The World’s Most Liveable Cities for 2024. 20. Wellington, New Zealand 19. Amsterdam, Netherlands 17. Luxembourg, Luxembourg (tie) 17. Frankfurt, Germany (tied with Luxembourg) 16. Brisbane, Australia 15. Perth, Australia 14. Tokyo, Japan 13. Helsinki, Finland 12. Toronto, Canada 11. Adelaide, Australia 10. Auckland, New Zealand 9. Osaka, Japan 8. Vancouver, Canada 7. Sydney, Australia 6. Geneva, Switzerland 5. Calgary, Canada 4. Melbourne, Australia 3. Zurich, Switzerland 2. Copenhagen, Denmark 1. Vienna, Austria

The World’s Most Liveable Cities for 2024

Siri will finally get better in spring 2025 when Apple makes its Apple Intelligence AI system available to everyone via its iOS 18.4 update, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman in the latest Power On newsletter. That’s more specific than Apple has been — so far, it’s only said the flagship AI features will be available next year. Apple regularly doles out its new features piecemeal, in point updates, across its operating systems. So it’s possible, for instance, that Siri will gain the ability (via Apple Intelligence) to do things on your behalf like dig your ID out of your 20,000-photo-deep library in Photos and copy your driver’s license number to enter into an online form, but perhaps the AI-powered emoji generation or writing assistance features won’t be ready yet. Gurman doesn’t speak directly to that, but it’s good to keep in mind. What’s coming first should become clearer as beta versions of iOS 18 start incorporating the features later this year and the 18.4 release approaches. In the meantime, features like ChatGPT integration, a new Siri interface that ditches the old circle graphic for a pulsing rainbow around the inside of the screen bezel, and deeper product knowledge that lets Siri give you basic tech support are expected this fall. Down the road, Apple’s AI plan apparently includes those AirPods with embedded cameras that pop up in rumors from time to time, such as in last week’s rumor from supply chain analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, saying they would have infrared sensors and be used in concert with the Vision Pro, for hand gesture and motion detection. Gurman describes something akin to Meta’s Ray-ban glasses — for example, AI could process imagery from them to describe things in your environment or help you navigate while you’re walking. These new AirPods Pro, he writes, might be two generations away.

Siri to Get Major Upgrades in Spring 2025

US prosecutors have recommended that the Department of Justice (DoJ) brings criminal charges against Boeing. It follows a claim by the DoJ that the plane maker had violated a settlement related to two fatal crashes involving its 737 Max aircraft which killed 346 people. Boeing declined to comment when contacted by the BBC but previously it has denied violating the deferred prosecution agreement. The DoJ has until 7 July to make a final decision on whether to prosecute the company. The DoJ has declined to comment. The recommendation is not a final decision and the details of any potential criminal action are not known, according to CBS, the BBC's US partner. "This is a really critical decision that is coming up,” said Ed Pierson, who is the executive director of the Foundation for Aviation Safety and a former senior manager at Boeing. He told the BBC's Radio 4 Today programme: "There are issues with these aeroplanes. We’re seeing problems with these planes and I’m talking about 737 Max, 787 and it is reflective of the leadership." The plane crashes - both involving Boeing's 737 Max aircraft - occurred within six months of each other. The crash involving Indonesia's Lion Air occurred in October 2018, following by an Ethiopian Airlines flight in March 2019. Last week, relatives of the victims urged prosecutors to seek a fine against Boeing of $25bn (£19.7bn) and to pursue a criminal prosecution. Under a deal reached in 2021, Boeing said it would pay a $2.5bn settlement and prosecutors agreed to ask the court to drop a criminal charge after three years if the company abided by certain stipulations set out in the deferred prosecution agreement. But last month, the DoJ said Boeing was in breach of the deal, stating that it had failed to "design, implement, and enforce a compliance and ethics program to prevent and detect violations of the US fraud laws throughout its operations". Last week, Boeing's outgoing chief executive Dave Calhoun faced a grilling from US senators. Mr Calhoun testified that the company had "learned" from past mistakes and that the process for employee whistleblowers "works" - but lawmakers still accused him of not doing enough to rectify a culture of retaliation. As part of an ongoing investigation, Boeing whistleblowers told the Senate in April that the 737 Max, the 787 Dreamliner and the 777 models had serious production issues. The company was most recently put in the spotlight when a door panel fell off a new 737 Max plane during an Alaska Airlines flight in January, leaving a gaping hole. Mr Calhoun is stepping down as chief executive at the end of 2024 after less than five years in the role with a pay package worth $33m. He will also remain on Boeing's board. Mr Calhoun took over the job from Dennis Muilenburg who was fired after the two crashes. Mr Pearson said the changes at the top of Boeing were "superficial" and even when Mr Calhoun was named as chief executive in 2019, he had already been at the company for a decade. "They are making those decisions that are affecting millions and millions of people for many, many years," he said.

