• I took an overnight train from Helsinki to Lapland that's called the Santa Claus Express.
• I paid $73 for my seat and the one next to me, so I was able to stretch out on the ride.
• Santa didn't appear on the 12-hour ride, but I found the journey exciting and festive anyway.

This month, I embarked on the overnight rail experience of a lifetime: Finland's Santa Claus Express.

The 12-hour train rides from the Finnish capital of Helsinki to Rovaniemi in Lapland — the "official home of Santa Claus," known for its Santa Claus Village.

For 70 euros, or about $73, I journeyed from the southernmost point of the country into the Arctic Circle.

My trip was a real adventure, but there are a few things I wish I'd known beforehand.

Some Helsinki hotels offer special checkout packages for guests catching late-night trains.

My train left at 11:13 p.m., so after checking out of my hotel at midday, I went and found a place to store my luggage in the city.

I also had hours to kill before boarding, so I visited the Senate Square Christmas Market, Temppeliaukio Church, and the Allas Sea Pool — working up a sweat in saunas then jumping in freezing water.

However, I later learned that many of Helsinki's hotels offer a late-night checkout package for these late-night trains. I don't regret my afternoon in the city, but others might prefer a quick power nap before the overnight journey.

The double-seat booking option was perfect.

My seat was about 47 euros, but the ability to book neighboring seats at a reduced rate was a game changer.

I added the 21-euro upgrade on a whim, but it really improved my experience. At 5-foot-3, I comfortably curled across two carpeted seats and managed to get some shut-eye.

Because I was traveling during peak season, all the carriages were booked. If I hadn't reserved the seat next to me, I would've been sleeping upright like a sardine with a neighbor.

I felt pretty smug being horizontal.

I should've brought an eye mask.

The biggest kicker was the conductor's insistence on keeping the carriage lights on overnight, apparently to prevent pickpocketing.

I get the gist of the strategy, but I'm actually not sure how effective it was for that purpose — everyone just covered their faces with their coats instead.

I'd undertaken a similar rail journey in Sweden last year and slept like a baby in the darkened passenger cabin. The low lighting even allowed me to spot the northern lights from the window. On the Santa Express? No such luck.

Sleeping with the lights on was much harder. In hindsight, I should've brought an eye mask or invested in a private cabin (40 to 160 euros) where I could control the light switch.

I didn't need to worry about the food options on the train.

I'd been worried about food quality on the train, so I hurriedly ate before boarding.

In hindsight, I didn't need to scarf down an 11 p.m. dinner. The train's restaurant car had an impressively varied menu.

Food service stayed open for dinner until 2 a.m. and reopened for breakfast at 4 a.m. There was a mixture of refrigerated sandwiches, pizzas, pastries, and alcoholic, hot, or soft drinks.

People weren't exaggerating about the dodgy internet.

Around an hour into the journey, both my mobile data and the train's complimentary WiFi stopped working.

I'd read other travelers' online reviews, and many people said that this would happen, but I hadn't expected it so early on in the trip, especially since we were still riding past fairly built-up suburbs.

Fortunately, I'd prepared for a digital detox and was carrying a pen and paper to jot down story ideas. Old school? Yes, but I have to admit it really amplified the feeling of adventure.

The toilets looked pretty but got a bit messy within the first two hours.

I'm happy that I snapped a picture of the toilets while boarding, as they looked pretty messy within two hours. It was a shame, as the decor and skylights were quite pretty.

On reflection, the situation wasn't helped by the small sinks — water splattered everywhere with each use of the tap.

Throughout the trip, they were usable but unappealing enough to make you think twice about drinking a coffee too fast.

Santa doesn't actually make an appearance, but the platform has a magical atmosphere.

My ride on the Santa Express was sadly Santa-free aside from the large illustrations adorning the carriage exteriors.

There was no festive dress-up or meet-and-greet on board, but the platform was magical nonetheless.

Carol singers erupted with Christmas songs, and barrier staff exchanged secret grins before allowing floods of giddy families onto the platform in festive Rovaniemi.

The excitement was infectious as I headed toward Santa Claus Village and the remainder of my trip in Lapland.

• I've been to Royal Caribbean's private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay, three times.
• The cruise line has seen strong demand for voyages to the profitable resort-like port.
• Royal is set to debut three resorts through 2027 as it competes in the growing cruise-owned destinations market.

Royal Caribbean is poised to build a vast and highly profitable vacation network — driven not solely by its cruise vessels but by its land-based portfolio.

The company's planned three Icon Class ships are expected to launch through 2027, coinciding with the debut of its next three private ports: Royal Beach Club Paradise Island in 2025, Royal Beach Club Cozumel in 2026, and Perfect Day Mexico in 2027.

At first glance, it may seem ironic for a vacation-at-sea company to invest millions into land-based destinations.

