. The myriad checkpoints lining the road to Damascus were empty. A thick column of black smoke billowed out from the Mazzeh neighbourhood, where Israeli strikes earlier had targeted Syrian state security branches, according to security sources. Intermittent gunfire rang out in apparent celebration. Earlier, the rebels said they had entered the capital with no sign of army deployments. Thousands congregated at a main square in Damascus waving and chanting "Freedom". People were seen walking inside the Al-Rawda Presidential Palace, with some leaving carrying furniture from inside. A motorcycle was parked on the intricately-laid parquet floor of a gilded hall. The Syrian rebel coalition said it was working to complete the transfer of power to a transitional governing body with executive powers. "The great Syrian revolution has moved from the stage of struggle to overthrow the Assad regime to the struggle to build a Syria together that befits the sacrifices of its people," it added in a statement. Mohammad Ghazi al-Jalali, prime minister under Assad, called for free elections and said he had been in contact with Golani to discuss the transitional period. Golani, whose group was once Syria's branch of al-Qaeda but has softened its image to reassure members of minority sects and foreign countries, said there was no room for turning back. US President Joe Biden, in a televised address, cheered Assad's fall but acknowledged that it was also a moment of risk and uncertainty. He pledged to support Syria's neighbours. Jubilant supporters of the revolt crowded Syrian embassies in various cities around the world, lowering red, white and black Assad-era flags and replacing them with the green, white and black flag flown of his opponents. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Assad's fall was thanks to blows Israel had dealt to Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah, and that the toppling of Assad could make it easier for Israel to reach a ceasefire deal to free hostages in Gaza. "The barbaric state has fallen," French President Emmanuel Macron said. Advertisement Sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date. We care about the protection of your data. Read our . Advertisement

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