US Prosecutors May Bring Criminal Charges Against Boeing

One of the most glaring mistakes Western brands make is underestimating the complexity and diversity of the Chinese market. China is not a monolith. It is a mosaic of regional preferences, cultural nuances and rapidly shifting trends. In many of my training sessions and masterclasses on selling luxury in China, I am amazed that brands still adopt a centrally steered product-focused, one-size-fits-all approach. They quickly find themselves out of sync with local clients. The lack of local insight and cultural sensitivity often leads to approaches and campaigns that, at best, miss the mark and, at worst, offend the very audience they aim to captivate. Another critical error is the overreliance on established reputations. Western brands often rest on their laurels, assuming that their global prestige will carry them through. However, Chinese consumers are discerning and demand tailored experiences. They expect brands to invest in understanding and building genuine relationships, rather than merely leveraging their historical cachet, and when a brand falls out of favor, it does so rapidly. Recent history provides stark examples of how cultural insensitivity can derail even the most prominent brands. Dolce & Gabbana’s 2018 campaign is a case in point. The brand’s depiction of a Chinese model struggling to eat Italian food with chopsticks was widely perceived as patronizing and offensive. The backlash was immediate and severe, leading to boycotts and a significant and lasting reputation and sales dent. This incident underscores the imperative for brands to engage deeply with cultural nuances and to approach local markets with respect and understanding. Understanding and leveraging cultural and societal trends is crucial for success in China. Brands need to redefine their decision-making processes to adapt to the high-speed ecosystem clients are used to. The digital landscape, particularly the prominence of social media platforms like WeChat, Weibo and Xiaohongshu, or Little Red Book, plays a pivotal role in consumer engagement and brand discovery. Western brands must master these platforms to create seamless, personalized shopping experiences. Many Chinese brands now have a 1.8-second customer journey from finding a product to purchasing it digitally. It is impossible to compete with brands that offer fast and seamless experiences when their own customer journeys are much more complex and much slower. Additionally, there is a growing trend toward nationalism and local pride. Chinese consumers increasingly favor brands that show genuine respect and appreciation for their culture. Furthermore, the shift toward sustainability and ethical consumption is gaining traction. Brands that align with these values and communicate them effectively can gain a competitive edge. Brands must invest in local teams and leadership who understand the cultural context and can guide brand actions and communications. They must also invest in luxury training as Chinese clients are among the most discerning. Looking ahead, the biggest opportunity for Western brands in China lies in a paradigm shift in speed and refocusing from a product-driven approach to a client-centric localized approach. Luxury training needs to be on top of the agenda, internally and externally, for client-focused teams. However, challenges abound. Navigating complex regulatory environments, intense local competition and staying culturally relevant and sensitive in a rapidly changing market are significant hurdles. Success in China requires a deep understanding of local culture, a commitment to genuine engagement and the insights and speed to anticipate and adapt to rapid market changes and take action. Do not make the costly mistake of falling behind.