So, to understand Royal Caribbean's real estate conquest, look at the accomplishment of its first private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

Jason Liberty, president and CEO of Royal Caribbean Group, told analysts in October that its continued success can be partly attributed to its highest-rated port, Perfect Day at CocoCay.

I've visited the in-demand destination three times since 2022. It's no surprise the 5½-year-old Bahamian retreat has become the inspiration for the company's quickly growing private port-folio.

I relish the thrill of ultra-planned, stress-inducing travel where my survival relies on Google Maps and Translate.

However, behind this superiority complex, I also secretly love indulging in a vacation.

Not an emotionally taxing trip — a mushy-brained break where I get to rot on the beach and indulge in frivolous luxuries like guiltless naps and sugary beverages.

That about sums up why cruisers love Royal Caribbean's private island.

Some travelers criticize CocoCay for being an inauthentic Bahamian experience. While true, and for better or worse, that was never its promise.

The island was designed as an extension of Royal Caribbean's ships — a beach resort on steroids.

CocoCay is best for travelers who crave the conveniences of an all-inclusive resort: secure confinement, glittery beaches, and easy food and beverage kiosks.

The island has options for every type of paradise-seeking traveler. And much like going on a cruise, there's no need for planning as part of your visit (save for excursions like entry to its beach clubs). It's all set out for you.

For kids, CocoCay has a waterpark, a zipline, a water playground, and easygoing activities like ping-pong tables.

For adults, the island has two pool clubs: a boozy Vegas-style party at Hideaway Beach and a pricier high-end retreat at Coco Beach Club.

For traditionalists seeking a no-frills beach day, CocoCay's sandy waterfront is lined with innumerable lounge chairs and slow-sloping banks.

Plus, the island feels relatively safe.

Several popular cruise ports are in destinations where the US Department of State has issued travel advisories, such as Mexico's Ensenada, Baja (Level 3 — "reconsider travel" ) and Manzanillo, Colima (Level 4 — "do not travel").

The agency also suggests travelers "exercise increased caution" when visiting the Bahamas, home of CocoCay.

Yet, the island felt like one of the safest places I've recently toured.

CocoCay is only accessible by Royal Caribbean Group's ships.

As such, the only people there are its staff and the ship's crew and guests.

My biggest fear there? Getting a sunburn.

That's great news for concerned parents traveling with children or folks who may have read one too many cruise-related horror stories.

Most importantly, for Royal Caribbean, it's a proverbial goldmine.

Travelers love splurging during their daylong visit. The island doesn't require third-party excursion operators, allowing Royal Caribbean to maximize these profits.

Sections like the waterpark and beach clubs cost money to enter, from about $100 per person for the former to upward of $300 for Coco Beach Club.

Free parts of the island also have eye-catching upgrades, such as snorkeling equipment and costly cabanas.

Expect more opportunities to spend big at Royal Caribbean's coming properties.

Liberty told analysts that the cruise giant is "very mindful of having sizable significant returns" as it relates to its private properties. (It recently acquired the land for Perfect Day Mexico for $292 million.)

The company is using what it learned from CocoCay to design the Mexico location, which would also have free and paid amenities.

The same can't be said for the coming Royal Beach Club Collection.

The inaugural Paradise Island resort would accommodate about 4,000 guests a day. All would have to pay to enter, which would it a strong revenue driver.

For travelers, CocoCay is convenient, safe, amenity-rich, and beloved.

For Royal Caribbean, the island is a source of demand and increased revenue.

These private ports are a win-win all around, although competition could soon be stiff.

Carnival Corp is also racing to expand its private port portfolio.

The competing cruise giant plans to debut its $600 million private resort, Celebration Key, in 2025 and expand its existing private island, RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, in 2026. It's already selling 2026 itineraries that include both destinations, starting at about $350 per person for a four-day sailing.

EXCLUSIVE: Baltimore ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations officials on Thursday arrested eight migrants, including four convicted of child molestation and one murderer, in suburban Maryland. 

The arrests happened during an exclusive Fox News ride-along with the government agency. 

One of the migrants apprehended was convicted of sexual abuse of a minor and exposing himself in public several times. Another migrant, from the Philippines, was previously convicted of molesting a 10-year-old girl.

According to ICE, the one migrant convicted of murder was living in the U.S. on a permanent visa status.

MIGRANT CRIME PROBLEM ‘COURTESY’ OF BIDEN ADMINISTRATION, DEMOCRATIC PARTY: REP. PETE SESSIONS 

"The people we are out for are the worst of the worst," Baltimore field office Director Matthew Elliston told Fox News' David Spunt. "It's not the average person who is in the country illegally. If we are targeting you, there is a reason."

The goal is simple for the Baltimore ICE Field Office: arrest and then deport as many illegal migrants with criminal records as possible. ICE agents’ goal at the start of the day was to capture eight targets, and all eight targets are now in custody.

Now all eight of those migrants are behind bars and await hearings in front of immigration judges and potential deportation.

