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☆ More women are traveling alone. The hospitality industry is meeting demand with offerings like 'Alonemoons' — no partner required.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-22 | by ( Mark Ellwood | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

When she started traveling alone, she said, the trend was less common and locals were often surprised to see her without a companion. The Solo Female Travelers Club, a 190,000-member social network and tour operator, surveys 5,000 women annually on their habits and opinions. A Gili Lankanfushi representative told Insider six women traveling alone had booked the package in the past 18 months. "I think it's a wonderful, life-affirming experience to be a woman traveling solo and experience the nurturing care you can get from strangers. Meg Jerrard, a cofounder of the Solo Female Travelers Club, recently started a consulting division of her company to help guide other businesses as they reevaluate their offerings and staff in light of growing demand from solo female travelers.

When it comes to persistent bad breath, the types of probiotic bacteria found in fermented foods like yogurt, sourdough bread and miso soup may help ease the offending odor, a new study suggests. A major cause of persistent bad breath is gaseous blends of sulfur and other elements, known as volatile sulfuric compounds, that are produced by mouth bacteria, the researchers note. To take a closer look at whether probiotic bacteria might help manage bad breath, the researchers scoured the medical literature for studies on the topic. Bad breath severity in the trials was assessed by measurements of the compounds detected in the mouth, along with a score that indicated how strong the bad breath odors were at various distances from the mouth. Nutritionist Perri Halperin said people with persistent bad breath should see a dentist for potential underlying health issues.

☆ Tech Spending Pressures Fuel Demand for Specialized Industry Clouds
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Angus Loten | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +6 min

Newsletter Sign-up WSJ | CIO Journal The Morning Download delivers daily insights and news on business technology from the CIO Journal team. PREVIEWMost industry clouds began to hit the market early last year, in part sparked by demand for better healthcare data systems during the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020. Though Oracle doesn’t break out revenue from industry cloud sales, its industry cloud offerings are a “multibillion-dollar business,” Mr. Sicilia said. Microsoft last year rolled out industry clouds for retail, financial services, manufacturing, sustainability and nonprofit businesses, according to Kees Hertogh, Microsoft’s general manager for global industry product marketing. A Microsoft-developed industry cloud helped Tarrytown, N.Y.-based MVP Health Care implement a system to streamline its healthcare data, according to CIO Michael Della Villa.

☆ Nonstop partying, lavish spending, and sexual-harassment accusations: Inside the self-destruction of Pollen, the music startup once worth $800 million
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Melkorka Licea | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +41 min

About 400 Pollen employees were camped out in Mendocino County, California, for five straight days of partying. Two former Pollen employees told Insider that they recalled the assistant telling them about Callum's inappropriate comments at the time. (The Pollen representative said Callum and Bedi didn't date at Pollen or at any other company connected to Pollen. Out of 360 events Pollen announced over the past 12 months, 39 were canceled, the Pollen representative said. (The Pollen representative said that "out of hundreds of thousands of customers, fewer than 100 people were moderated" online.)

In this guide, we'll give you a crash course on how to quickly earn credit card rewards and book free travel. If everyone in the world expertly utilized credit card rewards to travel for free, there wouldn't be such amazing travel opportunities out there. Identify your travel goalsBefore you begin collecting credit card rewards, you should first identify your travel goals. Recommended credit card strategies for beginnersThe best practice for anyone new to credit card rewards is to invest in flexible points. You'll need: An annual fee-incurring Hilton credit card One of the greatest deals in credit card rewards is the free night certificate that comes with select American Express Hilton credit cards.