Big Mistakes Western Brands Make in China

India’s men’s cricket team won a nail-biter final game against South Africa in the Twenty20 World Cup match on Saturday, putting an end to the country’s 13-year drought in the global cricket arena. Both India and South Africa were undefeated going into Saturday’s match in Barbados. South Africa seemed like it had a chance of winning the game, but India thwarted the team’s attempt to exceed India’s 176 runs. This was India’s second T20 World Cup win; the team won the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007. It was also India's first World Cup win in 13 years in any type of cricket, after a series of heartbreaking close final matches over the last 12 months. “Guys understand when the pressure is on what needs to be done,” said Rohit Sharma, India’s team captain. “Today was a perfect example, [we] stuck together with backs to the wall. We wanted this really bad … very proud of the bunch of boys and the management.” Cricket is the world's second-most popular sport but many Americans are unfamiliar. T20 is an abbreviated form of the game. In a T20 match, each team has 20 overs. In each over, a bowler (similar to a pitcher) from the opposing team throws six balls for the batsman (similar to batter) to hit. Batsmen make “runs,” each time they hit a ball, which are counted as points for the team. There are two batsmen playing in each over. “To get a run, the easiest or probably the hardest way to do it is to whack the ball as hard as you can so that it crosses the boundary line, which is the end of the field, If you can do that, then you start running between what they call the pitch. And the more you run, the more runs you get." Virat Kohli, one of the team’s top batters, played a key role in India’s eventual win over South Africa. The India team was in early trouble after deciding to bat first — they had only made 34 runs in the first five overs. This means that within the first quarter of India’s time batting, the team had averaged approximately only one run per ball. But Kohli was able to help bring that average up. When India was done batting, the score was 176-7, meaning that they had made 176 runs with 120 balls, and seven players had gotten out. Kohli announced at the end of the game that this would be his last time playing in the T20 World Cup. “This was my last T20 World Cup, and this is what we wanted to achieve,” Kohli said. “I got the job done for the team on the day it mattered. It’s time for the next generation to take over, some amazing players will take the team forward and keep the flag waving high.” Kohli pulled off an amazing performance in his final game, scoring what’s known as a “half-century” in cricket, which is when a batter scores 50 runs in the time his team was batting. When South Africa went up to bat, the team looked strong: they had made 147 runs in 15 overs in part thanks to Heinrich Klaasen. But once he was out, the team started to falter: Marco Jansen scored only two runs before Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah threw a ball that resulted in an out. Bumrah received the title “Player of the Tournament” thanks to his hard-to-hit bowling style. David Miller scored 21 runs for the South African team in 17 balls, but in the last over of the tournament, a stunning catch from India's Suryakumar Yadav took Miller out of the game, and South Africa's remaining batsman could not score the remaining runs required to win. In the end, the South African team was just seven runs behind. This was South Africa’s first time playing in the final of an international cricket competition. “Gutted,” South Africa captain Aiden Markram said. “Hurts quite a bit, but incredibly proud. We never got comfortable, things happened quickly at the back end, but got into a great position to prove we were worthy finalists.”

India Wins T20 World Cup

Low back pain is incredibly common and notoriously difficult to treat. A new study, however, finds that a simple, cost-effective, highly accessible intervention can make a real difference: walking. A new paper, which was published in The LancetTrusted Source on June 19, found that people with low back pain who walked regularly were significantly less likely to experience pain that limited their activity. They also reported improved quality of life. Participants who walked regularly were half as likely to need time off work or require medical treatment than people in the control group. Dr. Tash Pocovi, lead author of the study and a postdoctoral fellow at Macquarie University, Australia. “​​Working in physiotherapy, it’s incredible to see just how prevalent low back pain is,” she said, “with reports that 620 million people globally reported experiencing low back pain in 2020.” She explained that, while most scientists focus on treatment, fewer are focusing on prevention. This is important because “7 in 10 people who recover from an episode of low back pain will have a new episode in the next 12 months.” “While it’s not considered a life-threatening disease, we can see the very serious impacts it can have on people’s lifestyle, ability to work, and overall quality of life,” Pocovi said. For their study, the scientists recruited 701 people who had recently experienced an episode of low back pain. Split into two groups, one acted as the control, and the other embarked on a personalized walking program with six education sessions with a physiotherapist over 6 months. The scientists followed up the participants for 1–3 years. They found that those in the walking group experienced pain that limited their activity less often than those in the control group. Also, there was a longer gap before they had a recurrence: an average of 208 days compared with 112 days. Pocovi told Healthline that she was not surprised that walking benefited these people because the intervention “helped get people moving, reduced their fear, and gave them strategies and confidence to self-manage their condition — all of which we know are important.” However, she was surprised “how much the intervention could impact people’s lives aside from improving their low back pain management.” “While we were able to reduce the recurrence of low back pain requiring care-seeking by over 40%, we also had patients who reported improved sleep, mood, positive lifestyle changes, and improved management of other chronic health conditions,” she explained. “It was very pleasing to see the positive, overall health implications of this intervention,” Pocovi said. In their study, the walking plan was individualized based on factors including age, physical ability, preferences, and available time. “We gave them a rough guide of gradually building up to 30 minutes, five times a week,” she told us. “After 3 months, most of the people who took part were walking 3 to 5 days each week for an average of 130 minutes per week.” “We want to see the public walking more, even if this is done independently. However, if you are struggling to get started, you may consider reaching out to a health professional to help.” Healthline spoke with Neel Anand, MD, an orthopedic spine surgeon and director of the Cedars-Sinai Spine Center in Los Angeles, CA, who was not involved in the study. He added a note of caution: “While walking is a great total-body cardiovascular exercise that can be especially helpful for people experiencing back pain episodes, be sure not to go too far or for too long if you’re in moderate to severe pain, and make sure that the walking surface is even, without too much uphill or downhill variation to start.” To help make sense of the high prevalence of low back pain, Healthline spoke with Thomas Pontinen, MD. Pontinen, who was not involved in the study, is a double board-certified anesthesiologist, interventional pain management specialist, and chronic pain expert. Our evolutionary past, he explained, is one of the reasons. “Human beings evolved from animals with horizontal spines.” As we evolved to walk on two legs, “the spine had to adapt.” “It is incredibly likely that a lifetime spent using a vertical spine, as we do, will eventually come with drawbacks since the spine has to support most of our weight and all the pressures of movement through life,” Pontinen said. Other factors, Pontinen told us, include general wear and tear of the discs between the vertebrae with age, injuries, poor posture, a sedentary lifestyle, and obesity. According to a recent study, walking regularly can reduce the risk of low back pain returning, improve quality of life, and reduce the need to visit healthcare specialists. Taking regular walks also improved sleep and mood, and improved the management of other chronic health conditions. However, as Anand told us, it’s important to wait for the “green light” from your doctor, but “contrary to what some might think, staying immobile or being on ‘bed rest’ after the acute phase of a back pain episode might do more harm than good.”