FIVE THINGS TO WATCH FOR ON IMMIGRATION AND BORDER SECURITY IN 2025

According to ICE data obtained by the House Homeland Security Committee in September, there are at least 650,000 criminal illegal immigrants on the agency’s "non-detained docket," meaning they are free in the U.S. interior. Of those, 14,944 are murderers and over 20,000 have been convicted of sexual assault.

Although not officially a sanctuary state, Maryland, which is led by Democratic Gov. Wes Moore and a majority Democratic state assembly, is considered immigrant friendly. The city of Baltimore, meanwhile, has an official policy that does not allow law enforcement to ask residents about their immigration status.

ICE data indicates that Baltimore ERO arrested 570 migrants with either a criminal conviction or a pending criminal charge in fiscal year 2024.

• UK royal staff decorated residences like Windsor Castle for the holidays.
• The British royals have a slew of famous properties, from Windsor to Holyroodhouse to Buckingham Palace.
• Buckingham Palace is being renovated — and we've not seen any photos so far of it being decked out.

The British royal family is getting in the holiday spirit.

It's a festive tradition for staff from the Royal Collection Trust to decorate the family's residences around the UK.

This year, Windsor Castle and the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh were the first residences to be decked out with Christmas trees and garlands.

Take a look at all the festive touches.

In Windsor Castle, a 20-foot Christmas tree was erected in St George's Hall.

The tree was sourced from the nearby Windsor Great Park and will be replanted after the Christmas display closes.

For the first time, Queen Mary's Dolls' House is decorated.

The Queen Mary's Dolls' House in Windsor Castle was designed between 1921 and 1924 as a "gift to the nation" from Queen Mary following World War I.

The doll house — often called the largest and most famous in the world — replicates an aristocratic Edwardian home and has electricity, working elevators, and running water.

This close-up image shows a mini 1920s Christmas tree.

To commemorate its 100th anniversary, the doll house has been decorated for Christmas for the first time with a miniature 1920s-style Christmas tree and garlands.

Meanwhile, festive garlands were on the castle's grand staircase.

The staircase leads to the State Apartments, which are open for the public to visit.

A 15-foot-high Christmas tree stands in the castle's crimson drawing room.

A Nordmann Fir Christmas tree was erected in the crimson drawing room, which the royal family uses for official entertaining.

Photos of the decorations at Buckingham Palace have not been released.

Buckingham Palace is decorated — but there aren't any pictures available.

A palace spokesperson told Business Insider that imagery of the interior decoration hasn't been released since the palace is closed to the public.

They said there were Christmas trees, garlands, and other festive flowers in the palace, the official London residence of the royals.

The photo above shows an event on December 11 at the palace, without any obvious decoration.

The palace is undergoing a £369 million ($466 million) refurbishment, which will see the royal household closed to state visits until 2027.

The Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh was also decorated with trees and garlands.

A 15-foot-high tree was erected in the Great Gallery, the largest room in the palace.

Here's a close-up shot of staff decorating the tree with baubles.

The room is adorned with portraits of legendary kings of Scotland.

Two 12-foot-high Christmas trees stand in the palace's Throne Room.

The Throne Room is used for receptions, state banquets, and other formal events.

Here's a closer look at one of the trees.

The tree was decorated predominantly with red baubles and ribbons.

In the palace's dining room, giant festive garlands are displayed.

Staff members can be seen adding the finishing touches to the display.

The table was set with sugared fruits and foliage.

Clarence House has also been decorated for the holidays.

The London residence, which remains the primary residence of King Charles III and his wife, Queen Camilla, also got a festive makeover in the run up to Christmas.

The property was decorated to resemble a Christmas grotto ahead of an annual festive tradition.

The Queen welcomed children to Clarence House to help decorate the Christmas tree in the household's library.

Highgrove, the King's former family residence, was decorated with towering nutcrackers.

Highgrove is in the English countryside some 85 miles west of London.

The two nutcrackers, which stand at over 10 feet tall, have been placed outside the Orchard Room, the estate's dedicated entertaining space.

Inside, a Christmas tree has been placed on a table.

The tree is in the Ante Room and will be visible to the public who visit Highgrove's gardens during the festive period.

Garlands of dried fruit have been displayed on the windows.

Staff members can be seen decorating the tree beyond the windows.

The table in the garden room was decorated with tall candelabras and seasonal colors.

Staff at Highgrove Gardens can be seen preparing place settings in the garden room.

If we see more royal Christmassy photos, we'll add them.

• Tom Holland said working on films with Zendaya is the "best thing" that's happened to him.
• He said the couple can vent about what annoys them on set back at their hotel room.
• Holland and Zendaya have worked on three "Spider-Man" movies together.

Tom Holland said working on set with Zendaya, his girlfriend, is a "saving grace" because they can vent about what's annoyed them when they get back to their hotel room.

Rumors of their relationship started in 2017 when they were working on "Spider-Man: Homecoming," but they didn't make things official (and public) until 2021 after photos of them kissing in public surfaced online.

