• "Solo: A Star Wars Story" brought in an estimated $103 million against the $130 million that analysts were projecting it to make over the Memorial Day weekend, Deadline reported Monday.
• The film's director, Ron Howard, responded on Twitter to the film's falling short of its three-day projection, saying: "Didn't meet projections but amounts to a new personal best."

"Solo: A Star Wars Story" fell way short of its box-office projection over the Memorial Day weekend, but the film's director, Ron Howard, is taking the shortcoming in stride.

On Monday, Deadline reported that "Solo" would not meet the $130 million analysts were projecting it to make at the box office over the extended weekend. The "Star Wars" spin-off instead brought in an estimated $103 million in the four days since its release and $84.8 million in the first three.

On Sunday, Howard responded on Twitter to a fan question about the film's three-day projected haul.

"Didn't meet projections but amounts to a new personal best," Howard said. "Check #SoloAStarWarsStory for balanced feedback & then C it on a big screen!"

The $84.8 million that "Solo" brought in for its three-day opening did amount to a personal best opening weekend for Howard, surpassing the $77 million that "The Da Vinci Code" made over its three-day opening in 2006 (without adjusting for inflation), according to Box Office Mojo.

Howard took over the reins on "Solo" in June, after Lucasfilm President Kathleen Kennedy ousted the previous directors, Philip Lord and Christopher Miller, citing "different creative visions."

With extended reshoots under Howard, the film's production budget exceeded $250 million, Variety reported. To break even, "Solo" would most likely have to bring in somewhere north of $500 million globally, with marketing and other costs of release taken into account.

SEE ALSO: 'Solo' has exciting thrills and lush photography, but it's the first 'Star Wars' movie to make me worried about franchise fatigue

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NOW WATCH: What will probably happen with the North and South Korean peace treaty

• Mobile payments have become so common in China that paying with cash is practically unheard-of, even with street performers and taxi drivers.
• The mobile payment market is dominated by two apps, WeChat Pay and AliPay, which have hundreds of millions of active monthly users and make Apple Pay's 127 million global user base look small in comparison.
• Paying by phone became popular in China in part because credit cards never gained the popularity they see elsewhere in the world, and because the infrastructure for mobile payments was already in place.
• Phone-scannable QR codes also mean that anyone can become a merchant, since you don't need hardware like a card or chip readers.

Paying with your phone isn't a novelty in China these days. Paying with cash is. 

Over the last 15 years, mobile payments in China have grown into a $16 trillion market dominated by China's two biggest tech giants — Tencent and Alibaba. Mobile payments totaled $9 trillion in 2016, according to iResearch Consulting Group. Meanwhile, the US saw $112 billion in mobile payments in 2016, according to a Forrester Research estimate.

Tencent and Alibaba's competing mobile payment apps — WeChat Pay and AliPay, respectively — are used by just about everyone in China, from fancy restaurants and high-end designer boutiques down to street vendors, taxi drivers, and even panhandlers.

The depth to which the payment method has become part of daily life was driven home for me on a recent visit to the city of Xi'an, a city of 13 million in northwestern China. At the gate of the city's ancient walls, I happened upon a group of Chinese students gathered to listen to a few musicians sing on a Saturday night.

This is not an uncommon sight in New York, where in nearly every metro station, a musician is strumming a guitar with his or her guitar case dotted with dollar bills.  But the musicians in Xi'an had no open guitar case.

At first I wondered how the musicians might receive tips. But every couple of songs, one of their friends held up two cards printed with QR codes — one for Alipay and the other for WeChat Pay. Dozens of the attendees lifted up their phones and, in seconds, had scanned the QR code and sent a few yuan to the performers.

It was genius. 

No more digging around for loose change and finding you only have a $20 bill. No more trying to push your way to the front of the crowd so that you can deposit a few coins in the guitar case. Only a couple of clicks.

In China's major cities, mobile payments are the preferred way to pay for just about everything

It would be easy to write my anecdote as some particularly tech-savvy millennials, except for the fact that such uses of mobile payments are common, and not just with young people.

Tencent's WeChat Pay has a whopping 900 million monthly active users, while Alipay, from Alibaba affiliate Ant Financial, has over 500 million monthly active users. Almost all of those users are Chinese nationals.

For comparison, Apple Pay has 127 million users globally— and it comes pre-installed on every iPhone. 

Walking through the colorful Muslim Quarter street market in Xi'an the following day, I noticed that all of the food vendors had set out AliPay and WeChat Pay QR codes for tourists to pay for their food. I was the only one paying in cash. 

I saw the same at street-side fruit stands in Shenzhen and Beijing weeks later. One coffee shop in Beijing didn't even have a register, only a QR-code scanner. I had to leave and go to a different cafè because all they accepted was mobile payment. 

Phone-scannable QR codes means that anyone can become a merchant. No one needs hardware like a card or chip readers. All you need is an account and your personal QR code. Print it out on a sheet of paper and anyone passing by can send you money. Or simply scan the QR code of the person trying to pay you.

Ninety-two percent of people in China's top cities said that they use WeChat Pay or AliPay as their primary payment method, according to a 2017 study by Penguin Intelligence. And the amount spent per month through those services keeps going up.

Chinese spending using cash, however, is down around 10% over the last two years, according to The Wall Street Journal.

Young Chinese people I spoke to said they rarely carried a wallet or cash at all. There was no point. Smartphones were the easiest way to pay for things, so why bother? 

Mobile payments have become wildly popular in China for two reasons

It is clear that mobile payments have taken off in China in a way that they have yet to in the US or Europe. While it is tempting to suggest that this has occurred because China is so far ahead technologically, the reality is that it comes down to existing infrastructure. 