Walking May Be a Simple Solution to Chronic Low Back Pain

Homes in America are the most expensive they’ve ever been, according to one measure. The median price of a previously owned US home climbed for the eleventh consecutive month in May, up 5.8% from a year ago, to $419,300, the National Association of Realtors said Friday. That’s the highest price ever recorded by NAR. “Home prices reaching new highs are creating a wider divide between those owning properties and those who wish to be first-time buyers,” NAR’s chief economist Lawrence Yun said in a release. “Still, first-time buyers in the market understand the long-term benefits of owning.” Housing affordability remains in the gutter: In addition to sky-high home prices, mortgage rates are still higher than anything seen in the decade before 2022. There still aren’t enough homes in the market to keep up with demand, despite some improvements in recent months. The situation could improve somewhat later this year, when the Federal Reserve is expected to begin paring back interest rates from a 23-year high, which should bring down mortgage rates. But Fed officials have penciled in just one rate cut for this year, and the days of ultra-low interest rates are long gone. Economists don’t expect the average mortgage rate to fall below 6% in 2024. Recent research from Zillow shows that in order for a median-income household to afford a monthly mortgage payment on the typical US home, it would need to save up more than $127,000 for a down payment. That’s roughly double the median salary of a US worker. Potential homebuyers are indeed facing a tough market, but that doesn’t seem to be deterring some: Sales of previously owned homes in the US are up from the decades lows in the fall and only edged lower by 0.7% in May to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.11 million. What’s going on with housing supply? When supply doesn’t keep up with demand, it pushes up prices. That’s been the case in the US housing market for decades now. However, there have been some steps in the right direction: Total housing inventory has steadily increased throughout this year, according to NAR data. Inventory at the end of May stood at 1.28 million units, 6.7% higher from April and up 18.5% from a year ago. Homeowners who locked in a low rate before the Fed began to hike in 2022 have been unwilling or unable to sell their homes because of months of elevated mortgage rates. But the recent growth in inventory may mean that homeowners are finally parting with their homes out of necessity because of life events such as marriage, divorce or new children, NAR’s Yun has said. New home construction also contributes to housing supply, but high interest rates seem to have pumped the brakes on homebuilding. Housing starts fell in May to their lowest level since 2020, according to government statistics released Thursday, dropping by 5.5% from April. Building permits, seen as a forward indicator of future construction, came in below economists’ expectations.