They have starred in three "Spider-Man" movies together, and are expected to reprise their roles in the as yet untitled fourth movie.

On Wednesday's episode of the "Dish" podcast, Holland briefly opened up about how the pair's relationship is useful when they're working on the same project.

He joked: "Studios love it. One hotel room. Separate drivers. We're not crazy now. Listen it's work, alright?"

When asked about having Zendaya as his costar, he said: "Oh God, yeah. It's a saving grace. Yeah, best thing that's ever happened to me.

"It's just that perfect thing when you're on set and a director will give you a note that maybe you don't agree with, or I know that she doesn't particularly like, and it's just that, like, familiar glance at each other of like, can't wait to talk about that later."

While Marvel Studios is still figuring out the plan for "Spider-Man 4," the couple will next appear in Christopher Nolan's upcoming movie for Universal Pictures.

The premise and title are currently being kept under wraps, although it's rumored to be a futuristic action movie about helicopter cops in New York.

Holland said: "To be perfectly honest with you, I don't know anything about it. I'm super excited. Everything is very, very hush-hush. I met with him, it was awesome, he loosely pitched what it was. I'm sure when he's ready, he'll announce what it is."

In November, Zendaya told Vanity Fair that working with Holland is "strangely comfortable."

She said: "It's like second nature, if anything. You feel extra safe with the person you're acting beside. I love working with him. He's so talented, and so passionate about what he does.

"He always gives things one thousand percent, even if he's absolutely worn down. I really appreciate that about him."

• Height varies widely around the world, but some countries tend to have taller citizens.
• Using medical data, Business Insider found the mean heights for the 25 tallest countries.
• Many European countries made the list, including Germany, Poland, and Croatia

Sultan Kösen, who hails from Turkey, is nearly 8 feet 3 inches tall and may be the tallest person on the planet.

Despite his impressive stature, his country isn't among those with the tallest people, according to the medical database from the NCD Risk Factor Collaboration.

From 1985 to 2019, the project collected height, blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and other health metrics from over 2,500 population surveys across 193 countries.

The NCD lists the mean heights for 19-year-old men and women in each country. Averaging these two figures gives a rough idea of how tall the typical person is in the country.

Notably, the US isn't on the list. It ranked 58th for women, at 5 feet 4.29 inches (163.3 cm), and 47th for men at 5 feet 9.65 inches (176.9 cm).

These are the 25 countries that (literally) came out on top.

25. Greece's mean height is 5 feet 7.93 inches (172.55 cm).

The mean height for men from Greece is 5 feet 10.59 inches (179.3 cm).

The mean height for women from Greece is 5 feet 5.28 inches (165.8 cm).

24. Austria's mean height is 5 feet 7.99 inches (172.7 cm).

The mean height for men from Austria is 5 feet 10.28 inches (178.5 cm).

The mean height for women from Austria is 5 feet 5.71 inches (166.9 cm).

22. Belarus' mean height is 5 feet 8.03 inches (172.8 cm).

The mean height for men from Belarus is 5 feet 10.35 inches (178.7 cm).

The mean height for women from Belarus is 5 feet 5.71 inches (166.9 cm).

22. Cook Islands' mean height is 5 feet 8.03 inches (172.8 cm).

The mean height for men from the Cook Islands is 5 feet 10.19 inches (178.3 cm).

The mean height for women from the Cook Islands is 5 feet 5.87 inches (167.3 cm).

21. Bermuda's mean height is 5 feet 8.07 inches (172.9 cm).

The mean height for men from Bermuda is 5 feet 10.75 inches (179.7 cm).

The mean height for women from Bermuda is 5 feet 5.39 inches (166.1 cm).

19. Poland's mean height is 5 feet 8.21 inches (173.25 cm).

The mean height for men from Poland is 5 feet 11.14 inches (180.7 cm).

The mean height for women from Poland is 5 feet 5.28 inches (165.8 cm).

19. Germany's mean height is 5 feet 8.21 inches (173.25 cm).

The mean height for men from Germany is 5 feet 10.98 inches (180.3 cm).

The mean height for women from Germany is 5 feet 5.43 inches (166.2 cm).

18. Norway's mean height is 5 feet 8.29 inches (173.45 cm).

The mean height for men from Norway is 5 feet 11.06 inches (180.5 cm).

The mean height for women from Norway is 5 feet 5.51 inches (166.4 cm).

16. Finland's mean height is 5 feet 8.33 inches (173.55 cm).

The mean height for men from Finland is 5 feet 11.1 inches (180.6 cm).

The mean height for women from Finland is 5 feet 5.55 inches (166.5 cm).

16. Dominica's mean height is 5 feet 8.33 inches (173.55 cm).

The mean height for men from Dominica is 5 feet 10.94 inches (180.2 cm).

The mean height for women from Dominica is 5 feet 5.71 inches (166.9 cm).

