phmacao vip American released from Syrian prison is flown out of the country, a US official saysCompany Declares Quarterly Dividend of $0.17 Per Share LAS VEGAS , Dec. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) today announced that its Board of Directors has authorized an additional $500 million under the Company's share repurchase program. Considering the additional authorization, the Company had approximately $843 million remaining in repurchase authority as of September 30, 2024 . Additionally, the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly cash dividend of $0.17 per share, payable January 15, 2025 , to shareholders of record as of December 16, 2024 . About Boyd Gaming Founded in 1975, Boyd Gaming Corporation (NYSE: BYD) is a leading geographically diversified operator of 28 gaming entertainment properties in 10 states, manager of a tribal casino in northern California , and owner and operator of Boyd Interactive, a B2B and B2C online casino gaming business. The Company is also a strategic partner and 5% equity owner of FanDuel Group, the nation's leading sports- betting operator. With one of the most experienced leadership teams in the casino industry, Boyd Gaming prides itself on offering guests an outstanding entertainment experience and memorable customer service. Through a long-standing company philosophy called Caring the Boyd Way, Boyd Gaming is committed to advancing Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives that positively impact the Company's stakeholders and communities. For additional Company information and press releases, visit https://investors.boydgaming.com . View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boyd-gaming-announces-additional-500-million-share-repurchase-authorization-302324275.html SOURCE Boyd Gaming CorporationFive years ago, Santa Clara vape store manager Darwin Torda proudly parked his beloved Honda Civic, freshly outfitted with a new set of wheels, in front of his house and locked it. When he walked out the next morning, it was gone, a broken piece of children’s scissors left on the ground the only clue to how thieves might have made off with it. “They used something like the safety scissors that kindergartners use in elementary school to get into my car through the locking mechanism,” Torda, 28, said. “I’ve lived in Santa Clara my entire life, and that happened right in front of my house, and it’s crazy.” Police found his car weeks later in Santa Rosa, so damaged, he said, that it wasn’t worth paying to retrieve it from the tow yard. But though he now drives a newer 2008 Honda Civic, the theft still rankles him. He and others sense such auto thefts have only gotten worse, and in fact, they have. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration , more than 1 million vehicles were stolen in the U.S. in 2023, a 25% increase in vehicle theft totals over the previous years, costing vehicle owners more than $8 billion. The National Insurance Crime Bureau , a nonprofit that works to reduce crime and insurance fraud, reported that with more than 1 million vehicles reported stolen, 2023 was a record-breaking year for vehicle thefts, which have risen steadily since 2019. California Highway Patrol (CHP) Golden Gate Division utilizes several avenues to combat vehicle theft. On Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, CHP investigators served a search warrant on a suspected chop shop in Vallejo. Through this ongoing investigation, investigators recovered nine stolen vehicles, one stolen trailer and numerous stolen vehicle component parts. (Photo courtesy of California Highway Patrol) California Highway Patrol (CHP) Golden Gate Division utilizes several avenues to combat vehicle theft. On Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, CHP investigators served a search warrant on a suspected chop shop in Vallejo. Through this ongoing investigation, investigators recovered nine stolen vehicles, one stolen trailer and numerous stolen vehicle component parts. (Photo courtesy of California Highway Patrol) California Highway Patrol (CHP) Golden Gate Division utilizes several avenues to combat vehicle theft. On Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, CHP investigators served a search warrant on a suspected chop shop in Vallejo. Through this ongoing investigation, investigators recovered nine stolen vehicles, one stolen trailer and numerous stolen vehicle component parts. (Photo courtesy of California Highway Patrol) On Friday, March 22, 2024, Sonoma County Auto Theft Task Force detectives and Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a search warrant at an unlicensed vehicle repair shop in Santa Rosa. They discovered dozens of vehicles, seven of which were confirmed stolen, with parts removed or identification numbers altered. Two suspects were arrested for their involvement in the vehicle theft and chop shop operation. (Photo courtesy of California Highway Patrol) On Friday, March 22, 2024, Sonoma County Auto Theft Task Force detectives and Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a search warrant at an unlicensed vehicle repair shop in Santa Rosa. They discovered dozens of vehicles, seven of which were confirmed stolen, with parts removed or identification numbers altered. Two suspects were arrested for their involvement in the vehicle theft and chop shop operation. (Photo courtesy of California Highway Patrol) On Friday, March 22, 2024, Sonoma County Auto Theft Task Force detectives and Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office deputies executed a search warrant at an unlicensed vehicle repair shop in Santa Rosa. They discovered dozens of vehicles, seven of which were confirmed stolen, with parts removed or identification numbers altered. Two suspects were arrested for their involvement in the vehicle theft and chop shop operation. (Photo courtesy of California Highway Patrol) California Highway Patrol (CHP) Golden Gate Division utilizes several avenues to combat vehicle theft. On Thursday, Feb. 16, 2023, CHP investigators served a search warrant on a suspected chop shop in Vallejo. Through this ongoing investigation, investigators recovered nine stolen vehicles, one stolen trailer and numerous stolen vehicle component parts. (Photo courtesy of California Highway Patrol) Nicholas Zeitlinger, an NICB spokesperson, said California and the Bay Area lead the country in vehicle theft numbers, with more than 200,000 stolen in 2023. The Los Angeles metropolitan area led the state with more than 72,000 stolen vehicles, followed by the San Francisco Bay Area with nearly 41,000, he said. According to the California Highway Patrol, in 2023 a car was stolen in the state an average of once every two minutes and 36 seconds, with the average cost per stolen vehicle totaling $8,876. The CHP said figures for 2024 won’t be published