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Dearest gentle reader, it's almost time to return to the Ton for another simmering season of courting, crushes, and conniving in Netflix's Bridgerton.

Having spent the last two seasons pursuing the romantic, deeply horny long-games of the Duke of Hastings and Daphne Bridgerton, then Kate Sharma and Anthony Bridgerton, and a spinoff season on Queen Charlotte and her beloved King George, Season 3 shifts attention to another leading pair.

This time, based on the fourth book in Julia Quinn's novel series, Romancing Mister Bridgerton, Shondaland and new showrunner Jess Brownell focus on the covert heart of the series, Penelope Featherington (Nicola Coughlan), and her longtime crush Colin Bridgerton (Luke Newton).

SEE ALSO: All your 'Bridgerton' Season 2 crushes, ranked

But before we get there, what happened again last season and where did everyone end up? We've done a quick rundown of everything you need to remember from Season 2 of Bridgerton before you watch Season 3, from the enemies-to-lovers tale of the Viscount and Viscountess to the worst friendship fallout in the Ton, all of which culminated in the gilded Featherington Ball.

Penelope and Eloise's friendship sits in ruins BFFs no more. Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

At the end of Season 1, Penelope Featherington was revealed as the secret identity of the Ton's prolific scandal sheet publisher, Lady Whistledown (voiced by Julie Andrews). But while we're allowed in on it as viewers, there's only a few people within the series who know, and by the end of Season 2, unfortunately one is now her best friend Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie).

Eloise has been hunting Lady Whistledown's identity for two seasons, but in Season 2 her enthusiasm made her a target of Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel) as her number one suspect. If you remember, the Queen despises the author's influence and recruited Eloise to find out who they really were in Season 1. In Season 2, Eloise followed the trail to the printing shop used by Whistledown, where she met young printer and covert women's rights campaigner Theo Sharpe (Calam Lynch), and their romance blossomed. Unfortunately for Eloise, her visits (along with her outspokenness on society) drew the Queen's suspicions. Eloise swore her innocence to the monarch, but it was no use, as the Queen threatened Eloise and her family with social ruin unless she confessed to being Lady Whistledown.

SEE ALSO: It's time for 'Bridgerton' to say gay

With Eloise about to falsely confess with a counterfeit society paper, Penelope took matters into her own hands, writing a scathing blast about her best friend's visits with Theo — "unchaperoned, with improper company, political radicals in fact" — to disprove Eloise's guilt. The pamphlet diverted the Queen's wrath but socially ruined Eloise. Suffice to say her romance with Theo crumbled too.

Following this, Penelope rested her pen after being "done ruining the lives of others" through gossip. However, in the Season 2 finale, Eloise figured out her friend's secret identity when Penelope flexed her keen powers of observation at the Featherington Ball. While Pen danced with Colin, Eloise stole into her friend's room and discovered her secret stash of money hidden beneath the floorboards (the profits made from her publications) and confronted Penelope, running through the juicy details only Pen would have known about. It's a horrible fight, with Eloise feeling deeply betrayed, and the two parted on non-speaking terms.

However, Penelope's fight with Eloise did not obliterate her penchant for writing, as we saw her return to her writing desk at the end of Season 2.

Colin scorned Penelope romantically in public Pen heard what you said, Colin! Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

It's one of the biggest moments in Bridgerton Season 2 that will be important for Season 3, and honestly, we're still reeling from it. Penelope has long yearned for the affections of her friend Colin, though has remained firmly in the Regency friend zone — including through Colin's engagement to Marina Thompson (Ruby Barker) in Season 1. But things seemed slightly flirty in Season 2.

Channelling big "I've just returned from my gap year" energy after returning from Greece, Colin strolled around Season 2 with suddenly mature pep in his step. Though he danced often with Cressida Cowper (Jessica Madsen), he sent Penelope mixed signals, praising her "constant and loyal" personality throughout the season. Penelope's hopes were high at the Featherington Ball, and when Colin asked Pen to dance, he dropped some big words: "I will always look after you, Penelope. You are special to me." 

However, after her fight with Eloise, Penelope stumbled upon Colin speaking about his dance to a group of young men on the terrace. When they questioned him on his intentions with Pen, he scoffed, "Are you mad? I would never dream of courting Penelope Featherington. Not in your wildest dreams."

NO! NOOOOO. NO. We were all crushed right there with Pen in this scene, and this is where Season 3 will pick up. Perhaps, if there's forgiveness elsewhere on the horizon, we can still hope for a Peneloise romance?

Kate and Anthony are happily married These two. Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

After the steamy enemies-to-lovers romance between Kate Sharma (Simone Ashley) and Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), the pair were finally married at the end of Season 2. Remember the Viscount was engaged to Kate's sister, Edwina (Charithra Chandran), but she absconded from the altar the minute she realised her sister and Anthony were very obviously in love. This pissed off Queen Charlotte for a moment, as she does not like to be wrong about things, and she'd chosen Edwina as her "diamond" of the season.

The Bridgertons and Sharmas were publicly ruined by the scandal, but not for long — and MVP Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh) never abandoned them, despite being socially ostracised by association.

At the end of the season, after Anthony and Kate had sex in the garden, Kate galloped off into a storm, fell off her horse, and was badly injured. Anthony was riddled with guilt. However, his mother Viola, Dowager Viscountess Bridgerton (Ruth Gemmell), helped him embrace his true feelings, speaking to their shared unprocessed grief over Lord Bridgerton's sudden death years earlier. Anthony proposed at Kate's bedside, a move she assumed was a "misguided obligation of duty". Deciding to return to India, she sent him away. 

"Be the sister I know that you are" 😭 Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

Edwina and Kate's sisterly relationship was rattled after the wedding fail, however Edwina's wisdom and forgiveness helped them through Kate's guilt. After Edwina gave her sister the major "be the sister I know that you are" pep talk at the Featherington Ball, Anthony and Kate danced together in full view to a string version of "Wrecking Ball", despite the judgmental stares of the Ton. But Queen Charlotte stepped in to quiet the haters, with Edwina giving her blessing. Both the Bridgertons and the Sharmas are saved from ruin, hurrah!

In the garden, Anthony declared his love for Kate, and she the same, and we left them in newlywed bliss playing croquet on the lawn with the rest of the Bridgertons.

The Featheringtons almost lost it all — again Lord Jack Featherington almost got away with passing off glass as gemstones. Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

While the Bridgertons and the Sharmas spent much of the end of Season 2 in social ruin, the Featheringtons had clawed their way back from financial destitution after Lord Featherington's gambling debts saw him murdered in Season 1. Their troubles seemed solved with the arrival of the family's smarmy cousin Jack (Rupert Young), whose engagement to Prudence Featherington (Bessie Carter) proved one of the ickier pairings in the Ton. The season crescendoed with the family's opulent Featherington Ball, a grand show of stability and wealth. With the Queen herself in attendance, the Featheringtons were back in the game.

In the season finale, however, at the Featherington Ball, Colin Bridgerton exposed Jack as a charlatan selling fake glass jewels as gemstones. Having previously been interested in investing in the gems, Colin demonstrated the scam by smashing Cressida's "ruby" necklace into smithereens in front of Penelope, Lady Featherington (Polly Walker), and Jack himself. Out of respect for the Featheringtons, Colin did this dramatic exposé in private, telling Jack to return the money he'd spent on this crooked scheme and to leave town — a move that made Pen fall even harder for her crush.