Below is a complete list of all-inclusive resorts you can book with Hyatt points in Latin America and Europe — and the number of points you'll need to do it. Caribbean/Latin AmericaHotel Category Zoëtry Agua Punta Cana C (25,000 points) Zoëtry Casa del Mar Los Cabos C (25,000 points) Zoëtry Curaçao Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Zoëtry Montego Bay Jamaica C (25,000 points) Zoëtry Marigot Bay St. Lucia F (50,000 points) Zoëtry Paraiso de la Bonita Riviera Maya C (25,000 points) Zoëtry Villa Rolandi Isla Mujeres Cancun C (25,000 points) Sunscape Akumal Beach Resort & Spa A (15,000 points) Sunscape Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino B (20,000 points) Sunscape Dorado Pacifico Ixtapa A (15,000 points) Sunscape Puerto Plata Dominican Republic A (15,000 points) Sunscape Puerto Vallarta Resort & Spa A (15,000 points) Sunscape Sabor Cozumel A (15,000 points) Breathless Cabo San Lucas Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Breathless Cancun Soul Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Breathless Montego Bay Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Breathless Punta Cana Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Breathless Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Secrets Akumal Riviera Maya C (25,000 points) Secrets Aura Cozumel C (25,000 points) Secrets Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort B (20,000 points) Secrets Cap Cana Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Secrets Huatulco Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Cancun C (25,000 points) Secrets Moxché Playa del Carmen C (25,000 points) Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica C (25,000 points) Secrets Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort C (25,000 points) Secrets Puerto Los Cabos Golf & Spa Resort C (25,000 points) Secrets Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Secrets Royal Beach Punta Cana B (20,000 points) Secrets St. James Montego Bay C (25,000 points) Secrets St. Martin Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Secrets The Vine Cancun C (25,000 points) Secrets Vallarta Bay Puerto Vallarta B (20,000 points) Secrets Wild Orchid Montego Bay C (25,000 points) Dreams Acapulco Resort & Spa A (15,000 points) Dreams Aventuras Riviera Maya B (20,000 points) Dreams Bahia Mita Surf & Spa Resort B (20,000 points) Dreams Curaçao Resort, Spa & Casino B (20,000 points) Dreams Dominicus La Romana B (20,000 points) Dreams Huatulco Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Jade Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Karibana Cartagena Golf Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Las Mareas Costa Rica C (25,000 points) Dreams Los Cabos Suites Golf Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Macao Beach Punta Cana B (20,000 points) Dreams Natura Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Onyx Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Palm Beach Punta Cana A (15,000 points) Dreams Playa Bonita Panama A (15,000 points) Dreams Playa Mujeres Golf & Spa Resort C (20,000 points) Dreams Punta Cana Resort & Spa A (15,000 points) Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa B (15,000 points) Dreams Royal Beach Punta Cana B (20,000 points) Dreams Sands Cancun Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Sapphire Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Tulum Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Vallarta Bay Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Villamagna Nuevo Vallarta B (20,000 points) Dreams Vista Cancun Golf & Spa Resort B (20,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Cancun C (25,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Los Cabos B (20,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Puerto Vallarta B (20,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Riviera Cancun C (25,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Cap Cana C (25,000 points) Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall C (25,000 points) Hyatt Zilara Cancun C (25,000 points) Hyatt Zilara Riviera Maya C (25,000 points) Hyatt Zilara Cap Cana C (25,000 points) Hyatt Zilara Rose Hall C (25,000 points)EuropeHotel Category Alua Atlántico Golf Resort A (15,000 points) Alua Boccaccio A (15,000 points) Alua Calas de Mallorca Resort B (20,000 points) Alua Golf Trinidad A (15,000 points) Alua Gran Camp de Mar A (15,000 points) Alua Helios Bay (opening expected May 1, 2023) A (15,000 points) Alua Illa de Menorca A (15,000 points) Alua Leo (participation effective October 17, 2022) A (15,000 points) Alua Suites Las Rocas A (15,000 points) Alua Tenerife A (15,000 points) AluaSoul Carolina A (15,000 points) AluaSoul Costa Málaga A (15,000 points) AluaSoul Menorca A (15,000 points) AluaSoul Orotava Valley A (15,000 points) AluaSun Cala Antena A (15,000 points) AluaSun Continental Park Hotel & Apartments A (15,000 points) AluaSun Costa Park A (15,000 points) AluaSun Doblemar A (15,000 points) AluaSun Far Menorca A (15,000 points) AluaSun Helios Beach (opening expected May 1, 2023) A (15,000 points) AluaSun Lago Park A (15,000 points) AluaSun Lago Rojo A (15,000 points) AluaSun Marbella Park A (15,000 points) AluaSun Mediterráneo A (15,000 points) Dreams Lanzarote Playa Dorada Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Dreams Sunny Beach Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Secrets Lanzarote Resort & Spa B (20,000 points) Secrets Mallorca Villamil Resort & Spa C (25,000 points) Secrets Sunny Beach Resort & Spa (opening expected May 1, 2023) B (20,000 p

