Paralyzed man uses experimental device to regain hand movements

The early stage research has been tested in a lab with just one patient so far, yet someday it may change the lives of many with spinal cord injuries, said lead author Abidemi Bolu Ajiboye, an assistant professor at Case Western Reserve University.

Even though the system would not become immediately available to patients, Ajiboye believes that all the technical hurdles can be overcome within five to 10 years. “We actually have a handle on everything that we need. There are no significant novel discoveries we need to make for the system,” he said.

Ajiboye said that what makes this achievement unique is not the technology, but the patient. Unlike any previous experiments, a man who is nearly completely paralyzed — or tetraplegic — regained his ability to reach and grasp by virtue of a neuroprosthetic.

Cycling accident

Bill Kochevar, a resident of Cleveland, injured his spinal cord in 2006 prior to enrolling in the study.

“It was a bicycling accident,” said Ajiboye, who explained that Kochevar, 53, was doing a 150-mile bicycle ride on a rainy day. “He was following a mail truck and the mail truck stopped and he ended up running into the back of the truck,” said Ajiboye. As a result, Kochevar has paralysis below the shoulders.

“So he can’t walk, he can’t move his arms, he can’t move his hands,” said Ajiboye.

While the American Spinal Injury Association classifies him at the most disabled level of paralysis, Kochevar is capable of both speaking and moving his head. Prior to enrolling in the study, he often used head tracking software technology that relied on him moving his head to move a cursor on a screen. “But he had no ability to do any sort of functional activities,” said Ajiboye.

Kochevar underwent two surgeries fitting him with the neuroprosthetic. The first operation on December 1, 2014, implanted the brain computer interface, or BCI, in the region of Kochevar brain that is responsible for hand movement, called the motor cortex.

The BCI is an electrode array which penetrates the brain between one to one and a half millimeters, said Ajiboye.

Next, Kochevar underwent a second surgery to implant 36 muscle stimulating electrodes into his upper and lower arm. Known as functional electrical stimulation or FES, these electrodes are key to restoring movement in his finger and thumb, wrist, elbow and shoulders.

The Cleveland Functional Electrical Stimulation Center, of which Ajiboye is a part, first developed electrical stimulation technology for reanimating paralyzed function nearly 30 years ago. As Ajiboye explained, the technology is similar to a pacemaker in that it applies electrical stimulation to the muscles in order to stir movement.

After the separate technologies were implanted, the researchers connected Kochevar’s brain-computer interface to the electrical stimulators in his arm. At this point, Kochevar began learning how to use his neuroprosthetic and that process started with a virtual arm.

“We had him watch the virtual arm move, he attempted to move his arm in the same way, and that elicited some patterns of cortical activity — some patterns of electrical neural activity,” said Ajiboye.

This electrical activity was recorded and based on this recording, Ajiboye and his colleagues created a “neural decoder” — an algorithm specific to Kochevar — that could translate the patterns of Kochevar’s recorded brain signals into commands for the electrodes in his arm.

“Then we had him use our algorithm to control the virtual arm on the screen just using his brain signals,” said Ajiboye. “Very early on he could hit the target with 95 to 100% accuracy.” This ‘virtual’ step in the process helped Ajiboye and his colleagues refine the algorithm.

“Then, finally, we basically do the same thing with his actual arm. We manually move his arm, and we have him imagine he’s doing it,” said Ajiboye. Kochevar is then able to move his arm on his own by thinking the command (and so generating once again the same brain pattern when he imagined moving his arm) and this is then actuated through electrical stimulation.

Essentially, the technology circumvents the spinal injury feeding the electrical stimulation of his brain through wires to the electrodes in his arm.

After mastering simple movements, Kochevar was tested on day-to-day tasks, including drinking a cup of coffee and feeding himself. In all of these, Kochevar was successful.

“There were no significant adverse events, the system is safe, so as far as the clinical trial endpoint goes, he has met those,” said Ajiboye.

“Now he has opted voluntarily to continue working as a participant in our study for at least another five years,” said Ajiboye. Kochevar hopes to experience the benefits of the technology for himself while also seeing it advance to the point of becoming available for other people with spinal cord injuries, according to Ajiboye.

CNN attempted to contact Kochevar for comment.

‘Encouraging’ results

A previous unrelated study showed paraplegic people with spinal cord injuries using brain-machine interfaces to gain control of their brain activity and stimulate movement in their legs. A separate study used a brain-spine interface to communicate nerve signals and helped paralyzed monkeys to regain movement.
According to Andrew Schwartz, a professor of neurobiology at the University of Pittsburgh, the new study “shows the potential that [a brain-machine interface] can be used to reanimate a limb.” Schwartz was uninvolved with the current study.

While the “generated movements were somewhat rudimentary” with a rather limited range of action, “the attempt to use multiple degrees of freedom was encouraging,” said Schwartz.

“I liked the idea that movements were decoded first and then transformed to muscle activations,” he added. “For real movements in the real world, this transformation will be very difficult to calculate and that is where real science will be needed.”

In an editorial published alongside the study, Steve I. Perlmutter, an associate professor at University of Washington in Seattle, said the research is “groundbreaking as the first report of a person executing functional, multijoint movements of a paralysed limb with a motor neuroprosthetic. However, this treatment is not nearly ready for use outside the lab.”

Similar to Schwartz, Perlmutter noted that Kochevar’s movements were “rough and slow” and had limited range due to the necessary motorized device.

“Stimulation of nerves or the spinal cord, rather than muscles, and more sophisticated stimulation technology may provide substantial improvements,” wrote Perlmutter.

“The algorithms for this type of brain computer interface are very important, but there are many other factors that are also critical, including the ability to measure brain signals reliably for long periods of time,” Perlmutter said in an email. He added another critical issue is execution of movement.

Hurdles that all motor neuroprostheses must overcome have yet to be addressed, noted Perlmutter, including “development of devices that are small enough, robust enough, and cheap enough to be fully mobile and widely available.”

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Ajiboye acknowledges the need for smaller technologies. Still, he said, his new study differs from previous work done in the field. Although other labs have worked with non-human primates or partially paralyzed participants, his study helped someone who is completely paralyzed.

“This is an exponentially harder problem,” said Ajiboye. “Our study is the first in the world, to my knowledge, to take someone paralyzed and give him the ability to both reach and grasp objects… so that he can regain the ability to perform functional activities of daily living.”

One other way the new study differs from previous research is Ajiboye and his colleagues built their neuroprosthetic from separate technologies, each of which had already been proven viable. This translates to the entire system, when refined, more easily gaining approval and becoming available to patients.

“The goal is to do much more than a cool science experiment,” said Ajiboye.

How much sex should you be having?

In what might be welcome news for everyone exhausted from work and frazzled from kids, research suggests you don’t have to get down every day to reap the rewards of sex, at least in terms of happiness and relationship closeness.

“I do think couples can end up feeling pressure to try to engage in sex as frequently as possible,” said Amy Muise, a postdoctoral researcher studying sexual relationships at Dalhousie University in Canada. Once a week “is maybe a more realistic goal to set than thinking you have to have sex everyday and that feels overwhelming and you avoid it,” said Muise, who is lead author of the study, which was published in November in the journal Social Psychological and Personality Science.

The study found that sex could boost happiness because it makes people feel more satisfied in their relationship, based on survey data from two separate cohorts, including 2,400 married couples in the U.S. National Survey of Families and Households.

“For people in relationships, their romantic relationship quality is one of the biggest predictors of their overall happiness,” Muise said. “Having sex more than once a week might not be enhancing that (relationship connection), although it is not bad.”

However, there are a couple of rubs with this research, Muise said. One is that it is not clear which came first, sex or happiness. It may be that people who have sex once a week or more were happier in their relationship and life to begin with, and not that the sex helped make them happy. Or both may be true: Sex enhances happiness and happiness enhances sex.

The other catch is that, although a weekly romp might be just what some people need, it might be too much or too little for others. “Certainly there are couples for whom having sex less frequently will be fine for their happiness, and there are couples who will get increases in happiness if they have sex more than once a week,” Muise said.

What’s the right number for you?

“One of the best effects of an article like this (by Muise and her colleagues) is that it opens up conversations with couples” about their sex life, said Vanessa Marin, a sex therapist based in Berlin. For some couples, the question of how often they should have sex might not have come up, which could be a sign they feel sufficiently close and satisfied — or that they are just too busy or disconnected to think about it.

“Most couples want to be having more sex and I think this is really a result of how busy and full most of our lives are,” Marin said.

Marin avoids prescribing an amount of sex that couples should have, because every couple is different, and instead recommends couples test it out for themselves. “I’m a big fan of having clients experiment, like, one month try to have sex twice a week and see how that goes, or once a week, try to play around with it,” Marin said.

As for those lucky couples that are content with how often they get busy under the sheets, one study suggests they may not want to change a thing. Researchers asked couples that were having sex about six times a month to double down on getting down. Couples that doubled their sexual frequency were in worse moods and enjoyed sex less at the end of three months than couples who had stuck to their usual level of bedroom activity.

“Being told you should do something always makes it less fun,” said George Loewenstein, a professor of economics and psychology at Carnegie Mellon University and lead author of the study. That is another reason Marin does not make recommendations to couples about sexual frequency — for fear they could worry they are not living up to expectations and lose their mojo.

However, there’s a far bigger relationship problem than couples worrying they aren’t having quite enough sex — “couples that have pretty much stopped having sex,” Loewenstein said. For these couples, “I think once a week is a good final goal. … It is almost like a natural constant to do it once a week,” he said.

Even if these abstinent couples want to be having more sex, they may lack the desire for their partner. These couples can try conventional strategies, such as scheduling more quality time together or trying a change in scenery. “What couple has not had the experience that you go to a hotel in a new location in a new environment and the person you’re with seems different, and different is good when it comes to sex,” Loewenstein said.

But if these tricks aren’t enough, couples may have to appeal to their rational rather than lustful side and tell themselves to just do it. “These couples might be surprised how enjoyable it would be if they restarted,” Loewenstein said.

Should you schedule your sex?

It might sound like the least romantic thing in the world to pencil in sexy time with your partner. But if you and your partner are game to try, there is no reason not to make a sex schedule.

“For some couples, scheduling sex works really well, it gives them something to look forward to, they like the anticipation, they like feeling prioritized,” Marin said. “Then other couples (say) scheduling sex feels horrible to them, like sex is transactional and just another item on their to-do list.”

Again, Marin recommends couples experiment with scheduling sex to see if it helps them, as long as neither is opposed to it.

A good idea for all couples, whether they like the idea of scheduling sex, is to plan for quality time together — just the two of them. Ideally, this would be about 20 minutes a day with the TV off and cell phones away, but for extra busy couples, it can help to reserve just five minutes a day for a tete-a-tete, Marin said. This time is also the “container for sex,” the time and privacy when sex can be initiated, but you don’t have to feel pressure about it, she added.

Although scheduling sex can help couples that want to be having sex but just can’t find the time, it can make things worse for some. “If there are relationship issues or psychological issues such as stress or anxiety, then scheduling sex might just add to the pressure,” said Acacia Parks, associate professor of psychology at Hiram College.

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As for when to schedule the sex, the best time is probably the time when you are least likely to be pulled away by life’s obligations. One of the perks of rise-and-shine sex is that testosterone levels are highest in the morning, and this hormone drives sexual desire. On the other hand, tuck-you-in sex could help lull you to sleep, as hormones released during orgasm could help you relax and feel tired.

According to Muise, the participants in her research typically reported having sex at night before going to sleep, which is not that surprising. But it has to work for both parties. “This is another point of negotiation between partners,” Muise said. “One of them is just too exhausted. That might be something to play around with, is there a time on the weekend that we could try instead.”

White House denies it tried to keep Yates from testifying

White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday the White House did not seek to block Yates’ testimony and denied that the White House had pressured the House Intelligence Committee to cancel her scheduled testimony.

“I hope she testifies. I look forward to it,” Spicer said during the White House briefing. “We have no problem with her testifying, plain and simple.”

The letter was sent on the same day that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes canceled a previously scheduled hearing where Yates was scheduled to testify about ties between Trump advisers and Russian officials. Yates briefed Trump’s White House counsel on former national security adviser Michael Flynn’s meeting with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak.

The White House Counsel’s office did not weigh in on the matter of Yates’ testimony, a White House official said.

“There is no letter from the White House because Yates attorney’s letter clearly states a non-response will be seen as the White House not asserting executive privilege,” the official said. “So our non-response clearly allows her to freely move forward with testifying.”

Yates’ attorney David O’Neil said in a letter Friday to White House Counsel Don McGahn that Yates would go forward with her testimony and “conclude that the White House does not assert executive privilege” if he did not receive a response by Monday.

Spicer said the White House does not believe executive privilege should be an issue in Yates testifying, which is why McGahn did not respond.

Nunes spokesperson Jack Langer told CNN that neither Nunes nor any intelligence committee staffers spoke with the White House about Yates’ scheduled testimony.

“The only person the committee has spoken to about her appearing before the committee has been her lawyer. The committee asked her to testify on our own accord and we still intend to have her speak to us,” Langer said.

O’Neil, Yates’ attorney, declined to comment or provide the letter he sent to the White House Counsel’s office when contacted by CNN Tuesday.

Yates served as acting attorney general in the early days of the Trump administration until she was fired for refusing to implement President Donald Trump’s order barring travelers form seven Muslim-majority countries.

Rep. Adam Schiff, the top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, said he was “aware that former AG Yates intended to speak on these matters and sought permission to testify from the White House.”

“Whether the White House’s desire to avoid a public claim of executive privilege to keep her from providing the full truth on what happened contributed to the decision to cancel today’s hearing, we do not know,” Schiff said in statement Tuesday morning. “But we would urge that the open hearing be rescheduled without further delay and that Ms. Yates be permitted to testify freely and openly.”

Rep. Mike Turner, a Republican on the committee, defended Nunes’ decision to postpone the hearing on Tuesday, saying that Nunes needed to hear from FBI Director James Comey in a classified setting before he could hear from Yates publicly.

“That came well before any of this controversy,” Turner told CNN’s Erin Burnett on “OutFront.” “She will voluntarily come. We asked her to. It was the Chairman’s request she be there. The White House isn’t stopping her.”

CNN’s Evan Perez, Theodore Schleifer, Kevin Liptak and Tom LoBianco contributed to this report.

This nation wants two border walls

The South Asian country wants to secure two borders that, in total, are more than double the length of the US-Mexico boundary.

Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh reaffirmed the country’s intent Saturday to completely shut its borders with Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The government said says around 90% of the border is currently fenced, but they claim that there are still terrorists are still trying to infiltrate the country.
“We have decided to seal the border between India and Bangladesh as quickly as possible. I know that some obstacles may arise in this work, as some areas are mountainous, some have jungles, and others have rivers,” Singh said at a graduation ceremony for India’s Border Security Forces.

“We will also work as quickly as possible to seal the border between India and Pakistan.”

Indian and Pakistani border guards engage in a daily flag-lowering ceremony.

Border problems

India shares land borders with six other countries, a total of more than 8,600 miles (13,000 km), according to the CIA World Factbook.
Delhi’s chief concerns though are over its boundaries with Pakistan and Bangladesh. In the north lies the highly disputed region of Kashmir, over which India and Pakistan have been fighting since 1947.

Indian Home Ministry spokesman K.S. Dhatwalia told CNN the government plans to seal the “line of control,” the border between India and Pakistan in Kashmir.

In the east, years of illegal immigration from Bangladesh “have proved to be a huge challenge for India with serious implications for its resources and national security,” according to Sanjeev Tripathi, an analyst with Carnegie India.

Tripathi estimated there may be as many as 15 million illegal Bangladeshi immigrants living in India.

Much of the existing border is already secured, Dhatwalia said. The current effort is to seal off the remaining 10% which the government has yet to be able to secure.

“It’s a very difficult terrain,” he said, adding that the government plans to finish the project by the end of 2018.

Breaking the seal

Analysts however, are far less confident than the government, saying the difficult terrain on the two borders makes securing them nearly impossible.

“These are permeable borders, you cannot seal them off no matter how hard you try, no matter what high technologies you try to import,” said Bharat Karnad, a national security expert at the Delhi-based think tank the Center for Policy Research.

Karnad said there are areas of Kashmir where heavy snow wipes out any fences that are built, while the Bangladesh side is littered with marshlands and rivers.

Ajai Sahni, executive director of India’s Institute for Conflict Management, said however permeable borders may be, fencing and other security measures do have an effect.

After India and Pakistan signed a ceasefire agreement over Kashmir in 2003, Sahni said, India constructed wire fences along the highly-militarized “line of control,” significantly cutting down on the flow of illegal migrants.

A spokesman for the Indian Border Security Force — which jointly patrols the “line of control” with the Indian army — said that it has more than 250,000 troops, making it the world’s largest border force.

“Infiltration does continue, but it’s not as easy as it was,” Sahni said.

Air Force may dump unbeaten jet

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

F-15 Eagle – The F-15 Eagle, the Air Force’s main air superiority fighter, became operational in 1975. With a crew of one or two, depending on the model, the twin-engine jets are armed with a 20mm cannon along with Sidewinder or AMRAAM missiles. The Air Force lists 249 F-15 Eagles in its inventory.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

F-15E Strike Eagle – The Strike Eagle is a version of the air superiority fighter adapted to perform ground-strike missions. With a crew of two, the twin-jet can carry and deploy most weapons in the Air Force inventory and operate in any weather. The F-15E was first delivered in 1988. The Air Force lists 219 in its fleet.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

B-2 Spirit bomber – The four-engine B-2 heavy bomber has stealth properties that make it hard to detect on radar. Flown by a crew of two, it has an unrefueled range of 6,000 miles and can deliver both conventional and nuclear bombs. Twenty B-2s are in the active inventory. They joined the fleet in 1997.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

F-35A Lightning – The single-engine F-35A is the Air Force’s eventual replacement for the F-16 and the A-10. The supersonic jets, which will be able to conduct air-to-air and air-to-ground attacks, are just beginning to enter the Air Force fleet.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

F-22 Raptor – The twin-engine F-22 stealth fighter, flown by a single pilot and armed with a 20mm cannon, heat-seeking missiles, radar-guided missiles and radar-guided bombs, can perform both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions. The service has 183 of the Raptors, which went operational in 2005.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

B-1B Lancer bomber – The four-engine jet can fly at 900 mph and carry the largest payload of bombs and missiles in the Air Force inventory. The Air Force has 62 B-1Bs in the fleet.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

B-52 Stratofortress – The first versions of this long-range heavy bomber flew in 1954. A total of 744 were built, the last of those in 1962. The Air Force maintains 58 B-52s in the active force and 18 in the Reserve. A single B-52 can carry 70,000 pounds of mixed munitions, including bombs, missiles and mines. The eight-engine jets have a range of 8,800 miles.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

A-10 Thunderbolt – The A-10 Thunderbolt jets, nicknamed “Warthogs,” are specially designed for close air support of ground forces. Key to their armaments is a 30mm Gatling gun. The pilot is protected from ground fire by titanium armor, and the plane’s fuel cells are self-sealing in case of puncture.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

RC-135U – The RC-135U Combat Sent, based at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, provides strategic electronic reconnaissance information to the president, secretary of defense, Department of Defense leaders and theater commanders.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

An F-15 Eagle takes off from the Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, flight line as two E-3 Sentries are seen in the background.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

C-130 Hercules transport – A C-130J Super Hercules from the 37th Airlift Squadron flies over Normandy, France, June 3, 2015. First delivered to the Air Force in 1956, the C-130 remains one of the service’s most important airlift platforms. More than 140 are still in active units, with more than 180 in the National Guard and a hundred more in the Reserve. The C-130 is powered by four turboprop engines.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

OV-10 Bronco – A 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron OV-10 Bronco aircraft fires white phosphorus rockets to mark a target for an air strike during tactical air control training.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

A-29 Super Tucano – An A-29 Super Tucano taxis on the flightline during its first arrival, Sept. 26, 2014, at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia. Afghan Air Force pilots trained on the planes that will be used in air-to-ground attack missions in Afghanistan.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

KC-135 Stratotanker – The four-engine KC-135 joined the Air Force fleet in 1956 as both a tanker and cargo jet. It can carry up to 200,000 pounds of fuel and 83,000 pounds of cargo and passengers in a deck above the refueling system. More than 400 of the KC-135s are flown by active, Air Guard and Reserve units.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

F-16 Fighting Falcon – The single-engine jet is a mainstay of the Air Force combat fleet. It can perform both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions with its 20mm cannon and ability to carry missiles and bombs on external pods. More than 1,000 F-16s are in the Air Force inventory.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

AC-130 gunships – The AC-130H Spectre and the AC-130U Spooky gunships are designed for close air support, air interdiction and force protection. Armaments on the Spectre include 40mm and 105mm cannons. The Spooky adds a 25mm Gatling gun.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

C-17 Globemaster transport – The four-engine jet joined the Air Force fleet in 1993 with a primary mission of troop and cargo transport. Each plane can carry up to 102 troops or 170,900 pounds of cargo. The Air Force has 187 C-17s on active duty, 12 in the Air National Guard and 14 in the Reserve.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

C-5 Galaxy transport – The C-5, with a wingspan of 222 feet, a length of 247 feet and a height of 65 feet, is the largest plane in the Air Force inventory and one of the largest aircraft in the world. The first versions of the four-engine jet joined the force in 1970. The Air Force expects to have 52 versions of the latest model, the C-5M, in the fleet by 2017.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

CV-22 Osprey – The Osprey is a tiltrotor aircraft that combines vertical takeoff, hover and landing qualities of a helicopter with the normal flight characteristics of a turboprop aircraft, according to the Air Force. It is used to move troops in and out of operations as well as resupply units in the field. The Air Force has 33 Ospreys in inventory.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

E-3 Sentry AWACS – AWACS stands for airborne warning and control system. This four-engine jet, based on a Boeing 707 platform, monitors and manages battle space with its huge rotating radar dome. The planes have a flight crew of four supporting 13 to 19 specialists and controllers giving direction to units around the battle space. The Air Force has 32 E-3s in inventory.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

KC-10 Extender – Based on the DC-10 passenger jet, the triple-engine KC-10 is a gas station in the sky with the ability to carry 75 people and 170,000 pounds of cargo. In its six tanks, the KC-10 can carry up to 356,000 pounds of fuel and dispense it while airborne. The Air Force has 59 KC-10s on active duty.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

T-38 Talon – The twin-engine jet trainer, used by the Air Force to prepare pilots for the F-15E Strike Eagle, F-15C Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, B-1B Lancer, A-10 Thunderbolt and F-22 Raptor, first flew in 1959. Almost 550 are in the active force.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

U-2 – The single-engine, single-pilot U-2 is used for high-altitude reconnaissance and surveillance. Flying at altitudes around 70,000 feet, pilots must wear pressure suits like those worn by astronauts. The first U-2 was flown in 1955. The planes were used on missions over the Soviet Union during the Cold War, flying too high to be reached by any adversary. The Air Force has 33 U-2s in its active inventory.

In the U.S. Air Force fleet

WC-135 Constant Phoenix – The four-engine WC-135 is used to fly through airspace to detect the residue of nuclear blasts. “The aircraft is equipped with external flow-through devices to collect particulates on filter paper and a compressor system for whole air samples collected in holding spheres,” the Air Force says. It has two of these jets in the active force.

These are 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.
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.

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.
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.
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.
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.

Top 8 credit cards for excellent credit

Do you have excellent credit? If so, it’s time to upgrade to a better rewards credit card.

The banks are fighting harder than ever to win customers with excellent credit. Take advantage of your excellent credit today by getting a card that earns you more rewards. Our credit card experts have selected the top 8 credit card deals you can take advantage of right now:

BankAmericard Travel Rewards® Credit Card

With the BankAmericard Travel Rewards® credit card, you’ll earn 1.5 points for every dollar you spend, and points can be redeemed for nearly any travel purchase in the form of a statement credit. This card comes with a 20,000-point sign up bonus when you spend $1,000 in the first 90 days. That can be a $200 statement credit towards travel purchases, and it’s one of the few travel rewards cards with no annual fee. This card also offers no foreign transaction fees, making it perfect for traveling abroad. If you’re a traveler looking for a simple no annual fee card that won’t restrict your travel to certain airlines, giving you the flexibility to travel on any airline, at any time, with no blackout dates, then this card is for you.

Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card

Another top travel card. This card earns you 2 miles for every $1 spent and comes with a 40,000 mile sign up bonus after you spend $3,000 on purchases within the first 3 months – equivalent to $400 in travel. It does have an annual fee of $59, but it’s waived the first year. The card allows you to fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime with no blackout dates a real plus for last minute travel plans. It also has zero foreign transaction fees and your miles don’t expire. All of these benefits make the Capital One Venture Card a great fit for all travelers and even once-a-year vacations!

Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer

This is one of the best cash rewards card out there because it gives you cash back twice. You’ll earn 1% back when you make a purchase, and another 1% back when you make a payment. You’ll also receive a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months. This is very helpful in paying off a balance when you transfer it to this card from another credit card. The best part about this card’s cash back? There’s no limit to the amount of cash back you can earn! This card is perfect for people who don’t want to keep up with rotating categories each quarter. When used responsibly, this card is a cash back machine. With a great rewards rate, 18 months of 0% intro APR on balance transfers, and no annual fee, the Citi Double Cash is a smart choice for just about everyone!

Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express

The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express is one of the more unique cash back cards. It’s best for the average household. For a limited time, this card boasts an unbelievable 10% cash back at U.S. restaurants for the first 6 months, up to $200 back. It provides a competitive 3% cash back (with a $6,000 annual cap) at U.S. supermarkets, 2% at U.S. gas stations and select department stores, and 1% on all other purchases with no annual fee! This card is great for anyone that spends a lot of money on gas and groceries. The cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that you can redeem for statement credits. The card also has 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, so if you need to transfer your balance from another card you can put it on this with zero interest for a full year.

Discover it® Cashback Match™

This cash rewards card comes with a unique sign up bonus unlike anything you’ve seen; At the end of your first year, Discover will match the cash back you’ve earned. This is the only credit card that will match your cash back at the end of the first year. So if you earned $200 in cash back from purchases in your first year, Discover will match it, making your total cash back for the year $400! The Discover it card earns 5% cash back in popular spending categories that change each quarter and 1% on all other purchases. The 5% cash back categories include things like gas, groceries, dining, and more. On top of the incredible rewards program, this card comes with 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 14 months. There is even no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and no late fee for your first late payment. This card is perfect for cash rewards, financing a big purchase, transferring your high interest debt, and avoiding bank fees to help you save money.

Wells Fargo Platinum Visa® Credit Card

Looking for a unique long 0% intro APR offer and have an expensive smart phone? The Wells Fargo Platinum is the card for you. It offers a $600 protection plan for your cellphone when you pay your cell phone bill with this credit card. If you’ve ever had your phone stolen or damaged, this card could have helped cover your costs. On top of the cell phone protection benefit, the card offers 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. After 15 months, it has a 15.90%-25.74% variable APR, however, if you pay off your bill every month, you won’t incur any interest or annual charges. There are extra perks such as free access to FICO® Credit Scores as well as convenient tools to help you create and stick to a budget while managing your spending with the My Money Map. If you would like extra cell phone protection, 15 months of interest free payments, or access to easy to use financial tools, this card is an excellent choice.

BankAmericard Cash Rewards&#8482 Credit Card

0% intro APR for 12 billing cycles, combined with 3% cash back on gas, 2% cash back on grocery stores/wholesale clubs (on up to the first $2,500 in combined grocery/wholesale club/gas purchases each quarter), and 1% cash back on everything else makes this card a top pick. Did we mention this card comes with no annual fee? In case that wasn’t enough, you’ll also gain access to Bank of America’s award winning online & mobile banking. The reward rates get even better if you have a Bank of America checking or savings account and redeem your cash rewards into your checking or savings account. Finally, when you spend just $500 in the first 90 days, about $6 a day, you’ll receive a $100 bonus. With cash back, no annual fee, a long 0% intro APR, and a $100 sign up bonus, and you can see why this card is a top pick of ours!

Wells Fargo Cash Wise Visa® Credit Card

A cash back credit card that more people should know about is the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Card. This credit card offers a sign up bonus of $150 after spending $1,000 in the first 3 months. Additionally, it offers two unique features: When you pay your monthly phone bill with the Wells Fargo Cash Wise Card you’ll get up to $600 protection on your cell phone against covered damage or theft. You’ll also receive 1.8% cash rewards on qualified mobile wallet purchases, like Apple Pay® or Android Pay® for the first 12 months of opening an account. While you take advantage of the high cash back offer, phone protection, and qualified mobile wallet purchases, you’ll also enjoy unlimited 1.5% cash rewards on virtually every purchase. There is also 0% Intro APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers. The variable APR is 13.74%-25.74% after the 0% intro APR for 12 months period. On top of all these amazing perks, you don’t have to worry about an annual fee. If you’re looking for a cash back card with $0 annual fee, a sign up bonus, and excellent perks, this is the card.

*Editorial Note: This content is not provided or commissioned by the credit card issuer. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the credit card issuer. This site may be compensated through the credit card issuer Affiliate Program.

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

‘DWTS’: First couple eliminated is…

Story highlights

  • First elimination was held Monday
  • Kattan had a previous injury which affected his dancing

Unfortunately Chris Kattan can’t help that because of a crippling injury in his past.

The former “SNL” star shared in a video on the show Monday night that he had broken his neck 14 years ago and has had multiple surgeries since then which affect his range of motion.

“Part of what I used to do was physical comedy, but now I can’t,” Kattan said with tears in his eyes. “It’s really sad when somebody says, ‘I miss the old Chris.’ That sucks to hear.”

His dance partner, Witney Carson, was also moved to tears after Kattan showed her an x-ray of his back with all the surgical pins he has.

“It’s crazy that somebody can have that happen to them, and then be brave enough to try something like this,” she said.

Low scores landed Kattan and Carson in the bottom two along with singer Charo and her partner Keo Motsepe.

The combination of the judges’ scores and audience votes sent Kattan and Carson home.

“She was an amazing inspiration, and I couldn’t have… done this without her,” Kattan said of Carson after they were eliminated. “I wish that my surgery and all that was noted before.”

Spicer tosses out Russian dressing analogy

Story highlights

  • “At some point … you’re going to have to take ‘no’ for an answer”
  • The WH is under clouds of suspicion about links between the President and Moscow

“If the President puts Russian salad dressing on his salad tonight, somehow that’s a Russia connection,” the White House spokesman insisted during a contentious exchange with reporters.

He said every official that’s been briefed on the matter has said there’s no sign of “collusion” between the Trump campaign and Russia.

“At some point … you’re going to have to take ‘no’ for an answer,” he said, at one point during his answer telling a reporter to quit shaking her head.

It was the latest attempt by the White House to remove itself from under clouds of suspicion about links between the President and Moscow. This week, Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner — also one of Trump’s most trusted aides — offered to testify before Congress about his meetings with the leaders of a key Russian bank.

Kushner is just one of several Trump allies — including Attorney General Jeff Sessions and former national security adviser Michael Flynn — who have admitted to meetings with top Russian operatives during last year’s campaign.

Through all those disclosures, the White House has insisted there’s no evidence suggesting the Trump campaign improperly communicated with Russia.

Last week, Spicer said that individuals associated with Trump being investigated by the FBI for potential cooperation with Russia were merely “hangers-on around the campaign” — including former campaign chairman Paul Manafort, who he claimed had “a very limited role for a very limited amount of time.”

Late last month, Spicer grew heated when responding to additional questions about ties between Trump and Russia, alleging the press was whipping up a nonexistent story.

“How many people have to say that there’s nothing there before you realize there’s nothing there?” Spicer asked. “At some point, you do have to ask yourself what are you actually looking for. How many times do you have to come to the same conclusion before you take the answer?”