Home Prices Hit Record Highs, Squeezing First-Time Buyers

Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally (RN) party won the first round of France's parliamentary election on Sunday, exit polls showed, but the final result will depend on days of horsetrading before next week's run-off. The RN was seen winning around 34% of the vote, exit polls from Ipsos, Ifop, OpinionWay and Elabe showed. That was ahead of leftist and centrist rivals, including President Emmanuel Macron's Together alliance, whose bloc was seen winning 20.5%-23%. The New Popular Front (NFP), a hastily assembled left-wing coalition, was projected to win around 29% of the vote, the exit polls showed. The exit polls were in line with opinion polls ahead of the election, but provided little clarity on whether the anti-immigrant, eurosceptic RN will be able to form a government to "cohabit" with the pro-EU Macron after next Sunday's run-off. The RN's chances of winning power next week will depend on the political dealmaking made by its rivals over the coming days. In the past, centre-right and centre-left parties have teamed up to keep the RN from power, but that dynamic, known as the "republican front," is less certain than ever. If no candidate reaches 50% in the first round, the top two contenders automatically qualify for the second round, as well as all those with 12.5% of registered voters. In the run-off, whoever wins the most votes take the constituency. High turnout on Sunday suggests France is heading for a record number of three-way run-offs. These generally benefit the RN much more than two-way contests, experts say. The horsetrading began almost immediately on Sunday night. In a written statement to the press, Macron called on voters to rally behind candidates who are "clearly republican and democratic", which, based on his recent declarations, would exclude candidates from the RN and from the hard-left France Unbowed (LFI) party LFI leader Jean-Luc Melenchon said the second-placed NFP alliance will withdraw all its candidates who came third in the first round. "Our guideline is simple and clear: not a single more vote for the National Rally," he said. Jordan Bardella, the 28-year-old RN party president, said he was ready to be prime minister - if his party wins an absolute majority. He has ruled out trying to form a minority government and neither Macron nor the NFP will form an alliance with him. "I will be a "cohabitation" Prime Minister, respectful of the constitution and of the office of President of the Republic, but uncompromising about the policies we will implement," he said. The RN was seen winning the most seats in the National Assembly, but only one of the pollsters - Elabe - had the party winning an absolute majority of 289 seats in the run-off. Experts say that seat projections after first-round votes can be highly inaccurate, and especially so in this election. Voter participation was high compared with previous parliamentary elections, illustrating the political fervour Macron aroused with his stunning decision to call a parliamentary vote after the RN trounced his party in European Parliament elections earlier this month. His decision plunged France into political uncertainty, sent shockwaves around Europe and prompted a sell-off of French assets on financial markets. A longtime pariah, the RN is now closer to power than it has ever been. Le Pen has sought to clean up the image of a party known for racism and antisemitism, a tactic that has worked amid voter anger at Macron, the high cost of living and growing concerns over immigration. At 1500 GMT, turnout was nearly 60%, compared with 39.42% two years ago - the highest comparable turnout figures since the 1986 legislative vote, Ipsos France's research director Mathieu Gallard said.

Macron's Alliance Trails in Parliamentary Election First Round

The 5 most beautiful destinations in the world 5: Great Ocean Road, Australia Head west from Melbourne on this coastal drive to see everything from the famous 12 Apostle rock formations to koalas in Great Otway National Park, as well as the charming seaside town of Lorne. 4: Venice, Italy If traversing the canals with a be-striped gondolier sounds unbearably touristy, stick to the sidewalks and spectacular arched bridges to get your fill of this truly unique, wildly romantic floating city. 3: Banff National Park, Canada The glacial lakes in Canada's first national park have some of the bluest water you've ever seen. Even if you're not particularly outdoorsy, you can still admire the views from one of the cozy and luxurious lakeside lodges throughout the park, like the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. 2: Amalfi Coast, Italy There are so many beautiful places in Italy it's hard to pick just one—but the Amalfi Coast's idyllic hillside towns, like Positano, bump it to the top of our must-see list. For a history-steeped stay, book Le Sirenuse: just 200 metres from the coast, this legendary 70 year-old hotel has seduced everyone from Robert de Niro to Meryl Streep. 1: Zhangye Danxia Geopark, China Geology lovers and avid Instagrammers alike will be drawn to the otherworldly hues of the Rainbow Mountains. The colours were formed by the layering of sedimentary mineral deposits over millions of years, but it's hard to look at the flowing reds, yellows, and oranges and not feel like you're witnessing magic.

