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where is 7 clans casino located Nominees for Trump's administration continue to make their rounds on Capitol Hill, where they've been holding meetings and courting favor for days. Kash Patel, President-elect Donald Trump's nominee to direct the FBI, was in meetings with lawmakers the same day that current Director Chris Wray announced he would resign at the end of President Biden's term. Patel met with Sen. Ron Johnson, a Republican from Wisconsin, on Wednesday. Before the meeting, he told reporters he was ready to begin work immediately if he's confirmed. Wray's departure may make Patel's path to confirmation easier. And some Republican Senators have told Scripps News they see no reason their colleagues would object to Patel's nomination during confirmation hearings. "I think this is a great development," Sen. Josh Hawley, R-MO, told reporters. "I think this is long overdue and much needed. I look forward to confirming his successor." "I don't know what the opposition to Kash Patel really is," Hawley said. "I understand he is a conservative, and I understand my liberal colleagues don't like that. But a conservative just won the election." RELATED STORY | FBI Director Christopher Wray says he will resign at the end of Biden's term Meanwhile, Pete Hegseth, Trump's nominee for secretary of defense, continues to meet with lawmakers. There is not as much discussion of potentially replacing Hegseth as the nominee as there was last week. Sen. Susan Collins told reporters on Wednesday that she had asked Hegseth numerous questions about allegations of sexual assault. His comments on Wednesday also suggested his stance on women serving in the military has shifted. Before he was nominated to be secretary of defense, Hegseth made comments on the Shawn Ryan Show Podcast that women do not belong in combat roles. “I’m straight up just saying we should not have women in combat roles. It hasn’t made us more effective. Hasn’t made us more lethal. Has made fighting more complicated,” he said at the time. On Wednesday, Hegseth told reporters "I look forward to being a leader for every single member of this Pentagon, men and women."I flew business class from Australia with Vietnam Airlines. Here's what you can expect What is it really like to fly business class with Vietnam Airlines? READ MORE: I upgraded to business class for $25 and have done it on the cheap three times. Here's how to do it By TITA SMITH FOR DAILY MAIL AUSTRALIA Published: 23:50, 11 December 2024 | Updated: 23:59, 11 December 2024 e-mail View comments The trade-offs for overseas travel are all too familiar: sleep deprivation, long waits in lines, and (if you're unlucky) being stuck in close quarters among fellow passengers with questionable hygiene practices. But those acquainted with the cabin at the front of the plane know how all of these lowlights can be bypassed with a top-tier ticket. While travelling in business class is a luxury many people cannot afford, I was lucky to have the opportunity to recently do just that on a Vietnam Airlines Airbus 350 from Sydney to Hanoi. Here is the lowdown on the perks - and why it will be difficult to travel in economy ever again. Check-in The business class experience starts from the moment you arrive at the check-in desk. While check-in queues can be notoriously long, a business class booking allows you to join the express line, where you are given an entry ticket to the exclusive SkyTeam Lounge to kick back and dine while you wait for your flight. Business class passengers are also permitted more luggage than those travelling in economy. Vietnam Airlines A350's Business Class cabin feels intimate with just 29 seats The A350 business class cabin features 29 seats with a 106cm pitch, that can be converted into lie-flat beds While the allowance may vary (depending on destination), for this trip I was allowed two carry-on bags (no more than 10kg each and with a combined weight up to 18kg) plus an accessory (like a hand bag), and one checked-in bag up to 32kg. Meanwhile, passengers travelling in economy were limited to one cabin bag (no more than 10kg), one accessory, and one checked-in bag up to 23kg. While my checked-in suitcase was well below the lower limit (weighing in at a modest 15kg for a seven-day trip), it was assuring to know I was unlikely to breach capacity on my return home after stocking up on souvenirs. The Sky Team lounge in Sydney International Airport is one of the many perks of a business class ticket The lounge The SkyTeam Lounge, located near gate 24, is a large open space with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the tarmac. The lounge boasts three separate food stations, a bar, bathrooms (with showers, for those seeking to refresh) and a sprawling seating area - comprised of dining tables, booths and reclining chairs. There are charging ports at almost every table in the dining area (an essential for many travellers), and glass booths where guests can make or take private phone calls. Food and drink options included spring rolls, samosas, salads, fruit, toast, hot dishes and rice, wines, spirits, coffees, soft drinks and juices - but be advised not to over fill because you will be treated to a five-course menu on board. Vietnam Airlines shares the space with other members of the SkyTeam alliance - such as China Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Garuda Indonesia, Korean Air, and Xiamen Air. Despite the airport teeming with passengers at the check-in counters when I arrived, the lounge was not overly busy - making it easy to find a seat and use the facilities. There is also a tea and coffee station for passengers seeking a caffeine hit before their flight Guests are welcome to enjoy a range of beverages, including wine, beer, spirits, soft drinks, and juice. There is also a self-serve fridge filled with delicious salads, fruit, pastries and sandwiches Pictured: The bar inside the Sky Team Lounge Service, entertainment and extras After tucking away your bag and taking your seat, the service begins with a flight attendant delivering you a wet hand towel and offering you a welcome drink of choice (on this particular