J'accuse! Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

Jack tried to convince Lady Featherington to leave town with him for America, suggesting a romantic future for the two of them despite his engagement to her daughter (the two had kind of been in cahoots the whole season). But if there's one thing you shouldn't come between, it's Portia and her daughters. Lady Featherington sent Jack packing without a penny and the forged signature promise that once one of her daughters has a son the Featherington estate will transfer to him. Byeeee.

Will had a tough start opening his gentlemen's club Colin had to eat some humble pie after Will told him so about Jack. Credit: Liam Daniel / Netflix

What of Will Mondrich (Martins Imhangbe), the best mate of the Duke of Hastings (Regé-Jean Page)? In Season 2, Jack Featherington had also blackmailed his way into holding court in Will's new bar, after convincing the boxer to throw a match to split the winnings — Will wanted to provide for his wife Alice (Emma Naomi) and their children. Will had opened a gentlemen's club that aimed to be a more inclusive alternative to the posh White's club (IRL it's the oldest gentlemen's club in London, founded in 1693). But business was slow and he was indebted to Jack, who wielded it over him.

When Colin got wrapped up in Jack's dealings, taking a meeting at the bar, Mondrich tried to warn him of Jack's shady side, but Colin defended him as the head of the Featheringtons. So, at the end of the season, after Jack's corruption was exposed, Colin ate humble pie with Mondrich and brought all his mates back to his bar, apologising. But as you've already read, it's not all Colin needs to apologise for.

How to watch: Bridgerton Seasons 1 and 2 are now streaming on Netflix. Season 3 will drop in two halves, with Part 1 streaming on May 16 and Part 2 on June 13.

Two astronauts are getting ready to fly a new spaceship built by Boeing, making this only the sixth time in history that NASA has flown a new passenger-grade spacecraft.

The pair, Barry "Butch" Wilmore and Sunita "Suni" Williams, are seasoned Navy test pilots who have each spent six months in space. They are expected to launch atop a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket, sending the new Starliner spacecraft to the International Space Station. 

Barring any bad weather or other last-minute hiccups, the test flight could lift off as early as 10:34 p.m. ET on May 6. 

"When we lay back on our backs on Monday evening, it's going to be real stuff, and the countdown is gonna be real, and it's gonna be a really thrilling time," said Wilmore, the crew commander.  

SEE ALSO: Here are the 2024 space moments you won't want to miss Tweet may have been deleted

Here's how to watch this historic event.

Beginning two days before the planned liftoff time, NASA will host a live video feed of the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center. The official pre-launch broadcast will begin at about 6:30 p.m. ET on May 6, about four hours prior to launch. 

Boeing's Starliner has faced years of delays after NASA hired the company in 2014 to build a spaceship, along with SpaceX. The spacecraft has flown two times previously without any astronauts inside. During the first uncrewed test in 2019, the ship got on the wrong orbit due to software problems and didn't make it to the space station. The company did a redo of the test in 2022, which NASA largely viewed as successful. 

But getting to its first flight with humans on board has been a struggle. Boeing wanted to do the crewed test flight last year, but flammable interior tape and parachute lines that didn't meet safety standards stymied the launch, putting it off to 2024. 

Despite the setbacks, NASA says Starliner is ready to fly humans. If it launches on schedule, the ship will dock at the station just before 1 a.m. ET on May 8.

TL;DR: As of May 6, you can learn in-demand cybersecurity skills from home with a cybersecurity online learning bundle for just $49.99 (reg. $195).

In a time when the digital landscape is larger than ever (and only expanding), there's a growing need for skilled cybersecurity professionals. The Complete 2024 Cyber Security Expert Certification Training Bundle is designed to help aspiring cybersecurity experts study for a variety of common professional certifications and learn new skillsets. It has five multi-lesson courses and is on sale for just $49.99 (reg. $195). Because this bundle includes advanced courses, learners will need a good understanding of the topic in order to keep up with this lessons.

In the digital era, it's easier than ever to access educational opportunities like this at home. With this course bundle, you can learn from experts and study for cybersecurity certifications from the comfort of your own couch. And because this deal gives you lifetime access, you can study whenever you have the time. In total, the bundle includes 127.4 hours of instruction spread over five courses and hundreds of lessons.

For example, the 48-lesson SACA Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) course offers a comprehensive understanding of global standards and best practices. Made for aspiring security managers interested in CISM certification, this course focuses on international security practices and the management skills needed to oversee information security.

The CompTIA CASP+ (CAS-004) course provides a deep dive into the world of cybersecurity. It covers a variety of topics and includes up-to-date techniques. It also allows for hands-on experience designing cybersecurity infrastructure.

If you already have an advanced understanding of cybersecurity and would like to prepare for common certifications, this is an affordable option.

For a limited time, this cybersecurity course bundle is on sale for $49.99 (reg. $195).

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Opens in a new window Credit: Shutterstock The Complete 2024 Cyber Security Expert Certification Training Bundle $49.99 at the Mashable Shop
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TL;DR: As of May 6, a lifetime subscription to EaseUS Fixo is on sale for $49.99 (reg. $99.95), letting you repair corrupt files.

Think about all of the important files you have right now. Maybe it's that big report you worked so hard on at work, or thousands of photos and videos of your kids. Now think about how crushing it would be to lose this data forever. However, that's a real possibility when dealing with digital files. So, what happens if your most important data gets corrupted?

EaseUS Fixo is a file repair toolkit that can remedy corruption on a wide variety of file types. A lifetime subscription for this software is currently on sale for $49.99 (reg. $99.95), and it could come in handy down the road if you find yourself in a file conundrum. Likewise, if you're trying to restore lost files right now, EaseUS Fixio could be the solution.

From accidental deletions to files damaged by malware or system failures, this tool has a solution to recover and repair your most crucial data. Repair a wide variety of video file formats from phones, drones, cameras, and more. It can fix various file formats, including MOV, MP4, 3GP, and others. It can even help repair unplayable videos or sentimental photos. Even if these files are seemingly ruined, all hope is not lost.

Professionally, this could also be an ideal tool for small businesses who don't have access to a big IT department and need files repaired fast. Some of the more common files that EaseUS Fixo can help recover include office favorites like PDF, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. 

While the technology behind corrupted data recovery might be complex, the software itself was made to be user friendly. With just a few clicks, you can try to restore lost or damaged files at home or the office. Grab this tool while it's at a 49% reduced price and have it ready to go, whether it's a just-in-case purchase or an urgent fix.

A lifetime subscription to EaseUS Fixo is on sale for $49.99 (reg. $99.95).

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Opens in a new window Credit: EaseUS Software EaseUS Fixo: Lifetime Subscription $49.99 at the Mashable Shop
$99.95 Save $49.96 Get Deal

TL;DR: As of May 6, the all-in-one social media management tool UNUM Pro is on sale, with lifetime subscriptions costing just $49.99.

A strong social media presence is essential for building and expanding your brand. Whether you're a startup founder, a content creator, or a marketing pro, effectively managing your social media presence can significantly impact your success. The only problem is that managing all your social apps can be time-consuming, especially if you're trying to build something new from scratch. 