until March so it is difficult to say whether the trend has improved this year, said Matt Gutierrez, a lieutenant for the Office of Media Relations at CHP headquarters in Sacramento. “The police can’t keep up with all of it,” said Torda, who has since invested in the Ring mobile app to help monitor his property. “Some of my neighbors are posting about their experiences with what is happening in the community, especially about the stolen cars.” According to the CHP’s 2023 California Vehicle Theft Facts , around 21.6 percent of all vehicle thefts occurred in the San Francisco Bay Area, especially in Alameda, Santa Clara, San Francisco, San Mateo and Marin Counties. Of the vehicle thefts in the San Francisco Bay Area, 53.8 percent occurred in Alameda County, where the number of Oakland car thefts was the highest in more than 20 years. Honda’s have been the most stolen vehicle over the past seven years, particularly the Civic and Accord models. Chevrolet Silverados also have been targets. Chris Naughton, a Honda Northeast Regional manager of public relations, attributed high theft rates for his company’s cars to their popularity. Honda added an Immobilizer Theft Deterrent System from 1998 to 2001 that prevent the car’s engine from starting without a properly encoded key, as well as alarm systems and GPS tracking, to deter thieves. But those measures aren’t foolproof. “Determined thieves are also working to overcome those features,” Naughton said. Abby Rodavlas, of Alameda, had her 2019 Honda Accord stolen in the city this summer on Bay Street. “I woke up early morning to go to an appointment and realized my car was no longer there,” Rodavlas said. “I tried to locate my car’s air tag and found the air tag discarded on a street corner.” She said dealing with the aftermath has been incredibly stressful. She checks Nextdoor, hoping that someone might post a sighting of her car. “I’ve noticed at least one post a day online in the Bay Area groups about a stolen vehicle, and I’ve also witnessed more instances of stealing at store centers,” Rodavlas said. Gutierrez said that when a car is reported stolen, law enforcement does not automatically go look for it. The state has an auto theft task force with teams to help recover stolen cars, he said, “but that doesn’t mean we will dispatch like 50 officers to flood the city and look for your car.” “Once your vehicle license plate is entered into SVS, a database for every eight law enforcement agencies across the county will be created that has access to that system,” Gutierrez said. Instead, police check license plates to see if the vehicle has been reported stolen. “That’s how the car gets found and located faster,” Gutierrez said, noting that in 2023, 85.4 percent were successfully recovered. Even so, he said, prevention is the best protection. “We always recommend people don’t leave your keys in your car, and don’t leave your car running without being attended,” Gutierrez said. Motorists like Rodavlas say they know police usually have bigger problems to confront, but the thefts still are demoralizing. “I understand that there are much larger issues keeping the police department busy,” she said. “But the law enforcement didn’t have the bandwidth to truly help in this situation, especially with the frequency of stolen cars in the Bay Area.” When police found Torda’s car, Torda said he only carried liability insurance, not coverage to replace it, so it wasn’t worth the cost of retrieving it from the tow yard. But he said the prior theft led to higher car insurance costs for him. California is among three states expected to see auto insurance rate hikes of more than 50% in the country, said Eden Cassidy, owner and principal broker at Cassidy Insurance Agency in Scotts Valley. Cassidy said vehicle thefts contribute to that but are among many factors. “The real primary factor contributing to rate increases is repair prices because almost all new vehicles sold now, whether the least expensive or the higher priced premier vehicles have much more advanced safety technology,” Cassidy said. “So, there’re no inexpensive or cheap fender benders or accidents anymore. Even the smallest little fender bender becomes much more expensive for the insurance company to pay to fix.” The CHP’s Gutierrez said that “it takes both the public and law enforcement to work together to prevent and reduce the amount of auto theft to have a positive trend.” Rodavlas said she understands, but still is caught off guard by how prevalent crime has become, especially in a community she was raised in. “I hope things can improve in the Bay Area,” Rodavlas said.

Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-2nd, co-sponsored the Stopping Harmful Image Exploitation and Limiting Distribution, or SHIELD, Act, which was introduced Monday and is intended to strengthen laws to protect children and adults from having personal images shared publicly by others. "In today's world, we are seeing children and vulnerable adults being exploited and extorted in ways we have never seen before," Van Drew said in a statement. "Perpetrators are threatening to share intimate images or videos without consent, preying on the fear and vulnerability of their victims. While the rapid evolution of our technology has made this possible, our laws to protect victims are lagging behind, and too often, offenders are getting away with it." The SHIELD Act would make it illegal to knowingly distribute intimate images of another person without that person's permission, and specifies that it covers people of all ages, and consent to making the images does not confer consent to distribute them. Atlantic City Airshow canceled for 2025 Atlantic City police officer accused of assaulting, pointing gun at wife Somers Point man killed after motorcycle strikes SUV on Longport Boulevard Atlantic City Mayor Small indicted on witness tampering charge in child abuse case Body found in fridge in Belleplain State Forest Somers Point man killed in two-vehicle crash in Egg Harbor Township 'Great Day Express' takes its maiden voyage to Big SNOW at American Dream Mall Mays Landing's Level Up comic and video game shop to close after 18 years GoFundMe started for Somers Point man seriously injured in Egg Harbor Township crash Long Beach Island fire damages multimillion-dollar bayfront home Troopers gave special treatment to drivers with courtesy cards, watchdog finds Lower Township man charged with possession of child porn Who are The Press' 2024 High School Football All-Stars? Who are The Press' football Player, Team and Coach of the Year? BPU begins process to consider 8% increase in Atlantic City Electric rates It is endorsed by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children; the National Center on Sexual Exploitation; the Rape, Abuse, and Incent National Network (RAINN); the National