The world’s most beautiful island hotels

Whether you’re after a glitzy private island getaway or a low-key tropical escape, we’ve picked 15 of the world’s most stunning island hotels.

It’s built on its own 3,500-acre private island studded with lush coconut groves and ringed by pristine white sand beaches.

Each of its 25 villas — inspired by traditional Fijian bure — boast leafy tropical gardens and private infinity-edge pools.

As if that weren’t enough to keep you occupied, there’s also an equestrian center, five restaurants and countless coral reefs to be explored (via submarine, naturally).

Lacaula Island, Fiji; +679 888 0077

Anantara Medjumbe Island Resort (Mozambique)

Anantara: Understated castaway chic.

Anantara: Understated castaway chic.

Anantara: Understated castaway chic.

It doesn’t get much more far-flung than this resort, tucked away on a tiny private island in the Quirimbas Archipelago, off the northern coast of Mozambique.

But the views alone are worth the trek. Upon arrival, you’re greeted with miles of empty, powder-white sand and ocean so blue it barely looks real.

The resort itself is gorgeous, with its castaway-chic aesthetic and whimsical, Arabian Nights-inspired decor.

And though its wooden, thatched-roof villas may look simple, don’t be fooled: They’re decked out with luxe deep-soak tubs, roomy outdoor decks and plunge pools built just steps from the ocean.

Anantara Medjumbe Island Resort, Medjumbe Island, Quirimbas Archipelago, Cabo Delgado Province, Mozambique; +27 10 003 8979

Southern Ocean Lodge (Australia)

Built atop scrub-covered bluffs on the southwest tip of Australia’s Kangaroo Island, this unique resort is another spot offering incredible views.

Each of its 21 glass-fronted suites feature floor-to-ceiling windows and are cantilevered to ensure jaw-dropping panoramas over Hanson Bay.

In contrast to its rugged coastal landscape, the lodge is sleek and ultramodern, built from sustainable materials like recycled gumtrees and local limestone.

It’s also luxurious: Each suite has its own private terrace, sunken lounge and standalone bathtubs, perfectly positioned to soak in the glorious views.

Southern Ocean Lodge, Hanson Bay Road, Kingscote, Australia; +61 08 8559 7347

Cap Juluca (Anguilla)

This intimate boutique hotel, situated on Anguilla’s turquoise-blue Maundays Bay, is a Caribbean classic.

Its domed, Moorish-style villas are cheerful and stylish, decorated with colorful batiks, rattan furniture and coconut wood accents.

Though the vibe is beachy and relaxed, rooms abound with posh amenities like plush Frette linens and Hermès bath products.

Added bonus: Every room is beachfront and has an ocean-facing patio.

Cap Juluca, Maundays Bay, Anguilla; +1 264 497 6666

Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea (Sicily, Italy)

Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea: Sicilian charm and jaw-dropping views.

Belmond Villa Sant'Andrea: Sicilian charm and jaw-dropping views.

Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea: Sicilian charm and jaw-dropping views.

Though you’d be hard pressed to find a hotel in Sicily that’s not picture-perfect, there’s something especially dreamy about this one.

Built as a villa in 1830, the beautifully renovated Belmond has retained the laid-back charm of a private family residence (think homemade Sicilian pastries upon check-in and fresh flowers in every room).

Suites are huge and indulgent, outfitted with enormous marble bathrooms and furnished French balconies that offer sweeping views over the Bay of Mazzarò.

Added bonus: It even has its own private stretch of beachfront, fringed by lush subtropical gardens.

Belmond Villa Sant’Andrea, Via Nazionale, 137, Taormina, Italy; +39 0942 627 1200

Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina (Hawaii)

Opened in the summer of 2016, Oahu’s newest resort — located on the quiet western side of the island — might also be its most beautiful.

The property is sleek yet earthy, and takes advantage of its gorgeous oceanfront setting with plenty of sun-drenched, indoor-outdoor spaces.

All 371 rooms are decorated in a modern Hawaiiana style, with banana-leaf wall coverings, banana leaf-printed pillows and local wood accents.

But the hotel’s pièce de résistance is its blissful adults-only infinity pool, which is tucked away from the main pool and beach area and overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

Four Seasons Resort Oahu at Ko Olina, 92-1001 Olani St, Kapolei, Hawaii; +1 808 679 0079

Secret Bay (Dominica)

Perched on a clifftop on the island of Dominica, this uber-luxe hotel remains relatively undiscovered compared to other Caribbean resorts of the same caliber.