If you'd like to engage with your followers more efficiently, UNUM Pro could be a big help. For a limited time, a lifetime subscription is on sale for just $49.99. This social media management app can support your posting efforts on a variety of platforms, including Instagram, Facebook/Meta, TikTok, YouTube, and more.

UNUM was created to be an all-in-one hub that gives you access to advanced marketing tools that allow you to plan out and create posts. You can even share them across multiple platforms. Use the more than 500 overlays, filters, and canvases for posts, plus more video and photo tools to elevate your content.

You'll also be able to streamline your process and save time using the built-in AI for tasks, including generating on-brand captions. The AI tool can also automatically include the right hashtags for your posts, letting you move more quickly.

When creating posts, you can choose from Autopost and Schedule Now. These tools allow you to plan out and schedule posts in advance so they automatically get posted exactly when you want. You can even schedule up to a month's worth of posts in advance. This can be very helpful if you plan to be away on vacation but still want your social media accounts to keep humming.

Finally, UNUM Pro gives you tools to analyze your posts. With this data, you can track and measure your growth, improve where needed, and drive more engagement.

This posting assistant could be just what you need to streamline your social media strategy.

Again, you can purchase a lifetime subscription to UNUM Pro on sale for $49.99 for a limited time.

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Opens in a new window Credit: UNUM / Apple App Store UNUM Pro: Lifetime Subscription $49.99 at the Mashable Shop
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TL;DR: As of May 6, enjoy location-based narration from famous names like Kevin Costner on your road trips with a 3-year subscription to Autio Unlimited Plan for $39.99 (reg. $69.99). 

'Tis the season for planning your summer vacations. This might include plenty of road-tripping for some, and camping, weekend getaways, and day trips for others. If you plan on being in your car for lengthy periods of time, you might be interested in using a unique audio app called Autio to pass the time. A three-year subscription for non-renewing members is on sale for $39.99 (reg. $69) for a limited time.

Autio works with your GPS and offers location-based audio narration about the area you're in. It covers interesting facts and stories that help immerse you in the town's people, history, and even landscape. It offers a new way to explore your surroundings while you drive.

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One of the best parts is that the narration is provided by professionals, including well-known names like Kevin Costner, John Lithgow, and Phil Jackson. You'll get access to 23,000 stories that correspond to places across the country. Autio also updates stories and adds new ones weekly to keep the app fresh and entertaining.

The content is also family-friendly, which could come in handy on long road trips with the kiddos. You can download copies of the stories ahead of your trip if you plan to be in more remote locations with spotty service.

Don't miss this opportunity to get set up so you can learn and stay entertained on the road.

Normally $69, new users can get a three-year subscription to the Autio Unlimited Plan on sale for $39.99 for a limited time.

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Over the last six months, young, digitally active people have been using any means necessary to show their support for victims of Israel's bombardment on Gaza, from filter fundraising to online takeovers. Many have also adopted the decades-old Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS), and anti-colonial movements on behalf of the Palestinians. 

While they're implementing standard algorithm-gaming techniques to keep Palestine trending, some have co-opted the movement, using it to validate which celebrities they stan and which should be recipients of a cancellation barrage in the name of human rights. 

Examples of unhelpful fan response to the bombardment of Palestine include Swifties claiming ex-boyfriend Joe Alwyn's Artists for Ceasefire pin is a performative response to the recently released Tortured Poet's Department, as well as criticisms of Billie Eilish for shopping at Starbucks, a grassroots boycott target unsanctioned by the BDS movement. Just last month, Twitter users were using the term "divest" to call for the firing of Scooter Braun from entertainment company HYBE, reportedly because of his pro-Israel ties. 

SEE ALSO: How 'blue comments' turned the TikTok algorithm into a protest tool

Meanwhile, as fandom's "keyboard warriors" take to the timeline, students across the country are taking over their campuses and demanding their universities divest from Israel. Student unions are galvanizing for widespread protests and possibly strikes. Celebrities, for the most part, stay mum. TikTok, a hub for information sharing, faces a government ban if its Chinese parent company doesn't divest from the platform in the next year.

Can we turn the fandom fervor online into boots-on-the-ground activism? Why are we so obsessed with what celebrities think of social movements? 

Mashable culture and tech reporter Elena Cavender and social good reporter Chase DiBenedetto discuss how celebrity obsession and activism are frequently at odds.

The fan's playbook

Elena: While the layperson might not be well versed in BDS, they're likely experts in cancel culture. For many, the knee-jerk reaction to social movements online is to direct their energy toward celebrities rather than organizing. 

Chase: Yep, and we've noticed it a lot more recently. It's also made us question if that's actually doing any good.

You often see fans and celebrity-obsessed users fall into the same patterns for global movements as they do for stan wars — strategies to get your favs trending online or on the charts, tabloid tactics to disparage a celeb's competition with old receipts, and other engagement strategies are all fair game to fight for the oppressed. But I think we have to remember the goal here. Is it real change or to clock who is on the "right side?"

Elena: In some cases, fans take the language of activists like "boycotting" and apply it to individual celebrities rather than companies investing in Israel or systems that uphold colonialism. This behavior obscures the meaning and aims of boycotting and is ultimately unproductive. 

With every movie release recently, I've seen TikToks shame other users for watching the film. For example, in one video, a creator says, "I thought we were boycotting Dune, so why do I see people on my timeline with Free Palestine in their bio…talking about seeing Dune this weekend." The creator and others pointed to the lack of Middle Eastern actors in the franchise and Timothée Chalamet's Hamas joke on Saturday Night Live as reasons to boycott the film.

Chase: Other celeb boycotts included those against Taylor Swift, who notoriously remains silent on politics. After releasing an album titled The Tortured Poets Department amid the assault on Palestinian academics and artists, like poet Refaat Alareer, some Twitter users were furious with the timeline.

Tweet may have been deleted

Elena: This kind of discourse, while well-intended, makes boycott targets unclear and could potentially alienate people who want to be involved in the movement. 

"Hot or Not" activism 

Chase: Not to keep bringing this up, but it's also a worrisome focus given the parasocial nature of the internet. People so easily become obsessed, like tunnel vision for a celebrity's posts, likes, and associations rather than the real world. That passion is often turned into internal fandom wars. This happened when K-pop fans asked each other to boycott HYBE, the entertainment company behind BTS.

Elena: Our obsession with celebrities often brings out our worst tendencies online. Just as you might praise an actor you love for their performance in a movie, you might also praise their political views.

It's natural to crave validation from those we admire or are attracted to, especially when they support causes that are important to us. When a celebrity you love speaks out in favor of Palestine, it can feel validating — it's like they're endorsing not just the cause but also your support for it, affirming the online presence you've dedicated to them.

However, this behavior also reflects a problematic tendency to equate beauty with morality. The hotter a celebrity is, the more we want to confirm their stance and the more we seek to praise them. But advocating for Palestine cannot begin and end with who you think is beautiful.  

Chase: Or talented!

Elena: There are so many posts about "Zionists being ugly," especially about Amy Schumer, who spread vile misinformation about Gazans being "rapists." These surface-level critiques are an unproductive way to combat hate speech. In a way, they are weaponizing a social movement to campaign against a celebrity they already dislike. 

Chase: I also worry about the impulse to apply the same standards we hold for celebrities with considerable platforms to individuals. There's a difference between someone willingly supporting or staying silent about oppressive regimes and someone who happens to own and use a Starbucks mug. It also relies on punishing people who don't participate in the amorphous boycotts floating around the internet rather than organizing everyone toward a common goal.