Association of Police Organizations; the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative; Bumble; Girls Inc.; the International Justice Mission, and the National District Attorneys Association, Van Drew's office said. Other co-sponsors are Democratic U.S. Rep. Madeleine Dean of Pennsylvania, Republican U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, Republican U.S. Rep. Nathaniel Moran of Texas, and Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania. Van Drew REPORTER: Michelle Brunetti Post 609-841-2895 mpost@pressofac.com Get Government & Politics updates in your inbox! Stay up-to-date on the latest in local and national government and political topics with our newsletter. Staff Writer Author twitter Author email {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Guidehouse COO, Charles Beard, Joins Company's BoardGENEVA (AP) — Netflix has secured the U.S. broadcasting rights to the Women’s World Cup in 2027 and 2031 as the streaming giant continues its push into live sports. The deal announced Friday is the most significant FIFA has signed with a streaming service for a major tournament. The value was not given, though international competitions in women’s soccer have struggled to draw high-value offers. “Bringing this iconic tournament to Netflix isn’t just about streaming matches,” its chief content officer Bela Bajaria said in a statement. “It’s also about celebrating the players, the culture and the passion driving the global rise of women’s sport.” Netflix dipped into live sports last month with more than 60 million households watching a heavily hyped boxing match between retired heavyweight legend Mike Tyson and social media personality Jake Paul. Some viewers reported streaming problems , however. Netflix also will broadcast two NFL games on Christmas Day: the Kansas City Chiefs at the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens at the Houston Texans. That’s part of a three-year deal announced in May. World Cups are typically broadcast on free-to-air public networks to reach the biggest audiences, and the last women's edition in 2023 earned FIFA less than 10% of the men's 2022 World Cup. FIFA president Gianni Infantino had publicly criticized public broadcasters , especially in Europe, for undervaluing offers to broadcast the 2023 tournament that was played in Australia and New Zealand. That tournament was broadcast by Fox in the U.S. “This agreement sends a strong message about the real value of the FIFA Women’s World Cup and the global women’s game,” Infantino said. The World Cup rights mark another major step in Netflix’s push into live programming. It’s recipe that Netflix has cooked up to help sell more advertising, a top priority for the company since it introduced a low-priced version of its streaming service that includes commercials two years ago. The ad-supported version is now the fastest growing part of Netflix’s service, although most of its 283 million worldwide subscribers till pay for higher-priced options without commercial. But Netflix is still trying to sell more ads to boost its revenue, which is expected to be about $30 billion. Netflix executives have predicted it might take two or three years before its ad sales become a major part of its revenue. Netflix expects to spend about $17 billion on programming this year — a budget that the Los Gatos, California, company once funneled almost entirely into scripted TV series and movies. But Netflix is now allocating a significant chunk of that money to sports and live events, a shift that has made it a formidable competitor to traditional media bidding for the same rights. FIFA will likely use the Netflix deal to drive talks with European broadcasters that likely will be hardball negotiations. Soccer finance expert Kieran Maguire, a co-host of The Price of Football podcast, suggested the deal was “a bit of a gamble" for FIFA and “saber-rattling” by Infantino. “(Netflix) get experience of football broadcasting, FIFA can say, ‘we are now partnering with a blue chip organization, so watch out you nasty Europeans,’” Maguire, an academic at the University of Liverpool, said in a telephone interview. FIFA and Infantino also want to raise the price of broadcast deals to help fund increased prize money and close the gender pay gap on the men’s World Cup. At the men’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar, the 32 team federations shared $440 million in prize money. For the women’s 2023 tournament , FIFA had a $152 million total fund for prize money, contributions to teams’ preparation costs and payments to players’ clubs. In FIFA’s financial accounts for 2023 , the soccer body reported total broadcasting revenue of $244 million. In the year of the men’s 2022 World Cup it was almost $2.9 billion. The next Women's World Cup will be a 32-team, 64-game tournament in 2027, played in Brazil from June 24-July 25. The U.S. originally bid jointly with Mexico. The 2031 host has not been decided, though the U.S. likely will bid for a tournament which FIFA is expected to try to expand to 48 teams. That would match the size of the 104-game format of the men's World Cup that debuts in 2026 in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. Spain won the 2023 Women's World Cup after the U.S. won the two previous titles — in France in 2019 and Canada in 2015. More than 25 million viewers in the U.S. watched the 2015 World Cup final, a 5-2 win over Japan, played in Vancouver, Canada, in a time zone similarly favorable to Brazil. FIFA tried to sign Apple+ to an exclusive global deal to broadcast the inaugural 32-team Club World Cup which is being played in 11 U.S. cities next June and July. Broadcast networks showed little interest in the FIFA club event that will now be broadcast for free on streaming service DAZN, which is building closer business ties to Saudi Arabia. Ahead of the next Women's World Cup, Netflix will "produce exclusive documentary series in the lead-up to both tournaments, spotlighting the world’s top players, their journeys and the global growth of women’s football,” FIFA said. AP Technology Writer Michael Liedtke in San Francisco contributed to this report. AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