flight, orange juice, apple juice, or champagne). Awaiting you in your pod is a pair of slippers, a pillow and blanket, and a little take-home Samsonite case filled with goodies for use during the flight, such as an eye mask, dental kit, ear plugs, a comb, socks, body lotion and lip butter. The complimentary case also includes a selection of stickers you could put on your seat before going to sleep to alert staff if you wanted to be left alone or woken up for meals. Business class passengers are treated to the same selection of movies, tv shows, games, music, and podcasts available to those travelling in economy class - but, due to the bigger pitch of the seat (at 106cm), guests have a detachable remote for navigating the screen. The headphones (which are noise-cancelling) are much sturdier than those passed out to economy passengers and there are magazines for your perusal nestled into a holder by your seat. My flight was in the afternoon/evening, allowing for a perfect ten-hour mix of meals, new movies, and shut-eye. However, for those hoping to get some work done, there is a desk space and lamp next to the seat. There is also a convenient pop-out hook for hanging up your business attire so you can hit the ground running in fresh, ironed clothes if needed. While much of the onboard entertainment is the same as in economy, there are magazines and a desk space for business class passengers hoping to do some work A little Samsonite goodies case and a pair of slippers were a nice touch for feeling comfortable and freshening up on the flight I had a glass of apple juice as my welcome drink of choice as we prepared to take off Little details - like the quality of the headphones - made a big difference to the customer experience in business class Among the items included in the case were an eye mask and beauty products Those needing to step straight off the tarmac and into an event can hang up their clothes to keep their outfits crease free The seat While Vietnam Airlines A350 has 231 seats in its economy cabin, there are just 29 in Business Class - giving it an intimate yet spacious feel. There are four seats in a row - two in the aisle and one by each window. The aisle seats are only semi partitioned from each other (which might be preferable if you are travelling in a pair), while the window seats are incredibly private. One of the best features of business class by far is the ability to convert the seat into a bed to catch up on sleep during long-haul flights. There is a remote embedded into the right-hand panel of the seat, allowing you to adjust it to your desired position. When the seat is fully reclined, the base meets with a foot-rest, turning it into a makeshift bed. Overall, the bed is pretty comfortable (let's face it - most spaces are compared to sleeping in economy), however, if you are gifted in the height department, room could be an issue (it reaches just under two metres when flat). For me, standing at a very average 1.6metres, it was no issue and the bed felt rather snug (especially when partnered with the pillow and blanket). Another handy feature was a clip located on the upper right side of the seat for pinning the seatbelt out of your way. There is also a nook underneath the foot rest for stowing away any personal items you want to keep close during the flight. The business class seats can be reclined via a button pad near the right arm rest. There is also a pop-out remote for using the screen The seat reclines to meet a foot rest (pictured), converting it into a bed There is a clip to help pin back your seatbelt for your comfort The menu The afternoon meal service begins with an attendant bringing you a drinks menu to select your choice of beverages to accompany your food (in my case, a glass of Riesling and a fruity cocktail). Diners are then spoiled with a five course menu, commencing with an appetizer plate and a soup, followed by a main course, then finished with a selection of deserts. I opted for the vegan menu, which started with a spiced-pumpkin and quinoa salad with a side of asparagus, served with a bread roll, salad, and a whipped coconut cream fruit cake. Next, the second entrée was rolled out (a tomato soup and bowl of wasabi peas), followed by a spiced chickpea stew with broccolini, roasted chat potato with parsley and roasted vegetables batons. For the meat eaters, the options for the first appetizer included duck rillette and celeriac salad with a toasted sliced brioche or a smoked salmon roulade and salami with daikon capsicum slaw. The first appetizer on the vegan menu featured a spiced pumpkin quinoa salad with asparagus, bread roll, salad, and a coconut-cream cake Pictured: The second appetizer in the vegan menu alongside a fruit cocktail The vegan main course was a spiced chickpea stew with broccolini, roasted chat potato with parsley and roasted vegetable batons Both dishes came with the same accompaniments (a bread roll and salad) and were followed by broccoli cream soup topped with croutons and garlic herbs. For the main course, meat eaters could choose from the following dishes: BBQ lamb rack topped with rosemary onion jus, sauteed potato with onion, brocolli and baked capsicum, Vietnamese stir-fried beef fillet with steamed rice, stir-fied bean, corn and celery, sear-breaised duck breast with pureed carrot and charred onions, or pan-seared salmon fillet with lemon caper cream sauce, steamed kipfler potatoes, broccolini and carrot. Afterwards, for the dessert rounds (offered to all guests), the attendants carried baskets filled with pastries and platters packed with crackers, cheese, dried fruit, and fresh fruit. Guests still seeking satiation were then offered black forest ice-cream with raspberry coulis. For guests (like me) who did not realise we were about to undertake a generously-portioned degustation, the unrelenting carousel of dishes came as a very pleasant surprise. There was also another meal service shortly before landing, during which I was served corn fritters with kale, roasted roma tomatoes, brown rice mix and horseradish lime and dill cream. Overall, the service felt very decadent - not only in the abundance of food, but also with the attention to