E-spaces can't rival encampments

Chase: Fandoms can bog themselves down in this thinking. While fan feuds take over Twitter and people debate on TikTok, armed police forces are arresting students who have created liberated zones, academics are being fired, and student journalists are subject to attack. And all of this takes up space from what's happening to Palestinians in the news cycle, including how celebrities engage. 

Elena: For these hyper-online individuals who exist in fandom spaces, their worldview is so narrow that they can only negotiate these issues via celebrity. Everyone needs to start somewhere, but it's essential that these people who claim to care so deeply about a cause move beyond a celebrity proxy movement.

Tweet may have been deleted

Chase: You see this with the months-long confusion about whether or not people should be boycotting Starbucks. Even ignoring the complexities of the company's poor labor practices, many supporters still fundamentally misunderstand what a targeted boycott means. 

That's startling to me, mainly because this mass global movement for Palestine has historically utilized boycotts and divestment as essential tools in its fight. 

Elena: We're taking these terms out of context and using them in an individualistic nature when they should be collective terms. 

Chase: Not long after the first calls to boycott Starbucks (initially a short-term response to the company's treatment of its pro-Palestine union, Starbucks Workers United), users began an internet-wide survey of brands—and celebrities—that might have ties to Israel. 

For a minute, there was great collective energy. But without any guidance, it became a copout for users to merely signal support without taking more significant action. 

Elena: The grassroots Starbucks boycott has captured the online imagination so much that simply holding a Starbucks cup can negate anything else you've done in support of Palestine. It's become a symbol of anti-Palestinian sentiment or indifference. 

For example, Eilish was one of 13 people who wore an Artists for Ceasefire pin at the 2024 Oscars. The next day, someone "caught" her buying a Starbucks drink, and immediately, fans denounced her as a fraud and performative supporter. So few celebrities have been outspoken about Palestine, and instead of embracing her as an ally, they immediately tore her down. 

Chase: Now, the boycott rhetoric has ballooned too far, often overpowering the actual demands of groups like BDS, the Palestinian Youth Movement, and Students for Justice in Palestine. Movement literacy is even more critical with the current student protest movement and encampments as these groups call for divestment — an entirely different strategy from boycott efforts intended to get immensely funded universities to sever their financial ties to the Israeli government.

Elena: There have been moments in the past where we have productively harnessed fan and celebrity-obsessed energy, like when BTS fans fundraised over a million dollars for Black Lives Matter. But thus far, since Oct. 7, we haven't seen that kind of action instigated by fans. 

Chase: Totally. Social media has revolutionized the ability of movements to communicate, organize, and combat misinformation. We've seen this with the efforts of student journalists and supporters across the country who are using livestreams and live updates to document police brutality. 

Shado Magazine contributors Kareen Haddad and Hayfaa Chalabi describe a new "Instafada" that's taken over Palestinian organizing, relying less on news and more on non-traditional media to share information and humanize Palestinians. 

Tweet may have been deleted

Elena: But, similar to how FilmUpdates and Letterboxd have changed how online users engage with art, social media "news" accounts have changed how people engage with organizing. They focus attention haphazardly, and users often get stuck in the details.

Chase: Definitely. As you mentioned, activists have to reframe the naturally individualistic impulses of social media. Charlotte Rose and Javie Huxley write about this and the idea of collective care, also for Shado Magazine: "Instead of gatekeeping groups and struggles, we need to bring more people in with warmth and guidance that are readily available to hold us," they write. "In this framework, solidarity with Palestine – or with any form of systemic oppression – will never be just putting down the Starbucks cup or going to a gig for Gaza, but instead must be truly anti-colonial, anti-imperialist, and revolutionary to its core."

What does fame have to offer?

Elena: Celebrities can be helpful. At this moment, a collective of British film and television workers launched Cinema for Gaza, an auction raising money for humanitarian relief in Gaza. It relied on actors like Tilda Swinton, Josh O'Connor, Ramy Youssef, and Paul Mescal donating their time and memorabilia to raise funds. It ultimately raised over $316,000 for Medical Aid for Palestine. 

Additionally, celebrities have so much attention that they can redirect some toward Palestine. The Artists for Ceasefire pins are one example of this. Others are Zone of Interest director Jonathan Glazer, using his acceptance speech for Best International Feature Film at the 2024 Oscars to draw parallels between his movie and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, and musicians such as SZA, Macklemore, and Saint Levant calling for a Free Palestine in front of sold-out stadiums. 

Ultimately, they can serve to expose the systems of distraction within their own industries. Like Irish actress and Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan said in an interview with Teen Vogue, "You do get told, 'You won't get work,' 'You won't do this.' But I also think, deep down, if you know that you're coming from a place of 'I don't want any innocent people to suffer,' then I'm not worried about people's reactions."

They can also actively participate in the movement to spotlight attention on the treatment of protestors, like when Hunter Schafer got arrested with Jewish Voices for Peace. 

Chase: Hollywood has often been a source of funding for causes, mainly humanitarian ones. That's why NGOs and organizations like the United Nations began incorporating celebrity ambassador programs in the last few decades to gain notoriety. Celebrity ambassadors are part of the growing attention economy and occupy elite spaces. They add social capital to unknown movements. 

The question becomes: What should we do when celebrities have used up all that they can offer? 

Art for the movement not for profit

Chase: Social media's tendency toward celebrity idolatry and a performance of care is dangerous. Don't forget: Hollywood sells unattainability and dehumanization. 

Celebrity is also not the same as art. Art is essential to a movement's impact, attention-gathering, and community. It's kind of a rectangular versus square argument. We need artists, but I don't think we necessarily need celebs. 

Elena: And immersing yourself in celebrity culture is a form of escaping our radicalizing reality. 

Chase: The Met Gala — the pinnacle of celeb events rife with its own conflicts — is happening tonight. A few blocks away, Columbia students have been fighting their administrators for the right to protest peacefully. It's up to those online to choose where to focus their eyes.

In his decades-spanning career, Robin Williams ably leaped from comedy to drama, often in the same movie and sometimes even in the same scene. Whether you're going to snort-laugh or ugly-cry at the Oscar-winning actor's work — and we bet you do at least one of them, if not both — we've rounded up where you can watch Williams' greatest films in the privacy of your own home. 

Here are the best Robin Williams movies now streaming or available to rent.

1. Good Will Hunting Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

Williams is known for operating at an 11, but his first and only win at the Academy Awards was for a relatively quiet — and quietly devastating — supporting role in this 1997 Gus Van Sant drama. Featuring an Oscar-winning screenplay by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, Good Will Hunting is funny and foul-mouthed, full of South Boston accents and quotable lines. Yet it's also a surprisingly emotional drama that remains effective decades after nabbing nine Oscar nominations. 

SEE ALSO: What it's like to watch Matt Damon and Ben Affleck perform 'Good Will Hunting' live

Damon stars as Will Hunting, a troublemaking janitor at MIT who is revealed to be smarter than the school's students when he solves an advanced problem on a classroom blackboard. To avoid jail time after a fight, Will is required to study mathematics with a professor (Stellan Skarsgård) and undergo therapy, which is how he meets psychologist Sean Maguire (Williams). Sean is the embodiment of empathy, with Williams' eyes radiating kindness and compassion, especially in his park bench monologue scene. With its underdog plotline, Good Will Hunting could feel like something we've seen so many times before, but these performances (including an Oscar-nominated one from Minnie Driver) and the specifics of its setting make it feel fresh and impactful. 