You Can't Miss These 5 Most Beautiful Destinations in the World

Russian President Vladimir Putin has warned that his country would not rule out using nuclear weapons if its sovereignty or territory were threatened. On Wednesday, Putin met in person with senior editors from international news agencies for the first time since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. He answered questions ranging from the threat of nuclear war to possible repercussions for countries that support Ukraine’s efforts to launch attacks within Russian territory. When asked about the prospect of using Russia’s nuclear arsenal, the president said it was not out of the question. “For some reason, the West believes that Russia will never use it,” Putin responded, pointing towards the country’s 2020 nuclear doctrine. It authorises the Russian government to consider nuclear options if a weapon of mass destruction is used against the country or if “the very existence of the state is put under threat”. “We have a nuclear doctrine. Look what it says. If someone’s actions threaten our sovereignty and territorial integrity, we consider it possible for us to use all means at our disposal. This should not be taken lightly, superficially.” Attack on NATO ‘rubbish’ Putin also took the opportunity once again to brush aside fears that Russia could attack countries in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). “You should not make Russia out to be the enemy. You’re only hurting yourself with this, you know?” Putin said at the news conference. Article 5 of the treaty establishes that an attack against one country in the organization is considered an attack against all members. Putin has repeatedly dismissed the idea of launching an attack on NATO, despite tensions with its member states. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told CBS News earlier this year that Putin’s “aggression” could reach Europe, prompting a NATO response. And in April, Germany’s top military leader said “an attack against NATO soil could be possible” in five to eight years. Still, Putin reiterated his stance on Wednesday. “They thought that Russia wanted to attack NATO,” he said. “Have you gone completely crazy? That is as thick as this table. Who came up with this? It is just complete nonsense, you know? Total rubbish.” Putin issues warning over Russia strikes However, Putin also hinted at the possibility of heightened tensions – and even “asymmetrical” military steps – if Western countries like Germany and the United States were to supply Ukraine with weapons used on Russian soil. He explained that the use of certain weapons, including the use of advanced missile technology, would be tantamount to participation in Russia’s war with Ukraine. “That would mark their direct involvement in the war against the Russian Federation, and we reserve the right to act the same way,” he said. “If they consider it possible to deliver such weapons to the combat zone to launch strikes on our territory and create problems for us, why don’t we have the right to supply weapons of the same type to some regions of the world where they can be used to launch strikes on sensitive facilities of the countries that do it to Russia?” His remarks came after Germany decided in January to supply Leopard 2A6 battle tanks to Ukraine. And last month, both Germany and the US agreed to allow Ukraine to use certain missiles to hit targets inside Russia. The Associated Press reported earlier on Wednesday that Ukraine has indeed used US weapons to strike within Russia, though Washington restricts which arms can be used. Advanced weapons like the Army Tactical Missile System and other long-range missiles remain off-limits. Asked about the prospect of a wider range of Western missiles being approved for Ukraine’s use in Russia, Putin was defiant: “We will improve our air defence systems and destroy them.”

Putin Hints at Escalation if Western Weapons Used Against Russia

Back in 2006, while starring in the hit ABC drama Lost, Evangeline Lilly predicted that she’d one day leave show business. “I am terrified to admit this to the rest of the acting world, but ideally, 10 years from now, I’d like to be a retired actress, and I would like to have a family,” Lilly said in the clip shared to her Instagram on Monday. “I’d like to be writing, and potentially maybe influencing people’s lives in a more humanitarian way.” More than a decade later, Lilly is making good on that promise by “stepping away” from the industry that has given her roles in franchises like Marvel’s Ant-Man and The Hobbit. “I am so filled with joy and contentment today as I live out my vision,” Lilly wrote alongside the video, which included her previous remarks. “Praise God, I feel so grateful for my blessings. Stepping away from what seems like the obvious choice (wealth and fame) can feel scary at times, but stepping into your dharma replaces the fear with fulfillment. “I might return to Hollywood one day, but for now, this is where I belong,” she continued. “A new season has arrived, and I AM READY…and I AM HAPPY.” Last year, Lilly publicly hinted at a retreat from the spotlight, telling Esquire, “I’ve never felt lonelier in Hollywood than I do now.” She went on to explain that her “authenticity is going to piss some people off, and is not going to always make me friends or make me popular. But it’s all I’ve got left.” The actor courted controversy in January 2022 after attending an anti-vaccine-mandate protest in DC. Lilly posted several black-and-white photos from the demonstration, the same event where eventual presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. compared vaccine directives to the Holocaust. “I just wanted people out there who were struggling because they were under severe pressure to do something they didn’t want to do to know that they weren’t alone,” Lilly told Esquire of her decision to attend the rally, “to know that there were people who actually felt they had a right to say no.” Lilly, whose most recent onscreen role was in 2023’s Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, has at least one more project set for release. According to IMDB, she’s completed filming on a movie written and directed by The Mindy Project’s David Stassen called Happy Life, costarring Ike Barinholtz and Alexandra Daddario.

