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Thailand’s Neighbors Take Off with Chinese Tourists After Crackdown on ‘Forced Shopping’ Tours
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U.S. Government Employee Indicted in Leak of Israel’s Plans for Potential Strike on Iran
A U.S. government employee, who reportedly worked with the CIA, faces serious charges related to leaking classified information concerning Israel's possible plans for a retaliatory strike against Iran. The employee, Asif Rahman, is charged with two counts of illegal transmission of national defense information following the online release of classified records about Israel's potential actions, as detailed in court documents and information from sources familiar with the case. Although Rahman’s specific role remains unclear, sources confirmed that he held a high level of security clearance and had access to sensitive information. However, they did not clarify whether he was a contractor or a direct employee of the CIA. The alleged leak took place on October 17, with Rahman purportedly transmitting the classified material from locations outside the U.S., including Cambodia, according to court records. Though the court documents do not detail the contents of the leaked materials, sources informed CBS News that the documents related directly to Israel's potential plans to strike Iran. The arrest of Rahman was initially reported by The New York Times. Following his indictment last week in the Eastern District of Virginia, Rahman is scheduled to appear in Guam federal court this Thursday as part of removal proceedings. The case is under intense investigation by federal officials, including those from the Pentagon and FBI, who began looking into the matter last month. According to CBS News sources, documents initially belonging to the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency surfaced in a Telegram channel just as Israel was reportedly weighing a retaliatory strike against Iran. Sources confirmed the documents appeared to be authentic, adding gravity to the charges Rahman now faces. As more details emerge, Rahman’s case highlights the serious implications of unauthorized disclosure of national defense information and the potential impact on both U.S. and allied security strategies in volatile regions. Based on a report by CBS News 2024-11-15 -
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After A Lifetime Of Adventure, Why Is It Now So Hard To Pop Off?
Not forcing himself as such, that's the extreme end of the scale, maybe just doing it when not really horny, maybe having sex with somone that doesn't turn him on enough anymore -
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Racism or "just" bad behavior at Pattaya City Hospital?
Change hospital. Always been treated well in hospitals in Pattaya and nongkhai. But had my wallet tapped up in one hospital in pattaya. wonder what one that was. -
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Racism or "just" bad behavior at Pattaya City Hospital?
Let me start by saying that this does not apply to all staff. Most are very nice. I visit said hospital about every two months for refills on high blood pressure medication. About six months ago, when I was going to register, I was waiting in line. When it was my turn, the registrar looked up at me, pointed, and said, "Go and stand last in line". There were 8 to 10 Thais behind me. He refused to register me unless I waited until the Thais were registered. On November 14, it was again time to refill medicine. This is not a complicated procedure, the effective time from when I register until I receive and pay for the medicine is about 10 minutes, of which two to three are at the doctor's (the doctor asks how I feel and then signs the prescription). This time the registration and the nurse's questions went quickly. As usual, I was referred to "station 4", where I assume that what the nurse at the previous station wrote down on the registration is transferred to a database. I left my document in a basket in front of the two nurses and one of them picked it up. Wait she said, and I waited for five hours to be exact. In the meantime, they let about 50 people who had come after me, in to the doctor. I approached the nurse and asked what was going on, sit down and wait a moment she said. I waited another half hour, then I went to the other nurse and said, give me my document. In front of her was a stack of about 10 documents for the next round to be admitted to the doctor, but mine wasn't there. She knew, however, without asking me for my name, immediately where it was. It was alone about a meter from the pile where it should have been several hours earlier. I took the document and went out with the words. There are more and better hospitals in the city. It cannot be blamed on unfortunate circumstances. In both cases, everyone involved knew very well what they were doing. Many, both foreigners and Thais, that I have spoken to about these events say that they have similar experiences from the same hospital. 60 years ago, Pattaya was an insignificant fishing village, now, thanks to tourism, it is a big city. Before the pandemic, tourism accounted for more than 21% of Thailand's GDP and it still accounts for a high proportion of Thailand's income, not least thanks to the foreigners who are permanent residents here. Unfortunately, some of the staff and management of the said hospital don't seem to understand that without us, Pattaya would degenerate back into a fishing village, because just like there are other hospitals in Pattaya, there are other places that can offer the same thing as Pattaya, but with a friendly attitude ( I look forward to an explanation of the behavior from the hospital management). -
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A Radical Experiment: How Elon Musk Could Shake Up Washington