detail: white cloths over the tray tables, silver cutlery, porcelain plates, and hand-delivered meals (rather than carted out on a trolley). And the staff were lovely and went above and beyond to answer questions and cater to guests needs - striking the perfect balance between checking in, but not hovering. The menu offered to meat eaters on the afternoon service on Vietnam Airlines A350 Pictured: The BBQ lamb rack served with sautéed potato, broccoli and capsicum Another generous meal was served shortly before landing, which included corn fritters, rice, tomatoes, and kale Other perks and information One of the most noticeable differences in business class was how much quieter the cabin was throughout the duration of the flight. Due to the smaller numbers in business class, the customer service experience also feels more personal compared to economy, where fewer attendants are catering to more passengers. Overall, the ambience, menu, white table cloth service, spacious seats/beds, and being waited on hand and foot, leaves you feeling very pampered - a word up until that point I, as a practiced economy flyer, would never have associated with a long-haul flight. Once you arrive in Vietnam, your business class ticket also enables you to line up in the priority queue at the border control entry gates, allowing for faster processing. Business class guests also have priority baggage handling, meaning your suitcase will be among the first off the carousel (which is a fantastic bonus after spending almost ten hours on a plane!). The business lounges in Vietnam (if travelling business domestically and for your return flight) are different too. In Vietnam, the airline operates its own business class areas - called Lotus Lounges - which are designated for its passengers only (not shared with other airlines). Vietnam Airlines has its own business class lounges, Lotus Lounges, domestically During my domestic flights (from Hanoi to Hoi An and from there to Ho Chi Minh), the Lotus Lounges were much busier than the Sky Lounge. However, that could be expected as Vietnam Airlines is a national carrier that operates many flights, and there was still ample space and seating available. The Lotus Lounge food bar contained more Vietnamese dishes (delicious noodles, pho, sticky rice, rice paper rolls etc.), although there were still intercontinental items available such as salads, fruit and bread. The amenities (dining areas, bathrooms, restaurant and bar) were all well-maintained and it was nice to have a comfortable place to sit back and relax while waiting for flights. The option to have a shower is also a great touch - especially before a return night-flight home after a humid day in the tropics. The staff at the desk can provide you with towels and toiletries - just make sure you pack an extra set of clothes in your carry on! The price The cost of return business class flights from Sydney to Hanoi or Sydney to Ho Chi Minh range from around $4380 - $7220 depending on which time of the year you travel. There are two peak tourism seasons in Vietnam (mid December to the end of March and from early July to September), with the Christmas and New Year period for 2024 selling at the highest price. However, booking months in advance can help you save thousands of dollars, with flights from March through to September 2025 currently selling between $4380 - $5390. At the moment, Vietnam Airlines is the only carrier operating non-stop and daily flights between Australia and Vietnam, making it difficult to directly compare prices. However, a Qantas business class flight from Sydney to Hanoi (via Bangkok, travelling on Finnair) will set you back between $3867-$9078, while flying with Cathay Pacific (through Hong Kong) costs roughly $3765 -$6725. Compared to other national carriers operating similar flights from Australia to Asia, Vietnam Airlines business class prices are competitive. Pictured: Sapa, a town in the Hoàng Liên Son Mountains of northwestern Vietnam, which is known its picturesque terraced rice fields and stunning trekking tracks Business class flights from Sydney to Hong Kong direct with Cathay Pacific (which is just over nine hours) cost between $5907 - $8446 (for travel dates over the next five months). Meanwhile, flights from Sydney to Tokyo direct with Japanese Airlines (nine hours and 50 minutes) currently range from around $4792 - $9298 (over the same period). Vietnam Airlines passengers, who are members of the airline's reward program, Lotusmiles, can also score business class seats by using points to upgrade. The number of points needed depend on your flight details (such as booking class, departure point, and destination). However, around 2000 - 16000 points are needed for domestic flight upgrades and 40,000 - 60,000 for flights between Australia to Vietnam. Members can earn points by flying with Vietnam Airlines or its airline partners on mile-earning eligible flights, or through using affiliated services to shop, spend, or make bookings. Airline-partnered eligible flights include VN-numbered flights operated by Pacific Airlines, VASCO, Cambodia Angkor, All Nippon Airways, China Southern, Cathay Pacific, Philippines Airlines, Bangkok Airways, Finnair, and El Al Israel Airlines. Click here for more information about how to earn Lotusmiles points or here for how to upgrade your ticket. Hoi An, an ancient South-East Asian trading port in Central Vietnam, is among one of the destinations I visited on my trip. It is known for its beautiful canals and traditional Vietnamese handicrafts, including lantern making Is it worth it? A business class ticket, in my opinion, is 100% worth it if you are flying internationally and want to side-step the not-so-pleasant side effects of long-distance air travel. The exhaustion from sleep deprivation and waiting in airport lines often leads to travellers needing recovery time at the start of their holiday. But while previous international trips in economy have left me feeling tired, greasy, and nursing a sore neck (courtesy of my useful but imperfect travel pillow), flying business class allowed me to feel fresh and ready to go from the moment I stepped off the plane. From now on, having seen the other side of air travel, I will strive to fly business class every chance I get. Tita Smith flew as a guest of Vietnam Airlines for the purpose of reviewing the flight. Sydney Share or comment on this article: I flew business class from Australia with Vietnam Airlines. Here's what you can expect e-mail Add comment