Credit cards were never popular in China, due in large part to poor options, cultural attitudes about debt, and, until recently, the lack of disposable income. China's state-owned banks, meanwhile, are notoriously difficult to deal with.

When AliPay launched in 2004 as an escrow-service between buyers and sellers on Taobao, Alibaba's massively popular consumer-to-consumer e-commerce platform, it provided a much needed layer of security and trust. By the time it evolved in a mobile payment service in recent years, it already had a large user base. And compared to signing up for a credit card or using the state-owned banks, AliPay was infinitely more user-friendly.

Meanwhile, WeChat Pay is a function within WeChat, Tencent's messaging app that is used by more than 1 billion people. It has been China's most popular app for some time.

The payment function was launched in 2014 during Lunar New Year, when it is common in China to give friends and family red envelopes of cash. Tencent drove adoption by allowing WeChat users to gift digital red envelopes of money to groups of friends. Users who opened the packets first — and, in the process, signed up for WeChat Pay — got bigger sums.

WeChat Pay saw 16 million red envelopes get sent in the first 24 hours of launch, according to The Wall Street Journal. Pretty quickly, the app became the primary way for friends to send money to each other or split bills, similar to Venmo in the US.

Alibaba and Tencent are sitting on a treasure trove of consumer data

The benefits for Alibaba and Tencent go far beyond the transaction fees collected. The ubiquity with which Chinese people use mobile payments means the companies are sitting on a treasure trove of consumer data.

WeChat and Taobao, Alibaba's primary app, both serve a variety of functions from messaging, social networking, and e-commerce to taxi-hailing, bike-sharing and travel booking. The consumer data from payments is used to build detailed profiles of each user, which can then be monetized for marketing purposes directly within their apps in ways that even Facebook and Google would salivate over.

For example, that baby formula that you bought from the convenience store is telling Taobao to start sending you ads and promotions for other infant products to buy directly in the Taobao app.

Further, both Tencent and Alibaba have credit scoring businesses — Tencent Credit and Zhima Credit, respectively — that heavily factor payment histories into their scores. Both companies are beginning to introduce other financial products, such as loans and money market funds, as well.

In terms of market share, Alipay has 54% compared to 40% for WeChat Pay, according to iResearch Consulting Group. But the battle for who will dominate the mobile payments industry is only just starting to heat up.

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NOW WATCH: Why China's Yuan, not the Euro, could become the dominant global currency

At work, a calendar filled with meetings and deadlines often dictates the cadence of our days. But despite what tightly timed agendas might try to insist, our internal body clocks are secretly running the show. Scientists call this personalized daily pattern of sleep and wakefulness a circadian rhythm.

Whether you know it or not, our bodies have a specifically set programming schedule for the best time of day to concentrate, spark new ideas, and experience peak performance.

Scientists have tracked how cognitive abilities rise and fall, and found that most of our brains follow a neatly predictable pattern of cognition that fluctuates hour by hour, throughout the course of a day. Author Daniel Pink revealed his formula for a perfect science-backed workday in his 2018 New York Times bestseller "When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing."

The strategy for your own perfect day might differ from this, depending on whether you're more of an early riser or a night owl, but in his book Pink reveals a basic formula for a better work schedule, whatever time of day you tend to plug in. We've added in a few other science-backed ways to make your workday better, too.

Take a look.

SEE ALSO: How often to clean everything you own, from your toilet to your phone, according to science

Almost all of us fall into a predictable mood pattern each morning.

Scientists who studied 509 million tweets from 2.4 million people in 84 countries around the world found that just about everyone's mood follows a body-clock-linked daily rhythm.

Our attitudes brighten in the morning. As we wake, we become happier, warmer and enjoy work more. The good feeling typically peaks somewhere around noon.

Source: British Journal of Psychology

So it might be best to schedule important meetings and earnings calls during these happier morning hours.

Researchers who studied more than 26,500 earnings calls in the US from 2001 to 2007 found that, generally, the tone of an earnings call became more negative as the workday wore on.

Just moving an 8 a.m. earnings call to a 3 p.m. slot could translate "to abnormal returns of −1.5% a year," on average, a Harvard Business Review report said.

• After weeks of speculation, reports suggest Harry and Meghan will honeymoon in Canada.
• Sources told TMZ they are due to stay at the Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge in Alberta.
• They will apparently stay at the six-bedroom "Outlook Cabin" which has been nicknamed "The Royal Retreat."

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle are apparently planning their honeymoon in Canada.

That's according to sources who told TMZ the newlyweds are due to stay in Alberta, Canada's luxurious Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge.

The hotel is situated right in the middle of Jasper National Park.

Here's another look:

While the date of their honeymoon is unknown, the couple will reportedly stay at the 6,000 square foot Outlook Cabin, which has become so popular among the royals it has been nicknamed "The Royal Retreat" — The Queen and Prince Philip stayed there in June 2005, while King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother stayed there in 1939.

Here's a look inside:

According to the hotel's website, "every inch" of the lodge "exudes elegancy and grandeur."

It boasts six bedrooms each with an ensuite bathroom, a dining room, "Great Room," conservatory and enclosed veranda, as well as a "majestic stone fireplace," and can cost up to £5,000 a night.

Here's a look at one of the bedrooms:

You can take a virtual tour of the cabin here.

The hotel is also a favourite among celebrities — it was the location of 1954 Marilyn Monroe film "River of No Return" and has hosted the likes of Anthony Hopkins, John Travolta, and Bill Gates.

