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43% of EU tourists are international visitors

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:00:00 GMT

Did you know that the  EU  represents 5.6% of the world's population and 3.0% of the world's land area, but although small, according to the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) it received 45.8% of all international tourism arrivals in the world in 2022? The top 10 destination countries worldwide included six EU members (France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Greece and Austria).  Eurostat data indicates that foreign tourists from the EU and extra-EU countries represented 43.0% of all nights spent in EU tourist accommodations in 2022. In 11 out of the 27 EU countries, the dominant flow consisted of foreign tourists.In three EU countries, international tourists (from the EU and extra-EU countries) accounted for more than 90% of the tourism nights spent: Malta (92%), Croatia and Cyprus (both 91%). The same was recorded in Luxembourg and Greece, where the foreign market accounted for 86% and 84%, respectively, of the tourism nights. In Austria, Slovenia, Portugal and Spain this was between 6...

Word Game: Oct. 3, 2023

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:00:00 GMT

TODAY’S WORD — HOPSACK (HOPSACK: HOP-sak: A rough-surfaced loosely woven clothing fabric.)Average mark 16 wordsTime limit 30 minutesCan you find 21 or more words in HOPSACK? The list will be published tomorrow.YESTERDAY’S WORD — OCCLUDED occlude clod cloud clue coddle code coed cold cole could cuddle cued lode loud dole dude duelTo purchase the Word Game book, visit WordGameBooks.com. Order it now for just $5 while supplies last!RULES OF THE GAME:1. Words must be of four or more letters.2. Words that acquire four letters by the addition of “s,” such as “bats” or “dies,” are not allowed.3. Additional words made by adding a “d” or an “s” may not be used. For example, if “bake” is used, “baked” or “bakes” are not allowed, but “bake” and “baking” are admissible.4. Proper nouns, slang words, or vulgar or sexually explicit words are not allowed.Contact Word Game creator Kathleen Saxe at [email protected].

Horoscopes Oct. 3, 2023: Gwen Stefani, don’t let anger fuel your fire

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:00:00 GMT

CELEBRITIES BORN ON THIS DAY: Seann William Scott, 47; Neve Campbell, 50; Gwen Stefani, 54; Chubby Checker, 82.Happy Birthday: Jump in and do your part this year, and you’ll make worthwhile connections. What you do for others will not be forgotten, and the rewards you receive will help you through dire times. Don’t let anger fuel your fire when positive action offers higher returns and greater stability. Take steps toward better health, friendships and happiness; in return, you’ll receive favors. Nurture relationships, but keep your money and possessions separate. Your numbers are 9, 13, 22, 27, 34, 42, 45.ARIES (March 21-April 19): Focus on money, how to make it stretch and setting up a budget that keeps you out of financial disarray. Challenge yourself to set boundaries, get in shape and nurture meaningful relationships. Love yourself enough to let go of toxic influences. 4 starsTAURUS (April 20-May 20): Make changes and stick to them. Responsibility will lead to...

Bridge: Oct. 3, 2023

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:00:00 GMT

“At least it was only for matchpoints, not money.”We were commiserating with Cy the Cynic in the lounge after a duplicate. Cy had lost by one matchpoint — after being handed a zero on the final deal by his nemesis Minnie Bottoms. She wears old bifocals that make her mix up kings and jacks, often to her opponents’ dismay.“I played at four spades,” Cy told us. “Minnie was West and had doubled at her first turn. She led a diamond, and I took the ace and cashed the A-K of trumps. When East discarded, I led a club … and Minnie played the king.”“Thinking it was the jack,” Rose smiled.THIRD CLUB“Say I take the A-Q,” the Cynic said, “and Minnie discards. East wins the third club and leads a heart, and I lose two hearts and a trump and go down. To make the contract, I must let the king of clubs win.“I was plus 420,” Cy went on. “Every other South made an overtrick for plus 450, running the c...