 

 

 

15. Sweden's mean height is 5 feet 8.35 inches (173.6 cm).

The mean height for men from Sweden is 5 feet 11.06 inches (180.5 cm).

The mean height for women from Sweden is 5 feet 5.63 inches (166.7 cm).

 

 

 

13. Ukraine's mean height is 5 feet 8.43 inches (173.8 cm).

The mean height for men from Ukraine is 5 feet 11.26 inches (181 cm).

The mean height for women from Ukraine is 5 feet 5.59 inches (166.6 cm).

13. Croatia's mean height is 5 feet 8.43 inches (173.8 cm).

The mean height for men from Croatia is 5 feet 11.18 inches (180.8 cm).

The mean height for women from Croatia is 5 feet 5.67 inches (166.8 cm).

12. Slovakia's mean height is 5 feet 8.52 inches (174.05 cm).

The mean height for men from Slovakia is 5 feet 11.26 inches (181 cm).

The mean height for women from Slovakia is 5 feet 5.79 inches (167.1 cm).

11. Slovenia's mean height is 5 feet 8.54 inches (174.1 cm).

The mean height for men from Slovenia is 5 feet 11.26 inches (181 cm).

The mean height for women from Slovenia is 5 feet 5.83 inches (167.2 cm).

10. Lithuania's mean height is 5 feet 8.56 inches (174.15 cm).

The mean height for men from Lithuania is 5 feet 11.14 inches (180.7 cm).

The mean height for women from Lithuania is 5 feet 5.98 inches (167.6 cm).

9. Serbia's mean height is 5 feet 8.7 inches (174.5 cm).

The mean height for men from Serbia is 5 feet 11.14 inches (180.7 cm).

The mean height for women from Serbia is 5 feet 6.26 inches (168.3 cm).

8. Czech Republic's mean height is 5 feet 8.74 inches (174.6 cm).

The mean height for men from the Czech Republic is 5 feet 11.34 inches (181.2 cm).

The mean height for women from the Czech Republic is 5 feet 6.14 inches (168 cm).

6. Bosnia and Herzegovina's mean height is 5 feet 8.9 inches (175 cm).

The mean height for men from Bosnia & Herzegovina is 5 feet 11.85 inches (182.5 cm).

The mean height for women from Bosnia & Herzegovina is 5 feet 5.94 inches (167.5 cm).

6. Latvia's mean height is 5 feet 8.9 inches (175 cm).

The mean height for men from Latvia is 5 feet 11.34 inches (181.2 cm).

The mean height for women from Latvia is 5 feet 6.46 inches (168.8 cm).

5. Iceland's mean height is 5 feet 9.09 inches (175.5 cm).

The mean height for men from Iceland is 5 feet 11.69 inches (182.1 cm).

The mean height for women from Iceland is 5 feet 6.5 inches (168.9 cm).

4. Denmark's mean height is 5 feet 9.17 inches (175.7 cm).

The mean height for men from Denmark is 5 feet 11.61 inches (181.9 cm).

The mean height for women from Denmark is 5 feet 6.73 inches (169.5 cm).

3. Estonia's mean height is 5 feet 9.19 inches (175.75 cm).

The mean height for men from Estonia is 5 feet 11.97 inches (182.8 cm).

The mean height for women from Estonia is 5 feet 6.42 inches (168.7 cm).

2. Montenegro's mean height is 5 feet 9.55 inches (176.65 cm).

The mean height for men from Montenegro is 6 feet 0.17 inches (183.3 cm).

The mean height for women from Montenegro is 5 feet 6.93 inches (170 cm).

 

 

1. The Netherlands's mean height is 5 feet 9.72 inches (177.1 cm).

The mean height for men from the Netherlands is 6 feet 0.36 inches (183.8 cm).

The mean height for women from the Netherlands is 5 feet 7.09 inches (170.4 cm).

A note on mean versus average heights: Using mean heights instead of averages gives a sense of which countries have the most people who are tall. For example, many Icelandic men are 5 feet 11 inches. 

The list would look different ranked by average heights. The Federal Statistical Office of Germany calculates heights by average, for example, and the results would bump the country up several spots in the rankings. 

This post was originally published in 2019 and was updated on December 18, 2024.

The former CIA counterterrorism officer John Kiriakou looks at counterterrorism scenes in movies and TV and breaks them down for realism.