Here's Bing Crosby visiting:

TMZ reported that the resort has ordered "gear and goodies" it doesn't provide for regular guests, and British and Canadian security will be involved when the couple arrives.

However, an official statement from the hotel suggested nothing has been booked.

"Though Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge has a longstanding history of serving as a royal retreat, we can confirm that the couple is not currently booked for a stay," it read.

"We are declining further comment at this time, as our top priority is always the safety and privacy of all of our guests. We appreciate your understanding."

Whether or not the couple end up staying at the Fairmont, it certainly looks like the perfect spot for celebrating.

SEE ALSO: The Victoria's Secret Angels are spending the week at a stunning private Beverly Hills mansion called 'Villa Victoria' — here's what's going down

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NOW WATCH: Why so many fast food logos are red

• An attorney for Morgan Freeman has sent a letter to CNN's president, Jeff Zucker, demanding the retraction of a CNN report in which eight women accused the actor of inappropriate behavior, including sexual harassment.
• In the letter, obtained by multiple outlets on Tuesday, Freeman's lawyer called the CNN report a "product of malicious intent, falsehoods, slight-of-hand, an absence of editorial control, and journalistic malpractice."

A lawyer for Morgan Freeman is demanding the retraction of a CNN report published last week in which eight women accused the actor of inappropriate behavior, including sexual harassment.

Freeman's attorney, Robert M. Schwartz, sent a 10-page letter to CNN's president, Jeff Zucker, saying that CNN's report "defamed" and "inflicted serious injury" on Freeman and his career. The letter was obtained by multiple outlets on Tuesday, including Variety and Deadline.

"At a minimum, CNN immediately needs to issue a retraction and apologize to Mr. Freeman through the same channels, and with the same level of attention, that it used to unjustly attack him on May 24," Schwartz wrote.

Schwartz wrote that his law firm had begun an investigation into the report, which he called a "product of malicious intent, falsehoods, slight-of-hand, an absence of editorial control, and journalistic malpractice."

The attorney wrote that Chloe Melas, a CNN reporter who cowrote the report and accused Freeman of making inappropriate comments about her appearance at a press junket last year, had "no reasonable basis" to interpret what Freeman said to her as harassment.

Melas said Freeman told her during a 2017 interview when she was six months pregnant, among other comments, that "you are ripe."

"The videotape confirms that his statement had nothing to do with her and was not harassing," Schwartz wrote, according to Deadline. "And an independent third party, the Warner Bros. Human Resources Department, investigated her claim and concluded that it was not supported by the facts."

Among the seven other accusers in the report, an unnamed production assistant who worked on the set of the 2017 movie "Going in Style" said she experienced several months of sexual harassment from Freeman on the film's set, including unwanted touching and comments. The woman said Freeman "kept trying to lift up my skirt and asking if I was wearing underwear."

"Ms. Melas baited and prodded supposed 'witnesses' to say bad things about Mr. Freeman and tried to get them to confirm her bias against him," Schwartz continued. "Thus, no reader of the article can have any confidence that any of the anonymous sources, which make up the balance of CNN's article, can be relied upon at all."

Freeman responded to the CNN report in a statement on Thursday, saying, "I apologize to anyone who felt uncomfortable or disrespected — that was never my intent." He followed up with another statement on Friday, adding: "I did not create unsafe work environments. I did not assault women. I did not offer employment or advancement in exchange for sex. Any suggestion that I did so is completely false."

A CNN representative sent the following statement to Business Insider on Tuesday in response to the letter from Freeman's lawyer:

"The unfounded accusations made by Mr. Freeman’s lawyer are disappointing and are difficult to reconcile with Mr. Freeman's own public statements in the aftermath of the story. CNN stands by its reporting and will respond forcefully to any attempt by Mr. Freeman or his representatives to intimidate us from covering this important public issue."

Read the attorney's full letter at Deadline.

SEE ALSO: 8 women accuse Morgan Freeman of inappropriate behavior, including sexual harassment

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NOW WATCH: What will probably happen with the North and South Korean peace treaty

Summer means change: new shoes, new clothes, and a new grooming routine.

But don't forget your hair — it also deserves a fresh look.

Sure, we've said that longer hair is coming back into style lately — a correction in response to those overly trendy razor-fade styles reminiscent of the early part of the 20th century.

The problem with that in warmer climates is that all that extra bulk on top of your head can actually make you feel hotter. If your hair is a dark color or really thick, this effect can be magnified.

But there's a way to combine the two for the summer while still keeping cool. See below for the perfect cut for summer.

SEE ALSO: 8 essential etiquette rules every guy should follow at the barbershop

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NOW WATCH: 5 classic men's shoes for work and play

• Commuting to work via public transportation is usually cheaper than driving everywhere.
• But in these major cities, a monthly pass for public transportation may still be a major expense.
• The most expensive cities for commuting to work are in Western Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States.

Next to housing, transportation is one of the largest recurring expenses people face. In a major metropolis, that likely means a fair amount of time packed into the subway, trolley, or bus getting a little too acquainted with your fellow city dwellers.

The good news: It's better for the environment, and, depending on where you live, it may be cheaper than owning a car. 

The bad news: It can still be really expensive. 

In London, the most expensive city in the world for public transportation, you'll need to shell out nearly $197 for a month of riding the Tube. In New York City, a monthly transit pass costs $121. 

That's according to a recent report by Deutsche Bank, which analyzes the cost of living and compares prices among the largest cities around the world. 

The report sources prices from Expatistan, a site that tracks cost-of-living expenses in over 200 countries, for a "monthly ticket public transport" in nearly 50 cities. 