Ask Amy: I just found out how his parents really feel about me, and our wedding plan is on hold

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:00:00 GMT

Dear Amy: I am a 30-year-old woman. I’ve been with my fiancé for almost seven years.When we first met, my hair was platinum blonde. Now that I am a hairstylist, I enjoy playing around with my hair color and have come to love dark blue. I’ve been blue for a few years now and it didn’t seem like a big deal.Yesterday, my fiancé broke the news to me that his parents are refusing to pay for the wedding venue if my hair is anything except my natural color.I was completely taken aback.There’s a laundry list: They don’t approve of my tattoos, my recent weight gain due to some serious health issues (I had discussed my health problems privately with his mother), and that I’m not making as much money as I should be (hairstylists are struggling right now because we’re in a recession)!This family has been loving toward me this entire relationship, and all of a sudden I’ve found out how they really feel.I feel completely crushed.They were too cowardly to talk to me about their o...

Wembanyama’s world taking firm hold in San Antonio as Spurs open new era with No. 1 pick

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:00:00 GMT

SAN ANTONIO (AP) — The San Antonio Spurs are prepared for what should be one of the most demanding tasks this NBA season: Answering questions about rookie phenom Victor Wembanyama.How many times can the Spurs answer how amazing Wembanyama is before it gets irritating (or before they’ve played a game that matters)? Try two minutes into the Spurs’ media day on Monday.“I already am (annoyed),” veteran coach Gregg Popovich said, laughing afterward. “It’s OK. It’s OK. Part of the deal.”Welcome to Wembanyama’s world, also known as the home of the five-time NBA Champions.The hype surrounding the league’s No. 1 pick is larger than his 7-foot-3 frame and wider than his 8-foot wingspan. It’s understandable considering Wembanyama is unlike any player the league has seen.The 19-year-old from France has already been compared to some of the game’s most skilled long-range shooters, best shot blockers and top passers while also standing as one of the league’s tallest players ever.The Spurs ar...

Bears are a team in turmoil but the flip side to all this misery is a potential monster 2024 draft

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:00:00 GMT

The Chicago Bears have been a team in turmoil all season but the flip side of all this misery could be a monster 2024 draft. Add to their dysfunction Chase Claypool’s exile and the Bears’ biggest blown lead ever at Soldier Field. At this rate, the Bears will own the top two picks in next April’s NFL draft, so, their fans can at least dream about both USC quarterback Caleb Williams and Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. coming to the rescue.It appeared Sunday that we were witnessing not only the end of the Bears’ longest losing streak in their 104-year history but a breakout performance by third-year quarterback Justin Fields, who suddenly looked like Josh Allen powering passes downfield, Patrick Mahomes putting just the right touch on his touchdown tosses and Jalen Hurts confounding defenses with both his arm and his legs.Through three quarters, at least.Fields, who completed his first 16 passes and finished 28 for 35, topped 300 yards passing for t...

3 scientists win Nobel Prize in physics for looking at electrons in atoms during split seconds

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:00:00 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — The Nobel Prize in physics has been awarded to Pierre Agostini, Ferenc Krausz and Anne L’Huillier for looking at electrons in atoms during the tiniest of split seconds.Hans Ellegren, the secretary-general of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, announced the award Tuesday in Stockholm.The Nobel Prizes carry a cash award of 11 million Swedish kronor ($1 million). The money comes from a bequest left by the prize’s creator, Swedish inventor Alfred Nobel, who died in 1896.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.STOCKHOLM (AP) — Nobels season is resuming on Tuesday with the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm awarding the prize in physics.The physics prize comes a day after Hungarian-American Katalin Karikó and American Drew Weissman won the Nobel Prize in medicine for discoveries that enabled the creation of mRNA vaccines against COVID-19.Last year, three scientists jointly won the physics prize for proving that tiny particles could...

Nobel Prize in physics awarded to Agostini, Krausz and L’Huillier for using lasers to study atom electrons

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:00:00 GMT

STOCKHOLM (AP) — Nobel Prize in physics awarded to Agostini, Krausz and L’Huillier for using lasers to study atom electrons.Source

Armenia votes to join the International Criminal Court, further straining ties with ally Russia

Published Mon, 30 Dec 2024 20:00:00 GMT

YEREVAN, Armenia (AP) — Armenia votes to join the International Criminal Court, further straining ties with ally Russia.Source