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — Dovydas Butka had 18 points in Pepperdine's 85-46 win over UC Davis on Saturday. Butka had 10 rebounds for the Waves (6-7). Jaxon Olvera scored 15 points and added three steals. Stefan Todorovic went 4 of 10 from the field (1 for 5 from 3-point range) to finish with 11 points. Carl Daughtery Jr. led the way for the Aggies (7-5) with 11 points. Ty Johnson added nine points and two steals for UC Davis. Niko Rocak had seven points. Pepperdine took the lead with 18:20 remaining in the first half and did not give it up. Olvera led their team in scoring with 11 points in the first half to help put them up 43-19 at the break. Pepperdine pulled away with a 13-0 run in the second half to extend a 29-point lead to 42 points. They outscored UC Davis by 15 points in the final half, as Butka led the way with a team-high 10 second-half points. Both teams next play Saturday. Pepperdine visits Santa Clara and UC Davis squares off against Cal Maritime at home. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .

APPLE VALLEY, Calif. (VVNG.com) — The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians has awarded a generous $100,000 grant to the Apple Valley Fire Protection District in a celebration of “Giving Tuesday.” This funding will be utilized to purchase emergency generators for Stations 332 and 334 in Apple Valley, ensuring that these crucial facilities can maintain their operations during power outages and continue to respond effectively to emergencies. “Giving Tuesday is a day that calls upon us to reflect on the power of collective generosity,” stated Lynn Valbuena, Chairwoman of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. She expressed her pride in supporting the 2024 grant recipients, who are focused on rehabilitating lands impacted by recent wildfires and fostering the health of both communities and ecosystems. “The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is deeply committed to preservation and stewardship of the cultural and natural resources of the region,” Valbuena added. For those interested in learning more about the philanthropic efforts of the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, further information can be found at www.SanManuelCares.org . About the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians The San Manuel Band of Mission Indians is a federally recognized Indian tribe situated on the San Manuel Indian Reservation near Highland, California. San Manuel exercises its inherent sovereign right of self-governance and provides essential services for its citizens by building infrastructure, maintaining civil services, and promoting social, economic, and cultural development. As the Indigenous people of the San Bernardino highlands, passes, valleys, mountains, and high deserts, the Serrano people of San Manuel have called this area home since time immemorial and are committed to remaining a productive partner in the San Bernardino region. For more information, visit http://www.sanmanuel-nsn.gov.Miles Barnstable scored 23 points as St. Thomas beat Bowling Green 93-68 on Saturday. Barnstable shot 6 for 12 (3 for 8 from 3-point range) and 8 of 9 from the free-throw line for the Tommies (10-4). Drake Dobbs scored 18 points while going 6 of 10 from the floor, including 1 for 3 from 3-point range, and 5 for 6 from the line and added five assists. Kendall Blue shot 5 for 11 (2 for 6 from 3-point range) and 4 of 4 from the free-throw line to finish with 16 points. The Tommies picked up their sixth straight win. Javontae Campbell led the way for the Falcons (4-7) with 18 points, six rebounds and four steals. Marcus Johnson added 16 points for Bowling Green. Derrick Butler had 15 points. St. Thomas took the lead with 18:36 remaining in the first half and did not relinquish it. Carter Bjerke led their team in scoring with 12 points in the first half to help put them up 46-20 at the break. St. Thomas pulled away with a 10-0 run in the second half to extend a 20-point lead to 30 points. They were outscored by Bowling Green in the second half by a one-point margin, but still wound up on top, as Barnstable led the way with a team-high 14 second-half points. St. Thomas' next game is Sunday against UC Riverside on the road, and Bowling Green hosts Aquinas (MI) on Monday. The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar .DAMASCUS (AP) — Exuberant Syrians observed the first Friday prayers since the ouster of President Bashar Assad , gathering in the capital's historic main mosque, its largest square and around the country to celebrate the end of half a century of authoritarian rule. The newly installed interim prime minister delivered the sermon at the Umayyad Mosque, declaring that a new era of “freedom, dignity and justice” was dawning for Syria. The gatherings illustrated the dramatic changes that have swept over Syria less than a week after insurgents marched into Damascus and toppled Assad. Amid the jubilation, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken met with allies around the region and called for an “inclusive and non-sectarian” interim government. Blinken arrived in Iraq on a previously unannounced stop after talks in Jordan and Turkey, which backs some of the Syrian insurgent factions. So far, U.S. officials have not talked of direct meetings with Syria's new rulers. The main insurgent force, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, has worked to establish security and start a political transition after seizing Damascus early Sunday. The group has tried to reassure a public both stunned by Assad's fall and concerned about extremist jihadis among the rebels. Insurgent leaders say the group has broken with its extremist past, though HTS is still labeled a terrorist group by the United States and European countries. HTS's