Evangeline Lilly Steps Away From Acting to Pursue Long-Held Dream

The Buffalo Bills have signed Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler Gable Steveson to a contract, the team announced Friday. The Bills listed Steveson, a gold medalist in the 125kg weight class at the Tokyo Olympics, as a defensive tackle. “I have been fortunate to compete at the highest level of competition in my sport but am looking forward to the challenge of seeing how my wrestling skills may translate to football,” Steveson said, per ESPN. “I am grateful to Coach (Sean) McDermott, (GM) Brandon Beane and the Buffalo Bills organization for giving me this opportunity.” At the Olympics, the 24-year-old American became the youngest freestyle wrestler to win gold in the super heavyweight division at 21 years, two months and six days of age. He won gold after defeating three-time world champion Geno Petriashvili of Georgia with a two-point move with less than a second remaining in their match. Afterwards, Steveson declared it “the match of the century.” After the Tokyo Games in 2021, Steveson signed with World Wrestling Entertainment until he was released by the organization earlier this month. He has also enjoyed a successful NCAA career, wrestling collegiately at the University of Minnesota, where he was a two-time national champion and a three-time All-American. Following so much success, Steveson has also become famous for his celebratory running flips after winning matches. The undrafted free agent will wear number 61 for the Bills. Steveson is not the first high-profile athlete to make the switch from another sport to the NFL this season, following in the footsteps of Welsh rugby star Louis Rees-Zammit who agreed a deal with the Kansas City Chiefs in March.

Olympic Wrestler Gable Steveson Signs with Buffalo Bills

More than two years after the start of the full-scale war against Ukraine and an endless string of reports about dysfunction and chaos within the Russian military, the Kremlin is now openly admitting its army is a complete mess. The latest indication came with the arrest of Russia’s fourth high-ranking military official in a month on Thursday: The army chief’s deputy, Lieutenant-General Vadim Shamarin, is being held in pre-trial detention and faces up to 15 years behind bars on corruption charges. The Investigative Committee says Shamarin accepted a bribe on an “especially large scale” while awarding state contracts. The downfall of Shamarin, who was in charge of the military’s communications in Ukraine, was welcomed by Russian troops who blamed the general’s dreadful work performance for thousands of deaths on the battlefield. It also seemed like posthumous greetings from Wagner Group founder Yevgeny Prigozhin, whose rageful demands for the ouster of top military leadership during his short-lived mutiny last year seem to increasingly be coming to fruition. He got his wish earlier this month to see Sergei Shoigu removed as defense minister, and now the Kremlin’s purge of military leaders has inched closer to Valery Gerasimov, chief of the General Staff. It’s perhaps no coincidence that Wagner-linked Telegram channels re-upped Prigozhin’s year-old comment this week that “Shoigu and Gerasimov turned this war into entertainment, and because of their whims five times more guys died than should have.” Even with the arrest of Shamarin, it’s clear many troops still hold a grudge. “Even 15 years in prison is nothing” compared to the “several thousand people who literally died” due to the poor comms he provided, one Wagner-linked Telegram channel wrote. The Kremlin, meanwhile, has patted itself on the back for the anti-corruption spree, while insisting there is no widespread purge underway, despite the four high-ranking officials going down in rapid succession. “The fight against corruption is an ongoing effort. It is not a campaign. It is an integral part of the activities of law enforcement agencies,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Thursday. Ex-Deputy Defense Minister Timur Ivanov was the biggest name to be arrested last month, followed by Defense Ministry personnel directorate chief Yury Kuznetsov, and former army commander Maj. Gen. Ivan Popov. All are facing corruption-related charges. Left unanswered is why Moscow has only embarked on this anti-corruption fight now, long after reports of humiliating losses on the battlefield and widespread dysfunction exposed the rot at the center of the army. It seems telling that the Kremlin is cleaning house as it’s become more and more reliant on China to keep the war machine afloat. In his visit to China last week, Putin appeared to suck up to corruption-obsessed Chinese President Xi Jinping, revealing that his family was learning Mandarin and calling himself and his Chinese counterpart “as close as brothers.” All of this, of course, came as the Russian leader needs an ally more than ever—ideally one with money. Which would explain why Putin had the governor of Russia’s Central Bank, his finance minister, and his economics adviser in tow.

