After Bridgerton and Can This Love Be Translated?, Netflix is betting the Carley Fortune novel This Summer Will Be Different may be its next popular romance TV series adaptation to be stretched for lingering looks and steamy passion between lovers over many seasons.
Netlflix in Canada has given a 10-episode series order to Sphere Media, which earlier worked with the streaming giant on the popular limited series thriller, Wayward. The Canadian mystery thriller from Mae Martin made it to Netflix’s global top 10 table and reached number one in 35 countries.
The novel adaptation is billed as a “simmering, sun-soaked romance set across multiple summers on Prince Edward Island about Lucy, a young woman navigating her 20s and her first real love with her best friend’s brother, the one person she was never supposed to fall for,” according to a logline from the producers.
The novel itself has Lucy each summer vacationing at a beach house on Prince Edward Island, on Canada’s east coast, only to fall for Felix each visit. There’s no word on casting, but This Summer Will Be Different will be shot on Prince Edward Island – which provided the tranquil backdrop for the classic Anne of Green Gables novels by Lucy Maud Montgomery adapted by Disney — and in Toronto.
“I fell in love with Prince Edward Island first in the pages of L.M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables and again when I visited with my best friend in my early twenties. That vacation, the beauty of the island, the warmth of its people, and the friendships that sustain us—are the foundation of This Summer Will Be Different. I’m thrilled to bring this sweeping love story to the screen with Netflix and to transport audiences to the glittering shores and windswept beaches of PEI,” novelist Fortune said in a statement.
The creator and showrunner credits on the series are shared by Dane Clark and Linsey Stewart, who will also executive produce alongside Fortune, Jennifer Kawaja and Elise Cousineau.
“When Carley first entrusted us with her captivating book, we knew we had to find the right team to deliver to her passionate fanbase. Developing this project with Dane, Linsey and Sphere has been a dream and we couldn’t have found better partners to bring this love letter to both Toronto and Prince Edward Island to the screen,” Danielle Woodrow and Tara Woodbury, directors of content – Canada at Netflix, said in their own statement.
This Summer Will Be Different joins a Canadian slate at Netflix that includes North of North, now in its second season, Wayward, Who Killed the Montreal Expos?, an untitled Newfoundland Project and The Granville Girls.
The series will stream globally. Dates for production and the series release have yet to be announced.
LeBron James erupts for 30 points on 13-for-14 shooting in a win over Houston.
The NBA Mailbag is open with NBA legend and NBC analyst Jamal Crawford here to answer your questions before Sunday Night Basketball matchups on NBC/Peacock. This week, the Timberwolves travel to Boston for a cross-conference clash against Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and the Celtics. (8 ET, NBC/Peacock).
I’m a big fan of LeBron James. Can you tell me what it was like playing against one of the GOATs in his prime?– from Hminga in Mizoram, India
Man, it was unbelievable. I remember one time, I think it was his third year, he stole the ball from me at The Garden and I thought it was a guard with how fast he was. I looked up and it was him. I don’t think he dribbled more than once or twice, and he seemed to dunk it from the free throw line. So it was incredible to witness his game, his smarts, and the greatness he was chasing from day one. Day 0, really. He was just different. But what was most impressive was his mind from the start. He thought like a Hall of Fame-level player, even as a rookie.
What makes Derrick White so unique? Trying to understand after Kenny Attkinson called him a Top 5 player in the league. – from Dominic in Cleveland, OH
Most players play their style and have a specialty. You know what they bring to the team, whether it be shooting or defending or whatever. Derrick White is almost like a transformer. He can adjust to any situation you put him in. That’s rare in basketball, and it’s what makes him special.
Who do you think will step up for the Wolves with Ant sidelined?– from Stacy in Duluth, MN
It will need to be a collective effort. Julius Randle is used to being a No. 1 option, so he knows how to pace himself and place himself in the right positions. But I also think Jaden McDaniels will put his ultra-scoring hat on. He can supplement some points and make up for the loss of Ant.
Are there any dark-horse teams you think might surprise in the playoffs?– from Brett on Facebook
I’m not sure they’re a dark horse since they’re the No. 2 seed, but the Spurs can go further than a lot of people think. People assume that because they’re young, they have a ceiling for how far they can go in this first run. But I think they can go all the way.
If you had to score on Wemby, what’s your go-to move? – from Lachlan in Hamilton, Ontario
If he switched onto me, I would back up first because I want to get as much space as possible. Then I’m going to do a couple of dribble moves to see which one he goes for. But the unique thing about him is, even if he kind of goes for it and you lose him, he can recover really fast. And even if he doesn’t block your shot, he’ll make you adjust it. So I would do some dribble moves, make him dance a little bit, and then pull from deep. Like really, really, really deep.
Early in your career, you suffered a devastating injury, yet you recovered and had a memorable NBA career. How does it feel watching guys like Jayson Tatum and Kevin Durant recover from their injuries and still look almost as good as before? – from Arlette in The Netherlands
For me, I didn’t establish myself until my third or fourth year in the league, and that was after I had my ACL tear. So all the highlights you see, you wouldn’t think those were after an ACL injury, which is really cool. It’s similar to those guys. Tatum came back quickly and looks great in his first few games. Kevin Durant has made the Achilles injury look like an ankle sprain in the way he’s come back. So, yeah, really, really happy for them, and Dejounte Murray as well. Really happy for all the players dealing with injuries and coming back.
Is Jalen Johnson ready to be “that guy” for the Hawks? How far can he take them?– from Hudson in Vancouver, WA
He’s absolutely learning to be that guy. But I’m not sure how far he can take them yet. He has to become more comfortable being that guy, and that’s a process in itself, right? You start to learn what works for you, what you can be consistent with, and then you figure out how to bring your teammates along for the ride. He’s going through the process of being that guy before he becomes him.
What’s wrong with the Rockets right now?– from Jay in Texas
It’s the part of the season where Kevin Durant starts seeing more intense defenses. Not that he doesn’t see them all season, but now it’s winning time. Some teams are fighting for playoff positioning. Some teams are fighting just to be in the playoffs, period. So they have to get more movement and more help. When you get more movement, you bring others into the game. And when you bring others into the game, it makes KD’s job easier, and he can be even better because he’s not seeing the same defensive attention.
What’s your biggest takeaway from Bam’s 83-point game?– from Enrique in Fort Lauderdale, FL
That it’s possible. I didn’t even think it was possible to be honest with you after seeing Kobe score 81, because we know what Kobe brought to the game. We know how committed and focused he was every single day, not just on game days. So for Kobe to score 81, that was unimaginable. Like, oh my gosh. And now Bam hits 83, so we know it can be done. Everything just has to line up right.
Do NBA teams practice a lot during this part of the season, or do they get more rest due to the long season? – from Jeremy in New Mexico
This is the “get what you need” part of the season. So it’s not full practices, more walkthroughs. Then you focus on your individual needs. If you need extra shots, you get extra shots. Need weight room time? Go lift. If you need table time, which means massage therapy, leg flushes, whatever it might be, then you get that. During practices, it’s more about being present mentally than physically.
What was going through your mind during your 51-point game at age 39?– from Lilian in Westchester, NY
Just to get 25. I think at the time, Dirk, Kobe, Kareem, and I would have been the only ones to get three straight 25-point games at that point in their career. I had 25 going into the 4th quarter, so I was like, “Oh, I get to just hoop now. I have the number I want to be in the record books.” Then I got lost in the game. During pregame, I could not miss. Even during the morning shootaround, I couldn’t miss. And usually when I shoot like that, I don’t have a good shooting night. But I could not miss all day, and it carried through the night. And shout out to Dirk, who gave me a shout-out in his speech on the court after the game because it was his last home game.
Who are your Top 5 All-Time 3-Level Scorers? Excluding yourself, of course, although highly worthy of candidacy.– from Tre in Sherwood, AR
Kobe Bryant
Kevin Durant
Michael Jordan (I know the myth is he didn’t shoot threes, but it seemed like when he shot them, he made them)
Kyrie Irving
Carmelo Anthony / Tracy McGrady
When you got to the league, what on-court etiquette did you have to pick up on that set the NBA apart from the rest? – from SJ in New York, NY
That being on time means being early. If practice was at 10, I would walk in at 9.30 and be like, “ Okay, everybody’s already here. This feels weird.” You feel like the kid who came late to class. So I started getting there 90 minutes early and would try to be one of the first people in the building. You felt more comfortable and didn’t have to rush anything. You could get your table work or whatever, and then get to the court and actually see people arrive, versus being the one everybody sees come in.
Over the last two years, there’s been a greater emphasis on offensive rebounding at both the college and NBA levels. Can you talk a little bit about how new trends like this get communicated from coaches to players, and any new trends you remember emerging while you played?– from Bennett in Cincinnati, OH
The biggest trend that emerged during my career was probably the rise in 3-point shooting, and that’s tied to the rise in teams crashing the glass. It’s a point of emphasis because if you crash the glass and get that rebound, it leads to open 3s, which is the best shot.
I remember one time DeAndre Jordan grabbed an offensive rebound, threw it out to me wide open, and I didn’t shoot it. Doc Rivers went off on me. I was brought up in the era where you don’t shoot that shot when nobody’s touched it and there’s 22 seconds left on the clock. But he was like, “No, that’s the best 3 because everybody’s in the paint. You crash and throw it out. That’s the one we want.”
How did you mentally stay ‘hot’ while sitting on the bench for the first 8–10 minutes of a game? What were you looking for in the opposing defense during those minutes?– from Joe in Minnesota
I mentally put myself in the game before I was actually in the game. If I saw that player X was playing really high on the pick-and-rolls, then I knew I would have to pass if I got him in pick-and-roll coverage. So I would call somebody else up in pick-and-roll that was in drop coverage, which allowed me to get a nice, easy mid-range. Now I see the ball go in and I’m in a rhythm. I only need one basket to feel like I’m hot. So, for me, I was watching how different guys played different sets, different actions, and then I would make my adjustments before I actually went into the game.
And I stretched. I stayed younger by stretching while I was on the bench.
What was the toughest arena to play in?– from Kyrin in West Virginia
I would say two. Utah, because the fans felt like they were right on top of you. And The Garden, when I wasn’t playing for the Knicks. Like, yes, it’s my favorite arena. But it was so much pressure. You see all your favorite celebrities sitting right there. And so at times, if you didn’t lock in, that was tough. So The Garden was my favorite place to play and also the hardest in some ways because you’re seeing Jay-Z, Spike, Samuel Jackson, Denzel, all these people right there watching. That’s a different type of pressure.
Who’s your pick for Sixth Man of the Year this season?– from Mik on Facebook
My pick would have been Payton Pritchard, but he’s starting so many games now that he’s disqualified. I’m not sure who it’s going to be.
Who’s your Mount Rushmore of Seattle area hoopers?– from Andas in California
I’m going to carve some extra people into Mount Rainier:
What team was your favorite to be on, strictly from a food standpoint, and why was it Atlanta?– from Charlie in Atlanta, GA
Haha, I had all of the southern dishes, for sure. But I’ve been blessed to be in some great cities, and they all have different cultures and cuisines. For Atlanta, we know about the southern dishes. When I was in San Francisco, I had a lot of sushi and fresh food, fresh fish. L.A. and New York have some of everything. Chicago has deep-dish pizza. I’ve been everywhere and it’s been really cool.
How does it feel to be a coach of one of the best high school teams right now, especially with your son on it?– from Jack in Toronto, Canada
Oh, it’s an unreal feeling. I’ve coached my son since 6th grade, but to see him at the high school where I played is unreal. And then having the best high school player in the world, Tyran Stokes, and all the great players, Micah Ili-Meneese and Kam Babbs, and all these guys is really, really, really cool. I’ve absolutely been bitten by the coaching bug. I think the next step for me is being a head coach in high school, and I could absolutely see that in my future, for sure.
Tyran Stokes (left) and JJ Crawford during a game with Rainier Beach High School this season.
Would you say your basketball skills were developed more by playing freely as a child/teen with your friends, or in structured, coach-led environments?– from Oscar in Germany
The first one. Playing with my friends helped me with discovery. I can do all the drills in the world, but eventually you’re going to have to play against people and use those moves to see if they work. I cut the fat of doing all the training and went right to letting my mind be open. Let me see what works and what doesn’t. That helped me develop my style and flow for the game.
It’s crazy to see some of the things I was criticized for coming up are now things trainers teach. Like the skip players do when they’re coming down the floor, double behind-the-back moves into a pick-and-roll, hang-dribble combinations. Even the footwork into different pickup points for layups, all those different things. It’s funny how things develop.
What is most important for improving ball control and changes of pace?– from Pedro in Coyhaique, Chile
Being comfortable with pressure. If you do anything the same, it’s easy for the defense to pick up on it. So if you’re just running the same speed all the time, it’s easy for a good defender to pick that up. When I’m teaching my kids about pace, I like to do this drill. We’ll stand right next to each other and just walk in a straight line, but they have to keep up with me. So we’ll walk four steps, then I’ll stop on a dime, and they’ll still be going. Then I’ll go again when they stop. And I’m not in any rush, I’m just showing them how to dictate and change their pace, direction, and rhythm.
Eleven in a row for Atlanta – and everything is falling.
Ten straight for OKC – and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is thriving.
Seven straight for the Lakers – and LeBron James is still flying.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Sizzling Streaks: Hawks soar, Thunder rumble, Luka & LeBron lift Lakers late – again
Playoff Pushing: Jaylen & Jayson ignite the C’s, Raptors & Wolves erupt for big dubs
Roundup: Grizz top Nuggets, Pels rally past Clips, Blazers climb to 9th in West race
Tonight On NBA TV: Hornets & Magic meet in Charlotte on Dell Curry Night
League Pass Spotlight: Wemby still hungry as Spurs seek 20th win in 22 games, hosting Suns
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Eight games tip off tonight, starting with the Hornets hosting the Magic on NBA TV, with Dell Curry’s No. 30 jersey heading to the rafters (7 ET | Tap to Watch).
The WNBA & WNBPA have aligned on key elements of a new CBA, reaching an agreement in principle, the league announced Wednesday.
College Hoopers To Watch: The Men’s NCAA Tournament Round of 64 begins today. See some key NBA prospects to watch, according to The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.
1. STREAKING: HAWKS & THUNDER ROLL, LUKA & LEBRON SHINE FOR LAKERS
The league’s longest-active win streak is up to 11.
Hawks 135, Mavericks 120: CJ McCollum (24 pts, 7 ast) and Nickeil Alexander‑Walker (22 pts) led seven Hawks in double figures as Atlanta never trailed, beating Daniel Gafford (24 pts, 9-10 FG) and the Mavs for its 11th straight win. | Recap
Pass Is Cash: Jonathan Kuminga’s attempted full-court pass to Jock Landale somehow went in from 74.7 feet, becoming the 6th-longest make since play-by-play data was first tracked in 1997-98
Hotlanta: ATL’s 11-game win streak is its longest since 2014-15, and just its third 10+ game win streak this century
The climbing Hawks now have the same record as the 7th-place Heat (38-31), who lead their season series 2-1. The two sides’ final meeting is set for the last day of the regular season
The league-leading Thunder are up to 10 straight wins themselves.
Thunder 121, Nets 92: Jared McCain’s season-high 26 points and five 3s led OKC to a wire-to-wire win as the Thunder’s top-rated defense (106.3) held the Nets to 11 points in the 1st quarter and a league season-low 24 in the 1st half. | Recap
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander recorded 20 points and 6 assists without playing in the 4th, extending his record 20-point streak to 130 straight games
Best Bench Performance: McCain is the first OKC player this season to tally 25+ points and 5+ 3s off the bench
Ten, Ten Again: The Thunder are the only team this season with two separate 10-game win streaks, with a league-high four such streaks over the last two seasons
Race To The Top: OKC is now 3.5 games up on the Spurs for 1st in the West
A perfect half from the King, more late magic from Luka Dončić and another Lakers dub.
Lakers 124, Rockets 116: LeBron James (30 pts, 13-14 FG, 5 reb) put on a show in the 1st half, throwing down a slew of vintage jams while going 8-of-8 from the floor for 18 points and a 67-55 Lakers lead.
But the Rockets responded, as Alperen Sengun (27 pts, 10 ast), Amen Thompson (26 pts, 11 reb) and Kevin Durant (18 pts, 6 reb) sparked a 37-22 3rd quarter to go up three entering the 4th.
Then, Luka.
With the game tied at 105, Dončić scored or assisted on the Lakers’ next 17 points, including back-to-back lobs to Rui Hachimura and James, before nailing a step-back dagger 3 with 58 ticks left – earning one “Bang!” from Mike Breen and seven straight wins for L.A. | Recap
Pure Luka: Dončić finished with 40 points, 9 boards and 10 dimes, while splashing seven 3s, marking his seventh straight 30+ point game
Pure Lakers: That included 10 points and 3 assists in the 4th, where Los Angeles outscored Houston 35-24, improving to an NBA-best 20-6 in clutch games
“He’s been doing it all year for us,” said James of Luka in the clutch. “He closed them out with big shots, big-time step-back 3 on that left wing. Big time.”
Big-Time Company: It’s Luka’s third game of 40+ pts, 10+ ast and 5+ 3s with the Lakers, passing Kobe Bryant (two) for the most in franchise history
Unmatched Magic: Amid the win streak, Dončić is averaging 38.1 pts and 8 ast – numbers no Laker has ever matched in a seven-game span in a single season
Lefficiency: James also made history, becoming the oldest player (41yr, 78d) to record 30+ pts on at least 90% shooting in a regular season game. And he’s still doing this
Celtics 120, Warriors 99: Jaylen Brown was in full control (32 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast), while Jayson Tatum notched his fifth straight 20-piece (24 pts, 10 reb, 5 3s), leading the Celtics past the Steph Curry-less Warriors for a third straight win. | Recap
Full Strength, Full Stride: Boston is an East-best 26-11 since Jan. 1 and 5-1 with Tatum in the lineup
Raptors 139, Bulls 109: RJ Barrett scored a game-high 23 points, while Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram and Ja’Kobe Walter added 18 apiece, as Toronto took a 72-45 halftime lead and never looked back for a third straight dub. | Recap Wolves 147, Jazz 111: Brice Sensabaugh went off for Utah (41 pts, 17-31 FG), but Minnesota was too strong top to bottom, with Ayo Dosunmu (23 pts, 9 reb, 6 ast, 3 stl) leading five Wolves with 17+ points for their second win in two nights, despite being without Anthony Edwards. | Recap
Howling: Julius Randle (8 ast, 4 stl) and Rudy Gobert (12 reb, 2 blk) added 21 points apiece as 12 Wolves scored, finishing 2 points shy of their season-high (149)
3. ROUNDUP: GRIZZ STOP NUGGETS, PELS RALLY, BLAZERS MOVE TO 9TH
Grizzlies 125, Nuggets 118: Nikola Jokić stuffed the stat sheet (29 pts, 14 reb, 9 ast, 3 blk), but Memphis forced him into 10 turnovers while splashing 16 treys, using six double-digit scorers to stave off Denver. | Recap
Skid Snapped: Ty Jerome led Memphis (21 pts, 9 reb, 9 ast) while its bench outscored Denver 43-18, halting an eight-game slide
Pelicans 124, Clippers 109: Down 18 in the 1st quarter, NOLA tied the game by half amid a 76-47 run through the 3rd to turn the tables, as Saddiq Bey (25 pts, 5 reb, 5 3s), Trey Murphy III (23 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl) and the Pels overpowered Kawhi Leonard (25 pts, 8 reb) and the Clips. | Recap
Blazers 127, Pacers 119: Deni Avdija was operating (32 pts, 11 reb, 5 ast), while Donovan Clingan owned the interior (28 pts, 13 reb, 2 blk) as Portland won, jumping Golden State for 9th in the West. | Recap
4. ON NBA TV: HORNETS HOST MAGIC ON DELL CURRY NIGHT
Break out your throwbacks.
Charlotte’s Spectrum Center will have some 90s energy tonight, with the Hornets and Magic dueling (7 ET, NBA TV) – in uniforms that honor classic NBA looks – and Dell Curry’s purple-and-teal striped No. 30 being raised to the rafters at halftime.
Ahead of Dell’s jersey retirement night, Nick Friedell covered The Athletic’s recent conversation with Steph and his dad, in which Steph was asked for his favorite moment from Dell’s career:
“Was it ‘93? When y’all played Boston in the first round and you threw the inbound pass to Alonzo [Mourning] for the buzzer beater,” Steph answered.
“I just remember being in the arena and the whole buzz around – pun intended – for the Hornets in Charlotte, and just what that team meant.” | Read More
That buzz is back today thanks to the team with the East’s best record (19-6) since Jan. 22.
Kon, LaMelo, Miller: Charlotte’s trio of sharpshooting guards has lifted the Hornets’ attack to the top OffRtg (120) in 2026
Splash Duo: Kon Knueppel leads the league in total 3s (238) and LaMelo Ball is 3rd (210) as they look to join Steph & Klay Thompson as the only pairs of teammates to finish top-2 in made 3s in a season
Together, Ball (1st), Knueppel (3rd) and Brandon Miller (4th) rank in the top-4 in total 3s since Jan. 1
The Hornets have won three of four after dropping two straight following a 16-3 stretch.
Orlando is looking for a similar turnaround amid a two-game slide after seven straight wins.
The Magic hold 6th place in the East by a half-game, strengthened by the league’s 6th-best DefRtg (109.4) since All-Star Weekend
Key Matchup: Having missed this season’s previous three matchups with Charlotte (1-2), Jalen Suggs will look to slow Ball and Co.
Key Stopper: Since the All-Star break, Suggs has held his opponents to 46.2% shooting
5. LEAGUE PASS SPOTLIGHT: WEMBY SEEKING MORE AS SPURS HOST SUNS
The Playoffs have yet to begin, but the Spurs have already taken a leap.
They’ve won 51 games, more than double their total from 2023-24. They sit 2nd in the West and are just 3.5 games back of OKC.
Victor Wembanyama still isn’t satisfied.
“It’s growth, but it’s still not enough,” said the two-time All-Star after his team’s 50th victory.
Tonight (8 ET, League Pass), the Spurs host the Suns, hoping to extend their run. A 20th win in San Antonio’s last 22 games is on the line.
Riding High: San Antonio is 19-2 since Feb. 1, its best 21-game stretch since 2015-16. That season ended with a 67-15 record and a trip to the West Semifinals
Road Ahead: With 13 games left in the regular season, the squad has an opportunity to reach 60 wins for the first time since 2016-17
Powered by Wemby’s league-high 3 blocks per game, the Spurs’ defense ranks 3rd with a 110.5 rating. It will be challenged by one of the toughest tasks in the league — stopping Devin Booker.
Booker Cooking: The 11th-year guard has averaged 33.9 points over his last four games, including a pair of 40-pieces
Burning Bright: Booker is on pace to average 25+ ppg for an 8th straight season. Only two players have longer such active streaks: Giannis Antetokounmpo (8) and Kevin Durant (16)
Who Draws Book Tonight? It could be Stephon Castle. Having faced Booker twice in 2025-26, he’s limited the five-time All-Star to 2-of-9 shooting and forced two turnovers
Production Holds: Booker’s still been sharp in Phoenix’s three games vs. San Antonio this year, posting 19 pts and 6.7 ast while shooting 40% from 3
Done It Before: That’s led to a 2-1 record, making the Suns one of four teams to beat the Spurs multiple times this season
Also On League Pass: The streaking Lakers visiting the Heat (8 ET), while the East-best Pistons face the Wizards (7 ET) and more:
Bitcoin fell about 4%–5% even as U.S. spot ETFs recorded over $1.1 billion in inflows across seven days.
Rising oil prices and sticky inflation have pushed traders to scale back expectations for rate cuts.
Key support around $70,000 is now in focus as macro conditions continue to drive short-term moves.
Bitcoin continues to struggle to maintain a foothold at elevated prices even as institutional investors continue pouring money into the asset, hinting at a growing disconnect between short-term macro pressures and longer-term demand.
U.S.-listed spot Bitcoin ETFs recorded roughly $1.16 billion in inflows over seven consecutive sessions through Tuesday.
Wednesday saw its first daily outflow of around $129 million, according to CoinGlass data, as prices declined about 4% following a shift in interest-rate expectations.
It’s worth noting that ETF flow data is reported after the market’s daily close and doesn’t capture intraday positioning.
Still, the trend over seven consecutive days confirms institutional conviction remains “firm beneath the surface,” Rachael Lucas, a crypto analyst at BTC Markets, told Decrypt in an emailed statement.
“What distinguishes this pullback from prior corrections is the continued flow of institutional money into U.S.-listed Bitcoin ETFs,” Lucas said. “That sustained demand points to a maturing investor base treating Bitcoin as a longer-term portfolio allocation rather than a purely speculative trade.”
The world’s largest crypto was down 4.2% to $71,235 late Wednesday after topping out near $75,600 earlier in the week, CoinGecko data shows. It remains up about 3.5% over the past month.
The pullback came as traders reassessed the outlook for monetary policy.
The Federal Reserve held its benchmark rate at 3.5% to 3.75% while signalling inflation would remain elevated, lifting its 2026 forecast to around 2.7%.
Chair Jerome Powell said policymakers expect “some progress” on inflation, though “not as much as we had hoped,” reinforcing a higher-for-longer stance.
Markets were already on edge in the lead-up to the decision from the Federal Open Markets Committee. A hotter-than-expected producer price index reading and a surge in oil prices have complicated the outlook for rate cuts.
Brent crude futures rose above $110 a barrel late Wednesday amid escalating attacks on Middle Eastern energy infrastructure, including Iranian strikes on a Qatari facility tied to global liquefied natural gas exports.
The combination has led traders to scale back expectations for near-term easing, weighing on both equities and crypto alike. The S&P 500 fell 1.36% on Wednesday, while the Nasdaq dropped 1.46%.
Key support for Bitcoin around $70,000 is now in focus with further downside risk if incoming data, including jobless claims and manufacturing surveys, reinforces inflation concerns.
Thursday’s readings are forecast by economists to show a modest rise in jobless claims from 213,000 to 215,000, while the Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index is expected to ease to 8.4 from 16.3, signalling slower but still positive regional factory activity.
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Attackers used fake GitHub accounts to tag developers, claiming they had won $5,000 in $CLAW tokens and directing them to a cloned OpenClaw site.
OX Security said the phishing page used heavily obfuscated JavaScript and a separate C2 server to drain connected wallets and hide activity.
The accounts were created last week and deleted within hours of launch, with no confirmed victims so far.
OpenClaw’s viral rise has drawn an ugly new side effect: crypto scammers are now using the AI agent project’s name to target developers in a phishing campaign aimed at draining their wallets.
Security platform OX Security published a report on Wednesday detailing an active phishing campaign targeting OpenClaw in which threat actors create fake GitHub accounts, open issue threads in attacker-controlled repositories, and tag dozens of developers.
The scammer posts GitHub issues telling developers, “Appreciate your contributions on GitHub. We analyzed profiles and chose developers to get OpenClaw allocation,” and claims they have won $5,000 worth of $CLAW tokens, directing them to a fake website that closely resembles openclaw.ai. The site includes an added “Connect your wallet” button designed to trigger wallet theft.
OX Security research team lead and a co-author of the report, Moshe Siman Tov Bustan, told Decrypt they uncovered evidence the scam attempt bears resemblance to a campaign that “spread on GitHub, relating to Solana.”
“[We’re still] analyzing the behavior and the relation of these campaigns,” Bustan added.
The phishing campaign surfaced weeks after OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger would lead its push into personal AI agents, with OpenClaw transitioning to a foundation-run open-source project.
That mainstream profile and the framework’s association with one of the most prominent names in AI make its developer community an increasingly attractive target.
OX Security said it had previously assessed the attackers may be using GitHub’s star feature to identify users who have starred OpenClaw-related repositories, making the lure appear more targeted and credible.
The platform’s analysis found the wallet-stealing code buried inside a heavily obfuscated JavaScript file called “eleven.js.”
“According to who that was targeted and the user’s reports on GitHub,” the campaign targeted only users who “starred the OpenClaw GitHub repository,” Bustan said. “During our analysis, we found only one address belonging to the threat actor, which hadn’t sent or received any funds yet.”
After deobfuscating the malware, researchers identified a built-in “nuke” function that wipes all wallet-stealing data from the browser’s local storage to frustrate forensic analysis.
The malware tracks user actions via commands such as PromptTx, Approved, and Declined, relaying encoded data, including wallet addresses, transaction values, and names, back to a C2 server.
Researchers identified one crypto wallet address they believe belongs to the threat actor, 0x6981E9EA7023a8407E4B08ad97f186A5CBDaFCf5, used to receive stolen funds.
The accounts were created last week and deleted within hours of launch, with no confirmed victims so far, according to OX Security.
Decrypt has reached out to Peter Steinberger for comment.
OpenClaw’s crypto magnet problem
OpenClaw, a self-hosted AI agent framework that lets users run persistent bots connected to messaging apps, email, calendars, and shell commands, hit 323,000 GitHub stars following its acquisition by OpenAI last month.
That visibility quickly attracted bad actors, with OpenClaw creator Peter Steinberger saying crypto spam flooded OpenClaw’s Discord almost “every half hour,” forcing bans and ultimately a blanket prohibition after what he described to Decrypt as “nonstop coin promotion.”
Unlike chat-based AI tools, OpenClaw agents persist, wake on a schedule, store memory locally, and execute multi-step tasks autonomously.
OX Security recommends blocking token-claw[.]xyz and watery-compost[.]today across all environments, avoiding connecting crypto wallets to newly surfaced or unverified sites, and treating any GitHub issue promoting token giveaways or airdrops as suspicious, particularly from unknown accounts.
Users who recently connected a wallet should revoke approvals immediately, the platform warned.
Editor’s note: Adds comment from OX Security’s Bustan
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Sipur (“Bad Boy”), Fox Entertainment Studios and Bitachon365, a Fulwell Entertainment company (“The Kardashians”) are set to co-produce “Blood Brothers,” a new feature documentary from Emmy-winning filmmaker Yariv Mozer, the director of the Oct. 7 Nova music festival doc “We Will Dance Again.”
Described as a gripping documentary, “Blood Brothers” tells the extraordinary story of Iranian judoka Saeid Mollaei and Israeli rival Sagi Muki – both Olympic medalists and world champions — whose relationship unfolds against what the filmmakers describe as a climactic chapter of a 47-year war between their nations.
Mollaei made global headlines after defying pressure from Iranian authorities to avoid competing against Israeli athletes, an act punishable by death under the regime of Iran’s Supreme Ayatollahs, ultimately risking everything to face Muki on the world stage..
The project was developed by Mozer and executive produced by Steve Stark (“The Handmaid’s Tale,” “Wednesday”), alongside commissioning Israeli broadcaster Reshet 13.
“‘Blood Brothers’ originated from an extraordinary friendship between two courageous athletes who dared to break through walls of fear, ideology and hatred in a reality where regimes and borders try to dictate who is an enemy and who is a friend,” said Sipur Studios CEO Emilio Schenker. “Especially now, as tensions between Israel, the U.S. and Iran reach a peak, the friendship between Saeid and Sagi reminds us of the power of an individual to stand bravely against a regime, even at the risk of his life, and his power to create light and hope amid chaos.”
Mollaei said, “My birthplace, my personal story, the history of my country and the education I received all seemed to dictate a different destiny. I was expected to follow a certain path. Yet I chose to step out of line, because above all I am an athlete, a free man guided by deep human values, a man who could not accept a road imposed upon him.”
“In judo we say that friendship is the purest of human feelings. Beyond sporting rivalry, Sagi and I are building something that many once believed impossible and that is more important than ever now amid what is currently happening,” Mollaei continued.
Muki added, “We have formed a bond of true brotherhood — we value each other first as human beings, and only then as world champions. Today, as we lecture together on global stages, I am proud that ‘Blood Brothers’ will share our message of unity and acceptance.”
“In a time of war,” Muki said, “our story shows that sports can bridge divides between communities and nations, and that the ultimate victory is not a medal, but the choice to embrace brotherhood and humanity.”
“Blood Brothers” marks the latest collaboration between Sipur, Mozer and Stark, whose documentary work also includes “The Devil’s Confession: The Lost Eichmann Tapes.” The studio recently entered a first-look deal with Mozer for documentaries and his first scripted project.
Taylor Swift will make an in-person appearance on the 2026 iHeartRadio Music Awards program, iHeartMedia and host network Fox announced Wednesday.
Although she will not be taking part in a performing capacity, any live participation by the world’s biggest music star is a noteworthy catch for the broadcast, given that Swift has been laying low on public appearances since promoting a pair of Disney+ specials in early December. (She didn’t turn up at this year’s Grammys, although she had no official reason to, since her latest work post-dated that show’s eligibility period.)
The awards show will be broadcast on Fox from the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood March 26 , airing live 8-10 p.m. ET, and running tape-delayed in the same time slot on the west coast. It’ll also go out live on iHeartRadio stations and on the iHeartRadio app.
At the iHeartRadio Music Awards, Swift has a leading nine nominations, mostly for her “The Fate of Ophelia” single but also her “The Eras Tour | The End of an Era” streaming special. These include artist of the year, song of the year, pop song of the year, favorite TikTok dance, best lyrics, best music video, favorite on screen and favorite tour style.
Any participation by Swift in an awards program falls into the perennial “they need her more than she needs them” category. Nonetheless, Swift does have a topical reason to partner with iHeart at the moment: the fresh release of “Elizabeth Taylor” as the third single from her smash “The Life of a Showgirl” album. The song went out for radio adds earlier this month and made its debut on Billboard’s pop airplay charts this week.
Following the No. 1 success of “Opalite” and “The Fate of Ophelia,” the release of “Elizabeth Taylor” to radio marks the first time Swift has officially released three singles from an album since she did the same with 2022’s “Midnights” project. “Elizabeth Taylor” previously peaked at No. 3 on the Hot 100 the week “Showgirl” came out, based solely on streaming.
As previously announced, Ludacris will host this year’s show as well as receive the 2026 iHeartRadio Landmark Award. Other special honors include Miley Cyrus getting the iHeartRadio Innovator Award, Alex Warren receiving the iHeartRadio Breakthrough Artist of the Year Award, and John Mellencamp picking up theiHeartRadio Icon Award.
Performers announced thus far for the show are Ludacris, Warren, Mellencamp, Lainey Wilson, Raye and the first-time teaming of TLC, Salt-N-Pepa and En Vogue.
Other personalities booked to make an appearance on the show include Olympic skater Alysa Liu, Sombr, Nicole Scherzinger of the newly semi-reformed Pussycat Dolls, Ne-Yo, Nikki Glaser and Weezer.
Executive producers for the show are Jesse Collins, Dionne Harmon and Jeannaé Rouzan-Clay for Jesse Collins Entertainment, John Sykes, Tom Poleman and Bart Peters for iHeartMedia, and Fox Entertainment Studios.
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — On shelves crammed with cuddly toy native animals in an Australian airport gift shop, one fluffy possum stood out: Its big brown eyes were moving.
A browsing passenger first spotted a living Australian brushtail possum peering out from among the kangaroos on the display shelf at the departure terminal shop at Hobart Airport in Tasmania state on Wednesday, an airport retail manager Liam Bloomfield said on Thursday.
Above the possum were bilbies, marsupials with rabbit-like long ears, and dingoes, Australia’s native dog. Beside the possum in the kangaroo section were Tasmanian devils, a growling carnivore that inspired the feisty Warner Bros. cartoon character Taz.
Alberto Mazza/robertharding via Getty Images
“A passenger reported it to …. one of the staff members on shift who couldn’t quite believe what she was hearing,” Bloomfield said. “She then called the (airport) management and said we’ve got a possum in the store.”
A staff member took a video of the possum with her phone before the animal grew wary of the growing attention and left the shop.
Airport staff were able to remove the possum from the airport unharmed.
Bloomfield didn’t know what attracted the possum to the toy shelf.
“I’m imaging it saw some of the plush animals that were for sale on the shelf and it decided to make its home with those. It wanted to blend in,” Bloomfield joked.
How the possum got into the store and how long it spent there are also unknown.
It was unlikely to have been placed there as a prank. Someone would have had to put the possum through X-ray screening to get it into the secure departure terminal area.
UK’s Ofcom has fined 4chan a total of £520,000 ($690,000) over the website’s failure to comply with the rules of Online Safety Act 2023. The biggest chunk of the amount came from 4chan’s failure to ensure children cannot encounter pornographic content on its website by implementing an effective age check mechanism. For that violation, the website has received a penalty of £450,000 ($598,000) and an order to apply an age check system by April 2. It carries a daily rate penalty of £500 ($664) until the website is compliant or until June 1, whichever comes sooner.
Ofcom also found that 4chan has failed to carry out sufficient illegal content risk assessment on its website and has fined it £50,000 ($66,400) for that violation. 4chan has until April 2 to conduct a risk assessment, or it has to pay an additional £200 ($266) per day. Finally, the regulator has determined that 4chan failed to include provisions in its terms of service that specify how it protects users from illegal content. That carries a fine of £20,000 ($26,600), with a daily rate penalty of £100 ($133) a day from its compliance deadline of April 2 to June 1.
The regulator started investigating 4chan, famous for its anonymous and unmoderated messaging boards, in June 2025 to determine if it was failing to meet its obligations under the law. In October, Ofcom announced its decision for some of the investigations it opened. It slapped 4chan with a £20,000 ($26,700) fine for ignoring its requests for a copy of the website’s illegal harms risk assessment and to provide information about its qualifying worldwide revenue. The regulator has confirmed to Engadget that 4chan has yet to pay that previous fine, which also earned cumulative daily punishment fees for 60 days.
The US Federal Reserve (FED), in its March FOMC meeting, kept interest rates unchanged, in line with expectations, at 3.50-3.75 percent.
The decision was made with an 11-1 vote, with Stephen Miran opposing it with a proposal for a quarter-point reduction.
In his oral statements, FED Chairman Jerome Powell mentioned the possibility of raising interest rates due to the increasing risk of inflation after a long period, and stated that he plans to cut interest rates once each in 2026 and 2027.
Powell stressed that a decline in inflation, particularly goods inflation driven by tariffs, is necessary before interest rate cuts can resume. “If we don’t see that progress, there will be no interest rate cuts,” he said.
Following these statements, US giants Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley revised the expected date for the first interest rate cut.
Accordingly, Morgan Stanley shifted its expectations for interest rate cuts from June and September to September and December.
Goldman Sachs also shifted its interest rate cut forecast from June to September.
The primary reason cited for the revision in the forecasts was the Fed’s increased uncertainty regarding the conflicts in the Middle East.
This marks a significant three-month delay compared to previous June and September forecasts in light of evolving economic events.