Here are the 16 most expensive cities in the world for commuting via public transportation each month. All prices are in US dollars.

SEE ALSO: The 20 cities where Americans work the hardest

DON'T MISS: 11 US cities where people are the least healthy, have the most miserable commutes, and don't sleep enough

16. Paris — $88.90

15. Oslo, Norway — $89.40

14. Zurich — $94.70

• Beavertown is one of the UK's largest craft breweries.
• They make a range of craft beers, from IPAs to porters at their brewery in Tottenham, London.
• The beers are available to purchase at their taproom which is open every Saturday. 

Beavertown Brewery is a London based Brewery that makes a wide range of craft beers.

The brewing process begins with malted barley which is added to hot water, releasing its sugars. Oats, rye, or wheat can also be added at the stage to create different flavour beers. This process is called mashing, and once the sugars are released hops are added to the mixture.

This liquid is filtered using a whirlpool and the used barley is taken away and used for animal feed. Once filtered yeast is added to the mixture and it is left to ferment. The fermentation process takes three or four days and once fermented more hops are added, this process is called dry hopping.

The flavour of the beer will change depending on the type of hops added. The beer is then centrifuged to remove particles and then it's ready to be canned. 

Once packaged the cans are stored in the warehouse next door, ready to be shipped out. 

Produced by Charlie Floyd

SEE ALSO: The world’s largest glasshouse has just reopened in London and it holds some of the rarest plants on earth

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• Schedule your day according to what will make you happy looking back — and not according to what feels good in the moment.
• That's according to Laura Vanderkam, a time-management expert and the author of "Off the Clock."
• Vanderkam says too many of us winding up scrolling through social media posts instead of doing something more meaningful, simply because we prioritize our present needs and wants.

There is a version of me who spends her free time reading books about physics, and does yoga before bed, and bakes banana bread on Sunday afternoons.

There is another version of me who decides that physics is hard, as are yoga and baking, and instead spends her free time browsing social media.

There's a scientific name for Version 1, and it's not "you've gotta be kidding me." Instead, it's the "anticipating self." Version 2, on the other hand, is the "experiencing self." And here's the kicker: With a shift in mindset, it's possible to replace Version 2 with the ever-virtuous Version 1.

That's according to Laura Vanderkam, a time-management expert and the author of "Off the Clock: How to Feel Less Busy While Getting More Done." Vanderkam argues that there are three selves to every individual: anticipating, experiencing, and remembering.

The key to managing your time well (i.e. actually reading those physics books) is to ask yourself: Did my anticipating self want to do this? If so, do it! Your remembering self will be glad to have done it — and remembering lasts a whole lot longer than experiencing.

Somewhat counterintuitively, you should strive to live for the memories you'll make

Vanderkam's anticipating/experiencing/remembering framework is an extension of an argument made by Nobel Prize-winning psychologist (and pioneering behavioral economist) Daniel Kahneman. Kahneman argues that everyone is made up of two selves: experiencing, who lives in the moment, and remembering, who lives in the past.

Vanderkam goes so far as to suggest that our remembering self is "the keeper of our identity." The problem, she writes, is that "the present — the moment occupied by the experiencing self — has a disproportionate effect on our actions, given its fleeting nature."

Sure, it feels good in the moment to scroll mindlessly through pretty pictures of friends' beach vacations. But when you look back, you'll remember that day as much the same as every other lazy day — in fact, you might not even remember it at all.

The goal, then, is not to live in the present, or like there's no tomorrow, as so many pop songs would have us do. It's to live for tomorrow, and for the years after that, when you'll turn back to your memories as an indicator of what your life was like: happy and fulfilling or unsatisfying and boring.

To be sure, this mindset shift takes some effort, specifically resisting the experiencing self's inertia. It might take a few tries before it kicks in, but at some point you'll realize that the anticipating self, in cahoots with your remembering self, does indeed have your best interests in mind.

SEE ALSO: 7 of the best productivity secrets I learned from the woman who wrote the book on not wasting time

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NOW WATCH: Asking yourself these 4 questions will lead to a longer, more meaningful life

Business Insider is looking for the 100 coolest people in food and drink in North America and Europe — and nominations are still open.

The Business Insider Food 100 will rank the most innovative, trend-setting, impactful, and influential people in the fantastic worlds of food and drink.

It will include, but is not limited to, the likes of...

• Chefs
• Bartenders and mixologists
• Sommeliers
• CEOs and teams behind new product launches
• Bloggers
• Nutritionists and dietitians
• Anyone doing something "cool" within the wider world of food and drink

Do you know someone with a quirky job or role who has had an impact on the industry in the past year? Did they invent a product, a drink, or a dish that has become famous? Did they open a restaurant or bar that's the first of its kind?

If so, we want to hear from you — and you can fill out a nomination form here.

Deadline: Friday June 1 at 11.59 p.m.

Please email uksales@businessinsider.com for sponsorship opportunities.

SEE ALSO: The 25 best restaurants in the world, according to millionaire private jet owners

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NOW WATCH: Jeff Bezos on breaking up and regulating Amazon

• Parenthood has its ups and downs, especially the first time around.
• My husband and I bribed my son with chocolates and messed up his bedtime routine every now and then, but having a happy and healthy five-year-old outweighs our missteps.
• Though every parent strives to be the best they can, there are times when we look back and think, “I should’ve done that differently.”
• Here are the four biggest mistakes that I made before my kid turned five.

When my son turned five early this year, my husband and I clinked our glasses and toasted to each other. We may have bribed him with desserts to take one bite of broccoli, messed up his bedtime routine every now and then, and overindulged him with toys on his birthday. But having a happy, healthy, and warm five-year-old outweighs our missteps.  