But therein lies its charm: Unlike the crowded, all-inclusive resorts of Bermuda and the Bahamas, this low-key boutique property feels like your own secret Caribbean hideaway.

Its eight treehouse-style bungalows are hidden amidst thick, jungle-like foliage and equipped with so many luxe features — hammocks, plunge pools, sundecks, personal libraries — that you won’t ever want to leave.

But you must, if only to walk down to its two stunning beaches or watch the sun set over the Caribbean Ocean from the gorgeous Vetiver Sunset Deck.

Secret Bay, Ross Boulevard, Portsmouth, Dominica; +1 767 445 4444

Soneva Jani (Maldives)

With 24 over-water villas and one sprawling island villa set on a private lagoon in the Maldives, the newest Soneva resort is one of the world’s most beautiful hotels, period.

Each of the resort’s multi-level water villas — made out of renewable plantation wood — has its own private pool and a retractable roof that allows guests to sleep beneath the stars.

Many villas also have slides that transport guests directly from the top level into the lagoon below.

Other hotel highlights include an observatory — home to the largest telescope in the Indian Ocean — and an outdoor floating cinema.

Soneva Jani, Medhufaru Island, Noonu Atoll, Republic of Maldives; +960 656 6666

The Naka Island, A Luxury Collection Resort & Spa (Phuket, Thailand)

The Naka Island: Splendid isolation.

The Naka Island: Splendid isolation.

The Naka Island: Splendid isolation.

Nestled on the northwest tip of Naka Yai island, off the coast of the larger island of Phuket, this Thai resort feels blissfully isolated.

It’s not a private island resort, but it feels that way, with just 67 villas draped along miles of deserted, unspoiled beachfront.

Villas are earthy yet luxurious, made entirely of wood, stone and clay, and equipped with private pools and steam rooms.

If you can manage to drag yourself from your villa, make a beeline for the beachfront Z Bar, which serves up potent cocktails and epic sunset views.

The Naka Island, 32 Moo 5, Tambol Paklok, Amphur Thalang, Naka Yai Island, Phuket, Thailand; +66 (76) 371 400

The Cliff Hotel (Jamaica)

Though it sits directly on the ocean, this new boutique hotel isn’t your typical beach getaway.

For starters, there’s no beach: True to its name, the hotel is perched on low, jagged cliffs that jut out dramatically onto the ocean.

Unlike its colorful, kitschy neighbors, The Cliff opts for a neutral-toned, minimalist vibe that allows its striking natural setting to steal the show.

Still, its 33 rooms are as luxe as they come, outfitted with stylish hammocks, roomy balconies and, in some cases, private plunge pools.

The Cliff Hotel, West End Road, Negril, Jamaica; US 1 800 213 0583; UK 020 3002 0927

Cavo Tagoo (Mykonos, Greece)

Hugging a cliff high above the Aegean Sea, Cavo Tagoo remains a haven of peace and serenity on Greece’s most touristed island.

The vibe is refreshingly modern and minimalist: whitewashed surfaces, exposed wood and stone, and sleek, clean furnishings.

Rooms come with with whirlpool baths, ocean-facing balconies and, in some cases, private plunge pools.

No pool? No worries: The resort’s communal infinity saltwater pool has an aquarium bar and the best sunset views on the island.

Cavo Tagoo Mykonos, Aegean Coasts S.A., Mykonos, Greece; +30 22890 20100

Belmond La Samanna (St. Martin)

La Samanna: Unspoilt beaches and killer cocktails.

La Samanna: Unspoilt beaches and killer cocktails.

La Samanna: Unspoilt beaches and killer cocktails.

Easily the best resort in St. Martin, La Samanna brings tranquility and a touch of glamor to a fairly tourist-clogged island.

Its 83 lavish rooms and eight Mediterranean-style villas are hidden behind 55 lush tropical acres on the unspoilt shores of Baie Longue.

Property highlights include two infinity pools, a heavenly spa, two French-Caribbean restaurants and a 12,000-bottle wine cave.

But what you’re really here for is the Moroccan-themed beach bar, which serves up potent cocktails and killer ocean views to match.