PitchBook Releases 2025 Outlooks Highlighting Key Investment Trends Across Private MarketsThe head of UnitedHealth Group, the parent company of UnitedHealthcare, is responding to the "vitriol" that's been lodged — both on- and offline — against the health insurance industry and its workers. In an op-ed published in on Friday, UnitedHealth Group CEO Andrew Witty expressed his grief over the fatal shooting of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week, as well as his appreciation for the "outpouring of support" for Thompson. He then condemned the mounting rhetoric that he said has glorified violence against health insurance workers. "We also are struggling to make sense of this unconscionable act and the vitriol that has been directed at our colleagues who have been barraged by threats," Witty wrote. "No employees — be they the people who answer customer calls or nurses who visit patients in their homes — should have to fear for their and their loved ones' safety," he wrote. Witty acknowledged growing criticism that the healthcare industry is flawed and defended his company's place within it. "We know the health system does not work as well as it should, and we understand people's frustrations with it," Witty wrote, adding that UHG's mission is to build a system that works better for everyone. And Thompson, he added, advocated for ideas "aimed at making health care more affordable, more transparent, more intuitive, more compassionate — and more human." The fatal shooting of Thompson outside a midtown Manhattan hotel last week sparked a nationwide conversation about the state of the health insurance industry in the US, with many criticizing the system's ability to provide life-saving care. Social media has been inundated with , praising the shooting suspect, and calling out other healthcare CEOs. Some executives have sought out greater , though and charged in connection with Thompson's murder. Witty's op-ed in the Times had received more than 2,400 comments as of Friday afternoon, many of which ridiculed his statement and condemned what they said were UHG's practices of denying insurance claims. A number of commenters called out Witty for saying the system is flawed without providing any tangible solutions to fix it. Others criticized the for-profit health insurance system as a whole, with some acknowledging that businesses are meant to make a profit and others advocating for nonprofit healthcare. UnitedHealth didn't respond to a request for comment from BI. Read the original article onSkiing is growing in popularity. According to data from Statista, more than 18.4 million Americans took to the slopes last year, around four percent more than the previous year. There are many reasons why this winter sport has so many fans. It’s fun, of course, and it’s also a great form of exercise. Vacationing in ski resorts and towns also provides plenty of stunning, mountainous scenery, fresh air, and a chance to take a real break from reality. That’s why, according to Expert Market Research , the global ski market is worth more than $1.7 billion. By 2032, it’s expected to surge to a value of more than $2.2 billion. Jump to the resorts If you’re a fan of skiing, or you’re looking to try the sport for the first time, you have plenty of destinations to choose from. North America is home to multiple ski hotspots, like Aspen in Colorado, Powder Mountain in Utah, and Whistler in Canada. Europe is also one of the best places to head for a ski vacation—everywhere from northern Italy to Austria to Germany to Switzerland boasts picturesque scenery, stunning ski towns, and impressive slopes. Pexels But alongside all of the scenery and the skiing, food is vital for a great vacation experience. If you’re looking for a ski hotel or lodge that is going to provide you with delicious vegan food to fuel you through your winter sport adventures, we’ve gathered a few of the best places to choose from—from Europe to North America. Vegan-friendly ski resorts and towns all over the world Before we get into the specifics of hotels, lodges, resorts, and guesthouses to choose from, it’s important to note that, even if you opt for accommodations equipped with a kitchen or a hotel without plant-based options, plenty of ski destinations are home to multiple vegan restaurants. If you head to Breckenridge, CO for example, which is a small town that sits at the base of the Rocky Mountains, you’ll not only find a world-class ski resort, but you’ll also find plenty of eateries serving up plant-based food. Piante Pizzeria , for example, is the perfect place to unwind and feast after a long day on the slopes. There, you’ll find plenty of delicious pizzas , of course, alongside salads with breaded vegan chicken and shiitake bacon, antipasti, and pizza rolls with fillings like Philly cheesesteak and vegan chicken parm. Piante Pizzeria RELATED: 5 Unique Hotel Stays for Food Lovers, From an Italian Olive Oil Resort to a Mexican Jackfruit Paradise Park City, UT is close to two major ski resorts: Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort, and it’s home to several vegan-friendly eateries. In fact, according to HappyCow , there are 37 vegan- and vegetarian-friendly restaurants in Park City. If you’re off to Japan for a ski experience, head to Hakuba. Located just outside Nagano, which hosted the Winter Olympics in 1998, the small village in the Japanese Alps has a good selection of restaurants with plant-based options. In fact, HappyCow reports there are 26 vegan- and vegetarian-friendly restaurants in the village. Pexels In Europe, the German city of Tübingen is home to several popular ski resorts, and it also happens to be renowned for its vegan options. In fact, in 2022, BBC described it as a “fiercely vegan, fairy-tale city.” France’s Chamonix Mont-Blanc Valley is also home to more than 30 vegan- and vegetarian-friendly restaurants, notes Happy Cow, including the entirely vegetarian restaurant Sesame . But when you’re on vacation, it also helps if your accommodation caters well to plant-based diets. 7 vegan-friendly ski hotels and lodges Find some of our top picks for the most vegan-friendly lodges, hotels , and resorts in some of the world’s most beautiful and popular ski destinations below. BECOME A VEGNEWS VIP : Get exclusive product deals, freebies, and perks galore! Paradiso Pure Living 1 Paradiso Pure Living Renowned for its next-level scenery, the Dolomites in the northern Italian Alps are a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This makes it a dream ski destination for many winter sports lovers all over the world. If you’re eyeing it for your next snowy vacation, Paradiso Pure Living is a must-stay. The first vegan hotel in the Dolomites, you can expect spectacular plant-based cuisine, rooms with impressive mountain views, and perfect access to the slopes, thanks to the hotel’s location in the Dolomiti Superski area. FIND IT HERE Naturhotel Aufatmen 2 Naturhotel Aufatmen If you’re looking to relax in between skiing adventures, Naturhotel Aufatmen promises to take good care of you and your well-being. The hotel features a reading room, a fireplace lounge, a silent room, and even an organic swimming pond. When it’s time to refuel, head to the hotel’s restaurant for a totally vegan, vegetable-led, fine-dining experience . FIND IT HERE Four Seasons Resort Whistler 3 Four Seasons Resort Whistler Whistler in British Columbia is one of North America’s most popular ski destinations, thanks to