Wild New Kremlin Purge Proves Prigozhin Was Right All Along

You might think physical media is obsolete. It's possible to watch basically anything on streaming sites at this point. Best Buy is ending DVD and Blu-ray sales and so is Target. Many people no longer have Blu-ray or DVD players plugged into their TVs, assuming they even watch things on a TV at all. It's understandable, given all this, that you might be eyeing your shelf full of physical media and wonder whether it's time to throw it all out. That's a mistake. There are all kinds of reasons you should keep your physical copies of TV shows and movies around. Content disappears from streaming services A few years ago Warner Bros. started removing its own shows from Max, called HBO Max at the time. Among these shows was Westworld, a prestige HBO series that subscribers understandably thought would stick around on the service. Until that point no major streaming service had removed its own content—Netflix, for example, removed plenty of shows made by other companies but never one of its own originals. Warner Bros. broke this unspoken compact with Westworld. Today the only place to watch the sci-fi drama online is on TubiTV, but you can't watch episodes whenever you want—it's basically an online TV station that plays all the episodes in order. Warner Bros. isn't alone here: Disney pulled several of its own shows from Disney+ last year, including a brand new TV show based on the movie Willow. Which is all to say that you can't count on streaming services to offer all the shows you love in perpetuity. You know what you can count on? A physical disc. A TV show or movie you have on Blu-ray or DVD will keep working for you until the disc physically breaks down, and even longer if you back them up. If you want to make sure you can keep watching a TV show or movie you need to buy a physical copy. No internet? No problem. Streaming services, for the most part, only work if you have an internet connection. Physical media keeps working, as highlighted by a piece in The Guardian about a Florida power outage in 2018 that made one family's DVD and Blu-ray collection extremely valuable: Word got around. The family’s library of physical films and books became a kind of currency. Neighbors offered bottled water or jars of peanut butter for access. The 1989 Tom Hanks comedy The ’Burbs was an inexplicably valuable commodity, as were movies that could captivate restless and anxious children. The internet goes down sometimes, for all kinds of reasons—natural disasters, yes, but also good old fashioned outages. Having some physical media around means you'll still have something to watch. It might be cheaper Some people like to binge watch the same show, again and again. Peacock, for example, owes at least some of its existence to dedicated fans of The Office, who from what I can tell, just kind of always have the show on in the background. That might be worth it to you, but here's the thing, though: I found the complete run of the series on Amazon on DVD for $50, a total that could pay for just over four months of an ad-free Peacock subscription. You could probably get the series for even less if you're willing to look for a used copy, meaning there's no excuse to pay for Peacock just for one show. Buy the discs and you can binge watch as many times as you want, all without any ongoing subscription fees. You can lend them out I love ebooks but tend to buy a physical copy of anything I truly love. Part of this is that I like seeing the books on my shelf, granted, but another big part of the appeal is that I can lend physical books out to friends. Physical copies of movies and TV shows work the same way: You can lend them to whoever you like, even as streaming services are going out of their way to stop you from sharing passwords. Of course, it's not just on you to lend out discs: your local library probably does too, giving you access to all kinds of shows for free. In some places this is going even further: Little DVD libraries are popping up as a way to share discs with your neighbors. If you can physically hold something there's no restrictions on lending it out, and that's a real kind of freedom that streaming services can't—or, at least won't—give you. Special features One last thing. DVDs and Blu-rays come with all kinds of special features, from behind-the-scenes footage to deleted scenes. Streaming services don't offer these features—the best you can do is search for them on YouTube when you're done watching. This only matters if you care about such things, granted, but it's a big reason you'll never get me to part with my special edition set of Lord of the Rings.

Why You Shouldn’t Throw out Those DVDs and Blu-Rays

Florida’s court just reversed Binance’s ban, sending BNB-USD on a bullish run toward its all-time highs. Florida’s First District Court of Appeals just pulled a 180 on the Binance ban, giving the crypto space another win. The court unanimously ruled that the state’s financial regulators fumbled the ball. As a result, Binance is back in business, and BNB is riding high, nearing its all-time highs. Court Rules in Binance’s Favor So, what happened? According to Bloomberg Law, the court decided that Florida’s financial regulators didn’t exactly follow the playbook when they slapped an emergency suspension on Binance back in November 2023. This all went down after Binance’s head honcho, Changpeng Zhao (CZ), pleaded guilty to federal finance charges. The court’s main issue? The regulators couldn’t back up their claims that CZ’s actions were a clear and present danger to public health, safety, and welfare. Basically, they tried to punt without a ball. This ruling is a big win for Binance, but let’s not forget, they’ve been taking hits in other places too. Case in point: Alaska’s banking division also gave Binance.US the cold shoulder by denying their license renewal. BNB Nears All-Time High While Binance was busy battling it out in court, BNB was quietly making a comeback. Over the last month, BNB has climbed 6.15%, and in just the past week, it has jumped 6.85%, now trading at around $615. That’s just a stone’s throw away from its all-time high of $686, set back in the 2021 bull run. If this upward trend continues, we might see BNB breaking through the resistance levels and eyeing that all-time high again. Is BNB a Buy? According to TipRanks’ Summary of Technical Indicators, BNB is a Buy.

Binance’s Ban Reversed: BNB Soars Towards All-Time Highs