leader, Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, appeared in a video message Friday congratulating “the great Syrian people for the victory of the blessed revolution.” “I invite them to head to the squares to show their happiness without shooting bullets and scaring people,” he said. “And then after, we will work to build this country, and as I said in the beginning, we will be victorious by the help of God.” Huge crowds, including some insurgents, packed the historic Umayyad Mosque in the capital's old city, many waving the rebel opposition flag — with its three red stars — which has swiftly replaced the Assad-era flag with with its two green stars. Syrian state television reported that the sermon was delivered by Mohammed al-Bashir, the interim prime minister installed by HTS this week. The scene resonated on multiple levels. The mosque, one of the world's oldest dating back some 1,200 years, is a beloved symbol of Syria, and sermons there like all mosque sermons across Syria were tightly controlled under Assad's rule. Also, in the early days of the anti-government uprising in 2011, protesters would leave Friday prayers to march in rallies against Assad before he launched a brutal crackdown that turned the uprising into a long and bloody civil war. “I didn’t step foot in Umayyad Mosque since 2011," because of the tight security controls around it, said one worshipper, Ibrahim al-Araby. “Since 11 or 12 years, I haven’t been this happy.” Another worshipper, Khair Taha, said there was “fear and trepidation for what’s to come. But there is also a lot of hope that now we have a say and we can try to build.” Blocks away in Damascus' biggest roundabout, named Umayyad Square, thousands gathered, including many families with small children — a sign of how, so far at least, the country's transformation has not caused violent instability. “Unified Syria to build Syria,” the crowd chanted. Some shouted slurs against Assad and his late father, calling them pigs, an insult that would have previously led to offenders being hauled off to one of the feared detention centers of Assad’s security forces. One man in the crowd, 51-year-old Khaled Abu Chahine — originally from the southern province of Daraa, where the 2011 uprising first erupted — said he hoped for “freedom and coexistence between all Syrians, Alawites, Sunnis, Shiites and Druze.” The interim prime minister, al-Bashir, had been the head of a de facto administration created by HTS in Idlib, the opposition's enclave in northwest Syria. The rebels were bottled up in Idlib for years before fighters broke out in a shock offensive and marched across Syria in 10 days. Story continues below video Similar scenes of joy unfolded in other major cities, including in Aleppo, Homs, Hama, Latakia and Raqqa. Al-Sharaa, HTS' leader, has promised to bring a pluralistic government to Syria, seeking to dispel fears among many Syrians — especially its many minority communities — that the insurgents will impose a hard-line, extremist rule. Another key factor will be winning international recognition for a new government in a country where multiple foreign powers have their hands in the mix. The Sunni Arab insurgents who overthrew Assad did so with vital help from Turkey, a longtime foe of the U.S.-backed Kurds . Turkey controls a strip of Syrian territory along the shared border and backs an insurgent faction uneasily allied to HTS — and is deeply opposed to any gains by Syria's Kurds. In other developments, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Turkey’s Embassy in Damascus would reopen Saturday for the first time since 2012, when it closed due to the Syrian civil war. The U.S. has troops in eastern Syria to combat remnants of the Islamic State group and supports Kurdish-led fighters who rule most of the east. Since Assad's fall, Israel has bombed sites all over Syria, saying it is trying to prevent weapons from falling into extremist hands. It has also seized a swath of southern Syria along the border with the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, calling it a buffer zone. After talks with Fidan, Blinken said there was “broad agreement” between Turkey and the U.S. on what they would like to see in Syria. That starts with an "interim government in Syria, one that is inclusive and non-sectarian and one that protects the rights of minorities and women” and does not “pose any kind of threat to any of Syria’s neighbors,” Blinken said. Fidan said the priority was “establishing stability in Syria as soon as possible, preventing terrorism from gaining ground, and ensuring that IS and the PKK aren’t dominant” — referring to the Islamic State group and the Kurdistan Workers Party. Ankara considers the PKK within Turkey's borders a terrorist group, as it does the Kurdish-backed forces in Syria backed by the U.S. A U.S. official said that in Ankara, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fidan both told Blinken that Kurdish attacks on Turkish positions would require a response. The official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic talks. The U.S. has been trying to limit such incidents in recent days and had helped organize an agreement to prevent confrontations around the northern Syrian town of Manbij, which was taken by Turkey-backed opposition fighters from the U.S.-backed Kurdish forces earlier this week. In Baghdad, Blinken met with Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed al-Sudani, saying both countries wanted to ensure the Islamic State group — also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh — doesn't exploit Syria's transition to re-emerge. “Having put Daesh back in its box, we can’t let it out, and we’re determined to make sure that that doesn’t happen," Blinken said. The U.S. official who briefed reporters said that Blinken had impressed upon al-Sudani the importance of Iraq exercising its full sovereignty over its territory and airspace to stop Iran from transporting weapons and equipment to Syria, either for Assad supporters or onward to the militant Hezbollah group in Lebanon. Lee reported from Ankara, Turkey. Associated Press writers Suzan Fraser in Ankara and Sally Abou AlJoud in Beirut contributed to this report.