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Dec 16 (Reuters) - Argentina look set to keep Julian Alvarez in attack for Sunday's World Cup final against France after he scored twice in a devastating combination with Lionel Messi in the semi-final. He scored his first goal for the national side in the World Cup quarter-final against the Dutch, which Argentina won on penalties after a 2-2 draw. Leandro ParedesA defensive midfielder with Juventus, 28-year-old Paredes has featured in four of Argentina's World Cup games - infamously booting the ball at the Netherlands' bench in the quarter-final. Rodrigo De PaulThe tough 28-year-old Atletico de Madrid midfielder has been a stalwart in Scaloni's World Cup starting lineup, even playing through injury against the Dutch. The 35-year-old Paris St Germain forward is on a mission to lift his first World Cup at his fifth and final attempt and has been simply magnificent, scoring five goals while creating others with his dribbling and passing wizardry.

Black women played a critical role in securing Griner’s release, advocates say. “It was painful for so many, particularly Black women, to see another Black woman be in those harsh conditions, to just see the pain in her face,” Jotaka Eaddy, founder of Win With Black Women, told The Hill. The Win With Black Women collective received 1,200 signatures of women in a letter of support for Griner that they sent to the Biden administration in July. So the idea was to keep the awareness going and build a coalition.”Griner’s case has renewed conversations about the vulnerability of Black women in America, especially Black queer women. Monica Simpson, the executive director of SisterSong, highlighted this vulnerability, and Black women’s collective power, in a statement to NBC News.

☆ The US may have lost in the World Cup, but soccer is more popular than ever in America
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Harry Enten | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +36 min

The Atlas Lions made history as the first African team to reach a World Cup semifinal. They made history as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. It was Morocco's first World Cup win since 1998 — and its third-ever at the tournament. Less spoken about is that they also rate better on television than the men do in the World Cup. We’ll just have to wait and see, though with the US, Canada and Mexico hosting the 2026 World Cup, soccer isn’t going away anytime soon.

Chase Ultimate Rewards® points are one of the highest regarded rewards currencies in the world of points and miles. Cards that earn Ultimate Rewards pointsBefore jumping in, let's start with a rundown of credit cards that earn transferrable Chase Ultimate Rewards® points:Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card Learn More On Chase’s secure site Rewards $50 annual Ultimate Rewards Hotel Credit, 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards®, 3X points on dining, 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchasesWelcome bonus Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. That's $750 when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. Transferring Chase Ultimate Rewards points to Marriott with a 40% bonusAt the time, I hardly had any Marriott points to my name. Bottom lineMarriott Bonvoy probably isn't the first transfer partner for which folks collect Chase Ultimate Rewards points.

☆ England have more belief they can win World Cup than in 2018, says Kane
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-09 | by ( Rohith Nair | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

England reached the final of the Euros last year where they lost in a penalty shootout to Italy, but Kane is confident they can dethrone world champions France when they meet their European neighbours in Saturday's quarter-final. Of course we went there with the belief that we could win, but it was almost a new experience for a lot of us," Kane said. But whether we had the full belief to go and win the tournament, I'm not quite sure. "I feel like the belief has been building and building over the four or five years now. I know we're going into the game with maybe more belief than what we did back in 2018."

☆ Nigerian first lady ‘directed student beating at presidential villa,’ lawyer alleges
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-08 | by ( Nimi Princewill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Abuja, Nigeria CNN —Nigeria’s first lady ordered security operatives to detain a student and also supervised his beating at the country’s presidential villa, his lawyer has alleged. Spokespeople for Nigeria’s national police and Department of State Services told CNN they were unaware of Adamu’s arrest. Mrs. Buhari should be prosecuted for taking the law into her hands,” Mohammed told CNN. His uncle Shehu Azare told CNN he is now focused on writing his final exams and would not speak out about his ordeal. So, there’s no point for that (apology),” his uncle Azare told CNN.