Belmond La Samanna, 97064 St Martin, CEDEX, French West Indies; +590 590 87 6400

Nihiwatu (Sumba Island, Indonesia)

Though it’s just an hour’s flight from Bali, Nihiwatu feels worlds away: It sits on a private 1.5-mile beach backed by 560 acres of tropical jungle.

Its 28 thatched-roof villas are rugged yet luxurious, decorated with teak furnishings, traditional ikat-print fabrics and local Sumban art.

Though every villa is impressive, the Marrangga villas — which feature beds elevated on cliffside platforms overlooking the ocean — are where you want to be.

Nihiwatu, Sumba Island, Indonesia; +62 361 757 149

North Island (Seychelles)

North Island: A celebrity favorite.

North Island: A celebrity favorite.

North Island: A celebrity favorite.

Breathtaking natural beauty and innovative design come together on this heavenly private island resort in the heart of the Seychelles.

Its 11 newly renovated villas feature a glamorous, castaway-meets-Colonial vibe that blends seamlessly into its jungle-like natural surroundings.

Of course, there are five-star amenities to boot: indoor-outdoor bathrooms, deep-soak tubs and personal plunge pools, to name a few.

It’s no wonder that the resort’s guest list includes the likes of Angeline Jolie and Brad Pitt, George and Amal Clooney and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

North Island, Victoria, Mahé Seychelles; +248 4293 100

CéBlue Villas and Beach Resort (Anguilla)

Opened in 2014, CéBlue is one of Anguilla’s newest and most luxurious resorts.

It has just eight eco-friendly hideaways built into the verdant hills above tranquil Crocus Bay on the island’s northwest coast.

Lodgings are sleek and modern, and equipped with large saltwater swimming pools, 3,000-square-foot sun decks and frangipani-filled private gardens.

Thanks to the resort’s linear, terraced design, guests can enjoy panoramic views over the Caribbean Sea from every single window.

CéBlue Villas and Beach Resort, Valley Road, 1264 The Valley, Crocus Bay, Anguilla; +1 264 462 1000

Krisanne Fordham has written for Conde Nast Traveler, Fodor’s Travel, Departures and Travel + Leisure. She grew up in Sydney and now splits time between Umbria, Italy and New York.

Meet a 700-year-old man

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Luxury getaways for younger travelers

From perks like organic baby food and child-sized bathrobes to larger hotel suites and more kid-focused activities, the luxury travel market is catering to much younger travelers.

In the past year, the St. Regis has seen a 20% increase in families staying at its properties.

Older parents with more money are helping to fuel the trend, said Paul James, global brand leader for the St. Regis, The Luxury Collection, and W Hotels.

“We are seeing people in their 40s with young children,” James said. “By the time you are 40 and made money, you don’t want to stay at the cheap motel down the road. You don’t compromise your lifestyle.”

He added that seeing kids at the front of a plane is becoming more common. “I flew back in January, and everyone in the business cabin had a child with them.”

As more travelers bring their families along, experts said demand for larger suites and villas at hotels has increased. For instance, at the St. Regis in Bali, villa suites sell out 10 times faster than the main hotel suites, James said.

Related: Bored of your superyacht? Try a submarine

Luxury hotels are also stepping up their child-focused amenities and activities.

“Parents want to go and have adult experiences, but also want to make sure their kids will be catered to,” said Kara Slater, a travel agent with SmartFlyer California who specializes in family travel.

At the Four Seasons Resort in Orlando, children are normally welcomed with chocolate alligators or organic baby food and receive child-size bathrobes.

Guests ages 4-12 at The Resort at Pelican Hill in California can attend Camp Pelican where each day’s supervised activities have a different theme like Treasure Island Tuesdays or Space Exploration Fridays. The clubhouse has digital microscopes, video games and computer stations. A full day at the club runs $90 and $60 for a half day.

Parents looking for some alone time in the evening can send their travel companions to Kid’s Night Out, which includes dinner, movie and popcorn for $60.

Latitude, a program for teens, runs $15 an hour ($50 for a half day) has daily activities including surf and kayak camp. And the lounge has Netflix-connected TVs, video games and a special food menu.

The resort also offers a three-hour Children’s Resort Etiquette Class for guests ages 7-12 that teaches travel and social etiquette.

The room service menu includes “ants on a log” (celery with peanut butter and raisins on top) and veggies and hummus, according to Kate Starr, spokeswoman for the resort.