its two stunning mountains (Whistler and Blackcomb), its picturesque lakes and forests, and its vibrant dining scene. For world-class plant-based dining, book a stay at Four Seasons and head to the Braidwood Tavern. The eatery isn’t 100 percent plant-based, but it does offer an extensive vegan menu complete with curries, stir-fries, burgers, salads, and much more. FIND IT HERE Guesthouse Wiesegg 4 Wiesegg Situated in the beautiful Bavarian Mountains, German guesthouse Wiesegg is a great place to stay for access to the slopes, the bar and restaurants in Reit im Winkl’s town center, winter hiking trails, and golf courses. Before you head out for a day of activities, feast on a breakfast buffet, which is made up of plenty of vegetarian and vegan foods, all of which are locally sourced where possible. FIND IT HERE Limelight 5 Limelight Another iconic North American skiing destination, Aspen in Colorado offers plenty of ski runs (both challenging and gentle), incredible scenery, and legendary nightlife. Limelight is one of its most popular hotels. There, you’ll have access to the slopes, of course, but also exclusive activities like the Audi Snowshoe Adventure, which involves borrowing an “Audi vehicle stocked with snowshoes for up to 2 hours” for a self-guided tour in the Roaring Fork Valley. When you’re worn out and hungry from all the fun, head to the Limelight Lounge to feast on options like truffle fries, baba ghanoush, veggie burgers, and vegan pizza topped with roasted wild mushrooms. FIND IT HERE Aravis Lodge 6 Aravis Lodge For cozy accommodation in the French alpine village of La Clusaz, head to Aravis Lodge. There, you’ll be looked after with onsite ski hire, late checkout times, a fleet of drivers, and plenty of delicious plant-based food. In fact, the lodge is certified by the Vegetarian Society for its range of vegetarian and vegan options, so you know you’re in good hands. FIND IT HERE Fairmont 7 Fairmont With the snow-capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains, busy ski resorts, stunning mountain glacial lakes, and beautiful ice fields, it’s no surprise that Banff is a popular North American winter vacation spot. For top-quality, vegan-friendly accommodation in the area, the fairytale-esque Fairmont hotel is a great choice. Complete with a spa, a pool, and unique dining experiences, including the 360-degree dome and multiple onsite restaurants, there is no shortage of things to do. Most of the eateries at the Fairmont have plant-based choices, including the Bavarian-style Waldhaus Restaurant and the French-inspired Vermillion Room. FIND IT HERE DON'T MISS OUT : Get breaking news, recipes, and our weekly vegan deal by signing up for our FREE VegNewsletter Europe, US Boast the “Most Vegan-Friendly Cities” in the World: Report Where to Find the Best Vegan Food in Verona, From Creamy Pasta to Stuffed Polenta Where to Find the Best Vegan Food in Hanoi, the 2024 Culinary Capital of the World JUMP TO ... Latest News | Recipes | Guides | Health | Shop Charlotte is a VegNews editor and writer based in sunny Southsea on England's southern coast.

Tottenham keeping close tabs on Black Cats sensation amidst sensational Championship campaign

December 24, 2024 This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlightedthe following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: fact-checked trusted source proofread by Idun Haugan, Norwegian University of Science and Technology Iceland has a long and rich literary tradition. With its 380,000 inhabitants, the country has produced many great writers, and it is said that one in two Icelanders writes books. This literary tradition stretches all the way back to the Middle Ages. "Previously, the theory was that Iceland was so dark and barren that the Icelanders had to fill their lives with storytelling and poetry to compensate for this. But Icelanders were certainly part of Europe and had a lot of contact with Britain, Germany, Denmark and Norway, among others," said Tom Lorenz, a Ph.D. research fellow at the Department of Language and Literature at NTNU. He is hunting down hidden and forgotten pieces of Iceland's Sagas' literary history and has published an article in the journal Gripla (in Icelandic). "The Icelanders were part of a common European culture, and Iceland has been a great knowledge society for a long time," he said. Royal lineage We can thank the Icelanders for our relatively good overview of the royal lineage here in Norway, right from the early Viking Age up to the death of Magnus V Erlingsson in 1184. Icelandic "skalds" were skilled and sought after, and Norwegian kings engaged skalds to ensure that their story and their feats would be told and passed on. In the Middle Ages, the Icelanders wrote down these oral traditions both in Latin and in Old Norse. Snorri Sturluson was the last and most important in a long line of saga writers who wrote down the kings' sagas in the 13th century. This is how the kings' sagas were preserved. "In addition to sagas, eddic poems, and skaldic verse, scientific literature and political treaties were also written in Iceland during the Middle Ages," Lorenz said. Valuable vellum Books and texts from this period were written on parchment , which is animal skin that has been carefully processed so it can be written on. In Iceland, only exclusive calfskin was used to make parchment. Calfskin parchment is called vellum, and it took dozens of calves to create enough vellum for one book. Vellum was a very valuable material. If a book became worn out or obsolete, the parchments were reused. Some were used to make tools, among other things, and one fragment that has been preserved was made into a miter—a type of ceremonial headgear worn by the bishop of Skálholt in Iceland. Many parchments were also reused as covers for new books. Unique to Iceland A common method for reusing old manuscript pages was to remove the original text by scraping and polishing so that the parchment could be used to create new books and manuscripts. This is called a palimpsest. "Palimpsests were common in the Middle Ages across Europe, and were particularly widespread in Iceland. Although literarily rich, Iceland was a poor country. The supply of expensive parchment was limited, while the demand was high because the Icelanders had much they wanted to communicate," said Lorenz. In Iceland, parchment was also reused for printing books after Gutenberg invented the printing press in the 15th century. "The fact that there are printed palimpsest books in Iceland and not just handwritten palimpsest parchments is unique in a European context, and this has not been studied before," Lorenz emphasized. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matter— daily or weekly . Abandoning Latin in favor of the vernacular In Iceland, as elsewhere in Europe, texts and books were written in Latin during the Middle Ages, especially liturgical texts used in ecclesiastical contexts. Latin was the predominant written language of Catholic Europe. But then came the rebellious priest Martin Luther, the man who started the great protest movement against the powerful Catholic Church. In the wake of Martin Luther and the Reformation in 1517, many northern European countries converted to Protestantism, including Iceland between 1537 and 1550. The Reformation brought an end to ecclesiastical manuscripts and books being written in Latin. The language of the common man was now to be used. Latin script was scraped off existing parchments so they could be used for new texts written in Icelandic, and these became palimpsests. Old text shines through "In documents and books made from palimpsest parchments, fragments of the old, original text can sometimes be seen beneath the new text," said Lorenz. The texts and words that have been scraped away can also be retrieved using modern techniques, such as infrared rays, but quite a lot of the old text can often be read with the naked eye. And it is in the hidden remnants of old Icelandic parchments written in Latin that Lorenz is searching for hidden and forgotten pieces of history. He examines the preserved fragments from these ancient books and also studies the different forms of parchment recycling and reuse. "My goal is to create virtual reconstructions of some of the ancient fragments that have survived to shed new light on previous eras' culture and society," said Lorenz. However, this involves finding the remnants of the palimpsests, and they are few and far between. "Hardly any Latin books from medieval Iceland have survived. Due to their rarity, recycled parchment from disassembled Latin books is one of our most important sources in the history of medieval Icelandic books," said Lorenz. Drained Iceland of medieval literature "I follow Latin traces from Icelandic manuscripts, but the Latin written material has been forgotten. Previous research has focused mostly on texts in Old Norse in Icelandic manuscripts," he said. From the 17th century onwards, Old Norse texts became important in the building of identity, national pride and power in the Nordic countries. In Denmark, the Icelander and archivist Árni Magnússon (1663–1730) was tasked with collecting medieval documents from both Iceland and the rest of the Nordic countries. At this time, Iceland was under Danish rule in the absolute monarchy of Denmark-Norway. Árni Magnússon was particularly interested in texts about Icelandic history. He scoured the market, almost draining Iceland of medieval literature, and built a large collection of handwritten books, the Arnamagnæan Collection. The collection is now part of UNESCO's Memory of the World Program. Tracking down unknown text fragments However, Árni Magnússon was most interested in books written in Old Norse, not in Latin. He used parchments from the Latin books as covers for the Old Norse books. In the early 20th century, the book covers were removed and stored separately, and few people have shown much interest in them—until now. These ancient book covers are among the parchments that Lorenz is studying in his search for hidden and forgotten fragments of history. Between 1971 and 1997, half of Árni Magnússon's book collection was returned from Denmark to Iceland, and half of the original collection of 3,000 manuscripts is now back in its country of origin. However, some medieval manuscripts are still located in archives and museums in Norway, Denmark, and also Sweden. So, Lorenz's search has taken him on a journey through the nooks and crannies of many archives. "I have identified several previously unidentified Latin fragments related to Iceland. These new discoveries contribute to greater knowledge about which theological and liturgical texts were in circulation in medieval Iceland. The texts show that medieval Icelanders followed and participated in European intellectual culture," said Lorenz. The text fragments he has found include hymns, prayers, sermons, hagiographies and church music. It started with the Vikings Lorenz is from Schleswig-Holstein in Germany, which used to be part of Denmark-Norway. He developed an interest in the Viking Age and saga literature at an early age, which led him to study Nordic languages in Kiel. He is now a Ph.D. research fellow at the Department of Language and Literature at NTNU's Center for Medieval Studies. He has also chosen to learn Norwegian Nynorsk in addition to Norwegian Bokmål. "I am fascinated by small phenomena and therefore chose to learn Nynorsk when I started my studies in Norway. It is probably also why I became fascinated and intrigued by the fragments of history that might be contained in the small, hidden and forgotten palimpsests that have remained unknown until now," said Lorenz in fluent Nynorsk. More information: Tom Lorenz, Endurvinnsla og endurnýting í íslenskum uppskafningum frá miðöldum og á árnýöld, Gripla (2024). DOI: 10.33112/gripla.35.1 Provided by Norwegian University of Science and TechnologyFor travelers, Puerto Rico is a floating island of desirability

Unveiling 4 Analyst Insights On UdemyAs Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth finally escapes PlayStation prison, the JRPG's director says "I recommend the PC version" for the "improved lighting"

Copper's High-Wire Act: Can EVs, New Tech Power The Metal's Next Big Surge?NEW YORK (AP) — Smartmatic won't be required to give Fox News a trove of information about U.S. federal charges against the voting machine company's co-founder over alleged bribery in the Philippines, a judge ruled Thursday. Fox News and parent Fox Corp. sought the information to help fight Smartmatic's $2.7 billion defamation suit over broadcasts about the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Smartmatic says its business was gutted when Fox aired false claims that the election-tech company helped rig the voting. Fox says it was simply reporting on newsworthy allegations made by then-President Donald Trump and his allies. At the same hearing, Judge David B. Cohen also turned down Smartmatic's request to question two Fox Corp. board members. The company has already questioned others. The Aug. 8 indictment of Smartmatic co-founder Roger Piñate and two other executives concerns a geographically distant matter: Smartmatic's efforts to get work in the Philippines between 2015 and 2018. But Fox maintains the criminal case is pertinent to Smartmatic's business prospects, and therefore to the election-tech company's claims about what it lost and stands to lose because of Fox's 2020 coverage. “As of Aug 8, governments will have to take into account the risks of doing business with a company (where some executives have been) accused of serious corruption by the U.S. Department of Justice," Fox lawyer