Kiriakou explains the counterterrorism efforts done to directly address the September 11 attacks — commonly known as 9/11 — such as the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound, which ultimately led to his killing, in "Zero Dark Thirty," featuring Jessica Chastain, Joel Edgerton, and Chris Pratt; and the CIA's interrogation techniques — such as waterboarding and sleep deprivation — to detainees, such as the Al-Qaeda members Abu Zubaydah and Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, in "The Report," starring Adam Driver. He breaks down the plausibility of weapons used by terrorists, such as the use of weapons of mass destruction, particularly nerve agents, in "Mission: Impossible — Rogue Nation," with Tom Cruise and Simon Pegg; and the cyberterrorism attack in "Skyfall," featuring Daniel Craig and Judi Dench. Kiriakou looks at more counterterrorism strategies, such as the drone attack in "Homeland" S4E1 (2014), starring Claire Danes; and the collaboration of intelligence agencies in "Body of Lies," featuring Leonardo DiCaprio, Russell Crow, and Oscar Isaac. He also reacts to the depiction of other real-life terrorist attacks, such as the 2008 Mumbai attacks in "Hotel Mumbai," starring Dev Patel; the Munich Massacre, which involved the Palestinian militant organization Black September, in "Munich," with Daniel Craig and Eric Bana; and the depiction of the hijacking of the Indian Airlines Flight 814, which landed in Kandahar International Airport in Afghanistan — then a stronghold of the Taliban — in "IC 814: The Kandahar Hijack" E5 + E6 (2024).

Before 9/11, Kiriakou served as a counterterrorism operations officer in Athens, Greece; and after the 9/11 attacks, Kiriakou was appointed chief of counterterrorist operations in Pakistan, where he oversaw a series of military raids on Al-Qaeda safe houses, resulting in the capture of numerous Al-Qaeda members, including leading the raid that captured Abu Zubaydah — who was then believed to be Al-Qaeda's third-highest-ranking member. He left the CIA in 2004, and in 2007, he went public with his information about the CIA's "enhanced interrogation techniques," a program of systematic torture of detainees. He was sentenced to 30 months in prison, where he pleaded guilty to a charge of revealing information that identified a covert agent. He went on to become a senior investigator for the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and a terrorism consultant for ABC News. He has written various books and teaches and speaks around the country, focusing on the CIA, terrorism, torture, and ethics in intelligence operations.

You can follow Kiriakou on LinkedIn:

Here is a link to Kiriakou's books.

Congressional leaders struck a deal to avert a government shutdown that includes a provision stating that the federal government will fully pay for the rebuilding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.

The provision also allows the Treasury Department to recoup at least some funds spent through insurance payments, as well as federal and state litigation related to its collapse.

A container ship called the Dali struck part of the Key Bridge in the early hours of March 26.

The incident sent shock waves through both domestic and global supply chains, having blocked a significant amount of shipping to and from the Port of Baltimore for more than two months.

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Maryland officials estimated the cost to rebuild the bridge to be between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion.

The new federal measure is part of a short-term government funding bill to avert a partial shutdown through March 14 to give lawmakers more time to negotiate a spending deal for the remainder of fiscal year 2025.

It is also one of several seemingly unrelated policy measures included in the bill that have angered members of congressional Republicans' rightmost flank, who said they felt largely blindsided by inclusions.

DANIEL PENNY TO BE TAPPED FOR CONGRESSIONAL GOLD MEDAL BY HOUSE GOP LAWMAKER

Federal and state Democrats from Maryland, however, praised the Key Bridge's inclusion in the bipartisan deal.

"This has been a nine-month fight to make sure that Baltimore City and Baltimore County are made whole again. And now, we are able to secure the full funding of the Francis Scott Key Bridge rebuild which the Congress will vote on in the next 48 hours – this means so much to all of us throughout the state," Rep. Kewisi Mfume, D-Md., said in a statement.

Sen. Chris Van Hollen, D-Md., who also praised the provision and criticized House Republicans for objecting to it on Monday, before the final deal was struck.

"House Republicans have not signed off on 100% funding for the Key Bridge. The Senate has signed off on that. But we have not been given a good reason why House Republicans continue to object," Van Hollen told local outlet 11 News. "That is the state of play as we speak."

The short-term spending bill must pass the House and Senate by Friday, Dec. 20 to avoid a partial government shutdown.

Hackers trying to extort the Rhode Island government infiltrated the state's public benefits system, causing state officials to shut down online services that let residents apply for Medicaid and other assistance programs.

"As part of this investigation today, we discovered that within the Rhode Island Bridges system, a cybercriminal had installed dangerous malware that constituted an urgent threat," Governor Dan McKee said at a Friday night press conference, according to The Providence Journal. "That is why tonight we have shut down the system. That means customers will temporarily not be able to access any customer portal related to the services on Rhode Island Bridges."

The vendor "Deloitte confirmed that there is a high probability that a cybercriminal has obtained files with personally identifiable information from RIBridges," McKee's office said in a press release. Rhode Island has "proactively taken the system offline so that the State and Deloitte can work to address the threat and restore the system as quickly as possible."

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• A man from Northern Ireland looks set to spend Christmas in the UAE following his arrest.
• Authorities in Abu Dhabi arrested Craig Ballentine after he posted a negative Google review about his former UAE employer.
• Ballentine's family said the situation is "a living nightmare."

A man from Northern Ireland who was arrested after posting a negative review about his former employer in Dubai looks set to spend Christmas in the United Arab Emirates.