Though every parent strives to be the best they can, there are times when we look back and think, “I should’ve done that differently.” Here are the 4 biggest mistakes that I made before my kid turned five.

SEE ALSO: 5 things my parents let me do that I would never let my kids do

1. I believed that breast milk was irreplaceable

The nutritional benefit of breast milk is well established, according to the American Pregnancy Association. I thought that I made an educated choice about exclusively breastfeeding in the delivery room by requesting on every possible form to not give my newborn formula or water.

But the reality was that I didn’t lactate until one week after labor. My child was starved the first two days, and we made regular hospital visits for two weeks to check hisjaundice. As a first-time mom, I was ignorant about the fact that certain natural processes were beyond my control.

“He’s too hungry,” the pediatrician said when he offered us bottles of prepared formula, and I realized that giving my child formula was the best choice.

There is evidence to suggest that the observed benefits of breastfeeding are confounded by other parenting factors, such as socioeconomic status. In this instance, perhaps my desire to be “good enough” was counterproductive, as it prevented me from seeing the forest for the trees.

2. I assumed that potty training would be a breeze

My mother always raved about thetraditional Chinese toilet training method, where parents use a whistling sound to teach babies to relieve themselves into the toilet on command.

Instead, I opted for the American Academy of Pediatrics’child-readiness method, where you wait for cues from the child that they’re ready to start using the toilet. The natural approach appealed to me. However, I was not mentally prepared for how slow the process would be.

I encouraged with hugs and stickers, paused if my son showed no interest, read numerous potty-training books, and praised his successes with treats. There was not much progress a year into his toilet training. It was more painful than giving birth!

I was anxious that he would still be in training pants when he started school. Finally, a few days after he turned three and a half, he instantly grasped the whole thing!  

In retrospect, I could have given the aggressive 3-day method a shot. There has yet to be a scientific answer about which is the most effective way of potty training, according to a review of research on the topic. It’s all about trial and error.

3. I thought that I could purge my kid’s artwork at will

Don’t get me wrong — I care about my son’s creativity. We talk about his ideas and presentation whenever he brings home projects.

At the same time, I’m a neat freak. We were flooded with arts and crafts when he entered preschool. I barely felt a twinge of guilt when I tossed out stickers with lousy adhesive, glitter art that got everywhere, and half-baked coloring pages.

One day, my son spotted his drawing of a (hardly decipherable) ice cream in the trash, and he had a total meltdown. He screamed at me for throwing away a project he liked and still wanted to work on. I was glad that he let his true emotions out, and I apologized profusely for my carelessness.

I’ve learned the hard way to always, always talk to my child, respond to his feelings, and involve him in the decision-making process — even if it’s over a picture of ice cream.

From western California to eastern Texas, across four US states and 24 counties, the 1,933-mile US-Mexico border criss-crosses arid desert, rugged mountains, and winding rivers.

For 654 of those miles, fencing separates the two countries from each other.

The 7.3 million people who live in the border counties on each side of the line have watched for years as security grew tighter and illegal crossings tapered off.

In just the last 12 years, the US government built the barriers, deployed troops, and started using advanced surveillance technology — all in an effort to tame and control some of the wildest and remotest land in the United States.

Today, making good on campaign promises to "build that wall," President Donald Trump and his administration has cracked down even further, pushing for more fencing, a border wall, and thousands of National Guard troops stationed along the boundary line.

Amid a surge of families attempting to illegally crossing the border, the Trump administration has also sparked outrage by announcing a policy to separate immigrant children from their parents.

The issue reached a boiling point over the weekend, after anger over the family separation policy coincided with the resurfacing of month-old news that the government had lost track of 1,475 children who had arrived at the border unaccompanied.

Though the Trump administration sought to explain that the children are likely safe and their families had likely deliberately fallen off the government radar, public outrage has only been growing toward the government's immigration policies.

It's worth taking a look at the complexity of the borderlands to understand the daunting task of securing them.

From the Pacific Ocean in the west to the Gulf of Mexico in the east, here's what the entire US-Mexico border looks like:

SEE ALSO: Tactical units spent weeks trying to breach and climb Trump's border wall prototypes — and they're nearly impossible to scale

DON'T MISS: The Trump administration just released new photos of 'the president's border wall' — and it looks more like a fence

California has stood more defiantly than any other state against Trump's immigration agenda and his long-promised wall. Yet the Golden State's southern boundary is one of the most thoroughly fortified along the entire US-Mexico border.

Source: Reveal from The Center for Investigative Reporting and OpenStreetMap contributors

Roughly 105 miles of the 140-mile border California shares with Mexico are walled off by pedestrian fencing or vehicle barriers, beginning on the west coast with a tall, metal fence that juts into the Pacific Ocean.

Source: GAO analysis of Customs and Border Protection data

Though some Trump critics have seized upon his recent attempt to deploy the National Guard in California, the San Diego coastline already hosts around 55 guardsman who assist in "counterdrug missions" and conduct surveillance support.

Source: USA Today

Electric scooter startup Bird is riding high these days.

On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that Bird is raising $150 million in a Series C funding round led by Sequoia Capital, which will value the company at $1 billion.

The company has worked aggressively to cover the streets and sidewalks of San Francisco, as well as other US cities, with motorized vehicles that are like Razor scooters for grown-ups. People can reserve a local scooter from a smartphone app, ride for a small fee, and leave the scooter anywhere at the end of a journey.

Led by a former Uber and Lyft executive, Bird has previously raised $115 million to expand nationwide. But the company's rise to success hasn't been without speed bumps. Starting on June 4, San Francisco will ban scooters from companies including Bird, Spin, and Lime, unless the companies operating the vehicles have a permit.

I pass at least a dozen electric scooters on the streets of San Francisco on my daily commute, so I recently rented an electric scooter from Bird to try it for myself.

Here's what it was like to rent and try the Bird electric scooter:

SEE ALSO: Electric scooter startup Bird reportedly raises $150 million, making it the first $1 billion scooter startup

The Bird has landed in San Francisco, and people have very mixed feelings about it.

"A few weeks ago, I had not noticed any electric scooters in SF. Now you can't exit a building without tripping over one," M.G. Siegler, a general partner at Google Ventures, tweeted in April.

It's true. Starting in March, three startups — Bird, Lime, Spin — rolled out hundreds of motorized scooter rentals in downtown San Francisco in the span of a few weeks. Now they're everywhere.

If you already have a partner, congratulations, you've beaten the system.

For the rest of us, modern dating is a minefield. There are so many rules and games to play it's easy to lose track. You might be "left on read" by someone you really liked, and your mind may spin out of control when you're over-analysing what their last few messages really meant.

The woes don't necessarily stop when you find someone. With Tinder right at your fingertips, it's tempting to go back and see if there is someone out there who is just a bit more perfect. With so much available choice, how are you supposed to know if someone is right for you? When should you stop over-thinking and finally commit?

Business Insider asked nine relationship experts for the signs to look out for when you're trying to figure out if someone is right for you.

Here's what they said:

SEE ALSO: Relationship experts say these are the 8 red flags to look out for when you start dating someone — and some are surprisingly common

1. They pass the 'bar test'

"As simple as this may seem, I call it the 'bar test' to know if you're with the right person. When you're at a bar (or restaurant, wherever) with your new partner, are you looking around to see who else is out there or who might see you two together? Or, are you perfectly content with your partner, and you want everyone there to notice you with him/her? If the latter is true, then he/she passes the test. But if it's the former, it might be time to decide whether being in a relationship with this person is your best option."

— Erika Ettin, dating coach and founder of dating site A Little Nudge

2. They don't hold you back

"A person who can authentically be excited about your success and goals in life is someone who won't feel the need to hold you back. Most unhealthy relationships include some form of sabotaging of one partner. Dating someone who is happy with their life means they can be happy for you and alongside of you."

— Shannon Thomas, therapist and author of "Healing from Hidden Abuse: A Journey Through the Stages of Recovery from Psychological Abuse"

3. They don't want to change you

"When you listen to your heart, you'll feel whether or not the person you're dating is right for you. This is known as 'intuition' — your heart's message to you. Almost everyone can think back and recall a time when they didn't listen to it. When you feel good, feel that your partner is patient and true, treats you the same in public as he/she does at home, then you're on the right path. Keep in mind that your intuition may send out warnings as well. It may come as a gut reaction. For example, if your partner wants to change you in any way. He/she is not accepting you for who you are. If that happens, run. That is a sign of a controlling person and he/she will never treat you properly."

— Tracy Malone, founder of  Narcissist Abuse Support.

• A new study has found that middle-aged men who follow high-protein diets may be at higher risk of heart failure.
• Among nearly 2,500 men between the ages of 42 and 60, those who ate the most animal protein and dairy were at a higher risk of developing heart failure than those who ate the least protein.
• Only proteins from fish and eggs were not associated with heart failure risk in this study, the researchers said.
• Further investigation is needed, as there is currently little research on the link between dietary protein and heart failure risk.

Middle-aged men who follow high-protein diets, such as the Atkins, may be at higher risk of heart failure, according to a new research.

The study published in Circulation: Heart Failure, an American Heart Association journal, surveyed 2,441 men aged between 42 and 60 for an average period of 22 years. Over the course of the study, 334 cases of heart failure — when the body is unable to pump enough blood and oxygen to remain healthy — were diagnosed.

The researchers divided the participants into four groups based on the types of protein they consumed on a daily basis. They found that the men who ate the most animal protein and dairy were at a higher risk — 43% and 49% respectively — of developing heart failure than those who ate the least.

The men who ate all sources of protein were at a 33% higher risk, while those who consumed plant protein had a 17% risk.

Higher intake of protein from most dietary sources was associated with slightly higher risk, the researchers said, adding that only proteins from fish and eggs were not associated with heart failure risk in this study.

"As many people seem to take the health benefits of high protein diets for granted, it is important to make clear the possible risks and benefits of these diets," said Dr Jyrki Virtanen, study author and an adjunct professor of nutritional epidemiology at the University of Eastern Finland.

He added that earlier studies have linked diets high in protein — especially from animal sources — with increased risks of Type 2 diabetes and even death.

The authors of the study concluded that as there is currently little research on the link between dietary protein and heart failure risk, further research is needed before they can say that moderating protein intake would help to prevent it.

A separate study that was recently presented at the World Congress on Acute Heart Failure in Vienna found that eating protein can help patients with heart failure to live longer — quite the opposite result.

The research investigated the association between protein intake and survival in 2,281 patients, with an average age of 68 years, and who were all diagnosed with heart failure.

The participants were divided into groups based on the amount of protein they consumed daily, which was estimated from their urine. The association with mortality was then assessed.

At the end of the 21-month period, 31% of patients who ate the least amount of protein — 40 grams or less per day — had died compared to 18% of respondents who consumed the most — 70 grams or more per day.

Once the researchers had taken into account certain factors, such as age and renal function, the patients with the lowest protein intake had a 46% higher risk of death than those with the highest.

SEE ALSO: A new study suggests that while fasting diets might help with weight loss, they could increase your risk of diabetes — and the creator of the 5:2 diet has responded

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• Serena Williams marked her return to Grand Slam tennis by wearing a "Black Panther"-style catsuit that made her feel like a superhero from Wakanda.
• The catsuit's main purpose is to help prevent blood clots, but it also has the added advantage of making Williams feel like a "warrior princess."
• Whatever the intention, the catsuit clearly worked as Williams romped to a straight sets victory over Kristýna Plíšková in her debut 2018 French Open match on Tuesday.
• She now takes on Ashley Barty in the Round of 64 on Thursday.

Serena Williams romped to a straight sets victory over Kristýna Plíšková in the 2018 French Open on Tuesday.

It was her first major tennis match since triumphing at the 2017 Australian Open while eight weeks pregnant— and she won while wearing a "Black Panther"-style catsuit that made her feel "like a warrior princess" from Wakanda, the fictional nation from the Marvel Comics film.

The outfit was more than a fashion statement as it is designed to help prevent blood clots, according to The Guardian.

But it also has the added advantage of making Williams feel like a superhero from "Black Panther."

Williams said: "I call it, like, my Wakanda-inspired catsuit. We designed it way before the movie, but still, it kind of reminds me of that."

Here's a closer look at the suit:

"I’m always living in a fantasy world," Williams added. "I always wanted to be a superhero and it’s kind of my way of being a superhero."

Williams did not compete in tennis after winning the 2017 Australian Open. She gave birth to her daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, in September, but suffered complications during labour that postponed her eventual return to competitive sport.

"It feels like this suit represents all the women that have been through a lot mentally, physically, with their body to come back and have confidence and to believe in themselves," Williams said.

"I definitely feel like it is an opportunity for me to inspire a whole different group of amazing women and kids."

Williams takes on Ashley Barty, the world number 17, in a French Open Round of 64 match on Thursday.

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The 33-year-old Prince Harry married 36-year-old actress Meghan Markle in a highly anticipated royal wedding in Windsor on Saturday, May 19.

While His Royal Highness Prince Henry of Wales is certainly still young, he's already had a pretty incredible life, which is only set to continue into his and Markle's married life as the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

Aside from his high-profile relationship, Prince Harry travels the world — both with the royal family and as part of this charity efforts — and often competes in Champagne-filled sporting tournaments.

His life hasn't been without hardships, either. He and brother Prince William both struggled with their mental health after the death of their mother, Princess Diana, in 1997. 

To commemorate the royal wedding, we've found the best photos from every single year of Prince Harry's remarkable life. Scroll down to take a look.

SEE ALSO: This is why Harry is called Prince of Wales, not England

Harry was born on September 15, 1984. Here he is with his mother, Princess Diana, and brother, Prince William.

AGE 1: Harry with Queen Sofia and King Juan Carlos of Spain, Prince William, Diana, and his father, Prince Charles, at the Marivent Palace in Palma de Mallorca on July 9, 1986.

AGE 2: The Princess of Wales holds Prince Harry at the Royal Palace, Majorca, Spain on August 9, 1987.

There are few things more rewarding in life than waking up in the middle of the night, rolling out of a bed, slapping on some hiking boots, and trekking up a mountain for a sunrise.

At least, I think so.

My girlfriend, not so much. She thinks it's more rewarding to skip the hike, sleep late into the morning, and then head to a local market for an early lunch (or late breakfast, depending on your view).

But, on a recent trip to Bali, I convinced her that it would be worth it to do a sunrise trek up Mount Batur(Gunung Batur), an active volcano that most recently erupted in 2000 and is one of the holiest sites on the island.

At 5,633 feet high at the summit, Batur isn't the highest point on the island — that would go to Mount Agung (Gunung Agung), which erupted earlier this year — but it is likely the island's most popular sunrise hike.

At 6 a.m., we found out why.

After traveling to 25+ countries and forcing myself up at the crack of dawn to catch the sunrise on countless beaches and mountains (not to mention New York City rooftops; hello all-night partiers), I'm confident saying the sunrise I saw on Mount Batur was the most beautiful I've ever seen.

Here's what it was like:

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The hike started early. The tour company picked us up at 2 a.m. and drove an hour to the base of the mountain (stopping for coffee along the way). We were far from the only ones hiking. The parking lot was full of minibuses and tour groups.

Here was our general itinerary:

• 2 a.m.: Pick up at hotel/hostel
• 3:45 a.m.: Arrive at base of the mountain
• 6 a.m.: Arrive at sunrise viewing platform near top of Mount Batur
• 7 a.m.: View volcanic steam crevasse
• 7:30 a.m.: Begin descent back to base of mountain
• 9:30 a.m.: Arrive at base of mountain and leave
• 11:15 a.m.: Return to hotel/hostel

We were put in a group of 16 with four tour guides. The hike up the mountain took about two hours in pitch black. The first hour was mostly on paved paths. The second hour was up narrow, volcanic rubble-strewn switchbacks.

The first hour of the hike goes through a forest on a paved path at a gentle incline. After about an hour, you get to a platform where the Balinese are building a temple. From there, you start the actual climb to the top.

The climb to the top goes over narrow, single-file switchbacks. It's easy to slip on the volcanic rubble. There is a fair amount of rock scrambling that requires you to climb up small rock ledges.

It's somewhat strenuous, but more in the panting, sweating, thighs-screaming way, rather than actually difficult to do.

There are a lot of people on the trail. As you go up, you can see a line of flashlights sprinkled along the spine of the mountain. It's an eerie view.

The stars in the dead of night were also spectacular.

The timing was pretty spot on. After two hours of moderate trekking, we were at a platform just below the summit and the sunrise was starting. Burnt oranges and yellows peeked out from behind a blanket of clouds and mist.

• The UK's national quidditch team is seeking two friends to act as 'runners' for the squad during the Quidditch World Cup in Florence, Italy this summer.
• The friends will be paid £600 with travel and accommodation included.
• They will cheer the team on from the benches, help with water, and pass on important information.
• The sport was adapted from the Harry Potter series — and players must all have a broom between their legs.

The UK's national quidditch team is looking for new members — and they're willing to pay them £600 and throw in a free trip to Italy.

Team UK has joined up with "digital noticeboard" Airtasker to look for two "passionate runners" to assist the team at the fourth IQA (International Quidditch Association) World Cup this summer, which will see 30 teams gather in Florence, Italy between June 27 and July 2 to play an adaptation of the magical sport which was made famous by the Harry Potter series.

The lucky pair will be paid £600 to travel to Italy and cheer the team on from the benches, according to an ad posted on the Airtasker platform by the Team UK Captain, and will help with water, passing on "important messages," and further supporting the coach "in all the vital decisions to knock the opposing teams off their brooms."

"We’re on form, we’re fully trained and we’re ready to take on the best of the best," the ad reads. "Last year we won bronze, but we’re soaring and ready to snatch gold from the reigning world champs, the Australian Dropbears."

Team UK will cover the cost of travel, accommodation, and some expenses for both the winner and their "sidekick."

While the schedule looks busy, they added that "there will definitely be time to go exploring and soak up the atmosphere."

The job post adds that "enthusiasm is a must, ensuring you carry the team spirit throughout each game."

The team has made six appearances globally since its international debut in 2012, including taking bronze at the 2016 World Cup in Frankfurt.

Quidditch, a mixed-gender sport, takes inspiration from both dodgeball and rugby to create "an exciting and fast-paced sport enjoyed by over 800 players and 40 teams over the UK," according to the team.

A match involves two teams of seven players aiming to score as many points as possible — all the while with a broom between their legs.

Here they are in action:

Points are scored when a player, or "chaser," throws the "quaffle" or volleyball through the opposing team's hoops, which are protected by a "keeper."

Meanwhile, two "beaters" on each team throw "bludgers" — or dodgeballs — at opposing players to try and knock them out of the game.

However, the whole thing ends if either team's "seeker" catches the "snitch" — a tag attached to the shorts of the "snitch runner."

If you live in the UK and are over 18, you can apply by signing up to Airtasker and making an offer on the post telling the team who you would bring along and "how you'll both bring your A-game to this task."

Applications close at midnight on Sunday, June 17, 2018.

SEE ALSO: Over 2 million people are using a 'digital noticeboard' to hire strangers to do extravagant tasks and errands — and they involve stormtroopers and fried chicken

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• If you're trying to align your daily habits with science, you may be struggling to find studies that don't appear to contradict one another.
• Fortunately, there's a wealth of peer-reviewed research which can help you decide which practices are the best for your health.
• Here's an easy way to structure your day based on the latest scientific research about everything from healthy eating to exercise and caffeine intake.

Wondering if it's better to workout in the morning or at night? Whether that multivitamin you pop every morning does anything? Or perhaps how long you need to workout to start to see results?

As it turns out, scientists have been looking for answers to these questions too.

You can use their answers to guide many of the decisions you make on a day-to-day basis, from what you eat in the morning to how often you wash the sheets you sleep in.

SEE ALSO: I tried the science-backed 7-minute fitness routine that's going viral, and it actually works

Skip the shower.

If you showered yesterday, you should probably skip it today. A growing body of evidence suggests that showering too much can mess with your skin and dry out your hair. That's because in addition to sloughing off dirt and pollutants, you're also showering away many of the naturally occurring but beneficial bacteria and oil that keep skin and hair healthy.

"It's paradoxical, but people who wash their hair a lot to get rid of oil are drying out their scalp and producing more oil," Lynne Goldberg, a dermatologist and the director of Boston Medical Center's hair clinic, told Business Insider.

When it comes to setting up your own regimen, you should consider two things: the average dryness of your skin and scalp and the texture of your hair. If they are neither very oily nor very dry, you likely only need to bathe once or twice a week. If your hair is curly and thick, you may need to wash it even less frequently, since coarse hair slows down the spread of oil from your roots through the length of your hair.

Brew your coffee — but don't drink it yet.

Many things naturally happen to our bodies when we wake up. In addition to developing a magical ability to ignore loud noises like an alarm, our bodies also start pumping out the hormone cortisol, a sort of natural caffeine. Most people's cortisol levels peak sometime between 8:00 and 9:00 in the morning.

Instead of hopping aboard this wakefulness train, however, coffee consumed at this time may actually blunt cortisol's natural effects, according to Stephen Miller, a Ph.D. candidate at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. Instead of caffeinating during this window, Miller recommends holding off for an hour after you awaken.

Hit the track.

Research suggests that an early-morning workout on an empty stomach helps speed weight loss and boost energy levels by priming the body for an all-day fat burn. Exercising first thing in the morning may push the body to tap into its fat reserves for fuel instead of simply "burning off" the most recent snack or meal.

Plus, working out early could mean you get more sunlight, which is key to properly setting your body's internal circadian rhythm. In one study, people who basked in bright sunlight within two hours after waking were thinner and better able to manage their weight than those who didn't get any natural light, regardless of what they ate throughout the day.