Brad Masters told a New York court Thursday. He asked the court to order Smartmatic to provide any documents that it has given to the DOJ for the bribery investigation; any customer inquiries about the criminal charges; and any staff communications about the matter and its impact on the company. The indictment accuses Piñate and two other Smartmatic executives of scheming to pay over $1 million in bribes to a Filipino election official to deploy the company's machines and pay promptly for them. Federal prosecutors say the payments were made through sham loan agreements and via a slush fund created by overcharging for the machines. Piñate, who has served as Smartmatic’s president, and at least one of the other executives have pleaded not guilty to conspiring to violate the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and to money laundering. It’s unclear from court records whether the third executive has entered a plea or has an attorney who can comment on the charges. Boca Raton, Florida-based Smartmatic itself isn’t charged in the criminal case. The company put the executives on leave and sought to reassure voters that elections are “conducted with the utmost integrity and transparency.” Smartmatic's lawyers contend the indictment is irrelevant to the defamation suit, which is about election-fraud claims that Trump's attorneys made on Fox News programs. The indictment is “merely an allegation,” Smartmatic attorney Caitlin Kovacs argued Thursday. She suggested Fox wanted to “play prosecutor to the jury” and “accuse Smartmatic of a crime that they didn’t commit.” Cohen denied two similar requests from Fox while the federal investigation was ongoing. He said Thursday that the indictment didn't change his mind. “It’s a mere accusation. It raises no presumption of guilt,” he said. Smartmatic is suing over shows in which Trump lawyers Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell portrayed the company as part of a broad conspiracy to steal the 2020 vote from Trump, a Republican and the winner of this year's election. Federal and state election officials , exhaustive reviews in battleground states and Trump’s own then-attorney general found no widespread fraud that could have changed the outcome of the 2020 election. Nor did they uncover any credible evidence that the vote was tainted. Dozens of judges, including some whom Trump appointed, rejected his fraud claims. Fox News ultimately aired an interview with an election technology expert who refuted the allegations against Smartmatic. As is normal in the run-up to a civil trial, various players connected to both parties have been questioned under oath by the other side's lawyers. These out-of-court sessions are called depositions. Smartmatic wanted Thursday to get depositions ordered for Fox Corp. board members Chase Carey and Roland Hernandez. The two attended meetings where critical decisions were made, Smartmatic argues. Fox lawyer Devin Anderson said there's no indication that Carey and Hernandez “have any relevant information” to add. Smartmatic already has questioned other board members, including Executive Chair and CEO Lachlan Murdoch and former House Speaker Paul Ryan, as well as Fox founder Rupert Murdoch, the attorney said. Depositions generally aren't made public at this stage of a case. Smartmatic lawyer Erik Connolly said after court that the company was pursuing other information to show “that Fox Corp. controlled the disinformation spread by Fox News.” A message seeking comment was sent to Fox. The news network is countersuing Smartmatic , claiming the defamation case violates a New York law against baseless suits aimed at squelching reporting or criticism on public issues. Smartmatic recently settled defamation suits against One America News Network and Newsmax . Fox News settled for $787 million last year with another voting-technology company, Dominion Voting Systems. Jennifer Peltz, The Associated Press

Healthcare Information Technology (IT) Integration Market to Observe Prominent CAGR of 13.20% by 2031, Size, Share, Trends, Demand, Growth, Challenges and Competitive Outlook 12-13-2024 07:42 PM CET | Business, Economy, Finances, Banking & Insurance Press release from: Data Bridge Market Research (DBMR) Healthcare Information Technology (IT) Integration Market Global healthcare information technology (IT) integration market size was valued at USD 4.68 billion in 2023 and is projected to reach USD 12.62 billion by 2031, with a CAGR of 13.20% during the forecast period of 2024 to 2031. Market Definition: Healthcare information technology (IT) integration refers to the process of combining different healthcare IT systems, applications, and data sources to ensure seamless communication and sharing of information across various healthcare settings. It involves the interoperability of electronic health records (EHRs), clinical decision support systems, medical imaging systems, laboratory systems, and other healthcare IT solutions to enhance efficiency, improve patient care, and streamline workflows. Browse More About This Research Report @ https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/request-a-sample/?dbmr=global-healthcare-it-integration-market Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. (U.S.), Oracle Cerner (U.S.), General Electric Company (GE Healthcare) (U.S.), IBM Corporation (U.S.), Siemens Healthcare GmbH (Germany), Lyniate (U.S.), InterSystems Corporation (U.S.), Summit Healthcare (U.S.), Epic Systems Corporation (U.S.), Orion Health (New Zealand), Redox, Inc. (U.S.), Nextgen Healthcare Inc. (U.S.), Interfaceware, Inc. (Canada), Koninklijke Philips (Netherlands), Oracle (U.S.), Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc. (U.S.), Epic Systems Corporation (U.S.), Qualcomm Life Inc. (U.S.), Capsule Technologies Inc. (U.S.), Orion Health (New Zealand), Cerner Corporation (U.S.), Infor Inc. (U.S.), McKesson Corporation (U.S.), Meditech (U.S.) Competitive Landscape and Healthcare Information Technology (IT) Integration Market Share Analysis: The market competitive landscape provides details by competitor. Details included are company overview, company financials, revenue generated, market potential, investment in research and development, new market initiatives, global presence, production sites and facilities, production capacities, company strengths and weaknesses, product launch, product width and breadth, application dominance. The above data points provided are only related to the companies' focus related to market. Browse More Reports: https://articles9555.blogspot.com/2024/12/breathable-antimicrobial-coatings.html https://articles9555.blogspot.com/2024/12/polyurea-market-size-industry-trends.html https://articles9555.blogspot.com/2024/12/carbon-felt-and-graphite-felt-market.html About Data Bridge Market Research: An absolute way to predict