Science is meant to be logical, objective, and rooted in research and observable fact. It is how we learn and advance human knowledge. Wokeness -- and all the things that come with it -- is not rooted in facts, logic, or reason. It is based in emotions and feelings, and when it becomes the priority, it taints everything it touches. When you mix wokeness with science, you no longer get an objective discipline, but a quasi-religion. At the San Diego science museum, there's a 'Hall of Woke' demonstrating that reality. 1/🧵 Welcome to the Hall of Woke! The San Diego science museum opened its doors for December Nights and we took all the kids for the lights, food and fun. While the girls were using the restroom I was waiting in what appears to be the Hall of Woke - just outside. Get ready for... pic.twitter.com/zPoojAmQpG The post continues: Get ready for the ride. The wall was emblazoned with rainbows and portraits declaring: New Science! 'Queer and intersectional identities are revolutionizing how science gets done' Which is why 'science' says there are 57 genders, right? Or that there's no biological difference between male and female athletes? 2/ The hallway, featured a dozen of the craziest most aggressive intersectionality “science people” ever assembled. They even had a queer Sikh with a rainbow Turban: “To me, science is personal. I bring my multifaceted identity into the lab, and it informs the work I choose to do... pic.twitter.com/HWP09K7jgu Here's how intersectionality impacts science: To me, science is personal. I bring my multifaceted identity into the lab, and it informs the workI choose to do and the way in which I do it. I enjoy doing interdisciplinary work that combines different methods from neuropsychology and neuroimaging along with advanced quantitative approaches, and I think that this overall strategy comes from an understanding of individual people as layered. My expression of queerness is influenced by my Sikh values, which motivate me to be visible and work towards equity within science and beyond Science is directly at odds with equity. Nature, by design, is not equitable. You can have one or the other but not both. 3/ Then you come across the superhero known as shark-non-binary person! (They/Them pronouns on many posters). “Sharks and I share a similar story-we are both ambassadors of our own existence and we both fight against a dying world. As one of a handful of non-binary people of... pic.twitter.com/t4ndgXwDyN How does a shark-non-binary person see their role in science? As one of a handful of non-binary people of color in shark sciences, I continue to lead the way for diversity and inclusion in academia, not just out of passion, but survival. So scientific! 4/ Look, to each his/her/they/their own... but pretending that queerness informs a better scientific outcome is eye-rolling. It’s also annoying and also rans if I’m being honest. As Leftist Sam Harris notes: “With any luck, your sexuality with be the least interesting thing about... pic.twitter.com/sMgq2b6tFY Sam Harris is right on this. And, yes, believing 'queerness' helps scientific outcomes is eye-rolling: As Leftist Sam Harris notes: 'With any luck, your sexuality with be the least interesting thing about you. This next person hits all the notes of identity politics. If only she was disabled (sorry, differently abled): 'My journey to becoming a physicist wasn't easy. It took time for me to realize that if I don't fit the mold, I need to break the mold. I am a Black, Mexican, lesbian woman and proud of all the things that make me myself. My identity informs the physics that I do.' No, your identity can't 'inform' the physics you do. The formula for terminal velocity will always be the same, even if you're a Black Mexican lesbian. 5/ They couldn’t get this intersection Chief Technology Officer to smile. Based on the bio - she’s sadly angry at life it seems: “Feeling invisible in Silicon Valley and tired of suppressing the impact of repeated assaults against my Black, female, and queer identities, I decided... pic.twitter.com/vjxjprwXLX 'Repeated assaults.' Oh! Found her! The trifecta, double-ethnic lesbian disabled they/them! “I've lived my whole life outside of the status quo. I am a queer, disabled, woman of color, half Asian and half Latina. I look at each day as a chance to break down barriers and stereotypes that people hold... pic.twitter.com/M2VKqtiGJx The holy grail of intersectionality. I’m guessing this exhibit might be a few years old. I get the sense that this type of woke queer fanfare is becoming passé. Thoughts? I hid the names. I don’t want these guys to get harassed. I just find it incredibly illustrative of why the Left continues to lose Americans from... This is precisely why Americans are turning away from the Left. We hope it's become passé; that's long overdue.SCRANTON — Retailers across the region experienced strong seafood sales leading up to Christmas and expressed optimism for continued demand heading into New Year’s as prices leveled out and supply increased for most holiday favorites. Carl Pazzaglia, co-owner of South Side Seafood on Pittston Avenue in Scranton, noted supply has been good for everything expect king crab legs. “It got real expensive at the end of the year,” he said. “It wasn’t too bad until about three weeks to a month ago, then it really spiked. A lot has to do with the Russian embargo because a lot of king crab comes from Russia. Other than that, prices are pretty stable. Fish prices are good and shrimp prices have been great all year. In the middle of the year, they were probably the cheapest they’ve been in 15 years.” Pazzaglia added the recent cold weather didn’t stop customers from purchasing holiday delicacies. “Business has been strong,” he said. “It was 5 degrees and the line went down (the block) to the funeral home.” While the typical purchases are different for New Year’s, Pazzaglia expects another swarm of customers this week. “Christmas is a little different because of the seven fishes,” he said. “New Year’s is more shrimp, lobster, clams, scallops, and maybe swordfish or halibut – it’s more of the elite fish.” During more than three decades operating the shop with his brother, Pazzaglia developed a rapport with many people and enjoys cultivating new relationships. “We see a lot of the same faces and some of the kids who came in, now they’re in here with kids,” he said. Although the price of kind crab legs are up nearly $20 from last year, Pazzaglia feels customers understand the circumstances. “Last year, it was $36 a pound for the 6-9 lb. size and this year they’re $54.99,” he said. “The people have been patient – they understand we’re not gouging (them).” Mike Manzano, 56, of Scranton visited South Side Seafood on Christmas Eve to purchase clams, muscles, scallops, and calamari and though the costs were reasonable. “I think prices are just fine,” he said. “It seems about what I paid last year.” Jack Cooper, co-owner of Cooper’s Seafood House on North Washington Avenue in Scranton, also saw a big rush right before Christmas and expects the same in the days before New Year’s. “We’ve were real busy Monday and Tuesday,” he said. “Every year seems to be getting better. I don’t know why, but it is. I guess we’re getting more well known for it.” In addition to king crab legs and lobster tail, prepared foods including crabby pretzels, crab stuffed mushrooms, blue crab dip, seafood crepes, lobster mac and cheese also popular for New Year’s, Cooper said. The prices for soups and several types of fish – cod, haddock, sole, flounder, salmon, tuna – closely resemble last year however Cooper also noticed the jump in king crab legs – up at least $15 to $20 a pound to $55 for a 6-to-9 leg size, he said. “King crab really, really expensive, but it’s still selling, he said. “And, generally speaking, business is booming. People don’t seem to mind the increases on some of the products and we don’t raise prices unless we get prices raised on us.” Customers wait in the line at South Side Seafood in Scranton on Christmas Eve. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Seafood sits in the case at South Side Seafood Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Lobster tails are for sale at South Side Seafood in Scranton Tuesday, Dec. 24, 2024. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Customers wait in the line at South Side Seafood in Scranton on Christmas Eve. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Customers wait in the line at South Side Seafood in Scranton on Christmas Eve. (SEAN MCKEAG / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER) Mark Bradigan, director of operations for Gerrity’s, which operates 10 supermarkets throughout Lackawanna, Luzerne and Northampton counties, has found warm and cold water lobster tails are typically the best sellers for New Year’s and their price is comparable last year. Gerrity’s is selling 8-9 oz. lobster tails for $14.99 – up from $13.99 a year ago, Bradigan said. Also, the price of snow crab clusters is up slightly from last year but Bradigan stressed it’s down significantly from several years ago when supply was scarce. “We have 5-8 oz. snow crab clusters for $8.99 a pound,” he said. “Customers were paying $9.99 to $11.99 in previous years.” Fish, which typically serves as the main course for Christmas Eve, also has a place at the New Year’s table and prices are comparable to last year, Bradigan said. “We sell a lot of fillets for New Year’s,” he said. “I think a lot of people try to start the new year off right by trying to eat healthy. We see a jump in salmon and fresh haddock.” For Jim Nixon, vice president and general manager of Valley Seafood on North Washington Street in Wilkes-Barre, seafood sales have been even better than usual this holiday season. “There has been more people than normal coming in and besides the staples like fresh haddock, clams and shrimp, there have been a lot more cold water lobster tails sold,” he said. “People want quality items and they’re willing to pay whatever the price is for them.” Jewel Silfies, a sales associate for Adelphia Seafood in Pottsville, noticed customers stopping in earlier than usual to beat the Christmas rush to buy haddock, crab, shrimp and dry scallops. “Those are our hot ticket items,” she said. “It was a little bit slower paced this year because of the day Christmas fell. We had people coming out multiple days in advance instead of just the 23rd and 24th.” Chris Brugger, assistant manager for Valley Hometown Market in Sugarloaf Twp., believes better prices helped sales in December. “We had a strong Christmas week, as far as seafood,” he said. “It was the traditional haddock that we sell a lot of, cod, lobster tails. I felt like we were cheaper this year and supply was plentiful. We have everything and we didn’t run out of anything.” Brugger anticipates lobster and clams will sell well leading up to New Year’s. “Everything is stocked and ready for this week’s business,” he said.Shortly before sunrise on Wednesday, a shadowy figure shrouded in black stood quietly under the marquee of the historic Ziegfeld Theater in Midtown Manhattan, poised to raise the curtain on one of the city’s most sensational tales of cold-blooded murder, a murky motive and a frenzied manhunt for a mysterious killer. The masked murderer, who had been lying in wait on that cold, dark morning, finally spotted his quarry. He crept up behind UnitedHeathcare CEO Brian Thompson as he walked down W. 54th St. toward the Hilton hotel, and aimed a powerful pistol equipped with a silencer at the back of the unsuspecting insurance executive. The first bullet sent Thompson, 50, crumpling to the sidewalk. The gunman coolly cleared a jam in his pistol as he walked past his victim and fired two more times, leaving Thompson lying facedown on the grimy pavement. Thompson died at 7:12 a.m. after being rushed to Mount Sinai West Hospital. Within a matter of minutes, through a combination of careful planning and sheer luck, his killer walked into a bus terminal near the George Washington Bridge, preparing to board a bus heading out of the city. “We don’t know what bus he took and we’re working through the video with the Port Authority Police Department,” NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny said Friday. A whirlwind investigation of the seemingly ideologically motivated murder — a blood-soaked criticism of the cutthroat medical insurance industry — followed, slowly uncovering clues to the identity of the gunman and revealing a possible motive. But much remains a mystery. “Our thought is it could possibly be a disgruntled employee or a client,” Kenny said about the murder of Thompson, who was in town for a company-sponsored investors conference and was set to give a speech at the Hilton Hotel a couple of hours before he was slain. Four days after the murder, hundreds of NYPD detectives have recovered a tantalizing amount of information from witnesses and surveillance footage about the suspect’s actions leading up to Wednesday’s shooting, but so far his final destination is still unknown. The gunman arrived in New York City at Midtown’s Port Authority Bus Terminal on the night of Nov. 24. He immediately went to the Hilton — the scene of his future crime — before going to a HI New York City hostel on Amsterdam Ave. at 104th St. on the Upper West Side. On the morning of the killing, he left the hostel at 5:30 a.m. and rode a bike to W. 54th St. and Sixth Ave., where he was seen walking back and forth near the Hilton entrance. “While he’s walking around, he’s passing numerous New Yorkers going about their business,” Kenny said, bolstering the theory that the gunman was focused on one person: Thompson. After the caught-on-camera shooting , the gunman fled and was later seen on surveillance video riding a bicycle north on Sixth Ave. to Central Park. It’s believed he left the Big Apple behind him hours before cops released the first images of the masked shooter. At the scene, cops found three 9mm shell casings as well as a few live rounds that had been expelled from the pistol as the suspect freed a jam. The words “Delay,” “Deny,” and “Depose” — a supposed insurance industry mantra for delaying claims and maximizing profits — had been written on the ammunition with a Sharpie, police said. “We’re still in shock,” Thompson’s mother-in-law, Paulette Reveiz, told the Daily News hours after the health insurance CEO was killed. “The only thing I can say is he’s a good man. I can’t say anything else.” His wife, Paulette Thompson, told NBC News that the CEO had received threats before his trip to New York. “There had been some threats,” she told the TV station . “Basically, I don’t know, a lack of coverage? I don’t know details. I just know that he said there were some people that had been threatening him.” A