The federal government is preparing for a major shift as one of Silicon Valley’s most renowned disruptors, Elon Musk, prepares to tackle bureaucracy at the highest level. President-elect Donald Trump announced that Musk would lead a new initiative called the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), intended to root out waste, fraud, and inefficiency across federal operations. The project is unprecedented, and questions remain about which parts of the government Musk’s new office will target and how seriously Washington will take the endeavor. Musk isn’t taking on this challenge alone. Joining him is Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech investor and outspoken MAGA supporter who recently ran against Trump in the GOP primary. Both Musk and Ramaswamy come from outside the D.C. establishment and bring a fresh perspective that has the potential to radically reshape federal bureaucracy. They plan to infuse their outsider mindset into the realm of government reform, approaching it with the same disruptive mindset that has shaped Musk’s ventures in technology and industry. Trump's announcement, shared on Truth Social, described the initiative in his characteristic grandiose terms, calling it potentially the “Manhattan Project” of the current era, with the power to “send shockwaves through the system.” Trump and Musk first publicly discussed the project during a live interview on X, where Trump had previously proposed cutting $2 trillion from the federal budget. The timeline or specifics of this proposed cut remain ambiguous; if it were to be achieved annually, it would mean substantial reductions that could encompass all non-entitlement spending, including even defense. The scope of such a cut would be unprecedented, raising questions about its feasibility and the extent to which Congress, including its more conservative members, would support such an ambitious goal. Musk’s influence in Washington, however, remains uncertain. While he has pledged to support candidates aligned with his views in upcoming Republican primaries through his political action committee (PAC), his early influence has shown mixed results. Notably, Musk’s preferred candidate for Senate majority leader, Rick Scott of Florida, lost out to Senator John Thune of South Dakota, a more established GOP figure. These early signs suggest that while Musk has the ambition to steer Congress toward his efficiency goals, his power to shape leadership decisions in Washington might be more limited than anticipated. Musk’s management style—famously intense and results-driven—could redefine federal oversight if applied broadly across government agencies. Known for his tough approach at X and Tesla, Musk is likely to push for similar stringent oversight in the federal sector. Environmental programs, labor initiatives, and spending on diversity, equity, and inclusion might all face scrutiny, given Musk’s prior public statements on such topics and his preference for lean, results-oriented budgets. Ramaswamy’s plans, meanwhile, are still developing. In a recent post on X, he announced a plan to crowdsource examples of government “waste, fraud … and abuse,” signaling that DOGE might actively engage the public in identifying areas for reform. This approach underscores the project’s outsider ethos, potentially inviting fresh perspectives on federal spending and encouraging public involvement in government oversight. While proponents of government efficiency may find the project intriguing, many remain skeptical. The scale of the proposed cuts and the radical approach Musk and Ramaswamy bring may prove challenging in a city where long-standing procedures and entrenched interests often slow down or block swift changes. For Washington, this venture represents a bold experiment, one that could transform federal bureaucracy—or falter under the weight of resistance from within. Based on a report by Politico 2024-11-15 -
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The Guardian Steps Back from Elon Musk’s Platform X Amid Content Concerns
The Guardian has announced its decision to stop posting from its official accounts on Elon Musk’s social media platform X, citing increasing concerns over the platform’s content. Formerly known as Twitter, the platform’s environment and approach to content moderation, particularly during the US election cycle, prompted the news organization to reconsider its engagement. The Guardian stated that “the benefits of being on the platform formerly called Twitter were now outweighed by the negatives,” explaining that the platform now hosts “often disturbing content.” In a message to readers, the Guardian announced, “We wanted to let readers know that we will no longer post on any official Guardian editorial accounts on the social media site X.” The Guardian had previously operated over 80 accounts on X, collectively followed by around 27 million users. Concerns over “far-right conspiracy theories and racism” have long troubled the Guardian regarding X, but the platform's handling of the US presidential election campaign brought their misgivings to a head. “This is something we have been considering for a while given the often disturbing content promoted or found on the platform, including far-right conspiracy theories and racism,” the Guardian said, adding that “the US presidential election campaign served only to underline what we have considered for a long time: that X is a toxic media platform and that its owner, Elon Musk, has been able to use its influence to shape political discourse.” The platform and Musk, who acquired it for $44 billion in 2022, have faced criticisms from anti-hate speech organizations and the EU over content moderation issues. A self-described “free speech absolutist,” Musk has allowed previously banned figures, such as conspiracy theorist Alex Jones, influencer Andrew Tate, and British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, to rejoin the platform. The Guardian clarified that readers could still share its articles on X, and the platform would occasionally feature in its live news coverage. Reporters would also continue to use X for news gathering, although official Guardian editorial accounts would be absent. Individual journalists, meanwhile, will be able to use X according to the outlet’s social media guidelines. The Guardian explained, “Social media can be an important tool for news organizations and help us to reach new audiences, but at this point X now plays a diminished role in promoting our work. Our journalism is available and open to all on our website and we would prefer people to come to theguardian.com and support our work there.” Responding to the news, Musk labeled the Guardian “irrelevant” and a “laboriously vile propaganda machine,” adding a touch of his characteristic, outspoken criticism to the ongoing public debate over his platform's direction and standards. Based on a report by The Guardian 2024-11-15
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