what the future holds is to understand the current trend! Data Bridge Market Research presented itself as an unconventional and neoteric market research and consulting firm with an unparalleled level of resilience and integrated approaches. We are committed to uncovering the best market opportunities and nurturing effective information for your business to thrive in the marketplace. Data Bridge strives to provide appropriate solutions to complex business challenges and initiates an effortless decision-making process. Data Bridge is a set of pure wisdom and experience that was formulated and framed in 2015 in Pune. Contact Us: - Data Bridge Market Research US: +1 614 591 3140 UK: +44 845 154 9652 APAC: +653 1251 1629 Email: - sopan.gedam@databridgemarketresearch.com This release was published on openPR.Lebawit Lily Girma | (TNS) Bloomberg News When winter rolls around, travelers predictably turn their attention to beaches. And this year, it’s the destination that comedian Tony Hinchcliffe called “a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean” that’s experiencing outsize demand from Americans planning a warm island vacation. Talk about trashing stereotypes. Puerto Rico has recovered overseas visitors (excluding those from Canada and Mexico) faster than any U.S. state or territory — a staggering 85% increase over its 2019 overseas inbound visitor levels as of 2023, according to an October study from the U.S. National Travel and Tourism Office. There are now more daily flights from the U.S. West Coast, and hotel bookings are 6% higher so far in this last quarter of 2024 year-over-year. It’s a trifecta of tourism growth: more visitors, but also longer stays and a higher spend that reached a record $9.8 billion in 2023, boosting small businesses as well as major brands. “We don’t have a slow season in Puerto Rico anymore,” says Brad Dean, chief executive officer at Discover Puerto Rico. Even if they’re not booking, people are dreaming about “La Isla.” By tracking flight searches for trips between November 2024 and February 2025, a measure of “inspirational” demand, tourism intelligence company Mabrian Technologies reports Puerto Rico is up 9% compared with the same period last year and leads Barbados, the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas in the Caribbean proper. Only Costa Rica ranked higher in the wider region. Dean attributes Puerto Rico’s ongoing tourism growth to a strategic effort to reposition the island’s brand as more than a sun-and-sea destination, starting back in 2018. That led to the Live Boricua campaign, which began in 2022 and leaned heavily on culture, history and cuisine and was, Dean says, “a pretty bold departure” in the way Puerto Rico was showcased to travelers. He adds that at least $2 billion in tourism spend is linked to this campaign. “We (also) haven’t shied away from actively embracing the LGBTQ+ community, and that has opened up Puerto Rico to audiences that may not have considered the Caribbean before,” Dean says. Hotels are preparing to meet this growing demand: A number of established boutique properties are undergoing upgrades valued between $4 million and more than $50 million, including Hotel El Convento; La Concha, which will join the Marriott Autograph Collection; Condado Vanderbilt Hotel; and the Wyndham Grand Rio Mar. That’s in addition to ultra-chic options that are coming online in 2025, including the adults-only Alma San Juan, with rooms overlooking Plaza Colón in the heart of Old San Juan, and the five-star Veranó boutique hotel in San Juan’s trendy Santurce neighborhood. The beachfront Ritz-Carlton San Juan in Isla Verde will also be reopening seven years after Hurricane Maria decimated the island. The travel industry’s success is helping boost employment on the island, to the tune of 101,000 leisure and hospitality jobs as of September 2024, a 26% increase over pre-pandemic levels, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Efforts to promote Puerto Rico’s provinces beyond the San Juan metro area — such as surfing hub Rincón on the west coast, historical Ponce on the south coast and Orocovis for nature and coffee haciendas in the central mountains —have spread the demand to small businesses previously ignored by the travel industry. Take Sheila Osorio, who leads workshops on Afro-Puerto Rican bomba music and dance at Taller Nzambi, in the town of Loíza, 15 miles east of San Juan; or Wanda Otero, founder of cheese-producing company Vaca Negra in Hatillo, an hour’s drive west of Old San Juan, where you can join a cheese-making workshop and indulge in artisanal cheese tastings. “The list of businesses involved in tourism has gone from 650 in 2018 to 6,100, many of which are artists and artisans,” Dean says. While New Yorkers and Miami residents have always been the largest visitor demographic, Dean says more mainland Americans now realize that going to Puerto Rico means passport-free travel to enjoy beaches, as well as opportunities to dine in Michelin-rated restaurants, hike the only rainforest in the U.S. and kayak in a bioluminescent bay. Visitors from Chicago and Dallas, for example, have increased by approximately 40% from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, compared with the same period in 2022-2023, and more travelers are expected from Denver now that United Airlines Holdings Inc. has kicked off its first nonstop service to San Juan, beginning on Oct. 29. Previously, beach destinations that were easy to reach on direct flights from Denver included Mexico, Belize and California, but now Puerto Rico joins that list with a 5.5-hour nonstop route that cuts more than two hours from the next-best option. Given United Airlines’ hub in San Francisco, it could mean more travelers from the Golden State in the near future, too. In December, U.S. airlines will have 3,000 more seats per day to the territory compared with the same period last year, for a total of 84,731 — surpassing even Mexico and the Dominican Republic in air capacity, according to data from aviation analytics firm Cirium. Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport, the island’s primary gateway, is projecting a record volume of 13 million passengers by year’s end — far surpassing the 9.4 million it saw in 2019. As for Hinchcliffe’s “floating island of garbage” line, Dean says it was “a terribly insensitive attempt at humor” that transformed outrage into a marketing silver lining, with an outpouring of positive public sentiment and content on Puerto Rico all over social media. Success, as that old chestnut goes, may be the best revenge. “It was probably the most efficient influencer campaign we’ve ever had,” Dean says, “a groundswell of visitors who posted their photos and videos and said, ‘This is the Puerto Rico that I know.’” ©2024 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.