cellphone was found near the scene and a bottle of water and a Kind bar wrapper handled by the gunman were found at a nearby Starbucks the gunman had visited shortly before the killing, and were taken in for DNA testing. But the fingerprints had “no value” and couldn’t be used to find an ID, Kenny said. During his 10 days in the city, the suspect never removed his black surgical mask, even when he ate in front of his roommates at the hostel, cops said. The biggest break the police got was on the night he arrived in the city where a flirtation with an employee at the hostel prompted the suspect to remove his mask and smile at the worker, providing police with a clear photo of the suspect. The image has been run through the NYPD’s facial recognition system, but has so far revealed no hits, Kenny said. Thompson, a father of two and valedictorian of his 1997 class at the University of Iowa, lived in Maple Grove, Minn., near the Minnetonka, Minn. headquarters of UnitedHealth Group. Thompson began at the company in 2004, working on mergers and acquisitions. He steadily climbed through the ranks at the insurance giant, acting as chief financial officer for one division and chief executive officer of another before being named CEO of UnitedHealthcare in April 2021. In 2023, Thompson’s total compensation was $10.2 million, including base pay, stock awards and cash incentives, according to a statement of executive pay from the company. His murder triggered a torrent of rage-filled reactions on social media , most of them expressing contempt and dissatisfaction with the health insurance industry he represented. “When you shoot one man in the street it’s murder,” one person wrote on X. “When you kill thousands of people in hospitals by taking away their ability to get treatment you’re an entrepreneur.” On Thursday night, UnitedHealth Group issued an updated statement on Thompson’s murder, thanking the “caring people” who have offered their condolences and asking for privacy for Thompson’s family. “While our hearts are broken, we have been touched by the huge outpouring of kindness and support in the hours since this horrific crime took place.” “Our priorities are, first and foremost, supporting Brian’s family; ensuring the safety of our employees; and working with law enforcement to bring the perpetrator to justice.” The FBI, which has been helping the NYPD in their investigation from the beginning late Friday, posted a $50,000 reward for information leading to the gunman’s capture — a gunman who, by now, could be anywhere. As the manhunt went national, detectives will be looking into every nugget of information that comes their way on this case, Kenny said. “We have teams specifically assigned to vet and investigate, as weird as some of them are, as detailed as some of them are,” he said. “We will vet and investigate every tip.” With Rocco ParascandolaDemocrat Jamie Raskin is running for top Judiciary post in bid to counter Trump

Brookfield Infrastructure Partners L.P. stock falls Monday, underperforms marketNEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks pulled Wall Street to another record amid mixed trading. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% Monday after closing November at an all-time high. The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 0.3%, and the Nasdaq composite gained 1%. Super Micro Computer, a stock that’s been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared after saying an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or the company’s board. Retailers were mixed coming off Black Friday and heading into what’s expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record. Treasury yields held relatively steady in the bond market. THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below. NEW YORK (AP) — Technology stocks are pulling Wall Street toward another record amid mixed trading on Monday. The S&P 500 rose 0.2% in afternoon trading after closing its best month of the year at an all-time high . The Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 86 points, or 0.2%, with a little more than an hour remaining in trading, while the Nasdaq composite was 0.9% higher. Super Micro Computer, a stock that’s been on an AI-driven roller coaster, soared 31.1% to lead the market. Following accusations of misconduct and the resignation of its public auditor , the maker of servers used in artificial-intelligence technology said an investigation found no evidence of misconduct by its management or by the company's board. It also said it doesn’t expect to restate its past financials and that it will find a new chief financial officer, appoint a general counsel and make other moves to strengthen its governance. Big Tech stocks also helped prop up the market. Gains of 1.8% for Microsoft and 2.9% for Meta Platforms were the two strongest forces pushing upward on the S&P 500. Intel was another propellant during the morning, but it lost an early gain to fall 1.1% after the chip company said CEO Pat Gelsinger has retired and stepped down from the board. Intel is looking for Gelsinger’s replacement, and its chair said it’s “committed to restoring investor confidence.” Intel recently lost its spot in the Dow Jones Industrial Average to Nvidia, which has skyrocketed in Wall Street's frenzy around AI. Stellantis, meanwhile, skidded following the announcement of its CEO’s departure . Carlos Tavares steps down after nearly four years in the top spot of the automaker, which owns car brands like Jeep, Citroën and Ram, amid an ongoing struggle with slumping sales and an inventory backlog at dealerships. The world’s fourth-largest automaker’s stock fell 6.3% in Milan. The majority of stocks in the S&P 500 likewise fell, including California utility PG&E. It dropped 3.7% after saying it would sell $2.4 billion of stock and preferred shares to raise cash. Retailers were mixed amid what’s expected to be the best Cyber Monday on record and coming off Black Friday . Target, which recently gave a forecast for the holiday season that left investors discouraged , fell 1.6%. Walmart , which gave a more optimistic forecast, rose 0.3%. Amazon, which looks to benefit from online sales from Cyber Monday, climbed 1.3%. The stock market largely took Donald Trump’s latest threat on tariffs in stride. The president-elect on Saturday threatened 100% tariffs against a group of developing economies if they act to undermine the U.S. dollar. Trump said he wants the group, headlined by Brazil, Russia, India and China, to promise it won’t create a new currency or otherwise try to undercut the U.S. dollar. The dollar has long been the currency of choice for global trade. Speculation has also been around a long time that other currencies could knock it off its mantle, but no contender has come close. The U.S. dollar’s value rose Monday against several other currencies, but one of its strongest moves likely had less to do with the tariff threats. The euro fell amid a political battle in Paris over the French government’s budget . The euro sank 0.7% against the U.S. dollar and broke below $1.05. In the bond market, Treasury yields gave up early gains to hold relatively steady. The yield on the 10-year Treasury climbed above 4.23% during the morning before falling back to 4.19%. That was just above its level of 4.18% late Friday. A report in the morning showed the U.S. manufacturing sector contracted again