How to watch: Good Will Hunting is now streaming on Max.

2. Aladdin

With Chrisses Pratt, Evans, and Hemsworth (and many other A-listers) appearing in animated films now, it's easy to forget that once upon a time, big-name actors didn't often do voice work. Yet what makes Aladdin an enduring classic is undeniably due to Williams' role as Genie. Sure, this pillar of Disney's Renaissance has those magical musical numbers (especially Oscar- and Grammy-winner "A Whole New World"), gorgeous animation, and additional comic relief from Gilbert Gottfried as talking parrot Iago, but Williams' work here set the bar for stars in cartoons. His unpredictable presence also certainly helped the movie to break the record for the top-grossing animated film at the time. 

Williams' improvisational, quick-talking take on the classic character from One Thousand and One Nights is one of the greatest voice performances ever, full of whiplash-inducing energy and fast-delivered impressions. Its maniacal speed and old-school references mean that kids won't understand everything (some impersonations, like William F. Buckley and Ed Sullivan, even predate their parents at this point), but his supreme silliness transcends time. So much of the joy of watching a Williams performance often comes from the variety of faces he pulls, but his voice alone in Aladdin still feels like a revelation. That feeling is most clear during the song "Friend Like Me," which will leave you breathless and giggling if you try to sing along and match Williams' frenetic pace. Best of luck to you.

How to watch: Aladdin is now streaming on Disney+.

3. The Fisher King Credit: Photo by Columbia Pictures / Getty Images

In films like Monty Python and the Holy Grail, director Terry Gilliam often satirized Arthurian legend and epic quests, but he presents a more sincere take on these myths with The Fisher King. Williams earned his third Oscar nomination as Parry (aka Parsifal for you grail nerds), a sweetly manic, unhoused man who is searching for the sacred object… in '90s-era New York City. Jeff Bridges stars as Jack, a former shock jock who hopes Parry can provide redemption for his role in the tragedy that connects them. 

Even though The Fisher King isn't a satire, it's not a purely serious film; Richard LaGravenese's script has plenty of humor, and the cast frequently gets laughs for their dialogue delivery. With Willams and Bridges, The Fisher King has two generational talents working at the top of their respective games, but they don't carry this movie alone. Mercedes Ruehl won an Oscar for her supporting role as Jack's long-suffering girlfriend, and Amanda Plummer is delightfully daffy as the object of Parry's affection.  

Gilliam and Williams only worked together twice (the actor also had an uncredited role in the director's The Adventures of Baron Munchausen), but they shared an off-kilter sensibility. Even though The Fisher King offers fewer grotesqueries than the typical Gilliam film, it is enjoyably odd and full of imagination, turning New York City into something truly magical in an iconic scene in Grand Central. 

How to watch: The Fisher King is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

4. Dead Poets Society

Watching this all-timer of a tearjerker was a rite of passage for '80s and '90s teens of a certain creative bent. Yet the themes of Dead Poets Society about the importance of individuality and art in a world that values conformity and money remain relevant decades later — perhaps especially for those would-be poets who have become lawyers, doctors, and businesspeople. (It me.) It doesn't hurt that those messages are often delivered with real heart and earnestness by Williams, who stars as iconoclastic boarding school teacher John Keating.

In addition to Williams, Peter Weir's moving drama features early turns from Ethan Hawke, Josh Charles, and Robert Sean Leonard as students. Their presence may have also been a motivating factor for any teens who liked cute boys to watch. (It also me.) Inspired by Keating's teaching to "seize the day," they rebel against the strict discipline of their parents and the boring curriculum of the school with tragic results. The film netted Williams his second Oscar nomination and screenwriter Tom Schulman a win, but its enduring legacy may be how many people it inspired to either read more poetry or become teachers like Williams' John Keating. 

How to watch: Dead Poets Society is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

5. The Birdcage Credit: Photo by United Artists / Getty Images

Some of The Birdcage might seem regressive to audiences lucky enough to live in a post-Obergefell v. Hodges world, but it's hard to state how progressive the uproarious comedy felt for moviegoers in 1996. With a box office take of $185 million worldwide, The Birdcage was a mainstream hit. It still ranks as one of the top-grossing LGBTQ+ movies* of all time, but Mike Nichols' film was also a cultural phenomenon that was a rare positive, cheerful take on gay sexuality in the '90s. 

SEE ALSO: 'The Birdcage's tale of queer love and drag queens is as timely as ever

Elaine May's script adapts the 1978 French film La Cage aux Folles for American audiences, moving its story from Saint Tropez to South Beach. Williams and Nathan Lane star as Armand and Albert, a devoted gay couple whose son (Dan Futterman) wants to marry the daughter (Calista Flockhart) of an ultra-conservative senator (Gene Hackman) and his wife (Dianne Wiest). To avoid creating a political scandal, Lane's Albert uses his drag queen experience to pretend to be his son's mother at a meet-the-parents dinner where the only predictable element is hilarity. Williams doesn't exactly play the straight man (no pun intended) in The Birdcage, but he's a gracious performer who lets Lane really go for it as the bigger, more flamboyant role of the two leads. When "We Are Family" plays at the end of the movie, it's hard not to dance along with glee at what you've just seen, whether in the style of Fosse, Martha Graham, Twyla, Michael Kidd, or Madonna.

How to watch: The Birdcage is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

6. Awakenings

Few directors have had three-film runs as good as Penny Marshall's ping-ponging between comedy and drama with Big, Awakenings, and A League of Their Own in the late '80s and early '90s. The life-affirming (and sob-inducing) story of Awakenings is inspired by neurologist Dr. Oliver Sacks' book about his experiences working with comatose patients. In the Oscar-nominated drama, Williams plays Sacks analogue Dr. Malcolm Sayer, who thinks a medication used to treat Parkinson’s may also work to wake up his patients. He tests the drug on a patient named Leonard (Robert De Niro, in a role based on Sacks' real patient Leonard Lowe), who has been in a coma for decades. Lowe's sudden return to waking life allows him the chance to learn about the changed world and connect with those around him. 

SEE ALSO: Oliver Sacks is dying as he lived: Brilliantly

Though De Niro got an Academy Award nomination for his performance in this 1990 film, Williams is equally valuable in this story about life and love. It's a more staid role for Williams than audiences generally expected at that point in his career, but he is still so expressive and full of humanity. 

How to watch: Awakenings is now streaming on Paramount+.

7. Good Morning, Vietnam Credit: Photo by Sunset Boulevard / Getty Images

Williams awakened Oscar voters to his talent with this Vietnam War comedy, which earned him his first of four nominations. He stars as Adrian Cronauer, an airman sent to Saigon to serve as a DJ for the local military radio station. Anyone who has seen a Robin Williams performance will be unsurprised that his chatterbox, scattershot style and modern music do not endear him to his stern, stick-in-the-mud superiors (Bruno Kirby and J.T. Walsh). However, he earns praise among the enlisted men, acting as a shot of caffeine (or perhaps pure adrenaline) for listeners to his morning shift on the air. 

