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THE top cities in the WORLD have been announced from far-flung Asia to the ‘city of love’ that has cheap UK flights.

Readers of Conde Nast Traveller voted for their “favourite urban sprawls across the planet” to decide which ones are the best and it might be time to book that bucket list trip to Thailand.

Taking the number one spot on the list is Bangkok which was praised for its “buzzy markets, glittering palaces and captivating religious sites unite – street food sellers dishing up tasty food between them all, of course.”

When Assistant Travel Editor Sophie Swietochowski visited Bangkok she picked up tasty dishes for the equivalent of £1 – you can also pick up beer for as little as £1.14 according to Wise.

She said: “Within an hour of being in Thai capital Bangkok’s Chinatown we have sampled street food including noodle soup splashed with vinegar, fish sauce and sugar; crunchy corn parcels.

“A bowl of salty critters, displayed next to a row of scorpions on sticks; purple mashed potatoes shaped into doughy, salty balls; and traditional sweet luk chup, made with mung beans.”

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She also visited Lebua Hotel’s Sky Bar, which was the filming location from 2011 buddy comedy film The Hangover 2 and it’s home to the “world’s highest open-air whisky bar”, Alfresco 64.

The city coming second on the list is much closer for Brits to visit, it’s Paris.

The French capital is said to have “topped bucket lists of international travellers for centuries thanks to an unrivalled food culture, grand monuments, world-class museums and subtly seductive atmosphere.”

From the UK it’s easy to reach the French capital either on the Eurostar or plane with one-way flights as little as £13.

There’s so much to do in Paris from sight-seeing landmarks like the Eiffel Tower or wandering around the Louvre.

When Travel Reporter Alice Penwill ventured to Paris for an extreme daytrip on the Eurostar she had some suggestions on how to spend time there.

She said: “To start the morning off right, it would be a crime not to pop into one of Paris’ many bakeries, or boulangeries, for a croissant and a coffee.

“Take one to go and stroll along the Seine before heading into the Musée  d’Orsay where you can see work by artists like Monet, Renoir and Van Gogh.

“Afterwards, head back along the Seine to see the beautiful Notre Dame which has now reopened to visitors. And if you’re a fan of books, pop across to the famous bookshop, Shakespeare And Company.”

Turkey’s capital, Istanbul was named the third best city in the world which was called “chaotic in all the best ways.”

The publication said: “Centuries of history sit alongside a vibrant contemporary culture, with new waves of artisans luring travellers into chic boutiques after tours of places like Topkapı Palace, the Blue Mosque and the sweet-scented Grand Bazaar.”

Meanwhile, Deputy Travel Editor Kara Godfrey suggests visiting the Karaköy neighbourhood which is set on Istanbul’s European side.

She described it as a “trendy pocket of an otherwise busy, but beautiful city.”

If you wander into Karaköy’s backstreets and climb towards neighbouring Galata, you’ll find that cobbled lanes and historic buildings lead to the landmark Galata Tower.

Head up for spectacular views across the Golden Horn, Bosphorus and historic peninsula – it’s especially beautiful in the late afternoon.

Valletta in Malta comes in at number five and it’s a popular spot for Brits thanks to its 300 days of annual sunshine.

Even in November it can see highs of 18C – and it’s reachable from the UK in just over three hours and flights are as little as £15.

It was voted last year’s top city thanks to its mix of ancient but also modern feel and architecture.

Other popular winter sun destinations that made the list include Cape Town in South Africa which in January and February has highs of 25C – while the UK shivers in highs of 8C.

There’s also no jet lag because Cape Town is either one or two hours in front of the UK – depending on the time of year.

When Head of Travel (Digital) Caroline McGuire visited, she saw Table Mountain, lots of wildlife, vineyards and was impressed with an area called Kalk Bay.

She said: “At the town’s upmarket Harbour House restaurant, we dined on seafood and good wine for the price of a Pizza Hut meal in the UK — all while watching seals swimming in the harbour. 

“Our accommodation was the charming Chartfield Guesthouse, staying in a huge two-bedroom apartment. It was bigger than my house back home, and cost only £94 a night. 

“Kalk Bay is a prime spot for visiting the endangered African penguins of neighbouring Simonstown – there must have been around 100 on the town’s shoreline.”

These are the top 20 cities according to Conde Nast Traveller…

1. Bangkok, Thailand – score 97.68
2. Paris, France – score 97.14
3. Istanbul, Turkey – score 96.67
4. Rome, Italy – score 95.96
5. Valletta, Malta – score 95.76
6. Shanghai, China – score 95.19
7. Tokyo, Japan- score 94.76
8. Seoul, South Korea – score 93.76
9. Sydney, Australia – score 92.72
10. Amsterdam, Netherlands – score 92.44
11. Stockholm, Sweden – score 91.17
12. Vienna, Austria – score 90.97
13. Lisbon, Portugal – score 89.70
14. Hong Kong – score 89.47
15. Cape Town, South Africa – score 88.33
16. Porto, Portugal – score 87.78
17. Madrid, Spain – score 87.70
18. New York, United States – score 86.47
19. Jaipur, India – score 86.22
20. Singapore – score 85.85

Radio personality, jazz singer and former BET host Angela Stribling died on Sunday of cancer.

Stribling “passed away peacefully at home … after a courageous two-year battle with brain cancer,” her husband, Ken Washington, posted to her Instagram account. “Her sister Darlene and I were by her side.”

A native of Buffalo, N.Y., Stribling attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York City and took a position with American Airlines at the Baltimore/Washington International Airport after college. She spent four years as host of BET entertainment news program “Screen Scene” and helped launch BET Jazz, hosting “Jazz Central,” “Jazz Discovery” and “Jazz Scene” for the network, according to a posting about her death by WHUR 96.3 Howard University Radio.

She worked as a reporter for “Evening Magazine” and co-host of “On Time” on Baltimore television and as a news intern at WTTG-TV and at WOL-AM in Washington, D.C., before joining WHUR-FM. That’s where she became the first woman to host “The Original Quiet Storm,” a program of “soulful slow jams and romantic melodies” that recently celebrated 50 years of being on air.

“Pillow Talk,” WHUR’s long-running late-night program hosted by Stribling, centered on relationships, conversation and music.

“Angela Stribling was a remarkable talent, but what made her truly special was the person she was,” WHUR general manager Sean Plater said in the station’s tribute. “Her voice was beautiful, her presence was calming, and her spirit was genuine. She had a way of making people feel welcome and valued, and that gift extended far beyond the radio. Angela was part of the WHUR family, and her loss is deeply felt by all of us. We will remember her not only for the incredible career she built, but for the love, kindness and light she shared with so many people.”

Stribling was also a classically trained jazz vocalist, who performed at New York City venues including the Rainbow Room, the Supper Club and the Soul Cafe. She traveled the world and shared the stage with legendary artists, including Stevie Wonder and Chaka Khan.

“Her sultry voice made her a staple on radio in the D.C. area and on Sirius. She did countless voiceover work, she sang and had parts in movies. I remember her calling me when she got a role in the Eddie Murphy movie ‘Distinguished Gentlemen,’ ” former BET colleague Ed Gordon wrote on Facebook. “She was a sweet soul.”

WHAT makes a city the best in the world? Well, there are lots of factors that go into it, according to Oxford Economics which has just named the top 100.

Looking at subjects like governance and quality of life, it has created the Global Cities Index 2026 and four UK cities have made the cut, with one coming in second place.

It might be a surprise to some, but London was named second best city in the world – only beaten by New York City.

Oxford Economics made their decision on the factors of economics, human capital, quality of life, environment and governance.

Talking about the city, Oxford Economics said: “London remains one of the clearest examples of a truly global city.

“Its influence extends across business, science and technology, education, and the arts, giving it a reach that few other cities can equal.”

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It named its top strengths with its universities, large GDP size and low emissions.

It’s not the first time London has been named one of the world’s best cities – earlier this year it was named THE best city by Tripadvisor.

Almost as many as 80,000 people visit every day to see its historic landmarks like Big Ben, the Tower of London, St. Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge.

Or its more modern ones like the London Eye, The Shard and the Sky Garden.

And if you want some ideas on what to do in the capital for all ages, Sun Travel has some recommendations for you from its attractions to rooftop bars and free things to do.

The next UK city in the top 100 is Edinburgh in Scotland which came 71st on the list.

The historic city has cobbled streets – one of which being the Royal Mile which is considered one of the most beautiful in the world.

Edinburgh also has around 385 pubs, plenty of cafes, independent shops and of course it’s hilltop castle.

Another activity that lots of visitors embark on during a trip to Edinburgh is the hike up to Arthur’s Seat.

The extinct volcano is the highest peak in Holyrood Park just east of the city and you can see across the whole city from above.

Coming in at number 90 on the list is the city of Manchester – it was also named one of the world’s up-and-coming cities.

The publication described the city as “booming” thanks to its “productivity growth”.

It was also praised for its “thriving cultural scene” thanks to its two football clubs, Manchester City and Manchester United – as well as Co Op Live and AO Arena which both hold live events.

For more on what to do in Manchester, one local has lots of recommendations like exploring Warehouse Project for seeing live bands or DJs and stopping by the bars on Canal Street.

Just about making the list is the city of Cambridge which placed in 100th position.

The city in the East of England is most famous for its prestigious university which is often ranked as being one of the best in the world.

Popular activities include exploring the historic colleges, punting along the River Cam and exploring the shops and its many pubs.

One of which, The Eagle, is where Francis Crick and James Watson burst in to announce they discovered the DNA.

Other cities that deserve a mention are Dublin in Ireland which came in at number six.

It’s is largely known around the world for its lively nightlife, but it also has world-class museums, restaurants and historical sites.

Also in the top 10 were Paris and Zurich, as well as Tokyo in Japan and American cities, Seattle, San Francisco and San Jose.

Within the top 100, Europe represents almost half with 44 cities, a lot also belong in North America with its 34 cities making the list.

There are the top 100 cities according to Oxford Economics…

1. New York City, USA
2. London, UK
3. Paris, France
4. Seattle, USA
5. San Francisco, USA
6. Dublin, Ireland
7. Boston, USA
8. San Jose, USA
9. Tokyo, Japan
10. Zurich, Switzerland
11. Oslo, Norway
12. Los Angeles, USA
13. Sydney, Australia
14. Washington DC, USA
15. Stockholm, Sweden
16. Melbourne, Australia
17. Dallas, USA
18. Copenhagen, Denmark
19. Munich, Germany
20. Toronto, Canada
21. Amsterdam, the Netherlands
22. Berlin, Germany
23. Geneva, Switzerland
24. Vancouver, Canada
25. Brussels, Belgium
26. Helsinki, Finland
27. Luxembourg City, Luxembourg
28. Houston, USA
29. Singapore, Singapore
30. Madrid, Spain
31. Atlanta, USA
32. Denver, USA
33. Minneapolis, USA
34. Tel Aviv, Israel
35. Vienna, Austria
36. Brisbane, Australia
37. San Diego, USA
38. Seoul, South Korea
39. Hamburg, Germany
40. Bergen, Norway
41. Phoenix, USA
42. Dubai, UAE
43. Basel, Switzerland
44. Perth, Australia
45. Canberra, Australia
46. Austin, USA
47. Chicago, USA
48. Taipei, Taiwan
49. Bern, Switzerland
50. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
51. Prague, Czechia
52. Miami, USA
53. Portland, USA
54. Utrecht, the Netherlands
55. Gothenburg, Sweden
56. Philadelphia, USA
57. Antwerp, Belgium
58. Lausanne, Switzerland
59. Salt Lake City, USA
60. Auckland, New Zealand
61. Warsaw, Poland
62. Montreal, Canada
63. Frankfurt am Main, Germany
64. Istanbul, Turkey
65. Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
66. Nashville, USA
67. Rotterdam, the Netherlands
68. Ghent, Belgium
69. Calgary, Canada
70. Adelaide, Australia
71. Edinburgh, UK
72. Barcelona, Spain
73. Charlotte, USA
74. The Hague, the Netherlands
75. Wellington, New Zealand
76. Aarhus, Denmark
77. Malmo, Sweden
78. Gold Coast, Australia
79. Baltimore, USA
80. Eindhoven, the Netherlands
81. Orlando, USA
82. Colombus, USA
83. Osaka-Kyoto, Japan
84. Abu Dhabi, UAE
85. Raleigh, USA
86. Milan, Italy
87. Hong Kong, China
88. Lyon, France
89. Las Vegas, USA
90. Manchester, UK
91. Reykjavik, Iceland
92. Tampa, USA
93. Shenzhen, China
94. Riverside, USA
95. Madison, USA
96. Christchurch, New Zealand
97. Stuttgart, Germany
98. Düsseldorf, Germany
99. Linz, Austria
100. Cambridge, UK

Actors Hannah Einbinder and Susan Sarandon were among scores who were arrested Thursday in New York City as they protested an appearance by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu before the United Nations General Assembly.

According to an Instagram video by Jewish Voice for Peace, one of the organizers of the demonstration, more than 100 individuals were arrested for blockading the U.N.

“Netanyahu out of New York!” Einbinder shouted as officers took the “Hacks” star into custody.

The 31-year-old Jewish actor has been a critic of Israel’s war in Gaza; last year, when receiving the Emmy Award for supporting actress in a comedy series, she concluded her speech by saying, “Go Birds, f— ICE and free Palestine.” “Birds” was in reference to the Philadelphia Eagles. Einbinder is a big fan.

Other well-known faces were spotted among demonstrators. Actors Cynthia Nixon, Elliot Page and Indya Moore were there, as well as comedians Mary Beth Barone, Caleb Hearon and Sarah Sherman and musicians Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, according to multiple online reports.

In Netanyahu’s appearance before the General Assembly, he was met with a mix of cheers, boos and mass walkouts, according to the Associated Press.

As numerous delegates exited the room, Netanyahu called out: “If there are any other moral cowards who have not yet left the hall, please do so now.”

In his defiant speech, the Israeli leader denied allegations that the country was committing a genocide in Gaza, calling it “the biggest lie of the century,” and he asserted Israel’s right to wage war against Iran.

The Israel-Hamas war began on Oct. 7, 2023, when Hamas-led militants attacked Israel, killing around 1,200 people and kidnapping 251. Israel’s military operations have since killed at least 73,922 Palestinians, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.

In October, Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire. However, Israel continues to carry out airstrikes in Gaza near military-held zones.

Ahead of Netanyahu’s visit, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani labeled the world leader a “war criminal” in a public video, stating that his office looked into enforcing a 2024 arrest warrant issued by the International Criminal Court if Netanyahu visited the city.

However, in that same video, Mamdani acknowledged that the city did not have the authority to enforce the warrant, instead calling on the federal government to act.

In his U.N. speech, Netanyahu addressed Mamdani, saying: “You tried to stop me from coming here. You tried to silence me. Well, you can’t silence me, you can’t silence the truth. Here’s the simple truth, Israel didn’t commit genocide. Israel prevented genocide.”

Stars, local lawmakers and activists protesting outside the U.N. chanted “Free Palestine” and “Netanyahu, you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide.” While police arrested some members in the crowd, individuals called out: “The whole world is watching.”

YouTube is holding onto its exclusive livestream deal with Coachella.

The tech giant in San Bruno, Calif., has renewed its partnership with festival promoter Goldenvoice, keeping exclusive livestream rights to the three-day desert festival through 2030. The next edition, in April 2027, will mark 15 years of Coachella on YouTube.

“We’re excited to bring the energy of the desert to millions of music fans around the world,” Neal Mohan, YouTube’s chief executive officer, said at its Made On YouTube event in New York City on Wednesday morning.

This year’s Coachella, headlined by Sabrina Carpenter, Justin Bieber and Karol G, drew the most concurrent viewers in the history of Coachella on YouTube, according to the company. Bieber, who was discovered on YouTube, even included a nostalgic homage to the platform into his set.

Over the years, the livestream has become an essential part of the Coachella experience, especially for fans who can’t make it to the desert. What started as a single feed has evolved into live coverage of every stage across both weekends.

Beyond Coachella, YouTube doubled down on livestreaming during its presentation, unveiling a slew of new live and AI-powered tools. In August, more than 600 million logged-in viewers watched live content on the platform each day on average, according to YouTube. The new live features include a new co-hosting function in which two creators can appear on the same stream together, and a live auto-dubbing tool that automatically translates speech in real time. Several of the updates are slated to roll out in early 2027.

“Whether it’s a music festival or a creator’s livestream, fandom is no longer a spectator sport,” added Mohan. “Just look at the sheer scale of the live communities we’re seeing today.”

YouTube isn’t the only streamer leaning into live. Netflix has spent the last few years buliding out its own live business, which now includes NFL and MLB games.

UNITED NATIONS: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is making a whirlwind 24-hour trip to speak at the annual U.N. gathering of world leaders this month because “there is no option” after New York’s mayor urged his arrest over the war in Gaza, Israel’s U.N. envoy said Tuesday.

Ambassador Danny Danon accused Mayor Zohran Mamdani of “doing politics” when he called the prime minister a “war criminal” and called for his arrest, which he had to withdraw because New York City does not have authority to take Netanyahu into custody.

“You know, it became very trendy to do politics by blaming Israel,” Danon added. He stressed, “For us, it’s important the prime minister will come.”

Netanyahu has become an increasingly polarizing figure over Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. Mamdani, whose office did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment Tuesday, has pointed to the arrest warrant issued by the world’s top war crimes tribunal against Netanyahu in November 2024, accusing him and another Israeli official of crimes against humanity.

The International Criminal Court warrant said there was reason to believe Netanyahu used “starvation as a weapon of warfare” by restricting humanitarian aid and intentionally targeting civilians in the campaign against Hamas — charges Israel denies.

While New York City does not have legal authority to execute an ICC arrest warrant, Mamdani has encouraged the federal government to do so. The U.S. and Israel are not members of the court, and the Trump administration has imposed a series of sanctions on ICC staffers in a campaign to dismantle the tribunal.

Netanyahu is scheduled to arrive in New York late on Sept. 23, address the U.N. General Assembly the afternoon of Sept. 24 and fly back to Israel that night, Danon said.

Danon noted that the meeting of leaders from the 193 U.N. member nations is taking place during the Jewish holidays and an election campaign as Netanyahu tries to keep his job as prime minister.

Danon said protests against Netanyahu would “create more chaos” on New York streets during the high-level meetings the week of Sept. 22-28.

Last year, there was a mass walkout from the U.N. General Assembly hall when Netanyahu started to speak from the podium. This year, Danon said, “I expect that there will be something like another show.”

But the ambassador said Netanyahu is experienced, “and I’m sure he will deliver his speech despite those attempts.”

“Dang!,” an amiably chaotic new adult animated comedy premiering Tuesday on Netflix, tells the story of the Dangs, three Chinese American siblings living in New York City. Eunice (Poppy Liu, “Hacks”) and older brother Andrew (Andrew Law) share a walk-up apartment in Chinatown; at 26, she’s still determinedly the baby, with little practical knowledge and dependent on him for the tiniest things. He’s the anxious middle child. (Therapist to Andrew: “I’m getting the sense that you’re an anxious people pleaser.” Andrew: “I’m cool with that if you are. Oh my God, are you?”) Somehow Andrew, who is gay, has a lot of casual sex, and only casual sex, despite being incredibly (and comically, obviously) awkward.

Both Andrew and Eunice, who makes money from a live stream in which “horny men and a few women with eating disorders pay me to step on bread,” are relationship averse. When it’s suggested she might like someone she’s been seeing, Eunice panics, “Am I catching feelings? Can it be stopped? Is there a vaccine? Damn whoever the president is.” There is little romance in this comedy.

Where Andrew and Eunice are aspirational slackers who spend off hours watching reality TV and taking whatever drug comes to hand, their older sister, Ruthie (Stephanie Hsu, “Everything Everywhere All at Once”), is a high-powered lawyer, more than comfortable defending evil corporations from the common people; she recoils at a community garden or free library, which she regards as socialism. (“I don’t even like fire departments.”) Though she’s seemingly the successful one, her life has taken an unexpected turn; she’s left her husband, Warren, a weedy Briton overeager to please her, and is pregnant by a colleague, a creep she idealizes. Her fall from perfection delights her brother and sister, who chant, “One of us!” She moves to New York and into the series.

Co-created by Law, who wrote for “Hacks,” “The Good Place” and “Late Night With Seth Meyers” and has acted a little, and Matt Murray (a smorgasbord of 21st century smart comedies are on his resume), the show was originally conceived as live-action. If anything like the present product, it would have to have been a very particular kind of comedy — something like “30 Rock,” whose beats were borrowed from cartoons in the first place. In any case, animation is the place it ought to be. The grotesqueness of Eunice’s boss, Jane, a product-damaged monster who is all face and very little body, if not unachievable in live-action — Katherine Helmond in “Brazil” comes to mind — isn’t really sustainable. You could not have a dead old man’s head come loose from his body and roll across a conference table with quite the same air of insouciance, or melt a rat walking across an overheated microwave oven, if actual people and rats were involved. On the other hand, the fact that Warren is so annoying reminds us that unreal people can elicit genuine repulsion. I ground my teeth at his every appearance; for Ruthie’s sake, I wanted him gone, and she isn’t real, either. It’s the magic of animation.

The show is generally amusing, sometimes very funny and easy to watch as an evolving story of family. (A visit to the Dang parents in Episode 8 is especially productive.) One’s mileage will vary depending on generation and experience. (“I was born in 1999,” says Eunice, who has never heard of Facebook. “Anything before ‘Skibidi Toilet’ is just cave paintings to me.” Of course, I had to look up “Skibidi Toilet,” and I don’t feel bad about admitting that.) There are sex jokes, fart jokes and pop culture jokes; there are jokes I don’t even want to describe. But there is a satisfying specificity to the humor, especially as involves Asian American culture, gay life, New York City and New York City gay Asian American life, which is not overexplained. The city itself is rendered with some light-handed detail — its delis, drug stores, coffee shops (why did I especially like the paper sleeves on the to-go cups?), Central Park on “Freaquinox,” “the first day that everyone decides it’s spring” when citizens turn into sex-crazed zombies. (Eunice: “Last year, I woke up next to an Uber Eats delivery robot.”)

As a situation comedy, its characters will spend their days and nights getting in and out of scrapes, enduring self-inflicted humiliations, experiencing minor triumphs; they are all a little stupid, and a little smart. And as a cartoon, its job is not just to tell you a story, but to give you something fresh to look at, something to set itself apart while offering easy access to its world and people. The character design, which borrows from anime, is elegant and a little odd — hands and feet are drawn tiny, which has the paradoxical effect of drawing your attention, making them more expressive.

Beyond the three stars and Noël Wells (as Greta, Jane’s cowed assistant), neither the producers nor the publicists nor the onscreen credits nor the usual websites have identified who played whom. But I copied down these names down from the screen: Al Roberts, Sungwon Cho, Jared Goldstein, John Michael Higgins, Adam Pally, Jaboukie Young-White and Mary Holland.