last month, but not by as much as economists expected. This upcoming week will bring several big updates on the job market, including the October job openings report, weekly unemployment benefits data and the all-important November jobs report. They could steer the next moves for Federal Reserve, which recently began pulling interest rates lower to give support to the economy. Economists expect Friday's headliner report to show U.S. employers accelerated their hiring in November, coming off October's lackluster growth that was hampered by damaging hurricanes and strikes. “We now find ourselves in the middle of this Goldilocks zone, where economic health supports earnings growth while remaining weak enough to justify potential Fed rate cuts,” according to Mark Hackett, chief of investment research at Nationwide. In financial markets abroad, Chinese stocks led gains worldwide as monthly surveys showed improving conditions for manufacturing, partly driven by a surge in orders ahead of Trump’s inauguration next month. Both official and private sector surveys of factory managers showed strong new orders and export orders, possibly partly linked to efforts by importers in the U.S. to beat potential tariff hikes by Trump once he takes office. Indexes rose 0.7% in Hong Kong and 1.1% in Shanghai. AP Business Writers Matt Ott and Elaine Kurtenbach contributed.

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There are many suspects thought to be involved in the case of a luxury resort built on land reserved for landless farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima and Saraburi, said Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) yesterday. The plot, which is 50 to 60 rai in size, was confiscated by the Agricultural Land Reform Office before being occupied and utilised by Phunubdao2021 Co, the resort operator, said Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat. He said four people were arrested and prosecuted in 2015 for encroaching on the agricultural land. Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat said the president of an unnamed company has been found involved in this case as he serves as chairman of the company's board, which uses agricultural land for the wrong purpose. He confirmed being aware of findings from a probe into the money trail in the unlawful resort operation, which pointed to a link between the illegal business operation and a close associate of a big name in politics. Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat, however, said he couldn't offer more details about this part of the luxury resort case because the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) was responsible for naming the people suspected of being involved. When asked how many people the police suspected were involved, he said, "Many." Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat said the police had already raided the resort and asked its operator to supply investigators with documents about permission to use the land for operating the resort business, to which the latter has yet to respond. Chatchai Kaewbootta, CEO of Srisawad Corporation Plc, meanwhile, dismissed media reports that his company might be involved with the illegal luxury resort operation in some way. Responding to questions raised over several transactions made by Srisawad Corporation's sister company to some parties suspected of being involved with the resort operation, Mr Chatchai said the transactions in question were a part of the payment totalling 1.45 billion baht to various investors who had invested in the company's corporate bond called SAWAD236C, between Jan 27, 2021, and June 13, 2023. Mr Chatchai also threatened legal action against anyone who publicly linked his company to the luxury resort scandal.Gary Lineker has been accused of “shameful contempt for women” after expressing support for an article attacking Israel in the newspaper. posted “This” on X alongside headlined ‘Sport may be a blunt tool of social change, but it’s time to take a stand against Israel’. Women’s sport campaigners have reacted with outrage at the political post which comes as against football’s failure to stop biological males playing in the women’s game. The BBC’s best-paid presenter, who next summer, failed to respond to hundreds of requests to address the issue – including from nine-time Wimbledon champion – after inviting potential questions for his podcast a fortnight ago. However, on Friday Lineker waded into another febrile political debate as he endorsed the thoughts of his favoured journalist Liew, who had written “even if sport is a blunt and pointless tool of social change, it must nonetheless be deployed” against Israel. “Because there remains – even in this warped, f----- fairground mirror of a world – a thing called right and a thing called wrong,” says the article. In response to the link posted on Lineker’s X account, Mara Yamauchi, who holds the fifth-fastest marathon time for a British woman in history, wrote: “I can’t believe you are promoting Liew who thinks every female Olympic gold won by a man would be fine. Thousands asked you to cover males in the F category in your podcast. You didn’t. I used to respect you. Now I see you are yet another man who has contempt for females. Shameful!” Emma Hilton, a developmental biologist and Sex Matters trustee, added: “When is it time to stand up for women, Gary? Liew said that if every podium place in an Olympic competition was taken by a transwoman, that would be inspiring. You OK with that? You had about a thousand people asking you to talk about males in women’s football and you’ve said, by my count, precisely nothing.” Liew has himself previously come under attack from women’s sport campaigners, having expressed concern over what he perceived as attacks on the transgender community in . “Let’s say the floodgates do open,” he wrote. “Let’s say transgender athletes pour into women’s sport, and let’s say, despite the flimsy and poorly-understood relationship between testosterone and elite performance, they dominate everything they touch. They sweep up grand-slam tennis titles and cycling world championships. They monopolise the Olympics. They fill our football and cricket and netball teams. Why would that be bad? Really? Imagine the power of a trans child or teenager seeing a trans athlete on the top step of the Olympic podium. In a way, it would be inspiring.” Lineker spoke this summer on his podcast of his admiration for Liew’s journalism. The former England striker also previously declared “cut out the divisive nonsense” as he expressed agreement in 2022 with former defence secretary Grant Shapps who suggested that transgender people should “be able to get on and live their lives”. When he came under attack from campaigners at the time, Lineker wrote on social media that his comment referred to “the war on woke and not any specific subject”. However, he has yet to address the issue at all this year amid mounting concern at an alleged absence of Football Association safeguards. Many critics have cited coverage of a for questioning during a grass-roots match whether an opponent was “a man”. Lineker, who was at the centre of , steps down from the broadcaster’s flagship show at the end of this season. He will continue presenting FA Cup coverage and will also front the World Cup 2026 coverage as part of an 18-month reduced-rate contract extension, however.