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Scientist reveals 'cyborg' technology that controls insects' movementsThe confidential briefing note is part of the tranche of documents made public in the annual release of State papers from the Irish National Archives. An Irish Department of Foreign Affairs official focusing on justice and security created the list in October 2002. The document starts by referencing a 1999 interview given by George Mitchell, the chairman of the Good Friday Agreement negotiations, in which he claimed the British and Irish governments, as well as Northern Ireland’s political parties, had leaked information to manipulate public opinion. However, he further accused the NIO of attempting to sabotage the process by leaking information on British Government policy to the media. Mr Mitchell, a former US senator, is said to have expressed alarm and anger over the frequency of leaks from the NIO – saying they were uniquely “designed to undermine the policy of the British Government of which they were a part”. The Irish civil servant notes Mr Mitchell himself was subjected to an attempted “smear” when he first arrived in Northern Ireland, as newspaper articles falsely claimed his chief of staff Martha Pope had had a liaison with Sinn Fein representative Gerry Kelly with ulterior motives. The Irish civil servant goes on to list several “leaks”, starting with the publication of a proposed deal in a newspaper while “intense negotiations” for the Downing Street Declaration were under way. Next, the Department lists two “high-profile and damaging leaks issued from the NIO”. A so-called “gameplan” document was leaked in February 1998, showing papers had been prepared weeks before the Drumcree march on July 6, 1997. In the preceding years, there had been standoffs and clashes as nationalists opposed the procession of an Orange parade down Garvaghy Road in Portadown. The gameplan document showed then secretary of state for Northern Ireland Mo Mowlam, who was publicly expressing a desire for a negotiated solution to the 1997 parade, advocated “finding the lowest common denominator for getting some Orange feet on the Garvaghy Road”. In 1997, a large number of security forces were deployed to the area to allow the march to proceed. The incident sparked heightened tension and a wave of rioting. The document further describes the release of a document submitted by the NIO’s director of communications to the secretary of state as a “second major leak”. It claims a publicity strategy was released to the DUP in the aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement and showed how the UK Government would support a yes vote in a referendum following any talks agreement. In addition, it is claimed unionists used leaked sections of the Patten report on policing to invalidate its findings ahead of its publication in 1999. The report recommended the replacement of the Royal Ulster Constabulary with the Police Service of Northern Ireland, the changing of symbols, and a 50-50 recruitment policy for Catholics and Protestants. At the time, UUP leader David Trimble said the recommendations would lead to a corruption of policing in Northern Ireland. Chris Patten, chairman of the independent commission on policing, said some of the assertions were a “total fabrication” and designed to “muddy the waters” to create a difficult political atmosphere. Elsewhere, the author notes it was leaked to the media there was serious disagreement between the governments of the UK and Ireland on the composition of that commission – with not a single name submitted by the Irish side being accepted by the other. The author notes this incident, still under the heading “NIO leaks”, was believed by British officials to have emanated from the Irish side. The report turns to leaks of other origin, claiming “disgruntled Special Branch officers in Northern Ireland” were blamed by the British Government for a series of releases about the IRA which were designed to damage Sinn Fein in the 2001 general election in Northern Ireland. One senior Whitehall source was quoted in the Guardian as complaining that Special Branch was “leaking like a sieve” after details of an IRA intelligence database containing the names of leading Tories – described at the time as a “hit list” – was passed to the BBC in April 2002. The briefing note adds: “This was followed days later by a leak to The Sunday Telegraph which alleged that senior IRA commanders bought Russian special forces rifles in Moscow last year. “The newspaper said it was passed details by military intelligence in London.” The briefing note adds that other Special Branch leaks were associated with the Castlereagh break-in. The final incident in the document notes the Police Ombudsman’s Report on the Omagh bombing was also leaked to the press in December 2001. Then Northern Ireland secretary John Reid said at the time: “Leaks are never helpful and usually malicious – I will not be commenting on this report until I have seen the final version.” The reason for creating the list of leaks, which the Irish National Archives holds in a folder alongside briefing notes for ministers ahead of meetings with officials from the UK Government and NIO, is not outlined in the document itself. – This document is based on material in 2024/130/6.