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US Supreme Court Rejects Drug Deal that Protects the Sackler Family
The US Supreme Court has barred Purdue Pharma’s bankruptcy deal, which would have insulated the company’s rich Sackler family owners from litigation for their participation in the country’s deadly opioid crisis.
The 5-4 judgment overturned a previous court verdict that maintained Purdue Pharma’s proposal to provide its owners immunity in return for paying up to $6 billion to resolve thousands of cases charging the firm with unlawfully deceptive promotion of OxyContin, a potent pain medicine released in 1996.
The US President Joe Biden’s administration, which had contested the settlement as a misuse of bankruptcy protections intended for financially distressed debtors rather than individuals like the Sacklers, who have not filed for bankruptcy, celebrated a triumph on Thursday when the verdict was rendered.
Purdue Pharma filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in 2019 to pay off its obligations. Almost all of these claims claimed OxyContin was a contributing factor in the beginning of the opioid crisis, which has resulted in over 500,000 overdose fatalities in the US over two decades.
Purdue Pharma’s reorganization might contain legal safeguards for the Sackler family.
The dispute concerned whether Purdue Pharma’s reorganization might contain legal safeguards for the Sackler family members who have not filed for personal bankruptcy under US bankruptcy law. Originally introduced in the context of asbestos lawsuits, these so-called “non-debtor releases” have found wider use among businesses wishing to use safeguards as a negotiating tool.
The US bankruptcy court authorized the Stamford, Connecticut-based firm’s bankruptcy settlement in 2021, and the corporation expects that it will provide $10 billion in value to its creditors—which include hospitals, state and municipal governments, individuals who have suffered from addiction, and others who have sued the company.
Eight states and the Biden administration contested the settlement. After the Sacklers agreed to increase their settlement fund contributions, all of the states renounced their resistance; nevertheless, the US Trustee, the Justice Department’s bankruptcy monitor, and a few individual opioid claimants persisted in their opposition.
The Supreme Court was informed by a group of over 60,000 persons who have filed personal injury claims owing to their exposure to opioid medications made by Purdue Pharma that they approve of the settlement, which includes the Sackler family’s legal protection.
The US Court of Appeals 2nd Circuit in Manhattan upheld the settlement in May 2023, ruling that non-bankrupt parties such as the Sacklers may be entitled to legal protection under federal bankruptcy law under exceptional circumstances.
It decided that actions against the Sacklers would jeopardize Purdue Pharma’s attempts to achieve a bankruptcy settlement because they were intimately related to lawsuits against the company’s owners.
In August 2023, the Supreme Court agreed to hear the government’s appeal of the 2nd Circuit’s decision and halted bankruptcy proceedings against Purdue Pharma and its affiliates.
During the December arguments, a lawyer from the Justice Department claimed that the Sackler family withdrew billions of dollars from Purdue Pharma before agreeing to pay up to $6 billion in the opioid settlement. The lawyer said the deal “permits the Sacklers to decide how much they will contribute.”.
Legal actions were taken against members of the Sackler family and Purdue Pharma because they contributed to the opioid crisis by using misleading advertising for their painkillers. In connection with the marketing of OxyContin in 2007 and 2020, the firm entered guilty pleas to charges of misbranding and fraud.
After expressing remorse that OxyContin “unexpectedly became part of an opioid crisis,” members of the Sackler family denied culpability. In May 2023, they announced that “substantial resources for people and communities in need” would be provided by the bankruptcy settlement.
Purdue Pharma has accused the US Trustee of “single-handedly delaying billions of dollars in value that should be put to use for victim compensation, opioid crisis abatement for communities across the country, and overdose rescue medicines,” according to the legal documents.
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Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.
Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”
The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”
Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.
Lawless protestors run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest.
The Prime Minister dances.
This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.
Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved. pic.twitter.com/PVJvR6gtmf
— Don Stewart (@donstewartmp) November 23, 2024
“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”
“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.
On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”
Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.
Pro-Palestinian protests
Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.
Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.
Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.
On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.
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Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla
The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.
The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.
The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.
“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”
According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.
Calgary Zoo Questioned
It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.
An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.
Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.
“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.
The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.
“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.
“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.
While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”
Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.
The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.
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Canada’s Lotto Max jackpot Climbs to $80M
Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.
Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.
The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.
According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.
While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.
Lotto Max History
Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.
The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.
Let’s have a look at the rules:
- Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
- Numbers cannot be repeated
- Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
- Each play buys 3 lines
- Each play costs $5
Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)
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