Craig Ballentine was arrested in Abu Dhabi's airport in October over a negative Google review he posted about his former workplace — a dog grooming salon in Dubai, according to Radha Stirling, an advocate who helps foreigners navigate legal trouble in the UAE.

Ballentine spent about six months working at the salon in 2023. He said he needed time off due to illness and presented his employer with medical certificates as proof of his condition.

But the employer reported him as "absconded" with UAE authorities after he missed work, and he was hit with a travel ban.

After getting the ban lifted, Ballentine returned to Northern Ireland, where he wrote a Google review detailing the issues with his former employer.

He was arrested after returning to the UAE for a holiday and now faces charges of slander.

Ballentine, who said he had paid a fine and was given a one-month social media ban, had hoped to get his travel ban lifted and return to Northern Ireland ahead of Christmas.

But he told the BBC that while on the way to a police station to get the ban lifted, he was told authorities wanted to appeal his case and had set a court date for February.

"While I was in the middle of the transit going there, I got the email that the court was not happy and they wanted to appeal again," he said. "I called friends and family and couldn't stop crying, because you're holding on to those emotions, you're just trying to focus on 'let's get out of here.'"

A GoFundMe set up by Ballentine's family has raised nearly $2,500 to help with his legal fees.

"What started out as a holiday to catch up with friends for Craig has turned out to be a living nightmare," the family says on the page.

"At present legal fees are crippling and any money raised will go to help clearing these costs," they added.

Ballentine has also appealed to politicians to support his case with the help of Radha Stirling, a representative from the campaign group "Detained in Dubai."

"The amount of support Craig has is quite incredible," Stirling said. "Charging someone for an online review is something everyone can imagine happening to them. We've received an influx of worried tourists contacting us to check their police status in Dubai and it's certainly a good idea."

Stirling has helped several tourists held up in the country on exaggerated charges and forced to pay costly fees as a resolution. She previously told Business Insider that it's relatively easy to file a complaint that can prevent someone from leaving the country.

"There's been a lot of cases in the past where people have been accused of road rage or flipping the middle finger and that kind of thing, even when they haven't," Stirling previously told BI. "Then someone goes down to the police station, and whatever they say is automatically believed. They don't need evidence."

In one case Stirling worked on, a female college student lightly nudged an airport security officer during a security screening search. They accused her of assault, and she was unable to leave the nation for months.

In another case, a woman was detained after she was accused of screaming, which her accusers said violated a vague law criminalizing "offensive behavior" like rudeness or swearing. She paid $1,000 to have the travel ban that prevented her from leaving lifted, though her accusers initially demanded $10,000.

"It's actually culturally widespread, and the police haven't done anything to clamp down on that sort of extortion," Stirling previously told BI.

President-elect Trump named a couple of key first-term allies to roles in his second administration, including Richard Grenell.

Grenell was the incoming president's pick as presidential envoy for special missions, a post that will likely drive the administration's policies in some of the most contentious regions of the world. 

"Ric will work in some of the hottest spots around the World, including Venezuela and North Korea," Trump said in the announcement Saturday evening.

TRUMP ANNOUNCES MORE NOMINATIONS, INCLUDING DEVIN NUNES, TROY EDGAR AND BILL WHITE

Grenell was Trump's intelligence chief during the president's first administration.

"In my First Term, Ric was the United States Ambassador to Germany, Acting Director of National Intelligence, and Presidential Envoy for Kosovo-Serbia Negotiations," Trump said. "Previously, he spent eight years inside the United Nations Security Council, working with North Korea, and developments in numerous other Countries."

Trump also announced Edward Sharp Walsh as his pick to serve as U.S. ambassador to Ireland.

NEW POLL REVEALS WHAT AMERICANS THINK OF TRUMP'S TRANSITION DECISIONS 

"Edward is the President of the Walsh Company, a very successful nationwide construction and real estate firm. He is a great philanthropist in his local community, and previously served as the Chairman of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority Board," Trump announced.

The picks are the latest in a string of nominations the president-elect hopes the Senate will approve.

State officials said hundreds of thousands of Rhode Island residents could be affected by a cyberattack on the state’s online portal for social services, with a “high probability” that  personally identifiable information was breached. According to an update from Governor Dan McKee’s office, the attack targeted RIBridges, which Rhode Island residents use to apply for […]

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• I took a $6.50 ferry to Vashon Island, a scenic spot near Seattle.
• The ferry ride was only 20 minutes long and had beautiful views of the Puget Sound.
• I had a great time on the island and even attended a llama happy hour on one of its farms.

I love exploring the many beautiful islands in Washington state.

Recently, I planned a trip to Vashon Island, one of the largest islands in the Puget Sound, just south of Seattle.

To get there, I booked a 20-minute ferry ride from Seattle on the Washington State Ferry. My ticket to Vashon Island was only $6.50.

Here's what it was like taking the ferry and exploring the island.

I started my journey to Vashon Island at the Faunterloy ferry terminal in Seattle.