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Northern California was under a rare and brief tsunami warning alert Thursday that tested local emergency notification systems after a 7.0 magnitude earthquake shook part of the state. The National Weather Service canceled its alert after roughly an hour and before the tsunami was expected to arrive. In that hour, some cities and counties ordered evacuations while others relied on social media and text messages to inform people of the warning. Some people headed for higher ground, while others drove to the beach to get a better view. People took to social media to figure out why a warning was issued and then canceled so quickly, and how the NWS determines when to send alerts. Here are answers to more questions. What exactly is a tsunami? The word for tsunami comes from the Japanese characters for harbor and wave. It’s a series of extremely long waves set in motion when energy from an earthquake causes the ocean floor to suddenly rise or fall, according to the National Weather Service . RELATED COVERAGE USDA orders nationwide testing of milk for bird flu to halt the virus Alternative healer gets 10 years in UK prison for death of woman at slap therapy workshop In California’s ‘earthquake country,’ a 7.0 temblor prompts confusion and a tsunami warning How common are they in California? Since 1800, California’s shores have been struck by more than 150 tsunamis, most of them minor, according to the California Geological Survey. Phones buzzed Thursday when the National Weather Service issued its warning just minutes after the quake struck west of Ferndale, a small city in coastal Humboldt County. It read in part: “You are in danger. Get away from coastal waters. Move to high ground or inland now.” Why was there an alert if there wasn’t a large tsunami? The National Weather Service Bay Area posted on the social platform X early Friday that the region doesn’t get tsunami alerts often and “there are lot of questions, frustration, and even some anger” about Thursday’s event. A warning alert is the most serious of four tsunami alerts, including a watch alert for a possible tsunami and an advisory alert telling people to stay out of the water and away from the shore. The last time California received a warning alert was 2011 when an earthquake in Japan caused about $100 million in damages along the California coast. Basically, a distant, offshore earthquake or other trigger event gives scientists more time to analyze data and confirm that a large tsunami was generated before sounding a warning. But Thursday’s earthquake was local and close to the coast, forcing a hasty high-level alert in order to give people the maximum time to prepare as tsunami waves can travel very fast, up to 500 mph (800 kph) in the deep ocean, the NWS wrote. “By the time we actually observe it, it may be too late, because it’s right there in our back doors,” said Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist with NWS Bay Area, on Friday. Scientists used the time Thursday to monitor buoys and get more information on the earthquake itself, he said. They canceled the alert after seeing little sea-level change and determining the quake was a strike-slip type of temblor that shifts more horizontally and is less prone to cause tsunamis, he said. “These things happen so infrequently for us, I think it just caught a lot of people off-guard,” he said. How did Northern California respond? Authorities in Eureka, the biggest city in Humboldt County, sent texts and went door-to-door to order businesses in high-risk areas to evacuate, said City Manager Miles Slattery. He said only a small portion of the city was at risk, and Thursday’s test run showed evacuees need to work on leaving by foot, rather than by car. In the San Francisco Bay Area, the commuter light-rail system known as BART stopped traffic in all directions through the underwater tunnel between San Francisco and Oakland for nearly an hour, and the San Francisco Zoo’s visitors were evacuated. Responses varied as fire and police in Berkeley evacuated certain areas of the city while in San Francisco, officials sent alerts and messages on social media telling residents to stay away from water, beaches, harbors, marina docks, and piers. “Move at least one block inland,” said the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management. Emergency personnel in vehicles with public address systems also went to make sure no one was on beaches and other low-lying areas. But some critics said San Francisco should have sounded its loud emergency sirens, which have been off-line since 2019 for repairs. In San Mateo County, just south of San Francisco, officials considered but decided against sounding its tsunami warning sirens after receiving more comprehensive information from the NWS that any tsunami would affect coastlines north of the Golden Gate Bridge, said Michelle Durand, a spokesperson for the county. Fire and police cleared the beaches while emergency personnel gathered to monitor the situation, she said, which “prioritized both public safety and the prevention of unnecessary panic.”

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Global stocks and dollar fall in thin year-end tradeA LEADING supermarket has dramatically reduced the price of 6.5ft Christmas trees by 88%. Tesco is selling 6.5ft luxury artificial alpine snow trees for just £7.50. 1 Unfortunately, the offer isn't available online, so you'll need to head to your local store to check if there's still stock Credit: Facebook The artificial fir, which usually retails at £60 a piece, can be bought for the knockoff price in-store while stocks last. Shoppers have taken to social media to brag about the offer. One person posted on the Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK Facebook page and said: This bad boy was originally £60... "It's now reduced to £7.50!" Read more in money FINAL CURTAIN Cineworld to close first site TOMORROW ahead of six closing for good TIME SAVER Little-known key limits set by major banks to help you skip branch visits Another shopper, responding to the find, said: "I bought this tree last year and put it up this year. It's lovely. "They are deffo a bargain at that kind of price." A third shopper said: "I have this tree! "I got it last year, but not this cheap!" Most read in Money OPEN UP New Year's opening hours 2025 - Tesco, Asda and Aldi reveal closing times RUNNING DRY Fears supermarket Guinness shortage could mean NO supplies for New Year’s Eve WELL ISLE BE We've moved onto an island in London with no bridge - pals say we're 'bonkers' 'SAD NEWS' 'Genuinely gutted' cry locals as popular Scots eatery announces sudden closure Unfortunately, the offer isn't available online, so you'll need to head to your local store to check if there's still stock. You can find yours by visiting tesco.com/store-locator/. SAVE HUNDREDS AT TESCO Always remember to compare prices to ensure you get the best deal. However, the in-store Tesco offer is the best we've seen on 6ft trees. A similar alpine snow-covered artificial tree from Homebase currently costs £90 - and that's with a 50% markdown. Online-only retailer Studio has slashed the price of its own 6ft frosted artificial trees from £35.99 to £6.50. However, they're five inches shorter than the one on offer at Tesco. How to compare prices to get the best deal JUST because something is on offer, or is part of a sale, it doesn't mean it's always a good deal. There are plenty of comparison websites out there that'll check prices for you - so don't be left paying more than you have to. Most of them work by comparing the prices across hundreds of retailers. Here are some that we recommend: Google Shopping is a tool that lets users search for and compare prices for products across the web. Simply type in keywords, or a product number, to bring up search results. Price Spy logs the history of how much something costs from over 3,000 different retailers, including Argos, Amazon, eBay and the supermarkets. Once you select an individual product you can quickly compare which stores have the best price and which have it in stock. Idealo is another website that lets you compare prices between retailers. All shoppers need to do is search for the item they need and the website will rank them from the cheapest to the most expensive one. CamelCamelCamel only works on goods being sold on Amazon. To use it, type in the URL of the product you want to check the price of. SAVE AT TESCO With a few simple tricks you can cut down the total on your Tesco shop. Here are some tips to help you: Get a Tesco Clubcard : If you're a frequent Tesco shopper, signing up for a Tesco Clubcard is highly recommended. With every £1 you spend, you earn one point, which can be redeemed for vouchers. Accumulate 150 points to receive a £1.50 voucher in-store. For added value, exchange your points online via the Clubcard website for days out or restaurant meals, where they can be worth up to three times their value. Don’t forget to check for any unused points, as they remain valid for up to two years. Save on Tesco deliveries : Consider signing up for Tesco’s Delivery Saver subscription service to save on home delivery costs. For a monthly fee starting at £3.49, you can get all online deliveries over £40 delivered free of charge, with one order per day. This service is ideal if you place two or more orders over £40 a month. The delivery charge typically ranges from £1 to £7, so if you regularly shop online, the subscription could offer substantial savings. Make the most of yellow stickers : Yellow stickers indicate items that have been reduced in price due to approaching sell-by dates or minor damage. If you have a large freezer, these discounts are a great way to stock up on quality products for less. The timing for yellow sticker discounts varies by store, so check our guide for the best times to find these bargains. Look for "Exclusively at Tesco" products : Tesco offers an “Exclusively at Tesco” range featuring around 400 key items such as bread, tea bags, and family meals. This range is priced competitively against discount retailers like Aldi and Lidl. Always compare prices to ensure you’re getting the best deal and consider using price comparison tools like MoneySupermarket or Idealo to track supermarket prices. Try downshifting your products : Switching from premium to standard products can lead to significant savings. For example, a Tesco Finest chicken kiev costs £6, whereas a standard Tesco kiev is only £2—a £4 saving. According to MoneySavingExpert Martin Lewis , this simple change can save an average family up to £1,500 annually. Bring your own bags : Tesco charges 10p for its bags for life, which may seem small, but can add up over time. Using four bags per week equates to £1.60 a month or £20.80 a year. Save money by bringing your own bags—keeping them in your car can help you remember them on your next trip. Read more on the Scottish Sun GHOST TOWN Former Scots shopping hotspot 'decaying' as multimillion pound revamp ‘failing’ VAX HORROR Striken Scots 'gaslit' by health bosses after complications from Covid vaccine With these tricks you can maximise your savings the next time you shop at Tesco. Meanwhile, Tesco Clubcard customers can boost their points by spending money with partners like Ovo Energy, Vauxhall, and Inkjet Recycling. How to bag a bargain SUN Savers Editor Lana Clements explains how to find a cut-price item and bag a bargain... Sign up to loyalty schemes of the brands that you regularly shop with. Big names regularly offer discounts or special lower prices for members, among other perks. Sales are when you can pick up a real steal. Retailers usually have periodic promotions that tie into payday at the end of the month or Bank Holiday weekends, so keep a lookout and shop when these deals are on. Sign up to mailing lists and you’ll also be first to know of special offers. It can be worth following retailers on social media too. When buying online, always do a search for money off codes or vouchers that you can use vouchercodes.co.uk and myvouchercodes.co.uk are just two sites that round up promotions by retailer. Scanner apps are useful to have on your phone. Trolley.co.uk app has a scanner that you can use to compare prices on branded items when out shopping. Bargain hunters can also use B&M’s scanner in the app to find discounts in-store before staff have marked them out. And always check if you can get cashback before paying which in effect means you’ll get some of your money back or a discount on the item.Lawsuit over Target’s 2023 Pride Collection set to move forward