Related: The river cruise craze goes high-end

Families aren’t just heading to the traditionally kid-friendly spots, but are seeking out more exotic locations. Hawaii and Europe are popular, according to Slater.

Authentic experiences are also a priority for people traveling with kids, said Dan Austin, president of Austin Adventures.

“We see families often start out with a domestic vacation, like Yellowstone, and the next year they head to Alaska or the Canadian Rockies. By the third trip, they are looking at Peru, Belize and Costa Rica.”

CNNMoney (New York) First published February 26, 2015: 10:36 AM ET

A first for SpaceX: Sending a used rocket into space

The private space exploration company — headed by Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk — plans to launch another mission to space on Thursday at 6 pm ET out of Cape Canaveral in Florida. But this mission has the potential to be historic. That’s because this is the first time SpaceX will reuse a rocket that has already traveled to space and then returned safely to Earth.

SpaceX will attempt to re-land the first-stage rocket booster again after it flies Thursday.

Related: SpaceX to fly two space tourists around the moon in 2018

The ability to reuse rockets is key to making space travel more affordable. Rockets cost tens of millions of dollars, and in the past they’ve typically just been left to burn up in the atmosphere after launch.

Neither SpaceX nor its customer for this mission — Luxembourg-based communications satellite operator SES — disclosed the financial terms of the deal. But both parties confirmed to CNNMoney in August that SES will get a discount on the $62 million sticker price of a launch because SpaceX is reusing an old rocket.

Over the past couple of years, SpaceX has made 13 attempts to recover the first stage of its Falcon 9 rockets, and so far eight have been successful.

Related: Space Tourism 101: How to prepare to fly around the moon

Five of those eight landings happened on remotely controlled platforms — called droneships — in the ocean. The other three occurred on solid ground.

Thursday will mark the first time SpaceX attempts to put one of those used rockets back in the air.

The rocket SpaceX will use Thursday first flew in an April 2016 mission to the International Space Station. After liftoff, the rocket booster landed safely a droneship in the Atlantic Ocean.

SpaceX first planned to reuse a rocket last year. But the company had to push back the date after a different rocket, which was new, exploded spontaneously at Cape Canaveral in September, causing months of launch delays for SpaceX.

SpaceX is not the only private space venture to successfully re-land a rocket, and it won’t be the first to re-launch a rocket either. Blue Origin — the company run by Amazon (AMZN, Tech30) CEO Jeff Bezos — has completed the feat several times.

But those were all suborbital missions, meaning Bezos’s rockets never ventured much more than 60 miles from the Earth’s surface.

SpaceX completes much more difficult missions. On Thursday, it’s destined for geosynchronous orbit — which is located more than 22,000 miles from Earth.

Related: SpaceX launches and lands another rocket

SES chief technology officer Martin Halliwell said Tuesday that it will be a difficult feat to land the rocket again after Thursday’s mission — but if they succeed, SES will take home some souvenirs.

“[SpaceX] has promised me some bits of the rocket,” Halliwell said. “Hopefully, we’ll have some bits and pieces that we can take back and put in the foyer of our board room.”

CNNMoney (New York) First published March 29, 2017: 11:58 AM ET

How much exercise do I really need?

Two and half hours a week of moderate intensity exercise is what is recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine and the American Heart Association. Ideally, this means 30 minutes, five times per week, of activities such as jogging, ballroom dancing, biking or swimming. Moderate intensity means you’re working in the intermediate zone. If you’re able to hold a conversation with the person next to you while doing that activity, you’re in the zone. 
If you don’t have time for five workouts per week, recent evidence in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that cramming 150 minutes into the weekend, the so-called “weekend warrior” model, transfers similar health benefits to spreading out fitness across the week. The only risk here is overuse injury, such as a case of Achilles tendinitis from running 10 miles on a Saturday after not doing any exercise all week.
Newer evidence about high intensity workouts known as HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training), shows that intensity minutes reduce required exercise time by almost half. This means if you’d like 30 minutes of exercise but you only have 15 to spare, you’re in luck. As I’ve outlined in my book “The Workout Prescription,” ramping up intensity minutes reduces time requirements, and is safe for anyone.

 Unlike moderate intensity, high intensity exercise means you’re huffing and puffing and conversation is difficult. Although they’re tough, HIIT workouts don’t have to be fancy. They can be set up anywhere, a living room, a garage, or a basement. All that’s needed is an open space, a light set of dumbbells, and a strong dose of motivation.

HIIT programs are generally safe for all ages but we generally recommend touching base with your physician if you’re over 40 and haven’t been previously active before starting this type of program.

 Why it matters so much

There are obvious benefits to exercise. People feel better, they look better, and they perform better in all aspects of their lives when they exercise regularly. Seen through the prism of the medical community, the medicine of exercise has strong scientific benefits that go far beyond the desire to fit into that new suit or pair of yoga pants.

Across the spectrum of the human body, irrefutable evidence shows that exercise isn’t just about getting a good workout, it’s about staying healthy in a broader sense. Exercise can treat depression, anxiety and sleep disturbances. For your heart, it lowers blood pressure, cholesterol levels, the risk of heart attack and stroke. Exercise reduces the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and both prevents and treats type 2 diabetes, the most expensive health problem in the United States with annual costs over $100 billion. Regular exercise has even been shown to reduce the frequency of 13 types of cancer including breast, colon, ovarian and endometrial in a large, recent study of 1.44 million subjects.

The major health benefits of exercise kick in at 150 minutes per week of moderate intensity, or at 75 minutes per week of high intensity work.

Exercise is the most efficacious drug known to humankind, works for everyone who takes it, has no side effects, and is free.

That’s why there’s a push to include exercise, as determined through a fitness tracker, as a fifth vital sign along with height, weight, pulse and blood pressure. Movement promotes health and wellness, so why not start tracking it?

The best exercise for you

The ideal form of exercise for you is … something that you’ll actually do! As I discussed in my previous column, smiling and fun promote exercise compliance. If you’re smiling, keep doing exactly what you’re doing.

See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter.

In terms of body maintenance, most exercise recommendations involve a combination of endurance training such as walking or swimming, flexibility training such as yoga, and strength training. Although there’s no exact science here, finding the correct formula usually means picking some of each of these activities. This might mean jogging twice per week, trying a HIIT workout once or twice per week, and taking a yoga class. There’s no exact answer, the key is to find what works for you, smile and work hard.

Do as much exercise as you can, there’s no upper limit. When possible, try and keep your total above the recommended weekly “dose” and you’ll be more likely to stay out of the doctor’s office and on your field of choice.

Dr. Jordan D. Metzl is a sports medicine physician at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York and the author of five books including “The Workout Prescription.” He has completed 34 marathons and 14 Ironman triathalons.

How Tetris can soothe after trauma

But a new study has shown that playing the computer game Tetris within hours of experiencing trauma can prevent those feelings from taking over your mind.

PTSD occurs when intrusive memories linked to fear from a traumatic event become consolidated in a person’s mind by them visualizing the event in a loop until it becomes locked in their brain.

Competing with the visualization, such as with a game like Tetris, can block that consolidation form happening.

“An intrusive memory is a visual memory of a traumatic event,” said Emily Holmes, Professor of Psychology at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden, whose team led the study. “Tetris also requires imagination and vision. Your brain can’t do two things at once, so this interrupts.”

Tetris is a simple, visual and addictive computer game in which the goal is to line up falling shapes to form rows that then disappear when aligned. As rows disappear, more shapes fall and the longer the game lasts, the higher the score.

The goal in Tetris is to line up falling shapes to form rows that disappear when aligned.

The goal in Tetris is to line up falling shapes to form rows that disappear when aligned.

The goal in Tetris is to line up falling shapes to form rows that disappear when aligned.

Holmes hopes that use of these simple and early strategies with patients could help prevent the onset of PTSD. The current standard treatment doesn’t begin until after people develop the condition.

PTSD is estimated to effect 3.5% of adults in the US, according to the National Institute of Mental Health. The percentage is similar globally, at 4.6%, according to the World Health Organization.

Effective soon after an accident

Researchers tested the game on 71 patients in a UK emergency room who were seeking care after a motor accident. Half of them received standard care for their injuries, while the other half received a psychological intervention within six hours of their accident in which they were asked to recall their trauma, practice playing Tetris and then given the game to play on their own.

The patients were then monitored for one week, during which time they tracked how often they had memories, or flashbacks, relating to their accident. The people who has played Tetris reported 62% less memories on average over the week.

“After two days they had gone down to pretty much zero,” Holmes told CNN.

Researchers have long believed that intervening early — within hours or days of the event — could stop the fearful memories from developing in the brain. This is the first study using something as simple as a computer game.

Holmes has been researching the use of Tetris in this way for more than a decade in the lab and this proof-of-concept study is the first time she has experimented with patients.

The research remains in it’s early stages, she stresses. What we need to do is a larger study,” said Holmes who also hopes to monitor the effectiveness of her approach over a longer period of time, up to six months.

The need for more insight using a larger cohort of people was raised by consultant Mark Salter from the Royal College of Psychiatrists, as well as the need to test options other than Tetris. “The study is small … and not everyone plays Tetris or is computer literate,” he told CNN. He added that there is also the challenge of “getting someone to participate when they’ve just seen something terrifying.”

See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter.

But he was intrigued by the findings and the ability of this prevention measure to be given soon after someone experiences a trauma. “What’s exciting about this is that it happens quickly,” he said. “It allows an immediacy to the intervention.”

Salter said the approach needs to include other options that are more universally acceptable since “it’s not just Tetris that does this.”

Holmes said that anything visual and engaging could have a similar effect. But, he added, other engrossing activities using other parts of the brain, such as number or word activities, may not work, or make things worse.

Samsung reveals Galaxy S8 and S8+

Samsung (SSNLF) unveiled the Galaxy S8 and S8+ at an event in New York on Wednesday. The new phone displays are bigger than the Galaxy S7 and S7 Edge and they have curved screens that flow onto the sides.

For the first time on a Samsung phone, the physical home button is removed entirely. (This is already the case on most other Android devices.)

The S8 will be the first phone to feature Bixby, Samsung’s new AI assistant. Despite a crowded voice assistant market, Samsung insists Bixby is “fundamentally” different from competitors like Apple’s (AAPL, Tech30) Siri and Amazon’s (AMZN, Tech30) Alexa. It remains to be seen how this will play out. Samsung touts the assistant as being able to “see, remind and recommend,” but much of this functionality is already available with rival assistants. One potentially interesting feature is the ability to observe behavior patterns and add in reminders. For instance, if you usually call your mom at a specific time each day, Bixby will ask you, unprompted, if you’d like to call her at that time.

Related: Samsung’s new AI assistant will take on Siri and Alexa

Samsung plans to make Bixby available on all of its appliances, from air conditioners to TVs. There is a designated Bixby button on the side of the S8, which is unlike its rivals.

Like previous models, the S8 can be submerged for 30 minutes in up to 5 feet of water.

People can also use facial recognition to unlock the phone, which Samsung has offered in the past. The Galaxy Note 7’s iris scanner allows you to open the phone with your eyes and the new phones will offer this tech as well.

Samsung planned to release pricing later Wednesday. Preorders start on Thursday and the phone will begin shipping April 21.. The S8 will initially be available in midnight black, orchid gray and arctic silver in the U.S.

Related: What does the future hold for Samsung’s Galaxy S8?

The South Korean tech giant has a lot to prove following the global recall of its exploding Galaxy Note 7s.

“As you all know, it has been a challenging year for Samsung. A year filled with valuable lessons, hard decisions and important new beginnings,” DJ Kho, president of Samsung’s mobile communications business, said onstage at Wednesday’s event.

Problems with the Note 7s arose shortly after the launch last August, with several complaints of devices catching fire when charging. Some replacement phones also caught on fire.

Samsung initially blamed faulty batteries, but some experts believe a design flaw may have been the cause. The recall wiped out billions of dollars of profits and hurt Samsung’s brand.

“The launch of the new device must be perfectly executed for Samsung to gain innovation leadership and to gain market share in the high-end smartphone segment,” said Thomas Husson, vice president and principal analyst at research and advisory firm Forrester.

Samsung’s Galaxy S8 will also be going up against the newest version of the iPhone, which is due out later this year. Expectations are high for the new phone, likely called the iPhone 8, partially because this year is the 10th anniversary of the device.

“Samsung only has a window of opportunity of several months before the launch of the 10th anniversary iPhone,” Husson said. “The launch of Samsung’s new flagship smartphone is thus key for the brand even though it has managed to reduce its business dependency on smartphones, contrary to Apple.”

Despite the Note 7 debacle, Samsung reported a profit of 9.2 trillion won ($7.9 billion) for its most recent quarter, an increase of 50% from the year prior and its highest level in three years.

CNNMoney (New York) First published March 29, 2017: 11:03 AM ET

Meditating can help you live to 100

In the past, my family and friends would’ve typically described me as pleasant but hurried. My baseline restlessness and edginess, however, have now nearly vanished.

Without difficulty, I have sustained attention when my young children spend time with me. Instead of constant surveillance of my phone, there is an ability to quickly hyper-focus on the task is at hand and a corresponding joy of living in a distraction-less world.

This change seems to have started the end of last year, after I spent a morning meditating with the Dalai Lama.

First off: Yes, I do feel a little ridiculous writing a line like that, and I didn’t feel worthy of his invitation at the time. Even though I meditate, I’ve never been sure whether I was using proper technique or whether there was an acceptable way to meditate in the presence of His Holiness.

If he was looking forward to a good meditation partner, I worried he was unlikely to find it in me. Even my posture is terrible when sitting cross-legged on the floor. My back starts to hurt, followed by my knees. Thus, my breathing, which is supposed to drive my focus, sounds raspy and uneven. All this makes my mind race instead of slowing down and calming.

Just thinking about meditating with His Holiness was making me anxious.

Nevertheless, who says “no” to a chance to meditate with the Dalai Lama? I agreed to join him early the next morning at his private residence.

A practice that begins at 3 a.m.

At 81 years, old, the Dalai Lama keeps a very active schedule. I met him in Mundgod, India, at the Drepung Monastery, where he was overseeing a symposium bridging Buddhism and science.

The monastery itself is a dazzling bejeweled structure built 600 years ago. Inside, there are enormous golden Buddhas standing next to ornate walls. The discussion hall itself is grand but warm, with doors and windows open to the hot South Indian sun.

For three days, his Holiness moderated sessions on weighty metaphysical topics such as the criteria for valid reasoning, the fundamental constituents of the universe, origins of life and the subjective experience of the mind.

It was fascinating and mind-bending — but also mentally exhausting. It was difficult to stay awake, let alone keep up with the rapid-fire debate between the Buddhists and the scientists. Yet his Holiness was mentally engaged and inquisitive throughout, even more remarkable given more than half the comments were being translated for him.

The Dalai Lama typically wakes about 2:40 a.m. and starts his daily meditation routine at 3 a.m., even as most of his staff is still snoozing.

This was the backdrop when one of his senior staff members picked me up outside the monastery early one morning. We drove in a three-car convoy to the gates outside his private residence.

From there, several more staff members escorted us to a small conference room where his security detail was slowly waking and drinking their morning tea. Finally, his chief of staff walked me just outside the personal quarters of the Dalai Lama.

Meditating is hard for him, too

There were a few minor instructions before we entered. Eye contact is not a problem, and shaking hands is acceptable if you use two hands, not just one. Try not to turn your back to him when leaving the room, and instead walk backward, as much as possible facing him. When sitting cross-legged on the floor, don’t point your feet at the Dalai Lama. And the correct address is “your holiness.”

Shortly after, the doors opened, and I nervously walked into a very modest room where the Dalai Lama was sitting on a raised platform, already deep in meditation. I slipped off my shoes, sat cross-legged at a slight angle on the floor to avoid my toes being pointed in his direction, closed my eyes and started to focus on my breathing.

All my meditation insecurities immediately started to kick in. After a few minutes, I heard his deep, distinctive baritone voice: “Any questions?”

I looked up and saw his smiling face, starting to break into his characteristic head-bobbing laugh.

“This is hard for me,” I said.

“Me, too!” he exclaimed. “After doing daily for 60 years, it is still hard.”

It was at once surprising and reassuring to hear him say this. The Dalai Lama, Buddhist monk and spiritual leader of Tibet, also has trouble meditating.

“I think you will like analytical meditation,” he told me. Instead of focusing on a chosen object, as in single-point meditation, he suggested I think about a problem I was trying to solve, a topic I may have read about recently or one of the philosophical areas from the earlier sessions.

He wanted me to separate the problem or issue from everything else by placing it in a large, clear bubble. With my eyes closed, I thought of something nagging at me — something I couldn’t quite solve. As I placed the physical embodiment of this problem into the bubble, several things started to happen very naturally.

The problem was now directly in front of me, floating weightlessly. In my mind, I could rotate it, spin it or flip it upside-down. It was an exercise to develop hyper-focus.

Less intuitively, as the bubble was rising, it was also disentangling itself from any other attachments, such as subjective emotional considerations. I could visualize it, as the problem isolated itself, and came into a clear-eyed view.

Too often, we allow unrelated emotional factors to blur the elegant and practical solutions right in front of us. It can be dispiriting and frustrating. Through analytical meditation, His Holiness told me, we can use logic and reason to more clearly identify the question at hand, separate it from irrelevant considerations, erase doubt and brightly illuminate the answers. It was simple and sensible. Most important, for me — it worked.

Meditation for skeptics

As a neuroscientist, I never expected that a Buddhist monk, even the Dalai Lama, would teach me how to better incorporate deduction and critical thinking to my life — but that is what happened.

See the latest news and share your comments with CNN Health on Facebook and Twitter.

It changed me. And I am better for it. I practice analytical meditation every day, usually early in the morning. The first two minutes are still the hardest, as I create my thought bubble and let it float above me. After that, I reach what can best be described as a “flow” state, in which 20 to 30 minutes pass easily.

I am more convinced than ever that even the most ardent skeptics could find success with analytical meditation.

Over the holidays, I spent as much time as possible relaying the Dalai Lama’s teachings to my family and friends and teaching them basic principles of analytical meditation. This was the gift I most wanted to share with them. And now with you.

Exxon to Trump: Don’t ditch climate change deal

America’s biggest oil company told the White House it believes the Paris agreement is an “effective framework for addressing the risks of climate change” and the U.S. should remain a party to it.

Exxon (XOM) said the country is “well positioned to compete” under the terms of the Paris deal, which was reached in late 2015 with the goal of slowing global warming. President Obama hailed the agreement as “the moment that we finally decided to save our planet.”

The Exxon letter was sent to the White House on March 22, just days before Trump took a massive swipe at environmental regulations implemented under Obama. The administration had asked Exxon for its views on the Paris accord.

Trump signed an executive order on Tuesday to undo the Clean Power Plan, which aimed to slash carbon emissions by coal plans and other power utilities.

Before taking office, Trump called climate change a “hoax” and blasted the Paris COP21 agreement as a “bad deal” for the U.S.

However, after winning the election Trump told The New York Times he has an “open mind” about the Paris agreement and said he believes clean air and “crystal clear water” are important.

Related: Trump move won’t bring back coal or mining jobs

Exxon has a complex and controversial history with climate change. The energy giant is being investigated for allegedly misleading the public and shareholders about what it knew about the dangers of climate change.

But in 2007 Exxon admitted publicly that climate change poses risks and said it’s responsible to begin working on ways to reduce emissions.

Exxon has also been a consistent public supporter of the Paris agreement.

“We welcomed the Paris Agreement when it was announced in December 2015, and again when it came into force in November 2016. We have reiterated our support on several occasions,” Peter Trelenberg, Exxon’s environmental policy and planning manager, wrote to the White House.

Last month Exxon CEO Darren Woods, who replaced Rex Tillerson when he left to become Trump’s secretary of state, wrote a blog post saying the company is “encouraged” that the Paris agreement creates a framework for “all countries” to address rising emissions.

Exxon noted in its letter to the White House that unlike the Kyoto Agreement, the Paris deal is the first major international accord to feature pledges from developed nations like the U.S. and developing ones like China. Exxon pointed out that China is the world’s leading greenhouse gas emitted and India is likely to pass the U.S. as No. 2 before mid-century.

Related: What if Trump dumps Paris climate deal?

Even though Trump is a climate change skeptic, his secretary of state and leading emissary on climate issues, does not appear to be one.

During his confirmation hearing in January, Tillerson said he came to the conclusion years ago that “the risk of climate change does exist and the consequences could be serious enough that action should be taken.”

But Tillerson ducked allegations that Exxon misled the public on climate change. He refused to answer repeated questions during the hearing about whether the company ignored internal research going back to the 1970s on the impact of burning fossil fuels.

Earlier this month it emerged that Tillerson allegedly used the pseudonym “Wayne Tracker” to send emails related to climate change while serving as CEO of Exxon.

— CNNMoney’s Julia Horowitz contributed to this report.

CNNMoney (New York) First published March 29, 2017: 1:50 PM ET

A religion for society’s unwanted

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