Unlike the area's Bainbridge Island, Vashon Island isn't accessible via a bridge. This means all visitors have to take a ferry ride and arrange their trip around the scheduled departure times.

Although the ferry can accommodate cars for an extra fee, I didn't bring one with me on this journey.

To get to the Fauntleroy ferry terminal in West Seattle, I took a couple of buses from the Seattle–Tacoma International Airport. When I arrived, I bought a $6.50 ticket at a booth inside the tiny terminal.

Soon enough, the ferry arrived, and I boarded with the other foot passengers.

Though only about a dozen of us boarded the 1,200-passenger ship, I saw many cars waiting to get on the ferry.

Needless to day, I was glad to be a foot passenger.

The ferry had beautiful views of West Seattle.

The ferry had an open deck with no seats and an indoor sitting area with booths and wooden benches.

During the 20-minute ride, I admired evergreen-clad views of West Seattle and the Puget Sound area (a system of interconnected waterways off Washington's northwest coast).

I also noticed a snack bar stocked with chips and beverages, but I planned on having dinner soon, so I didn't grab anything while on board.

Sure enough, we soon arrived at Vashon Island's docks. Once we docked, I caught a ride to my lodging about 4 miles from the terminal.

The next day, I headed to happy hour at Vashon Llamas.

The following day, I visited a farm called Vashon Llamas, which offers a reservation-only llama happy hour for only $10.

The 90-minute happy-hour experience allows visitors to enjoy their own snacks and drinks, and pet llamas on the farm.

I loved feeding the llamas and talking to the farm's owner.

The happy-hour experience was adorable. One by one, llamas approached my table, and I got to pet them and feed them treats. For dessert, they munched on evergreen needles.

The farm's owner, Kelly, told me about how she transported her herd of 14 llamas from Wyoming to Vashon years ago, so even they have taken the Washington State Ferry.

Vashon Island is also known for its Oscar the Bird King sculpture, so I visited that, too.

While on the island, I also stopped at Oscar the Bird King, a large wooden sculpture by Danish artist Thomas Dambo that was installed in 2023.

To get there, I followed signs to the sculpture in Point Robinson Park, located on the east shore of Maury Island, which is connected to Vashon Island.

Overall, I had a great time on Vashon Island, and I'd definitely take the short ferry ride again.

Overall, I loved my visit to Vashon Island, and taking the ferry there was easy and cheap at only $6.50.

The people I met were friendly — and one local I met even drove me back to the ferry terminal after my three-night stay.

Visiting the island and dining with the llamas was a priceless experience, and I'd recommend it to anyone looking for something to do in the Seattle area.

This story was originally published on December 14, 2024, and most recently updated on December 16, 2024.

• You can vacation on a private Caribbean island for as cheap as $80 a day, so long as you go by cruise.
• Cruise lines like Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Carnival have islands exclusive to guests.
• These companies have been racing to expand their private island and resort portfolio.

Winter blues got you daydreaming about a private Caribbean island vacation? As expensive as they might sound, you don't have to break the bank to go to one.

Some are as cheap as $80 a day. Although, of course, there's a catch.

You'll have to go with thousands of other travelers — on a cruise ship, no less.

Many of the largest cruise companies own and operate private Caribbean islands just a day's sail from Florida's main terminals. These islands are only accessible by cruiseliners and are exclusive to their guests.

Once there, travelers can sunbathe on soft-sand beaches, snorkel with turtles in clear blue waters, and, of course, swim with pigs. Maybe for these reasons, travelers seem to love them — especially Royal Caribbean Group's Perfect Day at CocoCay, the company's highest-rated port, Jason Liberty, its CEO, told investors in October.

Families visiting CocoCay can spend their afternoon at the 14-slide waterpark. About a mile away, at Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings' larger 270-acre Great Stirrup Cay, adrenaline junkies can fly through the island's six-part zipline course.

At Carnival Corp's whopping 2,400-acre RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay, guests can explore the beach by horseback.

Cruise ships generally stay docked at these private ports for less than a day. Yet, the value is comparatively hard to beat.

Carnival's Half Moon Cay itineraries are as affordable as $80 a day — not bad compared to neighboring private islands that could cost upward of $150,000 per night to rent.

But that doesn't mean every amenity at these cruise-owned destinations is cheap. If these savings give you the urge to splurge, a two-bedroom villa at Great Stirrup Cay's Silver Cove resort starts at about $1,430. Similarly, cabanas at CocoCay's luxurious beach club could cost upward of $1,600. (Don't worry — most of their beachside lounge chairs are free.)

The three cruise giants have hundreds of voyages planned to their islands in 2025. Carnival has about 200 scheduled — Royal Caribbean has more than double that.

These numbers are expected to grow in the coming years. Carnival and Norwegian plan to build multi-ship piers at their respective properties, with the latter opening in late 2025. This $150 million investment is expected to double Great Stirrup Cay's visitors the following year.