Directed by Barry Levinson, Good Morning, Vietnam marks one of Williams' funniest performances, which is especially notable for a movie set during the Vietnam War. It has moments of drama that underscore the conflicted attitudes toward the war, but this largely serves as a vehicle for Williams' comedic talent. While watching, it's easiest to identify with co-star Forest Whitaker, who can frequently be seen cracking up in the background, shoulders shaking with laughter. 

How to watch: Good Morning, Vietnam is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

8. Insomnia

Throughout most of his career, Williams was best known for being the good guy — or at least the weird guy — but 2002 saw him starring as a pair of creepy villains with roles in One Hour Photo and this Christopher Nolan thriller. After the success of the indies Following and Memento (and before taking on the mantle of the Batman franchise), Nolan directed his first studio movie with Insomnia, a remake of the acclaimed 1997 Norwegian film. Insomnia also stars Al Pacino as a Los Angeles detective sent to Alaska to aid a local cop (Hilary Swank) in a murder investigation, while he himself is the target of an internal affairs probe for misconduct back home. Meanwhile, Williams chills as the prime suspect, though there's never much doubt about his guilt. The murder mystery isn't what propels the movie forward; instead, it's more of an opportunity for Nolan to dig into the moral murkiness of these characters and their actions. For both Williams and Pacino, Insomnia marks a highlight of their work this century, with the former playing against type to chilling results and the latter showing new shades of a familiar type in his filmography. 

How to watch: Insomnia is available for rent or purchase on Prime Video.

9. Mrs. Doubtfire Credit: Photo by 20th Century Fox / Getty Images

The premise — a divorced American dad convincingly dresses up like an elderly British lady to spend time with his kids after a divorce — is frankly bonkers, but Williams' performance both makes the plot work and elevates Mrs. Doubtfire into something both hilarious and moving. Credit is certainly due to the Oscar-winning makeup effects that transformed Williams into the title housekeeper, but the actor's go-for-broke approach to the character-within-a-character still astounds (and earned the film almost half a billion dollars at the worldwide box office). What also makes Mrs. Doubtfire such a joy is seeing Williams interact with his three young co-stars, especially Mara Wilson. He always had great on-screen chemistry with kids, which isn't shocking given how he often projected a childlike sense of wonder and goofiness. 

Though Williams offers the kind of gut-busting performance he was known for, Sally Field is almost as memorable as his ex-wife, especially when she gets an epic freak-out scene when the truth of her housekeeper's identity is finally revealed. The film has some ideas about gender and sexuality that are now considered behind-the-times (at best), but there's a real sense of warmth coursing through Mrs. Doubtfire that helps it avoid any nastiness. 

How to watch: Mrs. Doubtfire is now streaming on Disney+.

Retirement is a significant life transition, and it can be overwhelming. Here’s how to cope with the stress that can come during each phase of the process. Preretirement. This first stage usually takes place in the five to 10 years before you plan to retire. Meet with a financial planner to see how realistic your […]

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TL;DR: Get the Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle for just £48.02 — usually £468.

There are so many resources online to train yourself in incredible skills, but some fields are constantly changing. For fast-growing industries like IT and cybersecurity, it may be worth it to go straight to a credible source that has some of the most recent information to teach you. 

That's why aspiring IT workers and students could benefit greatly from the Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle. You can even get it for a reduced price, just £48.02, but that price won't be around too long.

If you're looking forward to a career in tech, this bundle could be a great place to get started. While courses do start with fundamental material, they do recommend some basic understanding of computers and CompTIA objectives, so give the course topics a once-over before purchasing. 

When you're ready to get started, it's up to you which class you start with. There are introductory IT fundamentals courses, lectures on network security, guides for using Linux, an introduction to cloud computing, and a whole lot more. 

This bundle itself won't certify you as an expert, but you could use it as a study guide for your CompTIA certifications. Just keep in mind that those are organised by CompTIA, so all the awesome prep material may be here, but you'd still need to register for the exams through them. 

Get a lifetime of CompTIA study materials at a drastically reduced price. The Complete 2024 CompTIA Certification Training Super Bundle is on sale for only £48.02, with no coupon needed. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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TL;DR: Watch Mumbai Indians vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL for free on JioCinema. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

We're more than halfway through the IPL season and excitement levels are building. The latest fixture sees the Mumbai Indians and Sunrisers Hyderabad take to the pitch as some of the best cricket players go head to head.

Want to tune in? You can watch Mumbai Indians vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad for free from anywhere in the world, as we have all the information you need.

When is Mumbai Indians vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad?

Mumbai Indians vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad starts at 3 p.m. BST on May 6. This fixture will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India.

How to watch Mumbai Indians vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad for free

You can find free live streams of IPL cricket matches this season in 4K resolution on the JioCinema app.

JioCinema is geo-restricted to India, but anyone can unblock the streaming service with a VPN. VPNs can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in India, meaning you can access JioCinema from anywhere in the world.

Unblock JioCinema to stream the IPL 2024 by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in India

4. Visit JioCinema (you will need an Indian phone number to subscribe)

5. Watch Mumbai Indians vs. Sunrisers Hyderabad for free from anywhere in the world

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Most of the best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch IPL live streams without committing with your cash. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select IPL fixtures for free.

What is the best VPN for JioCinema?

ExpressVPN is the best service for unblocking JioCinema, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including India

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A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream the IPL for free with ExpressVPN.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for May 6's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Getting rid of body hair.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no letters that appear twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to Wordle #1052 is...

SHAVE.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Reporting by Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for May 6's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Getting together

• Green: Being annoying

• Blue: Words that convey numbers

• Purple: Tarot cards

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Connect

• Green: Nuisance

• Blue: Quantity Words

• Purple: Tarot Cards, With "The"

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to Connections #330 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Connect: COUPLE, JOIN, LINK, TIE

• Nuisance: BOTHER, HANDFUL, PAIN, PEST

• Quantity Words: FEW, MANY, SEVERAL, SOME

• Tarot Cards, With "The": FOOL, LOVERS, MAGICIAN, TOWER

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Is this not the Connections game you were looking for? Here are the hints and answers to yesterday's Connections.

The Season 1 finale of House of the Dragon ended with a devastating, dragon-toothed crunch that shook the realm and set in motion the Targaryen civil war known as the Dance of the Dragons. But with that epic cliffhanger came the horrifying realization that we'd have to wait for Season 2 to find out what would happen next.

This hiatus may have been dark and full of terrors, but thankfully, it's almost over. House of the Dragon returns to us June 16, when we'll finally see Queen Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) and her half-brother King Aegon II (Tom Glynn-Carney) duke it out for the Iron Throne in earnest.

To get ready for the new season, read on for looks at the trailers, a rundown of new cast members, and predictions on what will happen next based on George R.R. Martin's Fire & Blood. Here's what we know so far about Season 2.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon's ending was foreshadowed in the very first episode What is the release date for House of the Dragon Season 2? More dragon fights incoming! (At some point.) Credit: Courtesy of HBO

House of the Dragon Season 2 takes flight June 16, premiering at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max. The season will be made up of eight episodes instead of the first season's 10.

SEE ALSO: Vhagar the dragon is the ‘House of the Dragon’ finale MVP Does House of the Dragon Season 2 have a trailer?