☆ Maradona's former home opens doors for fan fest during Argentina's World Cup games
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BUENOS AIRES, Dec 6 (Reuters) - The new owners of a house Diego Maradona once bought for his parents in Buenos Aires have been staging events in the premises so that Argentine fans can celebrate the national team's triumphs at the World Cup in Qatar. At the World Cup matches, it is possible to walk through the different rooms, climb the marble staircase and sit on the balconies overlooking the garden. From one of the windows overlooking Jose Luis Cantillo Street, the current owners say that Maradona greeted the fans after leading Argentina to the World Cup title in Mexico in 1986. We won't stop until the World Cup final (in Qatar)," said one of the event's organisers. Reporting by Ramiro Scandolo in Buenos Aires, Writing by Janina Nuno RiosOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Croatia beats Japan on penalties to reach World Cup quarterfinals
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-05 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +28 min

CNN —Goalkeeper Dominik Livaković made himself a national hero as Croatia beat Japan on penalties 1-1 (3-1) to reach the World Cup quarterfinals. Marko Djurica/ReutersJapan’s heartbreakDespite its defeat, Japan can look back at an impressive World Cup campaign. They made history Thursday as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. Mbappé was one of the leading stars of the team's World Cup triumph four years ago. He also became just the third goalkeeper to save three penalties in a single World Cup shootout.

☆ Japan vs. Croatia: Samurai Blue aiming to reach World Cup quarterfinals for first time
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Aimee Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +31 min

CNN —In a World Cup of surprises, Japan has played a leading role in headline-making shock results. Croatia is a team undefeated in nine of its last 10 World Cup matches. They made history Thursday as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. Frappert became the first woman to referee a men's World Cup match. It was Morocco's first World Cup win since 1998 — and its third-ever at the tournament.

☆ France reaches World Cup quarterfinals with 3-1 victory over Poland as Kylian Mbappé breaks Pelé’s record
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +30 min

CNN —France was made to work hard for its place in the World Cup quarterfinals, overcoming an improved Poland side 3-1 thanks to goals from Olivier Giroud and Kylian Mbappé. That is Mbappé’s fifth goal of Qatar 2022 and already his ninth World Cup goal overall, breaking Pelé’s record of seven World Cup goals scored before the age of 24. They made history Thursday as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. Issei Kato/Reuters Kylian Mbappé scores his second goal on November 26, leading France to a 2-1 victory over Denmark. Mbappé was one of the leading stars of the team's World Cup triumph four years ago.

☆ USMNT’s youth and talent at Qatar 2022 bodes well for 2026 World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +31 min

The Netherlands knocked the USMNT out of the Qatar World Cup on Saturday. They made history Thursday as the first all-female refereeing crew for a men's World Cup match. Frappert became the first woman to referee a men's World Cup match. It was Morocco's first World Cup win since 1998 — and its third-ever at the tournament. Qatar is the first Islamic country to host a World Cup.

The women's attorney, L. Chris Stewart, based in Atlanta, said the Americans died from carbon monoxide poisoning caused by a malfunctioning water heater. Investigators believe the trio died from carbon monoxide poisoning, Mexico City prosecutors said. Ben Jared / PGA TOUR via Getty Images fileAccording to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, carbon monoxide poisoning is almost entirely preventable. But carbon monoxide poisoning can be especially dangerous during power outages, when people use alternative sources of fuel or electricity, such as generators. A winter storm in Texas in mid-February 2021 resulted in one of the worst carbon monoxide poisoning incidents in recent history, experts said.

☆ Self-portrait of artist who fled Nazis sells for 23 mln euros in Germany
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The auctioneers, in Berlin, had estimated that 'Self-portrait in yellow-pink', painted in 1943, would attract bids of between 20 million and 30 million euros. After the Nazis branded his paintings "degenerate art", Beckmann and his wife, Mathilde, known as "Quappi", fled Germany in 1937. Eventually a private collection in Switzerland purchased the painting before entrusting it to Villa Grisebach. A spokesperson for Villa Grisebach said the successful bid was 20 million euros and the remainder of the price covered fees. In 2018, Villa Grisebach obtained the highest auction price to date for a painting in Germany when it sold Max Beckmann's 'The Egyptian' for 5.5 million euros.