Iowa's O hopes to stay hot vs. defense-minded Northwestern

Shumate's 22 help McNeese beat Div. III-LeTourneau 103-69There are many suspects thought to be involved in the case of a luxury resort built on land reserved for landless farmers in Nakhon Ratchasima and Saraburi, said Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat Pankaew, deputy commissioner of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) yesterday. The plot, which is 50 to 60 rai in size, was confiscated by the Agricultural Land Reform Office before being occupied and utilised by Phunubdao2021 Co, the resort operator, said Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat. He said four people were arrested and prosecuted in 2015 for encroaching on the agricultural land. Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat said the president of an unnamed company has been found involved in this case as he serves as chairman of the company's board, which uses agricultural land for the wrong purpose. He confirmed being aware of findings from a probe into the money trail in the unlawful resort operation, which pointed to a link between the illegal business operation and a close associate of a big name in politics. Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat, however, said he couldn't offer more details about this part of the luxury resort case because the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) was responsible for naming the people suspected of being involved. When asked how many people the police suspected were involved, he said, "Many." Pol Maj Gen Jaroonkiat said the police had already raided the resort and asked its operator to supply investigators with documents about permission to use the land for operating the resort business, to which the latter has yet to respond. Chatchai Kaewbootta, CEO of Srisawad Corporation Plc, meanwhile, dismissed media reports that his company might be involved with the illegal luxury resort operation in some way. Responding to questions raised over several transactions made by Srisawad Corporation's sister company to some parties suspected of being involved with the resort operation, Mr Chatchai said the transactions in question were a part of the payment totalling 1.45 billion baht to various investors who had invested in the company's corporate bond called SAWAD236C, between Jan 27, 2021, and June 13, 2023. Mr Chatchai also threatened legal action against anyone who publicly linked his company to the luxury resort scandal.

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A South Korean man has been found guilty of dodging his required military service after he binge ate for several months in hopes of becoming too obese to serve in a combat role. The 26-year-old, whose name was not released, was sentenced to a year in prison over the scheme, the Telegraph reported . The man sought help from a friend who provided him with a high-calorie meal plan to reach a body mass index (BMI) high enough to be dismissed for combat roles. “The defendant acknowledged his wrongdoing and expressed a commitment to fulfilling his military duty ‚” said the Seoul eastern district court, local media reported. It’s unclear how authorities became aware of the binge-eating man’s plan. Men in the country under the age of 30 are required to fulfill two years of military service. Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL) claimed he and President Joe Biden ’s national security advisor Jake Sullivan are “are hand in glove,” collaborating on national security issues during the transition. “Jake Sullivan and I have had discussions, we’ve met,” Waltz said on Fox News Sunday . “For our adversaries out there that think this is a time of opportunity, that they can play one administration off the other — they are wrong.” The Florida representative was tapped by President-elect Donald Trump to be his national security advisor on Nov. 11. He is the first Green Beret to serve in Congress. Waltz’s conversation with Sullivan was first reported by Axios on Saturday. Sources say the pair discussed the ongoing wars in Gaza and Ukraine. Last week, Biden approved Kyiv’s use of anti-personnel landmines , a decision Waltz equated to “World War I trench warfare.” He added “We need to bring this to a responsible end. We need to restore deterrence and peace and get ahead of this escalation later rather than responding to it.” The downsides of the gym include the lingering smell, the wait for weights, and the nagging feeling that others might be silently judging your form or how much you’re lifting. Johnson Fitness & Wellness’ Matrix Bundle gives you a full gym experience in the comfort of your own home. This package includes adjustable dumbbells, a bench, and a dumbbell storage rack. The star of this bundle is the adjustable dumbbell set , which makes getting a complete workout smoother than you ever imagined. With a twist of the textured metal handles, you can adjust the weight in precise five-pound increments up to a maximum of 50 pounds, replacing a bulky set of traditional weights. Plus, the flat-bottom design keeps the dumbbells steady, so they won’t roll away between reps. Also included in this bundle are an adjustable bench and dumbbell storage rack . This sleek bench provides exceptional stability for a wide range of exercises, like dumbbell presses, incline rows, and Bulgarian split squats. It easily stores upright to save floor space. The storage rack keeps your new dumbbells elevated for easy access and a clutter-free workout space. Free Shipping If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission. Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte said Saturday that she hired an assassin to kill the country’s president, his wife and the speaker of the House of Representatives if she turns up dead. “I’ve given my order, ‘If I die, don’t stop until you’ve killed them.’ And he said, ’yes,’” the vice president told a shocked news conference. Officials said they considered her words, aimed at President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., “serious and a matter of national security.” Duterte and Marcos ran together on a unity ticket in 2022 only to have a bitter falling out that saw her resign from his cabinet. The vice president takes over if the president dies and serves the rest of their term, according to the Philippine Constitution. Duterte is the daughter of controversial former President Rodrigo Duterte, who encouraged the execution-style extrajudicial murders of drug users and alleged criminals and who admitted to running his own “death squad” when he was mayor of Davao City. House leaders called for a probe into Duterte’s threat on Sunday. British popstar Adele gave a teary farwell to the audience at her 100th and final Las Vegas show Saturday night. The “Easy on Me” singer expressed sorrow to see the end of her lengthy residency at the 4,000-capacity Colosseum at Caesars Palace and said she doesn’t know when she’ll next play live. “I’m so sad this residency is over but I am so glad that it happened, I really, really am,” she told the crowd, videos posted from the concert show. “I will miss it terribly, I will miss you terribly. I don’t know when I next want to perform again.” The London-born singer, 36, was set to begin her Vegas residency in January 2022 before a Covid outbreak among crew pushed it back to later in the year. She played every Friday and Saturday. “I’m not doing anything else, I’m actually sh—ing myself about what I am going to do,” she joked to the audience. “I don’t have any f—ing plans.” "I will miss it terribly and I will miss you terribly. I don't know when, I'm gonna next perform again". #WeekendsWithAdele pic.twitter.com/qSAlx3p20o One of the best parts of traveling is all the new and exciting cuisines you can try. But with all the chaos of a new environment, it can be all too easy to miss out on delicious dishes. Eating Europe Food Tours ensures this doesn’t happen with meticulously planned and award-winning tours led by fun, local guides across sixteen different cities including Rome , Lisbon , Paris , and Florence . Its Twilight Trastevere , Undiscovered Lisbon , and Sunset Florence tours are among some of Eating Europe Food Tours best sellers. These tours immerse you in both the flavors and rich culture of the local scene. Booking one is easy: head to Eating Europe Food Tours , select your destination city, and explore a variety of exciting tour options waiting for you. There are day tours, evening excursions, family-friendly adventures, and private tours with exclusive access to famous restaurants. The tours typically last three to four hours and always have a meeting point within easy reach of public transportation. All food and drinks are included in the price of the tour. Whether you’re traveling solo or with a group, Eating Europe Food Tours offers a fun way to step beyond the typical tourist experience. Book on Eating Europe Food Tours’ website and get a code for 10% off a second tour. If you buy something from this post, we may earn a small commission. A 69-year-old Lithuanian man was forced to undergo an emergency leg amputation during a 20-hour rescue operation in the Tasmanian wilderness. The man, who remains in critical condition, arrived at Tasmania’s Royal Hobart hospital on Sunday. He had been participating in a multi-day rafting trip with a group of tourists on the Franklin River when he slipped on a rock, becoming partially submerged and trapped in a crevice where he remained for nearly 20 hours. Mitch Parkinson, an intensive care flight paramedic who responded to the scene told The Guardian that the predicament was “the most challenging case that I have ever taken part in.” One surf lifesaver described the man as “wedged like an hourglass.” He and other rescuers tried freeing him using ropes and pulleys, eventually deploying airbags and hydraulic tools to try to shift the submerged rocks that were pinning the man. “The focus of the entire evening was ensuring that [amputation] was the absolute last resort,” Parkinson said. Deciding to amputate , he added “was not a discussion or decision that was made lightly.” The trapped man spoke only broken English, but his Lithuanian friends helped to supply him with hot drinks and meals during the rescue. A Lithuanian doctor in the tour group was able to act as a translator. Chuck Woolery, the legendary host of the dating show “Love Connection,” has died at 83. The veteran television personality, who was the original host of “Wheel of Fortune,” died at his home in Texas Saturday after experiencing trouble breathing, TMZ reported . His friend, Mark Young, also confirmed the news, writing on X, “It is with a broken heart that I tell you that my dear brother @chuckwoolery has just passed away. Life will not be the same without him, RIP brother.” In 1983, Woolery kicked off his 11-year stint as the host of the famed dating show, “Love Connection,” where he became known for telling viewers before the commercial break, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds.” Other notable television gigs included hosting the shows “Lingo,” “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Show.” TikTok is looking to Elon Musk for insight into the controversial app’s future ahead of Donald Trump ’s coming administration. Musk, who is one of the president-elect’s closest confidants, also owns rival platform X. According to the Wall Street Journal , Shou Chew, chief executive of the popular video sharing app, began reaching out to Musk in recent weeks. He and and executives at TikTok’s parent company, Chinese tech giant ByteDance, see the Tesla CEO as a potential point of contact in the White House amid TikTok’s impending ban in the United States due to national security concerns. While sources familiar with the conversations say Chew has not explicitly asked Musk how to keep TikTok operating in the U.S., he has engaged with the billionaire on topics like Trump’s potential tech policy. ByteDance executives are reportedly cautiously optimistic about the conversations. Earlier this year, however, President Joe Biden signed a law banning TikTok if ByteDance doesn’t divest itself of the platform by mid-January. In May, TikTok filed a federal lawsuit arguing the new law violates the free-speech rights of its users. Kansas City Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes will have to pony up $14,069 after the NFL fined him for unsportsmanlike conduct. According to NBC Sports, the fine stems from a “violent” gesture Mahomes made last Sunday during a touchdown celebration in a game against the Buffalo Bills. The Bills would go on to win the game, ending the Chiefs’ winning streak. A video posted to X by sports reporter Tom Pelissero shows the moment in question. In the clip, Mahomes can be seen making finger guns with both hands and pointing towards the crowd. Mahomes has yet to comment on the fine. Unfortunately for the three-time Super Bowl champion, this isn’t his first fine for conduct on the field. He was previously fined $50,000 for yelling at a game official in 2023 during another game against the Bills. “I had outbursts on the sideline and everybody saw it on a big game, and so there’s going to be consequences to that,” ESPN reports Mahomes said at the time. The NFL fined #Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes $14,069 for unsportsmanlike conduct (violent gesture) as he celebrated a touchdown pass last week in Buffalo ... pic.twitter.com/dXgnmYJSYp Scouted selects products independently. If you purchase something from our posts, we may earn a small commission. As any true audiophile already knows, Amazon Music Unlimited has long been a reliable destination for an elevated listening experience. With millions of high-quality songs and an unparalleled collection of top ad-free podcasts, the platform’s catalog is curated to capture both your attention and your imagination. Now, Amazon is raising the bar with an exciting update: Audible is officially joining Amazon Music Unlimited, cementing the brand’s status as an all-in-one audio hub . Audible’s industry-leading catalog of audiobooks features an expansive selection of can’t-miss bestsellers, hot-off-the-press exclusives, and timeless classics to immerse yourself in. As an Amazon Music Unlimited subscriber, you’ll be free to select one book each month (of any length) and listen to it directly in the Amazon Music app . Whether you’re a fiction buff ready to dive into a thrilling new adventure or a non-fiction enthusiast looking to expand your horizons, Audible’s expansive collection is sure to have the right title that matches your tastes. Plus, when you’re ready to take a break from the book, you can seamlessly swap back to your favorite tunes and podcast episodes —all without having to leave the app. It’s all the audio that you’ll ever need, all in one place! Best of all, this game-changing update is arriving just in time for the holiday season: start a new subscription , and enjoy your first three months of Amazon Music Unlimited, completely for free. Audio art, conversation, and storytelling—all in one place. What’s not to love? Sign up today and get lost in the sound . Just days after Liam Payne’s funeral, Zayn Malik paid tribute to the late One Direction member at his concert in Leeds. X user @nandiscaya captured the tribute and posted the emotional video to X. In it, a large screen displays Payne’s name along with his birth and death year and a message that reads, “Love you bro.” Fans can be heard screaming as the song “Stardust” begins to play. Malik and his band clear the stage as the tune from his latest album is played and sung aloud by emotional concertgoers. Fans can be heard sobbing and breaking down in the audience. The 31-year-old musician first responded to Payne’s death in an Instagram post last month with a throwback photo of the two sleeping. The remaining four One Direction members paid their respects to Payne on Wednesday at his funeral service in Amersham. His burial came more than a month after he fatally fell from a hotel balcony in Argentina. Zayn Malik's tribute to Liam Payne at the end of his first concert of the tour while playing Stardust I'm shaking and crying pic.twitter.com/ZojybxjGXa President-elect Donald Trump announced Saturday that he has chosen Brooke Rollins to be the latest United States secretary of agriculture. In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump writes that Rollins previously served on his 2016 Economic Advisory Council and was the director of the Domestic Policy Council during his first term. Rollins, an attorney, got a degree in agricultural development from Texas A&M University and currently runs the America First Policy Institute, a nonprofit aiming to implement Trump’s policies. Also, in his post, Trump says, “Brooke will spearhead the effort to protect American farmers, who are truly the backbone of our country.” In her new role, Rollins will be tasked with running the USDA, a department with 100,000 employees that farmers depend on. In an Instagram post, Rollins thanked Trump for her appointment. “It will be the honor of my life to fight for America’s farmers and our Nation’s agricultural communities,” she wrote. A post shared by Brooke Rollins (@brookelrollins)California to consider requiring mental health warnings on social media sites

Subscribe to our newsletter Privacy Policy Success! Your account was created and you’re signed in. Please visit My Account to verify and manage your account. An account was already registered with this email. Please check your inbox for an authentication link. Support Independent Arts Journalism As an independent publication, we rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, consider becoming a member today . Already a member? Sign in here. We rely on readers like you to fund our journalism. If you value our coverage and want to support more of it, please join us as a member . CHARLOTTESVILLE, Virginia — “Vanity” is one of those words freighted with cultural baggage, from the Bible (“all is vanity”) to philosophy (“Vanity is the fear of appearing original,” per Nietzsche) to literature (Ezra Pound’s “Pull down thy vanity”). At an exhibition of photographs by Holly Wright at the Fralin Museum of Art, the word takes on connotations from “vain” to “vanitas.” Holly Wright: Vanity opens with the titular series of photographs, 10 close-ups of the artist’s hands from 1985 to ’88. Is it vain to photograph one’s hands? Perhaps, but without a nearby wall text, you might be hard-pressed to make out exactly what part of the body you’re looking at. Using various blurring effects, Wright highlights creases, cracks, and folds, transforming them into fleshy abstractions. These can be somewhat unsettling. An image of four fingernails seemingly pressed into skin, for instance, might be read as teeth. Two photos subtitled “Black Hole” feature deep wells of darkness within the tight universe of the hand. In the 1993 series Poetry , Wright offers contact sheet-like arrangements of photos of the mouth of her husband, Charles Wright, in mid-recitation. In these close-ups, the Pulitzer Prize-winning former United States Poet Laureate is reduced to, well, a mouthpiece, his lips, sometimes in partial shadow, forming words we cannot hear. Although these stop-action takes can be fascinating, these works certainly “pull down [his] vanity.” Get the latest art news, reviews and opinions from Hyperallergic. Daily Weekly Opportunities The poet also appeared in another Wright series, True Saints (1980–84), which features portraits of friends and family playing the parts of biblical figures. “My particular interest,” the artist once said of these enactments , “is role-playing and self-images, what is real and what is authentic faking.” This makes for a nice segue to the third series in the show, Final Portraits (1980–1983). For these full-length studies, Wright asked her subjects to consider how