It has several! The first teaser, which you can check out here, gives us a brief look at the bloody war for the Iron Throne. "Many will die," Alicent Hightower (Olivia Cooke) tells us. Knowing how things tend to play out in Westeros, that may just be the understatement of the century.

HBO stepped up its trailer game in March of 2024, releasing "dueling trailers." The first favors Team Black, those who support Rhaenyra's claim to the throne after the late King Viserys (Paddy Considine) named her heir. Among their numbers are Rhaenyra's uncle-husband Daemon (Matt Smith) and House Velaryon, including Corlys (Steve Toussaint) and Rhaenys (Eve Best). Meanwhile, Rhaenyra's eldest son Jacaerys (Harry Collett) hopes to grow those numbers with a visit to the Houses in the North — including the Starks!

Check out the Black trailer below to see how Rhaenyra and her allies are preparing for war, and how she plans to avenge the death of her son Lucerys (Elliot Grihault).

The second of the dueling trailers supports Team Green, led by Alicent as she tries to keep Aegon on the Iron Throne. In Season 1, Alicent misheard Viserys's dying words and believes he changed his mind about Rhaenyra being his heir. Now, she and her allies — including her father Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans) and knight Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) — will do anything they can to uphold what they believe to be Viserys's dying wish of instating Aegon as King. The sadistic Aegon is all too ready to go to war, as is his drama king brother Aemond (Ewan Mitchell), who relishes the challenge of facing down Daemon.

Check out the Green trailer below to see Alicent and her family brace for Team Black's wrath.

Who are the new cast members and characters in House of the Dragon Season 2?

As House of the Dragon Season 2 explores more of Westeros, you can expect to see plenty of new faces. Among them are Cregan Stark (Tom Taylor, The Dark Tower), the Lord of Winterfell; Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare), Alicent's brother; and Alyn of Hull (Abubakar Salim, Raised by Wolves), a sailor in the Velaryons' impressive fleet.

Two other new characters point towards pivotal happenings at the castle of Harrenhal, currently the seat of House Strong. Simon Russell Beale (The Death of Stalin) will play Ser Simon Strong, castellan of Harrenhal. He's also great uncle to Larys Strong (Matthew Needham), whom you may remember for being an all-around snake. Joining Beale in Harrenhal is Gayle Rankin (GLOW) as Alys Rivers, a healer who lives in Harrenhal, and who's powerful in more ways than one.

Here's what happens next in Fire & Blood. All hail the Black Queen! Credit: Ollie Upton/HBO

If you absolutely need to know what happens after Rhaenyra dons her war face at the end of Season 1, you've come to the right place. House of the Dragon has been mostly faithful to its source material so far, so I'm fairly confident that it will continue to adhere to the book in the aftermath of the death of Lucerys (Elliot Grihault). I'll be going full spoilers here, so if you don't want to know the future of the Dance of the Dragons, turn away now.

Rhaenyra and Daemon will retaliate against Alicent and her family in a big way. Team Black will attempt to shore up their forces by finding riders for riderless dragons like Vermithor and Seasmoke. Meanwhile, Daemon will attack Harrenhal on dragonback and win it without bloodshed, striking a major blow to the Greens. In Fire & Blood, this attack happens while Jacaerys (Harry Collett) and Lucerys are on their missions. Now, with the tragedy of Luc's death fueling Daemon, it's highly likely the show's version of the attack at Harrenhal will be on the more violent side.

And the violence will only continue! Because Daemon's next move in the book is among the most horrifying events in Westerosi history. (If you're having any doubts about spoilers, now's definitely the time to turn back.) Using his connections to the underbelly of King's Landing, Daemon enlists the help of two unsavory characters known only as Blood and Cheese. They attack the Red Keep and force Queen Helaena (Phia Saban) to choose which of her sons they will kill. They then proceed to murder the son she doesn't name. The attack is Daemon's doing in Fire & Blood, but given the rage in Rhaenyra's eyes at the end of the finale, is there a chance she'll get involved as well?

As chaos rages down south, Jace will travel north to the Eyrie and beyond, to Winterfell. On his trip north, he'll secure allies from Houses like the Arryns and the Manderlys. He will also befriend Lord Cregan Stark and win him to Rhaenyra's cause. So you can expect a mixed bag of sorts from the start of House of the Dragon Season 2. On the one hand, we get the Starks back. On the other, we get more traumatic child murder.

Brace yourselves, fellow viewers: Our wait may be long, but the coming Dance will be one heck of a jig.

Season 1 of House of the Dragon is now streaming on Max.

UPDATE: Nov. 2, 2023, 12:29 p.m. EDT This article has been updated to reflect "House of the Dragon"s summer 2024 release date.

UPDATE: May. 5, 2024, 12:12 p.m. EDT This article has been updated to reflect new information about "House of the Dragon" Season 2.

South Dakota governor Kristi Noem wrote about shooting her puppy in her memoir. On 'SNL,' her other dog worries he's next.

TL;DR: Watch 2024 F1 live streams for free on ORF, ServusTV, RTBF, or RTL ZWEE. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Do you love watching incredibly talented drivers in unbelievably fast cars? Of course you do.

F1 brings together the best of the best to battle it out on the track. Sure, Max Verstappen has dominated the field in recent years, and that doesn't look like it's changing anytime soon. But we remain hopeful. This could be the year when things become a lot more competitive. It doesn't look particularly likely at this early stage, but things could change.

If you are interested in watching F1 for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

2024 F1 calendar

The 2024 F1 season features 24 races held all over the world between March and December:

1. Bahrain GP (Sakhir) — March 2

2. Saudi Arabian GP (Jeddah) — March 9

3. Australian GP (Melbourne) — March 24

4. Japan GP (Suzuka) — April 7

5. China GP (Shanghai) — April 21

6. Miami GP (Miami) — May 5

7. Emilia Romagna GP (Imola) — May 19

8. Monaco GP (Monaco) — May 26

9. Canada GP (Montreal) — June 9

10. Spain GP (Barcelona) — June 23

11. Austria GP (Spielberg) — June 30

12. United Kingdom GP (Silverstone) — July 7

13. Hungary GP (Budapest) — July 21

14. Belgium GP (Spa) — July 28

15. Netherlands GP (Zandvoort) — Aug. 25

16. Italy GP (Monza) — Sept. 1

17. Azerbaijan GP (Baku) — Sept. 15

18. Singapore GP (Singapore) — Sept. 22

19. USA GP (Austin) — Oct. 20

20. Mexico GP (Mexico City) — Oct. 27

21. Brazil GP (Sao Paulo) — Nov. 3

22. Las Vegas GP (Las Vegas) — Nov. 23

23. Qatar GP (Lusail) — Dec. 1

24. Abu Dhabi GP (Yas Marina) — Dec. 8

It's important to note that these dates are only for race days. China, Miami, Austria, USA, Brazil, and Qatar will each host a sprint weekend this season.

How to watch F1 for free

The good news is that it is possible to stream F1 for free in 2024. The following platforms are offering free coverage of this season:

• Australia — 10Play (only Australian Grand Prix)

• Austria — ORF or ServusTV (12 races each)

• Belgium — RTBF (every race)

• Luxembourg — RTL ZWEE (every race)

These free streaming platforms are geo-restricted, meaning you'll be blocked if you attempt to connect from outside the country of origin. Fortunately, you can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can access these streaming services to watch F1 for free from anywhere in the world.

Unblock these free streaming services by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Austria, Belgium, or Luxembourg

4. Connect to ORF, ServusTV, RTBF, or RTL ZWEE

5. Watch F1 races from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch F1 live streams without fully committing with your cash. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select races for free.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for F1?

There are a number of streaming-friendly VPNs out there, but ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming F1 for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria, Belgium, and Luxembourg

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to five simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for £82.82 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee. By using the guarantee, you can watch F1 races for free. This is sneaky, but it works because ExpressVPN returns your investment without hassle.

Watch the 2024 F1 season for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch the 2024 Miami Grand Prix for free on ORF or RTBF. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Miami Grand Prix is still considered a new addition to the F1 calendar, but it has already earned a reputation for being one of the best weekends of the year. Whether it's the entertaining racing, star-studded pit lane, or those distinctive palm trees, the Miami Grand Prix has got it going on.

If you're interested in watching the 2024 Miami Grand Prix, we've got all the information you need.

When is the 2024 Miami Grand Prix?

The 2024 Miami Grand Prix takes place over 57 laps of the Miami International Autodrome. The full schedule can be found here:

• Practice 1 — 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. ET on May 3

• Sprint Qualifying — 4:30 to 5:14 p.m. ET on May 3

• Sprint — 12 to 1 p.m. ET on May 4

• Qualifying — 4 to 5 p.m. ET on May 4

• Race — 4 p.m. ET on May 5

The good news is that it is possible to stream the Miami Grand Prix without spending anything.

How to watch the 2024 Miami Grand Prix for free

You can stream the 2024 Miami Grand Prix live and free on these streaming platforms:

• Austria — ORF (12 races)

• Belgium — RTBF (every race)

ORF and RTBF are geo-restricted, meaning you'll be blocked if you attempt to connect from outside Austria and Belgium respectively. Fortunately, you can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to secure servers in other countries, meaning you can access these streaming services to watch F1 for free from anywhere in the world.

Unblock free streaming services by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Austria or Belgium

4. Connect to ORF or RTBF

5. Watch F1 races from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading services do tend to offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch F1 live streams for free. This is clearly not a long-term solution, but it does mean you can stream the 2024 Miami Grand Prix without actually spending anything.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming platforms from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for F1?

ExpressVPN is the top choice for live streaming F1 on free streaming platforms, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Austria and Belgium

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is protected

• Fast streaming speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Watch the 2024 Miami Grand Prix for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Through May 5, get a lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons for just $119.99 when you use code ENJOY20.

Playing an instrument can be a beautiful way to express yourself and grow as an individual. If playing the piano has always been a dream — or you play and want to amp up your skill level — this lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons could be just the ticket to get you where you want to be.

When you use code ENJOY20 through May 5, you can get lifetime access to interactive Skoove piano lessons for just $119.99. No matter what your level of piano-playing knowledge, the Skoove app can assist you in reaching the next level and learning to play a variety of different genres, from popular songs by John Legend and the Beatles to classics like Mozart and many other styles.

Skoove uses AI technology to analyze the notes you play and offer feedback on ways to improve. It was made to adapt to your pace, offering a customized learning experience. It includes more than 400 piano lessons and thousands of instructional videos to dig into. Skoove also updates the song list monthly to keep things fresh and interesting.

This platform is made to be compatible with all pianos and keyboards, including USB/MIDI and acoustic. It's also compatible across platforms, which means you can use your phone, tablet, or PC to practice.

The Premium Plan also gives you access to special courses and one-on-one support from music instructors. However, this offer is only available for new Skoove users.

Compared to traditional piano lessons, which can be significantly more expensive, Skoove offers an affordable way to learn piano at home without sacrificing quality or personal attention.

This lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons is just $119.99 when you use code ENJOY20 through May 5.

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Opens in a new window Credit: Skoove Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription $119.99 at the Mashable Shop
$1,198.00 Save $1,078.01 Get Deal

TL;DR: Through May 5, get a 2021 model iSpyPen Pro with 128GB of storage, an adapter, and a battery for $149.97 (reg. $198).

You might wonder why someone needs a camera pen. Besides making your childhood spy dreams come true, there are occasions in life that call for discretion. When you need to record audio or video, the iSpyPen PRO 2021 offers a low-profile solution. Whether you're a professional needing to record meetings without disrupting the flow, a student capturing lectures to review later, or a reporter who needs it for interviews, this high-tech pen could come in handy.

On sale for $149.97 through May 5, it comes with a plug-and-play adapter and battery pack. With a substantial 128GB of built-in memory, it offers ample space for saving videos, allowing for up to 24 hours of high-quality HD video storage with audio.

You'll get a timestamp overlay option, which could come in handy if you are a private investigator or in law enforcement. It also functions as a real pen, and the sleek design makes it easy to slip into a bag, pocket, or backpack. You can also place it on a desk to record your meeting without having to fumble with clunky recorders or using up the precious space on your phone. 

It offers 75 minutes of use per charge and includes a portable battery pack to juice it up. 

Until May 5 at 11:59 p.m. PT, you can get a 2021 model iSpyPen Pro with 128GB of storage, an adapter, ink cartridges, and a battery for 24% off at $149.97 (reg. $198).

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Opens in a new window Credit: iSpyPens iSpyPen PRO 2021 Model (128GB) + Adapter & Battery $149.97 at the Mashable Shop
$198.00 Save $48.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: Through May 6, get this Flash Pro Plus 100W 25,000mAh MagSafe-Compatible Power Bank, which is powered by Panasonic, on sale for $199.97 (reg. $319).

Many of our day-to-day routines depend heavily on various chargeable gadgets. That goes double when we are using said gadgets while on vacation. It stands to reason that having a reliable power source on the go is more essential than ever. This Flash Pro Plus power bank is powered by Panasonic. It's also on sale for just $199.97 (reg. $319) when you order by May 6.

The Flash Pro Plus allows you to charge up to six devices on the go, and MagSafe-compatible wireless charging up to 15W is available for iPhone 12 and other Qi-enabled devices. There's even a separate wireless Apple Watch charger. It also includes a 50W USB-A port that's designed especially for Opportunities, OnePlus, Vivo, and Huawei.

Made to be compatible with Apple and Android, there are also three USB-C ports (100W PD, 20W PD, and 60W) for your convenience. It supports Apple fast charge and can charge a MacBook at full speed while still having enough power to charge your other devices.

It weighs 1.28 pounds and has a charge time of 70 minutes, which is ideal for traveling, commuting, or taking with you on errands. If you're worried about connecting all of your expensive electronics to this power bank, it is made with current, temperature, and voltage protections and is guarded against short-circuiting.

One great feature is the OLED display, which shows real-time stats on each port's battery percentage and output. It should be noted that the Flash Pro Plus does not come with a wall charger or USB-C to USB-C cable.

Whether preparing for a long day of meetings, a weekend getaway, or enjoying the peace of your local café, the Flash Pro Plus Power Bank can help you stay connected.

Get this Flash Pro Plus 100W 25,000mAh MagSafe-Compatible Power Bank for $199.97 (reg. $319) through May 6.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Chargeasap Flash Pro Plus 100W USB-C 25000mAh Graphene Power Bank w/ Magsafe Compatibility $199.97 at Mashable Shop
$319.00 Save $119.03 Get Deal