☆ USMNT advances to World Cup knockout stage with hard-fought victory over Iran
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( Matias Grez | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —The US Men’s National Team (USMNT) was made to work hard for its place in the World Cup knockout stage, earning a tough 1-0 win over Iran in a nerve-racking Group B decider at Qatar 2022. Christian Pulisic’s first-half goal was all that separated the two sides as the USMNT reached the round of 16 for the first time since 2014. It certainly wasn’t pretty at times, in particular in the closing stages against Iran, but progressing through the group stage was the minimum expectation for this exciting young team. There will be some concerns going into the knockout stages, though, after Pulisic suffered an abdominal injury while scoring the winner. The USMNT had to battled hard for its place in the round of 16.

☆ Self-portrait of artist who fled Nazis may break German auction record
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Auction house Villa Grisebach in Berlin estimates that 'Self-portrait in yellow-pink' will attract bids of up to 30 million euros. The self-portrait, painted in 1943, is a rarely seen masterpiece, Micaela Kapitzky, director and partner at Villa Grisebach, told Reuters. "The opportunity to buy a Beckmann self-portrait of this quality will not come up again. After the Nazis branded his paintings "degenerate art", Beckmann and his wife, Mathilde, known as "Quappi", fled Germany in 1937. Markus Krause, director and partner at Villa Grisebach, expressed excitement at the auction, which he is to conduct.

☆ Somalia: Gunfire heard inside besieged hotel, parliament session delayed
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-28 | by ( Story Reuters | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Reuters —Gunfire was heard on Monday from inside a besieged hotel in the Somali capital that was attacked on the weekend, a nearby resident and a police officer said, while parliament said it had postponed a scheduled session. “There is still heavy gunfire inside the hotel, and we hear explosions from time to time … we are still in our houses since last night, when the siege started,” Ismail Haaji, who lives near the hotel, told Reuters. “The fighters who launched the attack are still fighting inside the hotel, and they are fighting with the forces of Haramcad and Gaashaan, and security forces are trying to rescue the people trapped inside the hotel,” the officer added. Government officials in Mogadishu frequently use the Villa Rosa hotel for meetings. Somalia’s parliament said it had postponed a scheduled session for both of its houses.

☆ Al-Shabaab terror attack targets Mogadishu hotel
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( Omar Nor | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Mogadishu CNN —The al Qaeda linked terror group al-Shabaab has carried out a suicide attack and stormed a central Mogadishu hotel frequented by Somalia’s ministers and members of parliament, Somali police said Sunday. Al-Shabaab stormed the Villa Rose hotel near Somalia’s presidential palace following a suicide bombing at the gate at 8 p.m. local time (noon ET), according to police. Bishar Ahmed confirmed to CNN that a major attack occurred at the hotel, which lies in a heavily protected zone in downtown Mogadishu, where the state house, ministries and a high-security intelligence prison are also located. In May, US President Joe Biden decided to redeploy troops to Somalia in support of the local government and to counter al-Shabaab. The move reversed a decision by former President Donald Trump to withdraw all US troops from the country.

☆ Militants attack hotel used by officials in Somalia's capital
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-27 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MOGADISHU, Nov 27 (Reuters) - Islamist militants attacked a hotel used by government officials in Somalia's capital Mogadishu on Sunday evening, police and witnesses said. Al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab, which controls large swathes of the country, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying in a statement that it was targeting the nearby presidential palace. Security forces were responding to an attack by al Shabaab on a hotel in the capital's Bondhere district, state broadcaster SNTV said on Twitter. The assailants stormed the Villa Rose hotel, which is close to the presidential palace, two police officers told Reuters. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, who was elected earlier this year, has been carrying out a military offensive against al Shabaab.

☆ The suspect charged with Shanquella Robinson's death is believed to be one of the friends she traveled to Mexico with
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Jennifer Ortakales Dawkins | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Shanquella Robinson, a 25-year-old American, died while on vacation with her friends in Mexico. Mexican prosecutors have filed charges against a suspect believed to be one of Robinson's friends. Robinson, a 25-year-old North Carolina woman, died on October 29, while she was on vacation with six friends in San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. Daniel de la Rosa, attorney general for Mexico's Baja California Sur, told CNN on Wednesday that the suspect charged with Robinson's death is believed to be one of the friends she traveled with. The FBI's Charlotte division opened an investigation into Robinson's death earlier this month.

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