they might greet death — how they would look, what they would wear, etc. In “Vivian and Bob Folkenflik” (1983) the eponymous couple lies side by side, loosely holding hands, ready to meet their maker with what appears to be open-eyed steadfastness. The details pull you in: her sandals, his wrinkled-at-the-knees pants, the leaf pattern of the sheet upon which they lie. For his earthly finale, the Wrights’ son, Luke, chose to arm himself with rifle, hatchet, and knife, his small body stretched out on the ground in a chilling vanitas image of death amidst life. Holly Wright: Vanity continues at the Fralin Museum of Art through January 5, 2025. The exhibition was curated by Hannah Cattarin and M. Jordan Love . We hope you enjoyed this article! Before you keep reading, please consider supporting Hyperallergic ’s journalism during a time when independent, critical reporting is increasingly scarce. Unlike many in the art world, we are not beholden to large corporations or billionaires. Our journalism is funded by readers like you , ensuring integrity and independence in our coverage. We strive to offer trustworthy perspectives on everything from art history to contemporary art. We spotlight artist-led social movements, uncover overlooked stories, and challenge established norms to make art more inclusive and accessible. With your support, we can continue to provide global coverage without the elitism often found in art journalism. If you can, please join us as a member today . Millions rely on Hyperallergic for free, reliable information. By becoming a member, you help keep our journalism free, independent, and accessible to all. Thank you for reading. Share Copied to clipboard Mail Bluesky Threads LinkedIn FacebookProperty Cards Distribution Under Swamitva Scheme in 376 Villages of Nagpur Division Today

Rebel forces in Syria have made significant gains on the outskirts of Damascus, with questions are swirling about the whereabouts of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who has remained conspicuously absent from public view amid the growing challenge to his rule. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Sunday that Assad may have fled Syria, citing sources that claim he departed via Damascus International Airport after a series of rapid and surprising territorial losses to advancing rebel forces. This information, however, has not been independently verified by international agencies, deepening the mystery surrounding Assad’s current location and the stability of his regime. Where is Assad? Speculation over Assad's possible whereabouts has intensified, with some reports suggesting he may have traveled to Russia or Jordan, though these claims have not been confirmed. Flight records from Damascus are being carefully scrutinised. While the Syrian government has denied any reports of his departure and insisted that he remains in the capital, Assad has not made any public appearances for several days, fuelling further rumours. Web Development A Comprehensive ASP.NET Core MVC 6 Project Guide for 2024 By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Java 21 Essentials for Beginners: Build Strong Programming Foundations By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Web Development Advanced Java Mastery: Object-Oriented Programming Techniques By - Metla Sudha Sekhar, IT Specialist and Developer View Program Strategy Succession Planning Masterclass By - Nigel Penny, Global Strategy Advisor: NSP Strategy Facilitation Ltd. 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The departure, if confirmed, marks a significant shift in the ongoing conflict, as Assad's regime faces its most serious challenges in years. Rebels rise in Syria Rebel factions have made rapid advances through western Syria, capturing key cities such as Homs and Aleppo. As a result, the government now controls only a few major urban centers, including Damascus, Latakia, and Tartus. The fall of other strategic locations and symbols of Assad’s power, including monuments dedicated to his late father and brother, has underscored the erosion of the regime’s once formidable strongholds. Despite efforts to maintain a "ring of steel" around the capital, rebel forces continue to push closer to Damascus, weakening the government’s control in the region. With Assad's forces increasingly stretched thin, some of his staunchest allies, including Hezbollah fighters, have begun to pull back. Reports indicate that many Hezbollah members have vacated key positions in and around Damascus and Homs, with some relocating to Latakia or even returning to Lebanon. Iranian support for Assad has also waned, as Tehran contends with other regional commitments. Why is Syria on the brink again? The conflict in Syria, which began as a popular uprising calling for reform, has become increasingly sectarian. Assad, an Alawite, has cast himself as a protector of minorities, particularly against Sunni extremist factions. However, the rise of groups like Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), with links to al-Qaeda, has exacerbated sectarian divisions, despite efforts from the rebels to present themselves as defenders of Syria's diverse communities. As Assad's allies—mainly Shiite militias supported by Iran—continue to back him, the sectarian fault lines have deepened, particularly as Sunni-led states such as Turkey and Qatar have sided with opposition forces. Iran, which has repeatedly declared Assad’s survival as a "red line" in the region, has faced increasing difficulties in sustaining its military and financial support for Syria due to its own involvement in other regional conflicts. The “red line” of Assad's survival While Iran has vowed to ensure Assad's survival, the United States and other Western powers have been unable to enforce their own red lines in the conflict. The Obama administration’s failure to act after a 2013 sarin gas attack that killed hundreds of civilians marked a turning point, although Moscow brokered the destruction of Syria’s chemical weapons stockpile in the aftermath. Subsequent gas attacks, including a 2017 strike, prompted limited U.S. retaliation, but no decisive action against Assad's regime. Assad has consistently denied government involvement in chemical weapons attacks, further complicating international efforts to hold the regime accountable for its actions. As the war continues to evolve, the fate of President Assad remains uncertain, with the Syrian people and the international community anxiously awaiting clarity on the next chapter of Syria’s devastating civil war. (With inputs from agencies) (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel )